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One of the most beautiful
places around our nation’s
capital is Arlington
National Cemetery, just
outside Washington, DC in
Arlington, Virginia. The
cemetery itself is
meticulously maintained with
rows of Crosses and Stars of
David marking the graves of
our servicemen and women and
national leaders buried
there. The most solemn place
in the cemetery is the Tomb
of the Unknowns. There
Company E of the Third US
Infantry Regiment – The Old
Guard – keeps a constant
vigil honoring servicemen
“known only to God.” The
cemetery and the tomb are
signs of the respect we show
to those who have lost their
lives in service to our
country.
On Monday, the national
holiday of Memorial Day, all
of us are called to honor
our war dead, those who gave
their lives in defense of
our country and for freedom
throughout the world. As
Catholics, the best way to
honor our dead is to pray
for them, particularly on
Memorial Day.
Our Catholic War
Veterans Post 613 has, since
its founding in 1946,
provided a beautiful
opportunity for us to gather
to honor our war dead.
On Monday
beginning at
8:30am,
they will lead us in a flag
raising ceremony, followed
by Mass. Immediately after
Mass, they have arranged to
serve breakfast in our hall.
They invite everyone in the
Parish to join with them in
remembering those who have
died in service to our
country and to remember
their members who have died.
I have been a member of
Post 613 since 1980, and
have led the Memorial Day
service each year. I invite
all of you to join with me
as we remind ourselves
through prayer, that the
freedom we enjoy here in
this country came at a great
price, and we offer our
prayers for those who
sacrificed their own lives
that we could live in
freedom.
God Bless! Fr. Joe Bacevice
PLEASE PRAY
Please remember in your prayers the soul of
Jean Marks and Gertrude Olsafsky who recently died and were
buried from our Parish. May they have eternal rest in the
peace of God’s Kingdom.
SUMMER PILGRIMAGES
 During
this Year of Consecrated Life we are invited to connect with
religious congregations and to respond to the words of Pope
Francis: “Wake up the World! Be witnesses of a different
way of doing things, of acting, of living! It is possible to
live differently in this world.” To help make this
happen, the Diocese has coordinated a diocesan-wide
pilgrimage to congregational homes and ministry centers of
23 religious communities from June to September. Everyone is
invited to discover the heart of consecrated life and to
discover the beauty of our journey to God, who is the
beginning and the end of life’s pilgrimage.
Posters are in the Book Room and the
side entrance to the Church, and on the bulletin board in
the lower hall with more information. Brochures are also
available near the Church Bulletin racks. Together on this
journey to God, let us pray for each other as we live and
witness our faith in Jesus Christ.
MEMORIAL DAY
 Monday, May 25th is Memorial Day.
Our Catholic War Veterans Post 613 will have their annual
Memorial Day commemoration here at St. Casimir: 8:30am - a
service at the Freedom Memorial in our Neff Road parking
lot, followed by Mass at 9:00am. The commemoration will
conclude with breakfast in our lower hall. All are invited.
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SUMMER REMINDERS
 Memorial
Day weekend signals the beginning of summer in Cleveland.
This is the time of year that many are involved in outdoor
activities and travel. We wish everyone a safe and relaxing
summer, but we remind everyone to participate at Mass each
weekend, even when traveling. We also remind everyone of
their obligation to support our parish. As we continue to
struggle financially, we need everyone’s support. So on the
weekends you are not here for any reason, I ask you to make
up for your missed offerings.
THE FEST
As we begin the summer season, mark your
calendar for The FEST. Join us as we bring together
thousands from across our diocese on Sunday, August 9th,
from 12 noon until 10:00pm for a day of faith, family and
fun. The 15th Annual Catholic Family Festival
will be held on the grounds of the Center for Pastoral
Leadership in Wickliffe. The FEST includes great Christian
artists, engaging activities and displays for the entire
family and is free and open to all. The day concludes with
an inspiring outdoor Mass at 8:00pm. For more information,
go online to: www.the FEST.us
ORDINATION
 On
Saturday, June 13, 2015, Deacon Lukas Laniauskas will be
ordained to the order of Presbyter for service to the
Society of Jesus of the Chicago-Detroit Province at the
Queen of All Saints Basilica in
Chicago, Illinois. The Presiding Bishop will be the Most
Reverend Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of
Indianapolis. Father Laniauskas will celebrate a First Mass
of Thanksgiving on Saturday, June 20, 2015, at 4:00pm at
Camp Dainava in
Manchester, Michigan. He also looks forward to coming
home to St. Casimir’s to
celebrate Mass sometime this autumn.
As a
Parish community, we thank God for the gift of Father
Laniauskas’ vocation and offer our prayers that he have a
blessed and fulfilled life serving the Church as a Jesuit
Priest.
As
plans are finalized for Father’s Mass here at St. Casimir’s,
we will keep everyone informed.
CHILD’S GATE TO LEARNING
“Child’s Gate to Learning” (CGL) supports neglected children
in Lithuania. To
raise funds, the Cleveland chapter is offering a boxed lunch
for $10. All lunches must be ordered by May 20. Lunches
must be picked up on Sunday, May 31st after the
10:00 Mass. Donations are welcomed. To order lunch, make
a donation, or for information about CGL contact Egle
Laniauskas (eglelan@gmail.com)
or send your order to 6604 Ivana Court, Mentor, OH, 44060.
Order forms can also be found in the Book Room
BALTIC COMMEMORATION
 On
Sunday, June 14, 2015,
we will commemorate the 74th Anniversary of the
Occupation of the Baltic States by the Soviet Union and
remember the victims of the mass deportations of June 13-14,
1941. The Commemoration will be an Ecumenical Prayer Service
at
2:00pm here at St. Casimir’s. All are invited
to join with the Estonians and Latvians for this special
day. Refreshments will be served afterward in the cafeteria.
This event is sponsored by the Baltic American Committee of
Cleveland.
MASS
IN LITHUANIAN AVAILABLE ON-LINE
As a
service to its Lithuanian homebound readers, the Lithuanian
newspaper, Draugas, has arranged to live-stream the
Lithuanian Sunday Mass every week from Nativity of the
Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Chicago. The Mass can be
viewed every Sunday at 12:00noon EST on the website:
youtube.com/draugolaikrastis
The recorded Masses are also archived on the same website
and can be viewed online at a later time. |
Lietuvi