Our Holy Father, Pope Francis
Bishop Nelson Perez

Rev. Wally Hyclak
Rev. Ryan Cubera
Deacon Richard A. Mueller
Deacon Andy Gonzalez
Sr. Jane Reisinger, SND

Rev. Jeffrey Barnish
Rev. Stephen J. Dohner
Rev. Dismas Boeff OSB
Rev. John P. Seabold
Rev. Matthew Pfeiffer
Rev. Robert J. Jasany
Rev. Barry T. Gearing
Rev. Thomas J. Winkel
Rev. Jeremy Merzweiler
Rev. Paschal Rosca OdeM
Rev. John M. Kumse
Rev. Timothy Roth

You  are invited to . . .

Diocese of Cleveland Lay Ecclesial Ministry Information Nights and Visit Formation Nights

If you feel called to serve the Church as a lay person, consider formation and education to become Certified as a Lay Ecclesial Minister for the Diocese of Cleveland.  Come learn about the process for certification.  We are now accepting applications year-round.
 
Next Information Night:
Wednesday, January 16
6:30-8:30PM
 
Visit Formation Nights**:
Friday, February 1
6:30-8PM
** Please RSVP for these sessions as noted below.
 
Where:
The Center for Pastoral Leadership
28700 Euclid Ave.
Wickliffe, Ohio

For further information or to RSVP please contact the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Office. 
 
Visit layecclesialministry@dioceseofcleveland.org
or call 440.943.7670.  

Come learn what Certification is all about!

Andy Gonzalez will be entering his fifth year at St. Mary’s Seminary and in May of 2019 will be ordained to the priesthood. Last year Andy was made a candidate for Holy Orders, which is one of the many steps towards priesthood. Also, perhaps the biggest accomplishment, Andy was ordained a transitional deacon, the last major step in his journey toward before his ordination to the priesthood in May. During this upcoming academic year Andy will be finishing up his studies. He will take classes focusing on Holy Orders, Matrimony, Eucharist, Canon Law, and Presiding Skills. Deacon Andy has been assigned to St. Albert the Great parish in North Royalton where he assists at Mass, preaches, and helps administer the sacraments.
 

Josh Cochrac will be entering his fourth year at St. Mary’s seminary and in the spring of 2019 will be ordained a transitional deacon. Josh will have two more years of academics before he is ordained in May of 2020. Josh spent last academic year on internship at St. Ambrose parish in Brunswick, where he assisted in various ministries, taught at the day school, assisted with RCIA and PSR, as well as helped develop a new young adult ministry. Josh was also made a candidate for Holy Orders last year. This upcoming year Josh will be studying Canon Law, Holy Orders, Marriage, and Scripture. During the summer Josh is living at St. Ambrose, assisting with the FEST.
 

Scott Swinerton will be entering his second year at St. Mary’s seminary. During the last academic year he was instituted as an Acolyte, which means that he can purify vessels after communion, distribute communion throughout the diocese, as well as expose the Blessed Sacrament. This is just one of many steps that a seminarian takes on his way toward priesthood. Scott was also made a candidate for Holy Orders. This upcoming academic year he will be taking classes on Baptism and Confirmation, the Trinity, Scripture, and Christology. During the summer Scott is working in the parish office, assisting in the day-to-day life of the parish as well as helping with many different ministries. 
 
 

Eddie Miller will be entering his senior year at Borromeo in fall. During Eddie’s senior year of high school he took classes at Cuyahoga Community College. This allowed him to enter Borromeo Seminary as a sophomore and graduate a year early. Eddie will be taking philosophy and theology classes at the seminary as well as classes at John Carroll University. He is living and working at St. Brendon’s parish in North Olmsted this summer helping out in many different ways and with many different ministries, getting a sense of what parish life is like.
 
 

I have been a member of St. Mary of the Falls my entire life and it is truly a home to me.  I went through grade school at St. Mary and it helped me to form a good faith foundation.  St. Mary of the Falls prepared me well for St. Ignatius High School and now Borromeo Seminary.  At a very young age, I developed a deeper relationship with and understanding of God through my Catholic education, but I didn’t begin thinking about Priesthood until my freshman year.  I became very involved in our parish’s Life Teen program and began to take my faith more seriously.  I’m blessed to have many other seminarians at St. Mary because it was through them that the idea of seminary came to my prayer.  These men served as great role models for me and made me think, “maybe I’m called to this as well.”  With much prayer throughout high school I decided that the next step in my discernment process is to enter the seminary.  After two years of formation at Borromeo Seminary, I was accepted into the Basselin Scholars program through Theological College at The Catholic University of America.  I am in my first of three years studying philosophy through the Basselin program.  Although I miss my diocesan brothers a lot, I trust that this is where God wants me to serve him.

Fr. Wally is happy to announce that Jeremy Gaugler has been accepted into Borromeo Seminary starting in the fall.  Jeremy lives in Olmsted Township, with his three sisters, Megan, Mackenzie, and Caitlyn and his parents Kim and Chris.  He graduated St. Mary of the Falls Grade School and then from St. Ignatius High School in May of this year.  Jeremy has been very involved in Life Teen throughout his years in high school.  He has also been an altar server and lector at the 6PM Mass.  He is very excited to begin his time in the seminary and is looking forward to the friendships he will make and growing in faith and love of the Lord.  Please pray for Jeremy as he begins his formation in the seminary.

About 9 years ago, I started volunteering for the RCIA program at my parish.  Though I attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through 12^th grade, I quickly realized that there was so much about my faith I still didn’t know or understand.  Thus began my deep desire to know everything. In addition to reading a lot of books and participating in Catholic study programs, I also started attending young adult retreats hosted by the Sisters of Notre Dame.  Within each of those Sisters I couldn’t help but notice a sense of joy, trust, peace, and hope in our good God.  In 2012, I started to wonder if God could be calling me to religious life, but I continually pushed the thought aside.  In 2016, after four years of saying “No!” I realized that this desire wasn’t going away.  I started formally discerning with the Sisters of Notre Dame in August of 2016.  For half of 2017, I experienced what it is like to live in two different Notre Dame Convents.  Living with these 13 amazing women confirmed my desire to move forward.  I  officially became a Postulant in December of 2017.  In January of 2018, I will be moving to Covington Kentucky to work with our national Postulant director.  There I will attend theology classes at Xavier University, meet regularly with other young women who are in formation with other religious communities, spend some time in active ministry, and concentrate greatly on building a life of deep prayer and union with God.  Please pray for me, that I may be open to whatever God asks of me.  Know that I will keep my St Mary of the Falls family in my prayers.  God Bless!

In September 2018, I will enter the Aspirancy year for the Diaconate Formation Program of the Diocese of Cleveland.  After serving 4 years in the Navy, 25 years in air traffic control and raising 2 children, I retired.  This was partially due to a feeling that God was calling me.  In the first year of retirement I spent a lot of time in prayer listening for and to His voice.  That year led my wife, Carolyn, and me to St. Mary of the Falls Church.  The next two years found us participating in TMIY, Knights of Columbus, KAIROS Prison Ministry, EDGE, Homebound Communion, and Choir.  The call still continued and was drawing me towards a vocation to the diaconate.  I was hesitant about such a seemingly large decision.  I felt great joy and relief when I talked to Fr. Wally and opened up my heart to the possibility of ordained life.  Please pray for my wife, Carolyn, and me as we begin this new chapter of our lives together.