Thank you again for your consideration of the Annual Catholic Charities Appeal from last weekend. If you weren’t able to be with us, you can still participate by filling out an envelope that will be in your pew this weekend & then place it in the collection basket or give it to the receptionist at the Information Desk in the vestibule after Mass. You can also do this online by going to our website, leothegreat.org, and clicking on the “Donate Here” button. I am proud of your generosity which has always allowed us to reach the contribution goal set for our parish by the Diocese.                              
     This weekend we welcome Bishop Martin Amos who will be celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation for a number of our young people during the 4pm Mass on Saturday. We pledge our prayerful support and our example of faith to these students who are receiving the sacramental gift of the Holy Spirit. May they live with courage and commitment the faith they choose to embrace now, a faith passed on to them by their parents when they were baptized. May the same Spirit continue to help each of us to witness to Jesus in everyday life.
     This past Friday I celebrated the funeral Mass for Jeanne Karasek. Jeanne was a wonderful woman who has been in the nursing home for quite some time now though she could be seen (and heard) at the 8am Sunday Mass every week prior to that. I say she could be heard because she would say hello to me from across the church & let me know how much she appreciated being at Mass & learning about Jesus. She spoke in such a way that she had a song in her voice, and indeed she had a song of faith in her heart too. I am deeply grateful to Mary & Rick Riccardi who took such great care of her when no one else was available to do so, especially during Jeanne’s time in the nursing home. I know they would not want this attention to their charitable works but I feel the need to thank them for their great example of living the faith in this way. May God reward them and Jeanne for a faith well lived                             .
     This Wednesday, March 2nd, we begin the holy season of Lent with our celebration of Ash Wednesday. You are encouraged to join us at for the 8:30am parish school Mass or for the 7:00 Mass in the evening. We will also have a Liturgy of the Word Service at Noon with the Distribution of Ashes for those who might find that time more convenient. Please see the bulletin for guidance regarding fasting (on Ash Wednesday & Good Friday) and abstaining from meat (on all Fridays of Lent). We will also have Stations of the Cross each Friday during Lent at 7pm, following our weekly Fish Fry (where we will finally be able to sit down to enjoy the meal with fellow parishioners & visitors again). Information about all of these things will be available in our bulletin & on our website.                    
     I heard that Rose Pelley, a longtime parishioner of ours who has been living with her daughter in Pennsylvania in recent years, just turned 100 years old last week. Happy Birthday to her! I know that she thinks of us often & we just wanted to let her know we continue to think of her as well & keep her in our prayers. May God bless this new centenarian! 
     We also wish Deacon Pat Berigan a belated Happy 69th Birthday. We continue to appreciate his diaconal ministry & the ministry of his wife Joan here at St. Leo’s. They are a great help to me and a blessing to our parish community. May the Lord give good health to them both so that they can continue to serve here for a long, long, long time to come.