On August 3rd, we celebrated the Mass of Christian Burial for Alan Ballauer, who was married to his wife Marge for 58 years. We express our sympathy to her and to their two children, Wendy & Edward. Like the Benedictine monks, Al was a man of prayer and work, but also balanced these with the enjoyment of God’s blessings in his life. Though he was a member of Parma Lutheran Church, he often attended Mass with his wife Marge. Al was a Cleveland sports fan and enjoyed classic cars, the holidays with his family, and traveling. We trust that he may now travel home to God where he will rejoice in God’s presence forever. 

I enjoyed two clergy picnics in the last few days, one that takes place every year at St. Albert the Great in North Royalton and the other at the seminary in Wickliffe, Ohio, where I spent 6 years. Both times I enjoyed the presence of Bishop Malesic at my table (or he enjoyed mine?) and I continue to find him to be such a likable and pastoral man. I am reminded that his birthday is just a week after mine and we were born in the same year so I am just a few days older than he (but none the wiser, I’m sure). The seminary is in the midst of being remodeled for our modern-day seminarians and like all parishes in the Diocese, we have contributed to this worthy cause. The Bishop told us that he just met with the 10 incoming seminarians and again mentioned how the bishops who were here in Cleveland for the ordination of Bishop Woost (a Mass I also participated in on August 4th), continue to be amazed at the number of priests we have here in our Diocese, due in large part to the success of our own seminaries. So please continue to pray for these new men who are discerning a call to the priesthood and pray for Bishop Malesic, newly-ordained Bishop Woost and all the priests and deacons who serve the People of God in Cleveland. 

There are now brochures and registration forms on the tables in the church which describe in more detail the trip to Italy that I will be taking next March. I’m really happy with the interest shown so far but wanted to let you know that since COVID protocols have been lifted, there is no limitation on the number of those able to join us. Please feel free to take a brochure as we have many more available in the rectory office. I am happy to answer whatever questions you may have and hope many of you will be able to join us in this pilgrimage and vacation.

Next Sunday, August 21st, we will be having our Parish Picnic in the shrine area of the property, weather-permitting, but will be able to go indoors if necessary. So please plan on joining us after the 11am Mass for some good food & for the opportunity to talk with fellow parishioners. It’s always a great time to catch up on what’s happening in the lives of those whom you may not always see since we have 3 weekend Masses. Do stop by to eat & enjoy some time with others in our parish.

I’m sorry I kept forgetting to do this (even though I have nothing else to do), but I have finally put some pictures from our pilgrimage to the Holy Land online so you can see some of what we saw and experienced there this past May. You can just click the link on our parish website (leothegreat.org) to see the pictures. I do hope to travel there again and Eddie Abufarha (who was here last weekend selling wood carvings made in the Holy Land) and I are already talking about future trips to the Holy Land and elsewhere. It’s great to live in a day & age where we can travel throughout the world, as most who came before us in human history did not have the luxury of this opportunity as we do today.