Pastor's Column, August 24, 2014

Since the beginning of this year, we have had over 30 households register in the parish so first, I want to say, in the name of all of us, welcome! It’s great to have new people join our community and we want you to know that you are needed and wanted. At all the Masses this weekend, we will ask for God’s blessing on our new parishioners. Don’t worry, we’re not going to call you forward to make a speech or make you wear a T-shirt that says, “I’m new!” We just ask you to receive our prayers and God’s blessing now that you are a parishioner of St. Leo the Great. Again, it’s good to have you here.

The St. Leo’s Seniors had their bi-monthly meeting on August 13th & had a young man  who was a magician entertain them. He was quite good but I was hoping he’d make my extra weight disappear. It didn’t happen. I’m glad he pulled some smiles out of his hat to place on the  faces in the group though. The Seniors have a good time & enjoy fellowship with each other twice a month. If you’re not a member, consider joining them. They’ll be meeting again this Wednesday at 11:00. Maybe you can do some magic & just appear at their meeting. They’d love to have you.

Last week our teachers started coming in to prepare their classrooms for that day that all children just wait for with excitement and great anticipation—the first day of school! Oh wait, maybe that’s Christmas I’m thinking of. Regardless, they’ll be back in their classrooms next Tuesday, September 2nd. They may not be happy to be back in school but we (& their parents) will be happy to have them back. This week the teachers and school staff will be having a retreat day, faculty meeting and faculty luncheon (Fr. Vesely & I get to go to that too…since we bring the check!). We have a wonderful staff in our school…from Mrs. Weiss the principal (I still remember to spell that with an “a” since she’s our “pal”) to the teachers & the rest of the staff. We will ask God’s blessing on them next weekend. 

Do say a special prayer for one of our preschool teachers, Cherise Pacanovsky who had surgery in July & will be in recovery for a few weeks yet. She has a way of making our preschool children smile & she will be missed as the school year starts, but we anxiously await her return. May she receive a complete recovery along with all those in the parish who are hospitalized.

Pastor's Column, August 3, 2014

Many thanks to everyone who came to our parish picnic last Sunday. Through the prayers of Fr. Vesely, the rained was held back in the heavens until about 4pm, long enough for us to have a hearty meal and to enjoy each other’s company. Thanks to Pat Daley, a parishioner and DJ who provided the music, the maintenance staff who setup, to our cooks, Matt Kissig & Alex Pavlick, who grilled the best hamburgers I’ve had at a picnic, to the many people who brought side dishes and to Michaela who helped everyone clean their plate. I’m already looking forward to next year’s picnic. 

Please keep in prayer all of the sick & homebound members of the parish, especially Dan Staskiews whom I anointed this past week. We are planning to have an opportunity for those who wish to be anointed at Mass, but please be sure to ask me to anoint you after any Mass if you are going to have surgery or if you are facing an illness that is serious. Take advantage of this sacrament which calls upon God’s healing & strength in our bodily (& spiritual) weakness. 

We were saddened to hear of the death of Sister Eileen Duffy, CSJ, who was a member of the parish staff for many years here at St. Leo’s. We included her picture and other information about her in this weekend’s bulletin. May she rest in peace and receive the reward of serving the Lord & His people so generously.

This week our parking lot is going to be repaired and sealed, as it is most years. We will do our best to keep one side of the parking lot cleared for people to drive on when they come to daily Mass or to the Parish Office. Please excuse any inconvenience it may cause.

We want to bid farewell to Tony & Virginia Pogado who moved permanently back to the Philippines this past week. We are sad when any parishioner needs to move on, but Tony & Virginia were here for many years and were active as Eucharistic Ministers. We wish them well and thank them for many years of service. 

So do you know what today is? (I’m referring to Sunday, August 3rd, in case you’re reading this on Saturday). It’s Hungarian Day! Every year on the first Sunday of August, the Hungarians have a wonderful outdoor picnic in Lorain with real Hungarian food…weiner schnitzel, dumplings, chicken paprikas…all the things that make your tongue say “Wow!” When I was Pastor of the Hungarian Parish in Lorain, they adopted me as one of their own, even though I’m German & Italian. I can’t speak Hungarian, but I sure can eat it!

Pastor's Column, July 27, 2014

We were saddened to hear of the sudden death of David Lincheck who passed away at the age of 49, leaving behind his wife Pam, his daughter Theresa (who plays the clarinet on occasion for Mass here at St. Leo’s), his mother Helen and siblings Janice and John. We also express our sympathy to one of our school students, Julia, on the death of her father, James Johnson, and to Julia’s mom, Nadia Ahmetovic. James was 41. We also pledge our prayers to Chris Rath on the death of her nephew, Stephen Daschner. Though who are taken from us at so young an age remind us of the fragility of life. May they know now the fullness of eternal life in heaven.

Please keep in your prayers one of our Preschool teachers, Cherise Pacanovsky who had surgery and will be in recovery for several weeks. Also remember Dan Staskiews who will be anointed this week and is in need of prayerful support. 

We congratulate Timothy Lamont & Rebecca Jandrokovic (from St. Leo’s) on their marriage to take place this Friday in our church. May the Lord bless them in their life together. 

Remember that our parish picnic is this Sunday from 1-5pm! We will provide the burgers & dogs (including Michaela) and there will be some limited beverages available but we encourage you to bring your choice of beverage. In case of inclement weather, we’ll meet indoors. Come & relax with members of your parish family. 

We also wanted to let you know that according to the Canon Law of the Church, a pastor must offer one Sunday Mass “Pro Populo” or for the People of the Parish. This means that we have only two Mass intentions available for Sundays, and of course one for the 4pm Mass on Saturday. In a couple of months, we’ll open the new Mass calendar for intentions during the 2015 year, but we wanted to let you know that I pray in a particular way for everyone in the parish during one of our Sunday Masses.

It’s always hard to believe how quickly the summer months pass. This week we enter the month of August. Normally school begins that month but this year the students don’t return until September 2, which is the day after Labor Day. That’s how it always worked when I was in elementary school, though the kids would tell you that that was in a different century (which actually, it was). Anyway, our plans to paint the cafeteria & update the school office are underway. We look forward to the return of our students, but it’s still too early for that, and they probably don’t want any reminders. So let’s enjoy what we have left of summer, beginning with our picnic this weekend.