Join Word on Fire on Friday mornings, Sept. 5–Dec. 19 (9:15–11:15 AM) at St. Charles in the Borromeo Room, for a 19-week video series on Healing Prayer: Encounter. We will watch videos from many current-day, inspirational evangelists - Fr. Mathias Thelen, Patrick Ries, Bishop Barron, Fr. James Mallon, and Fr. John Riccardo will be featured. It is a call to arms for Catholic clergy and laity as they look at renewal visions and missions in our Catholic parishes “to transform them into the Family of God,” missionary disciples. All are welcome!

Ignite is our Friday night programming and events where we partake in a fun activity, eat a meal together, and share in faith. Junior High look forward to these nights more than any other!

Everyone is welcome always & please bring friends from other churches and schools! Events are always open, and there is no commitment to making every event, just come when you want to! For info about all junior high events, go here.

For any questions please contact the Junior High Youth Minister, Amie (aherbert@mgparish.org) or 937-253-5171 x108.

The next St. Albert Food Collection is October 11-12. Food barrels will be outside  the south entrances to the church. There is a critical need for all shelf stable food, especially high protein items, canned fruits and vegetables, and personal hygiene items. St. Albert, St. Charles, and St. Francis are the remaining regular donors in the Dayton Area. Thank you so much for your past support. The need is great in so many areas, please contribute to those who God puts on your heart and remember prayer and action are our greatest gifts.

Baby it’s cold outside . . . especially for our brothers and sisters who have little clothing.  The Ascension Welcome and Hospitality Committee is collecting coats, hats, gloves/mittens for all ages for refugees through Catholic Social Services. Many of the people come from equatorial Africa where they have never experienced winter.  Due to language and transportation issues, they have difficulty accessing other means of acquiring winter clothing. Children and adult clothing are needed.  Items can be new or gently used (but clean).  Drop-off bins will be placed at Ascension in the narthex and south entrance on the weekends of October 11-12 through Oct 25-26. You can also drop off at the Ascension Parish Office. The Mother of God Family of Parishes is known throughout the community for our generosity.  Let’s make this one more great example! This event is open to all three parishes to participate in.

Please join us on Wednesdays from October 1-November 12 in St Albert's Spirit Center, Room D, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM for a seven-week study on the book, Prayer-Our Deepest Longing by Rev. Ronald Rohlheiser. The book, study guide, and supplemental materials will be provided and distributed at the first meeting. That first session will introduce the book. We will also review some traditional prayer methods.

Below is a schedule and a preview of the study:

10/01/25 Introduction- Book, guide, and supplemental materials distributed.

10/08/25 Ch. 1 Struggling in Prayer - Luke 10:38-42

10/15/25 Ch. 2 Hearing God’s Voice in Prayer - 1 Kings 19:9-13a

10/22/25 Ch. 3 Understanding Priestly Prayer - Luke 11:1-10

10/29/25 Ch. 4 Practicing Affective Prayer - Psalm 139:1-12

11/05/25 Ch. 5 Growing to Maturity in Prayer - Genesis 32:24-29

11/12/25 Ch. 6 Listening to God’s Heartbeat - John 13:20-26

For more information contact Julie Burt 937-409-6035.

Mother of God Family of Parishes – Catholic Marriage Date Night and Learning

Catholic Marriage Enrichment sponsors a Date Night for Married Couples

Come and join us for an ongoing series of Date Nights coupled with Marriage Enrichment Skills. These fun and informative sessions are for all married or engaged couples. This night of interaction, prayer, Catechism and Bible reflection, and activities is designed to support couples in renewing their understanding of what it mean to have a Sacramental Marriage and to rediscover the one they fell in love with many years ago. We will be learning from a new and exciting 7-part Catholic marriage enrichment series titled, “Building a Eucharistic Marriage.”

When: Wednesdays starting Oct. 1, 2025, from 6:30 – 8:30 PM and will run for 7 consecutive Wednesdays (skipping Oct. 15th)

Where: Ascension Parish (2025 Woodman Dr., Kettering, OH 45420)

Instructor: Greg Schutte, MSW, LISW-S (Author), Senior Director of Marriage Works! Ohio, located in Dayton, Ohio

There is a $25 fee for books and materials.

GO HERE TO SIGN UP

To learn more, please contact Sarah Archuleta-Davalos at sarchuleta@mgparish.org or 937-401-0021.

Space is limited so sign up soon. Babysitting is available for this class! If needed, please inquire about it when you call.

To Learn More About This Program: www.eucharisticmarriage.org

Building a Eucharistic Marriage program is taken from the Discovering Our Deepest Desire© (D.O.D.D.) 12 session Catholic Marriage Enrichment curriculum and is designed to guide couples through a process of deepening their marriages with each other as well as their relationship with Christ in the Eucharist. It is built on the assertion of St. Augustine when he said: “The deepest desire of every human heart is to be seen and to see another in that same way.” With this statement as its golden thread, the sessions systematically walk couples through understanding God’s Design for marriage along with helping them in building a Eucharistic giving in their marriage through skill building and relationship strengthening tools. Filled with Catechism and Scripture, along with amusing and interactive activities, it facilitates the building of cohesiveness for each couple as well as for the class. Please come and join us for a fun and interactive discussion.

A large St. Vincent de Paul trailer will be provided at St. Albert the Great Parking Lot for the purpose of collecting your clean, usable clothing, linens and household items. (All items donated must be bagged or boxed.) Proceeds are used to improve the lives of those in need - helping to end poverty and homelessness one person at a time.

OCTOBER FOOD PANTRY COLLECTION

The next collection of items for the Ascension Neighbor-to-Neighbor Food Pantry will be held on the weekend of October 18/19.

UPDATE ON DONATIONS FOR FOOD PANTRIES:

As you may have heard, the federal government has cut millions of dollars from US food banks effective immediately. This means hundreds of trucks full of food headed to food banks will go undelivered. This is affecting the Dayton Food Bank and the many local pantries it serves, as well as farmers who are paid to provide their crops to US food banks. Approximately 50-75% of the food that most pantries in the Miami Valley receive is from the Dayton Food Bank, including the Catholic Social Services Pantry and the Neighbor-to-Neighbor Pantry, run by Ascension and Greenmont-Oak Park Church. This means, for the foreseeable future, the pantries will be dependent on donations of nonperishable food items from people like you. The primary need currently is for food items as opposed to toiletries or cleaning products. You may drop off your donations in the bride’s room at Ascension or at the entrances of St. Charles and St. Albert. Thank you for your amazing generosity in supporting our neighbors in need!

Knights of Columbus

Help Us Point to Jesus

The Knights of Columbus is an International Order of Catholic men who are called to lead with faith, protect our families, serve others and defend values in an everchanging world.  Our Lady of the Light Council 14891 will be holding a member invitation drive at all Ascension Campus Masses on the weekend of October 18th and 19th.  As a member of our Council, you will find that K of C membership brings Catholic men and their families together in a powerful way. 

Members of Our Lady of the Light Council will be available at the end of all masses to provide more information and answer any questions.  Our Deputy Grand Knight/Membership Director can be reached at KofC14891@gmail.com. 

A Knight is an instrument of God’s love rooted in Catholic tradition:

• Mission driven by Charity

• Strengthened by Fraternity

• United by Purpose

• Inspired by Patriotism

• Protector of life & defender of the vulnerable

Faith-filled man

Faithful Husband

Protector of The Family

Builds A Culture of Life

Helps The Vulnerable & Needy

Serves His Parish