Residents, staff, family members and guests gathered recently to celebrate Founders’ Day at Jennings. Highlight of the day was a Mass offered by Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost at the Garfield Heights campus.
Since its founding in 1942, Jennings has nurtured the mind, body and spirit of adults age 55 and older. The nonprofit, founded by the Sisters of the Holy Spirit through a bequest from the late Msgr. Gilbert Jennings, is a Catholic organization serving people of all faiths through a continuum of care in four locations: Brecksville, Chardon, Garfield Heights and Shaker Heights.
(See photo gallery above.)
“As we celebrate Founders’ Day, we remember Msgr. Jennings who had the idea to establish a home for those who couldn’t afford a place to live and had nowhere to go as they aged,” said Allison Salopeck, Jennings president and CEO. “We also remember the Sisters of the Holy Spirit for their role in establishing Jennings. Their legacy is this beautiful facility,” Salopeck added.
Msgr. Jennings was the first pastor of St. Agnes Parish at East 79th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. He was known as a friend of the poor. (St. Agnes, established in 1983, merged with Our Lady of Fatima Parish, founded in 1949. It is now St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Cleveland. The old St. Agnes Church was demolished in 1975 because of deterioration. Only the bell tower remains.)
Bishop Woost said he was happy to participate in the Founders’ Day celebration. He credited Jennings as a place where God’s mercy and love is evident daily.
The Scripture readings for the day all focused on God’s great love for us, he said. In the first reading, Nicodemus sought out Jesus alone at night. “He was on the verge of believing, but was not quite there yet. In the course of their conversation, Jesus revealed his core teaching: that God so loved the world he sent his only Son to save us,” the bishop said. “Jesus told Nicodemus it’s all about love, love that is made real through words and actions.”
In the second reading, St. Paul talked about how God’s mercy is given to us, even though we don’t deserve it.
“God’s love is meant to be seen in all of us. And isn’t that what Jennings is all about?” Bishop Woost asked. “It (Jennings) makes God’s love real and visible. Residents, you see it in the care you receive and the friendships you make. Supporters make it visible with all they do. These things show that God is real in the way we are called to live.”
The bishop said Jennings is a place where people feel secure and loved. “Isn’t that what you find here at Jennings – compassionate care for others?” he asked.
“There is a lot to celebrate today. God’s love became real and credible through the Gospel. Rejoice and give thanks to God for the ways that his love is real – through the supporters, staff, one another, friendships and love found here at Jennings. Because here love is made credible and concrete. Give thanks today for God’s love in this community of faith, friendship and love.”
Concelebrating the liturgy were Father Andras Antal, Father Leonard Obloy, priest/chaplain at Jennings, and Father Howard Ziemba. Deacon Dan Galla assisted and seminarian Jeffrey Lindholm assisted as the bishop’s master of ceremonies.
After Mass, there was a breakfast buffet/reception in the lobby.
Learn more about the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Jennings’ history here.