Pastor's Blog for October 28, 2018

While I was away this month, the parish celebrated the funeral of Timothy Beran on October 9th. Father O’Grady presided at the funeral assisted by Deacon Pat Berigan who also preached the homily. We extend our condolences and prayers to those who knew him.

A huge thank you to all the parishioners who volun- teered to help in some way at the Parish Festival. And thanks to all those who attended and participated in the children’s games, the raffles, the meals and the opportunity to spend time with fellow parishioners & neighbors. We seemed to have great crowds on both nights (despite Satur- day’s rain & wind). And the power went out on Saturday just long enough for us to remember whose really the boss...the electric company. Gratefully we had power back on before we were able to say, “Now what are we going to do?” I know that many people worked many long, hard hours so that the rest of us could just enjoy those two days and I am grateful to each one of them. The food was deli- cious, the music was entertaining & the company delightful. We’ll let you know about the profits but we expect it to be about the same as in past years. My thanks to the festival team who did the planning & to all who worked in any way to make it happen.

Our Associate Musician, Julie Slattery, showed me a bulletin column a couple of weeks ago written by a pastor who sadly had to say goodbye to their musician as she want- ed to spend more time with her family. And now I have to write a similar note about Julie who also wishes to spend more time with her aging mother and of course more time with her new grandchild. Though Julie has been with us only a short time, her beautiful voice and her gifted musical ability added so much to our music ministry, while her gen- tle spirit added much to our community. This will be her last weekend at St. Leo’s so let us express our thanks to her & wish her well as she devotes more time now to her family.

With that sad note comes also a joyful announcement that we have another Associate Musician who will be added to our music ministry as of this week. Her name is Mary Piechowski, and these are her words of introduction:

“I was raised in a Catholic family and attended Catholic schools. Our faith was always the most important part of our lives. I earned a Bachelor and Master Degree in Piano Performance and hoped to be a Professor. I was teaching at a college in Port Huron, MI when I attended an event called the "New Pentecost Project" with Praise and Worship music, adoration and dynamic preaching. I had a re-conversion that evening and decided to pursue music ministry in hopes to share that type of experience with others. That brought me to Sacred Heart which is on an island as the Detroit river opens up to Lake Erie, called Grosse Ile. I have loved working in this ministry for my five years there. I got married last week to a man from Fairview Park, OH and that brought me to this area. He is a High School science teacher and football coach. We are very excited to begin our life together here in Ohio and at this Parish.”
Welcome Mary!

Pastor's Blog for October 21, 2018

Though I’ll be back with you by the time you are reading this, I am writing this column during our last night in Venice. We leave in the morning for Milan, the largest diocese in Italy, and a place I am especially look- ing forward to visiting as I’ve never been there before & it is the place where St. Augustine, a great theologian who has had a tremendous influence in our Catholic faith, was baptized by another great theologian, St. Ambrose. Augustine led quite a sensual life before his conversion, and regretted only that he waited too long before coming to know and love the Lord (“Too late have I come to love thee, O Lord”). The other connection with Milan is that Pope Paul VI, who was canonized last Sunday (October 14th), was the Archbishop of Milan. Pope St. Paul VI was pope from 1963 until his death (on my birthday, August 6th) in 1978. He is known for implementing the reforms of the Second Vatican Council which ended in 1965. Under him, Mass began to be celebrated in the vernacular (which of course is English for us) instead of Latin, and there were hundreds of other changes in the Church which has allowed it to find its place in the modern world. Pope Paul’s full name? Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (you have to love the Italians for their long & poetic names). It was Pope St. John XXIII who was the Archbishop here in Venice before becoming Pope. I have seen and prayed last week at the tombs of St. Paul VI, St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II, all of whom were popes during my lifetime. I just realized how much information I have just given you here about Venice, Milan, 3 Popes & 5 Saints, but bear with me as I mention one more name. Along with Pope Paul VI, Pope Francis also canonized an Archbishop from El Salvador (where the Diocese of Cleveland has had a mission of priests & nuns for many years). Archbishop Oscar Romano spoke out against poverty, social injustice, assassinations and torture. In 1980, he himself was assassinated (shot) while celebrating Mass. Though we have heard so much recently of the sins of church leaders, it is important to remember that there have been so many more who have reached sainthood by their love of God and neighbor. I am so grateful to have been reminded of this while walking the ground where many of them walked and lived and served the Church. I’ll share more with you in the coming weeks.

While it’s always hard to come to the end of a vaca- tion, this time I have our Parish Festival to look forward to. What a great opportunity for us to enjoy one another’s company. As we say Arrivederci to Italy, we say to you that it’s good to be home.

Pastor's Blog for October 14, 2018

On October 3rd we had the funeral Mass for Thomas Dubiel, brother to a couple of parishioners: Brian & Denis. Tom loved his two grandchildren and they brought up the gifts at the offertory time of the Mass. Tom enjoyed playing the lottery & it paid off for him! Tom enjoyed collecting spoons which people would bring to him from the various places they visited. But Tom will be especially remembered for his kindness to others. May he rest in God’s peace.

We also had the Mass of Christian Burial for Thomas Emery. Tom was 91 years old & was very devoted to his family. He had 16 grandchildren & 5 great-grandchildren. He was also a very religious man who attended numerous retreats, and was a member of the Holy Name Society (a fraternal organization of men). He had a devotion to Mary & prayed the rosary. He read Scripture daily and prayed to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. His children remember him praying with them every night when they were young. May he receive his eternal reward.

The priests of the Diocese (except for myself) will be away this week for our Presbyterial Convocation (a “calling together of the priests”) which we attend every other year at Sawmill Creek for 3 days. While I will be with them only in spirit, I ask that we all be with them in prayer as we seek to better serve you, the People of God.

I am so grateful to the many parishioners who have worked hard these last few weeks & months to prepare for our two day Fall Festival next Saturday & Sunday. It is a good time with delicious food, enjoyable music, games for the children & fellowship for all. I look forward to seeing many parishioners there and hope that our neighbors will join us as well.

Included in this bulletin is my annual letter to the parishioners along with our Summary Financial Report for the fiscal year of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. We were actually almost $87,000 under budget (i.e., a surplus) due to our increased school enrollment (thanks to our Principal, Mrs. Burns). But the budget for this current fiscal year will have us tapping into our capital improve- ment funds to pay for the necessary replacement of the roofs on the church and parish center and some costly repairs on the gym. But you have been so faithful in your financial support of the parish as our collections have remained the same (many parishes lose between 2 & 4% per year). Thank you for your contributions especially to our capital improvements fund. Please feel free to ask me or a member of the Finance Council any questions you may have (their names are on the bottom of the Summary Financial Report) and pray that we may be good stewards of our parish goods.

Pastor's Blog for October 7, 2018

During the last week of September, we celebrated the Mass of Christian Burial for three parishioners. Ann Sazpansky has been a long time member of St. Leo’s and was married to her husband John for 68 years. We extend our sympathies to John and to their three children, Suzanne, Joan, & Scott. The card with Ann’s date of birth and date of death showed a picture of her patron, St. Ann, who is seen helping her daughter Mary to study. Ann Sazpansky studied life and studied faith. May St. Ann, the grandmother of Jesus and the mother of Mary, pray for her who, like them, were faithful to God.

On Friday of that week I had a funeral service for Caroline Gabrenya who, ironically, was also married to her husband Jack for 68 years. We offer our condolences to their children, James, Dianne & Karen. Caroline was remembered fondly by her grandchildren & great-grandchildren. May she rest in the peace of the Risen Lord.

On Saturday, September 29th, we also prayed for Jack Pauloski who died after a very long and progressive illness. Jack was married to his wife Grace for 61 years (again, so many years of married life for these three people!) and Grace would spend hours with him every day when he could no longer be cared for at home. Jack was an engineer who, along with Grace, devised the pulley system that we use to hang the different colored banners on the back wall of the sanctuary underneath the crucifix. He was a gentle giant - a tall man in body & faith. We pledge our prayers to Grace and their three children, Therese, Thomas & Matthew.

After Mass today I will finish up packing for our trip to Italy. Ten parishioners will be joining me for a tour of Rome, Assisi, Florence, Venice & Milan. We leave on Monday so we ask your prayers for a safe trip. Be assured that we will be praying for all of you each day when we visit the many churches and basilicas. I may try to smuggle some pasta back into the US but the smell of it in my suitcase may give me away.

It’s so great to hear our choir again after their summer hiatus. They spend many hours preparing to enhance our Sunday worship during the 11am Mass. Do you feel that you have been given the gift of a good singing voice (or has someone told you that you have)? Then please consider joining the choir by talking to our Music Director, Mickey Stitt. She (and we) would love to have you join that gifted group of parishioners.

Congratulations to Joe & Mina Rolando on their 25th wedding anniversary, celebrated last Saturday at the 4pm Mass. Mina works in our rectory office and parish center and is a joy to have around. We wish them both many happy years together.