Bishop Daniel Thomas, apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Cleveland, spent several busy days in the diocese this week meeting with senior staff, soon-to-be-ordained seminarians, staff at Catholic Charites, and mingling with staff and residents at St. Augustine Health Ministries.
The bishop spent much of the afternoon on April 25 on the campus of St. Augustine Health Ministries, which is located at the former St. John Hospital on Detroit Avenue in Cleveland.
He met with staff from various Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland offices, including Migration and Refugee Services, CYO, Disabilities Services, Office for Human Life, Marriage and Family Ministry and the health campus staff.
Patrick Gareau, president and CEO of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, guided the bishop around the campus, including The Towers, which has assisted living units, and is located across Detroit from the old hospital. The bishop spent a few minutes in private prayer in The Towers chapel, which contains many large, bright, stained-glass windows.
Bishop Thomas took time to greet resident and staff members, even posing for photos and blessing some. Many residents were excited to meet the bishop, offering him good wishes.
The highlight of the afternoon was a special Mass celebrated in the chapel of St. Augustine Manor, the nursing home that now occupies much of the whole hospital. Dozens of wheelchairs lined the chapel floor, with many residents arriving early to pray the rosary before Mass.
Father Januarias Lyimo, AJ, St. Augustine chaplain, and Father Don Oleksiak, delegate to the apostolic administrator, concelebrated the Mass.
?The Gospel means ?good news,?? Bishop Thomas said, ?not the good news that the lilies are still fresh, but the good news that Jesus suffered, died and rose from the dead to save us. It?s a blessing to be able to visit St. Augustine Manor, to visit with people from The Towers across the street, with the employees and those in ministry and a blessing that so many people can come to Mass here and hear the good news.?
The bishop said in the first reading, Peter talked about humbling ourselves under the hand of God and casting all worries to him.
?No matter our difficulty, he invites us to cast all our cares on him. That?s the good news of Catholic Charities
