Beyond our parish doors, there is a wealth of events and opportunities with other Catholic organizations.
Gate of Heaven – Pre Planning Seminars
Being prepared is essential! Gate of Heaven Cemetery, owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, is here to help you understand the Church’s teachings on end-of-life planning, so you can make these important decisions with peace of mind.
Planning ahead spares loved ones the added stress of making difficult decisions during times of grief. If you’d like to arrange a seminar at your parish, feel free to reach out, and we’ll gladly help schedule a session.
For more details, visit:
To reserve your spot, please RSVP by calling 513-489-0300 or emailing community@gateofheaven.org.
Formation & Training for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Upcoming Months | Cincinnati, Dayton, and Online
Are you interested in becoming an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion to serve at Mass or to the sick, hospitalized, or homebound? The Archdiocese will offer formation and training sessions in the coming months. Learn more and register at www.catholicaoc.org/worship.
Friends of Jesus
Saturday, January 25, 2025 | 1:00 - 3:00pm | All Saint Saints, Montgomery, OH
Friends of Jesus is a group for adults with developmental disabilities (18 years of age or older). This group’s focus is primarily for support, prayer and socializing. We come together in prayer, do some craft-making and enjoy refreshments. New members are always welcome but must RSVP first prior to attending so we can plan for food and craft supplies. For questions or to RSVP, please contact Jane Callan at 513.793.3546.
Pay attention to CDC announcements for any updates to advice for wearing masks in public gatherings. Anyone bringing snacks for the group to share is asked to wrap the snacks individually.
Friends of Jesus
Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 1:00 - 3:00pm | All Saint Saints, Montgomery, OH
Friends of Jesus is a group for adults with developmental disabilities (18 years of age or older). This group’s focus is primarily for support, prayer and socializing. We come together in prayer, do some craft-making and enjoy refreshments. New members are always welcome but must RSVP first prior to attending so we can plan for food and craft supplies. For questions or to RSVP, please contact Jane Callan at 513.793.3546.
Pay attention to CDC announcements for any updates to advice for wearing masks in public gatherings. Anyone bringing snacks for the group to share is asked to wrap the snacks individually.
Join the Permanent Diaconate
Any man who may be discerning a possible vocation to serve the Church as a Permanent Deacon should contact Deacon Mark Machuga, Director of the Office of the Diaconate, to discuss the discernment process, pre-requisites and the formation cycle. Deacon Mark can be reached at 513.263.6641 or deaconoffice@catholicaoc.org.
Franciscan Sisters Discernment Events
Single Catholic Women 20-35: Franciscan Sisters invite you to in-person and on-line Discernment Events designed for you. Discover your calling and purpose. Visit https://fscc-calledtobe.org or contact Sr. Julie Ann 920.323.9632.
Be a Missionary
Have you ver considered short or long-term service or lay missionary work in the U.S. or overseas? There are over 100 Catholic organizations seeking volunteers for all sorts of service: agriculture & mechanic work, arts & music, building trades, business & administration, computer work, community organizing, religious/school education, elderly outreach, engineering, mental & other health care, refugee services, pro-life ministries, social/racial justice work, youth ministry … and more. Check out the Catholic Volunteer Network at CatholicVolunteerNetwork.org/begin. For advice and possible limited subsidies, contact Dr. Mike Gable, Mission Office Director, Archdiocese of Cincinnati at mgable@catholicaoc.org.
Genesis: A Pre-Cana Retreat
The Center for the New Evangelization’s Marriage & Family team hosts Genesis: A Pre-Cana Retreat in English and Spanish throughout the archdiocese. The retreat typically lasts from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and offers engaging presentations on the sacrament of marriage by teams of married couples, focusing on what it means to say “yes” to each of the questions of consent. The retreat also offers a unique opportunity for couples to pray together in adoration, go to Confession, spend time alone in conversation, and form friendships with other engaged couples. Visit our marriage preparation website for more information and dates of upcoming Genesis retreats at https://www.centerforthenewevangelization.org/marriage-family/marriage-p....
Hear Sacred Heart Radio on Your Phone or Device
Sacred Heart Radio’s free app lets anyone hear the most sought-after Catholic speakers and authors at anytime from anywhere. No radio required! Your local Catholic media connection, Sacred Heart Radio helps you learn and live your faith every hour of every day at no cost. To download the app, visit the app store on your phone or device and search “Sacred Heart Radio.”
Ministry to Survivors of Abuse (reporting)
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati regards child abuse in all its forms as gravely sinful and criminal. Anyone who knows of or suspects child abuse by a legitimate member of the clergy or hierarchy, employee, or volunteer of the archdiocese should first report the abuse to the appropriate secular legal authority and then to Ms. Teresa Maley, Coordinator of Ministry to Survivors of Abuse of the Archdiocese, at 513.263.6623 or 1.800.686.2724 ext. 6623.
General Beacons Updates
Sunday Mass attendance increased in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati 4.5% from October 2022 to October 2023, continuing a rebound in participation since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 we saw more than a 52% return, another 6.5% in 2022, and 4.5% in 2023. While we remain down from our 2019 pre-pandemic attendance, three years of increase is a strong and encouraging trend for our archdiocese that will hopefully continue as Families of Parishes focus on the vision for the future and the “Why” at the root of the Beacons of Light project: “To proclaim the Gospel and make disciples in this particular time and place.” Participation in the Eucharist, and in particular Sunday Mass, is a foundational principle in Beacons of Light.
Curious about how the first year of Beacons of Light has gone in our 57 Families of Parishes? Archbishop Schnurr has released the Year 1 Parish Vitality Report to bring everyone in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati up-to-date. In addition to facts, figures, stories and witness, there’s an opportunity for you to give feedback on your experience of parish life.
If Beacons of Light fulfills the vision set for it, our churches will be full, our liturgies will be joyful, our priests will be present for their people, and our communities will be fully alive! The Parish Vitality Report helps us understand the progress being made in each of our 57 Families of Parishes. This honest snapshot of the work our pastors and leadership groups are undertaking shares wins to celebrate and also obstacles to overcome.To learn more, visit https://pathway.catholicaoc.org/pastoral-vitality-report-feb-2023.
Access to the Beacons of Light Pastoral Planning Pathway digital platform is now available to anyone, not just parish leaders. Create a free user account at http://pathway.catholicaoc.org to stay informed about the planning process, to better understand the work being done in your Family of Parishes, and learn how you can contribute!
Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr has written a letter to the faithful of the archdiocese regarding the Eucharist principle of Beacons of Light.
"We ask our Lord in a special way that our celebrations of the Eucharist truly foster unity, not only in our Families of Parishes, but across our entire archdiocese. This unity – not uniformity – is a cornerstone to building up the Catholic Church in these nineteen counties of western and southwestern Ohio."
Retreat Opportunities
The Jesuit Spiritual Center’s Ministry Team is committed to offering transformational Catholic retreat experiences in the Jesuit tradition.
Take a personal retreat. Our Retreat Center offers plenty of indoor quiet spaces to enjoy time and reflection! We offer quiet rooms for overnight guests. The peaceful and well-maintained Campus at the Sisters of St. Francis offers a wide variety of beautiful attractions such as grottos, shrines, flowering trees, and paved paths.
Make a retreat and take time to enjoy the trails, rock formations, and wooded hillsides at Presentation Ministries, the Our Lady of Guadalupe Discipleship Center in Peebles, OH. The Discipleship Center is a place for formation, Bible College Classes, and Retreats.
Saint Meinrad offers a variety of monk-led retreats during the year - on these and other topics at our Guest House and Retreat Center in southern Indiana.
Volunteer Opportunities
Bring hope to those in need by volunteering with our Caregiver Assistance Network. Enrich your life as well as the lives of others by offering much-needed support to family caregivers through a support group and self-care class facilitation. Short and long-term group facilitation opportunities are available and volunteers receive free training and support. Join us in our mission to serve, enlighten and empower. For more information, please contact Angie Homoelle at 513.672.3834. Please visit the Catholic Charities of South West Ohio's website to see our event calendar, or to refer yourself or someone you know for caregiver support. The Caregiver Assistance Network is a program of Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio funded through the Council on Aging.
Volunteering at Catholic Charities
Volunteer with Catholic Charities
Refugee Resettlement
Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio has been very busy resettling refugees over the past few months. We have many needs as we serve them:
Affordable Housing for Refugees
Affordable housing for refugees resettling in the Greater Cincinnati area. For more information, contact Annie Scheid at 513.672.3784 .
Furniture Donations
Furniture donations, particularly sofas, living room chairs, coffee tables, lamps (table and/or floor), and dressers/chest of drawers are need for refugee families. Please contact Traci at tcollins@ccswoh.org if you have items you are interested in donating.
Serve as Mentors to Youth
Volunteers to serve as mentors to refugee youth ages 15-24. We need mentors for high school students age 15-22 and for post-high school students age 18-24. Work with refugee youth to promote social and civic engagement and support academic and vocational advancement. This is an opportunity to help those in need and to be enriched by learning from others. Volunteers must be 18 or older and commit 2 hours a week. No foreign language skills are required. Contact Nicole Secker at 513.687.0384 for more information or click the volunteer button below.
Serve as Movers, Transporters, and Vehicle Providers
Volunteers or groups to serve as movers, transporters, and vehicle providers (including large cargo vans and trucks, motor vehicle check required for drivers.) to pick up donations such as furniture around the community that will be used for local refugee housing and transport them per assignment throughout Greater Cincinnati. Contact Cathy Boston, 513.672.3836.
Hunger exists in our communities. Nutritious, affordable food is not readily available to every person in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio travels to where hunger is located to serve local families. If you are interested in reducing hunger and food insecurity, volunteering at a mobile pantry, or learning more about hunger in our area, please contact April Hoak, Food for All Coordinator at 513.672.3720.
Join Last Mile Food Rescue as a Food Rescue Hero! With just an hour of time, a smartphone, and a car, you can help fight food waste and deliver good food to organizations serving the food insecure in our community. Looking to give back as a parish? Contact olivia@lastmilefood.org to find out about group volunteer opportunities.
Mater Filius Queen City is an Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and supports women in crisis pregnancies who choose life. Mater Filius provides food, housing, medical support, parent training, education, and employment assistance. Open to all demographics. To volunteer please call 513.351.3368
Old St. Mary’s Pregnancy Center is looking for volunteers to lead 15-minute Bible studies with clients (the readings are already prepared; no prep needed!) and to help pack baby items for those in need. Shifts are 1:00-3:00pm, Monday through Thursday. We are located at 123 E. 13th Street in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati. For more information, please call Barbara Rose at 513.969.4739 or leave a voicemail at 513.929.9165.
The Serenelli Project is a 501(c)3 Catholic monastery village, focused on ministering to the formerly incarcerated. This is not a Catholic halfway house. The difference? No one has to leave this community. The Serenelli Project welcomes anyone who wants to make atonement for sin and find or give forgiveness in a communal life of prayer, work, service, and recovery. The Serenelli Project has purchased its first hermitage in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and is actively seeking volunteers to help in a variety of ways. For more information visit: serenelliproject.org.
The archdiocesan Office of Prison Ministry is looking for men and women to teach three new courses at the Lebanon Correctional Institution. The courses are eight weeks in duration, one evening each week: fall of 2023, Why be Poor in Spirit?; winter 2023, Back to the Garden; and spring 2024, Seeking God’s Will. Volunteers will be trained and all curriculum and materials will be provided. Please call 513.240.3466 or email info@serenelliproject.org to learn more.
Giving our children a strong foundation in their faith is the #1 benefit of a Catholic education. Explore Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
Catholic Education Opportunities in Our Parish
Catholic Mental Health Services
Find mental health services from Catholic providers
Catholic Career Opportunities
Want to work for a Catholic organization? Check out the Archdiocese of Cincinnati (AOC) job board.
Support & Healing
Since 1994, Project Rachel has ministered to women who have lost a child through abortion. We now know that this experience can cause guilt and shame after making the difficult decision to have an abortion. Women and men often suffer in silence and need the opportunity to honor the child and to heal while grieving and mourning their loss. Project Rachel offers several components for hope and healing. For more information, call/text the Project Rachel Helpline at: 513.784.0531, or email us at: hopeandhealingcinci@gmail.com, or visit our website at: https://projectrachelohio.org/.
We meet every 2nd Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in Lebanon (511 N. Broadway, 45036) and every 3rd Tuesday at 2:45 p.m. in Green Township (3620 Eply, 45247).The Caregiver Assistance Network provides education, support and resource information for family caregivers. Whether you need support right now or are just planning for the future, we are here for you. Join us as we support and learn from each other, discussing topics such as self-care, communicating with family, tools and resources for aging in place and how to choose between long term care options. Contact Angie Homoelle at 513.672.3834 or ahomoelle@ccswoh.org or visithttps://www.ccswoh.org/get-help/senior-caregiver-support-services/for more information. The Caregiver Assistance Network is a program of Catholic Charities S
Connected Through Christ is a group for parents of children that suffer from gender dysphoria. Parents meet to share and discuss experiences regarding their children who say that they are transgender. The group is intended for parents to support each other through challenging times and to pray together. The core values of Connected Through Christ are based on a Christian understanding of male and female as articulated in Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Meetings are held twice a month at a Cincinnati east side parish. Email cincyctc@yahoo.com if you are interested in joining the group.
Morning Bible Study making sandwiches for local soup kitchen.