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St. Boniface Church |
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If you are interested in registering as a member of St. Boniface parish and
have not yet done so, please feel free to stop in the sacristy following
Mass, or to contact the rectory office during the week. Individuals over the
age of 18 should register themselves as members of the parish. Envelopes for
use in recording your donations to the parish are usually received about two
months after registration.
St. Boniface Parish was established in 1903 in order to serve the needs of
the Catholics of German and Hungarian descent on the west side of Cleveland.
In 1904, St. Boniface School opened its doors. The Sisters of Notre Dame
were called upon to staff the school and provide religious instruction. In
1916, foundation was laid for the school building which housed the parish's
new two-year commercial high school. In 1941, the high school added classes
and staff necessary to offer a four year program of study as a
co-educational institution. In 1955, a new program was adopted and only
girls were admitted to St. Boniface High School which ceased operation in
June of 1959.
In the 1988-1989 school year, St. Boniface grade school merged
with St. Stephen and St. Michael schools to become Metro Catholic Parish
School. Metro continues to thrive with over 700 students, providing a solid
Catholic education.
St. Boniface Parish has grown through many changes over
the years. From the original 500 families that formed the parish in 1905, we
are presently around 700 households of faith. Many of our members have ties
to the founding families or have grown up in the parish, married and raised
their own families here.
The parish community of St. Boniface was enhanced
by the addition of the Vietnamese American Apostolate in May of 1992. The
community celebrates Mass together on Sundays at 12:00 PM, preceded by
religious education, language programs, and the opportunity for confession
in Vietnamese. People from as far away as Tiffin and Painesville, Ohio,
attend on a regular basis.
Through the generous contributions of
individuals, families and various parish organizations and friends of St.
Boniface Parish, the stained glass windows in the church have been
completely restored, a new ramp for the physically challenged has been
installed, along with a new rest room and service kitchen in the front
entrance area of the church. New flooring throughout the church, some new
seating along with a new baptismal font, and a wall which will create a new
crying room/hospitality/meeting space, are the latest renovations, helping
to make the best possible use of the facilities we have.
The following organizations welcome new members and are open to the
participation of all parishioners. Please feel free to contact the rectory
if you need further information or would like to contact the person(s)
heading any of the following groups.
The Council serves in a consultative capacity to the pastor in providing
both vision and leadership in the life and direction of the parish
community. Elections are held in June of each year, Members meet monthly
from September through June. All meetings are open to any parishioner
interested in attending.
Appointed by the pastor, this group is consulted and serves in an advisory
capacity to assist in the financial planning of the parish.
Members of this group look for ways to support, enhance and promote the
spiritual needs of our parish community, helping us to worship, pray and
grow in our understanding of our faith. A variety of programs and
opportunity for spiritual growth are offered during the year.
Established in 1945, this organization meets on the first Monday of the
month following evening Mass. The group sponsors annual events such as a
Christmas Boutique in December, a rummage sale each summer, a
Mother-Daughter Communion Breakfast in May, and a monthly raffle. The group
provides for the various needs of the sanctuary and church, and members also
undertake the cleaning of the church.
Seeking to bring a unifying spiritual awareness to the men of our parish,
this group meets for Mass and their monthly meeting at 9:00 AM on the second
Sunday of the month. Active in the area since 1950, this recently
reactivated group (once the largest Society in Cleveland) helps support the
youth athletic programs through Metro Catholic School. Annual events include
a Father-Son Outing, Golf Outing, and some social/fund raising event for the
parish.
Meet on the second Monday of the month at 1:00 PM in the school
hall. A variety of programs are planned throughout the year, along with some
super one-day trips that provide an opportunity for companionship and
friendship for our Senior parishioners. All are welcome.
Are an alumni organization composed of former graduates of St. Boniface
school, both elementary and high school. The group has a newsletter, plans
outings together, and gathers annually in June for an alumni Mass and
luncheon here at the parish. All alumni of St. Boniface are welcome. Contact
the rectory for information.
Continues to be very active and growing at St. Boniface The group is
responsible for physical, spiritual and material help given to those who
request such aid within our parish boundaries.
St Boniface Parish has an established Food Program to help
those in need. Food is collected in church on the third weekend of each
month. Volunteers pack and deliver food on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
to approximately 80 families per month.
is an opportunity for people to share their gifts with the
community, and get something in return. For some people, it may mean an
opportunity to stretch their food dollars, for others it may be the
difference whether a family will have food on the table or not. Food is
ordered and picked up monthly. Watch the bulletin for information.
Our parish has a number of trained volunteers who offer support
and companionship to those in need during difficult times. Contact the
rectory for further information regarding the support that this group may
offer to you personally, or to anyone you know who may be in need.
In order to assist in the worship of our community,
St. Boniface utilizes the talent and generosity of many individuals.
A number of opportunities for spiritual growth are offered for both Adults
and Children at St. Boniface. The bulletin is the best place to keep up on
what is currently being offered, along with programming offered through the
Diocese and at neighboring parishes and area retreat houses. Some of the
ongoing programming here at the parish includes the following:
For those who are considering looking into the Catholic faith and have never
been baptized, or may be looking into joining the Catholic church and have
already been a member of another Christian denomination. The process seeks
to meet the needs of the individuals who come forth, and usually extends
over one year from the time one begins. Watch the bulletin for scheduling,
but please feel free to speak with any member of the parish staff for more
information.
Is offered weekly on Tuesday mornings at 10:00 in
the rectory meeting room. The Action 2000 program is offered Wednesday
evenings at 7:00 PM in the rectory meeting room. Both groups are presently
supplementing their study of scripture with a look at the New Catechism.
Watch the bulletin for changes.
offers prayers together for
the needs and intentions of our parish community, especially the needs of
our shut-ins. Also, a Prayer Request Book is located on the Blessed Virgin's
Altar for any of your personal requests which are remembered at our weekday
masses.
Children ages 4 thru 6 are dismissed
from the assembly at 11:00 AM Mass on specified Sundays throughout the
school year to reflect together upon the Word of God with trained
catechists. Registration occurs in the late summer. Watch the bulletin for
information.
Parents are
required to attend before the baptism of a child is arranged. See the
bulletin for scheduling.
Classes are held
during the school year on Sunday Mornings during the 10:00 AM Mass. Watch
the bulletin for details.
Our parish offers the sacrament
every other year to students who are freshmen in high school or older.
Adults who need to receive the sacrament are prepared during the spring of
the year, and have the opportunity to receive the sacrament at the Cathedral
of St. John the Evangelist. See the bulletin for further information.
is offered by the priest preparing the couple for
reception of the sacrament, and must begin (according to Diocesan Policy) at
least 6 months prior to marriage.
In the event of a funeral, please feel
free to contact the parish in order to assist you in making arrangements for
services. We are also more than willing to visit those who are hospitalized
or placed in extended care facilities if we are notified (please note that
most area hospitals no longer contact a patient's church for you). Shut-ins
are visited monthly on Friday mornings the first three weeks of every month,
receive communion and have an opportunity for confession. In any emergency,
please feel free to call the rectory if someone needs to be anointed or is
near death. An annual Anointing of the Sick is celebrated on the afternoon
of Pentecost Sunday. Again, watch the bulletin for details as that feast
approaches.
is an ongoing fundraiser to assist in helping with parish
support toward school tuition for students attending Catholic elementary
school, and to supplement our operating budget during the year. Volunteers
wishing to work Bingo, held on Tuesday and Sunday evenings, are always
welcome to contact the Bingo coordinator if interested in volunteering.
are held beginning on Ash Wednesday, and on the Fridays of Lent. Both
deep fried and baked fish, pierogi, noodles and cabbage, and all of the
fixings to go along have made these dinners a growing success. Feel free to
invite neighbors and friends out for a great Lenten treat.
is held on the fourth Sunday of July on the parish grounds. Food,
games, an abundant raffle for both adults and children, and an opportunity
to get to know one another fill the afternoon. Watch the parish bulletin for
information.
held in early November, provides a feast of
various nationality foods at a most reasonable price. Planning begins in
early fall, and all are welcome to contribute their culinary specialties as
space allows.
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The purpose of our Parish Council is to promote the spiritual
growth of the parish community and to plan ways for the parish to
carry out the mission of the Church. Each year at a retreat, the Parish
Council sets goals for the year. At each meeting the Council works toward
those goals and grapples with the issues facing our Parish. For instance,
two of this year's goals included better Communication and
Evangelization - outreach to members of the Parish who have not been with us
for a while, hence this newsletter. Another goal was finding ways to bring
all members of the Parish together in our Liturgy, song, and celebration
throughout the year - young and old, American and Vietnamese.
St. Boniface is your Parish and your concerns are important to us. Please
share your concerns or suggestions with any of our members. We meet on the
last Wednesday of the month. Parish Council members include: Jan Rybka
(641-0813), Dolores Foxall (281-3989), Le Tran (238-5068). Other members
include: Kathy Brenenstuhl, Thin Duong, Stephanie Gosiejew, Cathy
Jedlicka, Genny Mendez, Ann Mihalenko, Peter Nguyen, Marlene Petrish, George
Sedlacek, and John Terry. Sr. Dianne and Fr. Lan also attend the meetings.
Nominations are now being sought for the 1998-1999 Parish Council. Your help
is needed to add to the strength and richness of our Parish Community. Any
members of the Parish age 18 or older is eligible. Terms are two years
long, and members are expected to attend a monthly meeting and to assist
with one of the Parish Council committees.
For more information contact Jan Rybka (641-0813) or Sr. Dianne (749.5912).
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SCHEDULES
Come and rejoice with the St. Boniface Parish Community during Holy Week.
Services are as follows:
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Please join me in welcoming our Catechumens and Candidates! On
Saturday, April 11th at the Easter Vigil the following people will he
baptized, confirmed, and receive the Eucharist for the first time:
Dua Do, Hong Nguyen, Huong Nguyen, Lan Nguyen, and Tong Nguyen.
Liz Sowa and
Marguerite Yee will he confirmed and invited to share at the Eucharist
table. All are invited to share in the holy celebration of the Easter Vigil,
one of the most beautiful Masses celebrated during the year.
Our prayers and congratulations are with our new members.
At St. Boniface we feed our spirits with our liturgy and we feed the hungry
of our parish through the generosity and kindness of so many. Did you know
that each month the St. Boniface food pantry serves over 300 folks? This
would not he possible if not for the grateful assistance from our volunteers
or the donatins of food from a variety of sources. St. Boniface is very
blessed to receive donations from our own parishioners, as well as
continuing donations from other Diocesan parishes. In the past year our
church has received donations from the following parishes to assist with our
mission to feed the hungry. Those parishes include. St. Adelbert (Berea),
St. John Neumann, St. Charles, St. Columbkille, Immaculate Conception
(Grafton), St. Rita, St Leo, St. Michael (Independence). and St. Joseph
(Strongsville). Thanks to these churches, the Cleveland Food Bank, and
members of St. Boniface, the hungry in our community receive much needed
nourishment.
When you enter the church for a Sunday Mass, who is the first person you
see? It is usually an usher. Hopefully, the usher will say hello to you with
a smile and a handshake. If he has done his homework, he will try to call
you by your name.
As an usher, you never know what kind of effect you are going to have on
newcomers to the church, especially, when welcoming them with a sincere,
happy smile. And what about people who are going through some very personal,
serious struggles - what better medicine than a smile and a sincere
"welcome"? I'd like to think that I have had an impact on some parishioners
returning to our church, by being there to greet them as they walked through
the door.
Another opportunity an usher has to make parishioners feel ``at home'' is
during the sign of the peace. I feel it is our responsibility to extend our
hand in peace to as many people as we can, even if it runs overtime. An
usher can also help the children of the Parish feel like they belong by
sharing a smile and a greeting when they are brought back to the Narthex.
Everyone has a gift to share, and if one chooses to he an usher, that gift
could he a warm, friendly "hello" to each person who steps into the church.
Editor's note: Tom, who is a recent convert to the Catholic faith, is the
smiling usher who is always greeting parish members. He and his wife
Nancy and their three children Kathy, Angela and Tommy are active in the
Parish Community.
Our Youth Minister Greg Hribar said the Confirmation candidates are coming
to an end of their preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Confirmation will take place on Saturday June 6th, 1998 at 5:00 p.m. in the
church. Friends and family are invited to join the Bishop Pevec as he
confirms this year's candidates. Greg also wishes to thank Josh Gargano.
Rich Mozden and Hoa Vu for their participation in the "30 Hour Famine" in
which they held a fast, reflected on World Hunger and raised money for
hunger relief.
Greg wishes a blessed and joyous Easter for all St. Boniface youth and their
families. He also reminds young people, age fourteen and older, that they
too are invited to join the Youth Ministry. Activities are being planned for
the spring and summer, including a Youth Mass. Contact Greg at 888-8586 for
more information.
First Communion will be held on Saturday, May 2, at 11:00 am. Please pray for
the young people that will he taking this important Sacrament.
In celebration of Mary our Queen and Virgin Mother, the Altar and Rosary
Society is holding its annual Mother and Daughter Mass for members on
Sunday. May 3 at 8:00 a.m.
When I was asked to write why I came back to the church, I thought it would
be difficult because it happened so long ago. Once I retraced my steps back
to the church, then I realized how far I had come.
It was the winter of 1991, everything in my life was going wrong. My
relationship with my boyfriend was on the rocks. I hated my job. Money was a
problem - I didn't have any! When I look back at that part of my life, I
realize how depressed I was, but really stands out is how alone I felt.
One Sunday, my mother was going to church and since the weather was bad I
dropped her off. A strange feeling struck me and I couldn't shake it. The
following week, I didn't just drive my mom to church, I went with her. My
rational was that it would give me something to do.
I didn't think I would know what to do in church, but just like riding a
bike, you never forget. As I sat there many memories came flooding back to
me: memories of my childhood. I felt like I had returned to a place that was
very special to me and I couldn't understand why I ever left. It was the
first time in a long time I felt good about something! Until that day, I
never realized how empty my life was. And every week it amazes me to see so
many different people come together to worship and share their beliefs.
Believe me, it's a family you can't help but feel part of it.
It's my time to thank God for everything in my life and for taking me back
with loving arms. My life is much better. I have a strong relationship
with my boyfriend, a job I love, and people in the church that I can turn
to. I look forward to Sundays, the one time of the week where I reflect on
my life. I am glad that I came home to St. Boniface.
During the past few months, perhaps you noticed a few Vietnamese wearing
white head bands. A few American parishioners inquired about the meaning of
this tradition. We thought it would be a good idea to share with you this
article about "The Funeral Rites of the Vietnamese" by Mr. Tung Nguyen.
Vietnamese culture is similar with that of the Chinese. By the first
millennium under the Chinese rule, the philosophy. theories, disciplines of
Confucius, of Mencius and of Taos had deeply influenced on the Vietnamese
and their daily activities.
The Vietnamese. however, did not assimilate to the Chinese but the Chinese
culture had increasing influence. The Vietnamese monarchs and aristocrats
strove to imitate the Chinese cultural ideas on laws, education, literature,
language and culture. The Vietnamese families are always large and crowded.
The family disciplines are strict, the member are distinctly ranked. There
is also a distinction between the paternal side and the maternal side. The
paternal is more important than the maternal. A woman who gets married,
becomes a member of her husband's family. Her duty and responsibility is as
of a daughter of her husband's family.
The mourning clothes and bands include a white robe, white trousers and a
white band. The white band is wound around the head and tied as a bowknot,
with 2 long tails at back of the head.
Wearing the mourning band and clothes is a portion of the Vietnamese culture
from very, very longtime ago. The mourning bands and clothes are the signs
of the filial piety. the respect and the sorrow to the dead. This is
compulsory for the children, grand children and the relatives of the dead.
The lower or under ranks (children, grand children. nephews, nieces...) must
honor the upper ones (grand parents. parents, uncles and aunts...) in this
way. On the contrary, the upper ones have no obligation to do it to their
lower ranks.
The period of time of wearing the mourning bands and clothes is from 3
months to 3 years.
On the maternal side:
The wife, daughters, daughters-in-law wear an additional white
scarf on their heads.
The colors of the bands and clothes distinguish their ranks in
the family of the dead.
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