Dear Parishioners,

I just returned from the Vespers (Evening Prayer) & wake service for Fr. Russ Lowe at Our Lady of Angels church on Rocky River Drive where he was Pastor Emeritus. I will be concelebrating the funeral Mass there as well. This is the 6th funeral for a priest that I have attended in as many weeks. It’s always sad when a brother priest dies, though of course it’s mixed with the hope and prayer that he will rest in God’s peace. I remember well when I met with Father Russ after being assigned as Pastor of St. Leo. I met with him here and he was very gracious and helpful in speaking to me about the parish. I want to express our sympathy especially to his cousin, our Business Manager, Brenda Basalla, who has faced so much sadness in the last couple of years with the loss of both her parents, and now the death of her cousin. 

I mentioned at Mass last weekend that both Father Russ and Father Vesely had a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Father Russ installed the beautiful backlit stained glass windows that are in our church which came from Blessed Sacrament after it closed. The four windows in the nave all depict scenes from the earthly & heavenly life of Mary and I speak of them often at funerals when someone had a special devotion to Mary. Father Russ also enhanced the outdoor shrine where we celebrate Mass on civil holidays. There is a statue of the Blessed Virgin on top of a large rock and I am hoping to place a large (weather-resistant) rosary around the rock along with a plague in memory of Father Lowe and Father Vesely as they had ministered together at St. Thomas More and then lived together here at St. Leo’s. The altar in that shrine area has the coat of arms of Saint Pope John Paul II, who was also devoted to the Virgin. In blue (Mary’s color), it shows a cross with the letter M, the first letter of Mary’s name. I think it would be a fitting tribute to each of these priests to have something there in their memory. How odd that these two priests, both of whom served together at our parish, should die within a month of each other. I pray that they may both rest in God’s peace and share in the joy of the heavenly liturgy after celebrating the liturgy here on earth with and for God’s people. We have Mass offered for all of our former pastors on anniversaries of their death each year. We also have a chalice that has each of their names engraved on the bottom so we use that chalice on the anniversary of their death.

Father Russ was a horticulturist, and had a sizable vegetable garden behind the rectory. Like myself, he didn’t like vegetables, but he did grow them. He also planted the flowers in the hanging baskets that were (and still are) on the pillars of the church every summer. He was able to make this parish financially solvent and took care of maintaining the buildings here. He brought the tabernacle & altar from Corpus Christi & created the chapel. He replaced the sanctuary carpet with a beautiful marble floor & replaced the exterior doors of the church. We are grateful still for all he did to enhance our church.

Today we get a chance to celebrate another anniversary, but on a very happy occasion: the 70th wedding anniversary of Leo & Rita Hansen! They are a delightful couple who bring me joy whenever I see them. I will be asking God’s blessing on them during the 11am Mass. May they be blessed with more healthy and happy years together. 

It’s time for school to start this week! So we’ll pray for our students & staff during our Labor Day Mass this Monday out at the shrine (weather permitting) at 9am. It will be a good place to pray for Father Lowe & Father Vesely as well. Also a reminder to our holy land pilgrims that we’ll be having a Mass & social this Tuesday at 6pm in the chapel area.