Jul 05, 2023

Greetings,

If you are among those who are thinking, “Any minute now, I am going to start enjoying the summer,” realize that we are more than half way through our summer offerings. We have been burning quickly through our summer camps, concerts and other celebrations. Here are a couple of things coming up about which you may want to be aware:

On Sunday, July 16 there will be an outdoor concert featuring Matthew Ball, the Boogie Woogie Boy who was wildly popular the last time he was here. He will will be performing at 4pm in the courtyard (in Zwisler Hall if it threatens rain.) This concert is free and open to the public.

The next day, Monday, July 17, Fr. Patrick Shultz, a sought after local speaker will take over the microphone at Theology on the Rocks. He will be speaking on Approaching the Transgender Issue with Truth and Charity at Our Lady of the Cedars, 507 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road in Fairlawn. Doors open at 7pm and admission is $15.

Junior High Summer Camp is right around the corner. Seventh and Eighth graders are invited to serve others and spend time with one another before the new school year begins. There will be service projects mixed with fun activities throughout the week. Registration and Permission Forms can be found on our website or you may pick up physical copies in the church and rectory. Please return the forms by Friday, July 14.

There will be special music at Mass on Saturday, July 15. Gospel Disciples in Song, under the direction of Scott Giles and Charles Wilson, Moderator will be providing the music at the 4:30pm Mass. Come early to hear some great gospel music.

IN OTHER NEWS:

FR. VALENCHECK AWAY: I will be away from the parish for most of this week for continuing education. I and a number of priests from the Diocese of Cleveland will be going to West Virginia to be with and learn from Drs. Scott Hahn, John Bergsma and more for four days of engaging talks, fellowship with brother priests, and spiritual renewal. Fr. Bozek and Joan of b’Arc will be holding down the fort.

SEMINARIAN SIGHTING: At Monday morning Mass there was an additional seminarian in the sanctuary. I don’t typically write about random visitors, but this gentleman, Mr. Matthew Wasinski, is spending the summer with Fr. Anthony Simone, former parochial vicar here, now at St. Jerome Parish! It’s nice to hear he’s is picking up the practice of hospitality for seminarians. Father Simone told Matthew the first night he was there, “We use cloth napkins here because of St. Sebastian.” By all accounts it is a fun summer at the rectory of St. Jerome.

CAN YOU HEAR THE RINGING IN MY EARS? So, I finally gave in and got hearing aids. I haven’t quite figured them out yet. Occasionally I forget to disconnect them from my phone and a very loud notification comes through and scares the bejeebers out of me. Other times I hear songs or podcasts that I don’t realize nobody can hear (and visa versa) thanks to Bluetooth technology. The world is just so loud now. I don’t know how you people put up with it. Hopefully it will all work out for the better soon and I can stop saying, “What?”

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck