Dear Parish Family,

   It’s with great sadness that we learned about the death of Bishop Anthony M. Pilla on Tuesday, September 21. Bishop Pilla was a faithful shepherd in our Cleveland Diocese for many years. He never ceased reminding his flock in Cleveland, “You are good people.” He had a deep spiritual wisdom that saw all people as good as God created them to be. While sin can smear that image of God’s goodness in us, it can never fully wipe it away. Bishop Pilla’s words and prayers helped me as a young man discerning priesthood to never give up and always reclaim my God-given identity. Bishop Pilla’s Funeral Mass took place at St. John the Evangelist Cathedral this past Tuesday. I would encourage you to read more about his life and ministry at https://www.dioceseofcleveland.org/about/our- bishops/bishop-pilla. Our bulletin cover for this weekend is a tribute to honor his memory and legacy. May he rest in the peace of Christ. Thank you for your prayer for him and his family.

Donut Sunday
Remember to stop down in the lower hall after Mass this Sunday for Donut Sunday. I've heard that if you are in a state of grace the calories don't count (I may need that to be fact checked though). In all honesty, Christ wants to bless us and build up our community of faith, so please come enjoy the fellowship we share!

Pet Blessing
  Fr. Spisak and I are looking forward to blessing pets this Sunday. The Pet Blessing will take place at 1:30 pm at St. Mary parish, and 2:30 pm at St. Patrick parish.

Listening Sessions
  Stay tuned for dates and more information in next week’s bulletin regarding Listening Sessions that will take place at our parish in November. These sessions will provide an opportunity for me to get to know you and learn your insights about our parish community. Your comments will help drive our parish vision as we all have a chance to share and reflect on our history, what excites us about our parish community, and our dreams for our future.

On a final note, I just want to thank you all for helping me get settled the past few months. I pray for all our families every day and am so blessed by your prayers and support. Please also pray for me as I strive to do my best for God and His Kingdom.