Defining Moment

Mother Teresa, foundress of the Missionaries of Charity and now known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, makes her first of three visits to the greater Cincinnati area.  The other visits were in 1981 and 1982.

Fifty men enroll in the newly established permanent diaconate program. After the Second Vatican Council, the Church called for a renewal of the vocation of deacons in the ministry of the Church.

Following the Second Vatican Council, Archbishop Leibold launches the sixth archdiocesan synod (Synod ’71), involving, for the first time, a significant number of laity in planning for the Church’s future. After a year of preparation, over 3,000 delegates gathered in assembly and voted upon documents that provided new guidelines for the life of the archdiocese. The synod strengthened the role of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council and the Priests’ Senate.

The Franciscan Friars of the St. John the Baptist Province in Cincinnati create Franciscan Media. St. Anthony Messenger, which was first published in 1893, expands its mission following the council to become a publisher of many popular works of inspirational and educational Catholic resources.

Archbishop Alter and Bishops Paul Leibold and Edward McCarthy participate in the Second Vatican Council, with Alter being present at all four sessions. A leader among bishops in the United States, Bishop Alter was a member of committees preparing materials prior to the council. At the conclusion of the council, he directed that a parish council be established in every parish and began the process of implementing liturgical reforms.

When he became archbishop in 1950, Karl Alter made returning the cathedral to St. Peter in Chains a priority. A massive renovation and expansion project began in 1954 and is completed in 1957. A week-long dedication celebration takes place in November.