There will be plenty of celebrating in the Hough neighborhood of Cleveland on July 28 between the ballpark Mass at historic League Park and the festivities for the 50th anniversary of the Fatima Family Center.
The second in a series of Eucharistic Revival ballpark Masses will take place at 7 p.m. that night at League Park, 6601 Lexington Ave., Cleveland. The Diocesan Gospel Choir will perform before the Mass, which will be celebrated by Bishop Edward Malesic. Father Oscar Pratt from the Archdiocese of Boston will be the homilist. All are invited to attend this special liturgy, which is one in a series of four Masses planned in conjunction with the Eucharistic Revival.
At sunset -- after Mass -- all are invited to participate in a Eucharistic procession to St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima Church across the street.
In addition, Fatima Family Center will celebrate a half-century of service with a free block party 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. that day. There will be live music, food trucks, a baseball game featuring local celebrities, family activities and more. All are invited to attend the block party and stay for Mass.
“Come early and stay for the celebration of Mass,” said Father Damian Ference diocesan vicar for evangelization and director of the Parish Life and Special Ministries Office. He noted there will be food for sale and family-friendly activities.
Fatima Family Center was established in 1973 as a pastoral counseling outreach ministry of what then was Our Lady of Fatima Parish. The center anchors the Hough community with a 26,000-square-foot facility built by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland and dedicated in 2000.
It provides cultural, leadership and development activities as well as homework assistance, summer camps, field trips and recreational programming for children and teens. The Fatima Kids Club provides recreational activities and personal development opportunities for children ages 5-13. There also is a teen leadership program for young people 13-16 years old with opportunities for social skill development, career exploration, workshops and college preparation. Also, families can be linked to community resources and services to assist at-risk youth to help prevent out-of-home placements and to help reunify children with their biological parents or family members.
In addition, there are adult services including parenting classes, health screenings and food pantry distributions, access to a weight room, computer lab and computer classes. There also are socialization activities geared toward older adults. Among the programs at the center are Embracing the Arts, the Fatima Boutique and Silver Threads Senior Program for those 55 and older. This program offers socialization opportunities and supportive services including light meals and health screenings.
The boutique provides emergency clothing for women to support them in job searches, professional meetings and business opportunities.
The remaining ballpark Masses will be celebrated at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at Mercy Health Stadium, 2009 Baseball Blvd., Avon, with Bishop Martin Amos, retired bishop of Davenport, Iowa, as celebrant. A living rosary will precede the liturgy.
The final outdoor ballpark Mass will be at 5 p.m. Sept. 10 at Brookside Park, 200 Brookside Drive, Ashland, with Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Roger Gries, OSB, as celebrant.
Click here to register for information and to register for the ballpark Masses.