Pastor's Column for August 30, 2020

Richard Tuckey passed away suddenly and we celebrated his life and funeral Mass last Tuesday, August 25th. I was shocked to hear of Richard’s death because I had just talked to him a couple of times just days before. A reminder to us all that we know not the day or the hour. He was good about calling me either to tell me about his wife or to tell me that he saw me walking my dog or appreciated something I said in a homily. Richard was also very faithful to attending Mass. We extend our sympathy to his wife Delores and to all the members of his family. 

Gratefully our new livestream camera is working very well with no issues. We did have an intermittent problem with our church logo covering the whole screen but that has been resolved. On our website I added the ability to view & listen to past homilies through the on-demand page (as if one a week weren’t enough!) and there is usually a link to the most recent one on the homepage. We are also adding the ability to view closed captioning during both live and on demand video. This means you can read the text of what is being spoken on your mobile device or television if it is difficult for you to hear. Just click the CC icon in the lower right hand corner while the video is playing and you will see the text appear at the bottom of the video. It’s not perfect, especially with some of those names in the Old Testament or with the words of a song, but it’s very helpful to see what you cannot hear well.

For those who may have missed the end of Mass announcement, now that we have relieved our maintenance personnel from standing at the doors of the church as people are entering and leaving, we no longer have the collection basket there on the table. We have installed a metal lock box in the two front entrances of the church. The one on the tabernacle side of the church is on the right when you first come in and the one on the pulpit side of the church is on the right when you leave through that door. They are very secure so there is no chance of anyone being able to remove them from the wall. Please drop your collection envelope in the slot at the top along with anything else that would save you a trip to the rectory office. They are not suggestion boxes but love notes and tips are always welcome LOL. 

You will not see me this weekend as I’m taking a car trip to North Carolina before school starts. Specifically, I wanted to see the Biltmore estate which one of my sisters visited last year. I’m hoping to get some ideas for a new rectory (just kidding!). I really enjoyed watching the Downton Abbey Series and they have a Downton exhibit going on there now and I wanted to see that before it’s no longer available. It should be a beautiful time of the year to visit, given it’s 8000 acres of land with beautiful gardens. It’s always wonderful when people can create such stunning buildings and beautiful gardens using the God-given gifts bestowed on us. 

Pastor's Column for August 16, 2020

Bill and Betty Hinton have been active members of the parish for many years. Sadly, Bill passed away after a brief illness and we celebrated his Mass of Christian Burial last Saturday, August 8th. As I visited Bill to anoint him and give him Holy Communion just a week before he died, I was moved by his deep faith as he said even on his deathbed, how good God has always been to him, especially because of his wife of 57 years and the gift of his children and grandchildren. He and Betty visited the sick in the hospital in order to let them know of our prayerful support. We extend our sympathy to Betty and to their daughter Judy Mackey who is also an active member of our parish, and to their whole family. May Bill receive his just reward.

This weekend we gathered for a funeral service for Therese Mayfield, the daughter of parishioners Grace Pauloski & her son Tom Pauloski. Therese had been suffering from cancer for a long time and I had the opportunity to anoint her and pray with her a few weeks ago as she entrusted herself to God’s loving care. We extend our sympathy to her mother Grace, to her husband Michael, to their five children, and to her brothers Thomas & Matthew. Therese enjoyed cooking and artistic activities but especially enjoyed time with her family, especially her grandchildren. May she rest now in God’s peace.

Edward Gorczyca had been an original member of our parish but most recently belonged to St. Anthony of Padua where a funeral was celebrated for him. His 3 children attended our parish school. Edward died on August 9th at the age of 97. We pray for him and for all of the former parishioners of St. Leo’s.

Our principal Denise Burns and our teachers and school staff have been working hard to prepare for what will be one of the most challenging school years they have ever experienced. The plan right now is for Grades K-5 to be here Monday-Friday while Grades 6-8 will be here just two days a week and then have remote learning the other three days of the week. The teachers have been instructed how to use Google Classroom which will record their voice and the whiteboards they use in their classrooms for those who will be learning from home. Each of the students have been given their own computer to use. Some parents are choosing to have their children learn from home, at least for the first few weeks while others are choosing to have them be physically present at the school. It’s good that parents are able to make that choice for their own children and I’m very grateful to Mrs. Burns and to our faculty for the flexibility in providing these choices to our parents. I have encouraged them to do the best they can this year and I do so knowing of their competence and dedication to our children. We are purchasing fogging machines and a special disinfectant that will be used to clean each room of the school building every day as well as the church after each weekday and weekend Mass. Gratefully we are being offered additional funding for COVID related expenses as we must purchase not only disinfectant but masks, face shields, stickers for directions throughout the building, cameras that take temperatures of each person as that enter the building, etc. It’s going to be a year like no other in our history. Please continue to pray for the safety of our children and staff and everyone in our parish during this time. 

Pastor's Blog for August 9, 2020

Alexandra Plech was the mother-in-law of parishioner Sophie Plech and I celebrated a funeral service for her on Friday, July 31st. She had an interesting story as she was born in Russian, married in Germany where she had 2 children, moved to Belgium and finally arrived in the United States which she called home for the rest of her life. She was 93 and lived on her own to the very end. We pray that she may now rest in God’s peace.

Fr. Vesely certainly misses the people of St. Leo’s and I’m sure is very anxious for life to return to normal as he has had to suffer the limitations that COVID-19 impose at places like Mount Alverna. We continue to remember him in prayer and all those who like him are finding the harsh realities of nursing home or assisted living hard to endure. We pray for their health and well-being. Happy belated birthday to his sister Mildred Ancin (August 6th) as well.

Congratulations to Dr. Andy Grubic & Sara Schirripa who are getting married next Saturday, August 15th. They are both in the medical profession so we pray they may remain healthy and we thank them for their courage while working in this field during this pandemic. 

Though August 15th is normally a holy day of obligation as we celebrate the feast of the Assumption that day, but this year it falls on a Saturday and there is still no obligation to attend Mass anyway during this time. I am so disappointed that the feast in Little Italy will not take place this year. It is a annual event for me as I walk up & down the street sampling the wonderful Italian fare and bringing home several containers of cavatelli, meatballs, cookies & pizza to store up for our months in hibernation during the winter. We are seeing the cancellation of so many of our usual summer events and activities due to the pandemic and yet its precisely these things that help us to cope during such difficult times. I’m not anxious for 2020 to be over with but of course we hope and pray that the pandemic will soon come to an end as it has taken the lives of so many people and has imposed many hardships on the lives of many more across our city, country & world. May our faith help us during these troubling times. 

As you are aware there have been no missals (Breaking Bread) in the pews since we have returned to our public liturgies again. But we have an annual subscription to these which are replaced at the beginning of every new liturgical year which begins with the first Sunday of Advent. So we’re taking the 2020 books out of their holders and placing them on tables by the front doors of the church where you enter and leave for Mass. You are welcome to take one or more of these home with you to keep. If you like to read along as the Scriptures are proclaimed at Mass, you can bring it back with you every week but please be sure to take it back home with you again as any missals that are left behind in the pews will need to be disposed of.

Richard Czech will be the new Parish Community Center Coordinator. Again we thank Mina Roland for the great job she did in this position over the last few years. We are continuing to rent that space for parties and other gatherings though with a smaller maximum capacity. Feel free to call the rectory for more information.