March 25, 2025 // Bishop
Most Precious Blood Is ‘the Place to Be’
Bishop Rhoades Makes Pastoral Visit to Fort Wayne Grade School
“He’ll never guess what it is,” a little girl said as she watched Bishop Rhoades unbox his gift from the kindergarten class (a pair of socks with an embroidered image of St. Joseph).
There were countless smiles in the room, including Bishop Rhoades’ own grin.
“Thank you,” he said. “I love St. Joseph!”
A kindergarten student at Most Precious Blood School gives Bishop Rhoades a pair of socks as a gift on Friday, March 21.
On Friday, March 21, Bishop Rhoades visited Most Precious Blood parish and school in Fort Wayne, where he spent the morning with students and faculty. He first celebrated an all-school Mass and then visited several of the school’s classrooms.
Bishop Rhoades quizzes students during his homily at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church on Friday, March 21. – Photos by Clare Hildebrandt
During his homily, Bishop Rhoades reflected on the Old
Testament story of Joseph, calling on students for assistance. Hands were eagerly raised as he quizzed the children on Old Testament history. At the heart of his homily was trust in divine providence.
“Joseph looked to his heavenly Father for justice. He trusted in divine providence when he was wronged by those who should have loved him the most,” Bishop Rhoades preached.
Following Mass, Father Francis Chukwuma, pastor of Most Precious Blood, and Rachel Ottenweller, the school’s principal, led Bishop Rhoades to classrooms throughout the school, where student artwork lined the hallways.
The first stop was a class journaling in prayerful silence. When they pleased, the students could climb and pray what they deemed as the “Precious Blood Holy Stairs” in imitation of the Holy Stairs in Rome. Students climbed from one step to the next on their knees while praying like pilgrims in Rome.
Bishop Rhoades poses for a photo with Most Precious Blood principal Rachel Ottenweller and pastor Father Francis Chukwuma during his pastoral visit.
When Bishop Rhoades continued to other classrooms, he spoke with the children about their prayer lives and continued to quiz them on their knowledge of theology.
“Do you know any prayers?” Bishop Rhoades asked a preschool class. He was not met with any answers but rather action as the little students raised their hands to their heads to make the sign of the cross.
“Excellent!” Bishop Rhoades said. “I am very impressed.”
At lunch, he joined the student council for some fried fish and coleslaw. The middle school members informed him of the different clubs and sports that take place at Most Precious Blood.
Finnegan Hamilton, an eighth-grade student at Most Precious Blood, and Noah Knuth, a seventh grader, talked to Today’s Catholic about Bishop Rhoades’ visit.
“When he visited our class, he was very inclusive, making sure to ask us questions and call on everyone who raised their hands,” Knuth said. “He was asking us a lot of questions to see if we’ve learned [theology] well,” he finished.
Hamilton added: “We do a live Stations of the Cross reenactment here at Precious Blood, and he seemed very interested in that. … He also blessed our rosaries, which was great,” Hamilton concluded.
A student looks on during Bishop Rhoades’ visit to her classroom on Friday, March 21.
Ottenweller told Today’s Catholic that a pastoral visit by Bishop Rhoades is an occasion of joy for students and staff.
“It’s so nice that the bishop gets to visit schools so that the students get to see him,” she said. “During the year, they see him celebrating Mass, and they hear his name a lot. To actually have him at the school, though, makes him more of a concrete figure in their lives.”
She added: “When Bishop Rhoades comes to PB, they get to learn from him and exchange stories. They are really engaged when he tells them about his life as a bishop,” she explained.
What makes Precious Blood a special school, according to principal Ottenweller, is its family-like atmosphere.
“We get to show him that PB is a special school because of the ties and bonds made here. Students grow up together and often their parents and even grandparents attended the school and grew up here as well,” she said.
“We have as many as five generations of students,” Ottenweller continued. “Families who met one another at Precious Blood will go on vacation together. It’s a close-knit, special community.”
Father Chukwuma agreed, and he reiterated that whenever Bishop Rhoades visits is an exciting day for the parish community.
“This is really a great time for the students and a great time for all of us,” he said. “I could see their excitement when they were told that the bishop was coming. They were just so excited.”
Both Bishop Rhoades and the students were engaged during his classroom visits, as he often stayed with classes longer than expected, discussing theology and matters of faith.
“I saw Bishop was happy to be here to the point of not being able to leave any class. … The encounter was really very powerful because he enjoyed the students, and the students also enjoyed having him visit them,” said Father Chukwuma.
“There is great formation going on,” Father Chukwuma said. “The students are growing not just academically but also morally and, above all, spiritually. We offer a family-oriented schooling where we build people of faith. That’s why Most Precious Blood is the place to be,” finished Father Chukwuma.
Clare Hildebrandt is a staff writer for Today’s Catholic.
Most Precious Blood School
Address: 1529 Barthold St., Fort Wayne
Phone number: 260-424-4832
Principal: Rachel Ottenweller
Year founded: 1898
Number of students: 186
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