Parish Newsletter December 2024

Message From Father Angi


In my first two assignments as a priest, there were religious sisters in both of the parishes. Sr. Pat was a Director of Religious Education, Sr. Mary Ellen and Sr. Judy were pastoral associates. They were dedicated religious sisters to their orders and to the parishes. Sr. Judy was a real collaborator as in my second assignment a few months after arriving the pastor had a heart attack and open heart surgery. With the pastor gone for months, I relied heavily on Sr. Judy and her pastoral knowledge. With over 40 weddings a year, numerous funerals and five Sunday Masses, it was a real balancing act. It is religious sisters like these who we remember and fondly cherish.

 

This weekend, the second collection is for the Retirement Fund for Religious. Across the United States, hundreds of religious communities lack financial resources sufficient to meet the retirement and health-care needs of aging members. Historically, Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests—known collectively as women and men religious—received very little pay. Any surplus funds were reinvested in ministry and the education of younger members. As a result, hundreds of US religious communities lack adequate retirement savings. Like many Americans, religious communities face the monumental challenge of funding eldercare. Currently, the average annual cost of care for women and men religious past age 70 is nearly $60,000 per person. Skilled care averages $90,700. The total cost of care for senior women and men religious in the United States has exceeded $1 billion annually for each of the last 16 years.

 

During the early and mid-twentieth centuries, the Catholic Church in the United States experienced a surge in vocations to religious life, with numbers peaking in the mid-1960s. Care for elderly members was provided largely by younger ones. Over time, however, the number of vocations decreased while lifespans increased. The result is far fewer younger members available to support the retirement and eldercare needs of senior members. Currently, 71 percent of the religious communities have a median age of 70 or older.

 

Thank you for your generous support today of these religious men and women who so tirelessly gave their lives in teaching, health care and parish work.


Sincerely,


Fr. Steve

Advent/Christmas Schedule


Christmas Masses

 

Tuesday, Christmas Eve

3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. - Guardian Angels

3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. & Midnight - Immaculate Heart of Mary

4:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. - St. John Fisher

 

Wednesday, Christmas Day

9:00 a.m. - St. John Fisher

10:00 a.m. - Guardian Angels

11:30 a.m. - Immaculate Heart of Mary

  

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

 

Tuesday, January 31st

9:00 a.m. – Guardian Angels

Noon. - St. John Fisher

3:30 p.m. - Guardian Angels

5:00 p.m. - St. John Fisher

  

Guardian Angels Parish Offices will be closed Dec. 24 - Dec. 26 and Dec. 31 - Jan. 1


Together We Gave


Thank you for supporting Guardian Angels on Giving Tuesday. We are so grateful for the support of this community!

Congratulations to Our New Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion


Congratulations to many of our 8th grade students who have answered the call to serve as Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion! They are committed to sharing the Body of Christ with their peers.

Guardian Angels Choir

 

The GA Parish choir is getting ready for one of the greatest times of the year; Christmas! We are looking for additional singers who are interested in singing for the 10PM and/or 10AM Masses. This a great activity for the whole family to come together, learn the most well-loved Christmas Carols and to offer some time and talent to the parish. Our rehearsals are on Wednesdays at 7PM in the music room. Please email Matt Spencer if you and your family would like to participate at matts@sggparish.org.

Follow St. Gregory the Great on Social Media!


Get involved and stay up to date with all that is happening in our family of parishes!

St. Gregory the Great Family of Parishes

@SGGParish

Congratulations to Our New Servers!


Congratulations to our newest 5th, 6th, and 7th grade servers. They trained with our head servers in September and October and are doing a wonderful job serving!

Annual Pathway Report and Parish Financial Reports

 

As a family of parishes, we have made great strides in our Beacons of Light process and our journey to become one canonical parish over the past year. Our Annual Pathway Report summarizes this information. Thank you all for being a part of the St. Gregory the Great Family of Parishes.

 

You can find the full Annual Pathway Report and individual parish financial reports on the St. Gregory the Great website by clicking here.

 

If you have questions, please submit them to the Family Pastoral Council via the contact form on our website.

 

To receive this information and other updates from the Parish, subscribe to the new monthly St. Gregory the Great Newsletter. 

Congratulations to our Newly Commissioned Cantors


During the School Mass on November 26th, several students at Guardian Angels were commissioned as cantors. During the commissioning the students consecrated their voices “to God, to sing his praises and to proclaim his glory.” Fr. King blessed and gave each cantor a St. Cecilia medal and cross necklace symbolizing their new leadership and also gave each a hymnal telling each cantor, “May the chants, hymns and songs found in its pages help you to lift your heart and mind to God when you sing your praises to him.”

Great news for anyone who pays Ohio income tax and supports Guardian Angels


We have many students at Guardian Angels who benefit from scholarships provided by the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF). Ohio taxpayers who donate to the CEF may be able to claim a dollar-for-dollar, non-refundable tax credit on their state income tax return, up to $750 per donor. For more information, click here.


We hope you consider a donation before the end of the year and choose "Guardian Angels School (Cincinnati)(C00160)" from the drop-down when prompted.


Parishioner and tax expert, Brien Dulle, is donating. Here's what he had to say. "Supporting the CEF is a no-brainer for me for two reasons. As a graduate of GA that is also sending my daughters to the school, I want to invest in the education that our children receive. Secondly, there's no extra money out of pocket since I can claim a dollar-for-dollar Ohio tax credit."

Help Us Communication with You!


The St. Gregory the Great Newsletter will begin in November and will include the Beacons of Light Annual Planning report for St. Gregory the Great along with each parish's financial report. Subscribe today through clicking this link!


The December newsletter will include a 25 days of Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar that you can do with your family.


The GA monthly newsletter will remain for the time being. The St. Gregory the Great email will be focused on news from the family level.

Adult Help Wanted – for “Youthful” Volunteer Opportunities


Middle School Youth Ministry

We are re-launching the Middle School Youth Ministry programs with two groups: a 5th & 6th grade group and a 7th & 8th grade group. We need adults who have a passion for developing the faith and fellowship lives of these young people in a fun, supportive, and nurturing environment. We’re hoping to hold two meetings each month for each group. 


High School Youth Ministry Leadership Team 

We are looking to add to the current High School Youth Ministry leadership team. Alison Richert is the current Lead Coordinator for the HS Youth Ministry. For SafeParish reasons, and because the kids would benefit from a second “regular” minister, we’re looking for another “youthful” person who would enjoy partnering with her weekly. Ideally, we’re looking for a male so that any immediate personal issues can be handled appropriately. You can be someone who “just shows up ready to help” each week, or you can get involved in planning the weekly sessions. 


Core Team Volunteers

If you’re looking for a more flexible option, we are also forming a Core Team for the Middle School and High School Youth Ministry groups. These teams will help advise on the structure of the program, as well as be available to assist from time to time with chaperoning events, leading activities, helping with marketing, etc. 


If this sounds like something God may be calling you to, please reach out to Steve Von Hoene, the Associate Director of Youth Evangelization at stevevh@sggparish.org

Follow St. Gregory the Great Youth Group on Social Media


Stay up to date with the St. Gregory the Great Youth Group on social media and join the mailing list.

Angels on Call is Here to Help


Do you know of someone in our parish experiencing a loss or hardship? Fellow GA parishioners are ready to lend a hand year-round with acts of service, meals or material items. Simply reach out to the email below. Please note, we will use discretion in all matters brought to our attention. GA is Family.

 

If you're interested in helping with Angels on Call, we'd love to hear from you. You can email us at aoc@gaparish.org.

Children's Liturgy of the Word


Children’s Liturgy of the Word is held on the third Sunday of every month during 10 am Mass. This program is for kids ages 3-7. If you are interested in learning more or volunteering to help, please email alisonr@sggparish.org.

Volunteer Healthcare Professionals Needed

High School Youth Group


When: Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 pm. Upcoming dates are 12/10 and 12/17

What: "Question Everything"

Where: IHM Youth Room (7826 Beechmont Ave.)

Why: A chance for students in grades 9-12 to play games, discuss various topics, and grow in faith and fellowship.

Young Men's Faith and Fellowship

Young Women's Faith and Fellowship


When: 2nd and 4th Wednesday every month from 8-9 pm.

from 8:00-9:00 pm. Upcoming date is 12/11.

Where: Guardian Angels Catholic Church in the Room B

Age: 20s - 40s

Join together with other women to expand your Catholic faith and build meaningful relationships as we dive into various faith studies from the Blessed is She, Rooted devotional. No prior knowledge or materials needed; come as you are! Contact the group at womensfaith@gaparish.org for more information.  

Fathers Team


Every Friday, GA Fathers meet at 6:05 am to discuss various topics of interest and importance to our roles as dads, husbands, and “brothers”. Each week is a different topic, with outside speakers occasionally. All GA fathers are invited to join in person in Room B (downstairs) or via Zoom. Contact us at GAfathersteam@gmail.com for the Zoom link and for any other info on the group.

Parish Reminders
Make Offertory Donations Online
Giving to Guardian Angels Parish has never been easier. Offertory donations can be made online. If you are interested in establishing a one-time or recurring gift through our online platform, just click the button below. Once you have an account setup, you can make any changes to your giving yourself through the website.
Make An Online Offertory Donation
8am & 10am Masses Streamed Each Sunday
The 8am and 10am Masses are livestreamed each Sunday and can be viewed on our YouTube channel and Facebook page live or they can be played back on either channel at a later time.
GA YouTube Channel
GA Facebook Page
School News

2025-2026 Enrollment


Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year will open for parish families on December 9th. You'll find all the information you need on the school website.


If you missed our Information Sessions but would still like to learn more about our school, we invite you to take a personal tour. A tour allows you to meet with our administration to discuss the classes and programs available through GA and have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. These are typically done during school hours so you can see what a typical day is like for students. Call the school office at (513)624-3141 to schedule a tour.

School Masses


Please join our school community in celebrating the Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the school year. All-school Masses are offered most Tuesdays for Kindergarten through 8th grade and are live-streamed to the Guardian Angels YouTube channel. Visitors are welcome to attend any school Mass, although seating is limited for all-school Masses.

Please include our school community in your daily prayers!

Other News
Learn More On FORMED.org
 
Did you know that all parishioners have access to a bevy of incredible Catholic content through Formed.org? Parishioners can use this platform to discover the many ebooks, audio resources, movies and Bible studies that are available on your phone, tablet, smart tv or computer.


If you are new to the website:
  1. click on sign-up
  2. Choose I belong to a Parish or Organization
  3. Search Guardian Angels Parish (make sure you select the one on Beechmont in Cincinnati)
  4. Then create your own account

This treasure trove of material is provided as a gift to you as a valued member of our Faith Family.

Stay Connected with GA on Social Media

Stay up-to-date with all things GA by following us on social media. 
Guardian Angels is active on several social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The links to our social media channels at the bottom of every parish newsletter.

Bulletin Advertising Available

Our bulletin publisher is looking for new advertisers and sponsors. Thanks to our sponsors, the bulletin is published weekly at no cost to our parish. Please consider purchasing an ad. Your ad and participation make the bulletin successful, and you attract customers! If interested, please email Scott Franz or call/text her at 614-915-4118


Advertisements and sponsorships can be purchased for a business, family, charity, in Honor or in Memory of a Loved One, or to support the church or a community service organization, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters. We appreciate your support.

Have News to Share?
If you are part of a parish organization and have news you would like to share with our community, please email the parish office. To be included in next month's newsletter, your information must be received by the last Monday of this month.
Guardian Angels Parish | 513.231.7440 | 6531 Beechmont Ave | gaparish.org
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