Pastor's Column for September 30, 2018

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated for Emma Hohmeier on Saturday, September 22nd. Emma was 95 years old and was the mother of Jan Meister, Kathy Ciacchi and Don Hohmeier, as well as a daughter named Judy Bizjak, whose funeral Mass we celebrated here earlier this year. Emma had a devotion to Mary and always carried a rosary around with her. She also had a fondness for angels and so we pray that “the angels may lead her to paradise” as we sing in our song of Final Farewell at the end of the funeral Mass. May Mary, who inter- ceded for her in life & at the hour of her death, “show un- to her the fruit of her womb, Jesus.”

Since Fr. Vesely is fond of saying the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel whenever he celebrates Mass, it’s good timing that he will be offering the 4pm Mass this weekend on the feast of the the Archangels (Sts. Michael, Gabriel & Raphael). We’re glad he’s doing so well and that he’s able to join us this month and next.

Something funny I read in our Spring News & Views Newsletter earlier this year: a parishioner named Armand Venditti recalls the time that Fr. Lux (our founding Pastor) told the Parish Council that we needed a fence behind the houses on Silverdale that adjoin our parish property because parishioners were extending their yards 10-15 feet onto the parish’s property with their gardens and their swing sets. When Father Lux made the announcement from the pulpit though, he told them that the Parish Council decided this! Did I tell you that the Parish Council recently decided to give me a raise? (Just kidding...only the Bishop can do that, and he recently did. Now I can buy desert when I go out to eat).

Michaela turned 6 this past Wednesday. When she was born, she was just about 1 pound and so small I could carry her & scoop her up with one hand. But even then (as now), she would try to chase after Abby the cat, even though Abby was much faster (& at the time) much larger than Michaela. Someone who came into the rectory office recently said, “She has a big bark for such a small dog!” So true. But she and Abby look forward to the Pet Blessing given by Deacon Pat next Saturday, October 6th, at 10am. It will be at the newly landscaped shrine area (weather permitting) or inside the church vestibule. I recently read this on a church sign: “If cats could text you back, they wouldn’t.” If you have a cat, you know what that means. May St. Francis of Assisi (whose feast is on Thursday, October 4th) pray for them and for us.

Pastor's Column for September 23, 2018

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on September 11th for David Jerson. He was described as the “strength of the family” & was known to be generous. The family prays that he may join his wife, son, sister & broth- er-in-law in God’s kingdom.

Ann Aron’s funeral was on September 14th. She had celebrated her 99th birthday just a few months ago with family and those at Joshua Tree assisted living. She had a devotion to Mary and to Mary’s mother, St. Ann, after whom she is named. She worked as an LPN nurse taking care of others. We extend our sympathies to her daughter and faithful parishioner, Mary Lou Neuendorf. Ann had 3 children, 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and 6 great-great grandchildren. So much life comes from the love of two people.

The funeral Mass for Helen Hadacek was on Septem- ber 17th. She worked hard but then experienced illness for many years. I always begin a funeral homily by extending the sympathies of the parishioners of St. Leo and by assur- ing them of our prayers and support during the time of loss. Please say a simple quiet prayer for these 3 deceased as you read this.

Fr. Vesely continues to do very well at Mount Alverna however recently one of his knees started to swell up again. He seems to be doing better and so hopes to celebrate the 4pm Mass here next Saturday, September 29th. We will be going to the annual clergy clambake at St. Christopher in Rocky River this Sunday. I like to take him there because he doesn’t like clams so he gives me his. I could eat several dozen in one sitting. I can just hear my doctor now...

Our new PSR Director, Joann Deranek is doing a great job. The students and teachers and some of their parents will be celebrating Mass this Monday at 7pm. I use the opportunity of a smaller group to talk about the meaning of the many symbols, gestures, postures & parts of the Mass. They gather around the altar where they can have a close up view of what is happening. I’m grateful that their parents continue their religious education. My thanks to those who sacrifice time to teach our Catholic Faith to the students. They are true evangelists and their work is important. God bless them all this school year.

Michaela will be going to two places this week which she is not fond of...to the vet for annual shots, and to the groomer for her haircut. I thought women liked to have their hair done. I wonder if she gossips with the other female dogs when she’s there. I know she barks and fusses when anyone comes in the store with their pet. She really wants all the attention for herself. I have no idea where she gets that from...

Pastor's Column for September 16, 2018

I am very grateful to the Knights of Columbus for their generous donation of $3,000 to the parish for the landscaping of the outdoor Blessed Virgin Shrine in the backyard of the Parish Community Center. Some landscapers are planning on planting some shrubs this weekend and have already dropped off some boulders which gratefully don’t have to be planted. It is being done at this time so that by the spring we hope to see the difference it makes after being settled in for the fall & winter. The “K of C” have been good to our parish and we continue to be grateful they have made their home with us.

You should receive your new “70th Anniversary Edition” of the Parish Directory in the mail soon. If you do not receive one in the next week or so, please stop in or call the rectory office and we’ll be sure to get it to you. It is very useful for looking up addresses, phone numbers or the spelling of a name. The Directory also includes infor- mation about parish ministries & organizations so you can see how much activity takes place in our community during the week. We’re grateful for all the people who use their gifts for the building up of the Church.

You’ll also notice that there is now a full page of the bulletin dedicated every week to letting you know what’s happening in our parish school. Since many of you don’t have children any longer in the school, it can be easy to forget how important the school remains to the life of the parish as we educate our children in the atmosphere of faith. Please remember our Principal, Mrs. Denise Burns, our faculty, staff & children in your prayers when you read about the good things happening in our school.

You may remember me telling you about a new part-time addition to our parish staff around the same time that Deacon Pat & his wife, Joan joined us. Nathan Noga was hired to be a part-time Parish Life Coordinator. When I interviewed him, he told me that he had also applied to be a teacher and dormitory prefect at Gilmore High School, which is what his ultimate goal was. However at the time he was doubtful that he would get the position. I told him that if the opportunity presented itself to him, he should take the job there. It did and he did! I’m very happy that he’ll have a chance to do what he believes to be his calling. While here for a short time, he was able to plan our Lenten Mission for next year so I’ll tell you more about that when the time comes.

Pastor's Column for September 9, 2018

On the weekend of August 18 & 19, I read to you the letter written by Bishop Perez concerning the horrendous abuse of power by both priests and bishops, and the criminal things done to children and young people by members of the clergy. The following week I attended a Conference for Clergy on the role of Preaching in Huntington Beach, California, which was lead by Bishop Robert Barron, who is acknowledged as the greatest Catholic evangelist in the country and whose influence extends even worldwide. He is the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles and some parishioners will know of him as they have viewed some of his videos here on Catholicism during the last couple of years. Through his use of social media such as YouTube, Facebook, etc, Bishop Barron has had great influence on both Catholics and the unchurched and I am grateful that I was able to listen to him speak in person during this Conference for Clergy.

I will refer back to him but first I want to say that upon my return from this conference and little vacation, I attended Mass at St. John Cantius on the weekend that the missionary priest was here (and thank you for your very generous contributions to his appeal). A new Pastor celebrated his first Masses there on the weekend that most other churches read the letter from Bishop Perez so he chose his second weekend there to read the letter that I had read to you. Hearing that letter read brought me a new perspective on what it is like to hear such news not as a priest reading it from the pulpit but as a fellow Catholic sitting in the pews. Hearing it read brought those feelings of anger and sorrow and confusion to the surface in me in a new way. I share this with you so that you will know that I stand with you in the pain of these revelations. But I also pray with you that God will reveal to us how we are to respond actively to this crisis of our time. Personally, my perspective has been helped greatly by the words of Bishop Barron as I listened to him in person but also as I have read his blog through his Word on Fire website. While I hope to continue to reflect on this with you in the weeks ahead, I also want to suggest that you take a look at his articles and/or watch his videos concerning this issue at wordonfire.org. He brings a practical and spiritual wisdom to this time as he offers suggestions as to what we, as Catholics today, can do in the face of sin and scandal. Please know that I am always available to you as we struggle together in hope to seek God’s plan for his Church at this time.

Pastor's Column for September 2, 2018

It is a joy for me to welcome Bishop Perez to our Parish of St. Leo the Great for the first time, especially as we celebrate our Parish’s 70th Anniversary this year. After he celebrates the 4pm Mass, he will look forward to meeting you in Lux Hall where refreshments will be served. Since you will have an opportunity to introduce yourself to the Bishop after Mass, I would like to share some information about him which is on the website for the Diocese of Cleveland (www.dioceseofcleveland.org/bishopperez/):

Bishop Nelson J. Perez was born in Miami, Florida on June 16, 1961 to David and Emma Perez. He is the brother of the late Dr. David Perez & Louis Martin Perez. Raised in West New York, NJ, Bishop Perez earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Montclair State University in 1983. He taught at Colegio la Piedad, a Catholic elementary school in Puerto Rico, prior to entering Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, where he earned Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theology degrees in 1988 and 1989, respectively.

Bishop Perez has served as Parochial Vicar and as Pastor at several Parishes. He also served as assistant director of the Office for Hispanic Catholics & as founding director of the Catholic Institute for Evangelization. His work in education included teaching courses in psychology and religious studies at LaSalle University, Philadelphia. Bishop Perez also taught Developmental Psychology at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. In 1998, he was named Chaplain to His Holi- ness, Pope John Paul II, with the title of Monsignor. In 2009, he was named a Prelate of Honor by Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Reverend Monsignor Nelson J. Perez Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York on June 8, 2012. He was ordained a bishop on July 25, 2012 in Saint Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre, NY by Bishop William F. Murphy.

He served as the Episcopal Vicar for Hispanic Ministry, overseeing fifty-four parishes with pastoral ministry to Hispanics, Formation Programs, and Ecclesial Movements.

As a part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Perez serves as a member of the Bishops’ Standing Committee on Cultural Diversity & chair of the Bishops’ Sub-Committee for Hispanic Affairs.

In the year that Bishop Perez has been with us in Cleveland, I have appreciated his constant presence with the People of God in our Diocese. He is known for his kindness, his joy and his pastoral sensitivity. We are grateful to God for his leadership and example in our Diocese. We pray for him at every Mass we celebrate here at St. Leo’s. We thank him for blessing our community this weekend with his presence.

I hope you all enjoy this Labor Day weekend & encourage you to join us for Mass on Monday morning at 9am.