Members of the Catholic Charities’ Disabilities Services and Ministries community in the Diocese of Cleveland look forward each Advent to the special Journey to Bethlehem liturgy and lunch. This year, they gathered with their families in a new location: La Sagrada Familia Church.
Father Francisco “Paco” Garnica welcomed the group to his newly renovated church on Cleveland’s West Side. Traditionally, the liturgy was celebrated at St. Augustine Parish in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood, where many of the disability ministries are based.
(See photo gallery above.)
Sagrada Familia has a new tabernacle and reconfigured altar area as well as refurbished pews that came from a closed parish. Father Garnica blessed the tabernacle during a 25thanniversary Mass on Nov. 20, the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.
“We are so excited to be here,” said Marilyn Scott, director of Disability Services and Ministries. She said they hope to return to Sagrada Familia again next year.
Once again, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Roger Gries was the principal celebrant. Concelebrants were Father Joe McNulty, retired longtime St. Augustine pastor; Father Ben Jimenez, SJ St. Augustine parochial vicar; Father Andy Turner, vice rector of Borromeo Seminary and Saint Mary Seminary director of field education; and Father Joe Hilinski, pastor of St. Barbara Parish in Cleveland and diocesan delegate for ecumenical and interfaith affairs.
“This is one of my favorite liturgies,” Bishop Gries said,
Assisting with the event were members of the Order of Alhambra, a Catholic fraternal organization, and a group of seminarians. One of Alhambra’s ministries is serving the developmentally disabled. Members also assisted at Disability Services and Ministries’ annual field day last summer.
As is his custom, Bishop Gries brought a $100 bill and displayed it during the homily, much to the delight of the congregation.
He told those gathered that many years ago, before Jesus’ birth, people weren’t listening to what they were supposed to be doing. God sent prophets to try and coax them back onto the right path, “But they still didn’t listen,” the bishop said, noting God was concerned because he loved his people so much and it hurt him that they weren’t living good lives.
“We’re all suffering because of them,” he said. God decided to send his only son, Jesus, in order to show the people how much he loved them. He said Jesus lived just as we do and had the same struggles. “But no one trusted him, either,” Bishop Gries said, pointing out Jesus was crucified.
There were believers who said Jesus would return – and he did. “He rose from the dead and was glorified. “On the last day, we’ll all be like that,” he said.
“God sees us as new – like this $100 bill,” he said, displaying the money. “God is living in every one and he’s working through you. But sometimes we don’t realize it. That’s why we have to love our neighbor because God is there.”
During the pandemic, Bishop Gries said everyone wore masks that covered much of our faces. “But who we really are is behind that mask. And today, we’re here with our masks off and smiling.” He said Mother Theresa of Calcutta called smiling “a gift of yourself.”
On the Journey to Bethlehem, the bishop said we are preparing for Jesus’ coming. He recapped the four weeks of the Advent season and reminded the congregation “You all are precious in the eyes of God. He loves us so much that he sent his only Son to take on a life like us. After he died, he rose and showed us who he really was.”
The bishop thanked those who participated in the Mass as readers and reciting the petitions.
He also gave Scott the $100 bill and asked her to use it to help defray costs for the event.
According to tradition, members of the community volunteered to carry figures from the Nativity set during the offertory procession and hand them to the bishop who then passed them on to volunteers who placed them in the crèche near the altar.
Bill Rebol directed the choir from St. John Vianney Parish in Mentor and Dennis McNulty, retired director of Disabilities Ministries, was a guest musician.
Also participating Patrick Gareau, president and CEO of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland and Lauren Mailey, Megan Bonilla, Kayti Edberg and Terry Hogan from Disabilities Ministries.
“Thank you for the joy and love you share all year long and thank you for your dedication to persons with disabilities,” Scott said.
After Mass, Bishop Gries greeted the faithful and posed for photos before they picked up their boxed lunches from the Alhambra members.
Click here for more information on Disabilities Services and Ministries.