September 2020
oncept Monthly
Newsletter
I m m a c u l a t e C o n c e p t i o n C a t h o l i c C h u rc h V I S I B L E F I G U R E S O F H O S P I TA L I T Y: THE
USHER Ministry
A
person’s stewardship journey often begins with baby steps, one “yes” building upon the next. This was certainly the case for Immaculate Conception’s head usher Mike Zahler, whose ministry involvement all started with a “yes” to a seemingly innocuous question. “The previous head usher was about to have surgery and he had noticed me at Mass,” Mike says. “I used to do Eucharistic devotion and then I would attend Mass right after. One Sunday he came up to me and asked me if I had a suit. When I answered ‘yes,’ he went on to ask me if I would fill in for him while he was away for surgery. I agreed and essentially that’s how I got started.” Already attending Mass, Mike says he felt substituting would be easy. Then, as time went on, he gradually transitioned from a temporary to a permanent usher. Now, five years later, Mike continues to serve faithfully in this liturgical
ministry, viewing it as his own particular way to live out stewardship. Though the Usher Ministry is traditionally viewed as a man’s ministry, Mike says the ministry is actually open to any registered parishioner, male or female, who is old enough to drive and make a commitment to serve. They are meant to be visible figures of hospitality for the parish, welcoming people into the church and assisting them in finding seating. The latter has become even more important in recent times, due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the social distancing safety requirements. “Nowadays, in addition to all the traditional jobs, we’re also there to remind people to use hand sanitizer and to wear a facemask,” Mike says. “We no longer do Communion the same way, but we still help with that. We also continue to hand out bulletins at the end of Mass, but with gloves so as to reduce the cross-contamination.” continued on back cover
37940 Euclid Avenue
Willoughby, OH 44094
440-942-4500
www.immaculate.net
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Building The Domestic Church
Living Stewardship in Our Family as Pandemic Continues
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s the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the question of how to strengthen our family faith and continue to live Stewardship as a Way of Life while separated from the sacraments and parish life is being put to the test. Our priests and parish leaders already have found new ways to minister to our parish family from a distance. Now, it is our own time to shine within our own homes. It is our time to seize this opportunity and continue to build our own Domestic Church. What is the domestic Church? Simply put, it is our family — the smallest body of gathered believers in Christ. The early Church fathers understood the home was fertile ground for discipleship, sanctification, and holiness. And the Domestic Church plays a key role in this as the primary place where we practice coming to intimately love others. Even before the pandemic, in recent years, our Holy Father Pope Francis placed great emphasis on the family, asking us as Catholics to explore the meaning and the theology of the Domestic Church. During his address at the World Meeting of Families during his 2015 apostolic visit to the United States, Pope Francis told us, “Love is shown by little things, by attention to small daily signs which make us feel at home. Faith grows when it is lived and shaped by love. That is why our families, our homes, are true domestic churches. They are the right place for faith to become life, and life to grow in faith.” Now, as the pandemic continues to distance us from our parish community and affects the way we live our faith and practice stewardship, it is now more important than ever to discern the unique role God has in mind for our lives, and the lives of our family members. If your family truly is committed to answering the call to live as intentional disciples of Christ, our response to this call starts in the home through stewardship. As Catholics, we often associate stewardship with sharing our time, talents and resources with our parish. We see it as volunteering and helping to build our parish community. Rarely, do we recognize the need for stewardship in our own homes. But what can you do to live out stewardship as a Domestic Church?
You can set aside time each day for personal and family prayer. If you are still unable to attend Mass, you and your family can participate in the Sunday liturgy and daily Masses in your home via livestream. Read and reflect each day on the daily Mass readings, which are available online at www.usccb.org/bible. Do some online faith formation together. Other ideas include simply being kind to each other, doing something extra for your spouse or children, avoiding criticism, or working on being more patient with a family member who sometimes can be challenging to be around. Help a family member financially during these challenging times. Pray for our family members and each of their unique needs. Spend extra time with a child and our spouse — make that a priority worked into each week. The possibilities for living stewardship within our Domestic Churches are endless. How we treat each other in our homes is as important as praying together when living out stewardship. In a nutshell, live in your home with your faith-filled family celebrating your Catholic identity! Stewardship is not just something we do within the confines of our parish walls. It is meant to be lived 24/7, to be practiced anywhere and everywhere. And it begins with our Domestic Church — our families. By focusing on new ways to share our Time, Talent and Treasure together within our own homes — both during the pandemic and after the storm passes — we can make faith the source and center of our family lives and fulfill our mission as the Domestic Church.
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A Letter From Our Pastor
“Coincidental” Stewardship
Dear Parishioners,
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he famous author G.K. Chesterton once said, “Coincidences are God’s way of staying anonymous.” Since fully embracing the stewardship way of life, coincidences have become cherished experiences for which I thank God — and rightly so! While God stays anonymous, coincidences are His way of interacting with the world He created. Importantly, as we have been continually impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and with many of our circumstances changing day to day, we can be grateful for His “coincidental” intervention. As I continue to witness the grace-filled effects of the stewardship way of life on our parish, and in my own life, it is definitely God’s hand at work in our lives of faith. If some identify a coincidence as a “surprise blessing” that lifts the spirits and draws one closer to gratefulness to God, we cannot deny that in those circumstances that God is giving us the grace to live and celebrate our faith. So, let’s celebrate the coincidences! Celebrate the coincidence that Chesterton himself converted to Catholicism late in his life, yet wrote book after book affirming and defending the Catholic faith long before his conversion. Four years after Chesterton joined the Catholic Church, he wrote a phenomenal book called The Catholic Church and Conversion. It is one of the best works on conversion to Catholicism, as well as a wonderful description of conversion to the stewardship way of life. The same experiences, or “coincidences,” apply when we find ourselves drawn into the understanding, practice and expression of discipleship, known to us as “stewardship.” Chesterton describes conversion in three steps.
“The convert takes his first step rather unwittingly when he decides he’s going to be fair to the Catholic Church,” he wrote. The convert to stewardship must also dispel the “myths of stewardship” and give it a chance. This first step of conversion then leads to a long and enjoyable second step, which is the utter fascination of learning what the Catholic Church really does teach. Chesterton says, “It is like discovering a new continent full of strange flowers and fantastic animals, which is at once wild and hospitable.” For the stewardship convert, it is recognizing that stewardship is a practical way of living the Gospel. It makes sense, and others are doing it with joy and passion. What they have, the convert also wants. Then, the convert to Catholicism suddenly realizes with a shock that he can no longer be detached and impartial about the Catholic Church. The convert to the stewardship way of life realizes this is the way he or she wants to live — and makes the commitment to do so. If this were not true of what Christ has called us to be, I would not be writing this today. If this were not true of our commitment to stewardship, you may not be reading this today. And, if this were not true of a stewardship parish such as ours, we would not be the faithful stewards we are today. Wouldn’t you also agree it is a “coincidence” to thank God for each day of our lives? Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Michael Troha
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Immaculate Conception CATHOLIC
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CHURCH
Pandemic PSR:
In the Midst of Crisis, Forming Our Children in Faith
“It all starts in the family,” she adds. “What we teach in school will not
mean anything unless it is supported in the family. If you get the domestic church going, no matter what we do or don’t do in the parish, the faith will still be there and will be passed on. If the parents are praying with the children and showing them the faith, the faith will be passed on.”
— Sister Josephine Rasoamampionon
W
hat's it like parenting in a pandemic? Suffice it to say, none of us could have imagined just months ago that we would become “homeschoolers” overnight. In many ways, it has been exhausting, as parents have learned how to juggle the devices, making sure everyone logs in for the correct Zoom class meetings, and attempting Common Core math. And in addition to trying to keep up with our children’s academic requirements, we suddenly became the sole providers of their spiritual formation, losing PSR classes and even Sunday Mass, as our communities have struggled to contain the COVID-19 virus. While things are still far more uncertain than we’d hoped they would be at this point, here at Immaculate Conception, we’ve been hard at work figuring out how to best support our families, especially those trying to help their children continue to grow in their faith. With that in mind, it is our hope to offer three faith formation options for children this year. Providing that we have enough catechists, we hope to offer inperson PSR classes, in addition to online classes, for those who prefer to avoid the group setting. Finally, parents will also have the option to use our classroom The eighth-grade students lead a Living Rosary.
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Pandemic PSR
Catechists help children prepare for the celebration of the Christmas feast.
continued from page 4
textbooks at home with their children. Classes are scheduled to begin on Monday, Sept. 14. “I will do whatever is needed to accommodate families’ needs,” says Sister Josephine Rasoamampionon, our Parish Catechetical Leader. “If they want to do it online, I’ll help with that. If they want to do it at home, I’ll help them with that. And, if they want to be here in person, hopefully we’ll have all the teachers we need.” Catechists are still needed to volunteer for the inperson classes. Sr. Josephine assures that all state and diocesan guidelines will be followed, as well as those recommended for our local school district, ensuring an environment that seeks to protect everyone’s health as much as possible. In addition to formal religious education, Sr. Josephine hopes to empower families to continue to foster the “domestic church” within their homes. She encourages families to set aside time each day to pray together, to display religious art and articles in their homes, and to emphasize the importance of trusting God, in challenging times. “To start, just do a simple prayer — the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be — and then ask around, ‘What are the needs of the family, what are you grateful for?’” Sr. Josephine says. “Start with small things — start with simple prayers, grace before meals, maybe the Act of Contrition before bedtime. “It all starts in the family,” she adds. “What we teach in school will not mean anything unless it is supported in the family. If you get the domestic church going, no matter what we do or don’t do in the parish, the faith will still be there and will be passed on. If the parents are praying with the children and showing them the faith, the faith will be passed on.”
For parents who hope to also grow in their faith so that they may better guide their children, Sr. Josephine recommends accessing the resources available through our parish subscription to FORMED.org. From Bible studies and Church history, to prayer and movies about the lives of saints, FORMED has something for everyone, of all ages. Sr. Josephine hopes that families will be empowered to live their faith, grow closer to God, and gain a deeper trust in His care and provision in the midst of suffering and uncertainty. “The Scripture quotation that comes to mind is ‘Nothing will separate us from the love of God’ — not trials or persecution, none of this will separate us from the love of God,” Sr. Josephine says. “God is with us and we need to come to Him, whether it’s in a classroom, or in church or at home. God still needs to be the center of our lives, pandemic or not. God is still with us and we need to reassure our children and families that this time should make us closer to the Lord.”
One of the Trinitarian sisters from Sr. Josephine’s religious order helps to share the faith with the children.
Immaculate Conception CATHOLIC
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CHURCH
Safely Gathering as a Parish Community This Summer for
Our Outdoor Mass
This summer — in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic — our Immaculate Conception faith family gathered to celebrate Mass outdoors, so that we could safely worship together as a community. The Mass was held for the intention of our Oktoberfest event, which could not be held this year. We thank all who joined us to worship together as a community during this uncertain time.
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A Hot Meal and Friendship Truly Bringing the Love of Christ:
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The Society of Mother Teresa
he cooks and drivers serving in our Society of Mother Teresa ministry, through their talents and time, bring the love of Christ to others simply by preparing and delivering a hot meal. The volunteers cook the food in the kitchen downstairs in our rectory, and deliver the prepared meals, Monday through Friday, to those in western Lake County who are unable to provide meals for themselves due to disability, ambulatory issues, or no family or relative support. Sandy Smith coordinates the ministry and orders the food. The cooks can choose what they will be preparing, according to what is on hand. Rose Hanslik is the Wednesday cook, and has been serving for eight years. Marylynn Vidmar, Lawrence Gladwell and Don Brinik are her helpers, or as Rose puts it, they are like “sous-chefs preparing ingredients” as she cooks. “I kind of have carte blanche on what I make,” Rose says. “When there is chicken, I can make chicken Marsala, chicken piccata or roasted chicken. I have free rein.” Some days, Rose makes soups — such as wedding soup, chicken soup, and beef and barley soup. Making food in quantity is no problem for Rose — she once cooked at an elementary school and served 500 children daily. The Society of Mother Teresa cooks usually fix between 100 to 150 meals each day. “I got acclimated to making food for a lot of people,” she says. As she works in the kitchen, she has found herself growing closer to Christ. “He’s given me the insight to see the need,” she says. “He’s given me the talent to do it. I like to cook and He helps me. I like to help other people. This helps them tremendously. Sometimes, this is the only meal they have all day. I enjoy doing it.”
Jeff Hollis has been a driver for the ministry for eight years, as well. Each driver has a set number of clients, which can range from five to 10. Jeff has six, and each Wednesday morning he calls each one to determine their needs for the day. Although the normal routine would have Jeff spending about 10 to 15 minutes visiting each client when he delivers the meals, COVID-19 restrictions have put these visits on hold. This has been difficult for Jeff, as he has become friends with all his clients, and both he and they enjoy the visits. “These days, I don’t have much contact,” he says. “I leave the package and knock or let them know it’s been delivered.” But because of these restrictions, the experience has been able to bring Jeff even closer to Christ. “We’re limited in so much we can do,” he says. “But this just brings us closer to Christ by doing this. We’re doing something to help those in need in our community.” The restrictions notwithstanding, Jeff enjoys the chance to meet with new people and make new friendships. “The clients are wonderful people and they’re looking for new friends,” he says. “We can all use one. I truly enjoy delivering and getting to see a lot of my new friends.” If someone on Jeff’s route suggests a new client to him, he will make the reference to Elayne Kramer, our Business Manager, who will follow through with the Lake County Senior Services.
Anyone interested in becoming a driver or cook as part of the Society of Mother Teresa may contact Sandy Smith at 330-801-6970.
Immaculate Conception CATHOLIC
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SEPTEMBER 2020
The Usher Ministry
continued from front cover
Not only are these tasks important to the smooth operation of the liturgy itself, but the ministry also helps draw men and women more deeply into the life of the Church. Those who become involved in this important ministry have a great opportunity to meet many of their fellow parishioners that they likely would not have met otherwise, while also developing camaraderie with fellow ushers. This, in turn, can lead to involvement in other ministries. “Quite honestly, I think ushering is one of the easier ministries to get involved in,” Mike says. “It’s not like you have to read or sing in front of people. You are just there essentially to interact with and assist people. At the same time, it has helped me get to know more parishioners. It give you a nice feeling to see people of the community like that and to be seen by them.”
Though their tasks are relatively simple in and of themselves, Mike says the ultimate goal of the ushers is to ensure a more hospitable parish environment. There to offer a ready smile or assistance when needed, the ushers help guests and parishioners feel both seen and welcomed. Over time, this helps bring them into the life of the Church, blessing us all in return. “It’s easier to be involved if you feel welcomed and know people,” Mike says. “That’s just part of belonging to a community and one of the things we try to help bring about as ushers.”
If you would like more information or to begin volunteering as an usher, please contact the parish office at 440-942-4500.