Parish Life
To make inquiries about the organizations/committees/ministries listed here when the contact is not a staff person, please use this contact form.
Community Service Day
Our “Community Service Day” is an opportunity to gather with families and friends from the parish to assist those in need by providing a little extra help to one of the many social service agencies and work sites in the Parma Heights, Brook Park, and Middleburg Heights area. We gather in the morning for a quick breakfast and sending prayer – and then the various “Caring Crews” head off to work at a designated work site. Our “Community Service Day” normally takes place on a Saturday of September – in 2020 it will take place on Saturday, September 18, 2021
Contacts: Terry Morris
(440) 888-7319
Dan Zawadzki
(440) 346-5900
El Salvador Ministry
The mission of our El Salvador Ministry is to support and embrace the Cleveland diocesan mission in El Salvador. Encouraged by the words of Pope Francis that: “An evangelizing community gets involved by word and deed in people’s daily lives; it bridges distances, it is willing to abase itself if necessary, and it embraces human life, touching the suffering flesh of Christ in others.” Based on the principals of equality, justice, solidarity and Christian love, we have established a relationship with the community of Corinto and assist the school that our parish community has adopted, Centro Escolar Caserio Corinto, and its needs. A relational trip to El Salvador, in collaboration with Saint Dominic Parish in Shaker Heights, takes place in February. The members gather on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm.
Contact: Richelle Gnezda
(440) 539-7955
Advent Giving Tree
During Advent a Christmas tree located in the church vestibule is decorated with paper ornaments, each describing a gift for a needy individual or organization. Parishioners are asked to take one or several of these ornaments, purchase the item and return the wrapped Christmas presents by the designated Sunday. Parishioners, with the assistance of our Youth Group, sort the gifts and distribute them to the needy.
Contact: Deacon Roger Polefko
rpolefko@sjbparmaheights.org
(440) 886-3500
Baby Bottles for Life
Baby Bottles for Life is our parish’s annual way to support Pro-Life organizations in our area. In early October parishioners are asked to take a baby bottle and place it in a spot in their home where they can fill it with loose change over a period of 5 or 6 weeks and then return it on the designated weekend. The donations are forwarded to Pro-Life agencies in our area.
Contact: Parish Office
sjbinfo@sjbparmaheights.org
(440) 886-3500
Donut Sunday
On the 1st Sunday of the month, October thru June, donuts and coffee are available in the Bell Tower after Mass in order to foster fellowship among parishioners. The various parish groups act as hosts and provide information regarding the ministry of the groups hosting that Sunday.
Contact: Jan Bacher or Barbara Sekerak
Drama Ministry
This ministry brings the talented members of our parish together for music, drama and song. A major musical is performed in our church every two or three years. Utilizing one’s creativity and talent, both professional and amateur, this ministry’s purpose is to give praise to God through song, music, drama and dance.
Contact: George & Mary Kukich
Generations 45+
The mission of our St. John Bosco’s Generations 45+ group is to appeal to individuals who are 45+ years and older, to empower our Catholic values by enhancing and providing opportunities for spiritual growth, and to engage in meaningful connections and activities. Together, it is our commitment to make a positive impact in our parish.
Contact: Pat Hannan
(440) 886-3500
Golf League
This is a Wednesday, nine hole golf league starting at 12:30 pm at Royal Crest Golf Course in Columbia Station. The league normally begins meeting in mid-April and continues through the golf season.
Contact: George Bennett
Holy Name Society
A group of men and women dedicated to the honor of the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In addition to providing spiritual development for its members, the group also contributes to the temporal needs of the parish. The members gather on the 2nd Thursday of the month, beginning at 6:45 pm with Eucharistic Adoration and Mass, and conclude with an 8:00 pm meeting and fellowship.
Contact: Jerry Bacher
International Festival
If there is any one event in the year where many hands make the work much easier, it is our International Festival that takes place in mid-August. This parish fundraiser supports building property improvements while fostering a tremendous sense of community spirit within the parish. Many volunteers are needed each year.
Contact: Thomas Halloran or Joe Kavalec
Lenten Fish Dinners
The Lenten Fish Dinner is a long running tradition at St. John Bosco. Serving 800-900 fish dinners in one night takes a lot of help. There are a wide variety of volunteer opportunities such as food prep, set up, servers, table bussers and dishwashers. The Lenten Fish Dinner is held every Friday during Lent, including Good Friday, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Bell Tower.
Contact: Debbie Hannan
dhannan@sjbparmaheights.org
Pathways to Hope
Pathways to Hope is an outreach at St. John Bosco to help families in need understand that they are not alone in their struggle and that there are ways for them to face the future with hope and faith. A Pathways to Hope resource station is located in the hallway to the Activities Center with literature about social service agencies in Cuyahoga County, consistent with Catholic teaching, that are available to persons at critical times in life.
Contact: Terry & Carolyn Morris or Gary & Adele Kopchak or Ron & Sharon Konkoly
Run with Me 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk
On the Saturday morning after Memorial Day is our annual “SBJ Run with Me” – which is a 5K Race and 1 Mile Walk on a scenic route within the Cleveland Metro Parks. The Friday evening before the race there is a spaghetti dinner in the Bell Tower. All of the proceeds are equally divided between the Parma Heights Food Pantry and the Saint john Bosco Saint Vincent de Paul Society. In 2021 the 5K Race and 1 Mile Walk will take place on Saturday, June 5th and the spaghetti dinner on Friday, June 4th.
Contact: Teri Ingleright
(216) 870-6703
Seniors
Parishioners 55 and older meet twice a month for fellowship, entertainment and spiritual support. Meetings are held in the Bell Tower at 1:00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. Activities include card playing and bingo, accompanied by refreshments. Saint John Bosco Seniors also sponsors a number of trips during the year.
Contact: Patricia Fallon
sjbinfo@parmaheights.org
Special Events
A variety of events happen throughout the year where a social will take place after the event in the Bell Tower. Help in planning, preparation and serving is always needed for these social gatherings.
Contact: Parish Office
sjbinfo@sjbparmaheights.org
(440) 886-3500
Stewardship
Stewardship at St. John Bosco, is a ministry which acts in collaboration with the pastor and parish pastoral council, seeking to increase involvement of all parishioners in sharing of time, talents and treasure by coordinating the annual parish commitment renewal and by encouraging communication and education of parish ministry members.
Contact: Barbara Sekerak
St. Vincent de Paul Society
The St. Vincent de Paul Society is an outreach ministry dedicated to serve those in need within the parish and our local community. Their outreach is done on behalf of the parish and supported by the generosity of parishioner’s cash donations in the poor boxes located in the church vestibule and a monthly food and cash collection. The St. Vincent de Paul Society also works with the Ozanam Food Pantry and the Parma Heights Food Pantry in service to needy who live among us.
Contact: Ray Andrasak
Stitched with Love
Is open to anyone in the parish who is able to knit, crochet and pray – in your home throughout the month – with the members gathering on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm for an hour of prayer, support and fellowship. The “Prayer Shawls” are blessed and then given to families in our parish after the funeral of a loved one who was buried from Saint John Bosco as a reminder that our parish community is holding them in prayer during their time of grief.
Contact:
31 Club
Becoming a member is simple! There are no meetings to attend. A parishioner signs up for a day of the month (i.e. the 10th) to attend Mass on this day and pray for all priests, deacons, brothers, sisters and lay ecclesial ministers from our parish community, and for those who have served or are currently serving in our parish – and for future vocations from our parish community. Homebound parishioners who would like to be a member of the 31 Club, but are not able to regularly attend Mass, can watch Mass on EWTN or commit to spending time on personal prayer in their home.
Contact: Norm & Donnalee Cotone