PRESS RELEASE
MORE INFO: Office of Worship, 330-744-8451
Twenty-five men and women from around the diocese will be commissioned as Lay Leaders of Prayer on Wednesday evening, November 16, 2022 at 7:00pm. The commissioning will take place during Evening Prayer at the Immaculate Conception Church in Ravenna, Ohio. Very Rev. Michael D. Balash, Diocesan Director of the Office of Worship and Vicar for Clergy will be the presider.
Leaders of Prayer are lay persons commissioned to lead the faithful in acts of worship which in the past were most often led by the ordained clergy but which may be also led by lay people. Among these services are Morning and Evening Prayer, Liturgy of the Word with or without the distribution of Holy Communion, devotions, the vigil service and rite of committal from the Order of Christian Funerals, and in an emergency, Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest. Leaders of Prayer are commissioned not only to lead currently scheduled acts of worship in the parish in the absence of a priest but also to expand the opportunities for communal prayer. They are commissioned for a period of three years for service in their parish under the direction of the pastor.
The new Lay Leaders of Prayer include:
Ashtabula County:
–Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Geneva: Dr. Jerome Privitera
–Our Lady of Peace Parish, Ashtabula: Mr. Lance Velez, Mr. Travis Seagraves (diocesan seminarian)
Columbiana County:
–Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, East Palestine: Mr. Jacob Rhodes
Mahoning County:
–Holy Apostles Parish, Youngstown: Mrs. Dianne Buser, Miss Carol Kusnic
–Saint Columba Cathedral, Youngstown: Mr. William Wainio III
–Saint Joseph Parish, Austintown: Mr. Jason Volovar
Portage County:
–Immaculate Conception Parish, Ravenna: Mrs. Theresa Scahill
–University Parish Newman Center, Kent: Miss Kelly Bole, Miss Veronica Victoria
Stark County:
–Little Flower Parish, Canton: Mr. Michal Zabrecky
–Saint Barbara Parish, Massillon: Mr. Craig D’Anniballe, Mrs. Elizabeth Howe, Mrs. Paulette Martin
–Saint Joseph Parish, Alliance: Mrs. Suzanne Dennis, Mrs. Kathy Wallace
–Saint Mary Parish, Massillon: Mr. Kenneth Girt, Mr. Gary Lamielle
–Saint Mary/Saint Benedict Parish, Canton: Mr. William Patterson
–Saint Michael Parish, Canton: Mr. Ronald Good
–Saints Phillip and James Parish, Canal Fulton: Mrs. Jackie Prosise
Trumbull County:
–Saint Stephen Parish, Niles: Mr. Gregory Hicks
–Saint William Parish, Champion: Mrs. Christine DePascale, Mrs. Bette Lloyd
The eight-week series was conducted by Very Rev. Michael D. Balash, Director of the Office of Worship and Mr. Ralph Holtzhauser, Diocesan Director of Music and Saint Columba Cathedral Musician.
