52 Masses

Kem had off this past week, so we headed for that popular Spring Break destination, Western New York.
We spent four days in and around Buffalo, taking in a variety of water phenomenon.

Our trip started at Letchworth State Park, where we hiked and took in the three waterfalls on site, the Lower, Middle and Upper Falls. Their beauty far exceeded their names.

The following day, we hiked out to the Eternal Flame Falls in Orchard Park, then hightailed it to Niagara-on-the-Lake, an absolutely charming Canadian city. By the time we departed, we had contributed mightily to that much-talked about trade deficit with our friends to the north.

Finally, on our last full day, we explored the site that draws the most eyeballs, Niagara Falls. We viewed these three amazing natural wonders from all angles but the water itself, as the Maid of the Mist was still in dry dock.

Yet, we had one more stop to make before heading home to Ohio. On Friday, we took a slight detour off I-90 to Our Lady of Victory National Shrine and Basilica in Lackawanna, the soon-to-be 100 years old church that was the labor of love for noted Buffalo priest, Father Nelson Baker.

Yes, after so many “falls” on this first week of Easter, it was nice to finish in a beautiful place where we’re reminded that He is Risen.

I spent Saturday morning in Sedamsville, an Ohio River-hugging neighborhood just west of downtown Cincinnati. The cause was, quite frankly, one of the most meaningful I’ve ever been a (very small) part of.

I was there for a volunteer day with the Serenelli Project. The project’s mission is to serve men who are coming out of prison or who have a criminal history but seek to live a Catholic life.

It was founded by Marty Arlinghaus, who heads up the prison ministry program for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. During one of his prison visits, he was ministering to a man who had found Christ while incarcerated and asked, “Could someone like me be a priest?”

He didn’t have an answer then, but took that inspiration to start the Serenelli Project (named after the man who stabbed – and was forgiven by – St. Maria Goretti before she died from her wounds). His organization purchased a home in the Sedamsville neighborhood to serve as the monastic home for anyone who wants to follow Alessandro Serenelli’s path from a life of crime to one serving the Lord.

Work continues on the home that will be the monastery. We were there Saturday for general clean-up around the home and throughout the Sedamsville community. I plan to join the long-term volunteers again next month and into the future.

It was a wonderful way to prepare for Holy Week.

Photos: The St. Maria Goretti Chapel; the home from Delhi Avenue; the former Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, which the organization hopes to purchase; volunteers during Saturday’s clean-up.

Thanks to the Catholic ministry at Xavier University for inviting me to speak. Anyone in the Cincinnati area is welcome to join us Wednesday.

The church pictured below is Sacred Heart in Mound City, Kansas. I will be appearing there at 7 p.m. tomorrow to discuss the book and my trip for the parishioners, as well as others from Linn County, Kansas.

The origins of my appearance there date back to the National Eucharistic Congress last summer. While waiting in a food truck line between the convention center and Lucas Oil Stadium, I was blessed to meet Cecilia Clay, a Mound City resident.

We chatted while we waited, then found a wall to sit on to share lunch. Along the way, I told her about the book, which she wanted a copy of. A few weeks later, she told me the parish would love to have me out to speak, and that I could stay in the rectory as a guest of Father Clayton. Tomorrow, I’m taking her up on it, as work is taking me out to Missouri and I can hoof it the rest of the way on my own.

So, if you happen to be in Southeast Kansas tomorrow, please feel free to join me at Sacred Heart.

I have another talk scheduled in a few weeks. I’ll provide more details on that as the event draws nearer.

And as a reminder, if your parish or organization is looking for a guest speaker, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I love the opportunity to share my experiences.

Saturday marked the second all-parish retreat at St. John the Evangelist, welcoming our neighbors from St. Gabriel and St. Michael (soon we’ll be known as the St. Carlo Acutis Family of Parishes) to join us at the Rooted Series for a morning and early afternoon of prayer and reflection.

This year’s presentation went in an entirely new, but still fascinating, direction, as Dr. Ashley Theuring from Xavier University led a discussion of trauma – its definitions, effects and the responses to it. She did so by comparing it to the crucifixion, empty tomb and resurrection of the risen Lord, perfectly timed with the start of Lent this week.

I was asked by Deacon Michael Montgomery, our parish’s director of adult faith formation, to lead a small group discussion, a first for me. Thanks to active participation from each thoughtful and considerate member of our nine-person group, my maiden attempt seemed to go off without the conversation causing major psychological injuries or detouring into blasphemy. As you can see, I set the bar relatively low.

Thanks again to Dr. Theuring and all the folks from the parish who made this thought- and empathy-provoking event possible.