Our St. Leo’s Seniors really know how to party. They had their annual Christmas Party at Copper Stone Catering & Event Center & it was a wonderful meal accompanied by a DJ who provided the expected Christmas music. Everyone seemed to be enjoying each other’s company and I was happy to be a part of it. If you are a Senior, you may want to consider joining them. They meet twice a month in our Parish Community Center and it’s a time for companionship and mutual support. And of course every gathering includes food to enjoy. They have guest speakers and entertainers from time to time & seem to have a lot of fun. Please call Barb Mudrey if you’re interested (216-398-7709) or the Rectory Office (216-661-1006).
Several people have been coming to the video series on Monday evenings during Advent where Bishop Robert Barron explains the parts of the Mass. It really helps us to engage more in this central act of Catholic Worship when we grow in our understanding of what it’s all about. We’ll have our last viewing this Monday at 7pm so feel free to join us even if you haven’t seen the other 2 videos. This one will be on the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the 2nd part of the Mass. If you would like to view the videos at home, you’re more than welcome to come to the Rectory Office & request them (they’re DVD’s). We’d be very happy to have people watch them on their own time & perhaps can even invite some others over to view them with you.
This week my cousin Father Dan Schlegel will be joining my sister and I in making homemade ravioli & soup noodles, the staple of the Schmitz Christmas (& Easter) family meals. My mom was the real expert at these Italian dishes though & even though she taught us how to make it before she died, we still can’t get them to taste exactly like hers. Of course her recipe was typically Italian which means they don’t use measuring cups or worry about ounces or and of those details. It’s pretty much “a dash of this & a dash of that.” Maybe it doesn’t call for a bottle of wine but we’re trying to be as creative as she was. Better to just stick to the ingredi- ents she gave us, even if we’re not sure of their exact measurements. But I’m glad that the recipe and the tradition has stayed with the family all these years & that my cousin wants in. We should probably charge him for the privilege since it is proprietary information but it is Christmas after all. Of course he’ll have to do the kneading and the more tedious parts like forking the raviolis after the cheese has been placed between the layers of dough. But that’s the cost of being included in secret family recipes. Hope he’s up to the task.
Our 4th week of Advent this year will be very short since the final week of Advent which begins with our Masses next weekend is interrupted by Christmas Eve next Monday. That also means we have less time to get our Christmas shopping done. I’m glad I have a lot of elves to help with mine.