How do I contact the priest in an emergency?
Call the office at (859) 689-5010, ext. 222
What are the Parish Boundaries?
IHM's boundaries include a majority of Boone County. To the North and West, our boundary line is the Ohio River. To the East it runs along the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati Airport property line to I-71/75 along KY 18, and Camp Ernst Rd. To the South, the boundary runs along Camp Ernst Rd to Hathaway, then along Hathaway to Riddles Run Rd to the Ohio River. A map can be downloaded here.
What do I have to do to get married?
For a first marriage, contact the office at least 6, preferred 9 months before your desired wedding date. We strongly advise you not to set a wedding date, sign contracts for reception hall, etc until after you've met with Father. For a second or more marriage, contact the office as soon as possible.
Do I need an annulment?
If you or your intended spouse have been divorced, perhaps. Give the office a call, we will work through this process with you.
How do I request a Mass Intention?
Contact the Parish Secretary, Kathy Donahue, at 689-5010, ext 224.
How do I become Catholic?
See our Catholic Inquiry (OCIA) web page.
How can I reserve a meeting room for my parish group?
Facility Scheduling is done by Deacon Rich You should send your request by email. We schedule over 4,000 events each year, and it is critically important for your group to get on the schedule not only to ensure you have a meeting space, but also for insurance and safety reasons. Keep in mind that usage is prioritized (parish, school, religious education, etc come first). Non-parish affiliated groups may be able to rent space, however there are insurance policy requirements . We do not permit the "borrowing" of tables, chairs, etc.
How can I place an announcement in the Sunday bulletin?
Contact the Parish Secretary, Kathy Donahue, at 689-5010, ext 224
How do I register in the parish?
You can complete the online registration form, stop by our Reception's Desk during office hours, or give the Parish Secretary a call.
What are the Parish Office Hours?
Normal hours are 8 AM - 3 PM, Monday through Friday. Summer hours are normally 8 AM to Noon. However, someone is usually in the office daily. Feel free to give us a call to make an appointment if you need to speak to someone. 689-5010.
How can I donate to the Church?
Visit our On Line Giving Page where we can accept EFT, debit or credit cards. If you desire to donate real property or stock, or include the church in your estate planning, please contact our Business Manager, Dave Wigger at 689-5010, ext 233.
How do I join the Choir?
Email the Director of Music, Song Hun Nam at [email protected] to arrange a meeting and answer any questions you have.
How do I register my child for Religious Education?
Contact our Religious Education Office, Sister Armella. See also our Parish Reglious Ed webpages.
I'm homebound, can one of the clergy give me a visit?
We'd love to! Contact the Parish Office at 689-5010 and let us know the details and arrange the visit.
It is Catholic Tradition, going back to the First Century, of celebrating Mass over the tombs of the saints. In modern times, altar stones are set into the altar with a relic of a saint. Does IHM have saint's relics in the altar stone?
There are two relics our in Altar stone: St Pudenziana and St. Arnold. St Pudenziana was a very early Roman martyr, sister to Praxedes. She built a baptistry inside her father’s home (St. Pudens who is mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:21) where she along with her pastor (later Pope Pius I), baptized pagans. She is said to have been martyred at the age of 16 and is buried in the Priscilla catacombs in Rome. The Basilica of St. Pudenziana in Rome is said to be one of the oldest churches in Rome. She is the patron saint of the Philippines.
St. Arnold of Arnoldsweiler, a harpist and singer from the court of Charlemagne, is hailed as a patron saint of musicians, organists, and makers of musical instruments. In the late 1800’s two brothers, Fathers Tappert, were pastor/associate pastor at the Mother of God parish in Covington. The Tappert brothers were instrumental in making Mother of God church a destination for musicians and composers. In 1886, Pope Leo XIII formally recognized the Saint Arnold’s cultus for the Archdiocese of Cologne and canonized him, prompting Fr. Tappert to request that Bishop Maes write to obtain relics of St. Arnold for not only Mother of God Church, but other churches in the diocese. On December 15, 1886, Cardinal Krementz (Archbishop of Cologne, Germany) wrote to Bishop Maes that it gave him “great joy to grant the wish.” The Archbishop forwarded Bishop Maes’ request to a Fr. Schulte at the shrine in Arnoldsweiler so that relics could be procured, and on January 5, 1887, the relics of St. Arnold arrived in Covington. In the accompanying letter, Fr. Schulte noted the “considerable” size of the relic and that, after examination by a Dr. Rollen of Düren, it was found to be “part of the shank of the left arm”. This larger relic is housed in the reliquary at the Cathedral in Covington.
In keeping with current guidelines, our altar stone is fixed underneath the altar in the center where the Eucharist sits during Mass.