Files for most of the years between 1875 and 1924 of The Catholic Columbian, a weekly newspaper owned by laymen which reported on diocesan activities for nearly 70 years, soon will be made available to the public by the Catholic Research Resources Archive (CRRA), with support from Ohio Dominican University (ODU) and the Catholic Record Society (CRS).
The digitized papers will be added to existing resources at thecatholicnewsarchive.org. On this site, anyone interested will be able to search for key words of all issues, a group of issues or a single issue at one time.
The years 1875 to 1900 will be digitized from microfilm at ODU (except 1884, which will be from CRS microfilm, and 1877 and 1883, which never were microfilmed). The university is paying for this part of the project.
The years 1901 through November 1924 will be digitized using microfilms which were given to the CRS several years ago by The Catholic Times. The current Times editor, Doug Bean, has actively supported the project, which will cost the society about $8.400. The project will stop at 1924 because of copyright issues related to subsequent years. Availability of digitized issues will be announced as the work progresses.
Sister turns 100
Sister Barbara Holtzinger, OSF, celebrated her 100th birthday on Thursday, May 12 at the Mohun Health Care Center in Columbus.
This year, she also is celebrating her 80th anniversary of profession of her vows as a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity of Stella Niagara, New York.
She was born in Columbus, where she attended St. Leo Grade School and St. Mary High School. She graduated from Rosary Hill College (now Daemen College) in Amherst, New York. Most of her professional life was spent as a teacher and principal at elementary schools in several states.
Her teaching career ended at St. Leo School and she transitioned to St. Ann’s Hospital in Columbus, where she served in the pastoral care department until her retirement. Before her move to the Mohun center, she lived with family members and tended to two older siblings. She was an organist at several churches and loved to crochet afghans. She usually has a puzzle book handy and faces life with a cheerful smile.
Father Dailey to conclude series
Father Stash Dailey will conclude his four-part series of talks on “Rebuilding a Christian Culture” at the Catholic Men’s Luncheon Club meeting on Friday, June 3.
The club will meet following the 11:45 a.m. Mass on that day at Columbus St. Patrick Church, 280 N. Grant Ave. No reservations are necessary. A $12 donation is requested to cover the cost of the lunch and meeting. Free parking is available on the Columbus State Community College lot across from the church.
Father Dailey will speak on “Frequent Encounters with the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Scripture. Eucharistic Adoration and the Holy Mass.”
The previous three talks, on St. Joseph, the Scriptures and the Virgin Mary, are available on the club’s website www.catholicmensministry.com.
The entire series is sponsored by the Nos Lumine and Attollo organizations for Catholics in business, AM 820 St. Gabriel Radio, the Egan-Ryan Funeral Service and the Bottoms Up diaper drive.
Father Dailey is diocesan vicar for religious and pastor of Columbus Holy Family Church. He will be leaving Holy Family this summer to become vice rector of formation at the Pontifical College Josephinum.
The club will be taking its annual summer break in July and August. Its next meeting will be Friday, Sept. 2.
Faith community for ex-inmates to establish residence
The Serenelli Project, an apostolate whose goal is to provide a strong Catholic community for men who are re-entering society after being imprisoned or who have a criminal history, has closed on purchasing a home in Cincinnati. It hopes to have residents living there by the end of the year.
The home in the city’s Sedamsville neighborhood will not be a halfway house, but a permanent residence designed to provide stability and a communal life of prayer, work and discernment for those living there. The Serenelli Project is assisting the men in their journey back to the workforce by partnering with construction companies to get them certified in various skilled trades.
The ministry, which was founded in 2020, also hopes to purchase the nearby former Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and its rectory at auction from the city of Cincinnati shortly and use the men’s labor skills to restore the building to its former glory.
The ministry is named for Alessandro Serenelli, an Italian man who attacked 11-year-old Maria Goretti in 1902 after she refused his advances. She forgave him before she died the next day. Serenelli was imprisoned after the attack, repented in prison after a dream affirming her forgiveness, became a lay brother and was present at her canonization as a saint in 1950. He died 20 years later at age 88.
To find out more about the Serenelli Project, visit www.serenelliproject.org. Anyone wishing to support its mission can donate at www.serenelliproject.org/support-us.
St. Brendan student takes part in STEM center launch
Addison Reeves, a sixth-grade student at Hilliard St. Brendan School, took part in the launch of a campaign for a new science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) leadership center to be built by the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Council at its Camp Ken-Jockety in western Franklin County.
The center is designed to attract more women to STEM careers and is part of the Girl Scouts’national goal of putting 2.5 million girls in the STEM pipeline by 2025.
About $9.45 million of the $16 million needed for the project has been raised. The proposed facility would have science and technology labs and a space to learn trades such as welding, mechanics and carpentry. It also would include a greenhouse for gardening programs and a commercial kitchen for farm-to-table programming. In addition, buildings and outdoor learning spaces at the camp would be renovated.
Work on the project is epected to start by the end of the year and groundbreaking for the new STEM center is to take place in the spring of 2023, with a projected opening date of fall 2024. Its use won’t be limited to the Girl Scouts. Central Ohio school districts will be able to use it for field trips.
St. John Center to host mental health workshops
The St. John Learning Center at Columbus Holy Rosary-St. John Church, 640 S. Ohio Ave., will host two workshops on mental health and wellness with the theme “Stop the Stigma.”
A program titled “What Is Mental Health?” will take place at noon Thursday, May 19. “Dealing With Feelings of Anger” will be the theme of a workshop on Thursday, June 16 at noon.
The stigmas of fear, shame or rejection from family, friends and society are the most common reasons why people fail to seek mental health services. The two roundtable discussions are designed to help individuals overcome those stigmas holding them back, educate them on the benefits of mental health services and create a path to wellness.
The informational part of the roundtables also will also be available on Zoom. A link will be sent after registration for those who wish to view it on Zoom. Licensed professional counselor
Velecia Luckette is working with the St. John center to present the series.
For more information, email sjlc.coodinator@gmail.com or call (614) 547-2171. To register, go to the St. John Learning Center Eventbrite page:
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/st-john-learning-center-22982702594.
Pentecost weekend retreat set at Maria Stein
A Pentecost weekend retreat titled “Let the Fire Fall” will take place from Friday to Sunday, June 3 to 5 at the Maria Stein Retreat Center, 2365 St. Johns Road, Maria Stein.
Father William Marquis, OP, of Providence (Rhode Island) College will be the speaker and deliver talks on the Holy Spirit and the Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary devotion. Mass will be celebrated Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday, and Eucharistic Adoration and the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available.
The cost of $250 for married couples or $185 for individuals covers overnight accommodations for two nights, Friday night food and snacks, three meals Saturday and breakfast Sunday.
To register, RSVP to Roxy Rubinic at (614) 323-8811 or roxy@cathletix.com by Wednesday, May 25. Mail checks, payable to Laity for Mercy, to her at 5125 Collins Way, Grove City OH 43123. If you have any questions, either Rubinic or Jenny McAndrew at (614) 832-3862 or jennymc4life@yahoo.com.
McCrory memory care unit tour planned
The Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm invite the community to tour the new memory care assisted living unit at Mother Angeline McCrory Manor, 5199 E. Broad St., Columbus, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 26. Staff members will be available at this time to answer any questions about the unit.
Memory care is a form of senior living that provides intensive, specialized care for people with memory issues. It is designed to provide a safe, structured environment with set routines to lower stress for people with forms of dementia.
McCrory Manor provides minimal to moderate support with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming, medication management, and escort services to meals and activities. Living accommodations can be in a studio apartment or a one-bedroom suite. Meals three times a day and snacks are provided.
Comfortable living areas are furnished for socializing, family gatherings and activities, with a secure and easily accessible outdoor patio available. A chapel provides daily Mass and an opportunity for personal prayer and devotion. The Mass also is available in individual rooms via an in-house TV channel.
For more information, call (614) 751-5700.
Former abortion doctor to speak at RTL banquet
Dr. Steve Hammond of Jackson, Tennessee, who performed 700 abortions, then had a radical conversion to the pro-life cause, will be the featured speaker at Greater Columbus Right to Life’s annual banquet at 6 p.m. Monday, June 13 in Villa Milano, 1630 Schrock Road, Columbus.
Hammond, a physician for 40 years, has delivered more than 4,000 babies. He ceased taking part in abortions when, during what he thought would be a routine abortion, he started to realize that there was nothing typical about the procedure and then the baby fought back, kicking him.
Registration is complimentary, although an opportunity to support the work of Greater Columbus Right to Life will be extended at the end of the evening. Advance registration is required at www.gcrtl.org/banquet, or by calling (614) 445-8508.