Our Lady of Angels Parish celebrates church dedication, altar mensa consecration

Two parishes in Cleveland’s West Park neighborhood – St. Patrick and St. Vincent de Paul – joined with neighboring Our Lady of Angels Parish on July 19 to celebrate OLA’s church dedication and the consecration of a new altar mensa. Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost celebrated the liturgy with Father Rob Ramser, OLA pastor, John Pfeifer, St. Patrick and St. Vincent de Paul pastor, and Father Kyle Rosser, St. Albert the Great parochial vicar, as concelebrants.

“This is a once in a lifetime event,” said Father Ramser.

OLA was established in 1922 by the Franciscans, who ministered there until 1987, when they turned control of the parish over to the Diocese of Cleveland. Father Ramser said since this is the Jubilee Year of St. Francis and OLA is one of the nine diocesan Jubilee Year pilgrimage sites, it was a fitting time for the celebration. He noted that the interior of the church, built in 1941, was recently cleaned and repainted.

As he prepared for the celebration, Father Ramser said he discovered – after checking with the diocesan archives – that there was no record of the church being dedicated. He said that could have been because World War II began in December 1941, just as the church construction finished.

The nearly three-hour liturgy included placing saints’ relics in the altar. Relics of SS. Innocent and Donatus were returned to the altar, along with a relic of St. Francis of Assisi, which had been in the parish, and a relic of 11 apostles, recently gifted to OLA by a diocesan priest who is a West Park native.

Relics of SS. Innocent and Donatus and St. Francis of Assisi.

Assisting with the liturgy were Deacon Mark Yantek from OLA, Deacon Sean Homcy, Deacon Tom Bizon and Deacon Andy Davis, who was Bishop Woost’s master of ceremonies.

The bishop also anointed the walls of the church and the candles, as well as pouring sacred chrism on the new 1,400-pound marble altar mensa, which also was incensed. After its consecration, sacristans cleaned the altar and it was prepared for the liturgy.

"This is a significant, historic date in the life of your parish community," Bishop Woost said.

In his homily, he referred to the Gospel in which Jesus told Zaccheus, “I must stay at your house today.” Houses were a place of rest and encounter, the bishop said, and after encountering Jesus, Zaccheus changed his life.

“Is this church not a place of rest and encounter?” Bishop Woost asked. “We encounter God here in a unique way through the ministry of Word and the sacraments … the living presence of God is here … This is a special place, a holy place where God comes to meet us.” He said using holy chrism to anoint the walls, candles and altar reminds us it is a sacred place. That same chrism was used on us at our baptism and confirmation, he said, “so we are God’s dwelling place.”

A tri-parish festival chorus and a brass ensemble, directed by Marie Toth, OLA music director, Caleb Tate and John Bischof, performed.

After Mass, the congregation was invited to a lunch in Linus Hall.

Bishop Michael Woost anoints the walls of Our Lady of Angels.