For those who do not know already, we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of Christ today rather than 40 days after Easter, which would have been last Thursday. There are a number of places in the U.S. and Latin America which transform this feast to Sunday so that the great events of the Paschal season: the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the Decent of the Holy Spirit are celebrated on a Sunday. The state of Ohio is one of those places. So if you couldn’t make Mass last Thursday, not to worry... you didn’t miss a Holyday of Obligation.

Please remember to spend some extra time with Jesus in the Eucharist today and tomorrow as we at Assumption celebrate our Annual Eucharistic Devotions. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in the body of the church today after the 12:15 Mass, until just before the 6:00pm Mass. Tomorrow, May 21, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will be from after the 8:30am Mass until the closing ceremonies at 7:00pm which include Scripture Readings, Procession with the First Communicants, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Come and receive the great graces that come from a heart to heart talk with Our Eucharistic Lord.

Last week, we outlined how Rooted in Faith--Forward in Hope will benefit the entire parish community. As a reminder, we will use the funds that come back to Assumption to refurbish the pews and kneelers, replace the church tile or add carpet, repaint the ceiling, and refurbish the church lighting.
In addition to the direct benefit to Assumption, our parish will also benefit from the diocesan-wide programs and ministries funded by this campaign.

Catholic Education is an essential part of our ministry to our children and to those throughout our community. Our Catholic schools help our children grow to become children of God while getting a great education. At Assumption, we prepare young boys and girls for High School and we have seen that many of our students go on to do well there.

The Rooted in Faith—Forward in Hope campaign seeks to improve both the educational environment of our schools, as well as provide assistance to those wishing to attend these schools. $25 million from this campaign will be dedicated for Tuition Assistance, increasing the number of children who receive aid by 60%.  Another $15 million in funds will be distributed as grants to schools for improvements in curriculum, facility and technology enhancements.

Our campaign at Assumption is well under way. As of today, the ambassadors and I have received 164 pledges, totaling $971,935.  This is 65% of our goal. Thank you again to all parishioners who have already made their gift and to the ambassadors for dedicating their time and energy to the campaign. Over the coming weeks, our volunteers will be reaching out to more families. I ask that you welcome them warmly, learn about the campaign, and prayerfully consider making a sacrificial gift to …
Rooted in Faith—Forward in Hope.