April 4, 2010

Congratulations to Vincas Apanius who last week celebrated his 95th birthday. Ilgausiu Metu Ponas Apanius, we all wish many happy returns for you, and that we would be so healthy and long-lived as you.

Don't forget that there is no 10:00 am mass at St. Casimir this morning. Your last remaining opportunity to participate in Easter liturgy at St. Casimir is at 12 noon today. The Easter flowers decorating St. Casimir's this weekend were donated by the family of Birute Vedegys in her memory.

A part of the main altar from St. George church recently found a new home at St. Bartholomew Anglican Church in Woodinville, Washington. Upon learning of the altar's origin, Father Robert T. Davis, rector of St. Bart's reached out to both the greater Seattle Lithuanian community, and to former members of St. George parish here in Cleveland. In several emails and blog postings this week, Father Davis enthusiastically embraced and honored the altar's history as part of the oldest Lithuanian church in the United States. He even celebrated Palm Sunday services wearing a stole embroidered in the traditional Lithuanian style, and he's from Texas. Davis says the welcome mat is always out for Cleveland Lithuanians who find themselves in the Seattle area.

In order to fully appreciate this story, you have to understand that once a church closes, its sacred art, artifacts and furnishings basically become commodities in the market of religious supplies. An outside company safeguards the items, and sells them on behalf of the Cleveland diocese in this case. Churches like St. Bart's browse the available items and select an altar like you or I would buy a new sofa for the living room: based on size, style, color and price.

It says a lot about both St. Bart's and St. George's when we see Fr. Davis not only notice the heritage and history of his church's new altar, but celebrate it in such a public way, and the parishioners of the former St. George church to respond so positively, even as they see parts of their beloved church turning up in new and unexpected places.

This is a bit like the family and friends of an organ donor, who can find comfort in the fact that even though their loved one is no longer with them, his or her heart, liver, and kidneys help give life to others in need.

For the complete story, including photos of the altar in its new home, please visit http://continuinghome.blogspot.com/.

Another part of the St. George altar is on its way to a seminary in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Next Saturday is the date for the Welcoming Spring concert presented by soprano Virginija Bruozyte Muliolis. The concert will take place at the St. Casimir auditorium and is presented by the Cleveland Lithuanian Academic Scouts Filisterai. Virginija will be accompanied on piano by Michael Borowitz, and together they'll perform works by Schubert, Mendelssohn, Grieg, Dvorak, Puccini, Rachmaninoff, Lerner & Lowe, and others. The concert starts at 7:00 pm and tickets and information are available by calling 216-631-2010.

On Sunday, April 11th, the organization Vaiko Vartai i Moksla invites everyone to lunch, served immediately after 10 o'clock Mass in St. Casimir’s Parish lower hall. “Child’s Gate to Learning” works with neglected and abused children in Lithuania. It has established 10 after school centers, where children can come and spend a few hours each day. The children get help with their homework, are taught good behavior, and are able to spend a small part of their day in a normal and loving environment. Proceeds from the lunch will benefit these after-school centers.

Also on Sunday April 11th, the traditional Children's Easter will be held after 10:00 am mass in the lower at St. Casimir. All pre-school age children are invited to this fun event.

Don't forget that Juventus is coming up on April 24th. This event will feature 168 dancers from Toronto, Chicago, Lemont, and of course our own Svyturys from right here in Cleveland, performing both traditional and new Lithuanian folk dances. The dance performance will be followed by dinner catered by Europa. The evening concludes with an opportunity for you to get out on the dance floor. Tickets and information are available by calling Ricardas Sirvinskas at 440-749-2121.

According to Friday's Plain Dealer, a federal judge ruled this week that a lawsuit filed by Joe Jurevicius against the Cleveland Browns can go forward. The Browns had claimed that the suit should be dismissed because the NFL collective bargaining agreement has a provision for arbitration. Jurevicius alleges that the Browns and Cleveland Clinic neglected to inform him about potentially hazardous conditions at the Browns training facility in Berea, which led to a persistent staph infection acquired after arthroscopic knee surgery.

The Onion bills itself as America's Finest News Source. What's not so obvious in that claim is that it's also America's finest fake news source. The Onion is such well written parody that many unsuspecting folks are taken into believing the stories are real. This week The Onion turned its wit on Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas with an article claiming that Ilgauskas is unsure of his ancestry, finally concluding that he must be from Turkey. Read the article at theonion.com.