The Diocesan Memorandum (formerly the Clergy Memorandum) is a service of the Office of the Chancellor for clergy and lay leadership of the Diocese of Cleveland, providing a summary of relevant and timely information from the Office of the Bishop and other diocesan offices.
OCIA Workshops
The upcoming publication of the revised edition of the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults offers an opportunity to renew our celebration and pastoral practice of this process. Register for the 3-part series of workshops by clicking here.
Formation for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Formation sessions for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion will be offered this fall:
An additional session in Spanish will be scheduled in November. A memo with the registration link has been sent to parishes and campus ministers.
FDLC Study Day 10/2/24
The Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions national meeting will be held in Pittsburgh, October 1-3. Click here for the brochure.
ILP Choral Reading Session 10/7/24
John Angotti, Associate Publisher of International Liturgy Publications, will offer a choral reading session for music directors on Monday, October 7, 2024 in Sacred Heart Chapel at the Center for Pastoral Leadership. In this Choral Reading Session, the director of music for each attending parish will receive a complimentary packet of resources for every season and Sacrament, as well as psalmody, propers and service music. Refreshments and fellowship will follow in Founder’s Hall. There is no cost to participate, but registration is requested. Click here to register.
October 2024 Liturgical Calendar:
October 4 is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. On or near the day, the community or a household may join in the blessing of pets and other animals. For the order of Blessing of Animals, see Book of Blessings, #942-965 or Household Book of Blessings, #154-157.
October 18 is the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist. A Health Care Mass may be celebrated on or near the day to honor doctors, nurses, medical technicians, hospital administrators, and emergency personnel in appreciation for their services. The suggested Mass formulary, when permitted, is For Giving Thanks to God, #49B.
October 20, is World Mission Sunday. Communities are encouraged to assist in the mission of the Church in spreading the gospel. The Mass for The Evangelization of Peoples (#18A, alt: B) may be used as found in the Roman Missal. See the note in the Ordo for readings.
August 2024 Announcements
Rev. Timothy J. O’Connor has been appointed Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus Holy Family Council 4891 effective immediately. His assignment as Pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Amherst and Pastor, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Amherst remains unchanged.
Rev. Matthew E. Pfeiffer has been appointed Chaplain of Courage International Cleveland effective 15 January 2025. His assignment as Pastor, St. Paul Parish, Akron remains unchanged.
Deacon Thomas P. Bizon has been transferred from Permanent Deacon, Mary, Queen of Apostles Parish, Brook Park to Permanent Deacon, St. Luke Parish, St. Clement Parish and St. James Parish in Lakewood effective 1 August 2024.
Deacon John Burke, Jr., St. Bede the Venerable Parish, Mentor diaconal assignment has been concluded and has been granted retirement status effective 18 August 2024.
Deacon Mark A. Cunningham, St. Bernadette Parish, Westlake diaconal assignment has been concluded and has been granted retirement status effective 31 May 2025.
Angel Scholarship Fund- ASF Video Production Opportunity
Help us to help you provide tuition assistance for students in our 107 excellent Catholic Schools. The Angel Scholarship Fund continues to grow, with more than 7,500 supporters of Catholic education taking advantage of the state’s scholarship tax credit program since 2022. The Catholic Community Foundation is pleased to once again sponsor two ASF Video Production days. All parishes and schools are encouraged to participate in this opportunity to collaborate with Shape Cleveland on the production of a promotional video that shines a light on this wonderful program. Your video will feature local people, staff, and students from your community, and is a great way to illustrate the positive impact that ASF is making for each of our schools. Filming will take place at Shape Cleveland in the Ohio City area on September 12th and 18th. Click here to schedule a time, or contact Kaitlyn Novicky, 216-696-6525, ext. 1680 for more information.
2024 Catholic Charities Appeal: Transformed by your love.
Catholic Charities continues its work on the front lines to serve the growing number of individuals and families most in need. As of July 31st, more than 31,000 faithful donors from across the diocese have pledged more than $13.1 million to the 2024 Appeal.
Donor Advised Funds
Would you like to streamline your charitable giving? A donor advised fund, also known as a “charitable checkbook,” is easy to set up and can offer immediate tax benefits while simplifying your yearly charitable giving, including your generous gifts to <>. Donor advised funds with the Catholic Community Foundation grow tax-free, have low fees, and are invested in accordance with Church teaching. To learn more, please contact Moira Wopershall at 216-696-6525 x8070 or visit www.catholiccommunity.org/daf.
Professional Advisors’ Seminar
Join fellow professional advisors from the legal, tax, trust, insurance, and wealth management disciplines on Thursday, September 26th (12:15-4:30 p.m. followed by cocktails/networking) at the Diocesan offices 1404 E. Ninth St. Seminar topics include estate planning for a family member with a disability, uses of insurance products for charitable giving, and retirement plan distributions. Continuing education credit available. $50 registration; $25 for Catholic Lawyers Guild members. Click here for details and to register or contact Jessica DiSalvatore at 216-696-6525 x4080.
Women’s Giving Circle – Join us!
Are you looking for a way to make a meaningful impact? Do you want to connect with other women of faith who share your values? The Catholic Community Foundation's Women's Giving Circle might be just what you've been searching for!
Our members gather throughout the year to learn about Catholic and other causes, pool their resources and collectively decide which organizations to support. We invite you to join us for our fall Women’s Giving Circle Sip & Learn event at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at St. Basil the Great Parish in Brecksville, OH. Enjoy an evening of wine, cheese, and meaningful conversation as women from across the diocese explore the difference the Women’s Giving Circle is making in our community. Bring a friend, be inspired, and discover how you can join other women of faith in making a lasting impact!
For more information and to RSVP for the October 17 event, please visit: www.catholiccommunity.org/givingcircle or contact Mary Lou Ozimek at 216-696-6525 x4070.
**Please include this graphic in your parish bulletin.
Update Expiration Date for I-9 Form
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the expiration date for Form I-9, which is used for employment eligibility verification, to May 31, 2027.
The form, which can be downloaded here, has a version date of Aug. 1, 2023. Depending on when it was accessed, the form may have an expiration date of either July 31, 2026, or the newly extended May 31, 2027. Both iterations of the form are acceptable for use until July 31, 2026, USCIS said. But the agency is recommending employers use the form with the 2027 expiration date.
Contact Human Resources with any questions.
Every October, we celebrate Respect Life Month. We consider more deeply why every human life is valuable and reflect on how to build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death. Click the link for details: Respect Life Month: “I Came So That They Might Have Life”
Zelie’s Home, which provides shelter and support to pregnant and parenting women in need, invites parishes to join the "baby bottle drive" this October. They will supply baby bottles for parishioners to fill with donations and handle all the coordination to make the drive simple and efficient. To participate or for questions, please contact Erin Hathaway, Executive Director, Zelie’s Home at babybottledrive@zelieshome.org or call (216) 307-1106.
Office of Youth Ministry
CLE 2:16
Ticket sales open September 1.
Now is the time to buy tickets for your group to attend our diocesan youth conference for high school teens.
Event date: January 4, 2025 at John Carroll University
Lay Ecclesial Ministry Office
Redeeming Conflict with Reverence for the Other… and Self
Saturday, September 14th, 10:00 - 2:00 p.m. | Center for Pastoral Leadership, Founders Hall
Speaking out of her own experience as a lay minister and conflict mediator, Ann Garrido will share a framework for analyzing the ordinary tensions of working in a parish and concrete practices to constructively engage the tough conversations that need to be had with reverence.
Register by September 9.
Office of Youth Ministry
Pastor & Youth Minister Gathering
Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 10:00am - 2:00pm | Cathedral Square Plaza, Cleveland
All priests, deacons, youth & campus ministers, and principals are invited.
Keynote speakers: Bishop Malesic and Aaron Richards, Co-Founder of Damascus Catholic Mission Campus
Register by September 10.
Office of Young Adult Ministry
Theology on Tap West: Identity. Community. Mission.
Tuesday, September 17, 7:00-9:00pm | Forest City Brewery, Cleveland
Office for Human Life
Birthright Lake, Inc. Bundle of Joy Brunch
Sunday, September 22, 2024, 11:00am -3:00pm | Mentor Harbor Yachting Club, Mentor
Click here to purchase tickets
Office of Youth Ministry
First Things in Youth Ministry
Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 10:00am - 4:00pm | Cathedral Square Plaza, Cleveland
This Orientation Day is the beginning of the First Things in Youth Ministry Cohort. It is designed for those who have been doing youth ministry for 3 years or less - or those who would like a refresher on the basics.
Register by September 18.
Office of Young Adult Ministry
Theology on Tap East: Being Chosen – Our Experience on the Set of The Chosen
Wednesday, September 25, 7:00-9:00pm | Bar Louie, Lyndhurst
Office of Marriage & Family Ministry
Lesson from the Carpenter’s Workshop: Father and Son Retreat
Saturday, September 28, 9:30am-4:30pm | St. Ladislas, Westlake
Cost: $20 per person, lunch and snacks included.
Office for Human Life
The Ohio March for Life
October 4, 2024 | Columbus, OH
Office of Hispanic Ministry
Celebración de FE Y CULTURA | La Santidad de la Familia
Celebration of Faith & Culture
5 octubre 2024, 7pm | Iglesia de San Miguel Arcángel, Cleveland
Invitamos a toda la comunidad Hispana de Cleveland a celebrar juntos nuestra bella identidad como un solo Pueblo de Dios.
Celebrante Principal: Reverendísimo Edward C. Malesic
Office for Human Life
Called by Name: A Weekend Healing Retreat
October 25-27, 2024 | Loyola Retreat House, Clinton
Women suffering after an abortion are invited to a confidential, private healing retreat. Encounter the transforming presence of God's grace and mercy through the sacraments, scripture, and prayer.
For more information, click the link to the Office For Human Life page
Or contact The Community of Jesus, the Living Mercy, at 1-800-482-4100 or email reachout@bethesdahouseofmercy.org.
[Please visit our website for the most updated schedule of events.]
National Day of Remembrance | Saturday, September 14, 2024
National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children - Solemn prayer service, hymns, scripture readings, and reflections by local leaders to honor the memory of the more than 50 million unborn victims of abortion. Simultaneous prayer services will be held at gravesites around the country where abortion victims have been buried, as well as at many other memorial sites dedicated in their honor.
Right to Life of Northeast Ohio: 1:00pm – 2:00pm | ON-SITE memorial service at Holy Cross Cemetery, Akron OH, Address: 100 E. Waterloo Road, Akron, OH 44319 | Visit www.rtlofneo.com (Events) or call Sarah McGervey 234-334-0088 for details.
Medina County Right to Life: 11:00am – 12:00pm | ON SITE memorial service at Resurrection Cemetery, Address: 6303 Center Road, Valley City, OH 44280 | Contact MedinaCntyRTL@gmail.com or call Trish Shaw 330-667-0750 for details.
For more event information please visit: http://abortionmemorials.com/
Catholic Cemeteries Annual Walk to Remember | October 6, 2024 1 – 2 PM
During October, the month of the Most Holy Rosary, Catholic Cemeteries Association invites families to participate in a half-mile walking Rosary in honor of departed loved ones. We walk, we pray, we sing, and we remember. For those who cannot walk, or in case of rain, the Rosary will be prayed in the mausoleum or in the cemetery office. At the end of the Rosary, there is a brief candle-lighting ceremony in remembrance of our dearly departed. This is a great communal prayer opportunity for families and for Rosary Prayer organizations in your parish. Whether walking or not, you can also honor your departed loved ones by adding their names to our online “In Remembrance” Memorial Wall. Submit names by September 30th to be included for the month of October. Pre-Register and/or submit Remembrance Names by phone, email, US mail (return form at bottom of flyer), or online. Onsite registration is available the morning of the Walk.
Walk to Remember locations:
First Friday Club of Cleveland
Fr. Larry Richards, speaking on: What Does it Mean to be a Disciple | Thursday, September 5, 2024 | Borromeo/Saint Mary Seminary, 28700 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe, OH 44092 | Registration and more information can found here.
First Friday Club of Greater Akron
Ron Nowak, High School Youth and Young Adult Minister St. Mary's Hudson, speaking on: Cracking the code for keeping our youth in the Church | Friday, September 6, 2024 | Our Lady of Cedars, 507 South Cleveland Massillon Road, Fairlawn, OH 44333 | Registration and more information here.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Annual Blanket Sunday Appeal | October 12-13, 2024
The 38th Annual Blanket Sunday in-parish appeal kicks off the weekend of October 12-13, 2024. Last year, funds from the appeal were used to purchase nearly 5,000 new winter blankets that were provided to unhoused neighbors, in addition to beds and other necessities for low-income individuals and families throughout Northeast Ohio. The need is great and donations can be made securely online: svdpcle.org
Checks may also be mailed to: St. Vincent de Paul Society Blanket Sunday, 1404 East 9th Street-3rd Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114. Thank you for helping us ‘blanket’ neighbors in warmth and compassion.
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Submissions for the next Memorandum should be made to Ann Marie Perkins by the 15th of the preceding month. Guidelines for submissions are available here
Child & Youth Protection
Our promise to protect, our pledge to heal.
To report an abuse, please contact local law enforcement and:
Kathleen McComb, Victim Assistance Coordinator
Response Services – 216-334-2999
Catholic Diocese of Cleveland © 2024
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