Dear Parish Family, 

Please prayerfully remember Fr. Tom Gilles, Pastor Emeritus of St. Mary Chardon, who passed away on Thursday, September 29, the Feast of the Archangels. Fr. Gilles faithfully served as Pastor at St. Mary's from 1992-2011. Upon his retirement in 2011, he lived in residence at St. John Bosco Parish in Parma Heights, and then at Regina Health Center. We will celebrate a Month's Mind Memorial Mass for Fr. Gilles on Saturday, October 29 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary Parish for those who were unable to attend his Funeral Mass at St. John Bosco Parish. Fr. Gilles gave me a warm welcome when I was assigned to St. Mary's. In our conversations and visits, he shared memories with me about our people and parish history. May we remember with gratitude our memories with him, and thank the Lord for the years He gave us Fr. Gilles as our kind and merciful shepherd. Memorial contributions are suggested for the Monastery of the Poor Clares and Regina Health Center. Our parish will make a contribution of $500 to each of these institutions in memory of Fr. Gilles.

Please also remember in your prayers Brian Redmond, the father of Fr. Dan Redmond. Brian passed away the same day as Fr. Gilles on the Feast of the Archangels. May God welcome him into eternal life with Fr. Dan and all his loved ones who have gone before him in the faith of Jesus Christ.

Our Scriptures this Sunday call us to reflect on the gift of gratitude for God's mercy. The first reading relates the story of Naaman who became ill with leprosy. Naaman was not only a foreigner and pagan man, but he was also the commander of the Syrian army (Aram) which was hostile to Israel. At the command of the King of Aram, Naaman literally crosses enemy lines to come to Israel for healing. He first approaches the King of Israel who mocks him and thinks this is the enemy's tactic to deceive him in some way. Naaman therefore goes to Elisha the prophet who tells him to wash in the waters of the Jordan river. Skeptical at first, Naaman obeys in faith and is healed. His healing prompts a response of deep gratitude and confirms his faith in God. In the Gospel, ten lepers are healed, some Jewish and others Samaritans. Only one man, a Samaritan, comes back to Jesus to give thanks to God. Jews and Samaritans in Jesus' time hated each other because of historical hurts. They found it nearly impossible to let go of that resentment. The mercy these foreigners received from God confirms God’s plan to reunite the human family back to Himself. “Have none but this foreigner come back to give thanks to God?” This pointed question from Jesus prompts both Samaritans and Jews alike to apply the Lord’s mercy to themselves and to all their broken relationships. 

People change not because they’ve been treated harshly, but because they’ve been treated mercifully. Mercy heals us and restores relationships. Gratitude is the appropriate response that completes the Lord's work of merciful love and restoration. Because mercy is God's gift, it comes to us even when we don't deserve it or notice it. We can do ourselves a favor this week by being mindful and grateful of when and how the Lord has shown us mercy, and then ask for the grace to treat our enemies with the same mercy of God. Our enemies may not deserve it, notice it, or be grateful for it, but the transformation will happen first with us. We will begin to be healed from the wounds of sin, the broken relationship will be open to reconciliation at least on our end, and our hearts will begin to become more merciful like God's Sacred Heart.

“Faithfully United” Program
Speaking of gratitude, I am so thankful for each and every one of our families who have responded to our Faithfully United stewardship program! I am blessed to hear from you, pray for your intentions, meet with you, and help you renew your commitment to our parish. For those of you who have not yet responded, I encourage you to do so. A follow-up letter and commitment card will be mailed to you. Each and every one of you is a vital member of our parish community, and we want to hear from you! Please take this opportunity to reflect upon and renew your sacrificial commitment to support the mission of our parish. This is the time to unite our intentions and sacrifices with the Lord's supreme sacrifice. He will bear much fruit through our generous giving to Him!

Oktoberfest at St. Mary Parish
Join us for a special Oktoberfest event this coming Saturday, October 15 from 5:30 - 9:30 pm. We will gather out by the St. Mary Playground, Cafeteria, and Banquet Room for games, live music, food, and drinks. The event is free to attend, and tickets are available to purchase food and drinks. I'm looking forward to celebrating with you! More info available here!

I am yours in Christ,
Fr. Scott Goodfellow