Uniting Faith and Justice

“Be diligent in serving the poor. Love the poor, honor them, my children, as you would honor Christ Himself.”

St. Louise de Marillac

By Sebastian Isaacs, Communications intern

As part of her ministry, S. Whitney Schieltz (left) coordinates wish lists from several nonprofits for St. Xavier Church’s Christmas Giving Tree.

In February 2024, S. Whitney Schieltz began her new role as Associate Director of Social Mission at St. Xavier Church, where she now helps parishioners put their faith into action through service, education, and advocacy. Whether organizing monthly volunteer opportunities, accompanying refugee families, or writing on Catholic Social Teaching for the parish bulletin, she sees her ministry as a way of uniting faith and justice at the heart of parish life.

Her background in architecture and community development continues to shape her perspective. “I learned to see how different systems intersect — like how education, housing, and poverty all relate,” she says. “That ability to recognize connections has been one of the greatest skills I’ve carried into ministry.”

“There’s not really a typical day or week for me,” S. Whitney shares. “My work depends on the parish’s needs.” Much of her time is spent organizing service opportunities for parishioners—such as preparing meals at Tender Mercies, tutoring at Xavier Jesuit Academy, assisting Ignatian Spirituality Project retreats, and hosting Active Discipleship Days. She also coordinates the parish’s Social Mission Leadership Team, leads the Refugee Support Team, and regularly meets with parishioners one-on-one to connect them with meaningful ways to serve.

Her ministry also includes communications. Each week, she writes St. X’s Social Mission column in the parish bulletin, offering event announcements, reflections on Catholic Social Teaching, and invitations to action. “Helping parishioners make the connection between spirituality and justice is at the heart of what I do,” she says.

Currently, she is developing a Visitation Ministry to provide pastoral care within the parish, while also fostering relationships with St. X’s three international ministries, including its sister parish in Lima, Peru. She is committed to networking with local organizations as well, seeking out partnerships that align with the parish’s mission.

Although new to St. Xavier, S. Whitney is already familiar with the parish through her involvement with the Cincinnati Jesuit Parish Family, having been a registered parishioner at Bellarmine since 2020. She collaborates closely with Bellarmine’s Associate Director of Social Mission and the Parish Family Director of Sustainability and Social Mission to plan shared programs like Active Discipleship Days, small faith groups through JustFaith, speaker series, and prayer services.

Her path to parish ministry may seem unconventional. Trained as an architect, S. Whitney worked for years in community-based development and housing initiatives. That perspective carried into her ministry at Working In Neighborhoods (WIN), where she served as Housing and Volunteer Coordinator. Before that, as a Sister of Charity Affiliate, she served at Proyecto Santo Niño in Anapra, Mexico, a ministry serving children with special needs and their families, as well as at a women’s transitional shelter.

“I think the joy I experienced during my time at Bellarmine was a big motivator for me to apply for this position,” she reflects. “I was drawn to something more faith-based than my past ministries.” She acknowledges that the work at St. X can be emotionally demanding, especially in accompanying refugee families or responding to parishioners and visitors in crisis, but she feels it integrates her vocation as a Sister of Charity. “I’m always paying attention to the relationship between my spirituality and my actions—between faith and justice.”

Ignatian spirituality, which shapes life at St. Xavier, resonates deeply with her own Charity charism. “Both our communities view ourselves as contemplatives in action,” she says. “That alignment allows me to minister authentically.”

Looking ahead, S. Whitney hopes to continue cultivating a strong sense of community among parishioners while deepening their understanding of Catholic Social Teaching. She envisions expanding opportunities for parishioners to discern how God is calling them to act for justice, while strengthening St. X’s partnerships locally and globally.

“Ultimately,” she says, “I hope to help parishioners connect their faith with action—and to see that living the Gospel always includes working for justice.”

As part of her ministry, S. Whitney Schieltz (left) coordinates wish lists from several nonprofits for St. Xavier Church’s Christmas Giving Tree.

S. Whitney Schieltz (left) and parishioners at St. Xavier Church assembled 260 hygiene bags, made from church donations, for St. Francis Seraph Ministries in Over-the-Rhine (Cincinnati).

St. Xavier Church offers a variety of service ministries and programs, highlighted each year at the St. X Ministry Fair, which S. Whitney Schieltz helps organize.

In October 2024, S. Whitney Schieltz (back row, second from right) joined two other social mission staff from the Jesuit Parish Family in leading a group of parishioners to the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice.

In February 2024, S. Whitney Schieltz led a prayer service marking the two-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

The Jesuit Parish Family sponsors the Way of the Cross for Justice Procession, organized by Ignite Peace in collaboration with other local churches.

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