A classmate of mine, Fr. Timothy Plavac, pastor of St. Bede in Mentor on the Lake, celebrated a funeral Mass on Friday, July 22nd for Kathleen Haines, who attended Mass at St. Leo the Great but also attended Mass frequently with her family members in Mentor. Her obituary said that was an overall positive force in the community, working as a nurse throughout her career. We join with all those who pray for her as we ask God to grant her eternal peace.

     I am grateful to Fr. Caesar Amandua, the chaplain of Southwest Hospital, for celebrating Mass with you this weekend as I am away. Please express your appreciation to him for his willingness to cover in my absence. 

     I visited Fr. Vesely again on Wednesday, July 20th, and while his voice was weaker, he continued to be very alert and resting comfortably. His family met with the doctors and his niece told me that the meeting went well and that they got a lot settled in the plan for his care. Father’s sister Milly will be turning 98 in August and she continues to remain in assisted living at Mount Alverna so please remember her in your prayers as well. Father Vesely will turn 94 in November. 

     I have been attending the wakes or funeral Masses for many priests recently. Two of them were active in the seminary, one when I was a freshman in the high school seminary and the other when I was about to be ordained from the major seminary. I remember both of them gratefully and prayerfully. Another priest was the retiring pastor from St. Stephen in West Salem when I arrived there to take his place and another priest was pastor of one of our cluster parishes in Lorain when I was pastor of St. Ladislaus there. Again, I appreciated the support and example of these priests as well. Please remember to pray for all active and retired priests, and in a special way for those who have died, that they may see the Lord whom they served in his Church.

     This week I will be attending the Episcopal Ordination of Bishop-Elect Michael Woost, a priest of our own Diocese, whom I also know well from our years together in the seminary. He will be ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop this Thursday, August 4th, which is the feast of St. John Vianney, the patron of parish priests. We have a statue of St. John Vianney in our reconciliation room as he was known especially for hearing confessions for several hours a day. Bishop Malesic will be the ordaining bishop, joined by Bishop Roger Gries and Bishop Martin Amos, both retired bishops who still assist Bishop Malesic. We are grateful to have a full-time Auxiliary Bishop in our diocese to assist Bishop Malesic and we pray for Bishop-Elect Woost as he begins this ministry.

     The Word on Fire organization, an evangelization ministry founded by Bishop Robert Barron, known as the leading evangelist of our time and in our country, has produced a booklet, sent monthly to those who subscribe, which allows lay people to pray the “Liturgy of the Hours.” Of course you are familiar with the “Liturgy of the Eucharist” or our celebration of Mass, but the Church also prays liturgically and communally throughout the day, in fulfillment of the scriptural command to “pray without ceasing.” These prayers, which priests are obligated to pray each day, consist of Morning, Daytime, Evening, and Night Prayer, along with the “Office of Readings” which provides both biblical and non-biblical readings to reflect on. This book, used by priests, is called the breviary, and is used by religious brothers and sisters and deacons as well. All in the Church are called to pray these “hours” and Word on Fire has made it easy for lay people to do so. Please visit https://www.wordonfire.org/pray/ for more information on how to subscribe.