Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Kosciol Niepokalanego Serca Najswietszej Maryi Panny
Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Memorandum
Office of the Bishop
FROM: Bishop Edward C. Malesic
DATE: 25 February 2022
RE: Update from Bishop Malesic on keeping people safe against the COVID-19 VIRUS
Data indicates that the rates of infection of the COVID-19 virus are rapidly dropping in our area and will continue to drop. As a result, local health care systems are lessening operational restrictions. Consequently, after consultation with local medical experts and a review of the latest information from public health officials, I offer these revised guidelines.
1. Signs may be removed from the church regarding the request to wear masks
2. The mandate requiring masks to be worn during the distribution of Holy Communion is lifted.
3. Distribution of the Precious Blood to the congregation remains prohibited until further notice.
4. Concelebrants should use the intinction method or individual chalices should be provided.
While there is no mask mandate or recommendation now in place in our parishes, if you are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or if you have serious health issues, please follow your doctor's advice regrading wearing a mask and other ways to help protect yourself and others.
Those parishioners who are ill, have significant health risk factors or care for someone who is immune-compromised or ill, as well as those who have significant fear or anxiety about contracting the coronavirus in a large group of persons are not obliged to attend Mass.
Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady Help of the Sick, may God bless us and keep us free from all illness.
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A Prayer for Ukraine:
"Loving God, We pray for the people of Ukraine,
for all those suffering or afraid, that You will be close to them and protect them.
We pray for world leaders, for compassion, strength and wisdom to guide their choices.
We pray for the world that in this moment of crisis, we may reach out in solidarity to
our brothers and sisters in need.
May we walk in Your ways so that peace and justice become a reality for the people
of Ukraine and for all the world. Amen."
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MASS SCHEDULE
(8:00 AM DAILY MASS IS IN THE CONVENT CHAPEL MONDAY THRU SATURDAY. DOORS OPEN AT 7:30 AM)
SATURDAY May21
8:00 am + Darryl Faron
4:00 pm + Don Neiman
SUNDAY May 22
8:00 am + Eddie Florek (Anniversary of Death)
10:00 am 40th Wedding Anniversary of Christopher & Bozena
12:00 pm + Rosalie Theresa Zupancic
MONDAY May23
8:00 am + Stanislaw Blazejewski (Anniversary of Death)
TUESDAY May 24
8:00 am + Gene, Bertha & Dan Leonhardt
WEDNESDAY May 25
8:00 am David Cummings (Birthday Blessings)
THURSDAY May 26
8:00 am + Chester, Hilda & Kenneth Zmija
FRIDAY May 27
8:00 am + Genevieve Pampanini
6:00 pm + Monika Polecka & Amelia Suhak
SATURDAY May 28
8:00 am For Our Parish Family
4:00 pm + Donny Neiman
SUNDAY May29
8:00 am + Edward, Helen & Mike Romanowski
10:00 am + Wanda Jankowska
12:00 pm + Bronislaw Gajdek (Anniversary of Death)
(+) Deceased
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Time to Prepare for IHM'S Silent Carnival - It will take place during July 16 - August 21, 2022. The cost will remain the same at $50.00. More information will be forthcoming.
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Donations to IHM have been received in memory of Lawrence Mahnke and are gratefully acknowledged from Lawrence V and Daniel Mahnke, Pamela Grycan, Edward and Carol Turk, Thomas Petropoulos, Louise Whitlow and an anonymous donor.
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Easter Collection Information for 2022 and recent past years. Thank you to all who made this 2022 Easter collection possible. Your donations help keep God's work vibrantly alive for the Church, our parish and community. COVID-19 has certainly diminished, but it still affects us in daily life. You did not let this stop you in your contributions to IHM parish. You are in my daily prayers. Father Ralph Hudak.
2022 - $18,563.00 2018 - $16,760.45 2014 - $13,277.00
2021 - $17,714.00 2017 - $16.959.00 2013 - $14,179.00
2020 - $11, 894.00 2016 - $15,854.00 2012 - $14,176.00
2019 - $16,427.00 2015 - $12,395.00 2011 - $13,057.00
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Malley's Chocolate Bar Fundraiser for IHM was Successful Again! The money collected from the Lent 2022 sale in preparation for Easter was $640.00. This is, in addition to the money collected during the Advent 2021 sale, which was $599.00. Thank you to all who supported this activity for our parish. We will probably do it again. The Parish Pastoral Council.
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"The Ascension of the Lord" was transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter in 2000 - There still seems to be some lingering confusion about this change, because it was formally titled "Ascension Thursday". The six dioceses (Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cleveland. Columbus. Steubenville, Toledo and Youngstown) in the Province of the State of Ohio celebrate the Ascension of the Lord on Sunday NOT on Thursday. The Provinces in the United States that still celebrate it on Thursday are Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha and Philadelphia. The missalette that we use in church has available the two options for when you can celebrate the Ascension on either Thursday or Sunday. The yearly calendar your receive through the parish gives an explanation about the two days on which the Ascension can be celebrated in certain dioceses. It is found on the lower right corner of the page for the month of May. I hope this information helps to clarify, rather than add to the confusion about when we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord Sunday, May 29th, 2022.
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Catholic Cemeteries Maintenance Update - The CCA is currently experiencing a 25% labor shortage and staffing reduction. The labor shortage and overall pandemic related staff reduction has had a direct impact on our trimming and maintenance services resulting in some of our gravesites being less than optimally maintained. We want you to know that we are very much aware of the situation and are working diligently to address the issue. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to rectify the situation.
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New Auxiliary Bishop for the Diocese of Cleveland - Father Michael Woost, a native of Cleveland, has been appointed by Pope Francis to be an auxiliary bishop for our diocese. His Episcopal ordination will take place on Thursday, August 4th. Please keep him in your prayers.
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Holy Cross Cemetery: Pre-planning seminar - The Catholic Cemetery Association invites you to attend a 1 hour pre-planning seminar on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. Please join us to learn more about your Catholic burial options, including options for cremated remains. Attendees will receive a personal reference guide and savings certificate. Please know the CCA follows the current CDC guidance regarding COVID-19 protocols. We kindly ask that you RSVP to this event to Holy Cross Cemetery, 14609 Brookpark Road, Brookpark, call 216-641-7575 ext. 3 or email Bob DeJohn at (bdejohn@clecem.org)
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Memorial Day Masses - are scheduled at many of the Catholic cemeteries in the Diocese of Cleveland. A list is posted on our church bulletin board for you to see. Saint Mary Cemetery, 4702 East 71th in Cuyahoga Heights. will have a Mass at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 30th, celebrated by Father Ralph Hudak. There will also be a 8:00 a.m. Mass (new time) celebrated on the same day by Father Andrzej Panek. Hopefully, you will be able to attend one of these two Masses, in order to, pray for our U.S. fallen veterans, and for former and active military personnel.
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Pentecost Sunday is June 5th - on this day we celebrate how God the Holy Spirit was given as a gift to the disciples
to strengthen them to go forth in the name of the Lord. We have been baptized into the same Spirit, and many confirmed in the same Spirit. You might consider giving witness to this joyful belief by wearing the liturgical color of the day which is RED as a piece of your clothing when you come to church for Mass on Pentecost Sunday. The red color symbolizes the tongues of fire, which came upon the apostles on Pentecost, and hopefully our own "burning desire" to give witness to our faith in the world today with all its many challenges and temptations.
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Devotions in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the month of May: 1. The Rosary will be prayed 20 minutes before our 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. weekend Masses. 2. Father Andrzej Panek will celebrate a 6:00 p.m. Polish Mass followed by a Marian devotion on the Fridays of May. 3. During the Easter season a traditional prayer to says is the "Regina Caeli, the Queen of Heaven"; "Queen of Heaven , rejoice Alleluia. The Son whom you merited to bear, Alleluia! Has risen as he said, Alleluia rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia! For the Lord has truly risen, Alleluia." 4. Pray the rosary for your own personal spiritual life, daily if possible.
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District Pre-Baptism Class - for parents will be held at St. Stanislaus Church, 3649 East 65th on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at 7:00 pm. Call the parish office during regular business hours to register or for more information (216-341-9091).
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There is NO district Pre-baptism class in the month of May - The parishes that share this responsibility in our district are Holy Name. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, St. John Nepomucene and St. Stanislaus. These parishes have been conducting this class for well over 25 years in this manner. We have the class monthly except for May and December.
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2022 Catholic Charities Annual Appeal - Thank you to all who participated in the Catholic Charities Appeal
here at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish! If you have not had a chance to make a gift, please visit CatholicCommunity.org/donate, mail your donation to the Catholic Community Foundation at 1404 E. 9th Street, Cleveland OH 44114 or text CCHOPE to 41444. May God continue to bless you and your loved ones.
Father Ralph Hudak.
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Immaculate Heart of Mary's Polish Parish School of Religion (PPSR) meets on Sundays at 11:00 - Noon in the convent for grades K-8. It began September 12th. For more information or to register contact Fr. Andrzej Panek at 216-341-2734, Beata Pierzynski at 216-355-7424 or come to the convent on Sunday.
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The Mass Intentions for 2022 - To schedule in person, please come to the rectory WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY or FRIDAY, 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. At this time, only two weekend Masses will be permitted per every five intentions scheduled. To accommodate those with a work-schedule conflict, homebound, traveling a long distance, or due to the coronavirus, WE WILL ACCEPT REQUESTS IN WRITING. These may be mailed to the rectory (6700 Lansing Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44105) or put into the slot on the rectory office door (do not put it into the mailbox). You may also place it in the Sunday collection basket. Please mark the envelope, "Mass Intentions" and include in it your name, phone number, the name for whom the Mass is intended, Mass date, Mass time and stipend. The stipend for a Mass intention is the diocesan recommended $10. Please make checks out to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. If you have a special anniversary to celebrate DO NOT WAIT until the last minute to schedule it. Thank you.
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Open Mass Dates in the Upcoming Months: September 3 , 7 ,8, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 28, 30. October 1, 5, 6. 13, 23 (12p) & 29. These Masses are all at 8:00 a.m. (except where noted)
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Weekly Donations:
05/01/22 - $2,377.50 (R&R) - $ 157.00
05/08/22 - $2,887.00 (R&R) - $1,206.00
05/15/22 - $2,372.50 (R&R) - $2,110.00
"THANK YOU" to all who have donated to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in these very difficult times.
You remain in my prayers. Fr. Ralph Hudak
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Pre-Cana Day is offered for engaged couples at the Jesuit Retreat Center, 5629 State Road in Parma on Sundays: June 12, August 28, September 18, October 16 and November 20 from 12:45-7:30 p.m. Cost is $75/couple, including Mass and dinner. This program meets diocesan marriage preparation requirements. To register or for more information call 440-884-9300 or visit jesuitretreatcenter.org.
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Information for Senior Age People - If you have an IRA retirement account and you are 70-1/2 years old or older, please consider an IRA Charitable Rollover to benefit your Parish, Catholic Charities, Priestly Formation, Catholic Education or another ministry in the Diocese of Cleveland and/or a "Not for Profit" organization in the community. For more information read some of the material place on the church bulletin board and in the two pamphlet racks near the confessionals.
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Are you in the process of moving? - In order to serve you the best way possible, we need your current information.
Any changes in your family information should be updated with the Parish Office. Thank you!
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Catholic Cemeteries Association Sunday, May 15 Grief Support / "In-Office" and "Virtual" - We continue to provide free monthly grief support groups in two formats: In-Office (3 p.m.) and Virtually (5 p.m.). Our Grief Support Groups meet the 3rd Sunday of every month. Meetings are open discussion format, surrounding a monthly topic or whatever is on your heart. They do not build off each other so you can stop in any monthly and fit right in. If you are not yet able to talk about your grief, just come to listen and be in the presence of those who understand.
The May topic is "Father's Day and Grief." We offer a comfortable, private, and safe environment where you are free to explore your grief. Come and be in the presence of those who understand.
Catholic Cemeteries Association follows the guidelines set by the CDC, the State of Ohio and the Diocese of Cleveland regarding COVID-19 protocols. We do however strongly suggest that those not yet vaccinated or who are otherwise vulnerable, continue to wear a facemask. CCA will continue to follow strong hygiene practices and encourage all who are ill to stay at home. Our Virtual Grief Support Group and our monthly grief support e-newsletter are excellent alternatives for individuals who are not able to join us in person for Grief Support.
In-Office / 3-4 pm at St. Joseph Cemetery, Avon (new office); Holy Cross Cemetery, Akron (office); Holy Cross Cemetery, Brook Park (office); Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland (office); All Saints Cemetery, Northfield (office) and All Souls Cemetery, Chardon (office).
Virtual / 5-6 p.m. Via Zoom follows the same monthly topic discussion as the in-office groups. Sign-up at http://bit.ly/ccavirtualgriefsupportgroup to receive login information and the handout materials. You can join virtually from any Wi-Fi enabled area via computer, laptop, smartphone, or even without Wi-fi (via audio only ) from your analog phone. If you do not have Wi-Fi or email, please contact Rhonda at 216-930-4866.
Your RSVP for both In-Person and Virtual Grief Support is appreciated but not required to attend. For more information or if you have questions, please contact Rhonda at 216-930-4866 or rabrams@clecem.org.
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"A Closer Walk with Thee" (CCA Monthly Grief Support E-Newsletter) - Subscribe to the Catholic Cemeteries Association's monthly grief support e-newsletter, "A Closer Walk with Thee"." This e-newsletter is emailed the first Tuesday of each month to any family/individual who has expressed an interest in our bereavement programs. To subscribe to this valued grief support resource, visit https://www.clecem.org/Information/Bereavement.aspx and click the tan signup box on the right side, contact Rhonda rabrams@clecem.org or at 216-930-4866. You can also click this link and go directly to the signup https:.//bit.ly/ccabereavementbulletin.
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Protecting God's Children - The Diocese of Cleveland's "Protecting God's Children" program is a continuing effort to instruct and inform everyone about the protection of children from sexual abuse. To report any past or present suspected inappropriate behavior toward children by priests, deacons, religious, lay ecclesial ministers or personnel associated with the Church, please contact the Diocesan response Service Office at 216-334-2999 or via email at responseservices@dioceseofcleveland.org. You are also asked to immediately inform local authorities about inappropriate behavior.
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Practicing Spiritual Communion - When the faithful are unable physically to attend Mass, they should be recommended
to practice "spiritual communion", an act to which the saints have given a consistent witness. Spiritual communion is a traditional practice of expressing to the Lord our longing for him and our desire for him to enter our hearts. St. Theresa
of Avila (1515-82) said: "When you do not receive Communion and you do not attend Mass, you can make a spiritual communion, which is a most beneficial practice; by it the love of God will be greatly impressed on you." While there is no formula prescribed by the Church to make an act of spiritual communion, prayers composed by various saints are part of the Church's rich treasury of devotions. One of the more popular acts of spiritual communion comes from St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787):
"My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament.
I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen."
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The Sunday television Mass can be seen at 10:00 a.m. on WUAB Channel 43. This provides viewers with an opportunity to take part in the weekly celebration of the Mass at a much more convenient time. In addition, WUAB 43 is an over-the-air station that is accessible even to those without cable TV. Those with cable TV need only to check their local cable system listing to determine where WUAB is located on their local channel line-up.
The weekly TV Mass is produced by the Diocese of Cleveland it originates from the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland. The televised Mass has been a staple of religious programming on Northeast Ohio airwaves for decades, cultivating a dedicated and faithful following. It is hoped that viewers will continue to tune in on this new station at this new, more convenient time.
The TV Mass can also be accessed on demand starting Saturday evening and running throughout Sunday on the Diocese of Cleveland website, www.dioceseofcleveland.org. In addition, the Mass can be heard on the radio, on AM 1260 The Rock at 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and 10:30 a.m. on Sundays.
Also, radio station WINT-1330 AM airs the Mass each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. and Cox Communications cable subscribers can view the Mass on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on channel 45, and cable station 18 EWTN has its own Sunday and weekday (8:00 a.m., Noon & 7:00 p.m.) schedule of Masses.
In addition to the Holy Mass, AM 1260 The Rock offers numerous opportunities for prayer throughout the day. The
Holy Rosary at 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. and the Divine Mercy Chaplet: 5:00 a.m. Monday through Friday; 3:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Please visit am1260therock.com for their full schedule.
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The Mass is the greatest of of prayers. Some reasons for Mass intentions are an expression of our faith, belief in life after death, belief in the power of prayer to help the deceased during their time of purification (souls in purgatory), for a particular person or persons who have died, for an anniversary of death, wedding anniversary, for health, alcohol-drug addiction, financial help, peace in the world, for our government, a happy death, respect for life, Devotion to Mary or other special intentions.
To schedule in person, please come to the rectory, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY or FRIDAY (9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.). To accommodate those with a work-schedule conflict, homebound, traveling a long distance or due to the Coronavirus, we will accept requests in writing. These may be mailed to the rectory (6700 Lansing Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44105) or put into the slot on the rectory office door (do not put it into the mailbox). You may also place it in the Sunday collection basket. Please mark the envelope, "Mass Intentions" and include in it your name, phone number, the name for whom the Mass is intended, Mass date, Mass time and stipend. The stipend for a Mass intention is the Diocesan recommended $10. Please make check out to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. If you have a special anniversary to celebrate do not wait until the last minute to schedule it. Thank you.
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Jezu, ufam Tobie
