The event takes place November 13 at Immaculate Conception Church in Ravenna
NEWS RELEASE
November 11, 2024
Contact: Very Rev. Michael D. Balash, Director of the Office of Worship, (330) 744-8451, ext. 282
YOUNGSTOWN, OH – Eighteen men and women from around the diocese will be commissioned as Lay Leaders of Prayer on Wednesday evening, November 13, 2024. 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 and Religious Services 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 may be also led by lay people. Among these services are Liturgy of the Word (with or without the distribution of Holy Communion), Morning and Evening Prayer, the vigil service and rite of committal from the Order of Christian Funerals, and various other devotions such as Stations of the Cross and novenas. In an emergency a Lay Leader of Prayer could also lead a Sunday Celebration 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:
- Corpus Christi Parish, Conneaut: Mr. George Emery III
- Saint Joseph Calasanctius Parish, Jefferson: Marianne Nanti, Mr. Michael Penzenik
Columbiana County
- Saint Jude Parish, Columbiana: Mr. Arthur Bodenschatz (diocesan seminarian)
Mahoning County:
- Saint Edward Parish, Youngstown: Miss Frances Evanoff, Mr. Ronald Fasano, Mrs. Kathleen Lewis, Sr. Regina Rogers OSU
- Saint Joseph Parish, Austintown: Mr. Patrick Castronova
Stark County:
- Sacred Heart of Mary Parish, Harrisburg: Mrs. Wendy Reeves
- Saint Louis Parish, Louisville: Mr. Mark Bresson, Mrs. Ann Bresson, Mrs. Christa Causey
- Saint Michael the Archangel Parish, Canton: Mr. Donald Boron Jr., Ms. Michelle Ryan
Trumbull County:
- Saint Patrick Parish, Hubbard: Mr. Louis Alessio
- Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish, Vienna: Mr. Joseph Filipovich Jr.
- Saint William Parish, Champion: Mrs. Katherine Rogel
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.
