CATHOLIC CHARITIES

In a few weeks, we will begin the 2017 Catholic Charities Annual Parish Appeal. This is a reminder to everyone who pledged in 2016, to complete your pledge payments as soon as possible. Letters will be mailed to most of you in the coming weeks to invite your support to this year’s appeal. Please be generous.

THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Each week, we publish this bulletin, every month we publish a newsletter for our shut-ins called the Ministry of Praise, and four times each year, we publish a Lithuanian language missalette as a worship aid for those participating at our 10:00 Mass. We also compose petitions for the Universal Prayer (also known as the Prayers of the Faithful) for our weekend Masses, and prepare pulpit announcements emphasizing important events in our parish.

     This work is a collaborative project involving several volunteers along with the pastor. The pastor is the author of the bulletin and the pulpit announcements and the petitions for the Universal Prayer. The Ministry of Praise is composed and edited by Barbara Pallo. All of these need to be translated into either Lithuanian or English as needed, and formatted for publication either weekly, monthly, and quarterly. Most of the translating work and formatting has been done by Julie Zivile Vaitkus. Now joining our volunteer team is Amanda Muliolis who, in addition to administering our website, will be translating our pulpit announcements and petitions for the Universal Prayers.

     We are looking for other volunteers to join our team to help translate these publications. Anyone who is knowledgeable and willing to help should contact either Father Bacevice or Zivile Vaitkus. It takes a lot of time and energy to publish what we do. With more helpers, we could give everyone a break and still provide quality materials for everyone in both Lithuanian and English.

YOUNG ADULT RETREAT

Join Fr. Michael Woost, Dr. Deward Kaczuk and students from St. Mary Seminary who will facilitate a day at the Sisters of Notre Dame Bethany Retreat Center titled: The Transfiguration Brain – Exploring Mystical Prayer, Liturgical Prayer, and Brain Science. By looking through the lens of brain science at what happens to us when we pray, we can discover new pathways to knowing God, ourselves and the world around us. The day will include reflection, lunch, and conclude with the celebration of the Sunday Vigil Mass. The event will take place on February 4, 2017, from 9:30am to 5:00pm. You $30 donation includes lunch and snacks. To register, contact Sr. Jennifer Kramer: jkramer@ndec.org or call 440-279-1143. Space is limited.

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THANK YOU!

     I want to thank everyone who worked to organize, set up, cook, and clean up for my 40^th Jubilee celebration. I also want to thank our organizations for financing this event and everyone who participated in this joyous occasion.

     When I was first asked about a celebration for my 40^th Anniversary, I told the Parish Council that it is to be a celebration for our whole parish - that I wanted everyone invited, and I wanted the event to be free. I received my wish. Over 200 of you were at the 10:00 Mass and the brunch in the Upper Hall last Sunday. What impressed me and pleased me the most was that everyone worked so well together to make this the beautiful event that it was. It is a real tribute to the leadership in our parish. 

     In my homily last weekend I reflected on the past 40 years. Some of you have been with me for those 40 years since my days at St. Jerome, more have been with me for 38 years from my days at St. George, some have been with me for 14 years from my days at St. Francis, and most from when we merged and opened St. Casimir’s just over eight years ago. Now we have to look to the future. All of us, from our youngest to our oldest have to come together talk to each other, listen to each other, and work with each other to meet the challenges of the future. We have many challenges ahead of us us. We’ve demonstrated that we have the time, talent and resources to meet challenges when we work together. Let us continue to work together to meet the challenges of the future.

God Bless!   Fr. Joe Bacevice

CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS

Parishioner contribution statements for 2016 will be sent out on request. To request a statement, drop a note with your name and envelope number in the collection basket or call us during office hours (Monday through Friday, 10:00am to 6:00pm). Statements will be sent in the mail.

5^th ANNUAL “SOUP FOR THE SOUL”

Mark your calendars for February 11-12. That weekend, after all of the Masses, the Altar Society invites you to warm up your body (and soul) with a hearty bowl of soup - your choice of two kinds - at its 5^th annual “Soup for the Soul.” Come to the lower hall for a sit down meal or pick up a take-out container in the church lobby after Mass.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING
 

January is Human Trafficking Awareness month. Learn about human trafficking in this country, and in our own back yard. Visit the US Sisters Against Human Trafficking website: www.sistersagainsttrafficking.org