In 2019, Pope Francis established the Sunday of the Word of God on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. In an apostolic letter instituting the yearly observance, he wrote, “Devoting a specific Sunday of the liturgical year to the word of God can enable the Church to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world.”
On Jan. 26, in observance of the Sunday of the Word of God, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, through a grant from the American Bible Society, released a Sunday seminar series of six videos about Sacred Scripture in the life of the Church. The videos, available in English and Spanish, feature bishops and biblical scholars and are accompanied by discussion/reflection questions.
Their topics and presenters (English presenter listed first) are:
— “Understanding the Pentateuch: Its Importance in Scripture,” Dr. Bradley Gregory, Catholic University of America and Father Rafael Ramirez, University of Dallas
— “Voices of the Prophets: Messages for Today,” Dr. Deirdre Dempsey, Marquette University and Dr. Jose Enrique Aguilar, St. Joseph’s Seminary and College
— “Spreading the Gospel: The Church’s Mission in Acts,” Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Slawomir Szkredka (both languages)
— “Letters from a Missionary: Paul’s Epistles Explained,” Dr. Timothy Milinovich, Dominican University and Dr. Felipe Leggareta, Loyola University of Chicago
— “Unveiling the Future: Insights from Apocalyptic Scripture,” Dr. Kelley Coblentz Bauch, St. Edward’s University and Father Jose Antonio Caballero, St. John Vianney Seminary, Denver
— “Challenging Misconceptions: Understanding Disability and Illness in Scripture,” Dr. Thomas Bolin, St. Norbert College and Sister Nelida Naveros Cordova, CDP
The videos are available at https://catholic.bible/sunday-of-the-word-of-god.
Irish tenor returns to Gahanna
Irish tenor Emmet Cahiil, who performed at Gahanna St. Matthew the Apostle Church last year, is returning there for an evening of songs, hymns and Broadway tunes on Saturday, March 8.
A meet-and-greet at the church, 807 Havens Corners Road, will begin at 6:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6:15, followed by the concert at 7:30, with doors opening at 7.
Cahill, 34, is acclaimed for his solo work and for being part of the group Celtic Thunder, seen on Public Broadcasting Service specials.
He has performed several times in Columbus and at locations including Carnegie Hall and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York and with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He is from Mullingar in Westmeath County, Ireland, where he lives when not touring and singing at his home church, Christ the King Cathedral.
The diocesan honor choir has been invited to perform a song with him at the concert.
Tickets ($40 for the concert, $60 including the meet-and-greet) are available at the church office or emmetcahill.com.
Josephinum lecture to examine ‘Beauty in Science’
The Pontifical College Josephinum’s 2025 Pio Cardinal Laghi Chair lecture will feature a presentation by Dr. Peter K. Kilpatrick, president of The Catholic University of America, on “Beauty in Science.”
The program will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 12 in the college’s Jessing Center, 7625 N. High St., Admission and parking are free. Reservations are not required. For more information, call (614) 985-2274.
The lecture series was inaugurated at the Josephinum in 1992 in honor of Cardinal Laghi, who at the time was prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education.
American cardinals and presidents of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops promoted the funding of the Laghi chair in recognition of his service to the Church in the United States, where he served as the Vatican’s apostolic delegate and apostolic pro-nuncio from 1980 to 1990.
In that position, he also was chancellor of the Josephinum, a post automatically assigned to the nuncio because the institution is the only papal seminary in the United States.
Diocesan honor choir to perform at ODU
The Diocese of Columbus Catholic Schools Honor Choir will present its 16th annual concert, “Let All Nations Sing,” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 26 in the Matesich Theater at Ohio Dominican University, 1216 Sunbury Road, Columbus.
The concert is the conclusion of an annual one-day event for selected students from all diocesan parochial schools, led by artistic director and clinician Sheila Cafmeyer.
This year, students from 12 schools will perform, with special appearances by choirs from Columbus Our Lady of Peace, Dover Tuscarawas Central Catholic Elementary and Dennison Immaculate Conception schools and Ohio Dominican.
Singers prepare the music over several weeks under the guidance of their music teachers. This year, the event will include Mass, a campus tour, a question-and-answer session with student ambassadors, small group games and rehearsals.
Immaculate Conception Adoration schedule corrected
The Eucharistic Adoration schedule for Columbus Immaculate Conception Church listed in the Feb. 23 Catholic Times was incorrect.
Adoration at the parish takes place on the first Wednesday of each month from 7 to 8:15 a.m., with Mass at 8:30 a.m. and Adoration resuming from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. March is an exception this year because Ash Wednesday was on March 5, so the church’s monthly Adoration will be Wednesday, March 12 on the same schedule.
On Wednesday, April 2, the regular Adoration schedule will be followed at 6 p.m. by an ADORE Lenten evening of Adoration and reflection
Steubenville diocese sponsors men’s renewal day
The Diocese of Steubenville’s 14th annual Lenten men’s day of renewal will take place Saturday, March 22 at St. Stephen’s Church, 1036 Belford St., Caldwell, off Exit 25 on Interstate 77 between Cambridge and Marietta.
The topic will be “The Eucharist and the Biblical Vision of Men.” The featured speaker will be Michael Gormley, a missionary evangelist for Paradisus Dei, a Catholic ministry dedicated to marriage and family life.
Gormley has a Master’s degree in theology and Christian ministry from Franciscan University of Steubenville. Before joining Paradisus Dei, he worked for 17 years as a full-time parish staff member and later as a retreat leader and consultant for parishes, dioceses and campus ministries.
Doors open at 9 a.m. The main program, which will include a penance service, will begin with a welcome at 9:45 a.m. and conclude with Mass at 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided.
Admission is $25, with no charge for anyone 18 and younger. Those interested in attending are asked to mail a check payable to the Diocese of Steubenville to Brett Martz; 75 Stewart St., Athens, OH 45701. Registration online also is available for an additional $3 surcharge at https://athenscatholic.org/steubenville-mens-day.