Barbara Beckwith

Barbara Beckwith, Distinguished Catholic Journalist

Barbara J. Beckwith, 73, passed away June 11, 2022.  Barbara is remembered for her outstanding career as a Catholic journalist. A graduate of Regina Dominican High School (Wilmette, Il.) and the Marquette School of Journalism (Milwaukee, Wi.), Barbara spent her career at Cincinnati-based Franciscan Media. There she served as managing editor of St. Anthony Messenger (a national Catholic family magazine) to which she contributed articles editorials and poetry.

Barbara, a longtime member of the Catholic Press Association (CPA), served as president from 1990-1992 and as a representative of the CPA to the International Union of the Catholic Press. She was named the recipient of the CPS’s St. Francis de Sales Award in 1994 for her outstanding contributions to Catholic journalism. In 1998 she received the Distinguished Alumna Award from Regina Dominican High School.

She is also the author of Joan of Arc: God’s Warrior. This seven-day retreat was written to honor the spirit of Barbara’s patron saint. Her middle initial, J, is for Jean.

Barbara was born December 11, 1948, in Chicago to the late Charles and Elizabeth Beckwith. She leaves behind a sister, Patricia (Steven) Mich; nephews Charles W., John K. and S. Alexander Mich; an aunt, Jeanne Nolan; an uncle, Ronald Reading; and many cousins.

A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated by Franciscan Father Pat McCloskey on Wednesday, July 27, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Vivian Catholic Church, 7600 Winton Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224. In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions to St Anthony Center (1615 Republic St., Cincinnati) or UNICEF USA.