St. Mary's Church-Stony Hill

 August 9, 2018 press release from Most Reverend James F. Checcio, JCP, MBA 
 

The beautiful flowers in the sanctuary this weekend were donated by Veronika Ehrenclou, in memory of her husband, Alfred Ehrenclou.

We offer our sincere sympathy to the families of Mary Digirolamo and Zachary Bunsa, who were recently called home to the Father. May their souls, and the souls of all our faithful departed, rest in God’s peace.

What we Believe
St. Mary’s-Stony Hill is a Roman Catholic parish that is rooted in our sacramental life and the vast traditions of the Catholic Church.  First and foremost, our parish life centers on the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist.  The grace received from Eucharist enables us to function in our mission as a parish community.  Our mission as a parish encompasses parishioners of all ages.
 
We strive to be a place where our parishioners feel a sense of welcome and a place to have their faith nurtured through the various ministerial opportunities that occur throughout the year.

Second Time
Anne Weber and Justin Hannon

So, what are you doing this summer? While many of us are traveling and relaxing with friends and family, one of our parishioners, Rachel Gallic, is doing something really extraordinary: she’s donating a kidney to a family friend. When asked why she agreed to undertake such an incredible act of self-sacrifice, Rachel responded: “Never let fear get in the way of doing something.” Rachel is the daughter of Suzanne and Dan Gallic, long time parishioners. Suzanne is also our Director of Music. Rachel is currently a freelance photographer and has done work for several families in our parish. This included a recent trip to Belfast to photograph a wedding. When asked about her Irish wedding experience, she said— with her radiant smile: “They run late”. When the family friend first reached out looking for a donor's kidney, she and her brother Sebastian sent in their blood samples to see if they were possible candidates. Rachel was deemed a “match” and subsequently traveled to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for additional testing. After many tests and evaluations - which included a battery of blood tests, MRIs, CAT scans as well as a psychological evaluation - Rachel was ultimately given the “green light” to proceed with her life-saving gesture. Her good friend (and fellow parishioner), Erica Genabith said it best, “Rachel has always been a gift to our community. She has unsparingly shared her talents and soul. This altruistic act is a kind of selfless love…her generosity will impact countless lives.” Let us pray for Rachel and the recipient of her kidney. May they have a successful operation and a speedy recovery. Let us also pray for those that are on the waiting list for an organ donor. May Rachel’s example and witness serve to inspire us to also be brave in helping others. She is truly living out the words of Matthew chapter 25!