Someone told me last week that they missed the funeral of a parishioner because the Cleveland Plain Dealer is no longer delivered every day. So I thought I’d offer a reminder that information about funerals and other happenings at our church can be found on our website (leothegreat.org) as well as through our free mobile app for Apple & Android devices. We will also have a mailing list so that as soon as a funeral is scheduled at the parish, we can push that information to your email inbox (check our website to sign up). We already send the parish bulletin to those who signed up for that and we want to make as much information quickly accessible to you as possible so please let us know what other information from us you would like to access online.
Bishop Lennon, along with other bishops throughout the country, are asking the faithful to take up a second collection to benefit the people of Nepal following their devastating earthquake. You can also make donations online (see the diocesan website at dioceseofcleveland.org). We will be taking up that 2nd collection this weekend, May 9th & 10th. Thank you in advance for your concern for those who are suffering such devastation.
More locally, we ask donors to pledge to the Catholic Charities Annual Appeal through a variety of ways with the majority of new donors each year being added through the in-pew appeal. Unfortunately, February's bitter cold, winter storms, and accompanying low Mass attendance on the in-pew weekend has left the 2015 in-pew appeal approximately 25% behind previous years in both dollars pledged and number of donors. Given these challenges, Bishop Lennon has sent a letter to all pastors asking each parish to conduct a second "special" in-pew collection the weekend of May 16-17 to benefit the Catholic Charities Annual Appeal. So please know that we will give you the opportunity next weekend to fill out a pledge envelope if weather or some other obstacle prevented you from making your commitment this year. Once again, thanks for helping those who are suffering to have their burdens eased because of your thoughtfulness.
Today we remember to honor our mothers, both living and deceased, for giving us the gifts of life, love and faith. Any time I am at Holy Cross Cemetery to say prayers after a funeral Mass, I stop by my mom’s grave to pray for her (my grave is there too next to hers as well as my dad’s…my dad keeps threatening to chisel in the date of my death unless I behave!). We also remember to honor Mary, the Mother of us all, as we crown her image with a halo of flowers.