In late September, Hurricane Helene tore through communities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. It left a devastating toll in its wake, with more than 200 dead and hundreds still missing. The storm washed away homes and highways and decimated power and water systems. Catholic Charities agencies are springing into action to provide immediate disaster relief with necessities such as water, food and shelter. They will stand by their communities through the long-term recovery.
CCUSA, as the official domestic disaster relief agency of the Catholic Church in the United States, has launched a dedicated Helene disaster relief campaign. All donations received for disaster aid will be allocated to the Catholic Charities agencies providing critical relief — including shelter, food and other humanitarian aid — to those most in need.
Share your support for Hurricane Helene disaster relief. Queen of Heaven will be taking up a collection at all Masses this weekend. Theres will be a basket at the Baptismal Font for donations.
To donate online go to www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/what-we-do/disaster-relief/hurricane-helene-response. Click on the title to donate
Faith and Light is an international Catholic/Christian community
which serves persons of all ages with developmental disabilities
and their families and friends. The community began in 1971
after a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lourdes, France. Now, there
are over 1,600 Faith and Light communities worldwide in more
than 80 countries. We have an active Faith and Light community
nearby in Akron and it is one of the ministries at St. Sebastian
Parish. Our community’s name is “Joyful Witness” and we
meet the third Friday of each month from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at St.
Sebastian’s Byrider Hall, 420 South Hawkins, Akron. We sing
and pray together and have different lessons and activities each
month based on international guidelines prepared by a different
world province each year. This year, our theme is “United in
Jesus,” and our guidelines were prepared by three Faith and
Light provinces in Africa. Our next meeting will be on October
18. For more information, please contact Patti Wagner at (330)
864-5812, Gretchen Kennedy at (330) 807-2035, or Marie Ann
Thomas at (330) 864-5175.
Please join us for a Mass for the Sanctification of Priests at 7:00 p.m.
on Thursday, October 17, at St. Paul Parish, 1580 Brown Street,
Akron. Holy Mass will be followed by a Holy Hour of Adoration
with Rosary and Benediction.
Come accompany Our Lord on a mini-pilgrimage uniting
the Western and Eastern Catholic Church in Akron! The third
annual evening Eucharistic Procession from St. Paul Catholic
Church to Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church will take
place Friday, October 25, at 7:00 p.m., immediately following
the 5:30 p.m. Mass at St. Paul’s. In case of rain, Adoration
and recitation of the Holy Rosary will take place at St. Paul
Church. Can’t walk the 0.6 miles? Join us in prayer at Holy
Ghost Church beginning at 7:00 p.m. For more info, contact
Our Mother’s Hands at (330) 800-0929 or OurMothersHands.
org.
St. Mary School, Akron provides a quality elementary
education for inner-city students. Most face many challenges
coming from families living below the poverty level. Over
130 students have signed up for the After School Enrichment
Program which provides help with homework and basic skills.
Adults and college and high school students are urgently
needed now to work with a student on Thursday afternoons
from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. You can make a real difference
for a child. For more information, and to volunteer, please
contact Deborah Sesek at [email protected] or (234)
206-1069.
The Living Bread Radio Network Benefit Dinner is an annual
fundraiser event that benefits the work of your local Catholic
Radio (a 501(c)3 nonprofit). Planting seeds of faith, hope and
love by creating Christ-centered communities for families, Living
Bread Radio, in honor of their 20-year anniversary, will be hosting
Bishop Joseph Strickland and Jesse Romero at Guy’s Party Center
on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with a
cash bar, and dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are just $25.00
per person. For a personal invitation, or more information, call
(330) 966-2903, or email Molly at mromano@livingbreadradio.
com.
An Approved Support Group under the Department for
Marriage and Family Ministry – Diocese of Cleveland
A “Caring and Sharing” session for those struggling with
divorce, separation or widowhood will be held on Monday,
October 14 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Immaculate Heart of
Mary’s Convent Building, 1945 Portage Trail in Cuyahoga
Falls. Marlene, a retired Social Worker, will facilitate this
session. This event is open at no charge to people of all
faiths. For information, call Marlene at (330) 607-6284.
Join us on Monday, October 21st at 7:00 p.m., as we welcome our Guest speaker Fr. John Valencheck, Pastor, St. Sebatian Parish in Akron at Our Lady of the Cedars, 507 S. Cleveland-Massillon Road in Fairlawn. Topic is to be announced.
Appetizers at 7:00 p.m. Program begins at 7:30 p.m. $15 admission fee. Light appetizers included. Cash bar available.
Sponsored by St. Sebastian Parish, Akron.
The Catholic Cemeteries Association invites you to attend a 1-hour pre-planning seminar on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. in the cemetery office at Holy Cross Cemetery, Akron. Please join us to learn more about the necessary steps of burial pre-planning, types of burials, and the Rite of Christian Burial. We kindly ask that you RSVP to this event to Holy Cross Cemetery – (216) 641-7575 ext. 7 or email [email protected]. Visit clecem.org for more information.
The QOFH Pilgrimage to the shrines at our parish will be on Saturday, October 19,
12:00 pm to 2:30 pm, in the
Queen of Heaven Pavilion and on the parish grounds. All are welcome to attend. Click on the title for more information.
Queen of Heaven Parish Pavilion Sunday, October 13, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
All are welcome to breakfast and listen to our guest speaker, Seminarian John Paul Antalek, tell his vocation story.
Our Mother's Hands ministry invites all, especially families, to a birthday party to honor Mother Mary on Sunday, September 15th, in Zwisler Hall at St. Sebastian's. Festivities will begin at noon with a rosary procession, and end at 1:15 with the launch of a balloon rosary launch. Refreshments will be served, and there will be games for the kids. Baby items will be collected as a gift to Embrace Clinic in Mary's name. For more information, see our website at ourmothershands.org.
Faith and Light is an international Catholic/Christian community which serves persons of all ages with developmental disabilities and their families and friends. The community began in 1971 after a pilgimadge to Our Lady of Lourdes, France. Now, there are over 1600 Faith and Light communities world wide in more than 80 countries. We have an active Faith and Light community right here in Akron and it is one of the ministries at St. Sebastian Parish. Our community name is “Joyful Witness” and we meet the third Friday of the month from 7:00 to 8:30 at St. Sebastian’s Byrider Hall, 420 South Hawkins, Akron. We sing and pray together and have different lessons and activities each month based on international guidelines prepared by a different world province each year. This year our theme is “United in Jesus” and our guidelines were prepared by three Faith and Light provinces in Africa. Please consider joining us for our first meeting of the year, Friday, September 20th. For more information please contact Patti Wagner (330-864-5812), Gretchen Kennedy (330-807-2035), or Marie Ann Thomas (330-864-5175).
Saint John the Baptist Church, 1034 Brown Street, Akron, is having a Purse and Jewerly sale. It will be Saturday, September 21, from 10 to 2 p.m. and Sunday, September 22, from 11 to 2 p.m. Lots of jewerly, designer purses, Halloween decorations, bake sale, and gift basket raffles. Questions, call Susan Stefancik 330 699 4275.
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/National Day of Remembrance) 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 [email protected] or call Trish Shaw 330-667-0750 for details.
For more event information please visit: http://abortionmemorials.com/
St. Mary School, Akron provides a quality elementary education for inner city students. Most of our students face many challenges coming from families living below the poverty level. They need help with homework and basic skills, personal encouragement and positive role models. The St. Mary Enrichment Center invites adults and college and high school students to work with a student in its After School Enrichment Program on Thursday afternoons from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Volunteer Orientation will be September 12, 2024, at 3:30 p.m., and the Enrichment sessions begin September 19, 2024. For more information and to volunteer, please contact Deborah Sesek at [email protected] or 234.206.1069.
A Unique Program to Strengthen and Heal Your Marriage – September 20-22, 2024.
The Retrouvaille program is designed to help married couples develop improved ways of communicating and relating to each other in order to overcome challenges which have left them feeling frustrated, hurt, distant, or even hopeless. Retrouvaille, which means rediscovery, is open to couples of all faiths and is supported by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. This program consists of a weekend experience and six follow up sessions. For more information or to register, visit www.helpourmarriage.org or call Shelly or Rob at (216) 509.0301 or (440) 836.4810.
Please join us for our “Dueling Pianos” fundraiser to benefit the smallest of clients and the families of our Embrace Clinic & Care Center, on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m., at St. George Family Center (3204 Ridgewood Road, Fairlawn). Tickets are $75.00 per person or $500.00 for a table of eight. Enjoy an open bar, dinner, and the opportunity to win Chinese raffle items. Combine your table’s bids to claim one of the delicious desserts on display! T & Rich Dueling Piano Entertainment will be on-hand to take your requests! With an immense repertoire of songs from the 50s through today, you will enjoy this fun-filled evening! Call Embrace for tickets at (330) 825-1900, Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; or visit our website at www.embraceccc.org/event-details/dueling-pianos. This event is sponsored by The VanDevere Bunch.
Journey to Peace Bereavement Support – a ministry of information, consolation, spiritual, and emotional support – is offering a free six-week series on Mondays at Queen of Heaven Church from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Gathering Space from September 9 through October 14. The ministry members will strive to provide support and guidance for daily living for anyone suffering grief, whether recent or lingering from the past. For more information or to register, email Sue at [email protected], or call the parish office at (330) 896-2345.