Encouraging the Culture of Encounter with Jesus Christ, His Church, and All People

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Christ the Lord lives! Indeed He is Risen!!!

St. Paul’s Parishioner Begins Internship
Congratulations to Hanna Lidderdale, a lifelong parishioner, who will intern at our parish for the summer to help with her requirements to graduate from University of Akron.  You have seen Hanna around.  She graduated from our school and has been a diligent and faithful server at the altar in the past.  More recently she has been part of our live-stream team and also has served on pastoral council.  She starts this week with duties to help grow our “digital presence” and utilize media to help our parish evangelize more effectively. 

May Crowning on Mother’s Day Weekend
Immediately following the 4:30 Mass on May 8 we will celebrate the crowning of our Mary statue in the Church.  Tessa Zellefrow, who recently received her first Holy Communion will bring forward the crown.  Also at all the Masses will be a blessing for Mothers on their special day. 

Adult Faith Formation Topic for May 8
Speaking of first Holy Communion, we will discuss the third sacrament of initiation, the Holy Eucharist.  The session will begin following the Vigil Mass on May 8. It will be Livestreamed on our YouTube channel as well. 

Rogation Procession and Ascension Thursday
Looking ahead there is a traditional practice, which we did last year for the first time, of having a Rogation procession.  We walked around the campus asking God to hear our prayers asking Him for protection from wars, famines, and plagues! (it seemed very appropriate last year especially).  We will do this again on Tuesday May 11 at 6pm. The procession will lead back into the church and directly into an Extra. Form High Mass.

In the Ordinary Form of the Mass, the Feast of the Ascension is transferred to the following Sunday.  But in the Extra. Form it retains its traditional place at forty days after Easter.  So, on Thursday May 13, we will have an Extra. Form High Mass at 6pm to honor the fortieth day of the Easter Season. 

More Singing at Mass and Pew Missals Returning Soon
As you have noticed, we have been singing more parts of the Mass since Easter (except at the 8am which is not normally chanted).  The diocesan guidelines have relaxed on this issue. In the upcoming weeks we will return to our pre-covid practices of chanting all the Mass parts and we will even be adding a bit more. 

I know many people have missed the pew missals to help follow the readings.  Again, things are relaxing a bit. The new missals should be here in the next couple weeks. We will hand them out as people walk in, and they need to be returned.  Ushers will sanitize them to be used at the following Mass.

Happy Easter! Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Pfr