POPPIES FOR THE CATHOLIC WAR VETERANS

On Memorial Day weekend, our Catholic War Veterans Post 613 will have their annual Poppy Distribution. This activity enables the Post to continue their welfare programs for our veterans and their families. They will be distributing poppies and accepting donations after all the Masses the weekend of May 27-28. Please be generous in supporting their work.  
 

WELCOME NEW PRIESTS
 

Last Friday evening, Bishop Thomas ordained eight new priests, seven will serve our Diocese and one will serve the Diocese of Daegu, South Korea after serving in Cleveland for four years. We congratulate and offer our prayers and best wishes to Father Soohyun (Peter) Bang, Father Jacob Bearer, Father James Cosgrove, Father Eric Garris, Father Matthew Jordan, Father Robert McWilliams, Father Peter Morris, and Father Anthony Simone. May God’s blessings be with them as they begin there service to the Church as priests here in the Cleveland Diocese and in Daegu, South Korea.

HOLY NAME SOCIETY
 

Our Parish’s Holy Name Society appreciates your support. Each year, we sponsor The Giving Tree for parishioners in need of a little help during the Christmas holidays. Four times each year, we help with the Parish Pancake Breakfast. Every summer, we organize and pay for an annual picnic for all parishioners. In addition, we helped initiate and continue to support the evening Eucharistic Adoration on the second Wednesday of the month. Consider becoming an active or supporting member by joining the Holy Name Society. You can use the envelope in the May offering envelope pack. Dues are just $5/year, and we meet the last Wednesday of the month at Hope House. Please join us!

MATTHEW 8:20 MINISTRY
 

The Matthew 8:20 Ministry, sponsored by the Diocesan Holy Name Society, provides hot meals and clothes for the homeless in Cleveland on the first and third Friday of each month. There is a great need for men’s socks and underwear. Our Parish Holy Name Society will be collecting money to help provide these items between now and June 4^th. If you wish to contribute, place your donations in an envelope marked Matthew 8:20 Ministry and place it in the collection basket. Donations can also be dropped off at the Rectory or given to any active member of the Holy Name Society.
 

LITHUANIAN CULTURAL GARDENS:

The Lithuanian Cultural Gardens Committee cordially invites Lithuanian Cultural Gardens members, donors, and new members to their annual picnic on Sunday, May 21, at 12:00 noon at the pavilion at the end of East Park Road on Lake Erie.

BALTIC COMMEMORATION

On Sunday, June 11^th, at 2:00pm, the Baltic American Committee of Cleveland is sponsoring a prayer service to commemorate the 76^th anniversary of the occupation of the Baltic States and remember the victims of the mass deportations of June 13-14, 1941, here at St. Casimir’s. After the service refreshments will be served at the Lithuanian Club. All are invited to join with our Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian communities for this commemoration.

    This weekend, we will participate in a follow up to the in-pew commitment for Catholic Charities which had taken place in February. This is not a special collection; rather, the Catholic Charities Annual Appeal represents a chance for all Catholics to make a significant pledge, payable in installments, to Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland in order to support its mission of a society that stands united in its support of the “least among us.”
 

     All the money raised from this weekend’s Appeal will provide help for the Hungry and Homeless, through fundamental needs, such as food, hot meals, shower facilities, and clothing as well as future needs through training and case management systems. Also, all new increased and additional gifts made in the in-pew envelopes or donated online at www.CatholicCommunity.org/challenge will be matched dollar for dollar up to $100,000. Donations this weekend may also be designated to any of three regional sites that are most in need of support.
 

     Please consider a generous gift that will transform the lives of the 400,000 who are served each year in Northeast Ohio. Please pray for the success of the appeal, which provides for essential programs and services in need throughout all eight counties of the Diocese of Cleveland.
 

     On behalf of the poor and needy of Northeast Ohio, thank you! I invite you to view stories of inspiration and more information at
www.catholiccommunity.org/2017Appeal

God Bless!   Fr. Joe Bacevice

FLOWER SALE
 

Those who ordered flowers and vegetables from the Altar Society Plant Sale are reminded to pick up their orders next Saturday, May 20^th, from 2-5 pm and after the 5:30 Mass and on Sunday, May 21^st, after all Masses.

     The Altar Society is also looking for volunteers to help unload, sort and distribute the orders on Saturday morning, May 20^th beginning at 9:45am. Stay the entire time or just for an hour or two. Please sign up at the main entrance to the Church. If you forgot to order plants, there will be some extras available for sale during the pick-up times. We thank everyone for their support.

CHURCHYARD CLEAN UP

Now that spring is finally here, we are having our Annual Yard Cleanup on Saturday, May 27^th, beginning at 9:00am. If you can lend a hand, please sign up at the main entrance to the Church. If you have gardening tools, please bring them.

MEMORIAL DAY
 

Monday, May 29^th is Memorial Day. Again this year, our Catholic War Veterans Post 613 will have their annual Memorial Day commemoration here at St. Casimir’s, beginning at 8:30am with a service at the Freedom Memorial in the Neff Road parking lot, followed by Mass at 8:45am. The commemoration will conclude with breakfast in our lower hall. All are invited to participate and the breakfast is free for everyone courtesy of our Catholic War Veterans.