Office for Persons with Disabilities- Archdiocese of Cincinnati

03/25/2026

The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

As recorded in Luke 1:26–38, the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary in Nazareth, declaring her "full of grace" and favored by God.

Despite being troubled, Mary asked how this would happen since she was a virgin. Upon learning the Holy Spirit would come upon her, she replied, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word," marking a pivotal moment of trust and submission.

Mary has an important role to play in God’s plan. From all eternity, God destined her to be the mother of Jesus and closely related to him in the creation and redemption of the world. We could say that God’s decrees of creation and redemption are joined in the decree of Incarnation. Because Mary is God’s instrument in the Incarnation, she has a role to play with Jesus in creation and redemption. It is a God-given role. It is God’s grace from beginning to end. Mary becomes the eminent figure she is only by God’s grace. She is the empty space where God could act. Everything she is she owes to the Trinity.

Together with Jesus, the privileged and graced Mary is the link between heaven and earth. She is the human being who best, after Jesus, exemplifies the possibilities of human existence. She received into her lowliness the infinite love of God. She shows how an ordinary human being can reflect God in the ordinary circumstances of life. She exemplifies what the Church and every member of the Church is meant to become. She is the ultimate product of the creative and redemptive power of God. She manifests what the Incarnation is meant to accomplish for all of us.

03/24/2026

After the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sts. Perpetua and Felicity are the first women mentioned during the Eucharistic prayer at Mass.

03/23/2026

“I always understood that God has a plan … I never felt that I knew more than God..."

03/22/2026

The Fifth Sunday of Lent readings focus on God bringing life out of death and brokenness, directly anticipating the Resurrection. Ezekiel promises God will open graves, Ps 130 cries from the depths for redemption, and Romans promises life through the Spirit, all culminating in Jesus raising Lazarus, affirming, "I am the resurrection and the life".

First Reading (Ezekiel 37:12-14): God promises to open the graves of His people and put His Spirit within them so they shall live and know He is the Lord. Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones receiving the breath of life represents spiritual restoration and hope for the hopeless.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 130): A cry from the depths for divine mercy, hope, and full redemption.

Second Reading (Romans 8:8-11): Those who possess the Spirit of God do not live in the flesh, but have the promise of life for their mortal bodies through the Spirit who raised Jesus.

Gospel (John 11:1-45): Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, declaring, "I am the resurrection and the life," showing His power over death just before His own Passion.

Hope and Restoration: The readings serve as a message of hope, showing that God can restore life even when all hope feels lost, as shown in the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel) and at the tomb of Lazarus.

Preparation for Holy Week: The resurrection of Lazarus foreshadows Jesus' own death and resurrection, challenging believers to move from the "tomb" of sin and despair into new life.

03/21/2026

The first American pope will address the nation by video from the Vatican on July 3, one day before the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding.

03/20/2026

Spring brings the irresistible urge to open windows, move things around, and give the house a fresh start.

03/20/2026

At a time when she thought motherhood might be behind her, Gwen Stefani discovered that some of life’s most beautiful gifts arrive unexpectedly.

03/19/2026

A simple but deeply personal tribute to a devout father is reminding many people of the quiet beauty of faith.

03/19/2026

03/19/2026

Solemnity of St. Joseph

Saint Joseph's Day, also called the Feast of Saint Joseph or the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, is in Western Christianity the principal feast day of Saint Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and legal father of Jesus Christ. This Solemnity is celebrated annually on March 19 which is believed to be the anniversary of his death.

Joseph is celebrated as a "just man," a model of obedience, faith, and humility, chosen by God to protect the Redeemer.

St. Joseph is the patron of the Universal Church, workers, fathers, families, and a happy death.

03/18/2026

When the blind man in the Gospel is cured, those who knew him do not recognize him anymore.

03/18/2026

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

St. Cyril was raised in Jerusalem and well-educated, especially in the Scriptures, he was ordained a priest by the bishop of Jerusalem and given the task during Lent of catechizing those preparing for Baptism and catechizing the newly baptized during the Easter season. His Catecheses remain valuable as examples of the ritual and theology of the Church in the mid-fourth century.

He became the bishop of Jerusalem in 348 and served in that role until his death in 386.

He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1822.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem is the patron saint of catechists (religious teachers) and catechumens (people receiving religious instruction).