Coming up, we’ll be re-releasing the 1951 book written by our first Bishop, James McFadden, titled The March of the Eucharist, and it will replace our August issue. This means that the typical combined-month issue you have in your hands for June and July also includes a bit of August, and there is a lot to be said across a three-month span in a six-county diocese.
A theme for this issue emerged in spite of this, and that is “fatherhood.” It was a coincidence, but I could not have planned it better for the issue hitting around Father’s Day, which is June 15 this year.
As I write this, it is early May, and we are mourning the loss of our Holy Father, Pope Francis. It is said that he will be remembered as “a pope of the people,” and I believe that to be true. I attended one of his general audiences in St. Peter’s Square in Rome several years ago, and I’ve never felt energy from a crowd like I did that day—people cried to see him and cheered exuberantly, yet you could hear a pin drop when he spoke. It was amazing to behold. At this moment in time, cardinals are beginning to gather in Rome for the conclave, and I assume that as you read this, we have a new Holy Father at the helm of our Mother Church. Visit www.CatholicEcho.org to read up-to-date content about him from our partners at OSV News.
I’d like to acknowledge our Catholic Fathers as well, for where would we be without them? We’re welcoming several new Fathers to the diocese this summer. First, Deacon Travis Seagraves is being ordained to the Order of the Priesthood on June 7 at St. Columba Cathedral. We will also soon be welcoming two priests from the Rogationists of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who will be moving from the Philippines to serve the diocese at a parish in Canton. Visit www.catholicecho.org to get more information.
This issue contains a column from Father J. Patrick Manning on the importance of saying “goodbye” (page 30), a feature story by Father Kevin Peters on the priests involved in rural ministry throughout the diocese (page 17) and excerpts from “Care for Creation: An Action Plan for the Diocese of Youngstown,” a document created for the diocesan faithful (page 27). This document acknowledges that our Father in Heaven commands us to care for the world over which He gave us dominion, and it can be found in full at www.doy.org/c4c/, but we’ll be publishing sections of it here in The Echo.
Finally, I’d like to end with a shout-out to my own father, Tom. His sense of humor is near-legendary, and he is hands-down the greatest leader and one of the most compassionate people I’ve ever known. I strive to be like both my parents every day of my life. I will also have gained a father-in-law, Charlie, by the time you’re reading this. I already love him to pieces and I feel so blessed to know him—I can’t wait to officially become part of his family.
So to all the fathers out there—whether of the religious or familial variety—I wish you a very happy Father’s Day. God bless.
Until next month,
Katie Wagner
