Dear Parishioners,

     I am very sad to let you know that one of our parish staff members died suddenly last Friday, March 25th. It was announced at last weekend’s Masses that Betty Clancy, mother of Brenda Basalla, had died, but many of you may not know Betty or Brenda by name. Brenda is our Business Manager & has been here with me since January of 2014 when I arrived as Pastor. She was actually recommended to me by her cousin, Fr. Russ Lowe, who was leaving the pastorate here at St. Leo’s to become Pastor at Our Lady of Angels or “OLA” on Rocky River Drive, close by where I grew up in West Park. Betty had worked in our rectory office one or two days a week previously but then started working Tuesday through Thursday during the past year. She sat at a desk just a few feet from where I sit in my office & we would speak frequently throughout the day. She would watch my dog Michaela on my day off and during my vacations for me. She became a good friend besides a great worker in our rectory office. In fact, she and Brenda and I had plans for dinner & a movie on the night her daughter discovered she had died at her home. So it is a great loss for our parish, parish staff, for Brenda of course, and for myself. I will be celebrating her Funeral Mass on Friday, April 1st at Our Lady of Angels church. I thank God for her ministry of being a friendly, welcoming and helpful person in our rectory office, and I will always be grateful for her friendship. She was a woman of deep faith who cared deeply for others. Her husband Larry died just two years ago, so we express our sympathy to Brenda on the loss of both her parents, and assure her and her family of our prayers. May Betty rest in God’s peace until that day when, as we pray at a funeral Mass, “we shall see her again and enjoy her friendship.” 
     We congratulate the parents of Ava Berlekamp and Christopher Finnegan as these children will be baptized this Sunday (April 3rd) after the 11am Mass. May the new life God has given to them be celebrated with joy and gratitude as God brings new children into his Church.                         

     I’m glad that many of you stopped at the Information Desk or in the rectory office to pick up a free copy of the book I spoke about during my homily last Sunday called “Return: How to Draw your Child back to the Church.” For those who attended Mass on Saturday, I spoke of how this book, which I recently read, offered many practical suggestions for parents who are saddened by the fact that their child(ren) or grandchild(ren) have left the Church or the practice of their faith. We ordered more copies so feel free to ask for one after Mass or at the rectory office.                                         

     Next weekend we begin our entry into Holy Week with the celebration of Passion (or Palm) Sunday. I will remind you then of the time of our sacred services that week but ask that you continue to join us for our final Fish Fry and Stations of the Cross this Friday. Again I am grateful for all those who have given their time to work at our Fish Fry this year which has allowed us to once again enjoy that meal in person (with the option of take-out as well). And thanks to all of you for your support for that event.