Mass marks 50th jubilee

Missionaries of the Precious Blood Father Vincent Hoying will celebrate his 50th jubilee at a special Mass at Sacred Heart Church in McCartyville June 29 at 10 a.m. A reception will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Minster from 2-4 p.m.

Father Hoying, a McCartyville native, recently retired after spending the last four years as senior priest in residence at Sacred Heart Parish in Sedalia, MO. He served as pastor at the parish from 1971-80 and was pastor at St. Catherine Parish in Tulsa, Okla., from 1980-88. He also worked in hospitals in Toledo, Lima and Cincinnati, and served as vocation director at Precious Blood Seminary in Liberty, Mo.

He retired to St. Charles Center in Carthagena this month.

SPRINGFIELD DEANERY

Grant promotes work site wellness

Community Mercy Health Partners (CMHP) is teaming with Benjamin Steel Company, Inc., to promote health and wellness in the workplace.

CMHP received a $25,000 grant from the Ohio Hospital Association’s Foundation for Healthy Communities, which was created and endowed by Ohio hospitals. The Foundation’s mission is to promote healthy lifestyles and help position hospitals as leaders in the prevention of health risk, injury and illness.

The focus of the grant is on obesity as a workplace concern. The grant monies are designated to enhance the health and wellness program for Benjamin Steel employees at their facilities in Springfield, Dayton, Lima and Mansfield.

"We are making wellness a part of our culture at Benjamin Steel, and this grant is a great reward for the hard work of the Wellness Team and to the employees for their participation and support," said Nick Demana, president of Benjamin Steel. "The program helps us reduce health-care expenses, but more importantly it helps all employees achieve better health, reduce health risks and save on personal health-care costs. We also get to have some fun,"

The 12-week "Body for Life" program includes regular health assessments, activities to promote overall wellness, and weight loss education. The assessments identify potential health concerns such as cardiac disease and diabetes and focus on ways to reduce risk factors. Employees will compete in three-person teams in a challenge to achieve the greatest reduction in body fat percentage. Initial screenings begin July 15 with the actual program beginning July 21.

SIDNEY DEANERY

Piqua parishes celebrate gift of Eucharist

The weekend of May 16-18 marked a special celebration for the two parishes in Piqua, St. Mary and St. Boniface, as they joined in activities that celebrated the Eucharist.

"Because we believe the Eucharist is really Jesus, then we adore our Lord in the Eucharist," said Father Martin Fox, pastor of both parishes. "Anyone who wanted to experience Jesus’ presence was welcomed."

The weekend began with the schoolchildren’s Mass on Friday at St. Mary Parish. The Eucharist was then placed on the altar where it remained for adoration throughout the weekend, interrupted only by normal Masses. The climax of the weekend was a traditional Corpus Christi procession that moved from St. Mary to St. Boniface concluded with prayer and a benediction.

Coordinating the events included gaining approval from the city for the procession.

Parishioner Thomas Caserta coordinated the activities between the two parishes and also worked to include the entire community in the weekend activities.

SPRINGFIELD DEANERY

Migrant health fairs part of social action

Catholic Social Action in Clark and Champaign counties provides a collaborative effort that works to care for the body, mind and the spirit of the area’s Hispanic workers and their families. Local parishes, St. Teresa in Springfield, St. Mary in Urbana and Sacred Heart in New Carlisle provide Spanish Masses to feed the spirit. Area libraries and local literacy education programs provide services to the Hispanic population to develop the minds of both adults and youth. A network of health services provided by Community Mercy Health Partners (CMHP) and the Clark/Champaign County Health Departments provides for care of the body.

Two health fairs are scheduled in July and will provide physical assessments, free prescription vouchers, various screening tests, nutrition counseling, well child developmental services and a hot meal. The first health fair will be on Wednesday, July 9, from noon-2:30 p.m. at Michael’s Farms in Urbana followed by a second event on July 16 from 5-8 p.m. at Park Layne School in New Carlisle. Any follow up visits will be provided by CMHP staff and the Health Department in a traveling clinic van at the farm sites.

Salud Community Clinic in Tipp City provides additional clinic services on the second Sunday of each month for farm workers, their families and other low-income Hispanic laborers who cannot get off work to attend the health fairs. The Rocking Horse Clinic in Springfield that specializes in care of children with a bi-lingual pediatrician is extending its services to adults. For additional information on services provided by CMHP, contact Mercy Sister Mary Macrina Dorrian, mission service volunteer at 937-390-5000.

ST. MARGARET MARY DEANERY

St. X receives flag from 101st Airborne

St. Xavier High School has received a flag as a gift from the United States Army 101st Airborne Division based out of Fort Campbell, Ky. The flag — which has flown over the 716th MPB headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq — is a thank-you to the school’s lacrosse program, which developed a relationship with the 85-man unit last December.

The lacrosse team has corresponded with the soldiers who handle detainee operations and work in concert with the Iraqi police. In addition, the team has collected a wide variety of items to send to the soldiers, including lacrosse equipment and rule books to share with Iraqi children.

CT PHOTO/E.L. HUBBARD

Mary Lynn Laugherty, mother of St. X lacrosse player Grant Laugherty, was the guiding force behind the lacrosse-military relationship. She presented the flag to the school in a May 23 ceremony and is shown here with principal David Mueller and the student body.