Preparing for a Meaningful Lent
The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is offering a Lenten Resource Page beginning February 15 to help make the season more meaningful. Included will be a daily reflection from Bishop Edward Malesic, videos, prayers and other resources. Click here for a special Lenten message from the bishop to the faithful of the diocese in which he discusses Lent as a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
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Called for More: The Disciple Maker Index
A new interactive way of assessing the spiritual health of parish life will be rolled out across the Diocese this Lent. Developed by the Pennsylvania-based Catholic Leadership Institute, the Disciple Maker Index (DMI) is a survey tool created to:
- Allow parishioners to reflect upon their spiritual growth and discipleship;
- Identify the ways in which the parish effectively supports that growth and look at opportunities to support that growth more in the future;
- Provide valuable input to help pastors and parish leaders make decisions and plan effectively;
- Help pastors and parish leaders have a sense of where to focus their evangelization efforts.
The survey can be completed online, on your phone or, if required, via hard copy too. Each parish will receive a personalized link to the survey to share with parishioners. Individuals can also go to catholicleaders.org/clevelanddmi and select their parish. The survey will be available for all parishioners across the Diocese to participate in from February 20–March 22.
We ask you to stress the importance of responding to this survey to the members of your parish community. If parishioners ask you about the survey, please:
- Remind them about the dates the survey will be live: February 20–March 22.
- Encourage them to respond as soon they can. We want to hear from as many people as possible.
- Assure them that the parish leadership will receive a summary report of the aggregate data and that no one at our parish will have access to individual survey responses.
Thank you for your help with this! For more information, visit our website.
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Listening, Encouraging and Assisting Families of the Incarcerated
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LEAF groups are meeting!
Do you or someone you know have a loved one who is incarcerated? LEAF Ministry offers support, comfort and fellowship as we bring together families and friends of the incarcerated. Confidential meetings are taking place both virtually and in-person. If you would like to learn more, or to find the meeting that best suits your needs, email or call us at 216-696-6525, ext. 3500.
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African American Ministry
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Evangelization Grants
The Black and Indian Mission Office awards grants to support the evangelization of African American, Native American and Alaska Native communities. Any parish interested in submitting a grant proposal for an evangelization project, please call the Parish Life Office at 216-696-6525, ext. 3500 for an application and criteria. Applications are due to Cary Dabney no later than April 19, 2021. Please email Cary for more information or call 216-696-6525, ext. 3020.
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In collaboration with the Office for Marriage and Family Ministry, a series of workshops will be offered this spring focused on Pastoral Care of the Family. Lay ministers and parish staff members are invited to participate. Online sessions held on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm will focus on the following topics:
- March 13: The Sacrament of Marriage and Marriage Preparation
- April 24: The Domestic Church and Joy of Family Life
- May 15: Accompanying Families in Difficult Times
Registration information will be available soon on our website. Contact our office by email if you have any questions.
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First Friday Club
March 4, Noon-1pm
Join our own Miguel Chavez, Director of Missionary Discipleship, at the March Meeting of the First Friday Club of Cleveland for a presentation on The Captivating and Curious Posture of JOY: How We are Called to Live as Missionary Disciples. In this presentation, filled with short stories, we will discern the importance of a posture of joy in evangelization and re-imagine what it means to be Church as we dream about the future. Free and open to all.
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The Young Adult Ministry Office is constructing regional young adult ministry collaborative groups throughout the diocese. Each collaborative group will consist of 4 parishes working together. One parish will serve as lead with the others significantly contributing to the collaborative each month. To learn more, please email Mike Hayes, Director of Young Adult Ministry.
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Protecting children starts at our parishes, and keeping your location’s VIRTUS database current makes it more beneficial. Take this time of year to review your location’s VIRTUS database. Remember to check your database for expired background checks (5+ years). Ask those whose background checks have expired to log into their VIRTUS accounts and complete a background check through Selection.com.
We are here to help!
- We will remove inactive accounts from the database for you.
- We will train a local administrator to maintain your VIRTUS database.
Contact us
- Sharon Minson, Esq., 216-696-6525 ext. 1157, or by email.
- Debbie Morris, 216-696-6525 ext. 1158, or by email.
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Child Abuse Awareness Month
April is Child Abuse Awareness month. A USCCB video, available here, has helpful tips for what a family can do to protect their children as well as a reminder of the Catholic Church’s commitment to help. Please share the website and bulletin insert.
Globally, the last Sunday of April is recognized as Blue Sunday, a day of prayer for abused children. Ten million people participated in prayer on this day last year. Please encourage our families and parishioners to join their hearts with others on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Click here to read more and to access printable and electronic resources that you can share to increase awareness.
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Raid Response
Following the migrant raids in our area in 2018, the diocesan Welcoming the Stranger Committee discussed the fact that we needed to be better prepared to respond. A Rapid Response Subcommittee was formed and tasked with expanding our reach through collaboration with existing groups, developing a plan of response and providing training for volunteers.
More dedicated volunteers are needed! Most of the volunteer positions are only needed in the event of an ICE enforcement action in your area. We are preparing and training for something that we hope will never happen! The next training session is planned for May. If you are interested in volunteering, please email volunteerneorrn@gmail.com.
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Year of the Family
On March 19, 2021, Pope Francis will inaugurate “Amoris Laetitia Family,” a year to bear witness to the joy and beauty of family love. The year will conclude on June 26, 2022. The Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life explained, “The pandemic experience has highlighted the central role of the family as the domestic Church, and has shown the importance of community ties between families. Through the spiritual, pastoral, and cultural initiatives... Pope Francis intends to address all ecclesial communities throughout the world, exhorting each person to be a witness of family love.” Find resources and read more here.
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Interested in learning more about Lay Ecclesial Ministry?
If you seek to deepen your relationship with Christ, have a desire to know more about our Catholic teachings and traditions, and desire to work for, with, and in the name of the Church you may be called to lay ecclesial ministry. For more information about becoming a certified Lay Ecclesial Minister, contact Pattie Batchman at 440-943-7669 or by email - or refer a friend!
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