Skits and sing-along enliven pep rally

One of the skits during the pep rally

Students gathered in the Parish Activity Center on Monday for a pep rally as part of Catholic Schools Week.  There were skits and this sing along.  Also, the  names of students in each grade were read with the activities they participate in at St. Paul.

Students seated in Parish Activity Center for pep rally

Students making bears for young patients

Students at St. Paul School were busy today making bears for patients at Akron Children's Hospital.  First they cut out material and then traced patterns for the bears to cut out and sew. Watch Saint Paul TODAY for photos of the finished bears.     

Blessing of throats scheduled Thursday

Throats will be blessed at Masses on Thursday (Feb 3), the feast of St. Blaise. There will be a blessing after the 7 and 8:30 a.m. Mases.  In additon, there will be a prayer service with throat blessing at 6 p.m.

Saint Blaise's protection of those with throat troubles apparently comes from a legend that a boy was brought to him who had a fishbone stuck in his throat. The boy was about to die when Saint Blaise healed him. Here are the words of the blessing:

“Through the intercession of St. Blase, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from ailments of the throat and from every other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Blessing of St. Blase)

St. Paul School: Pearl of great price

School secretary Mary Ann DeKemper welcomes visitors to school

Calling St. Paul School a “Pearl of Great Price” (Matthew 13:45–46), principal Robert Brodbeck told parishioners at the 11:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday that Catholic Schools stand as a bullwark against the influences of secular life in today’s society.

He said that this education is something on which you cannot put a price. He praised the untiring efforts of teachers who work countless hours and constantly provide an example of the church’s moral values. The school day, he pointed out, begins with prayer and there is prayer at lunch and at the closing of school.

Brodbeck stood behind the pulpit adorned with a banner stressing the theme of Catholic Schools Week, “A+ for America” and the school motto, “Educating in the Light of Christ.”

The principal thanked parents who sacrifice to send their childen to St. Paul and other parishioners who provide support not covered by tuition.

The Mass and open house kicked off Catholic Schools Week. Many stayed after Mass to visit classrooms with students.

Monday there will be a Pep Rally at 2 p.m. in the Gym with a school-wide service project : Making bears for patients at Akron Children’s Medical Center,.

See other photos of the open house

See the complete schedule of Catholic Schools Week.

161-year-old graveyard to be bulldozed

A 161-year-old graveyard could be bulldozed to make way for a new runway at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. A court ruling upheld an earlier decision which said Chicago had legally condemned St. Johannes Cemetery and could begin removing around 1,000 graves. Thirty graves have already been voluntarily relocated and families have received permits for another 345 to be moved.

You can read more in an article in the Daily Mail: http://goo.gl/YzPzQ

Bulletin promotes Catholic Schools Week

The church bulletin this weekend promotes Catholic Schools Week which opens Sunday with the Mass at 11:30 a.m. followed by an open house at the school

Inside the bulletin is a flier inviting parishioners to meet children's author Sandra Philipson who will give a power point Literacy Day presentation from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the Parish Activity Center. She uses her dogs, who are characters in her books, as interactive tools to promote literacy. She will be working with students during the day on grade-level projects.

Also inserted in the bulletin is a postcard which is mailed out to promote St. Paul School.

Please see the complete schedule for Catholic Schools Week.

Please pray for Confirmation candidates

Below this banner in the narthex is a basket full of prayer cards for each of the Confirmation candidates. Please pick up one of the prayer cards to pray for the candidate whose name is on the card.

Practice for Confirmation candidates and their sponsors only will be this Sunday (Jan.30) at 2 p.m. in the Parish Activity Center.

First Communion practice
First Communion students will have music practice in the music room at 10:30 a,.m. Sunday, February 6.

If you have any questions, call the Religious Education Office at 330-724-9311.

Parish School of Religion needs catechists
There are a variety of opportunities for Catechists or Catechist Assistant for elementary students in the Parish School of Religion. If you would like to consider sharsing your faith with children of St. Paul Parish, please call the Religious Educatin Office at 330-724-9311. The only requirement is a love of Jesus and the willingness to share that love of the Catholic faith with others.

Nominees sought for Parish Council

Nominees are being sought to serve a two-year term on the Parish Council.
Nomination forms should be available in the narthex. Completed forms should be placed in the marked box. Any parishioner may nominate himself/herself. Nominations should be turned in by Tuesday, February 8, which is the next meeting of Parish Council. Questions, call Renee Amedeo 330-644-3011.

Supreme Court Justice urges end to death penalty

Republican Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer, who helped write the death penalty law three decades ago, is now calling for an end to capital punishment in Ohio. Justice Pfeifer's turnaround on the death penalty is a sobering reminder that Ohioans are not being well-served by a broken death penalty system. Justice Pfeifer is to be commended for having the courage to confront one of the most crucial and costly issues our state faces in the midst of a budget crisis. Kevin Werner, Executive Director of Ohioans to Stop Executions (OTSE) said, "I think Justice Pfeifer has really grappled with this issue over the past decade and has come to the same realization so many individuals do when taking a close look at Ohio's death penalty: it's time for a change because the system does not work." The death penalty costs Ohio taxpayers millions more each year than alternatives like life without parole. The death penalty drains needed resources from law enforcement agencies whose job is to keep communities safe. At a time when the state budget shortfall is $8 billion, Ohio cannot afford a costly system riddled with errors and inefficiencies. Please keep in your prayers those still on death row in Ohio prisons. For more information about Ohio and the death penalty, go to www.otse.org.

Getting dog house ready for visitors

First grade teacher Suzanne Ingliss works on a dog house illustration on a school hallway to get ready for Literarcy Night during Catholic Schools Week which will feature author Sandra Philipson and her Springer Spaniel dogs. The finished display advises us to "Paws" for a good book.

You might recognize the cardboard cutout of the hounddog. It was used to collect "Pennies for Pets" a couple of years, raising $618 in 2009. The money went to a program which rescues, cares for, and finds loving homes for homeless cats and dogs.

Tak and Ollie coming to St. Paul School

Tak (left) and Ollie are coming to St. Paul School on Thursday

Author Sandra Philipson of Chagrin Falls will bring her Spaniel dogs Tak and Ollie to a Literacy Day program at St. Paul on Thursday, February 3, as part of Catholic Schools Week

She will work with students on projects throughout the day and provide a power point presentation to the community on being an author at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Activity Center.

Her dogs have been to more than 375 schools plus countless libraries, bookstores, and public events.

Philipson uses the dogs and her books in which they are characters as interactive teaching tools.
 

Her latest book “Creation Station” provides writing opportunities and projects that can be done in school or at home. Its 92 pages include 20 writing and reading activities, 12 arts and craft projects, music and theater productions, word search puzzles, 4 games and a contest, 7 recipes for kid and dog treats, 5 service projects for your community, and literacy

Jenny Cambell (left) with Trini,
Sandra Philipson with Ollie and Tak in middle

resources and tips for parents to encourage literacy at home.

Philipson is the author of five other Max and Annie books as well as executive co-producer of “Miracle Dogs,” a family movie based on her books and starring her dogs, Max and Annie.

Now. About the dogs:

Tak (for Takatch) is, a registered Therapy Dog. Tak has grown into a beautiful Springer Spaniel show dog and he likes to be clean, well-groomed, and admired. He prances when he walks like the show dog he is. Tak likes to cuddle up on the sofa, be read to, and be loved.

Ollie (for Oliver) is in a constant state of excitement. He is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who likes to chase anything that moves, but especially likes butterflies, moths and flies.

Mrs. :Philipson has lost three dogs since she began the Max and Annie series.

Trini died on January 15, 2011. Trini was obtained in November 2005 after having been rescued by English Springer Spaniel Rescue of American, mid-south region. Three-legged from birth, Trini was a spirited and resourceful springer whose story is told in the book, Forever Home.

Annie passed away on August 3, 2005 at the age of 15. Annie starred in five books in the Max and Annie series and in Miracle Dogs, and visited more than 250 schools, libraries, bookstores and hospitals. She inspired many who suffered from cancer, both adults and children. Annie was the model of dignity and canine wisdom; in the books, as in life, Annie was the problem solver and the voice of reason. She is missed daily, but her memory stone resides in our yard and reads, “Annie, 1990-2005: Annie may have lost her leg, but she showed us all the way.”

Max, who died in 2008, was a character. He escaped from schools and libraries approximately 38 times. He jumped over fences, pushed open doors, pulled away from his dog walkers, and even jumped out a window! At one school he got loose, ran down the corridor to the principal’s office, jumped up on her desk, and ate her lunch.

Jenny Campbell, who works with Mrs. Philipson and illustrates the books, has been a freelance illustrator for 18 years. Raised in Arizona, she has a journalism degree and spent 13 years as a newspaper reporter in California. In 1988 Jenny switched to cartooning and eventually landed in Chagrin Falls. She now draws the nationally syndicated cartoon strip, “Flo & Friends.” In addition, Jenny illustrates numerous children’s books and educational materials and is a monthly contributor to Highlights for Children.

Mrs. Philipson and her husband, Elliot, are also the proud parents of two grown-up daughters, Rebecca and Julia.

See more on the Max and Annie website

Homeless count down, but more on brink

Akron’s homeless count is down from 187 last year to 151, but that may be because harsh weather has forced them into homeless shelters. There were about 800 in shelters last year.. The number from this year is not available yet.

Last year, 252 were either homeless or precariously housed–staying with friends but with no place of their own. Volunteers this year found more people living in tents than in the past and also interviewed 17 people who said they were military veterans. They found one pregnant woman ''living by herself in a tent.''

Nearly 320 people who were interviewed Tuesday night during the Point in Time Homeless Count indicated they either were homeless or ''precariously housed,'' said Susan R. Pierson, vice president of services for InfoLine and the chairwoman of the Continuum of Care for the Homeless.

The number of those who fall under the ''precariously housed'' category — meaning someone staying with friends or relatives but with no place of his/her own — has sounded an alarm with Pierson

Those people, often considered ''couch surfers'' for where they sleep each night, could be the next wave of the homeless, Pierson said.

''Almost at any moment, if one thing bad happens, they could be out on the street,'' she said.

Click on the headline to see a report by Jim Carney in today's Akron Beacon Journal.

Bishop Vasa to Lead Santa Rosa Diocese

SANTA ROSA, California, JAN. 27, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI named Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, Oregon, as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Santa Rosa in Northern California.

Bishop Vasa, 59, will eventually succeed Bishop Daniel Walsh, 73, of Santa Rosa in California, upon the latter's retirement. As of yet, a successor has not been named for the Baker Diocese.

Robert Vasa was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. From 1972 to 1976, he studied at Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas, Texas, from where he obtained a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lincoln in 1976.

In 1979, he was sent to further his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, earning a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1981.

He was named bishop of the Diocese of Baker in 2000.

The Diocese of Santa Rosa has a population of 898,000, of which 167,945 are Catholic. The diocese counts with 101 priests, 35 permanent deacons, and 87 religious.

Update on Catholic Schools Week

St. Paul School
Catholic Schools Week
January 30 – February 4

Educating in the Light of Christ

Sunday, January 30: Mass at 11:30 a.m. opening Catholic Schools Week. There will be an open house in St. Paul School after the Mass.

Monday, January 31: There will be a Pep Rally at 2 p.m. in the Gym with a school-wide service project : Making bears for patients at Akron Children’s Medical Center.

Tuesday, February 1: A fundraiser for the American Heart Association will be held in Jenkins Gymnasium. Jump Rope for the Heart is scheduled for Pre-K through Grade 5 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and Hoops for the Heart for grades 6-8 from 1 to 2 p.m. There is a wall poster in the Parish Activity Center with hearts affixed to it in memory of those who have died from heart ailments and those who have recovered from them. Hearts may be purchased for $1.

Wednesday, February 22: Dress Down day. Students will wear red, white and blue to show the colors of Catholic Schools Week “A+ for Schools” theme There will be a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon in Boeke Hall.

Thursday, February 3: Author Sandra Philipson will work with students throughout the day with grade-level presentations for Literacy Day. Philipson will use her illustrator in a power point presentation to the community on being an author at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Activity Center. Philipson uses her Springer Spaniel dogs and her books in which they are characters as interactive teaching tools. Her latest book “Creation Station” includes writing opportunities and projects that can be done in school or at home.

Friday, February 4: The student Mass at 8:30 a.m. will kick off Grandparents’ Day. Students will sit with grandparents. Academic Achievement Awards will be presented after the Mass and then members of the St. Paul Drama Club will present a preview of music from “Into the Woods,” this year’s production.

The St Paul School Book Fair will be held
in the school library the entire week.

Jumpathon poster for Schools Week

This wall poster in the Parish Activity Center has individual hearts affixed to it in memory of those who have died from heart ailments and also for those who have recovered from them. The chart is part of the "Jump Rope for the Heart and Hoops for the Heart" activities that will be conducted in Jenkins Gymnasium on Tuesday during Catholic Schools Week to raise funds for the American Heart Association.

Students write about Conversion of St. Paul

Students at St. Paul School wrote essays on the Conversion of St. Paul for the feast day of the Conversion which was celebrated January 25. First place ribbons were awarded for the best essay in each grade.

The winners were Shannon Lloyd, grade 8; Allison Bachmann, grade 7; Anna Ligggett, grade 6, Blake Baldwin, grade 5; Holly Adam, grade 4; Angelina Riehl, grade 3; Conner Bender, grade 2; Corley Wightman, grade 1, and London Proobnik, kindergarten.

Here is one of the essays. This was written by fifth grader Blake Baldwin

The most important thing I learned after reading the story on Saint Paul is that God is a forgiving God. Even though Saint Paul hated Christians and tortured and harassed the followers of Jesus, he was still forgiven. Because Saint Paul was forgiven and was given the gift to believe in God, Saint Paul began teaching everyone how to know and love God. As Catholics, we have also been given the gift to believe in God. We need to remember that God knows we are not perfect and we are going to make mistakes. But, when we ask for forgiveness, we need to mean it. We can't just ask God to forgive us and turn around and do it again. We need to really be sorry and do our best not to repeat the mistake. We need to try our best to live every day like God wants us to.

Trini, one of author's dogs, dies

Trini, one of the dogs of author Sandra Philipson who is bringing her pets and books to St. Paul School for Literacy Day on February 3. died on January 15, 2011.

Trini was obtained in November 2005 after having been rescued by English Springer Spaniel Rescue of American, mid-south region. Three-legged from birth, Trini was a spirited and resourceful springer whose story is told in the book, Forever Home.

“Trini's courage and persistence in her quest for a home showed us that hard times can be endured and conquered with humor, determination, and a little help from those who rescue the abandoned,” Philipson wrote. “Trini's story made us all realize that despite the odds, finding a place to belong is possible. She belonged here in Ohio with us and her brothers, the late Max, and Tak and Ollie. The house is quiet since she has left; Trini always had something to say! She was noisy, sweet, and tough. Trini helped raise Ollie, teaching him manners and to defer to his elders! She was a faithful friend and loving therapy dog (TDI) who knew just what to do at the bedside or at the Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital where she worked most recently.

“Trini retired from most public appearances and school visits in 2010, but she was always an active family member--running to the van and barking loudly every time anyone put a coat on! It seemed she was saying,"Don't forget me!" She will be remembered in her stories, Forever Home and Ollie's Monsters and Other Stories, by the thousands of school children she visited, and by the hundreds of people who petted her at libraries, bookstores, book fairs and around Chagrin Falls. Trini always wanted to" belong," and now she belongs in our hearts and memories.”

St. Pat tickets to go on sale Feb. 4/5

Tickets should be ready for sale by the weekend of February 4/5 for the annual St. Patrick’s Day fundraiser. Tickets will be $18 in advance and $20 at the door. New this year will be catered appetizers and parishioners are encouraged to bring desserts to share (cookies, brownies or other treats).

The Hoban Pride bagpipers, MacConmara Irish Step Dancers, and Green Blossom Special with Pat Flynn will once again provide the entertainment

See Caryn  (330-815-6940) or the rectory for tickets.

Watch the blog for more details.

Check some views from last year's party

Or watch a video of Pat and band from last year

Rehearsal for 'Into the Woods'

This is one of the scenes from the St. Paul Drama Club's production of "Into the Woods" that shows a large number of the cast of stage.  This is one of the early rehearsals for the production.  Click here to see a few other photos.

Painting trees for 'Into the Woods'

Drama club members and teacher Janet Hazlett (in white coat) busy painting

Members of St. Paul Drama Club were busy Tuesday after school painting trees that will be used in the production of "Into the Woods."

The trees were first constructed using paper mache. Strips of newspaper are dipped into a a paste of flour and water and applied to cardboard tree forms. It takes a number of layers. Trees are then allowed to dry before painting. It is a large, time-consuming project.

There are brown trees and silver trees. The tree forms are supported by wooden stands.

At right is a finished brown tree ready for the stage.

Click here to see an album of photos showing the entire process.

Boys paint brown tree and girls work on silver one

Notice the St. Paul artwork on church wall

(Photo by George Ruegg)

Metal artwork on church wall fashioned by George Borisuk

Tuesday is the memorial of the Conversion of Saint Paul. When you go to Mass spend a moment before or after to check the distinctive metal artwork that traces the stages of St. Paul’s life from Saul the persecutor to Paul the martyr. The artwork hangs on the northeast wall of the church.

It is fashioned from pliable metal meticulously formed into a 15-foot long tableau with the word Saul at the left and Paul at the right .St. Paul is depicted from student to tentmaker, to convert, missionary, confessor, author and finally martyr. The conversion is the center of the design.

The artwork was crafted from a design created on large sheets of paper by Sister Carol Joy who was at St. Paul at the time it was created during the pastorate (1973-1981). of the late Fr. Thomas Koegel. The metal work was formed by parishioner George Borisuk who used round steel to cut, shape and weld together to form the design. Borisuk spent 10 months in his spare time to fashion the artwork from the drawing.

The art at right is a section of a painting by Michelangelo on the Conversion.


See our article from last year on the Conversion Feast Day


See an article on Michelangelo’s fresco of the Conversion.

It is bitter cold: Counting the homeless

It is bitter cold out there for the homeless. Volunteers and social service workers will fan out in the city of Akron tomolrrow with a mission to count the homeless population. The counting begins at midnight and ends at 11:59 p.m.

There were 214 last year in Akron and 163 the year before. The total for Ohio was 12,700 or eleven for every 10,000 persons.

The Point-in-Time Count is a national effort to count the number of people who are without homes, according to Sue Pierson, chair of the Akron/Summit County Continuum of Care for the Homeless.

“We don’t even ask people’s names,” Pierson said. “We ask them for their first and last initials and birth date, so if someone is encountered two times, we can take them out.”

Surveyors gather information on individuals’ sex, race and whether they have a long-term disability.

“We want to find out what are the things that are causing people to become homeless,” Pierson said.

This year, there also will be more of an effort to determine the veteran status of the homeless and to determine how many young people are on the streets.

“We know there are lots of kids out there living on the streets, so we want to make sure we can get the training and programs they need,” Pierson said

Don Roese, a retired Beacon Journal photographer, could give us a better idea. He goes out each week among the 214 people living outdoors — in tents, under tarps at camps, under bridges, in doorways or inside abandoned buildings and vehicles.

Roese is among at the Peter Maurin Center volunteers who go out one evenig each week to bring food, clothing and blankets to them. The center at 1096 S. Main St. is a gathering place were the homeless can go to find food, clothing, friendship and respite from the bitter cold.

St. Paul volunteers are among Catholic parishes that provide food and clothing on a regular basis. They will provide a New Year’s Dinner on Sunday, January 30, from 1 to 4 p.m. Volunteers are always needed. It is a great opportunity for school service hours. If you have questions, call Susie Gatian 330-819-5771. If you have a blanket or clothing in a closet somewhere that you are not using, drop it off.

Scouts brave cold on Klondike Campout

Scouts loaded up for Klondike weekend at Camp Butler

Do you think it is cold out there? Ask the Boy Scouts of Troop 81 who were on a Klondike camput at Camp Butler this past weekend in minus 2 degrees temperaure, not counting for windchill.. The Scouts left Friday and came home late Saturday evening. They slept out in tents and were involved in all sorts of activities.

St. Francis de Sales, patron of Church unity

On Monday (Jan. 24), during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that runs from Jan. 18-25, Catholics will celebrate the life of St. Francis de Sales. A bishop and Doctor of the Church, his preaching brought thousands of Protestants back to the Catholic fold, and hiswritings on the spiritual life have proved highly influential.

Francis de Sales, a diplomat's son, was born in the Savoy region of France in 1567 into aristocratic wealth and privilege. In many ways, Francis' greatest achievements – such as the “Introduction to the Devout Life,” an innovative spiritual guidebook for laypersons, or his strong emphasis on the role of human love in Christian devotion – represent successful attempts to re-integrate seemingly disparate “worldly” and “spiritual” realities into one coherent vision of life.

He had his law degree by age 25, and was headed for a political career.

The Bishop of Geneva found him a position in the administration of the Swiss Church that led to his priestly ordination in 1593. He volunteered to lead a mission to bring Switzerland, dominated by Calvinist Protestantism, back to the Catholic faith.

This pioneering use of religious tracts proved surprisingly effective at breaking down the resistance of the Swiss Calvinists, and it is estimated that between 40,000 and 70,000 of them returned to the Church through his efforts. He also served as a spiritual director, both in person and through written correspondence, with the latter format inspiring the “Introduction to the Devout Life.”

In 1602, Francis was chosen to become the Bishop of Geneva, a position he did not seek or desire. Accepting the position, however, he gave the last twenty years of his life in ongoing sacrifice, for the restoration of Geneva's churches and religious orders. He also helped one of his spiritual directees, the widow and future saint Jane Frances de Chantal, to found an order with a group of women.

Worn out by nearly thirty years of arduous travel and other burdens of Church leadership, Francis fell ill in 1622 while visiting one of a convent he had helped to found in Lyons. He died there, three days after Christmas that year. St. Francis de Sales was canonized in 1665, and honored as a Doctor of the Church in 1877.

Because of the crucial role of writing in his apostolate, St. Francis de Sales is the patron of writers and journalists. He is also widely credited with restoring, during his own day, a sense of what the Second Vatican Council would later call the “universal call to holiness” – that is, the notion that all people, not only those in formal religious life, are called to the heights of Christian sanctification.

Parish Activity Center Rededicated

St. Paul Adult Choir sang for rededication of Parish Activity Center

Saint Paul Parish Activity Center, originally constructed in 1957 as a Chapel, was rededicated Sunday following the 9:30 a.m. Mass..

The Saint Paul Adult Choir sang for the re-dedication and also sang for the Mass. Catechetical leader Shelly Hertzig brought Parish School of Religion students on stage for special prayers. They also constructed a

Fr. Thomas gives blessing

timeline for the Apostle, St. Paul. The Feast of the Consecration of St. Paul will be celebrated Tuesday. St. Paul School principal Robert Brodbeck invited parishioners to visit the school to see the advanced technology being used to educate students. He also urged them to attend special events during Catholic Schools Week January 30 through February 4.


The pastor, the Rev. Fr. Ralph Thomas, served as master of ceremonies and said the prayers and gave the blessing for the January 23 rededication.


The old church built in 1920 was not large enough to handle the large number of worshipers, so the Chapel was constructed as an addition to the school and dedicated in 1957 during the pastorate of the Rev Msgr. Clement Boeke. The upper level provided eight new classrooms and the lower level, known as Boeke Hall, provided an area for recreation and dinners. The main floor was the Chapel where many Baptisms, Wedding, Sacraments and Masses were celebrated from 1957 to 2005

When the new church was completed in 2005, there was no longer a need for the Chapel as a place of worship. The oak pews were taken up and given a new home in Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Kentucky. The Chapel was remodeled for use as a multipurpose area. The original sanctuary became the stage for school plays and other presentations.

During the pastorate of the Rev. Fr. Thomas Koegel in the post-Vatican Council years, an elevated area on the north side was constructed for a sanctuary with pews placed in three sections: one facing the sanctuary and one on each side, facing east and west.

In the $60,000 remodeling of the Activity Center in 2010 during the pastorate of the Rev. Fr. Ralph Thomas that elevated area was removed. The old, uneven flooring was replaced, lighting improved and the stage enlarged and remodeled with new sound and lighting. New folding chairs were purchased and kitchen and restroom facilities are being improved.

See more photos on the rededication.

'Thank You' to our bulletin advertisers

Please check the back of this week's church bulletin. Did you know this bulletin is furnished to the parish without charge?

The advertisements that appear on the back page completely defray all publication costs with which the parish would be otherwise burdened.

Please patronize the sponsors as a "thank you" for their kind generosity.

And if you have a business and would like to see your ad in the bulletin, please call Diocesan Publications at 1-800-282-5106.

Click twice on the image for a better view--or just check the back page of the bulletin.

Students to speak to First Friday Club

Senior students from Archbishop Hoban, Our Lady of the Elms, St. Vincent-St. Mary, and Walsh Jesuit High Schools will speak at the First Friday Club luncheon at noon on Friday, February , at the University of Akron Martin Center, 105 Fir Hill. Their hour-long presentation will be on “Encountering God: Reflections from Catholic High School Students.” The First Friday Club of Greater Akron is a Catholic organization whose purpose is to bring the best Catholic thinkers, teachers and leaders into Akron on a monthly basis to promote a better understanding of the significant issues impacting church, family work and community life. The cost of the luncheon is $15 and doors open at 11:15 a.m. Prepaid reservations may be made by sending a check to First Friday Club of Greater Akron, 795 Russell Ave., Akron, OH 44307. For more information
call 330-535-7668.

Mass for Julia Schilling is Monday

Julia A. (Nemeth) Schilling, 45, passed away Monday, January 17, 2011.

She was born in Akron, raised in Firestone Park and graduated from Garfield High School. After high school she enlisted in the U. S. Air Force  and served for 13 years. While serving, she earned her Master's Degree at Wright State University. She devoted her life to raising her daughters who were her pride and joy. She enjoyed running, music and the beach. Her motto in life, to which she conveyed to her children, was ``Dance like no one was watching."

She is survived by daughters, Abbey, Allie, Amy and Anna Schilling; parents, Joseph M. and Helen C. (Cody) Nemeth; brothers, Joseph D. (Rhonda), John (Kris) and James (Marcel); sister, Jennifer (Ron); and nephew, Gerad.

The family will receive friends Sunday, 1 to 3 p.m. at the Anthony Funeral Home Kucko-Anthony-Kertesz Chapel, 1990 S. Main St. in Akron. Funeral service will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with Fr. Ralph Thomas officiating. Interment at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Schilling children c/o Joseph Nemeth, P.O. Box 427, Akron, Ohio 44309. Anthony Funeral Homes
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Saturday, January 22, 2011, page B5, col. 4]

Join Voice for Voiceless: Sign up after Mass

January 22 marks the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. It has become a tradition every January to remind our community and nation that many Americans disagree with that decision. Public opinion is swinging toward protecting the lives of the unborn. Today, 51 peer cent of Americans call themselves pro-life, the highest number since abortion was made legal. We invite you to be a Voice for the Voiceless and participate in the Right to Life Signature and Media Campaign. The goals of this campaign are to include your name in a petition for life which will be sent to legislators, and use your donations to support a media campaign aimed toward women in crisis pregnancies to provide them with life-affirming choices. In 2009 in the State of Ohio we lost 28,721 babies to abortion, 2,358 of those were in Summit County. The good news is that the number of deaths in our county was 751 less than the year before. Please stop by the Right to Life table after Mass to participate in this campaign. Thank you for your courageous YES in standing up to the innocent unborn and their Mothers. More information on this and other Life issues can be found at
www.righttolifeofnortheastohio.com

Baptism instruction set for February 13

The next session for Baptism instruction at St. Paul will be Sunday, February 13, at 1:30 p.m. in the Parish Activity Center.  You must attend a Baptism Class if you want your child baptized and it has been longer than three years since you’ve attended a Baptism class. Call the rectory office at 330-724-1263 to register.

Bus trip to Cary scheduled for April 14

A bus trip to Our Lady of Consolation Shrine in Carey, Ohio, is scheduled for Thursday, April 14. Cost is $40 per person and includes lunch. Bus will depart from St. Paul parking lot at 8:00 a.m. Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. Reservations must be in by March 7. For more information or reservations call Claire Harbarger at 330-773-1630.

Learn more about the shrine by visiting the Shrine website.

EWTN to cover March for Life

EWTN will provide full coverage of the  "March for Life/Walk for Life."

Coverage begins  at 1 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 22) with the "Walk for Life West Coast." (Encore at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 23). The event -- anchored in-studio by "Bookmark" Host Doug Keck and EWTN Chaplain Fr. Joseph and on location in San Francisco by "Life on the Rock" Hosts Fr. Mark and Doug Barry – will include the pro-life speakers, youthful marchers, pro-life rally, and the peaceful demonstration for life.

On the East Coast, live coverage will begin at 6:30 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 23) with the Solemn Vigil Mass for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This year, Galveston/Houston Cardinal Daniel DiNardo will serve as celebrant and homilist.

Live coverage of the 2011 March for Life, the largest and most important pro-life event, begins with the Mass for Life at 7:30 a.m. Monday (Jan. 24). Military Services Archbishop Timothy Broglio will serve as celebrant and homilist.

The March itself begins at 11 a.m. Monday (Jan. 24) Keck and Fr. Joseph remain in-studio anchors while "Catholic Connection" and "All Things Girl" Host Teresa Tomeo and Series Host Damon Owens will provide complete on the ground coverage from Wash., D.C. (encores at 11 p.m.  Jan. 24 and 2 p.m.  Saturday, Jan. 29).

(EWTN is on Warner Cable Channel 50 or AT&T U-verse Channel 562)

Bishop writes about Right to Life on anniversary

In his blog this week, Bishop Richard Lennon reminds us that we must be a people of life.  The Bishop on Friday will celebrate  Mass of Remembrance at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist at 7 p.m. and  again on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.  The Bishop writes:

We must remember that on January 22, 1973 the Supreme Court deemed abortion is a fundamental right under the United States Constitution. It was on that day that abortion through nine months of pregnancy became legal in our country. It is important for us, as Church, to remember.

We also remember on this date the almost 50 million lives lost to abortion since that day and the millions of people who have been harmed because of this sin. We must also remember all the good people who have worked tirelessly in our legal systems, in the political process, in healthcare, in social services, in families and in education to reverse, repair, repent and prevent the ills of this immoral law.

Pope John Paul II in the Gospel of Life said, "Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer." 

Click here to read his full column.

There's more to getting ready for Drama

Trees start to take shape in classroom work area

There is more than reading your lines or singing a tune to get ready for a Drama Club presentation.

All sorts of preparations are needed: Adjusting the lighting, checking the mike sounds for each actor, preparing special effects such as a fog machine and laser lights, making the costumes and many other tasks which playgoers take for granted.

For a play called “Into the Woods” you of course will need some trees. That, as you will see, is a large, time-consuming project. Trees are first constructed using paper mache and then painted.

Click here to see a gallery of photos to show how the trees are made.

Future articles on Saint Paul TODAY will show other aspects of the play production.

Mass for Glen Harbin is Friday

Glen A. Harbin, 76, passed away on Jan. 17, 2011.

An Akron native, Glen was retired from the Akron Police Dept. after 33 years service. He had served on the Detective Bureau and as a trained Document Examiner. During the Korean Conflict he served in the U.S. Air Force.

His survivors include wife of 53 years, Marie; children and their families, Julie Colley, Lorie Thomas, and Mark Harbin.

Calling hours will be on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Dunn-Quigley Funeral Home (811 Grant St.). Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul's Catholic Church. Inurnment will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to St. Paul's Church.

Dunn-Quigley Funeral Homes Akron, 330-253-8121
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Wednesday, January 19, 2011, page B5, col. 1]

Catholic Schools Week schedule

 

St. Paul School  
Catholic Schools Week 
January 30 – February 4

Educating in the Light of Christ

Sunday, January 30: Mass at 11:30 a.m. opening Catholic Schools Week. There will be an open house in St. Paul School after the Mass.

Monday, January 31: There will be a Pep Rally with a school-wide service project : Making bears for patients at Akron Children’s Medical Center. 

Tuesday, February 1:  Jump Rope/Hoops for the Heart

Wednesday, February 22:   Dress Down day – red, white, blue. Teacher Appreciation Luncheon

Thursday, February 3:  Author  Sandra Phillipson presentation to the students throughout the day. Students work on related projects throughout the day. Phillipson will use her illustrator in a power point presentation to the community on being an author at 6:30 p.m. for Literacy Night.

Friday, February 4: The student Mass at 8:30 a.m. will kick off Grandparent’s Day. Students will sit with grandparents. Academic Achievement Awards will be presented after the Mass and then there will be a snack for students and grandparents.

Prayer for Christian Unity Week opens

VATICAN CITY( VIS ) - The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, traditionally celebrated every year from 18 to 25 January, begins today.

The theme chosen for 2011 is: "One in the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer" (cf. Acts 2:42).

The materials for the week of prayer and for the rest of 2011 have been jointly prepared by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches.

Each day of the Week will have a different theme:

18 January: The Church in Jerusalem .

19 January: Many Members in One Body.

20 January: Devotion to the Apostles' Teaching Unites Us.

21 January: Sharing, an Expression of Our Unity.

22 January: Breaking the Bread in Hope.

23 January: Empowered to Action in Prayer.

24 January: Living in Resurrection Faith.

25 January: Called for the Service of Reconciliation.

In the basilica of St. Paul 's Outside-the-Walls at 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday 25 January, Feast of the Conversion of the Apostle Paul, Benedict XVI will preside at the celebration of Vespers to mark the close of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Iraqi Christian doctor shot

A Christian doctor in Mosul was shot a point-blank range on January 15, in the latest of a series of targeted attacks on Iraqi Christians.

Dr. Nuyia Youssif Nuyia, a prominent cardiologist and the father of 4 children and a faithful Chaldean Catholic, was shot by gunmen who burst into his medical clinic. Surprisingly, he survived, although he was seriously wounded.

An Iraqi Christian group released a statement complaining of the lack of support from Western countries for efforts to provide security to the religious minority in Iraq. The group charged that "the West denies its Christian roots and is indifferent to all religions," adding that Western observers fail to recognize that "in these Muslim countries 'democracy' means 'chaos.'"

Scouting success evident at dinner

Among those enjoying the spaghetti dinner were (left side from front) Ellen McAvoy, Jean Vondemkamp, Valerie Vondemkamp and (right side) Ron McAvoy, John Vondemkamp and Rosemary Vavro

St. Paul Boy Scout Troop 81, reactivated in March, 2009, could more than double when the next group of Cub Scouts reach the age for joining the Boy Scouts.

The spaghetti dinner in Boeke Hall was evidence of the strides made by Troop 81

Servers Mike Broske, Sean  Grubb and Vince Cook

under the leadership of Scoutmaster Paul Hirsch and Assistant Scoutmaster Bill Canan. There are 10 active Scouts now and a dozen or more will be coming up from the Cub Scouts next February..

Around 225 attended the dinner Saturday evening. Scouts displayed a tent purchased with proceeds from the dinner.

Winner of the 46-inch flat screen TV was Jane Pringle. John Vodemkamp was the 50/50 winner of $106.

Click on the headline to see highlights of the dinner in an online album of photos provided by Kim Kuhn and Tom Liggett.

Prayer urged for Haiti on anniversary

A woman holds a rosary as she prays during a mass at the Cathedral in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday. Wednesday marked the one year anniversary since Haiti's magnitude-7.0 earthquake that devastated the capital and is estimated to have killed more than 230,000 people and left millions homeless.

A million residents of Port-au-Prince remain homeless, with many still living in emergency tent housing. Catholic Relief Services told CNA on Jan. 11 that the recovery was proceeding slowly due to a lack of infrastructure in the dangerously overcrowded city, which is still filled with rubble from collapsed buildings.

The U.S. bishops have invited Catholics to pray a special novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe for the people of Haiti. The novena started on the evening of the anniversary, January 12, and culminates with the celebration of Mass the weekend of January 22-23.

Click on the headline to see the Novena.

Mass for Margaret "Peggy" Snyder is Tuesday

Margaret (Peggy) Snyder, 71, died Thursday, January 13, 2011 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Peggy was born March 15, 1939 to the late Dr. John L. and Esther (Riesterer) Carroll in Sandusky, Ohio. A graduate of St. Mary High School (Sandusky) and Sienna Heights College and came to Akron after a dietetic internship and was employed by Akron General Medical Center. She was a long time member of St. Paul Catholic Church where she served as a member of the prayer chain and helped with funeral luncheons. Her great joys were her card club (Bridge) and friendships that have lasted over the years.

Peggy was preceded in death by her brother, Tom; brother-in-law, Larry Thompson and niece, Cherie Thompson. To celebrate her life she leaves daughters, Kelly (Bill) Reed of Akron, Teresa (Michael) Roush of Fairlawn, Kim Freeman of Kent and Tracie (Jerry) D'Antonio of Akron; her grandchildren, Zachary, Caroline, Hannah, Clara and Andrew, brought a special joy to her life. She is also survived by her sister, Rita Thompson of Dayton; brothers, John (Bev) Carroll of Florida, Jim (Mary Ann) Carroll of Cleveland and Rich (Debbie) Carroll of Dayton; numerous nieces and nephews and friends. Last but perhaps not least, Misty the cat was her trusty companion for over 18 years.

A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday 1 p.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church, 1580 Brown Street, Akron 44301. The family will receive friends Monday 4 to 7 p.m. at the Anthony Funeral Home Kucko-Anthony-Kertesz Chapel, 1990 S. Main St. Cremation has taken place and interment will take place in Calvary Cemetery in Sandusky at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to IFOPA (Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva, http://www.ifopa.org) P.O. Box 196217, Winter Springs Florida, 32719, St Paul Church, or VNS Hospice Care Center. Anthony Funeral Homes

Anthony Funeral Homes 330-724-1281 www.anthonyfh.com
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Sunday, January 16, 2011, page B7, col. 6]

Mass for Florian Smole is Tuesday

Florian Smole, 91, of Akron, Ohio, passed away peacefully Thursday, January 13, 2011.

He was born February 26, 1919 in Akron, Ohio He was a graduate of Garfield High School. He served his country with the United States Marine Corp in World War II. He retired from the Akron Police Department Detective Bureau after 27 years of service. He was also a member of FOP Lodge 7. Florian was an avid golfer, home builder, loved his Polka music and especially his granddaughter, Bella.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Martha and second wife, Margaret; brothers, John and Martin Smole and sister, Madeline Kevin. He leaves behind daughters, Katie Fenwick, Janet Varner, Debbie Authenreith, Karen Smole and son, Michael (Erica) Smole; nine grandchildren; many great-grandchildren and brother, Joseph (Lena) Smole.

The family would like to thank Dr. Atul Goswami and the staff at The Village at St. Edwards and Pine Valley Care Center for their exceptional care.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church, 1580 Brown St., Akron, OH 44301 where the family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. prior to Mass at the church. Private family burial of ashes in Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to a charity of choice or Alzheimer's Association , 1815 W. Market St., Akron, OH 44313. Please sign the online guestbook at www.hummelcares.com.

Hummel funeral homes330-253-6126
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Sunday, January 16, 2011, B7, col. 4]

Noticed in this weekend's bulletin

Rededication of Parish Activity Center set for Jan. 23
Next Sunday,  January 23, after the 9:30 a.m. Mass there will be a brief  Rededication Ceremony in our Parish Activity Center, the former St. Paul Chapel. All parishioners new and long-standing are invited to share memories and stories of  “back in the day.”  See how far we have come

Youth invited to become altar servers

Youth of our parish are invited  to make a commitment to serving at Mass. It is a wonderful opportunity to be “close at hand” in our celebration of the Eucharist, offering praise to God in community.  All  youth from fifth though twelfth grade are welcome.  If you have never served before and would like to do so,  contact  John Amedeo at 330-644-3011.
 

Financial statements for 2010 taxes will be availalble

Financial statements of contributions for 2010 taxes will be available beginning January 29-30 after all Masses in the narthex.  Anyone with contributions for 2010 will have a letter. All statements will be sealed for privacy.

New bereavement series to open January 26

When you are grieving a loss,  nothing else seems to matter or to be of importance.  Grief is one of the hardest tasks you’ll ever have to do. Those around you seem unable to help. But you do not have to grieve alone. The St. Paul Bereavement Support Group will help you through this very trying time. Our next series of six sessions begins on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the Parish Activity Center. If you have questions or concerns, call Terry 330-724-1263.

St. Paul to provide New Year's dinner at Maurin Center

St. Paul Volunteers will provide a New Year’s Dinner at the Peter Maurin Center on Sunday, January 30,  from 1 to 4:00 p.m. Sign-up for donations will be January 22  and 23  in the Narthex. Drop-off will be in Boeke Hall, Saturday, January 29,  from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m Volunteers are always needed. It is a great opportunity for school service hours.  If you have questions, call Susie Gatian 330-819-5771

Happening elsewhere

Irish singer David Parkes to visit Queen of Heaven
David Parkes, Catholic Pro-Life Singer from Ireland, will present a concert at Queen of Heaven Parish in Green on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. David has endured much tribulation in his lifetime and has an inspirational message to share through song and speaking up for the preborn innocents. A reception will follow the concert. The concert is free, but a free-will offering will be taken. Questions, call Betty Schnitzler 330-794-6838.

Immigration presentation scheduled January 20
ON THE ROAD WITH THE CATHOLIC COMMISSION
Learn more about the myths and reality of immigration by Sr. Rita Mary Harwood, Secretary of Parish Life and Chair of the Welcome the Stranger Task Force on Immigration, Diocese of leveland, at St. Bernard-St. Mary Parish, 44 University Ave.  as they host the January meeting of the Catholic Commission, Thursday, January  20, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The evening begins with prayer followed by the program which includes brief committee reports and a presentation by Sr. Rita Mary Harwood. This program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Ann Coplan 330-535-2787.

Marriage Encounter weekend set for February 11-13
Give your loved one the most meaningful gift of all...the gift or your “presence”...your time, your affection, your total attention. Register NOW to attend the Marriage Encounter Weekend on February 11-13 at the Cambria Suites in Green. To register or for more info call 330-305 -9963 or visit www.WWME.org.

Congratulations to our newly baptized

CONGRATULATIONS AND BLESSINGS TO

 
Lena Marie Franz
Born January 14,  2010
Baptized December 5, 2010
Daughter of James and  Alexandra Franz

Mikayla Maria Props
Born August 14, 2009
Baptized December 11, 2010
Daughter  of Michael  and Nicole Props

Signatures for Life next weekend

Next weekend after all the Masses, we will be joining with Right to Life of Northeast Ohio and dozens of area churches in the annual Voice for the Voiceless Signature  and Media Campaign. Volunteers will be in the narthex and the Parish Activity Center accepting signatures and donations for the unborn. Your name will be included in a petition for life that will be sent to legislators, and your donations will support a media campaign aimed toward women in crisis pregnancies to provide them with life affirming choices. Please plan to stop by after Mass next week and participate in this campaign. Thank you for helping to "Build a Culture of Life."

Mass for Life Mass is Friday
The Annual Solemn Mass for Life on Friday, January 21,  at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. This Mass for remembrance and repentance is on the vigil of the 38th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. Bishop Richard Lennon will be the celebrant and homilist. For more info call the Pro Life Office at 216-334-2965.

January is Poverty Awareness Month

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has designated January as "Poverty in America Awareness Month." Today 43.6 million people -- and 1 in 6 children -- are living below the poverty line. The poverty line is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as the minimum amount needed to cover a person's or family's food, shelter, clothing, health care and transportation. For a family of four, that amount has been designated at $20,614. Families, many of whom work, are struggling to hang on, forced to make hard choices between hunger, housing and health care. 17 million Americans are living in extreme poverty, that is, with incomes below half the poverty line. In addition one-third of working families in the United States are now considered low-income, earning less than twice the official poverty threshold. In 2009, 45 million people, including 22 million children, lived in low -income working families. It is time to end poverty in America once and for all. Times are hard for many with the stagnant economy and high unemployment. As Catholics, we are called to help the poor; Jesus always showed preference to the poor. Here at St. Paul, we have become very active in supporting the homeless and poor of Akron through our monthly dinners at the Peter Maurin Center and our blanket donation box in the narthex. For more ideas go to www.povertyusa.org to see how you can become involved in helping to eliminate poverty in America today.

Mass for Lucy DeLuca is Monday

Lucy Stella DeLuca, 93, went home to be with the Lord on January 13.

Born in Akron, Ohio on March 6, 1917 to the late Michael and Josephine Sabatino, Lucy had been a lifetime area resident. She was a member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Akron.

In addition to her parents, Lucy was preceded in death by her husband, Anthony, brother, Robert Sabatini and sister, Erma Sabatine. She is survived by her daughters, Jean DeLuca of Shreve, Ohio and Nancy Muffley of Akron; sister-in-law, Virginia Sabatini; as well as six grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday at 11 a.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church on Brown Street in Akron, where the family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lucy's memory may be made to St. Paul Catholic Church, 433 Mission Drive, Akron, OH 44301. Anthony Funeral Homes
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH, Saturday, January 15, 2011, page B4, col. 4]

Benedict XVI appoints two U.S. bishops

VATICAN CITY(CNA/EWTN News).-  Pope Benedict XVI appointed two U.S. priests today as bishops for the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, PA, and the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, IN.

Altoona-Johnstown's new bishop will be Msgr. Mark L. Bartchak, previously a diocesan priest and judicial vicar in the Diocese of Erie, PA. He will replace retiring Bishop Joseph V. Adamec, who submitted his resignation to Pope Benedict in August, 2010 upon reaching his 75th birthday.

Bishop Adamec has played a role in the Church's life both locally and internationally, in five decades as a priest and 23 years as a bishop. He was honored by Pope John Paul II for his work on behalf of the Church in Eastern Europe –particularly his family's home country of Slovakia– during the 1980s.

His successor, Bishop-elect Bartchak, 55, is a past president of the Canon Law Society of America. His episcopal consecration will take place on April 19.

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis will receive its first auxiliary bishop in just over 75 years, with the consecration of Fr. Christopher J. Coyne, currently a pastor in the Archdiocese of Boston.

Fr. Coyne, 52, served as a media spokesman for the archdiocese during a difficult period that included revelations of sexual abuse by clergy as well as parish closings. He became the pastor of St. Margaret Mary parish in Westwood, Massachusetts in 2006.

The auxiliary bishop-elect will receive his episcopal consecration in Indianapolis on March 2.

Pope to beatify John Paul II on May 1

VATICAN CITY (VIS) - Pope Benedict XVI will preside at the rite of beatification for John Paul II on May 1, the second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday.

 According to a note released by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, "today 24 January, Benedict XVI, during an audience granted to Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, authorised the dicastery to promulgate the decree of the miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Servant of God John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla). This concludes the process which precedes the rite of beatification.

"It is well known that, by pontifical dispensation, his cause began before the end of the five-year period which the current norms stipulate must pass following the death of a Servant of God. This provision was solicited by the great fame of sanctity which Pope John Paul II enjoyed during his life, in his death and after his death. In all other ways, the normal canonical dispositions concerning causes of beatification and canonisation were observed in full.

"Between June 2005 and April 2007 the principal diocesan investigation was held in Rome , accompanied by secondary investigations in various other dioceses, on his life, virtues, fame of sanctity and miracles. The juridical validity of these canonical processes was recognised by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints with a decree of 4 May 2007. In June 2009, having examined the relative 'Positio', nine of the dicastery's theological consultors expressed their positive judgement concerning the heroic nature of the virtues of the Servant of God. The following November, in keeping with the usual procedure, the 'Positio' was submitted for the judgement of the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, who gave their approval.

 "On 19 December 2009, Benedict XVI authorised the promulgation of the decree on John Paul II's heroic virtues.

 "With a view to the beatification of the Venerable Servant of God, the postulator of the cause invited the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to examine the recovery from Parkinson's disease of Sr. Marie Simon Pierre Normand, a religious of the 'Institut des Petites Soeurs des Maternites Catholiques'.

"As is customary, the voluminous acts of the regularly-instituted canonical investigation, along with detailed reports from medical and legal experts, were submitted for scientific examination by the medical consultors of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on 21 October 2010. The experts of the congregation, having studied the depositions and the entire documentation with their customary scrupulousness, expressed their agreement concerning the scientifically inexplicable nature of the healing. On 14 December the theological consultors, having examined the conclusions reached by the medical experts, undertook a theological evaluation of the case and unanimously recognised the unicity, antecedence and choral nature of the invocation made to Servant of God John Paul II, whose intercession was effective in this prodigious healing.

"Finally, on 11 January 2011 the ordinary session of the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints took place. They expressed their unanimous approval, believing the recovery of Sr. Marie Simon Pierre to be miraculous, having been achieved by God in a scientifically inexplicable manner following the intercession of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, trustingly invoked both by Sr. Simon herself and by many other faithful".

See the complete text of the Beatification decree.