Oct 31, 2025

Greetings,

This weekend at all the Masses we will have our annual, required State of the Parish report.  Most of the information that you might find interesting can be found elsewhere in this bulletin.  Unfortunately, much of what is reported has to do with numbers, whether it is person in the pews or amounts in the collection basket.  But a parish is so much more! 

First and foremost, we are a place where the people of God can come together to worship, praise, petition and seek forgiveness from the One who loves us so much that He sent His only, beloved Son to gain us back.  We then reach out to each other as brothers and sisters and then to the greater community to bring us all closer to Him through our promotion of all that is Good, True and Beautiful.  

But the fact of the matter is, we need those numbers mentioned above to be able to do this so effectively.  So, thank you to everybody who shows up, particularly at Sunday Masses and for all those who are able who give of their means in order to support this place and her mission.  A parish does not exist in a vacuum, but is able to be present in West Akron because people such as you make it possible.

Thank you to all of the people who volunteer!  From servers to grounds crew, from the Knights of Columbus to HASA, St. Vincent de Paul to collections counters, those who repair things as in-kind services and so many more.  We are constantly receiving compliments and accomplishing great things because of your dedication.  Thank you also to our homebound who pray for the parish and her mission.  How blessed we are to have you as contemplatives asking God to send His grace upon our parish and her people.

Of course, I am also grateful for our staff: for all the people who work in the school and in the various parish offices. When it comes right down to it, there really is a skeleton crew whose job it is to hold this place together and I am grateful for the love and dedication that all of them have for the parish.

May God bless you for all that you do, and I look forward to serving another year with you here at  St. Sebastian Parish! 

IN OTHER NEWS:

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME:  For those of you who are reading this early, this Sunday begins Day Light Saving Time.  We “fall back” one hour on Sunday.

THAT WAS INTERESTING:  On Monday there was an “active shooter drill” on our campus.  School was out for our students that day, but teachers, staff and Fr. Marcelli all participated.  (I had a funeral).  You may have seen a lot of police presence at the parish that morning, rest assured, there was nothing nefarious going on!  We were just teaching our staff what to do in the event of an emergency.

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck