For the past several years, on this last Sunday of the calendar year, I have shared my reflections with you about our parish and how we are fulfilling our mission as a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Cleveland.

     As I look back at 2015, overall, I would say we had a pretty good year, but a challenging one. Finances remain a challenge for us. In 2014, we borrowed $226,500 from the diocese for major repairs and last January we started paying back the loan. We hope to pay the debt off in five years and in 2015, we paid back $45,300. We still face some large expenses for repairs that will have to be delayed until spring. Our Neff Road parking lot needs extensive repairs or replacement along with the entrances to the both the church and rectory buildings. The repairs will most likely cost over $100,000. So far we have been able to save about $20,000 for this work. So we will have to do this work in stages over several years.

     Our operating costs continue to increase, but our collection basket income continues to decrease. Our fundraising efforts have been a challenge, but our rental income has been steady and strong. We are able to pay our bills, but we can’t build up reserves for future repairs and improvements.

     On the positive side, through our “Giving Tree” program, we have been able to help 15 families in our own parish. Also, generous donations have come in to purchase flowers for the church, throughout the year. Two days each month, we have Eucharistic Adoration which is well attended. We are blessed with religious 

vocations. A son of our Parish, Lukas Laniauskas, was ordained a priest and returned to celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving here. Another son, Christian Raddell, is in his third year at Borromeo Seminary, and a third son of our parish will be entering the Benedictine Order as an Aspirant this spring. Let us continue to pray for an increase in vocations so we can have quality priests and religious to serve the Church in the future.

     As I look forward to 2016, I see a lot of reason for hope. The Pastoral Council and I will be putting together an activity schedule and develop new activities and events that will be of interest and benefit to all parishioners. Our Finance Council is carefully watching our budget so we can continue to thrive and save for necessary improvements. However, our biggest challenge in the coming year will be to develop new and effective outreach programs aimed especially to the immigrant Lithuanians in northern Ohio, along with programs to reach out to those who for whatever reason have fallen away from the Church and welcome them home.

     During this Jubilee Year of Mercy, all of us need to find new ways to extend God’s mercy to those who are in most need of the merciful hand of God. I know we have the talent and the resources to accomplish much as a parish. In the 2016, let us all work together to make our parish the truly vibrant, welcoming Catholic Community that we are called to be.

                                    God Bless! Fr. Joe Bacevice