Contact Information
1404 East 9th Street
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 696-6525
(800) 869-6525
Contact Information
1404 East 9th Street
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 696-6525
(800) 869-6525
October 28, 2026
Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost celebrated daily Mass and then joined members and guests of the First Friday Club of Cleveland for the annual Bagels with the Bishop event at Cathedral Square Plaza, diocesan headquarters.
Therese Boepple, past president of the club, welcomed guests for Bill McCarron, current president, who was unable to attend. She also introduced club officers Andrew Zmecek, secretary; Maurus Kosco, treasurer; and board members John Diemer, Marian Rubin, John FitzGerald and Patrick McCarthy, who were in attendance.
“It is my privilege to welcome you to this morning’s breakfast to officially kick off our planning for the upcoming 2027 Bishop’s Luncheon, taking place on Feb. 4,” Boepple said.
Bishop Woost offered brief remarks, noting the Bishop’s Luncheon is the club’s largest gathering during which Bishop Edward Malesic presents the “State of the Diocese.”
Bob Singerline, who will take over the club presidency in 2027, was also introduced. He announced the winner of the club’s Bishop Roger Gries Heart of a Servant Award: the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland.
The congregation, represented by Sister Laura Bregan, OSU, congregation president, recently concluded its 175thyear of service to the diocese. The sisters were invited to come to Cleveland by Bishop Amadeus Rappe, the first bishop of Cleveland. They began what has grown into the diocesan Catholic school system.
“Love brought us here,” Sister Bregar told the gathering. She said the sisters came with simple beginnings and untold dreams and left a lasting legacy that continues to impact the diocese.
Bagels with the Bishop is also an opportunity for individuals, organizations and others to help support the Bishop’s Luncheon, which will be Feb. 4 at the Embassy Suites in Independence. Boepple noted the sell-out event has outgrown several previous venues. She said Embassy Suites, which can accommodate 900, provides an opportunity for even more people to attend.
Boepple said there are various levels of sponsorship opportunities available for the program. St. Gertrude the Great, at $500, offers the sponsor’s name on a table sign, name listed in the program and a reserved table for 10. A St. Claude Colombiere sponsorship, at $1,000, offers the same benefits, as well as a ¼-page ad in the luncheon program book.
The next level is St. Mary Margaret Alacoque, $1,500, which includes all the benefits below plus a ½-page advertisement in the program.
An Immaculate Heart of Mary sponsorship at $2,500, is the same as the other levels plus, as a presenting sponsor, there is a full-page ad in the program, and an additional table of 10 that can be donated to a school or parish.
The top sponsorship level, Sacred Heart, is available for $5,000. As title sponsor, it includes premium placement of a full-page ad, a table of 10 in a premier location and two seats at the bishop’s table, plus the sponsor’s name and logo on the table sign.
Tickets for the lunch will go on sale soon. For more information on sponsorships, the club or upcoming programs, email info@firstfridayclubcleveland.org or call Susan at 330-800-1493.
In addition to the Bishop’s Luncheon, the club’s 2027 speaker lineup includes:
Click here for more information on the club and its programs.