Pastor's Blog for June 2, 2019

We extend our congratulations to former pastor Fr. Ned Weist who is celebrating his 50th Anniversary of Ordination (Golden Jubilee). He is having a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Charles Borromeo Parish (where he once served) at Noon this Sunday (June 2nd), with a reception to follow. I plan on being at the reception so I will extend the prayers and best wishes of St. Leo’s to him at that time. It’s always good to have him back to St. Leo’s for Mass. We hope to see him again soon.

Today we celebrate the feast of the Ascension of the Lord which used to be on the Thursday before Pentecost (remember it was called “Ascension Thursday”?). But it has been moved to the Sunday before Pentecost which is next Sunday, June 9th. We then return to the “Ordinary Time” of the Church year even though the next two Sundays will find us celebrating the feasts of the Most Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi (The Body of Christ). Even though the first day of summer is not until June 21, it really begins to feel like summer once graduation has taken place (last weekend) and school is no longer in session. I plan on taking full advantage of the summer months to enjoy the nice weather.

Did you notice that the baptismal font is gone from the church? Be honest now...did you really notice? Perhaps not because it is a simple and small pedestal that can be somewhat hidden in the front right corner of the sanctuary (altar area). For that reason we are having a couple of pedestals added to it which will provide a quiet flow of water from one to another. It should be finished soon. For our 50th Anniversary of the building of the church, we are also going to have our mosaic stations of the cross cleaned up and polished and hope to install track lighting from the ceiling which will make them more visible. Finally we are working on a couple of shrines in the back of the church where the old confessionals are and which will house the statues of St. Leo the Great and St. Vincent de Paul. A banner is being made for outside the church and we have a couple little things in store for the actual anniversary date which is December 24th.

I’m feeling much better so again thanks for your pray- ers, cards & concern. It helped me to learn that according to the Social Security Administration, James is now the 4thmost popular name for boys in the United States. It is pre- ceded by Liam, Noah & William (my dad’s name). I always preferred the name James over the nickname of Jim as the latter can be confused with a place for athletic activity, which is certainly not me. James however reminds me of the sophisticated chauffeur (“Home, James”). But all that is up to parents. Perhaps my dad would have preferred Wil- liam instead of Bill, but after 92 years, I don’t think he plans on changing that. Whatever name we are called by, it is good to remember that God calls each of by name.

Pastor's Blog for May 26, 2019

Patricia Staab’s funeral was celebrated on May 6th by Fr. O’Grady and Deacon Pat. Patricia was a person who prayed often and was no doubt the source of her love for her husband and children, and the source of her generosity to charities and her willingness to volunteer to help others. We extend our sympathies to her husband and 2 children.

Larry Squires was an avid motorcyclist and his Mass of Christian Burial was held on May 13th, again by Fr. O’Grady and Deacon Pat. Larry prayed the family rosary often, and remembered especially the deceased members of his family as he did so. He was a religious man who was devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary & to St. Ann. We extend our condolences to his siblings and adopted daughter Sheila whom he loved devotedly.

I celebrated the funeral for Cara Rose Prokop on May 15th and Fr. Weist, a longtime friend of the family, preached the message of resurrected hope. Cara Rose suffered from Huntington’s Disease, which is what took her father’s life as well. But Cara Rose attended our parish school and then Holy Name High School, and she loved St. Francis and of course, the animals that Francis is known to have loved himself. We extend our deepest sympathies to Paulette, Cara’s devoted mother, and to Cara’s two sisters and brother.

I mentioned having felt like I had the Black Plague and it turns out I wasn’t too far off. I saw my doctor when I returned from vacation and he sent me to the emergency room and then I was admitted to the hospital for several days. I have a large kidney stone (10mm) which I’ve had at least since January. When I spoke to the surgeon who did the prostrate surgery, he told me in January that I had this large kidney stone but of course we both agreed it was more important to deal with the cancer first. But then the stone got stuck and caused an infec- tion which wreaked havoc on my system. My blood sugar went sky high & my blood pressure went dangerously low. But thanks be to the incredible medical technology we have, and due to the skills of many doctors and nurses, I was able to get through it and am now in continued recovery at home. I feel better every day but am trying to pace myself. So once again, thanks so much for your prayers as I feel they are an important part of the healing process. My biggest regret is having missed Deacon Pat’s celebration of his 30th anniversary of ordination but I trust you expressed to him and Joan your gratitude for all they do for me and for the parish. It is in times like this when I depend on them the most and they always come through gra- ciously. As far as vacation is concerned, I think I’ll just stick around here for a while. Work seems healthier for me than vacation.

Please join us this Monday as the nation celebrates the memory of our fallen military members. It seems that their example becomes more & more important as our world becomes more & more torn by division. They remind us that giving of yourself, even of your very life, is what marks you with a great character. Let us pray for them and so give the best honor to their memory as possible.

Pastor's Blog for May 19, 2019

It’s always good to come home from vacation but so much more this time as I became ill in the middle of this one. The first few days were great as I did some sight-seeing during a drive through New York State. But then on Thursday I woke up with the chills & was in bed for the rest of the day. I had short periods of feeling a little bit better over the next few days but was still plagued by fatigue, loss of appetite (the worst part for me!) and a general blah feeling. I see the doctor this afternoon (it’s Tuesday as I write this) so I can only speculate but my guess is the Black Plaque. Of course I can tend to exaggerate my pain a bit but I do hope the doctor will give me something to get over this because it’s been a long week.

The St. Leo’s Seniors hold a special place in my heart. The first parishioner from St. Leo the Great that I spoke to after receiving this assignment was a woman who called me & invited me to join the Seniors at their Christmas Party in early December (of ’13). I was happy to join them all & to sit with Fr. Vesely & Fr. Lowe to learn more about the parish. I will be joining the Seniors this Wednesday for their Installation of Officers. They are a fun group so I just want to encourage anyone who is looking for an opportuni- ty to get to know others in their age group to consider joining them. They meet a couple times a month on Wednesdays right here on our parish property (they use the Parish Community Center which is handicapped accessible). They enjoy eating together, socializing & having others come in to educate or entertain them. Please check them out.

Next Saturday we will have the eighth graders join us at the 4pm Mass. AFTER Mass, they will have their graduation ceremony. It’s always bitter-sweet as we say goodbye to those who have been with us for several years but we are also joyful in the opportunities they face with a good education and Catholic formation behind them. Our graduates come back frequently to say hello & to say thanks for what they received here at St. Leo’s. I’m amazed to think that these students were only in 3rd grade when I arrived here. It’s been an honor to see them grow over the years. Please pray for them as they step into the future.

Thanks again for your consideration of a follow-up gift to Catholic Charities that will exclusively benefit the expe- rience of campers with disabilities. I know that we all feel called on from every corner to donate to this worthy cause or that one, but even a small donation is helpful when we all make the commitment to do it. God bless your constant generosity.

Pastor's Blog for May 12, 2019

Next Monday, May 20th, is Deacon Pat Berigan’s 30th Ordination Anniversary. While we don’t celebrate the 30th anniversary of ordination for priests (just 25th, 40th, 50th & 60th), we do remember the 30th anniversary for Deacons. So we will have a Mass of Thanksgiving next Sunday, May 19th at our 11am Mass. Following Mass, we invite you to join us for refreshments (sandwiches, pizza, cake!) in the school cafeteria. I don’t have to tell you (but I will) how much Deacon Pat & his wife Joan have contributed to our parish of St. Leo’s in the one year they have been active here. Of course you see Deacon Pat assisting the priest at Mass and preaching, but you probably don’t see the many other ways that he and his wife minister here: baptism preparation (& baptizing), visiting the sick & homebound, planning funeral liturgies with family members, meeting with those interested in Catholicism, and so much more. They have been a real help to me as the only priest here and I’m very blessed to have them on our Pastoral Staff. May God bless them in their ministry & continue to bless us through them.

I wanted to let you know in advance of next weekend that we will be having our Catholic Charities Follow-Up Appeal next Saturday & Sunday. In addition to the Catholic Charities Appeal that we had in February which went to several different organizations and ministries which help a wide variety of people, the follow-up appeal is earmarked specifically for a special need in the Diocese at this time. Last year, the Diocese was able to raise over $700,000 from more than 7,000 parishioners in this follow-up appeal, which allowed us to fight the opioid epidemic that has hit Cleveland as it has all over the country. Because of that appeal, Catholic Charities opened a Recovery Center at St. John the Baptist parish in Akron. The funds raised this year will be invested in camper- ships, cabin renovation and adaptive programs to enhance the camp experience of campers with disabilities. Once again we are able to have a $100,000 challenge which doubles any new, increased or additional gifts which support this follow-up appeal. I share this information with you now so that you may prayerfully reflect on if you can help with this appeal next weekend. As always, your continued generosity is appreciated and will not go unrewarded by God for “whatever you do for the least of my brothers or sisters, you do that to me.”

We have received a preliminary design for adding a couple of pillars to our baptismal font to make it a bit more focused as a symbol of the importance of baptism. It will have flowing water which the scriptures speak of frequently to remind us of the ever-flowing grace of God in our lives. It will be simple but an enhanced version of what we presently have. We are also waiting for a design which will convert our unused confessionals in the back of the church into shrines for St. Leo the Great & St. Vincent de Paul. If you’d like to con- tribute (any amount) to these projects, please let me know. It’s a way for us to celebrate this 50th anniversary of our church building.

Pastor's Blog for May 5, 2019

Mary Hodolic had been at Broadview MultiCare Nursing Home for about 3 years. I was able to anoint her and talk to her before she died and I know that her Catholic faith was very important to her so I trust she found comfort in the Sacrament of the Sick & in the prayers of the Church. We express our condolences to her daughter Donna Sabatine and her husband Phil who cared for Mary lovingly. Mary was 93 years old. May she now enter that experience of life that is not measured in time but which lasts forever in God’s pres- ence.

Congratulations to all of our 2nd graders who are making their First Holy Communion this Saturday (May 4th) during the 4pm Mass. We try to stress to them the importance not only of their first reception of the Sacrament but on the many times they will be able to receive the Eucharist throughout their lives. I am very grateful to all who prepared them so well for this day, especially their teachers, our principal & PSR director, and all who model for them the ways of faith.

Congratulations also to the parents of Vincent Bigam who is being baptized Sunday. It’s always a joy to welcome these little ones into our Catholic family. We pray that their parents may be an example of faith to him.

I’m writing this on May 1st, the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. I told the people at the 7:30 Mass this morning that it’s my brother’s 60th Birthday. He was given the middle name of Joseph because he was born on the saint’s feast day, and it’s interesting that my brother has a talent for carpentry. I was happy to wish him a happy 60th, but it’s also a reminder that I’m next to cross that threshold (next year). I did tell my brother that 60 is the new 50, or maybe even the new 40. If that’s true, then I’m not even over the hill yet. I can talk myself into anything. It’s strange that I know people who today are celebrating their 50th, 60th & 70th birthday. Strange how that happens. But here’s a shoutout to my brother...Happy Birthday to the first born.

Father Vesely will be here for the 4pm Mass next Satur- day, May 11th so I’m sure it will be good to see him again. I know it is always a joy for him to see you. Now that Lent & Easter & Confirmation & First Communion are behind us, I have a chance to get away for a few days so I won’t be with you next weekend but I too always enjoy coming home after a little respite. Thank you for making it a joy to be here with you.

Since I won’t be here next Sunday, let me take a moment now to wish all of the women of our parish a Happy Mother’s Day. If you’re blessed to have your mom still with you, be sure to let her know how significant she has been in your life. If like me, your mom has already preceded us in death, you can still thank them for leaving behind the good memories we have of them. During this month of May, we ask our Blessed Mother to pray for us now and at the hour of death.