Jan 25, 2023

Greetings,

If you came for adoration this past Tuesday, which we have every Tuesday following the morning Mass until 8pm in the evening, you may have noticed that we were using the monstrance (the vessel used for displaying the Precious Host) that we typically only use for special occasions, not the least reason being it is incredibly heavy. Our other monstrance that we use often took a trip north on that day to be dropped off at the shop for repairs and re-plating. After many decades of weekly use, it was time to freshen it up to once again be a worthy vessel for holding the Blessed Sacrament.

The reason we are able to afford to do this is because of our Sanctuary Society, which I thank most deeply. And the reason the Sanctuary Society is able to provide the funding is because you support their events such as the International Festival which is coming up February 4. In fact, it is the 50th Annual Festival that they have held! This fundraiser is a fun evening for the entire Parish. The Sanctuary Society is asking for volunteers to help run games, the prize table, sell baked goods and more! Volunteer positions are available in one-hour shifs, so you are able to participate and enjoy the festival as well. Look for information on how to volunteer in this bulletin.

IN OTHER NEWS:

FEAST OF ST. SEBASTIAN: Thank you for a great weekend as we celebrated our patronal feast day. The annual Spaghetti Dinner sold out and our surprise celebrity guest was well received! Joan of b’Arc continued her socialization training, did amazingly and captured hearts. Thank you to Marcy Smith and her team for putting on such a fine meal and thank you to our donor of wine, Brian Gura.

I hope that you had the opportunity to see the display of work by some of our parishioners in the Padre Pio Chapel over the weekend. Truly we have some artists among us. Also, we were blessed to have Father Jeffrey Barnish to help with 11:00am Mass. He just returned from Rome and will be teaching at our seminary. Also, great thanks to Fr. Peter Morris and Fr. Cameron Popik who have been pitching in and helping out with Masses and confessions while Fr. Bozek is out of the country.

CANDLEMAS: February second is not only Groundhog Day, it is also Candlemas Day. On this day we celebrate the Presentation of the Christ Child in the temple. This is also the traditional day on which candles are blessed. We will be blessing our candles on this day but if you have candles that you would also like blessed, please feel free to bring them.

BLESSING OF THE THROATS: The next day, February third, is St. Blaise Day. On this day we have the blessing of throats. His legend tells us that he miraculously saved the life of a boy who was choking on a fish bone. Later, when he was jailed for being Christian, the grateful mother brought him candles (hence the connection to throats and candles) and writing material and slipped them to him through his jail bars. Throats will be blessed at the end of Mass on this day.

SPECTACULAR: This year’s theme is a “Spectacular Evening in Paris." I hope I get to see you there on February 11!

PRIESTS VS SEMINARIANS: Looking for something different to do on January 30? At 7pm at St. Edward High School, the priests of the Diocese of Cleveland will play against the seminarians in a game of basketball. One would expect these young aspirants to trample all over the “more established gentlemen,” but last year wisdom overcame brute strength to win the day. Suggested donation is $2 which will be given to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck