SIGN UP HERE ContactSign-Up e-newsSitemapOutreach Mass John the Evangelist Church in Severna Park is undergoing extensive renovations that will give the house of worship a completely new look and an opportunity to highlight its patron saint is quick to point out that he is not the first priest at St John to consider renovations to the main interior including a new gathering space added at the front of the church in 2000 and a community space/gymnasium added to the parish school I guess the timing was good,” Father Arnold said “The parish is in a place ready to take it on.” the church’s standout feature was its black ceiling that Novotny said was to evoke the catacombs according to stories shared with Father Arnold is the designer’s interest in Japanese culture some people really grew fond of the ceiling but a growing number of parishioners were in favor of introducing more light into the church,” Father Arnold said The building’s heating and air conditioning units were also failing which could only be turned on at the fuse box the ceiling had to come down and asbestos removed The decision was made to do a complete redo we’re going in the opposite direction,” Novotny said A shallow dome installed over the sanctuary will feature a hand-painted mural of St John’s vision of heavenly worship – the victorious Lamb of God surrounded by St a depiction of a passage in the Book of Revelation will visually remind Massgoers that they join the angels and saints in the worship they offer Jesus in heaven – that heaven and earth are joined together every time Mass is celebrated a painting of the crucifix will hang with paintings of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St “It is an opportunity to integrate sacred art into the church We can highlight our patron saint,” Father Arnold said “So much of the artwork and things we’re doing are very deliberately drawn from the Gospel of St A step on the sanctuary was removed to allow “a better flow,” Novotny said Former brick pillars near the altar will be made into round pillars with parishioners having the opportunity to purchase them oil-on-tin Stations of the Cross set was purchased from a company in Pittsburgh to be introduced into the church with the parish’s previous Stations of the Cross donated to a church in Ghana In the church’s shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary the statue of Mary will sit more prominently “Behold Your Mother” (Jn 19:27) will be painted above her A shrine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus will be introduced in a side transept Craftsmen at the Stuflesser wood carving studios in Italy are already working on a statue of the Sacred Heart for the sacred space.  The creation of the shrine carries special importance as Pope Francis recently wrote a letter on devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus commemorating the 350th anniversary of Jesus’ appearances to St noted that Jesus revealed his Sacred Heart to St Margaret Mary and commissioned her to “spread devotion to his loving and merciful heart.”  “The heart of Jesus is especially revealed in the Gospel of John,” Father Arnold said “making our new shrine a fitting and powerful focus for our prayer as a parish family.” Novotny said Father Arnold worked hard to get everyone on board for the renovations by hosting meetings and involving parish members in design ideas You have to be sensitive to that,” Novotny said (shows) they have bought into the vision.” began in the fall and is expected to be completed in August the congregation has been meeting in the parish activities center “We could not do the renovation without that noting that the congregation had to use Severna Park High School for its Christmas Masses and will use it again for Easter “It is off to a beautiful start,” Father Arnold said Matthew Compton with Foundry Architects in Baltimore is the architect for the renovation project and the builder is A.R Email Katie V. Jones at kjones@CatholicReview.org Copyright © 2025 Catholic Review Media  Print Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media Catholic Media Assocation Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association The Associated Church Press Phone: 216-696-6525 Toll Free: 1-800-869-6525 Address: 1404 East 9th Street, Cleveland, OH 44114   Share this Page During the Christmas season, there will be some changes made to the usual Mass and confession schedule at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist The normal weekday Mass schedule – 7:15 a.m. and noon – will be followed Dec. 19, 20 and 23. The noon Mass will be livestreamed on the diocesan website Extra confessors will be available at midday and the Sunday vigil Mass will be celebrated as usual at 4:30 p.m There is no regular livestreamed Mass on Saturdays Masses will be celebrated at the usual times The noon Mass will not be livestreamed that day The vigil Mass for Christmas will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 24. A choral concert will begin at 9:15 p.m., followed by the 10 p.m. Mass at night with Bishop Edward Malesic as celebrant. This liturgy also will be livestreamed on the diocesan website On Christmas Day, Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m., and it will be livestreamed Bishop Malesic also can be seen celebrating a televised Mass at 5:30 a.m. Christmas Day on Channel 43 WUAB TV. The TV Mass is also available on-demand on Christmas Day here Confessions will be heard 6:30-7 and 11:30 a.m and the vigil Mass for the feast of the Holy Family will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m The normal Sunday Mass schedule – 8:30 and 11 a.m will mark the beginning of the Jubilee Year of Hope liturgies will be livestreamed on the diocesan website the Mother of God – a holy day of obligation -- will be celebrated at 4:30 p.m Masses on the holy day, Jan. 1, 2025, will be celebrated at 8:30 and 11 a.m., with the later Mass livestreamed on the diocesan website Confessions will be heard 6:30-7 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Jan. 2 and 3, 2025, with Masses celebrated at 7:15 a.m. and noon. The noon Mass will be livestreamed both days The normal weekday Mass and confession schedule resumes on Jan on Sundays on radio station WINT 1330 AM and at 10:30 a.m check the website for possible schedule changes For more information, visit the diocesan website or the cathedral website please contact local law enforcement and: Kathleen McComb Response Services – 216-334-2999 A National Day of Prayer service was held Thursday morning at St The faithful gather for a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Attendees hold out their hands in praise during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday A National Day of Prayer service is held Thursday Douglas Deshotel speaks during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Members of the Lafayette Police Honor Guard present the colors during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Attendees stand for the national anthem during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Pastor Bobby Richard of One Church Acadiana speaks during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Boulet speaks during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Attendees give praise during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Derek Weber and Cristian Vega stand during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Pastor Cristian Vega leads a prayer for business and economic health during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Attendees bow their heads during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday An attendee holds out her hands in praise during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Pastor Derek Weber prays for church and spiritual health during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Pastor Ty Cook prays for government and civic leadership during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Pastor Alex Lazard prays for the military and media during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Pastor Tracie Millard prays for families and education during a National Day of Prayer service Thursday Email notifications are only sent once a day News Tips:newstips@theadvocate.com Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia Hosts Planned Giving Webinar May 21 Webinar: A Catholic Response to Ending Human Trafficking Delaware County’s 32nd Annual National Day of Prayer Delco Pastor to Discuss Book on Angels April 30 Cathedral Basilica to Screen ‘Cabrini’ on May 10 By CatholicPhilly Staff • Posted April 15 John the Evangelist Parish in Center City Philadelphia will hold its annual Via Crucis (The Way of the Cross) on Good Friday in the Upper Church at Saint John the Evangelist Parish is a musical score by composer Franz Liszt depicting the Stations of the Cross Each station will be recreated with through a multi-media production with narration A free will offering will be taken up in support of music ministries at of St Saint John the Evangelist Parish is located at 21 South 13th Street in Philadelphia CatholicPhilly.com works to strengthen the connections between people families and communities every day by delivering the news people need to know about the Catholic Church you and hundreds of other people become part of our mission to inform form in the Catholic faith and inspire the thousands of readers who visit every month Please join in the church's vital mission of communications by offering a gift in whatever amount that you can ― a single gift of $40 Your gift will strengthen the fabric of our entire Catholic community and sustain CatholicPhilly.com as your trusted news source PREVIOUS: Veggie Garden Workshop May 10 at Martha’s Community Farm NEXT: Cathedral Basilica to Screen ‘Cabrini’ on May 10 USCCB: Statement of USCCB on Vatican’s Document Addressing Pastoral Blessings Pope Francis’ May 2023 Prayer Intention | Watch Video Catholic Charities of Philadelphia Returns to Roots Dan Tarrant Brings God to the World Through Catholic Filmmaking Spring Campaign in Full Swing!Join us to reach our $60,000 goal Mass Propers for Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: says the Lord; whoever comes to me will never hunger Preface II of Easter: It is truly right and just but in this time above all to laud you yet more gloriously when Christ our Passover has been sacrificed Through him the children of light rise to eternal life and the halls of the heavenly Kingdom are thrown open to the faithful; for his Death is our ransom from death and in his rising the life of all has risen every people exults in your praise and even the heavenly Powers sing together the unending hymn of your glory we believe that we shall also live with Christ Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter: O God who open wide the gates of the heavenly Kingdom to those reborn of water and the Holy Spirit pour out on your servants an increase of the grace you have bestowed they may lack nothing that in your kindness you have promised who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit » Enjoy our Liturgical Seasons series of e-books! After taking part in the Crusades against the Albigensians he used his inheritance to free Christian prisoners held by the Moors He later founded the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (Mercedarians) beginning in 1218 devoted to ransoming Christians John the Apostle was taken to Rome under the Emperor Domitian and plunged into a cauldron of boiling oil; by a striking miracle he came out safe and sound from this torture This disposition to forgive did not die with St but has continued to be one of the most characteristic virtues of the saint Benedict as related in the Dialogues of St that he was continuously and severely persecuted by a delinquent priest who lived in the neighborhood of the monastery in order to protect the virtue and the vocations of his disciples Benedict decided to abandon the site of his monastery and move to another location He and his monks had hardly left their monastery when word was brought that the persecutor had died suddenly Contrary to the expectation of the messenger who brought the news Benedict broke out in loud lamentations that his enemy had died suddenly and had not had an opportunity to repent The saints see so much more clearly than we the relative unimportance of the hardships and injustices we suffer in this world and the importance before all else of the sinner's being converted and repenting of his sins How long and how persistently we harbor grudges in our hearts against those who have offended us How difficult we find it to forgive freely and from our hearts Yet we proclaim ourselves to be Christians and to practice all the Christian virtues Do we forget that our Lord told us that if we expect our prayers to be heard and our sacrifices to be pleasing in the sight of God and go first and make peace with our brother Nor is the disposition to forgive our enemies peculiar only to the saints and martyrs of the ancient Church; nor should we expect it to be and if His disciples were commanded to forgive their enemies in His day Father Pro was executed in Mexico some years ago he was asked by his executioner if he had anything he wished to do or anything he wished to say before the sentence was executed Father Pro said that there was; he wished to be given an opportunity to pray for his executioners and to give them his blessing before he died During the persecutions in Spain during the late civil war one of the religious who was to be put to death by the communists was led to his death with his hands bound asked to be allowed to give his blessing to the members of the firing squad It is said that the officer in charge of the guard untied his hands and then swiftly struck off the hands of the priest with his sword raised his right arm and traced the sign of the cross over the heads of his murderers This is the true sign of the authentic martyr the characteristic mark of the true saint of the Church Who His own self bore our sins in His body upon the tree" (Epistle) The redemption of man as accomplished by Christ might have been accomplished in other ways but none of them would have been as perfect as the way Christ chose God might have forgiven man outright without requiring any satisfaction for sin This would have been a splendid manifestation of the infinite mercy of God but it would have ignored His infinite justice God might have refused redemption and forgiveness altogether and this would have been in complete conformity with His justice but it would not have satisfied His infinite mercy Perfect redemption required that both God's mercy and justice be satisfied Any act of satisfaction on his part would only have been of limited and finite value An act of reparation offered by a divine person would have been adequate since it would not have been offered by the offending party The only possibility of a perfect redemption was for the divine person to become incarnate could perform acts of infinite value; since he was a human being He could act in the name of the human race and offer an act of reparation which would be both adequate and authentic But the martyrdom of the latter Apostle called for a scene worthy of the event was not a sufficiently glorious land for such a combat whither Peter had transferred his Chair and where he died on his cross and where Paul had bowed down his venerable head beneath the sword alone deserved the honor of seeing the beloved disciple march on to martyrdom with that dignity and sweetness which are the characteristics of this veteran of the Apostolic College In the year 95 John appeared before the tribunal of pagan Rome the worship of a Jew who had been crucified under Pontius Pilate He was considered a superstitious and rebellious old man and it was time to rid Asia of his presence sentenced to an ignominious and cruel death A huge cauldron of boiling oil was prepared in front of the Latin Gate The sentence ordered that the preacher of Christ be plunged into this bath The hour had come for the second son of Salome to partake of his Master’s chalice the boiling liquid lost all its heat; the Apostle felt no scalding when they took him out again he felt all the vigor of his youthful years restored to him John the Evangelist led a Mass in honor of Pope Francis's life and service on Thursday Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardAfter theft of $150,000 crown a historic East Market church fights to stay openStill reeling from the unsolved theft of the cherished crown John the Evangelist Church struggles to raise funds to address badly needed repairs and could close its doors One January night, a burglar smashed a century-old stained glass window to steal a gold crown. The unsolved theft of the $150,000 jewel-laden relic which rested atop a marble statue of the Virgin Mary and was donated by parishioners more than a century ago after a fire shocked and saddened the congregants of St Long known as “the worker’s church” for ministering to the spiritual needs of downtown laborers — and along with the doctors and nurses of nearby Thomas Jefferson University Hospital — St John’s now faces another stark challenge: Its survival is struggling to raise funds to address badly needed repairs — without them While thousands of Center City churchgoers John’s during their lunch breaks on holy days like Ash Wednesday the parish remains one of the poorest in the Archdiocese St. John’s has started a capital campaign to raise $1,000,000 to rebuild an unsafe sputtering electrical system that an engineer recently said was a miracle to still be working — and long past the point of resurrection pointing at the half-century-old transformer “I hate to say it’s a race against time but it is because we need to get the money before this goes down St. John’s does not expect financial help from the Archdiocese, Betz said. Not with so many parishes struggling. Since starting the capital campaign in February, St. John’s has raised almost $500,00 toward its $1,000,000 goal. Pledges can be made on the church website. the striking Gothic Revival church opened in 1832 as the fifth Catholic Church in Philadelphia Built on the then-outskirts of the growing city it served as the cathedral for the diocese before the opening of Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in 1864 the church found itself in the heart of downtown’s exploding department store and business district “It became the downtown shoppers’ and workers’ parish,” Betz said Sunday Mass for printers and factory workers getting off their shifts late-night bar goers who wanted to squeeze in Mass before sunup but it became the drunkards’ Mass,” Betz said Generations of shoppers and workers who rode the trolley and trains downtown the convention goers who crowded nearby hotels John’s for confession or Mass or just to pray at the statue adorned with the sparkling crown when the church was rebuilt after a fire sparked in a Wanamaker’s warehouse killed three firemen who are all memorialized in plaques outside The blaze destroyed the church interior save for the marble statue of Mary the people of the church collected their jewelry and gold and they made this beautiful crown,” Betz said the elaborately patterned crown was encrusted with diamonds and other precious heirlooms donated by parishioners it was part of the life of the parish,” she said Surveillance footage captured the startling sound of smashing glass as the thief squeezed through a church window in the early hours of Jan The unidentified burglar used a chair to reach the crown which was at least 10 feet above the ground “Police think they knew what they were doing,” Betz said a Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson said investigators could not comment on the active investigation Insurance would only cover the cost of the stolen crown if the church decided to replace it “But how could you ever replace it?” said Betz And while the church would never have thought to sell the crown to cover its bills about 400 people still fill the pews on Sunday John’s maintains active ministries in the neighborhood John’s Hospice shelter and drug treatment center a longtime parishioner and former Reading Terminal Market merchant is organizing a May 3 fundraiser at the terminal for the church Details are available through the parish office at 215-563-4145 After losing the loss of the treasured crown Betz shudders to think what the closure of the actual church could mean “I think this is an anchor in East Market,” he said © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices VW independent staff/submitted information John the Evangelist Catholic School has announced the selection of Nathan Stant as its first Head of School John’s School Board of Specified Jurisdiction made hiring a head of school one of its top priorities This new role is responsible for the school’s day-to-day operational leadership including areas such as mission and Catholic identity we found the right man for the job within our own parish and service to our Blue Jay family will enable him to lead our parish school into the future ensuring that our tradition of Catholic education continues in Delphos for years to come,” Reverend Jeffery Walker said a hiring committee was formed by the board “I think this process has been an incredible attempt to find an educational expert to manage the school and staff while maintaining our Catholic school identity,” Board President Craig Pohlman said “Our Parish Pastor will still hold the authority necessary to ensure this remains a true parochial school with our Board of Specified Jurisdiction sharing in that governance This has been a robust process with many outstanding applicants “It was inspiring to see so much interest in leading our small-town parochial school,” he continued “It is with great pleasure that we announce Mr Nathan Stant as the first Head of School at Delphos St Nate exudes and embodies the heart and soul of someone passionate about and committed to a full Catholic education we are confident he is an excellent fit for this role.” “I believe this transition will allow our principals to more fully focus on their roles without the burden of additional administrative duties they’ve previously had to take on this gives them more time to thrive in their positions I also believe it will be a positive change for our parish community enabling our Pastor to focus more fully on the spiritual growth and well-being of all his parishioners and the churches he oversees I am most looking forward to seeing how we can continue the long-standing success of Delphos St I believe both the school and parish can thrive and be everything that all of us know they are and can be.” John’s Elementary Principal-Minister for the past 16 years John the Evangelist Catholic School community for their support and grace during in my time as elementary Principal-Minister,” Stant stated I received a call from God – through the pastor and the hiring committee assembled at the time – to return home to Delphos and serve in this role God’s plan has both challenged and blessed me as a Catholic school leader while also blessing me with the primary vocation of being the best husband and father I can be I am excited for this next chapter in Catholic school leadership one I truly believe God is calling me to through the current leadership of St John the Evangelist Catholic Church and School.” for entrusting me with this position,” he added “I’m also grateful to all my colleagues and fellow Catholic school educators for the opportunity to serve alongside you thank you to God and to my family — Kristin and Lydia — for supporting me throughout this ministry of Catholic education Our preschool-12 school is the largest ministry of our parish and I firmly believe in our mission to make Jesus known and all of our school leaders in service of most important mission.” Stant will officially begin his role as Head of School May 1 while continuing to lead and oversee the elementary through the remainder of the 2024-25 academic year He is immediately working toward filling the role of elementary Principal-Minister John’s remains: “In partnership with parents and the parish community John the Evangelist Catholic School encourages all to learn and live a faithful Christ-centered life through the Catholic Tradition POSTED: 04/24/25 at 9:41 pm. FILED UNDER: News (ABC 6 News) Rochester’s Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist will be celebrating the Mass for Pope Francis Thursday Bishop Barron will conduct the service and are welcome to attend the Mayo West Lot will be opened at 5:30pm for those coming to this Mass The Co-Cathedral advises it would be best for everyone that arrives after 5:30pm to park there The Cathedral will be using the small parish lot for those with physical needs and the school lot for those guests who are not aware of the West Ramp’s availability Bishop Barron will be praying for Pope Francis and that God may grant him mercy and welcome him into eternal life The bishop is inviting the public to please also pray for the cardinals of the Church who will soon be meeting to elect our next pope Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the FCC Public file should email news@kaaltv.com or call (507) 288-7555 Add to Calendar Bishop Malesic celebrates the Chrism Mass during Holy Week with the clergy and faithful of the diocese Add to Calendar Join us for the annual Mass for Life at the Cathedral of St parishes and organizations bringing groups are asked to RSVP below so that seating can be coordinated in the cathedral Registration for individuals or families is not required The mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, is celebrating its 175th anniversary on Oct. 12 with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Edward Malesic followed by a 175th anniversary gala at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower Proceeds will benefit the Cathedral Renovation Fund Ticket prices are $400; $350 for seniors 65 and older or $200 for those 35 and younger. Table sponsorships are also available. Click here for more information or to purchase tickets One of the first decisions Bishop Amadeus Rappe had to make was where to construct a cathedral The church is the location of the cathedra and work began on the new cathedral the following year It was located on Erie Street (now East Ninth Street) and was designed by architect Patrick Charles Keeley Keeley went on to become one of the premier church architects of the 19th century The first Mass was celebrated in the temporary Chapel of the Nativity on Dec a school for girls and the cathedral hall were completed The interior of the cathedral was finished in 1876 The cathedral has a Gothic revival design with vaulted arches supported by 16 fluted The ceiling is painted in a blend of blues fleur de lis and crown designs at the triangle points Stained-glass windows portraying the Christian liturgical calendar can be seen throughout the cathedral the north rose window centered by the hand of God and the south rose window depicting the Holy Spirit The windows in the nave were installed in 1902 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the cathedral’s completion Additional work was done on the church in 1927 and in 1946 and the newly rebuilt cathedral was consecrated on Sept Bells were added to the cathedral’s bell tower in 1988 In anticipation of the 175th anniversary of the diocese an extensive renovation of the cathedral began in 2022 Included were rebuilding the front steps and handicap ramp a new state-of-the-art sound system and redesigning of the cathedral courtyard Click here to watch a video about the cathedral and its history. Learn more about the cathedral here John the Evangelist marks its 175th anniversary look back at the storied history of the Cleveland landmark and principal church of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardBeloved crown stolen from Virgin Mary statue at St John the Evangelist church in Center CityThe crown was made of jewelry and gems donated by parishioners after the church experienced a major fire in the early 1900s John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Center City in which a 125-year-old golden crown resting on top of a marble statue of the Virgin Mary was stolen someone broke into the church by smashing through a stained-glass window around 1:10 a.m around 1900 out of jewelry and gems donated by parishioners to celebrate the church’s reopening after a fire in 1899 which started in the Wanamaker Building warehouse who are memorialized with plaques outside of the church The blaze destroyed the interior of the church save for the marble statue of Mary “The whole Catholic city and non-Catholic city came together to help the parish,” Kirkwood said “All of the women and men of the parish donated cuff links The burglar was captured on surveillance video breaking through a stained glass panel climbing into the upper nave and going straight to the statue and crown The person would have had to scale a fence outside and climb up onto a chair to reach the crown at least 10 feet above the ground “It’s very plain to us from the surveillance video that he knew what he was doing … My concern is we want to alert other churches in case this guy’s out casing other churches to steal gold and jewelry.” No arrest has been made and police are asking anyone with information to contact the Philadelphia Police Department The Gothic Revival church is just a block from City Hall on 13th Street and dates back to 1838 It once served as the cathedral for the Philadelphia diocese ”Printer’s Mass” to accommodate printers coming off of their shifts The stained glass that was damaged also dates to the church’s reopening in 1902 and came from a stained glass workshop in Munich Church staff spent much of Saturday picking up shards of the shattered window in hopes of reassembling it in the future The robbery was discovered when the church was preparing for a baptism Assistant Pastor John McCloskey said Sunday morning church staff found broken glass and soon found that the crown had been stolen The taking of the crown has left the statue looking “unclothed,” the 74-year-old assistant pastor said and has left him with feelings of sadness and anger and I’m kind of surprised by that because it’s [the crown] not something that I made a point of looking at but it is something that I am [used to having there].” The church does not currently have plans to replace the crown and is still working to assess the financial value of the artifact parishioners came to worship as they always did adjusting to a new stark view in the wake of the robbery hasn’t been able to sleep since receiving a text letting her know about the robbery Sunday morning’s Mass was the first time she saw the statue of the Virgin Mary without its crown ”It’s just the idea that somebody would violate God’s house The loss of the crown is more personal for Nadine Boulware Her friend Deborah Lewis was a sacristan at the church A sacristan is responsible for taking care of religious objects and Lewis spent decades taking care of the statue of the Virgin Mary and the crown before her death last year “Our Deborah used to take very good care of that statue She would be devastated if she was alive,” Boulware said As she gazed at the statue of the Virgin Mary Lamons spoke a warning to whoever stole the sacred artifact ”God help you when you come face to face with him,” she said Anyone with information is asked to call Central Detectives at 215-686-3093 Add to Calendar Stations of the Cross will be livestreamed from the Cathedral of St PHILADELPHIA (OSV News) — A Philadelphia parish is in shock following the brazen theft of an historic golden crown from a beloved statue of Mary An intruder smashed a stained-glass window at St John the Evangelist Church in downtown Philadelphia just after 1 a.m and in mere moments stole a custom-made crown of gold and jewels from a large marble figure of Mary flanking the altar of the parish’s upper church an unidentified male who was captured on security camera video appeared to have fled in a Mitsubishi vehicle afterward — and he worked quickly “It was seven minutes from the time he climbed the first fence in … and climbed that fence again” after the heist Father Betz also said he was “impressed with how hard” the Philadelphia Police Department is working to track down the suspect describing their efforts as “diligent.” “They really seem to be taking this very seriously,” he said “They really want to find that crown.” Father Betz said that he was “learning how valuable” the crown actually is “both as an artifact of faith and as a magnificent piece of jewelry.” While final calculations as to its market value won’t be reached until an insurance adjuster reviews the claim local media reports indicated that the crown was worth some $30,000 But it’s difficult to affix a price to the historic and spiritual value of the piece John’s parish historian and archivist Kirkwood told OSV News that both the crown and the statue it adorned were labors of love was commissioned by a parishioner and paid for by fellow parishioners just a year after Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception Following an “absolutely terrible fire” in the spring of 1899 the statue was “the only thing that survived,” with the flames devastating “the whole interior of the church” and leaving only the exterior stonework standing “It took two years to rebuild the church,” she told OSV News all the parishioners got together and collected their gold Caldwell and Company melted the gold and fashioned the crown “It was set on the head of the Blessed Mother in gratitude that she had survived (the fire) and also in gratitude for the rebuilding and reopening of this church,” Harwood said She also noted that the statue is “a very beloved presence among us,” with “so many parishioners who line up to light candles and say prayers after Mass” in front of the image told OSV News the theft stunned and saddened her “I can’t imagine that anyone would do something like that but the world is changing,” she lamented Bueding said she believed the thief was strictly interested in the crown and “wasn’t there to deface the church.” the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said “this incident evokes sadness on behalf of Catholics because of our love for our mother Mary,” adding that it stands “in solidarity” with bereaved parishioners “We call to mind the sacrifice of four firefighters who died combatting the blaze that destroyed St John’s in 1899,” said the archdiocese “Its rededication inspired parishioners to donate the crown and its jewels as a lasting sign of hope and protection of Mary John the Evangelist and all the saints intercede with our Lord to comfort parishioners and bring justice to the community.” Asked by OSV News what he would tell the thief Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News he served as Day School Chaplain and Associate Rector at St Patrick’s Episcopal Church and Day School in Washington he studied theology at the University of Exeter Westcott House in Cambridge (England) and Yale Divinity School He served in the Church of England for eight years before beginning his ministry in the Episcopal Church in Fort Worth TX when he served as Middle and Upper School Chaplain at All Saints’ Episcopal School.Father Ed and his wife Devon Abts—a Massachusetts native and theologian specializing in religion and the arts—reside in the rectory with their cats and enjoy a wide range of activities together outside of their pastoral duties You’re the 9th Rector of the Episcopal Parish of St What do your responsibilities as rector include and Rector is a traditional title for that for preaching and teaching and and also helping the church to be a presence in the wider community We're obviously a Christian community and an Episcopal Church specifically but we also play a role in the wider community as well connecting with different organizations and institutions my main role is to help lead the parish in being that Christian presence in the community although we have around 4,000 members in our parish directory how do the Church of England and the Episcopalian Church interact There's what's called the Worldwide Anglican Communion and it's a network of churches internationally that all historically trace their history back to the Church of England and to the Archbishop of Canterbury So the Episcopal Church is one of those churches that was born out of that history and tradition and so when we were thinking about moving back to the U.S I could transfer quite comfortably to the Episcopal Church here What should readers of this newsletter know about you I was on an exchange program over here; I was at Westcott House in Cambridge and I came to Yale for one semester Devon was starting an academic course at the same time when I came over to do some of my ordination training Devon and I have family on both sides of the pond We have family and friends all over so we enjoy traveling We're very big on hiking and cycling and getting outside and we like spending time with our friends and family and getting involved in the community just getting out and getting to know people We just love learning and being among people You’ve been Rector for just a few months What’s been a bigger challenge than expected when the Bishop of of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts will come and officially install me I've been in specifically education chaplaincy for some years John’s is a happy return to pairsh life Though this is actually the first time I've been a Rector of a parish I've been an associate and I've done basically the same kind of job before but this is the first time I've been in charge There are lots of new things to get used to; as well as being a priest who has responsibility for worship pastoral care and preaching and being out in the community I also have to oversee all the technical things the finances and buildings and grounds committees and all the different organizational administrative elements but there are a lot of things like that to get used to very quickly It’s been both a joy and a challenge in that respect But the community has been so welcoming; they’ve made it easy people who really care about each other and about Hingham as well as about the church Were you amazed at how many Dunkin’ Donuts there are in the area It’s one of the things that brought us back to New England Please shed some light: how does this work inform your philosophy as a member of the clergy Those two terms are kind of interchangeable Divinity or theology essentially means talking about God studying God and faith and religious belief about how Christianity relates to other religons as well It originally began as a project about school chaplaincy but I’m also looking at how school chaplaincy works in the wider life of the Church and how the wider church and very specific roles we think about working at a specific institution like a school or university or hospital or the armed forces And it's often seen as being quite an isolated form of ministry Whereas I've always been interested in thinking about how working in a school with a very specific community how what you do in that community can be informed by the wider church and vice versa one of the things that a chaplain in an education institution spends a lot of time doing is working with people of all different faiths I'd actually spend most of my time leading worship and providing pastoral care for people who are not Christians The wider Church community both cares about this and needs to understand how that works further given the diverse nature of our society Even though I’ve been in Episcopal and Church of England Schools and so working in a church-based institution they’re also profoundly multi-faith communities and so interfaith dialogue is a real passion of mine I love working with different faiths and again I'm a member of several different organizations that do a lot of interfaith work and also with humanism and other forms of belief and spirituality that are not necessarily tied to a specific faith community as well And I love all of that and I engaged in a lot of this work when I worked in education chaplaincy I was also a university chaplain for a while and did a similar thing what does it mean to be a Christian in a profoundly multi-faith How Christians be responsible with their faith where you know what you believe but can learn alongside other faiths Remembering the importance of dialoguing with people who believe different things to you informs my ministry in parishes as well This goes back to that civic responsibility piece and the wider community And this includes doing funerals…I did a funeral recently for a family who didn't have any particularly strong ties to the church said that having a funeral in a church and then a traditional burial was really important to them and so it was a lovely opportunity to connect with the family who otherwise might not have set foot in the church And so my Ph.D studies are about looking at different approaches to Christian theology engaging with religious pluralism and then applying some of that theological thinking to ministry how can a chaplain in a school or university or a priest in a parish take those theological ideas about the relationship between Christianity and interfaith dialogue caring for someone who has different beliefs preaching and teaching in a way which is compassionate trying to think about ways of being a healthy responsible Christian in a multi-faith world The moment that we are in in America right now where there's so much divide and polarization these interfaith dialogs are essential in bridging some of those gaps through interfaith dialog And that's also something that I've always believed to be really important goes going around telling people what they should or shouldn't do I believe that God is love and that’s why I'm a Christian I believe that God in Christ shows us a new way to live And that's all about love and compassion and listening and also growing and learning from people who don't necessarily share the exact same beliefs as you Without turning this into a sermon...but if God became a human being and spent time on Earth among people that’s what Christians like me are called to do we don't just go out thinking we've got all the answers and tell people what to do We're out there to meet God through other people through our relationships and our communities and our encounters with other people who are very different to us you first came to the United States in Fort Worth Was it a big adjustment culturally to find yourself suddenly having gone from Cambridge Without boring you with my whole life story I was at Cambridge for my ordination training and then Devon got her visa and we were in the U.K and I was working in schools and universities as well as parishes And I wanted to be back in the Episcopal Church again--the Church of England's great but I wanted to serve the Episcopal Church again I got the opportunity to work at an Episcopal School as a chaplain in Fort Worth But even though I'd been traveling to the U.S we knew Fort Worth was going to be a bit of a jump but it seemed like fun We met some wonderful people there and we ,oved it it was a culture shock given everywhere else we’d lived prior You’re married to a theologian; your dinner table conversations must be fascinating Even though we've both been working in education for a long time and as you may have seen in my on the bio on the website does conferences and works at different universities but she's also working for a nonprofit now as Research and Operations Director for the Clemente Course in the Humanities Devon really wanted to branch out as well and be involved in nonprofit work I wanted to be back in the parish again and be out in the wider community And both of us as a couple wanted to find a nice new home church and a parish that we can both be involved with And so this whole thing has been really important to us as a couple So everything from our dinnertime conversations through to how we generally kind of roll between my mother's family and my father's family there was always a big rift with this; basically I used to go see Norwich City play quite a bit because we lived quite close to the stadium So I kind of got into it more through that but I always tried to avoid the Tottenham and Chelsea thing because I just didn't want a family feud I'm always quite curious to see what they're up to Learn more about Father Ed and The Episcopal Parish of St John the Evangelist: https://bit.ly/4fVD9QL Sign up for one year of weekly grief messages designed to provide strength and comfort during this challenging time You will no longer receive messages from our email mailing list Your email address has successfully been added to our mailing list There was an error verifying your email address Two years after buying the closed former St John the Evangelist Church in South Buffalo its owners are moving forward with a multimillion-dollar plan to convert it into 24 affordable apartments Owners Christopher and Kimberly Shores want to transform the 22,953-square-foot sandstone church at 2317 Seneca St into apartments with below-market rental rates They did not specify what those levels would be saying that would be up to the government agencies that supply the funding But the Shores’ application this week to the Zoning Board of Appeals for variances indicates that the plan is finally advancing although it’s not clear how soon construction might start “We have some things that we’re working on,” said Chris Shore who is a construction project estimator and project manager professionally His wife owns WBE Walls & Ceilings on Grand Island he said construction would take 10 months to a year Located on 0.4 acre at the corner of Seneca and St next to the entrance to Cazenovia Park at Warren Spahn Way the church was closed by the Catholic Diocese in 2009 after it merged with St Teresa’s as part of a larger series of parish downsizing The building had been vacant since then but underwent several ownership changes including to Hook & Ladder Development a trio of South Buffalo firefighters who bought it in 2016 for $170,000 They had planned to spend $1.5 million to $2 million to convert it into four commercial units on the first floor and 12 loft-style apartments on the second floor They even considered putting a brewery in the building But the project proved more complicated than their other ventures they sold it for $195,000 in 2023 to the Shores whose intention has always been to convert it to apartments would preserve the historic architectural character of the church building according to a letter from project attorney Jeffery Palumbo to the city John the Evangelist Catholic Church on Seneca Street “We’re doing our best to keep the architectural scheme the same for the building,” said Shore He said the altar and stained-glass windows would remain but did not specify the fate of any other features is eligible for listing on the State and National Registers of Historic Places Shore said the couple would not use state or federal historic tax credits to do the project which means they would not be restricted on interior renovations by state or federal guidelines That would allow them to do more changes on the inside than other developers have been able to do with their own church conversions have not yet disclosed any other details of their interior plans a separate adaptive-reuse permit and change of use application had cited 21 units eight two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom apartments Neither Shore nor the other documents provided an updated breakdown of 24 units Reach Jonathan D. Epstein at (716) 849-4478 or jepstein@buffnews.com Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly The fight to keep parish churches open as the Diocese of Buffalo targets them for closure or mergers is organized and gaining traction and Gino Gatti dissolved their venture and have gone their separate ways in business The trio of South Buffalo firefighters who own Hook & Ladder Development are now exploring the possibility of putting a brewery in the for… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardPolice release images of suspect in theft of jeweled crown from Virgin Mary statue at Center City church The burglar broke into St John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church at 13th and Ludlow Streets by smashing through a stained-glass window and stole a golden crown Police released images and video of the man they say stole a 125-year-old bejeweled golden crown from atop a marble statue of the Virgin Mary at St John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Center City and asked the public for help in finding him the man broke into the church on the corner of South 13th and Ludlow Streets by smashing through a stained glass window The burglar was captured on surveillance video breaking through the window and going straight to the statue and crown A short clip from surveillance footage released by police Monday shows the man walking up an alleyway on the north side of the church before climbing a fence and disappearing from view of the camera the burglar crossed a small cemetery on the church grounds before climbing the outside wall of the church and breaking in through a stained glass window Other clips released by police show the suspect’s alleged getaway car The robbery was discovered while church staff were preparing for a baptism on Saturday and found broken glass around 1900 from jewelry and gems donated by parishioners to celebrate the church’s reopening after a fire in 1899 The church was still assessing a monetary value for the crown The damaged stained glass window also dates to the church’s reopening in 1902 and was fashioned in Munich parishioners at the Gothic Revival church on 13th Street about a block from City Hall were dismayed to learn of the loss of the crown and the shattered window Betz said he was “astonished” at the outpouring of support for the church and the feelings of sadness from parishioners and visitors alike and the parish opens its doors to visitors as well as regulars About half of the church’s Sunday attendance is comprised of tourists The statue of the Virgin Mary and the crown atop its head have always been a focal point of the church for those who visit and its loss was felt throughout the community There’s been an “outpouring of grief and concern and dismay at ‘who would do this?’,” said Betz “I feel people were proud of the history of the statue and the crown on that statue.” Anyone with information is asked to call Central Detectives at 215-686-3093 or to submit a tip by calling or texting 215-686-8477 60th reunion held in Wildflower Room of Holiday Inn The Class of Saint John the Evangelist High School of 1964 recently celebrated their 60th reunion at the Wildflower Room Their celebration began with Mass at Saint John the Evangelist Church in Pittston during which they honored the deceased members of the class and sang the school’s Alma Mater first row: Mary Therese Grace Clark; Jeanne Radar Giza; Patricia Quinn McDonnell; Margaret McNevin Barrett; JoAnn Brosso Griglock; Theresa Dickson; Rosina LaTorre Bremmer; Diane Julio Schwartz; Kathleen Gavigan Franklin; Mary Ann Hudzinski Belaski Antos; and Kathy Spadi Rushnok Second row: Sylvia LaNunziata Appel; Patricia Wilson Schmitt; Ann Mullarkey DeLucca; Joyce Flaherty Hines; Mary Joan Saitta Dickey; JoEllen Kelly Devlin; Sally Slocum Frank; Nancy Mesaris Silfee; Mary Ann O’Hara Garrity; Michael Caputo; Sue Trentley Jurewicz; and Roger Hines Third row: Patrick McDonnell; Thomas Brennan’ Catherine Harned-Hall; Frank Smith and Michael Burke The noon Ash Wednesday Mass at the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist was standing room only Wednesday as congregants gathered to receive ashes and to hear Bishop J Purple flags and drapery are displayed symbolizing Christ and the start of the Lenten season as congregants arrive for an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Douglas Deshotel and other clergy members walk in at the start of an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Douglas Deshotel delivers the homily during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Congregants listen to the homily during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Douglas Deshotel reads during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Douglas Deshotel marks the foreheads of congregants with ashes during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Douglas Deshotel distributes ashes during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Chester Arceneaux distribute ashes during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Douglas Deshotel marks the forehead of a congregant with ashes during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Congregants receive ashes and return to their seats during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Congregants return to their seats after receiving ashes during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday Ashes are distributed during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday A congregant returns to his seat after receiving ashes during an Ash Wednesday mass Wednesday John The Evangelist is pictured following major renovations Artwork depicting Stations of the Cross is pictured inside the Cathedral of St Parishioners take their seats before the start of noon mass at the Cathedral of St School children leave their morning service at the Cathedral of St It’s been 40 years since the inside of Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in downtown Lafayette has been renovated moisture caused water damage to the plaster and paint Church officials knew they needed to make repairs to “take care of what’s been given to us,” said Molloy McCracken Plans were made to strike a balance between the original 1920 design and the minimalist aesthetic of the past 40 years while paying homage to the cathedral’s patron “I hope (parishioners) are inspired by the beauty and that the beauty brings them to Jesus,” McCracken said “I hope this is place that feels like home and that they can worship Renovations began in April with a team of workers from J.B. Mouton Construction, which also helped with the 1984 renovation, architects with Baton Rouge-based Hoffpauir Studios and restoration specialists with Wisconsin-based Conrad Schmitt Studios The exterior brick was sealed and repainted Protection measures were installed for the stained glass The air-conditioning system got an upgrade Conrad Schmitt Studios specializes in conservation and restoration and has been working with the Catholic Church since 1889 a senior project director at Conrad Schmitt has been working with churches in south Louisiana for more than 25 years He said he was always hopeful a project would arise at the Cathedral of St he got a phone call about renovations at the church “To be able to take part in a project in a transformation of space that has such a major effect on people’s lives — baptisms funerals — and to have a small part in adding to the celebration from beginning to end and enhancing that experience for all those that are involved “it’s hard to wrap your head around sometimes how big a responsibility that is.” The Catholic Church is one of the only places where art and architecture are as much a part of the Mass as the other elements So the goal was to ensure every element — the walls floors and pews — works “together to create an experience that helps to heighten that worship experience for the parishioners.” For the project, every surface was repaired. The plaster was replaced and sealed, pews reinforced, floors polished and updates made to the confessionals and bathrooms. The monochrome tan paint was replaced with more color, including a blue ceiling with gold stars. The statues were repaired and repainted by local artist Brett Chigoy Conrad Schmitt Studios Interior Designer Erik Baden created a restoration plan with Rev In addition to highlighting the Romanesque Revival architecture he wanted to include elements that pointed to St A quill motif in the smaller arches above the side aisles acknowledges St In the transverse ribs are scrolls and eagles A vine motif throughout the nave is a nod to a verse in the book of John of Jesus that reads “I am the vine; you are the branches.” ”The end results should feel very much as the buildings of this church might have intended,” Baden said “(I hope parishioners) are awed by a sense of this place they’re in and they’re connected to the history and Catholic traditions of Lafayette and the people who have been there before them.” who acted as a liaison for the church and everyone who worked on the project But it was still a special moment seeing everything once it was completed Email Ashley White at ashley.white@theadvocate.com John the Evangelist Catholic Church in downtown Rochester announced that after 54 years of service as a priest in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and in a letter sent to parishioners from the office of the Co-Cathedral Mahon said he would be joining the ranks of those who possess "senior status as a priest." The letter noted that Mahon will continue his priestly vocation by assisting other parishes and institutions through substitution Mahon has routinely led the Good Friday procession through downtown from the Government Center to St He has also served the diocese as vicar general in the past and as the director of Rochester Catholic Schools Nearly 200 people attended a prayer service at St. Peter Church in downtown Cleveland before processing to the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist to open the Jubilee Year of Hope in the Diocese of Cleveland The event took place on the feast of the Holy Family Bishop Edward Malesic presided at the prayer service and Mass. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost and several other priests of the diocese also participated and concelebrated the Mass at the cathedral. Click here to watch an archived video of the liturgy a Gospel reading and a brief homily before those assembled began processing along Superior Avenue to the cathedral Leading the procession were members of the clergy and representatives of the eight parishes and three shrines that Bishop Malesic designated as sacred sites for the jubilee year Each representative carried a special cross marking the site as a sacred place for the jubilee The cross features an emblem with the jubilee logo four stylized figures representing all of humanity coming from the four corners of the earth They embrace each other to indicate the solidarity and fraternity that should unite all The figure at the front is holding a cross as a sign of the faith There are rough waves under the figures to symbolize that life’s pilgrimage does not always go smoothly in calm waters At the bottom of the logo is the motto for the 2025 jubilee year: “Peregrinages in Spem,” which translated from Latin to English means “Pilgrims of Hope.” the bishops and others met them on the front steps for a brief prayer before the group entered the cathedral The 11 crosses were placed around the sanctuary Bishop Malesic blessed them and they were taken to each sacred site where they will remain throughout the year noting it was part of larger procession that we all make together – a journey of faith “We are all on the move through this life to eternal life although we must all go together as individuals We can’t escape this journey,” he said “We know there is an end point for each of us We don’t go alone or without assistance Jesus wants to be a part of this journey through life.” the bishop said the Jubilee Year of Hope was opened He explained the hope being talked about was a hope directed toward God “Our hope in God is based on the witness of those who saw a dead man being buried – Jesus – alive again three days later Bishop Malesic said society can be like the day’s Gospel story with us moving along and thinking all is fine “A time always comes when we realize that we need God here with us “We want to return to the source of our being: God.” He said hope in Jesus does not disappoint because along our way through life we hear the Gospel telling us of God’s love for us first by sending his Son in the flesh to us Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?” the bishop asked showing his love for us on the cross … Even in death Jesus would not abandon us He rose up and came back to us in a glorified body a body we believe we will have some day.” the bishop prayed that we may sow seeds of hope in our families and our communities “May we be courageous in living our Catholic faith for our hope in Jesus will not disappoint and we are responsible to bring a bit of heaven to the world in which we live today Be ambassadors of Jesus in a world that needs him even if it doesn’t always realize its need Learn more about the Jubilee Year of Hope and the opportunity for plenary indulgences here Catholics nationwide are invited to pray “9 Days for Life,” an annual respect life novena starting on Jan a novena consists of prayers over nine successive days and this particular novena is an opportunity for prayer and penance in observance of the annual Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children on Jan Participants may access the novena or subscribe to receive the daily prayers by email or text message in English at 9daysforlife.com or in Spanish at respectlife.org/9-dias-por-la-vida Sponsored by the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops the novena began in 2013 in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Roe v Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal throughout the country While the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization returned the issue of abortion to elected representatives at federal and state levels continuing efforts are needed to protect children and their mothers from the tragedy of abortion This is the 13th year the novena is taking place it has reached hundreds of thousands of people in more than 100 countries spanning six continents The overarching intention of the novena is the end to abortion Each daily prayer intention highlights a related topic and is accompanied by a reflection featuring the daily prayer intentions and reflections among other materials that are available in both English and Spanish For additional information and updates throughout the novena visit the USCCB’s social media pages on X Official Priest Appointments: July 2025Archdiocese of Denver Everything you need to know about incorruptibilityCatholic News Agency 'What should I give up for Lent?': 10 Creative Ideas for a Season of Unexpected GrowthMarie San Jose Advertising Past Issues Events Obituaries Privacy Policy Lea nuestra publicación en español It is a joy and a pleasure for me personally to welcome the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to the Archdiocese and to St John the Evangelist Parish here in Columbia I am grateful for the presence of the Provincial Superior Perhaps we should let the Provincial know how grateful we are that he made possible their assignment to your parish We’ve gathered for this installation on the beautiful feast of the Epiphany We celebrate that day when the Savior of the World was made manifest by a star that attracted the Magi from the East It led them to the place where they encountered the Newborn King and myrrh which foretold the death Jesus would undergo for all of us This is the mystery that the Church sets before our eyes of faith today What light does this beautiful mystery shed on the installation of your pastor What does it say about the mission of the pastor and those who work with him What does this mystery reveal about your parish – its mission Let me suggest three points before offering a few words in Spanish the Epiphany speaks to the dimensions of the mission entrusted to your pastor and to your parish and indeed to every pastor and parish every throughout the world The star manifests Christ as “the light of the world” the One sent by the Father as Savior of every race and people and nation The universality of the Church’s mission is symbolized by the Three Magi who came from afar to worship the Newborn King exalts that the mystery made known to him by revelation is now made known to the Gentiles Sonny are missionaries and they are leading you in sharing in this world wide mission that began with the revelation of the Christ to all the world They are leading you in the ongoing work of being a missionary church Pope Francis continually tells us that parishes are to be mission centers reaching out lovingly but also persistently – in season and out of season – to the great diversity of people within our communities Surely this means reaching out to those who no longer practice the faith to those who are unchurched or semi-churched But it also means reaching out to those who are newly or recently arrived as well as to those who are struggling or marginalized manifesting the Christ we celebrate in our every-day lives This is not something the pastor or his co-workers do alone Rather it is a mission entrusted to the whole People of God sees to it that formation for missionary discipleship is in everyone’s reach Our goal is not to proselytize or coerce but to invite and attract just as the Magi were invited & attracted by the mysterious star they observed or myrrh – but gifts which the Holy Spirit bestows in abundance upon the baptized – natural talents and by opening one’s mind and heart to the needs of those around us are not only to provide formation but also prayerfully to discern those gifts and charisms the Spirit bestows and then to harvest and harmonize those gifts for the sake of mission entrusted to the Church Let us be confident that the Lord will not withhold his favor from us but rather bless this community with an abundance of such gifts as we look to the future with joy and hope One final point before I offer a few words in Spanish Pope Francis inaugurated a holy year dedicated to hope— not mere optimism and surely not wishful thinking we can grow in holiness and virtue as Christ’s light shines in us and through us Hope impels us to place ourselves at the service of the mission of evangelization Hope teaches us Christ remains the answer to which every life is a question and that his light and life will guide and sustain us  as together we journey into the future let us rejoice and let us be glad on this great feast when we are drawn Es para mí una alegría y un placer darle la bienvenida a la Congregación del Inmaculado Corazón de María a la Arquidiócesis y a la Parroquia de San Juan Evangelista aquí en Columbia Nos hemos reunido para esta instalación en la hermosa fiesta de la Epifanía ¿Qué luz arroja esta fiesta sobre la instalación de su párroco ¿Y sobre la misión del párroco y de aquellos que son sus colaboradores en la viña la Epifanía ilumina y anima la misión de la Iglesia manifestar al Cristo que celebramos en nuestra vida cotidiana Es la misión confiada no solo al párroco y su equipo pastoral sino a todo el Pueblo de Dios El Espíritu Santo concede en abundancia a los bautizados talentos naturales Estos dones deben ser devueltos a Cristo y también a su Cuerpo Papa Francisco inauguró un Año Santo dedicado a la Esperanza En esto sabemos que Cristo sigue siendo la respuesta a la que toda vida es una pregunta Su luz y su vida nos guiarán y sostendrán mientras juntos viajamos con confianza hacia el futuro que esta celebración nos anima a todos a comprometernos nuevamente a la misión de Cristo y su Iglesia aquí la Parroquia San Juan Evangelista y que Nuestra Madre María los tenga siempre bajo su cuidado Lori was installed as the 16th Archbishop of Baltimore May 16 Archbishop Lori served as Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport from 2001 to 2012 and as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington from 1995 to 2001 Archbishop Lori holds a bachelor's degree from the Seminary of St Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg and a doctorate in sacred theology from The Catholic University of America He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Washington in 1977 In addition to his responsibilities in the Archdiocese of Baltimore Archbishop Lori serves as Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus and is the former chairman of the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Marshall concluded his appointment as administrator of Communion of Saints Parish and he was appointed pastor of Communion of Saints Parish This assignment is in addition to his assignment as pastor of St Roach was appointed presbyteral moderator of St This appointment is in addition to his assignment as pastor of St Klasinski resigned from his appointment as pastor of St Lyndhurst and he was granted early retirement for health reasons Ference concluded his appointment as secretary for Parish Life and Special Ministries His appointment as vicar for evangelization and his residence remain unchanged Father Andrzej Panek concludes his assignment as parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Feldtz changed residences from the rectory at St Wendelin Parish to the rectory of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cleveland and parochial vicar of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Pfeiffer was appointed chaplain of the South Akron Knights of Columbus Council 3410 This is in addition to his current assignment as pastor of St CPPS concluded his appointment as administrator of St provincial minister of the Congregation of St He was granted senior priest retirement status Anthony Camino was appointed parish life coordinator of St will conduct “Summer Fest ‘24” on Thursday Entertainment will include The Taxmen on Thursday Pino Di Luccio S.J.* and Bishop Étienne Vetö I.C.N.** Pope Francis’ recent and moving Letter to the Catholics of the Middle East (October 7 2024) has been received with great gratitude by those Churches it has also drawn some criticism from the Jewish community The letter cites various passages from John 8:44: “People today do not know how to find peace we must never tire of imploring peace from God I have urged everyone to observe a day of prayer and fasting Prayer and fasting are the weapons of love that change history the weapons that defeat our one true enemy: the spirit of evil that foments war because it is “murderous from the beginning” “a liar and the father of lies” (Jn 8:44) let us devote time to prayer and rediscover the saving power of fasting!” The Pope's letter urges us to pray and fast for peace and for the defeat of the spirit of evil some negative reactions have been caused by the choice of John 8:44 one of the New Testament verses most often used in the past to justify anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism Let us examine the verse in its entirety and in context The end of chapter 8 of John presents Jesus' stern words to "the Jews who had believed in him" (John 8:31) Jesus' tone becomes ever more polemical regarding the lineage of this group: he questions their claim to be descendants of Abraham (8:39) contests their claim that God is their Father (8:42; cf and your will is to do your father's desires He was “murderous from the beginning” [...] for he is a liar and the father of lies." (The excerpts quoted by the Pope have been italicized.) The Church Fathers interpreted this verse in two ways.[1] as we are not "children of the devil" by nature but become such by choosing to do his works and desiring what he desires (Origen We cannot provide a complete history of the use of this verse here but some examples will demonstrate the impact of this second interpretation which became predominant in the late medieval and modern periods Luther associated John 8:44 with anti-Jewish accusations according to which Jews had poisoned wells "After the devil, the Christian has no enemy more venomous and fierce than the Jew. Yet we do good to no one as much as we do to them, and from no one do we suffer as much evil as from these wicked children of the devil and brood of vipers!"[3] the Internet abounds with images evoking Satan Some of the banners carried by white supremacists during their march in Charlottesville in August 2017 read “Jews are the children of Satan,” with references to John 8:44 the perpetrator of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting justified his actions by stating: “Jews are the children of Satan Christ Jesus came in the flesh...” (August 2 it is helpful to turn to contemporary exegesis of John 8 which has delved into the historical and literary context of chapter 8 offering a way to distance this verse from interpretations that would give it an anti-Semitic connotation Reconstructing the historical background of the Gospels is very difficult and commentators have not reached a consensus on the interpretation of this verse and what he says to the Jews is said as a member of this people and all themes are understood within the framework of first-century Judaism John 8:44 is part of a discourse Jesus gives during the Feast of Sukkot or Tabernacles (cf The text containing this discourse includes references to liturgical celebrations of the feast (John 7:37-39; 8:12; cf mSukkah 4:9-5:3) and polemical passages about the understanding of Jesus' messiahship and teaching (cf certain historical aspects must also be clarified the parallel with the Qumran writings should be noted the enemies (who are Jewish) of the community (Essene thus members of the people of Israel) are called children of Belial Such a "tone" appearing among Jewish groups in the first century AD is therefore not an isolated incident The same can also be observed in warnings to groups of Jesus’ followers as evidenced by this severe statement in the First Letter of John: for the devil has sinned from the beginning the children of God and the children of the devil are distinguished: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God nor is he who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:8 is the antagonist of God (and faith) in biblical literature a lying figure who inspires murderous thoughts and actions (cf in the context of first-century Jewish communities imply that those who abandon faith act according to the thoughts of the devil who in the Bible is deceitful and opposed to the life God seeks to give his children The understanding and application of this discourse should consider its original context and be applied primarily to Christian communities Another relevant historical detail is the identity of Jews in the Fourth Gospel It can reasonably be concluded that in John 8-9 the reference is neither to all the Jews of Jesus' time nor to Jews of subsequent eras it likely refers to Jewish leaders who had believed in Jesus (cf mentioned in the same context one chapter earlier (cf Jesus addresses the Jews who had believed in him and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32) who are accused of having the devil as their father This passage was written by the evangelist to convince readers to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God (John 20:31) and to avoid those who do not share their faith One might therefore ask whether John 8 is really about a polemic between Jesus and the Jews or a conflict between Judeo-Christian communities and between them and members of some synagogues Such conflict is explicitly attested in the Fourth Gospel (cf it is possible that this is a polemic between groups of Judeo-Christians might address a group of Jews who believed in Jesus emphasizing the characteristics of his messiahship and his biblical interpretation of sonship and so on—topics on which there was no consensus mostly reserves the term ioudaioi for Jews who do not believe in Christ And while John 8:31 suggests that the words John attributes to Jesus were addressed to a group of Jews who had previously believed in him the use of ioudaioi throughout the Gospel suggests that the accusations in that chapter are generalized to all Jews If there is indeed an echo of this passage from Genesis and its Targumic interpretation it is understandable that themes of fornication (John 8:41) the desire of the Jews to kill Jesus (John 8:37) and diabolical descent—all echoes of the interpretations of the Cain and Abel story—form part of Jesus' polemic with the Jews who believed in him but rather than accusations to be taken literally they constitute a series of admonitions—including the reference to the devil—intended to support Jesus' theological position parallels the theological position of Abel in the Targumim and emphasizes the independence of reward and punishment from the merits and actions of the patriarchs who represent the theological stance of Cain the Jews who had believed in Jesus might be interpreted as groups of Christians and the polemic would refer to theological issues and their social and political implications The modern reader is not accustomed to contextualizing biblical and New Testament readings Contemporary applications of biblical texts very rarely take their original context into account This is why the challenging text of John 8 can be misunderstood and misused thereby supporting anti-Semitic judgments in light of historical and political circumstances John 8:44 should always be accompanied by explanations like those presented here Indeed, every text of Sacred Scripture referring to the Jewish people must be read in light of Vatican II's declaration that: "Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so great this sacred synod wants to foster and recommend that mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit of biblical and theological studies as well as of fraternal dialogues the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ;(13) still what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews Although the Church is the new people of God the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures that in catechetical work or in the preaching of the word of God they do not teach anything that does not conform to the truth of the Gospel and the spirit of Christ.” (Nostra Aetate This principle should also apply to the Pope's letter to Catholics in the Middle East, in which he cites John 8:44. As the Holy Father himself said in a recent letter “to Jewish brothers and sisters in Israel”: "I can only reiterate what my predecessors also clearly stated many times: the relationship that binds us to you is particular and singular the relationship that the Church has with others and the commitment towards them too The path that the Church has undertaken with you rejects every form of anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism unequivocally condemning manifestations of hatred towards Jews and Judaism as a sin against God." (Francis ** Auxiliary Bishop of Reims and Bishop Referent for Relations with Jews for the French Bishops' Conference [1] For the interpretation of the Fathers and Luther in the following paragraphs John 8:44 and its Early Reception,' Jewish-Christian Relations Insights and Issues in the ongoing Jewish-Christian Dialogue [2] Saint John Chrysostom [3] Martin Luther [4] Der Giftplatz “The Jews as ‘Children of the Devil’ (John 8:44) in Nazi Children's Literature” [5] Cfr “An Extended Refutation of Doctrinal Correlates in John 8-9” Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown has announced pastoral and clergy assignment changes happening this summer Bishop David Bonnar has made the assignments Patrick and University Parish Newman Center in Kent to Holy Trinity Reverend Chad Johnson - becoming Pastor of St Leetonia in addition to current roles as Pastor of St Reverend Robert Lanterman - moving from Sacramental Minister of Little Flower and Christ the Servant Canton to Parochial Vicar of the Columbiana County Parishes (Holy Trinity Reverend Joseph Ruggieri - becoming Pastor of St in addition to his current role as Pastor of Saint Paul Father Ruggieri will no longer be the Pastor of St Reverend Edward Brienz - becoming Parochial Vicar of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica- St in addition to his role as vice-rector of Saint Columba Cathedral Parish (St and Diocesan Director of Missions and Propagation of the Faith Reverend Zachary Coulter - moving from Administrator of Christ our Savior Lowellville to Pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Reverend Frassati Davis - from Parochial Vicar to Pastor of Saint Dominic He will continue his duties as Hispanic Ministry Sacramental Minister Reverend Vincent DeLucia - moving from Pastor of St to pursue another assignment in formation for his religious community Reverend Thomas Kraszewski - moving from Administrator to Pastor of Christ the Good Shepherd He is no longer the Administrator of St Reverend Bala Prasad Marneni - moving from Parochial Vicar of St Niles to Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica-St Patrick Youngstown; and St Columba Cathedral Parish (St Youngstown. He'll resume his role as Chaplain of St Reverend Jonah Pollock - moving from Chaplain of Youngstown State University Newman Center to ministry outside the Diocese of Youngstown Very Reverend Monsignor Robert Siffrin - becoming Pastor of St in addition to his role as Rector/Pastor of St Siffrin continues his role as Diocesan Vicar for External Community Affairs/Special Projects Alliance to Pastor of Saint Catherine of Siena Very Reverend John Zuraw - moving from Pastor of St Boardman to Rector/Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica/St Youngstown and Coordinator of the Youngstown City Collaborative in addition to his duties as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia Trumbull CountyReverend Christopher Cicero - becoming Chaplain of John F Kennedy Upper Campus in addition to his role as Pastor of St Reverend Brian Cline - moving from Parochial Vicar of St Very Reverend John-Michael Lavelle - relieved of his role as Administrator of Saint Pope John XXIII He continues to serve as Pastor of Saint Michael Canfield; Vicar of Missionary Discipleship; Diocesan Director of Stewardship and Development; and Diocesan Director of Communications Reverend Leo Wehrlin - moving from Pastor of Holy Trinity Father Wehrlin is relieved of his role as Dean of the Columbiana Deanery with the move to Trumbull County There are also some retirements and resignations that have been announced by the Diocese Very Reverend Monsignor Michael Cariglio - retiring as Rector/Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica/St Reverend David Merzweiler - retiring as Pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Reverend Stephen Wassie - retiring as Pastor of St George Sister Mary Alyce Koval - resigning from position as Diocesan Pastoral Associate of Saint Catherine of Siena You can find a complete list of all the changes here Add to Calendar Join Bishop Malesic as he celebrates Mass to begin the Jubilee Year of Hope in the Diocese of Cleveland a procession will take place beginning at St Peter Church (East 17th Street and Superior Ave) Introductory prayers and the procession will begin at 4:30 p.m The procession will arrive at the Cathedral of St Those attending the prayers and procession at St Peter Church are encouraged to park near the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist and make their way to St The surface lot behind the cathedral (accessible off of Rockwell Ave) will be reserved for Procession/Mass attendees (if coming from the same parish All other parking lots/garages will be subject to the rate of the day Please note that the Browns game has been flexed to 4 p.m Ursuline College in Pepper Pike hosted the event which also included “I Thirst,” a guided meditation associated with Mother Teresa which was led by Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost The bishop told the group he met Towey many years ago when he and a group of seminarians volunteered at one of the ministries operated by Mother Teresa’s sisters in Calcutta Towey, who wrote a book about the saint, “To Love and be Loved: A Personal Portrait of Mother Teresa,” shared his perspectives about her and some of his personal encounters with her and the Missionaries of Charity the order of religious sisters she founded in India The sisters serve the poorest of the poor across the glove and offer free service to them There are more than 5,000 sisters serving in about 120 countries around the world who learned how he met Mother Teresa and how their lives became entwined in her later years Towey grew up in Florida where he graduated from high school He spent seven years working for the late U.S Towey said many of Hatfield’s beliefs aligned with his own He admitted he wasn’t a very faithful Catholic in his younger adulthood explaining that he would pick and choose which Church doctrines he would follow he knew Hatfield had a connection to her and he had a desire to meet the diminutive nun Towey asked Hatfield to arrange a meeting for him while he was on a trip abroad Hatfield made the call and Towey first met Mother Teresa on Aug “I was a 28-year-old phony Catholic when I met her She saw God’s divine imprint on everyone,” he said Describing her “luminous humanity.” her deep love of God and her robust prayer life She could be impatient.” It’s important to recognize that because we should not think of her as a saint in her everyday life – even though she was Jesus also was human and had the same imperfections as others Jesus at times exhibited anger and impatience “If we’re not in touch with our humanity Towey described Mother Teresa as “the most Mary-like person since Mary.” He first saw her as she left the chapel after Mass using his hand to illustrate her approximate height They talked briefly and she suggested he visit one of the sisters’ homes for the dying he expected to get a tour of the home and be on his way She handed him some supplies and told him to clean a man who had scabies He found another volunteer who spoke English and asked him about the task he’d been given Towey admitted he didn’t want to clean the man while vacationing after his business trip ended he couldn’t stop thinking about Mother Teresa and her ministry She had touched him in a way he never expected and their connection grew “People are hungry for more than bread Mother liked to say that a life not lived for others is not worth living,” Towey said He also talked about how deep her love was for her sisters as well as the ability to connect with those from all walks of life Towey said she had deep faith and was a woman of prayer She knew she was from God and that she was going to him,” he said reflecting on the last years of her life and the many health challenges she experienced Accepting her aging and doing it gracefully allowed her to be a gift to others She teaches us a lot about how we came from God and are going back to him.” She had a deep devotion to the Sacred Heart noting that June 7 is the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus He saw her shortly before her death and said her sisters took turns lovingly caring for her he said there was a small tabernacle in her room with the Blessed Sacrament exposed Towey said one of his greatest joys was when Mother met his wife and blessed his three small children during one of her visits to Washington yet she showed a childlike excitement and was eager to see his children He summed up her life’s work through one of her sayings became a religious sister and never saw her mother again She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her efforts to combat poverty 1997 at age 87 and was canonized by Pope Francis on Sept SJELG invites men and women who have been extraordinarily generous to the ministries of the diocese to expand and enrich their own personal and spiritual journey Under the direction of Bishop Edward Malesic and Father Dan Schlegel the guild offers an opportunity for members to participate in four special gatherings related to subjects that are of great spiritual and educational value The guild is aimed at encouraging members’ spiritual development by broadening their understanding of the Catholic faith providing Christian fellowship and deepening their personal relationship with Jesus 1042 or by email at lking@catholiccommunity.org