Bishop Brennan's Easter message

‘Christ Lives!’ in the people of the Columbus diocese

My dear friends, we are approaching the great celebration of Easter! This is a time for rejoicing. This is a time for all of us to exclaim with joy-filled hearts, “Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is alive! He truly lives!”

The season of Lent was, for me, a bit of a blur as I was transitioning from the Diocese of Rockville Centre to joyfully come and serve you and to work with you as your bishop in our wonderful Diocese of Columbus. While I have not been here all that long, I have thus far visited more than two dozen parishes in many parts of this vast diocese of ours to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation, celebrate Masses in several other parishes and schools, and tour several of our outreach locations.  

In my short spate of travels, I have met many people of all ages and from all walks of life and cultures who are full of faith and the joy, hope and inspiration that the Gospel gives us.  
I have been fortunate to meet the majority of priests in our diocese. They are dedicated servants working very hard and laboring in the vineyard to serve you in our parishes and schools, in our hospitals and nursing homes, in our prisons and VA hospitals, and in so many other capacities. I am honored to call them my brother priests, along with Bishop Campbell and Bishop Griffin, both of whom I greatly admire.

The religious sisters and the deacons serving our diocese are truly amazing people as well, ministering in so many important ways. The principals and teachers in our schools whom I have met thus far – what a blessing they are in teaching our young people about our faith in order to live our faith! And the people serving and volunteering in our plethora of social service agencies and outreach activities – thank you!

Something that I have taken note of since becoming your bishop – all of us have much to be proud of here in the Diocese of Columbus. I can say that because I am the new person in town. I have the fresh set of eyes to see and explore and to witness; I have the fresh set of ears to listen and hear and to learn all that is taking place. And what I have witnessed thus far is exciting. 

My friends, the reason why so much is good here is because the faith is alive here – the Good News of Jesus Christ is very much alive in the people of our diocese.  

Just a few weeks ago, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, Pope Francis promulgated his apostolic exhortation “Christus Vivit!” – Latin for “Christ Lives!” Having read this document, I have experienced that “Christ Lives!” in the hearts and minds of the people I have encountered in our diocese. They know the faith and they joyfully live the message of the Gospel. Here are just a few examples I would like to share with you:

At Easter Vigil Masses in our parishes this year, there will be more than  400 new and fully initiated members of the Catholic Church! What a great cause for joy and prayer for these men and women, their families and sponsors, and for their parish families! We welcome you, we congratulate you, and we pray for you!

Students at Dover Tuscarawas Central Catholic Elementary School and Dennison Immaculate Conception School volunteer on a quarterly basis to do yardwork for senior citizens and shut-ins. They, along with other volunteers, also help at the local food pantry and food bank and help prepare and serve hot food at a weekly dinner for the needy at Dover St. Joseph Church.

The boys lacrosse team at Columbus St. Francis DeSales High School participated in a Polar Plunge in February, raising $3,000 to support Special Olympics Ohio.

The Our Lady of Guadalupe Center staff and volunteers assisted nearly 4,000 persons last year with food, health screenings, emergency services, English classes, and referrals to legal and other services in our community.

Columbus Bishop Watterson High School students recently collected food and personal care products for the families served by St. Stephen’s Community House. The staff and volunteers at St. Stephen’s – celebrating its 100th year of service, I might add – provide family-to-family strengthening programs to achieve levels of self-sufficiency and maintain at-risk children in their own homes, summer youth employment training and work assignments, neighborhood services food and nutrition programs, and a number of other outreach services in the Linden neighborhood of Columbus.

The St. Francis Evangelization Center in Vinton County of our diocese (one of the poorest counties in Ohio) served 19,000 persons last year, primarily with food, clothing and other basic necessities of life.

Students from Columbus St. Catharine School watched WOSU-TV34 and saw how the staff and volunteers at St. Joseph Cathedral’s “Back Door Ministry” feed the homeless every day; the students raised more than $600 from their “penny wars” during Catholic Schools Week and donated it to support the “Back Door Ministry” program.

Speaking of the cathedral, I was amazed to learn that the “Back Door Ministry” provided 24,000 food bags to the homeless and needy in 2018, up from 18,000 food bags from the year before! (This outreach to the homeless takes place down the hall from my office; I’ve seen it up close many times. I find great satisfaction, as do the cathedral staff and volunteers, in helping those in need – seeing the face of Jesus Christ in everyone, letting them know that we are here to serve them and we truly care about them.)

The St. Francis Center in Portsmouth served almost 12,000 people last year through its food pantry; more than 7,400 hot meals were served at its Shepherd’s Table; more than 1,000 persons were recipients of Giving Tree items at Christmas, and a number of people were provided with counseling and other services.   

The St. Vincent Family Center – once a local Catholic orphanage – provided nearly 5,300 low-income children and families last year with expert behavioral healthcare services. St. Vincent’s has been in existence for 140 years.

Second graders at Chillicothe Bishop Flaget School worked with Knights of Columbus Council 1071 to create “Operation Sleepyhead.” The second-graders purchased 16 pillowcases, decorated them with Scripture verses, then donated the pillowcases to the Ross County Men’s Shelter.  

Throughout our diocese, there are more than 60 St. Vincent de Paul conferences located in our parishes, providing food and many other forms of assistance to those in need.

Through our Seton Square housing, the diocese provides more than  1,000 units of safe, affordable housing for low-income senior citizens in Dover, Kenton, London, Coshocton, Zanesville, Wellston, Washington Court House, Lancaster, Marion and Columbus.
This list barely scratches the surface of how “Christ Lives!” in and through the people of our diocese. I look forward to sharing more examples with you in the future.

During my travels, I also have learned about the challenges, hopes and dreams of so many – especially our young people who look toward the future seeking hope, searching for opportunities, yearning for direction and answers. They want, like all of us, to live faith-filled lives rooted in Christ and the Gospel. And in my conversations with so many of them, I find that they are seeking the timeless teachings of Christ because they know and understand that “Christ Lives!” 

Pope Francis reminds us: Alive, he can be present in your life at every moment, to fill it with light and to take away all sorrow and solitude. Even if all others depart, he will remain, as he promised: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). He fills your life with his unseen presence; wherever you go, he will be waiting there for you. Because he did not only come in the past, but he comes to you today and every day, inviting you to set out towards ever new horizons (Christus Vivit, 125).

Over the coming months, I look forward to meeting you, praying with you, proclaiming and preaching the Gospel, working with you to address the challenges that we collectively face, and seeking opportunities that put into practice the teachings of Christ as his faithful and loving followers. As we look toward the future let us remember: “Christus Vivit!” – “Christ Lives!”

May God abundantly bless you and your families this Easter!