Next Sunday: Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Celebrant: Fr. Tharp
Beacons of Light: Canonical and Legal Unification of Two Locations into one Parish
On Thursday, October 24, 2024, five representatives of the Archdiocese met with me and my Key Directors to address the question of the final step of the Beacons process; that is the canonical and legal merging of St. Ann and Sacred Heart both in terms of Church Law and Civil Law into “One Parish in Two Locations” henceforth to be known as the “Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church” (the name you the parishioners chose by vote) located in southwestern Butler County. This would signal the completion of the Beacons of Light process and safeguard both locations (St. Ann and Sacred Heart) from consideration or threat of being swallowed up and closed by a larger consolidation of multiple parish conglomerates on all sides of us.
Remember that unification of St. Ann and Sacred Heart began with the two parishes being constituted as a Pastoral Region in July 2013. This essentially meant that the two parishes would share one priest pastor. This process had resulted from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Futures Project which had called for pastoral regions in 2006. In 2022, the Beacons of Light initiative recognized and formalized the affiliation of Sacred Heart and St. Ann into a “Family of Parishes.” However, even as a (two parish “Family of Parishes”), Church Law has us constituted as “two” legal trusteeships (see Manix v. Elder, Ohio Supreme Court 1888) and Two “Juridic Persons” the term used for the identity of a parish under Church Canon Law.
The culmination of the Beacons of Light process would be for both present trusteeships (Sacred Heart and St. Ann) to “merge” or be transformed into one new parish in two locations. In Church law and legal designation Sacred Heart and St. Ann would both cease to exist at 11:59:59 p.m. on June 30, 2025 and one second later at 12:00:01 on July 1, 2025 both would emerge fully intact as one new parish with two locations called Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and Schools: St. Ann Campus and Sacred Heart Campus. The two parochial schools will do business as Sacred Heart School and St. Ann School, both under the parochial umbrella of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and Schools. We become one parish, operating in two locations, with two Worship Spaces (Church Buildings), and two separate schools, one positioned at each physical location. Autonomy of name is forfeited in favor of unification of economy. No building is closed. No real estate is lost. The Mass schedule remains the same. In practicality the average parishioner will notice little change from the present. The difference is that both deeds will read: “Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr and his successors in Office, Title, and Trust, as Archbishop of Cincinnati, as Trustee for the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” The properties and buildings remain the same. Only the official name of the successor parish entity will change.
On a personal note; I realize that all change is hard! But it is also unequivocally true that change is inevitable. I am not trying to play the hero, but both Sacred Heart and St. Ann are SO BLESSED to have survived the necessary diminution of locations and buildings called for by the Beacons of Light initiative. Every Catholic diocese and archdiocese is facing the realities of dwindling Sunday Mass attendance, dramatic change in numbers of priests available to each diocese, and the resulting conclusion that we have a shortage of priests coupled with an over-abundance of buildings. These buildings are now located in areas where (because of changing demographics) the buildings are not located in the places where they are needed. The solution is less property exposure and more ministerial efficiency. This means some parishes will be consolidated and their real estate sold. In our case, because St. Ann and Sacred Heart both have church (worship space) buildings too small to accommodate their current and potential congregations, we cannot afford to eliminate either church building. Thanks in part to Ed Choice, both school locations have a bright future. We are so blessed that the utilization of both worship spaces gives our combined congregations the economy of scale to satisfy our utilization needs for the long term future. Nothing needs to be sold. Nothing needs to be built.
I believe that it is the intervention of the hand of God that has given us this enviable situation. Most of the parishes involved in Beacons would pray to be in our situation. Neither St. Ann nor Sacred Heart are big enough to be a “stand alone.” Without the relationship with Sacred Heart, St. Ann would be closed. Without the relationship with St. Ann, Sacred Heart would be divided up and consolidated into one or more of the larger Catholic Churches surrounding us. Sacred Heart is too small to be a stand-alone parish. The only reason we are in this enviable place is that together both congregations are survivable. Like the cat and the small dog who combine forces to protect each other, without the two of us working as one, we are both destine to be the coyote’s next meal. Together we can compete and survive. Most parishes throughout the archdiocese involved in the Beacons process would pray for the position we are in! God has placed us in a position where neither congregation loses anything, and everyone from both parishes wins.
Before we complete this unification process, the Archbishop wishes to hear the consultation of each congregation. I plan on having a “town Hall” style meeting at both worship spaces followed in January with a combined “vote” of registered active parishioners and parishioner families. Once the Archbishop has received the consultation response from the combined Parish Council and Finance Committee.
Looking Ahead….December 9th IS a Holyday of Obligation!
Since Vatican II, the Conference of Catholic Bishops for each country or region has determined when the precept obligation for a Holyday could be rescinded because of proximity to another Sunday or Solemnity. This year the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (which is typically December 8) falls on a Sunday. Thus the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is moved to December 9 for this year. The recent tradition of the Church has been to abrogate the obligation for a Monday Holyday, but the Holy See has informed us that because Monday, December 9th is the Feast Day, and Mary’s Immaculate Conception is the patronal feast for the United States, the precept obligation remains for this year. Therefore, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Monday, December 9 IS a Holyday of Obligation this year. Calendars will say it is not, but the Holy See has abrogated the exception.
Guest Celebrant at 4:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 16, 2024
Father David Endres is one of the priests who hails from Sacred Heart. He was ordained in 2009 and celebrated his first Mass here at Sacred Heart. He is Dean of Mt. St. Mary Seminary and Director of Priests Personnel for the Archdiocese. He will celebrate the 4:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday, November 16 celebrating a family anniversary.
Announcing “Together Sunday”
Archbishop Schnurr is asking each Family of Parishes to participate in “Together Sunday” this year on the Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, November 24. Since the 1970s, the national trend of attending Sunday services only sporadically or not at all has become an epidemic. As a Catholic, one of the five precepts of the Church is attendance at Mass on Sunday and Holydays. How can we say we are part of the Body of Christ if we are not fed by the Body and Blood of Christ at the Eucharist? The more who come together through the mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, the greater the presence of Christ radiates through us into a needy world. Thus, we are asking those who attend regularly to reach out with a personal invitation to friends and neighbors to join them at St. Ann or Sacred Heart on the Feast of Christ the King. Sometimes, all it takes is a personal invitation to find our strength in the community in which Christ is present to us in the Most Holy Eucharist.
CWA Dedication of New Members
The Sacred Heart of Jesus branch of the Catholic Women’s Association of Cameroon will hold the dedication and blessing of new members in conjunction with the 11:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 8 at Sacred Heart. The normative liturgical day for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is December 8 each year. Since December 8 is the Second Sunday of Advent, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is moved to Monday, December 9! Although Monday is a Holy Day of Obligation, it is also a work day when the CWA members cannot get off from work. The CWA is a group especially dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Therefore, the CWA will lead a special traditionally African presentation of the Book of the Gospel, offertory procession, and prayer of the Magnificat after communion at the 11:00 a.m. precept Mass on December 8. They will also invite all who are present at the Mass to join us for celebration of food and fellowship in Fellowship Hall immediate after Mass.
The members of the CWA are an important part of Sacred Heart parish and the Family of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; volunteering as Catechists, lectoring (reading) at Mass, assisting in evangelical work, and helping with hospitality. I suggest you mark your calendar to experience the Catholicity (Universality) of the Catholic Faith as our fellow parishioners show us some of the beauty and culture of the country of their origin.
DO NOT FALL FOR SCAMS!!!!
I keep running this article because there are new scams everyday
Remember I NEVER solicit funds, donations, favors, or any request of any kind over the telephone, text, email, carrier pigeon, drone, etc. NEVER! Do not allow yourself to be taken in by scammers. Even if they have my recorded voice, be assured it is computer generated fake! It is not me!!!
Reminder for volunteers who work with or around children
Please be aware that failure to register with and complete the requirements of Safe Parish will result in your inability to continue to work with or around children in any parish and/or school setting. We have been informed by the Archdiocese that there can be NO EXCEPTIONS.
Live Streaming for Precept Masses
Please remember to access the Sacred Heart / St. Ann Pastoral Region You Tube site by clicking on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVLLqbEY5hKWinwz069MVcg
Reflection on Scripture:
If you believe in the prayer called the Shema and you understand the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus says you are not far from understanding the sum total of his teachings. Jesus is telling the scribe to whom he is speaking, “You got it!” If you love God and recognize that caring for your neighbor (every other human being in the world) is the best way to show your love for God, then “Eureka, you got it.” It is like positioning an evergreen tree in your front room. Once you have the tree, everything else is decoration! Once you understand that love of God and love of neighbor are two aspects of the same reality, then the rest is simple.
The profundity of God and the complexity of loving neighbor as yourself, muddy the waters. But if you wade through the contingencies of every scenario, the rational conclusion is the same. St. Thomas Aquinas instructs all moral theology in the phrase, “Do good and avoid evil.” Articulating it is simple. Living it is complicated.
NEXT SUNDAY Thirty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kgs 17:10-16
Heb 9:24-28
Mk 12:38-44
Theme: The widow’s mite