Saint John Neumann

Saint John Neumann Roman Catholic Parish of the Diocese of Cleveland in Strongsville, OH.

Committed to Encountering Christ & Serving Others

Pastor: Father Barry Gearing

Website: www.sjnohio.com

06/25/2026

“Sowing peace all around us: that is holiness.”
—Pope Francis, Rejoice and Be Glad

St. John the Baptist, you pointed the world towards the coming of Jesus, our savior—pray for us!Growing up in a small to...
06/24/2026

St. John the Baptist, you pointed the world towards the coming of Jesus, our savior—pray for us!

Growing up in a small town in Mexico where everyone knows each other, adults who met me on the street would ask, “What’s your name?” and they would always attach another question: “And who do you belong to?” This formulation was so common that I never thought about the connection between the two questions, but to the stranger who asked, my name implied belonging, identity, and heritage.

The naming of the only son of Elizabeth and Zechariah is at the heart of today’s Scripture. The neighbors and relatives who were present at his circumcision expected to name the baby after his father as a sign of the household to which he belonged; his rights, his responsibilities, and his future were attached to this name.

But for his parents, this child belonged to God. The Lord gave them this child, the Lord named him, and the Lord gave him a mission. For Elizabeth and Zechariah, John’s name would not represent their household’s future, but God’s purpose for him. He would be named John—the precursor, the Baptist.

This story invites us to reflect on what we are willing to offer the Lord to use for God’s purposes. Elizabeth and Zechariah gave their beloved son. Am I willing to offer my words, my hands, my plans, or whatever the Lord may ask of me to his divine will? The Lord will certainly work wonders with all our offerings.
—Daily Gospel Reflections

06/23/2026

Summer Prayer

Take time to claim your strength; they are gifts of God.
Take time to have fun; it's God's way of teaching you your strengths.
Take time to grow yourself; only you can grow you.
Take time to trust yourself; God trusts you.
Take time to be self-reliant; it is better than being dependent.
Take time to share with others; they will bless you, and you will bless them.
Take time to have hope, you are a child of God.

Let's put ourselves into the hands of the Lord, and pray that God will bless us and our families during the wonderful months of summer. May we all help make our home a place of relaxation, joy, love, peace and safety. May we be generous and considerate, not thinking only about ourselves, but helping others enjoy the blessings of summertime. Lord God, Creator of all things, guide our steps and strengthen our hearts, during these months of summer and vacation days. Grant us refreshment of mind and body. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
—Xavier University

06/22/2026

Friends, Jesus’s parable in today’s Gospel is one of the most psychologically and spiritually insightful remarks in the New Testament. Let’s face it: a favorite pastime of most human beings is criticism of others.

We delight in pointing out the shortcomings, moral failings, and annoying tendencies of our neighbors. This is, of course, a function of pride and egotism: The more I put someone else down, the more elevated I feel.

But it is also, oddly, a magnificent means of turning a mirror on ourselves, to see what usually remains unseen. Why, we ought to ask, do we find precisely this sin of others particularly annoying? Why does that trait or sin of a confrere especially gall us?

Undoubtedly, Jesus implies, because it reminds us of a similar failing in ourselves. I remember a retreat director asking each of us to call to mind a person that we found hard to take and then to recount in detail the characteristics that made the person so obnoxious to us. Then he recommended that we go back to our room and ask God to forgive those same faults in ourselves. His words were as unnerving and as illuminating as these words of Jesus.
—Bishop Barron’s Daily Gospel Reflections

Let us praise those fathers who have striven to balance the demands of work, marriage, and children with an honest aware...
06/21/2026

Let us praise those fathers who have striven to balance the demands of work, marriage, and children with an honest awareness of both joy and sacrifice.

Let us praise those fathers who, lacking a good model for a father, have worked to become a worthy and virtuous father.

Let us praise those fathers who, by their own account, were not always there for their children, but who continue to offer those children, now grown, their love and support. As well, let us pray for those fathers who have been wounded by words and actions of their children.

Let us praise those fathers who, despite marital discord, have remained in their children's lives.

Let us praise those fathers whose children are adopted, and whose love and support has nurtured a thriving life.

Let us praise those fathers who, as stepfathers, freely choose the obligation of fatherhood and earned their step children's love and respect.

Let us praise those fathers who have lost a child to death, and continue to hold the child in their heart.

Let us praise those men who have no children, but cherish the next generation as if they were their own.

Let us praise those men who have "fathered" us in their role as mentors and guides.

Let us praise those men who are about to become fathers; may they openly delight in their children.

And let us praise those fathers who have died, but live on in our memory and whose love continues to nurture us.
—Xavier University

06/20/2026

Last weekend, we enthroned our parish to Jesus Christ the King, formally inviting Him to enter our parish and be with us always, as He promises us.

Eucharistic Adoration at sunset at Mapleside is back this summer, and we are thrilled for this beautiful evening of pray...
06/20/2026

Eucharistic Adoration at sunset at Mapleside is back this summer, and we are thrilled for this beautiful evening of prayer.

Thank you to Mapleside Farms for hosting us again this year, as we look to build on the excellent new tradition from last year!

Check out last year’s recap: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOR9XLQj77Y/?igsh=MTVleGljejVvdmxveA==

See you on July 7!

06/20/2026

Friends, our Gospel today calls us to entrust our lives completely to God. How often the Bible compels us to meditate on the meaning of faith! We might say that the Scriptures rest upon faith, and that they remain inspired at every turn by the spirit of faith.

Paul Tillich said that “faith” is the most misunderstood word in the religious vocabulary, and I’ve always felt that he’s right about that. What is faith? Faith is an attitude of trust in the presence of God. Faith is openness to what God will reveal, do, and invite. It should be obvious that in dealing with the infinite, all-powerful God, we are never in control.

This is precisely what we see in the lives of the saints: in Mother Teresa moving into the worst slum in the world in an attitude of trust; in Francis of Assisi just abandoning everything and living for God; in Rose Hawthorne deciding to take cancer sufferers into her own home; in Antony leaving everything behind and going into the desert; in Maximilian Kolbe saying, “I’m a Catholic priest; take me in his place.”

Do not worry, and depend on God for everything. Have faith!
—Bishop Barron’s Daily Gospel Reflections

06/19/2026

Where are you storing your treasure?

I loved reading about pirates when I was a kid. Their exciting adventures battling other ships and hunting for treasure chests fascinated me. For pirates, treasure meant gold, rubies, spices, and other precious objects. But what does treasure mean for us? Although most of us don’t spend our time searching for buried jewels, it’s easy to find ourselves hoarding treasure like pirates. Is our treasure in the bank? Our career? What about our status or reputation?

Jesus tells us to store up treasures in heaven. How do we do that? Later in his Gospel, Matthew recounts the conversation between Jesus and the rich young man. Jesus tells him, “Sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Almsgiving is the answer!

Rather than seeking excessive riches for ourselves, Christ calls us to share with the poor. And he reminds us, “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Paradoxically, when we give away our wealth, our time, or our talents for the good of others, we are actually enriched by the divine treasure that truly matters. And it is this treasure that wells up to happiness and eternal life.

The way we use the possessions and wealth God has given us reflects our hearts and our priorities. This weekend, take a look around your home. Is there anything you’re holding onto that you haven’t used in several years? How is God calling you to share with those in need?

Lord, teach us to be generous! Help us to keep our focus on you and to be good stewards of the things you have entrusted to our care. You are our treasure.
—Daily Gospel Reflections

06/18/2026

“Let’s each of us do what God asks in this. I know it isn’t easy. Faithfulness to prayer requires a lot of effort, but it is worthwhile. To be faithful to prayer, you need to establish a rhythm, since our lives are made up of rhythms, and we need good habits, including established times when we pray, and that’s all there is to it. No questioning it: this is a firm decision we’ve made. It requires a struggle at the start, but afterwards it brings us joy.”
—Fr. Jacques Philippe, The Way of Trust and Love

Address

16271 Pearl Road
Strongsville, OH
44136

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+14402381770

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