Today we celebrate Mother’s Day. It is a very special time for us to honor all our mothers and most of all, our Blessed Mother. Our mothers give so much of themselves to us. They care for us, they nurture us physically and spiritually, they guide us through life, they watch over and protect us, they care for us when we are sick, they comfort us when we are sick or hurt, and they rejoice with us in our accomplishments. Mothers are always there for us just as our Blessed Mother is always there for us in good times and bad.
Today, let us thank almighty God for the gift our mothers; mothers, stepmothers, godmothers, grandmothers, mothers-in-law, and those who are like mothers to us. May God truly bless them with His love and always help them to be instruments of His love in our lives. We also pray for our mothers who have died, that God may care for them and guide them safely home to the Kingdom of Heaven where they may enjoy forever the light and love of God’s life.
Truly, our mothers on earth are a source of care and comfort. When we need help in our lives, often we turn to our mothers. Sometimes we ask them to do things for us themselves and sometimes we ask them to intercede for us with our fathers or others whose help we need. We also do the same thing with our Blessed Mother. We pray that she will intercede for us with God, our Father, so that He will help us in doing some important or special task.
As I mentioned last week, Jon Woost, a member of Sacred Heart Parish, was ordained to the permanent diaconate. Today at the 10:30 Mass his brother, Bishop Michael Woost, will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving along with me, Fr. Joe Robinson, Deacon Rich, Deacon Jon and several other guest priests and deacons. Among the priests will be Fr. David Woost and Fr. Thomas Woost, brothers of Deacon Jon and priests of the Diocese of Cleveland. A very vocation rich family to say the least.
Please continue to pray for Deacon Jon as well as his wife Carrie as he begins his ministry at St. Mary – St. Bernard Parishes in Akron. We have been blessed at Sacred Heart Parish with several vocations to the priesthood and diaconate. We have few more coming up with Quinn McNeill studying for the priesthood and Michael Niese studying for the permanent diaconate. Please pray for them and all those discerning a vocation to the religious life.
Please keep in your prayers the five men who will be ordained to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ on Saturday, May 16 by Bishop Malesic. May God bless them and their families as they begin their ministry here in the Diocese of Cleveland. Among those to be ordained is Deacon Cameron Farrell, a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Doylestown.
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS. The Feast of the Sacred Heart this year is on Friday, June 12. Since the Feast of the Sacred Heart 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 13 and 14 at all the Masses. Following the 5 PM Mass on Sunday, June 18 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.
THANK YOU! I am very grate to everyone who sent birthday wishes, prayers, cards, and gifts to me for my birthday last week. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity in remembering me on my special day. May God bless you for our kindness. You are all in my prayers.
