Dear Parish Family,

Happy Easter, and a warm welcome to all who are visiting this weekend. The Lord is risen! Today, Christ rose victorious from the grave and conquered our ancient foes of sin and death. While we still struggle with sin and death, the war has been won by Jesus Christ, and we are assured victory over these enemies when we are faithful to Him. Faithfulness to Christ requires us to remain in relationship with Him in every situation. 

Some simple questions we can ask ourselves will help us remain faithful. Do I enter every circumstance of life and make decisions with faith, hope, trust, and love? Does my daily prayer time reflect a humble openness to God's grace and mercy for myself and for others? Am I obedient to the teachings and practices of Christ and His Church? Do I prioritize my Sunday Mass obligation? By making a few subtle shifts in our lives, we can experience the grace of Christ's resurrection in a powerful way. I invite you on that journey with me and with our parish community this year. We aren't meant to journey alone. Christ is with us, and He needs us to walk with each other. 

During Holy Week the past few days, we have celebrated the Triduum liturgies which have given us a proximate preparation for Easter, especially for our catechumens and candidates whom we welcome into full communion with our Catholic Church this Easter. I am so inspired by their faith and love for the Lord! Please continue to pray for all who will enter the Church this Easter season, and for all who have that thirst for God who still need to encounter Christ.

In the midst of an increasingly secular culture, people are actually starving for God. Many people numb their spiritual hunger, but not even the most sophisticated atheist can actually remove it. This hunger for God can only truly be fulfilled in the Word of God and the Sacraments of the Church where Christ can be heard, seen, touched, felt, and tasted. It's not overly simplistic to say that without this connection to Christ, we will continue to search in vain for the meaning, purpose, and peace of life ordered in God's plan. Once we have discovered Christ in our lives, His presence changes everything. Share the good news of Jesus in His resurrection with others. Awaken the hunger that every person has, and show them the place of true fulfillment is in knowing Jesus Christ and living each day with Him.

Please remember Fr. Spisak and his family in your prayers. Fr. Spisak's mother, Eleanore Spisak, passed away on Friday, March 24 at the age of 91. The Funeral Mass at St. John Bosco Parish in Parma Heights was a beautiful tribute to Eleanore's life and legacy.

In the gathering space this weekend, I invite you to pickup a Holy Moments book that is our gift to you this Easter. We also have Divine Mercy pamphlets to you can pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet at home or with us in church this week. See the schedule in today's bulletin.

Angel Scholarship Fund Tax Credit - Your Taxes, Their Tuition!
Finally, as we are in tax season, now is a great time to check how much you owed in Ohio state taxes last year, and estimate how much you might contribute to the Angel Scholarship Fund this year. This state tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in what you owe in state income tax by making a no-net cost contribution to the Angel Scholarship Fund to assist with student tuition scholarships. You have to pay your state taxes anyway, and the state of Ohio is now letting you choose where to allocate a portion of your income tax (up to $750 for single filers or $1,500 for married filing jointly). You can designate a school of your choice in the Diocese of Cleveland (we recommend St. Mary School in Chardon), or you can make an undesignated contribution to assist in the area of greatest need. Pick up brochures and contribution forms any time this year in our gathering space or parish office, or visit https://stmarychardon.org/asf to learn more or make a contribution. This is a win-win for you as a taxpayer, for our students and families, and for our Catholic parishes and schools. Please take the time to learn more and contribute! 

I am yours in Christ,
Fr. Scott Goodfellow