January 2022 Praenotanda

Beacons Roundtable Returns
January 18, 1:30-3:00pm

Please join us for the first in the new series of Beacons Roundtable webinars. This series is for all parish leaders – priests, deacons, staff, and parishioner leaders. Beacons Roundtable features timely information, examples from archdiocesan parishes, and opportunities for you to share your experiences, thoughts, and ideas with other participants. Our first session:

Warmup for Pastoral Planning: getting oriented to the prayer, learning, and preparatory work parish leaders can do in the coming months
Journeying Together: bringing the theology of Families of Parishes to Life with Fr. Earl Fernandes

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Dear friends and colleagues,

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

I hope that your celebrations of the Nativity of the Lord, the Epiphany, and all the other Christmastide feasts have been wonderful and joy-filled. THANK YOU to all who served our Church at prayer during this solemn season as liturgical ministers; you have helped to show Christ’s abiding presence in our midst to a world desperately in need of hope. As we conclude our Christmas season with the Baptism of the Lord and transition into a stretch of Ordinary Time, may we be ever more aware of Christ’s manifold presence in our liturgical and sacramental ministry.

In this month’s Praenotanda, you’ll find information about celebrating the Sunday of the Word of God, the Rite of Election, online formation for liturgical ministers, and more.

Of course, we are all preparing for the implementation of Families of Parishes this summer as part of our Beacons of Light initiative. Our popular web series, Beacons Roundtable, resumes on Tues, Jan 18; we’ll kickoff with some orientation to the Pastoral Planning Pathway and some theological foundations as well. Don’t miss this opportunity to get oriented to the work ahead!

As always, if there’s anything that Matt, Monica, or I can do to assist you in your worship and sacramental ministries, please let us know.

Jeremy Helmes
ODWS Director

FROM THE MUSIC DIRECTOR

It’s that time of year again where (mostly) young couples become engaged over the Christmas and New Year holidays. Soon your parish secretary will be answering phone calls from eager brides wanting to schedule their impending nuptials at your church. Appointments with priests or deacons for marriage prep will be made and you will most likely receive an email or phone call to schedule a meeting to plan music for their wedding.

Now is the perfect time to review your parish wedding policies and make certain they are up to date. It’s always a wise idea to make them available online so that when you are contacted by the bride or groom you can direct them to the website for them to review. Also make certain they have chosen readings (especially the psalm) prior to your meeting with them. A convenient way for parish ministers to help engaged couples with everything they need is to provide them with a copy of And the Two Shall Become One, the guide for preparing the wedding liturgy, which you can purchase easily through the ODWS website. It includes readings, prayers, guidance on choosing music, planning sheets, and more!

Sometimes requests are made that are not in conformity to Catholic theology, especially songs of secular love. Letting the couple know early in the planning process about repertoire expectations will help them (and you) in the planning process. Sometimes the couple is insistent about a certain song that is inappropriate. I always suggest using this song at the reception, or I tell them that due to the church’s acoustics, instruments, etc., the desired outcome will fall flat. At a minimum, I try to keep my comments positive about the repertoire and how it simply wouldn’t work well in a church setting.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Matthew J. Geerlings
Music Director

Return of ASL Mass and Reconciliation

January 29
We are excited to announce that Fr. Michael Depcik will be returning to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for ASL Mass and Reconciliation on Saturday, January 29, offering Reconciliation from 1:30PM – 2:30PM with Mass at 3PM at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Centerville. Fr. MD, as he is known, is among fewer than a handful of culturally Deaf priests worldwide. He is a graduate of Cincinnati's St. Rita School for the Deaf. While these sacramental opportunities are are being offered predominately for the Deaf Community, hearing people are also encouraged to attend the Mass. There will be an interpreter available for the hearing at these liturgies. All are welcome!

Guidelines for Renovating and Reconfiguring a Church
Before undertaking a major project in renovating or reconfiguring a Church, permission is needed from Archbishop Schnurr. The Archdiocesan Committee for Sacred Art & Architecture has the responsibility of providing consultation to parish leaders and recommendations to Archbishop. That committee should be involved at the early stages of such projects, including movement of liturgical furniture, major aesthetic changes, etc. Please review the guidelines and direct any questions to the ODWS.

Q. Outside of a church, where can Mass be celebrated?

A. While Mass is normally celebrated in a sacred space – a dedicated church, chapel, or oratory set aside for worship – according to church law, the Eucharist may also be celebrated in other “respectable places” when pastoral need requires it, with the permission of the archbishop or vicar general. This night include school Mass in a gym, or Mass in a nursing home, Mass outside at a scout campout, or other unusual circumstances. Whenever possible, there should be a dedicated altar, but if necessary, a decent table may be used, always with a cloth and corporal. For more information, check out the archdiocesan policy on Mass Outside of a Sacred Space.