Salesian Guild to honor Father Greg Friedman

Franciscan Father Greg Friedman, who has worked in film, radio and the internet as writer and producer, will be honored as the Salesian Guild’s 2008 Distinguished Communicator of the Year at the group’s 66th annual meeting on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse in Delhi.

Named for St. Francis DeSales, a patron of communicators and of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, the Salesian Guild is an annual gathering of area Catholics working in various communication fields, including journalism, advertising, and public relations. The group has no dues and no officers and comes together only once a year to share liturgy, fellowship and current topics of interest.

This year’s event begins with Mass at 5 p.m., in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse. Reception and dinner follow Mass in the Cedars Auditorium. The program includes the award presentation and a talk by Morgan Atkinson, award-winning producer of the documentary "Soul Searching: The Journey of Thomas Merton." Cost of the dinner is $35.

More information and reservations are available by contacting Donata Glassmeyer at 513-347-5466 or donata.glassmeyer@srcharitycinti.org. Reservations are required by Jan. 16.

Father Friedman’s 120-minute film, "Assisi Pilgrimage: Walking in Faith with Francis and Clare," was condensed into a 60-minute broadcast version that aired on more than 80 ABC-TV stations around the United States in late 2008. The film earned him first-place recognition in the 2008 Telly Award national competition.

His other work in video includes a weekly webcast homily for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as the award-winning faith formation series "Catholic Update Video," used in Catholic parishes around the United States. He has written two books, numerous articles and published poetry. Father Friedman’s voice is heard weekly on Sacred Heart Radio’s "Son Rise Morning Show" in Cincinnati. He is also the host of "American Catholic Radio," a weekly half-hour program of Catholic information and inspiration produced by St. Anthony Messenger Press on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. His "Sunday Soundbites" are heard on Sirius Satellite Radio and other Catholic radio outlets around the country.

ARCHDIOCESE

Archbishop appoints deans

The archbishop’s office has announced the following appointment of a dean: Father Stephen L. Shoup, Sidney Deanery.

Reappointed for another term as dean were: Father Joseph Robinson, Cathedral Deanery; Father Dennis Caylor, Springfield Deanery; Father Wiliam Wagner, St. Martin Deanery; and Father Leonard Wenke, St. Francis de Sales Deanery. The four-year appointments were effective Jan. 1. Terms of office are staggered among the 11 deaneries.

DAYTON DEANERY

Regional conference on young adults to be held Feb. 2

A regional conference on "Engaging young adults in your parish community" and "Best practices in ministry with young adults," will be held Monday, Feb. 2, 9:30 a.m. -4: 30 p.m. at Ascension Church, 2025 Woodman Dr., Kettering. Cost is $50.

The conference is co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Family Life Office, the University of Dayton’s Institute for Pastoral Initiatives and the _National Pastoral Life Center.

Speakers include Mike Hayes, co-founder of BustedHalo.com and author of Googling God: The Religious Landscape of People in their 20s and 30s; Timone Newsome, director of Reclaiming Christ in Life of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and Peter Denio, secretary for pastoral services of the National Pastoral Life Center.

To register, go to www.nplc.org/ cincinnati or call 212-431-7825.

ST. ANDREW DEANERY

Vocations panel to feature Archbishop Schnurr

Teens and young adults who are experiencing a call to religious life can discuss vocations with a panel of Sisters, seminarians, priests and Coadjutor Archbishop

Dennis M. Schnurr on Jan. 11 at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church in Liberty Township.

Members of the panel will share their own experiences.

"It’s a time for the teens and single men and women to learn a little bit about vocations," said Father Thomas McCarthy, associate pastor at St. Maximilian Kolbe. "It gives them an opportunity to not only hear from seminarians and priests, but also from religious Sisters."

About 80 people attended the event last year.

The event will enable attendees to hear the panelists’ life stories, obtain information about vocation, and may help them recognize their own calling.

The event runs from 7-9 p.m. in the Father John Porter Parish Center at St. Maximilian Kolbe parish.

A similar event is also being held Jan. 11 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Maria Stein Center in Maria Stein. It, too, is open to teens and young adults who are considering their choices in life.

In that event, Sister of the Precious Blood Mary Garke will address "Am I Ready? Assessing Preparedness for Life Choices." Sister Mary is the director of the Office of Religious for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

A panel at that event will feature representatives from four vocation paths including married life, single life, ordained ministry and religious.

To make reservations call Sister of the Precious Blood Mary Ellen Andrisin at 419-925-4532 or e-mail programs@mariasteincenter.org.

ST. ANDREW DEANERY

Ursuline dedicates new gym

A new gym at Ursuline Academy was dedicated Dec. 18 with plenty of spirit, prayer and with about 300 visitors on hand.

The Lions’ basketball team also did its part, beating Seton 61-45. But it was the blessing that got the most attention

"The most special thing was that Father John Wessling, an archdiocesan priest who has taught for 32 years. did the blessing," said Robin Galvin, director of communications at the Blue Ash school. "He’s such a favorite with the girls. He just makes every event special."

Blue Ash Mayor Robert Buckman and City Manager David Waltz were among the visitors, and cheerleaders from Mother Teresa Elementary School performed.

The $4.2 million gym was part of massive capital improvement project at the school. It seats 1,000 spectators and has a new concession area, new coaches’ offices, an athletic office and a conference room.

The old gym, which dates back about 30 years, will be used for team practices, fitness and health programs. An added benefit is that the old gym will allow several teams to practice simultaneously.

The new facility will serve as a multipurpose area and can be used for liturgies and school wide events, Galvin said. Groundbreaking for the project occurred in April.

"It’s a college-sized gym," Galvin said. "We were the last girls school in the city to build such a facility. Our previous gym had been built in the 1970s at a time when athletics for women had just emerged."

The new gym will also allow Ursuline teams to hold popular league games, which sometimes had to be moved to larger venues.

"It will give us space to host the big games," said Jenny Breissinger, freshman volleyball coach at Ursuline. "We’ll have that home-court advantage and we’ll have the capacity to hold the crowds at the more popular games. It’s going to keep us competitive."

COURTESY PHOTO

A view of the new gym at Ursuline Academy.