Happy Easter!!! This weekend is Divine Mercy Sunday and what a weekend it is! We have our prayer service this Sunday afternoon. Thank you to Rick and Gina Matis and Dan and Lee Ann Jindra for the coordination of this important time of prayer!

I will be away part of Sunday morning this weekend as my classmate, Fr. Andy Gonzalez, is being installed as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Strongsville, where I also was an intern in the seminary. During the 3rd year of St. Mary’s (the graduate seminary), we spend time in a parish for the year learning some of the initial ropes of parish life. Fr. Joe Mamich (Whom I knew in high school and is now Vicar of Clergy) was the pastor at the time and Fr. Anthony Suso (Pastor of St. Columbkille and Vicar at St. Francis de Sales in Akron where I grew up) was the vicar. To say, it’s a place of a lot of faith connections for me. Please keep Fr. Andy in your prayers as he assumes this new fatherly role at St. Joseph!

Speaking of transitions, recently, Sr. Yvonne Spenoso, IHM, our good and faithful Director of Religious Education, has announced her retirement set for this summer. Sister Yvonne has been with the parish for 17 years and has helped form many minds and hearts in our school and walk with individuals into the Church through OCIA. It also happens that Sister will celebrate her 60th Anniversary as a consecrated religious this summer, so it will be a most appropriate time to celebrate her life and ministry! Stay tuned to plans on when we will have a thank you and celebration for her in the coming months.