I recently received a letter from Bishop Malesic regarding this year’s Catholic Charities Appeal congratulating our parish for reaching our goal again this year. This is something we have consistently done over the past several years. Below you will find a portion of the letter from Bishop Malesic.
It is with tremendous gratitude that I thank you and the parishioners of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish for reaching your 2024 Catholic Charities Appeal goal. Your strong leadership and the generosity of those who have supported our “Transformed by your Love” campaign, provides Catholic Charities with resources to help our brothers and sisters in need throughout our diocese. The gifts that have been shared are already at work, helping to transform lives throughout Northeast Ohio. Catholic Charities has been at work throughout the eight counties of the diocese for over 110 years, helping all people in need, regardless of their faith, race, or creed. While we have much to be grateful for, some of our neighbors continue to struggle with homelessness, childcare needs, mental and physical illness, and addiction. I appreciate your dedication and work to ensure that all of God’s children can access programs and services to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy. Thank you to all who so generously donated to the Catholic Charities this year. Your continued generosity and concern for the poor helps so many of our brothers and sister in Christ right here in our own diocese. May God bless you for your sacrifice. God bless all the good work of Catholic Charities here in our local Church.
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS. The Feast of the Sacred Heart this year is on Friday, June 7. Since the Feast of the Scared occurs on a Friday we are permitted to move the celebration to the weekend because it is our patronal feast. So, we will celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the weekend of June 8 and 9 at all the Masses. Following the 5 PM Mass on Sunday, June 9 we will hold our parish picnic. The Family Life Commission and the Parish Council will be working to plan the event, but more help and ideas would be most welcome. So, if you would like to help plan this parish gathering, please call the parish office as soon as you can. In the meantime, we can all pray for good weather, or we will have to have our “picnic” downstairs in McMahon Hall.
This year our celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus will coincide with Fr. Pat’s final weekend here since his four-year assignment will be complete. So, we will celebrate a day of thanksgiving for all that Fr. Pat has done for our parish over the past four years. He has done so many wonderful things here, his work with our youth, our school and PSR along with his teaching in the Becoming Catholic series preparing those who desired to enter the Catholic Church in addition to all the regular day to day ministry of a parish priest. He has been a great asset to our faith community helping all of to grow in Grace and Service. His new assignment will be as Parochial Vicar of St. Clement Parish. St. James Parish, and St. Luke Parish in Lakewood effective June 11, 2024. So, Fr. Pat will be serving in three parishes, all in Lakewood. It will be a different and challenging assignment for him so he will need our prayers. May God bless him and continue to guide him in his priestly ministry.
This brings us to the last piece of the puzzle which is who will come to Sacred Heart Parish? Bishop Malesic has appointed Fr. Joseph P. Robinson to be our new Parochial Vicar here at Sacred Heart Parish. Fr. Robinson comes to us from St. Columbkille Parish in Parma. He was ordained four years ago, and he is very excited to be coming to Sacred Heart Parish. We welcome him and promise him our prayers and support while he is with us. Please pray for all our priests and deacons and those preparing for priesthood and diaconate.
In a few days we will begin the month of May which is dedicated to our Blessed Mother and our devotion to her. It is a time for us to make more of an effort to pray the Rosary and meditate on the mysteries which are events in lives of Jesus and Mary. The Rosary is a beautiful Gospel prayer. Many of the words of the prayers are from the Gospel itself and the mysteries take us through the Gospel beginning with the Annunciation and the Incarnation; God becoming a human being.
Please note the Rosary is prayed here at Sacred Heart in the Chapel of Divine Mercy Monday thru Friday at 7:30 AM. Please mark your calendar for the Living Rosary conducted by the Altar and Rosary Society on Wednesday, May 8 at 7 PM in the church.
Our school children pray the Rosary every Wednesday during the month of May followed by Benediction with the Blessed Sacrament. Please check the bulletin for times each week. The school will have May Crowning on Wednesday, May 15 at 1:30 PM. All are welcome.
