Catholic Chronicle

Museum features poetry of Central Catholic students

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

TOLEDO—Fifty juniors in the Advanced Placement (AP) English classes from Toledo Central Catholic High School visited the Toledo Museum of Art Feb. 18 to unveil their poems and prose that are part of the museum’s Visitor Voices program.

The projects that were chosen to be included in Visitor Voices: Creative Connections are displayed on labels in the museum’s galleries, next to the works of art that inspired them. They are to be on display through March.

In their projects, the students explore what they have seen and the impressions they gathered, connecting their own creative expressions to particular works of art. Students from Central Catholic have been participating in this program for five years. This year’s theme is transformation, specifically transformation through art, which can occur in many ways. Students were asked to think about artists transforming concepts into works of art, how that work can transform the artist and the viewer, and how the meaning of artwork is transformed through personal perception.

According to CCHS English teacher Adele Dahlin, this educational program provides an opportunity for the students to put into practice some of the concepts they study in their AP English classes. They have been discussing and practicing analytical and creative writing and the marriage of visual and verbal art.

Organist to perform March 14

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

TOLEDO—German organist Christoph Keggenhoff performs at Toledo Rosary Cathedral at 3 p.m. March 14.

His program is to include works by Bach, Franck and Ritter.

Mr. Keggenhoff is organist of the Imperial Cathedral in Speyer. In addition to his extensive duties as organist, he conducts the Schola Cantorum Saliensis, which he founded. He is also the organ expert of the Diocese of Speyer and is active as a teacher of organ performance and Gregorian chant. He has played concerts throughout Europe and the United States. He has recorded several CDs of organ music and Gregorian chant.

The concert is free and open to the public and a free will offering to support the Cathedral Concert Series is to be taken. Rosary Cathedral is located at 2535 Collingwood Blvd., Toledo.

St. Vincent Thrift Store temporarily discontinues operations

Angela Kessler — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:34:48 +0000

TOLEDO—After significant evaluation, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, Toledo District Council is temporarily discontinuing Thrift Store operations at 1001 Washington St., beginning Feb. 28 and lasting approximately three months.

The organization has been working with a team of business professionals for the past six months to review finances, marketing, sales and fundraising, as compared to other thrift stores in the area, region and across the nation. The recommendation to temporarily close the Thrift Store was made so the store and warehouse could be cleaned, renovated and reorganized.

Because the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is completely dependent upon the generosity of the local community, the building renovation is being arranged by several local and regional experts in commercial construction, marketing, commercial design and life safety factors.

The Toledo thrift store has been serving the poor in Toledo since May 1946. The national and regional economic situation for the last seven to 10 years has caused the store to be used by more individuals and families than ever before.

Although a portion of the renovations at the Thrift Store is to be donated by local professionals, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, Toledo District Council is also raising funds over the next one to two months to cover the cost of a portion of the work on life safety issues at the store and past obligations.

Central Catholic hosts annual respect life service

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

TOLEDO—Central Catholic High School held a respect life prayer service Jan. 20 that featured guest speaker Father Neil Kookoothe, the Roman Catholic priest, former attorney and critical care nurse who was instrumental in the case of death row inmate Joe D’Ambrosio.

Mr. D’Ambrosio is being released from death row after Fr. Kookoothe helped prove his innocence.

Mr. D’Ambrosio was convicted in 1989 and sentenced to death for the aggravated murder of Tony Klann in Cleveland. However, a federal judge ruled in 2006 that prosecutors withheld from D’Ambrosio and his lawyers 10 pieces of key evidence that might have exonerated him of the murder.

Fr. Kookoothe spoke to Central Catholic students about his personal experience as a spiritual advisor to people on death row. He also talked about the D’Ambrosio case and his experiences witnessing executions.

Fr. Kookoothe was accompanied by Adrian Griffin, the Northern Ohio Organizer of Ohioans to Stop Execution (OTSE), who spoke briefly to students about key death penalty issues, including innocence, cost, impact on victims’ family members and race/geographic disparities.

The prayer service concluded with a pilgrims’ blessing for the 37 Central Catholic students and teachers who departed for Washington, D.C., that afternoon to attend the annual March for Life. While in Washington, the CCHS contingent met with Congressman Bob Latta at the Capitol and toured the Basilica and Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Central Catholic hosts an annual Respect Life prayer service to mark the anniversary of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision regarding abortion. The service reinforces Catholic support of life from conception to natural death and covers all elements of treating human life with reverence and dignity.

Chamber ensemble to perform Feb. 7

Laurie Stevens Bertke — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

TOLEDO—The chamber ensemble “Quelque Chose” performs at 3 p.m. Feb. 7 at Toledo Rosary Cathedral.

Ensemble members are Greg Kostraba, piano; Rico McNeela, violin; and Robert Garcia, French horn.

The concert features works for the trio of instruments by Johann Friedrich Nisle, Charles Koechlin and Sir Lennonx Berkeley. Greg Kostraba is to perform three of the Preludes for piano by Rachmaninoff. Of special interest to families with children is a musical arrangement of the classic children’s tale “Ferdinand the Bull” for piano, violin and narrator.

The concert is free and open to the public. A free will offering to support the Cathedral Concert Series will be taken. Ample parking is available. Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral is located at 2535 Collingwood Blvd.