The funeral Mass for Anthony Mulec was celebrated last Saturday. Anthony’s wife Erma was buried from our church last January (2014) and so we pray that the two of them may join in the praise of God in heaven. We pray for them and for their only daughter Denise, that she may remember the Lord’s promise to his disciples: “I will not leave you orphaned.”
As we begin Holy Week, it is good for us to be mindful of those who share in the Lord’s Passion by their own suffering, especially through illness: Betty Jayne Glover, whom I anointed this past Sunday at Broadview Multicare, and Rich Bunosky who was back in Metro hospital this past week. I am also praying for Sandy Chihil who is one of our receptionists in the rectory office. She had surgery and has been on a ventilator ever since. Sandy is a bright spot and is always so helpful and cheerful to the people who come to our rectory office. We miss her & keep her lifted up to the Lord. Finally, I received a note from a parishioner who is asking prayers for his father who is a longtime member of St. Leo’s. His name is Edward P. Gorczyca & is 92 years old. He started the CYO Sports Program here back in the 1960’s under Father Sylvester Lux, the founding pastor of St. Leo’s. We’ve added his name too to our list of people to pray for in the bulletin. As I type this, I just received a call letting us know that Paul Schierbaum died (I anointed him last Sunday as well at Parma Hospital). So many to pray for. Let us remember them and all the sick & homebound parishioners and their caregivers during this most holy week.
This week we enter the “Sacred Triduum” or the holy three days after Lent which are the most important days of our liturgical year. On Holy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper will be celebrated at 7pm, when we will wash the feet of some parishioners & then process with the eucharist at the end of Mass. Our Solemn Celebration of the Lord’s Passion will be at 3pm on Friday (the school will have a Passion Play at noon in the church & we’ll have stations of the cross at 7pm). On Holy Saturday, we will have the blessing of Easter food at 10am & Noon, followed by the feast of all feasts, the Easter Vigil at 8:30 Saturday evening, when we will baptize & receive two adults & several children into our Catholic Faith. Come pray with us!