Dear Parishioners,

While being on vacation is still fresh on my mind, I thought I’d let those interested know that the website for our trip to Italy next year (March 17-28, 2025) is now updated with the final price which is $4800. You can reserve your spot now with a $300 deposit. Please note that 1 out of the 5 available single rooms is already reserved so if you prefer to room by yourself, be aware that there is limited availability (and there is an additional charge as the $4800 is for double occupancy). The link to that website is on our parish website (leothegreat.org). This is also a 12 day trip vs. the 10 day one we took last year. Viva la Roma.

We were able to celebrate my sister’s gentle entry into her 6 th decade of life with fun and memories. My other two sisters decorated her cabin with balloons, signs, a gift basket & lots of pictures detailing the blessings of her life. I also learned that I could have saved myself that $14.16 I spent on a glass of wine that I needed for Mass by just taking the almost emptied bottle of wine that my two brother-in-laws shared at dinner (which I did for the Mass I celebrated a week later). But the money spent on a glass of wine is literally a few drops in the ocean of money that one spends on a vacation these days. But it was such a good time that we’re planning on spending New Year’s Eve next year on another cruise. Never too early to plan ahead. I also made a trip up the stairs to see the little chapel that was on the highest floor of the ship (closest to God perhaps?). It was a nice little space that was non-denominational but also prepared for the celebration of Mass as I noticed a Roman Missal available there (the book Catholic priests use during Mass). As I was wondering to myself how many come into that space out of a few thousand people on board, a couple came up to offer some prayers. My sister also told me that she was in there as well. Glad to see that people still remember God when on vacation.

We welcome Caleb Friebel into our Catholic Family this weekend as he is baptized into the Faith on Saturday. May God who has begun the good work in him and his family carry it through to completion.

This Sunday evening I will be having a Mass at the home of a couple who were good friends of mine at St. Ladislaus in Lorain. I believe I mentioned that they both passed away last year. Two of their grandchildren and some of their cousins asked me at the grandmother’s funeral luncheon if I would help them receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. I was thrilled that they would be so moved by their grandparent’s faith that they would ask for this sacrament for themselves. So please say a little prayer for these 5 young adults that they may practice the faith that was so important to their family members.

I wanted to remind you that it’s very easy to make an appointment with myself, Deacon Pat or Joan Berigan through our website. We are always here to serve you and want to make ourselves available to you. In that same vain, we will be working with Luke Brown from Sacred Heart Counseling (which we advertise in our bulletin & on our website) to help offset some of the expense involved in counseling. They provide therapy through a faith-based background so we are glad to be partnering with them to make this available to you. More information about this will be forthcoming next month.

As we enter into the month of February this week, I hope and pray that you are safe in your travels, especially when we have icy and/or snowy roads. Please stay home if the weather presents the possibility of unsafe travel for you. But as always, I look forward to seeing you.

Fr. James P. Schmitz