Annual Peace Pilgrimage at Maria Stein Shrine

The 40th annual Peach Pilgrimage for World Peace, sponsored by the Maria Stein Adoration Guild and the Shrine/Convent Preservation Group, is scheduled for May 22-23 at the Shrine in Maria Stein. Opening Mass on Thursday will begin at 8 p.m., with Missionary of the Precious Blood Father Paul Wohlwend as celebrant.

An all-night adoration will continue through Friday until 7 p.m. Closing ceremonies will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will include a tribute to veterans, a May Crowning and a candlelight procession followed by a closing Mass in the Shrine patio with Father Thomas Dorn as celebrant. The public is encouraged to attend.

ARCHDIOCESE

St. Vincent de Paul adds drop boxes to services

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has begun a program to locate large blue metal donation drop-boxes in a variety of locations throughout Greater Cincinnati as a convenience for anyone who may want to donate gently used goods conveniently.

The donation boxes are currently located at each of the six SVDP Thrift Stores and at a number of local churches. SVDP hopes to have several hundred donation boxes in place within the next eighteen months.

Prentice Carter, director of operations, and SVDP Thrift Stores, says that "the majority of gently used goods donated by the general public are provided at no charge to those in need or are resold in SVDP Thrift Stores locally to support local programs."

Proceeds from sales at SVDP’s local thrift stores support the organization’s mission of local neighbors helping neighbors.

For all thrift store locations and hours, visit www.svdpcincinnati.org.

SVDP is also seeking high-traffic areas to place additional boxes. For information regarding the placement of a SVDP donation drop-box, call 513-562-8841 or email info@svdpcincinnati.org.

DAYTON DEANERY

Summer Day Camp season opens soon

Our Lady of the Rosary School in Dayton will be conducting its 19th annual Summer Day Camp beginning in early June. The weekday program is open to children ages 5-13 who attend a Catholic school or CCD/PSR program.

Operating hours for the camp are 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will include sports, arts and crafts, educational and religious instruction as well as water activities. The camping fee is $15/day.

For additional information and registration, call 937-353-7041.

SIDNEY DEANERY

World Youth Day events recreated locally

Officials from dioceses in Ohio and Michigan are creating a two-day event at Lehman High School July 19-20 to coincide with international World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia.

The event in Sidney, Ohio, will draw thousands for prayer, learning and celebration. The program will include video-feed from the Australian gathering, keynote address by humorist/speaker Mike Patin and music led by Cleveland-based band "Who Do You Say I Am." Additional speakers include Ron Lanfair and Tom Sparough. Prayer experiences will include eucharistic liturgy with at least one bishop, the sacrament of reconciliation, adoration and musical praise and worship.

All participants must register through a parish group. All chaperones as well as young adult participants must be in compliance with the Archdiocesan Decree on Child Protection. Because of a generous grant from the Catholic Youth Foundation USA, there will be a Spanish-speaking track offered for youth and young adults who prefer to learn in that language. Sign interpretation for the deaf will also be available.
Event fee is $90, and the registration deadline is May 23. Registration packets are available at http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/youthmin/wydsid.htm or by calling the Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry at 937-223-1001.

For further information, contact Tim Colbert at the phone number above.

DAYTON DEANERY

Children’s choir to perform

The Catholic Education Collaborative (CEC) childrens’ choir will make its debut May 18 at 7 p.m. at Incarnation Church in Centerville. The choir is made up of 120 children from nine Dayton-area Catholic Education Collaborative elementary schools. They will be joined in the free concert by the Kettering Children’s Choir Chorale and Concert Choir.

On Thursday, June 5, at 7 p.m. the choir will be special guests at the Kettering Children’s Choir’s Spring Concert at the Schuster Center in Dayton. Tickets for that concert are available at http://www.ticketcenterstage.com/

ST. ANDREW DEANERY

Stephen Ministers commissioned in West Chester

Twenty new Stephen Ministers were commissioned at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in West Chester and gathered with the 13 existing Stephen Ministers to support one another in their caring-listening ministry.

Stephen Ministers provide free, confidential, one-to-one Christian care to individuals at St. John Church as well as to other community residents who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.

Each minister has completed more than 50 hours of training, and all are ready to serve in the community.

For more information, contact Stephen Ministry Leader Scott Steinke, pastoral associate at St. John Church at 513-777-6433.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES DEANERY

Parish business manager earns national justice award

The National Association of Church Personnel Administrators (NACPA) has awarded its 2008 Leadership Award for Demonstrating Justice in the Church Workplace to Angie Pfaller, business manager for St. Mary Church in Hyde Park. Carl Feil, Director of Human Resources for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, also received the award.

The NACPA board recognized the two for contributions to the development of pastoral leadership on both the local level and the diocesan level. The awards were presented at the 2008 Summit in Orlando last month.

Pfaller oversees and administers all the human resources functions for St. Mary Parish employees. She is also responsible for the financial well-being of the parish which includes maintaining of all parish facilities. She is past chair of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s Parish Business Manager’s Association and currently is their treasurer. She also serves on the Retirement Committee of Lay Employees of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Pension Plan Board and on the Board of Advisors for Corpus Central Purchasing. In conjunction with fellow business managers, Pfaller is a presenter on the Personnel Law Section at the annual Archdiocese of Cincinnati parish administration workshop. She has also served on the NACPA Development Board- Membership Task Force.

Cincinnati-based NACPA was founded in 1971 and provides workshops, surveys and consultations which focus on the human resource needs of dioceses, parishes, religious congregations and other church related organizations.

COURTESY PHOTO

From left, Terry Robinson, NACPA awards committee chair; Carl Feil; Angie Pfaller and NACPA executive director Mary Jo Moran.