First Faith & Family Night at the Drive-in features Mass, food, fun

The idea of a family night at the Aut-O-Rama Twin Drive-in in North Ridgeville surfaced occasionally over the past couple of years but really took hold this spring, said Deacon Darrel “Del” Sherman, of St. Peter and St. Julie Billiart parishes in North Ridgeville.

He said the parishes considered having an event at the drive-in previously, but things didn’t work out. “Then this year, I heard that the Avon Catholic Community – Holy Trinity and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception parishes – was interested in doing something,” he said. From there, the idea took root and expanded to become larger, encompassing eight parishes in the West Suburban Deanery. Other parishes supporting the event were St. Joseph, Avon Lake; St. Raphael, Bay Village; St. Brendan and St. Clarence, North Olmsted.  

It was logical to have the event at the drive-in since Deacon Sherman’s father and grandfather built the establishment in 1965. He is the third generation to operate the Aut-O-Rama.

On Aug. 2, despite the threat of rain, hundreds of people gathered at the drive-in for what Deacon Sherman said was the first Mass celebrated there.  Father Bob Franco, St. Peter and St. Julie pastor,  was the principal celebrant. Father Anthony Donatelli, parochial vicar for the Avon Catholic Community, was homilist.

Concelebrants included Father Vince Hawk, Avon Catholic Community pastor; Father Tom Woost, pastor of St. Brendan and St. Richard parishes in North Olmsted; Father Mitch Carson, parochial vicar at St. Joseph; and Father Isidore Munishi, AJ, parochial vicar at St. Peter and St. Julie. Deacon Mike Puhalla from the Avon Catholic Community assisted at the liturgy.

“It was raining when we got here to set up, but it stopped,” said Desi Gould, director of evangelization for the Avon Catholic Community and an event coordinator. She said about 800 people registered for the event.

When Mass started at 6:30 p.m. under a large open-face tent, it was breezy but comfortable. People sat on folding chairs or stayed in their cars and listened to the Mass on the radio.

“When you follow Jesus, you never know where he will lead you,” Father Donatelli said in his homily. “I never expected to be celebrating Mass at a drive-in theater,” he quipped.

He said Jesus tells us the essentials – the word of God. Although he knows who he is, Father Donatelli said part of him “is itching to know more about who I am … Psalm 139 tells us that we are wonderfully made. We need to believe that ourselves and to go out and share it … Today, the Lord invites us all to his altar to receive his body and blood because we are wonderfully made in his image and likeness.”

After Mass, attendees enjoyed a dinner of hot dogs, pizza and chips. They also could purchase food in the snack bar.

While waiting for the movie “Shrek” to begin at about 9:15 p.m., there was face painting and  entertainment from a juggler, magician and an aerialist.