300 attend Mass: A Tribute to Nurses

Mary DiDonato, Fr. Neil Kookoothe, Michael McGrovey and Bob Broadbeck
Broadbeck and DiDonato organized the tribute to nurses. McGrovey brought
a nurse who is now a patient in a nursing home to the Mass.

From 100 to 150 nurses were among 300 attending an impressive Mass on Thursday evening at St. Paul Church to honor those in the nursing profession. Purpose of the Eucharistic celebration was to seek God’s blessing on those living and deceased nurses for their work and dedication to healing. The Peace Together Choir, composed of members from many parishes and many vocations, sang during the liturgy.

As nurses entered the church they lit candles for deceased nurses, brought them in procession before an honor guard and wrote down their names. Their names were then read five at a time after Communion with a ringing of a bell tribute and kept in a memory book.

The nurses honor guard, Mary Ellen Berry and Linda McCoy, were in the procession into church for the Mass.

Fr. Neil P. Kookoothe, pastor of St,. Clarence parish in North Olmsted,, was the celebrant. and gave the homily and Fr. Ralph W. Thomas, pastor of St. Paul, was concelebrant and gave a special blessing to nurses. Petitions for Nurses were read by Nancy Heaton, RN, and mentioned each of the many and varied nursing specialties.

Nursing is one of three careers that lead Fr. Kookoothe to the priesthood. Fr. Kookoothe, originally from Toledo, graduated from the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree in communications / public relations but then entered Mercy Hospital School of Nursing and received his nursing diploma in 1982. He worked in the intensive care unit at Mercy Hospital as a registered nurse for eight years and then returned to the University of Toledo and began the study of law. He received his Juris Doctor degree in December 1987 and is currently licensed to practice law in Ohio and Illinois. He received his Master of Arts Degree in theology and Master of Divinity Degree in May 1995 when he was ordained to the priesthood. He was named administrator of St. Clarence in June 2004 and officially became pastor two years later.,

Main organizers of the Mass were St. Paul parishioners Bob Broadbeck and Mary DiDonato.

Bob Broadbeck is the husband of Carol A. (Christ) Broadbeck, a nurse who died unexpectedly Aug. 9, 2006 at the age of 55. Born in Akron on Nov. 8, 1950, she was a life-long member of St. Paul's Catholic Church and graduated from St. Vincent High School in 1968. She received her diploma in Nursing from Saint Thomas Hospital School of Nursing, B.S.N. from St. Louis University, and M.S.N. from the University of Akron. Mrs. Broadbeck worked in health care for more than 35 years. Her mother, Anna, who will be 91 in December, attended the Mass.

Mr. Broadbeck is a graduate of St. Vincent and the University of Akron and is principal of Hyre Middle School. He had a desire to pay tribute to all nurses and asked Mary DiDonato, well-known oncology nurse, to assist with the tribute because of her contacts with members of the nursing professions. Mary, who got her nursing diploma at St. Thomas School of Nursing in 1951, has been in the profession for 58 years and now works for Dr Sandra Hazra, a hematologist/oncologist.

This was the second year for the annual tribute to nurses.
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Soloist with the Peace Together Choir was Aleta Killian, RN, cantor was Chip Curzi and pianists were Judy Tempero and Faith Webber. The choir director is Jon Buckenberger.

Click on the headline to see more of the photos provided by Tony DiDonato