CARTHAGENA – A farm family near Carthagena will welcome Bishop Joseph R. Binzer of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, as well as Catholics from the St. Marys and Sidney Deaneries, to this year’s Rural-Urban Mass at 7 p.m. July 19.

The bishop will say Mass at Doug and Sara Franck’s Farm, 5750 Carthagena Road, St. Henry. Some seating will be provided, but individuals attending Mass should consider bringing lawn chairs.

At Mass Catholic Century Farm Awards will be presented to families who have applied for admission to the Catholic Century Farm Registry for the Sidney and St. Marys Deaneries. The award recognizes Catholic families who have continuously farmed the same land for 100 years or more.

Blessed water and soil will be distributed at the Mass. Guests are asked to bring a Holy Water container, if possible. Parishioners at St. Aloysius will host the Mass and provide refreshments.

The annual Rural-Urban Mass is an opportunity for farmers and the people who share in the benefits of an agricultural community to come together in a prayerful way to praise God for the blessings of faith, farm and family.

“Catholic Rural Life of the St. Marys and Sidney Deaneries plans the Rural-Urban Mass, alternating it between the two deaneries,” said Vern Seger, chair of Catholic Rural Life.

Catholic Rural Life serves Catholics who directly work in agriculture or live in communities supported by agriculture. Catholic Rural Life of the St. Marys and Sidney Deaneries also has offered Rural Plunges to university and junior high school students and adult faith communities in addition to the Rural-Urban Mass.

The local group meets in January, March, May, July, September and November on the second Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the St. Charles Senior Living Community, 2860 U.S. Route 127, Celina. Call Becky Kunkler, northern area coordinator of the Catholic Social Action Office, at 937-224-3026 for more information or email [email protected].