|
Last week as we celebrated the events of Holy
Week and Easter, it was an especially good feeling for me as the
previous year, 2020, we were closed and I did everything in private.
Our total weekend attendance was the best we’ve had in over one year,
and though many of the trappings of Easter were missing – the singing,
the processions, and the use of incense and holy water were omitted, it
was still a joyous occasion. We keep hearing hopeful news from health
authorities and are still cautioned to be safe and follow the necessary
protocols. This is the only way that we will be able to conquer this
pandemic and fully re-open. As more and more of you receive your
vaccine, and feel safe to return to Mass in church, we’ll be here to
welcome you. Until that time, we will continue to record weekly Masses.
I recently asked every family in the parish to try to make a
$200 one-time donation to help us catch up with our missed offertory
offerings because of the pandemic. Last week, we received $2,250.00
toward a goal of $9,600. I want to thank those who made a donation for
this, realizing that there are many in the parish that are unable to
make a large donation but still gave from their heart. I also am
grateful to those who donated more than $200. Your generosity is very
much appreciated.
God bless!
Fr. Joe Bacevice |
CONFIRMATION CLASSES
Classes are going to
begin to prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation. To receive this sacrament,
the student should be in the eighth grade (or 13 years old). To register,
contact Jackie at 216-509-0401.
BIRTHRIGHT
Birthright will be
hosting a training program for new volunteers at their Eastside office in
April. Volunteer duties include answering the telephones, sorting baby clothes,
making up layettes and helping pregnant women find community resources. If you
feel that God is calling you to help women, please call Toni for more
information at 216-486-2800.
FAMILY PERSPECTIVE
On this Second Sunday
of Easter, the responsorial psalm repeats three times “His mercy endures
forever.” In the gospel reading Jesus embodies the mercy of God, drawing near
to those who had abandoned him in his greatest suffering, with the words, “peace
be with you.” How do you exhibit peace in your family? God’s eternal mercy
also calls us to joy. How do you express this joy in your family life? |
SURVEY
All are asked and invited to
take the Disciple Maker Survey of parish life as part of a diocesan-wide project
to improve parish life. The results of this survey will help our Parish Council
make concrete plans for programs to improve the spiritual life of our parish.
The survey takes only a few minutes to complete and is accessed online. You can
go to:
https://www.catholicleaders.org/cleve-landdmi
and select our
parish, St. Casimir, or go to:
https://portal.catho-licleaders.org/dmi/survey/k323a23ky0
to access our parish survey.
To
give everyone more time to participate, the last day to complete this survey
will be April 18, 2021.
DIVINE MERCY
Divine Mercy Sunday is
celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter when, in the light of Christ’s
resurrection, we are reminded of His great mercy for us and our call to be
merciful to one another. On this Sunday we are reminded to ask God for His
mercy, be merciful to others, and strive to completely trust in His Son, who is
Divine Mercy Incarnate. The message of mercy is that God loves us – all of us,
no matter how great our sins. He wants us to recognize that His mercy is
greater than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with trust, we receive his
mercy, and let it flow through us to others. It is a message we can call to
mind simply by remembering A–B–C.
A – Always
for His Mercy.
God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly, asking forgiveness for our
sins and asking him to pour out His mercy upon us and the whole world.
B – Be
Merciful to Others.
God wants us to receive His mercy and then extend His love and forgiveness to
other, just as He does.
C – Completely
Trust in Jesus.
The graces of God’s mercy are dependent on our trust in Him. The more we trust
in Jesus, the more we will receive. Pray for mercy and extend mercy to others.
Begin each day saying: “Jesus, I trust You!”
Pray the Divine Mercy chaplet.
CATHOLIC CEMETERIES
The next Catholic
Cemeteries Grief Support group will meet on Sunday, April 18TH, at
3:00 pm in the cemetery offices at All Souls (Chardon), Calvary (Cleveland),
Holy Cross (Brookpark) and All Saints (Northfield). A virtual meeting will be
held at 5:00 pm. Meetings are open discussion format surrounding a monthly
topic. They do not build off each other so you can stop in any month and fit
right in. If you are not able to talk about your grief, come and listen and be
in the presence of those who understand. The April topics are Mothers’ Day
Grief and Renewed Hope in the Midst of Grief. An RSVP is required
and attendees are required to wear a mask. To register, contact Rhonda Abrams
at 216-930-4866. |
Lietuvi