For about 30 years, on the highest elevation in Cincinnati, Mt. Auburn, Holy Name Church has been hosting Saturday Mass followed by Adoration, Confession, a Rosary Procession to Planned Parenthood (just two blocks away), and Benediction. It has become the Pro-Life church for the Tri-State of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and a central hub for most pro-life organizations to host events. This past January, the church closed and is being sold.
Mother Seraphina of the Franciscan Daughters of Mary and the sisters have been participating in these Masses and Vigils for many years. She noticed that the church was in a great state of disrepair and would regularly remind the Lord about this in prayer, when one morning in 2022 a ceiling tile had fallen from the roof of the sanctuary. Mother Seraphina looked at the tabernacle and complained, “Lord, what is going on? Why won’t anyone repair this beautiful church?”
She heard in her heart—not audibly, but very clearly—“Well, I told your father Francis to rebuild My Church.” So, after Mass, she asked the pastor if she could get volunteers to help clean up the church, and the following week they had teams of pro-lifers and faithful Catholics begin cleaning and restoring the church. After making many improvements, when they found out that the church was going to be sold, all of the restorations ceased.
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Then one Saturday, a pro-lifer who is on one of the Archdiocesan councils shared with Mother that the Vicar General told him after a meeting, “If the Right to Lifers form some kind of organization, they could probably purchase the church for a nominal fee, but Mother Seraphina has to be the face of this community.”
With an invitation like that, she could not refuse. Making an announcement after Benediction, several people stepped forward to join her, one of whom was a lawyer, and they became a registered 501(c)(3) called the Holy Name Chapel Foundation (HNCF). Their ultimate goal is to transform the church into a Shrine for the Victims of Abortion, where the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation will be offered. They are also planning a Memorial Garden with a statue of the Pietà and a statue of the Blessed Mother, pregnant, with the Scripture, “Blessed is the Fruit of your womb,” and more.
HNCF has been actively fundraising to make the purchase; however, the church is no longer available for a “nominal fee.” Property values have escalated to a point where they are asking $2–$2.5 million for the property. The RTL have the Right of First Refusal, praise the Lord, so they are not competing with secular buyers, who are willing to pay two to three times more for the property. The HNCF is confident that God, Who created the heavens, is absolutely capable of providing this.
They are confident that this is God’s will for several reasons: first, because of the way He commissioned Mother Seraphina (who would not have otherwise volunteered for this) to rebuild the church; and also because of how it is positioned just two blocks away from one of the largest Planned Parenthood facilities—a destination location where people come from all over the Southeast, places like Kentucky, Indiana, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. These are only some of the locations of vehicles driving into the abortuary that the Sidewalk Advocates have taken note of.
In addition, in 1973, in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade, the house right next door to the church, between the church and Planned Parenthood, was owned by Planned Parenthood. Abortions were performed in that house for 12 years before the much larger building was built down the street. It would almost appear as if the evil one had marked this territory a long time ago. Well, the RTL believe Jesus needs to remain on the top of the hill—a veritable light in the darkness.
The RTL faithful from the Tri-State continue the Rosary Procession from the church to Planned Parenthood every Saturday in spite of the church being closed. These pro-life warriors remain faithful even in sub-zero weather, making them martyrs for life.
For more information, go to: hnchapelfdn.org
