This past Monday I celebrated the Mass of Christian Burial for Ralph Cosiano. Many of those who attend the 11am Mass on Sunday may have known Ralph & his wife Tannie. They have been long-time active parishioners of St. Leo’s. Ralph and Tannie were married for 62 years and have known each other since Ralph was 17 as they met when they were on a volleyball team & that was 70 years ago. Ralph was a very intelligent man who served many years as a lawyer but his greatest love was being a family man. He and Tannie have 6 children, 11 grandchildren & 2 great-grandchildren. Holidays were always very special to Ralph and he loved all things Italian. He was a bright man in terms of his intellect but also bright in the sense that he was a light for others. He had a deep faith, with a special devotion to St. Raphael (“coincidentally” he was in the St. Raphael Room at Holy Family Hospice where he died). I knew Ralph as a happy, friendly man whom I always loved seeing at Mass with his devoted wife Tannie & their children. He will be greatly missed but not forgotten.
As I write this at 6am on Monday morning, I do so in darkness as the power has been out since 1pm when we had a hail & wind storm. It was caused by a tree that fell down across Broadview Road. In fact it’s doubtful that we will have power, lights or even heat for the funeral Mass for Ralph at 10am. Our school children will be learning remotely until the power is restored. And this is the beginning of my last week of vacation for 2020! What a year this has been. I’m sure we’ll all be glad when it’s behind us but so far 2021 isn’t looking so great either as Coronavirus cases keep increasing during the winter months. But our faith will get us through this and anything else that life can throw at us and I am grateful for that gift which so many others do not have because they refuse to believe it is offered to them. Though I won’t be with you at Mass this weekend, I am leaving you in the capable hands of our Deacon and a visiting priest from Cross Catholic who will gently ask you to remember the needs of the poor.
I do look forward to joining many of you for our Thanksgiving Mass this week which will be at 9am on Thursday. Please remember that the rectory office will be closed on Friday as well for the holiday.
The weekly television Mass produced by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is moving. Starting on Nov. 22, the Sunday television Mass will be seen at 10 a.m. on WUAB Channel 43. This change provides viewers with an opportunity to take part in the weekly celebration of the Mass at a much more convenient time. In addition, WUAB Channel 43 is an over-the-air station that is accessible even to those without cable TV. The weekly TV Mass is produced by the Diocese of Cleveland and it originates from the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland. In addition, the Mass can be heard on the radio, at 4 p.m. Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. Sundays on AM 1260 The Rock. Also, radio station WINT-1330 AM airs the Mass at 9 a.m. each Sunday and Cox Communications cable subscribers can view the Mass at 11:30 a.m. Sunday on channel 45.