News

Mar 30, 2025

Greetings,

On Sunday morning last week, we received news of the passing of The Rev. Edward Burba. Fr. Burba was the pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Akron. He was
ordained in 1979 and served as parochial vicar at St. Sebastian Parish from 1980 to 1985. There are fond memories of him from our long-time parishioners who remember him
giving out soda crackers after confession and the police being called by concerned neighbors who saw a man in the bell tower. Mostly he is remembered for his kindness and gentleness. He has certainly been welcoming to Fr. Marcelli as he acclimates to Akron as well as being kind to our seminarians.

Akronites will know him as pastor of St. Mary on South Main Street in Akron before he moved to St. Anthony on North Hill where he became only the fourth pastor since its founding in 1933. Proud of his Italian ancestry, he shepherded with loving concern the parish which was founded to serve the Italian population moving there.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. Burba and the people of St. Anthony.

IN OTHER NEWS:

NEW AND REVITALIZED MINISTRIES ON THE WAY: The closing of parishes in 2020 and the subsequent regulations ravaged certain ministries from which many parishes have yet to fully recover. There are a couple of ministries which your parish is on its way to revitalizing and some new ones to add to the mix, which mostly concern the homebound.

COMMUNION: We have been slowly building up our team of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and will once again be having a more organized method of bringing Communion to the homebound. Since 2020, it has been rather haphazard, but we are in a position now to organize it better and hopefully be more effective. Please contact Laura Franceschi at llfranceschi@yahoo.com or 303-478-3457 to explore this apostolate.

CONTEMPLATIVES: For those who are homebound, you will be contacted soon to become part of our Contemplative Community. You have the opportunity to offer up powerful prayers for your community. Every month, the parish will send you prayer requests and at the end of the month report back any changes or events that may have occurred. It is hoped in this way to strengthen the ties of those who are homebound to the greater community and to help the parish know how valuable the homebound are to the vitality of the parish. If you want to get involved, please contact Michelle Villarreal at mhvillarreal92@gmail.com.

MORE TO COME: There are a couple of new ministries in this vein that are on their way, but they are still in the formation stage and at least one needs permission from the diocese for which we are waiting. When we know more, you will know more! If you would like to serve on these ministries or would need to be served by them, more information will be coming very soon. Keep an eye out.

FITNESS CLUB: The Praetorians is a new fitness club at St. Sebastian founded by Fr. Marcelli. You will meet in Byrider Hall for cardio, weights and other activities. See elsewhere in the bulletin or online for more details.

OTHER THINGS GOING ON: This weekend is the Women’s Retreat put on by Our Lady’s Hands Ministry. Also, please pray for potential seminarians. I will be at the seminary on Saturday having interviews with potential seminarians for our seminary.

God bless,
Fr. Valencheck