2025
Sister Mary Avsec, SND 70 Year Jubilee
October 5, 2025
Sister Mary Avsec
Mary Louise Avsec was born as the second of three children into the family of the late William and late Mary (nee Hocevar) Avsec household. The family originally resided off Luther Avenue and moved to Bonna Avenue in the 1940s. Mary Louise attended and was graduated from, respectfully, St. Vitus Elementary School, Notre Dame Academy and then St. John College. In Feb 1953 she responded to the call to enter into the community of the Sisters of Notre Dame. When she took her final vows, she took the name “Sister Mary Bernardine” (as was the custom pre-Vatican II). Sister Mary’s primary focus and ministry for the next 40 years would be educating young children. In the city of Cleveland, she taught at St. Michael, St. Boniface, Our Lady of Lourdes, and St. Vitus Schools. She also taught at St. Michael (Independence), St. Gregory The Great (South Euclid), SS. Cyril and Methodius (Lakewood), and St. Mary (Avon). Sister Avsec then taught primary and intermediate age levels at St. Mary (Elyria), St. Helen (Newbury), and St. Justin Martyr (Eastlake). She was also an intermediate level teacher at Julie Billiart, a school for children with various types of learning disabilities in Lyndhurst, Ohio.
As she was concluding her teaching ministry, she then began minister for community service at the Provincial Center in Chardon, Ohio. She became a certified pastoral minister in the diocese of Cleveland; and for the past 25 or so years she has been the pastoral minister at her home parish of St. Vitus. In this capacity, Sister Avsec has cared for the elderly, visiting seniors, home bound, or those in an assisted living arrangement; and also, bereavement ministry to families who experience the loss of a loved one.
Sister Mary Avsec and Father John Retar
She has served as a member of the pastoral council, Conference of Older Adults in the diocese of Cleveland, a former board member of the Kovacic Recreation Center and a former board member of the then St. Clair Superior Coalition, now St. Clair Superior Development Corp. She has also been the spiritual directress of the Legion of Mary, conducted Marian devotions, Holy Hours, mini-retreats, faith inquiry class, and has faithfully served on the parish St. Vincent de Paul Society, a ministry that requires one on one encounters as an apostolic mission to then ascertain basic material needs. Sister Avsec has also been inducted into the St. Vitus Hall of Fame.See more of Sister Mary Avsec
2021
Rest in Peace Pat Hanson
Patricia Hanson (nee Sweeney) beloved spouse of Norman (deceased) and treasured mother of Dan, Debbie and Pat (Mugridge, husband Tom) went to heaven on Thursday November 18, 2021.
Pat was known on this website as Chat with Pat and Dear Webby.
Read more about Pat Hanson
2020
Sewing Masks
Oanh Loi-Powell has sewn over 700 masks that she has donated to UH Pediatrics, Cleveland Clinic Cardiology, the VA Hospital, several doctors' offices, urgent care centers in the Lake County area, Highland Pointe Rehab, nursing homes and hospices. They have gone out to many families, friends, neighbors. 
Oanh Loi-Powell at her sewing machine Read about it and her memory of the refugee camp after leaving Vietnam
Free Mask Giveaways
The Friendship Foundation, led by Gia Hoa Ryan and Joseph Meissner has and is sponsoring a Free Protective Mask Distribution available to everyone. This is a community project of the Friendship Foundation of American-Vietnamese to help people during this Corona Virus Crisis.On Saturday April 18 and Sunday April 19 Director Ryan and her volunteers passed out free masks to some 450 individuals and families. This was done at the corner in Cleveland of West Boulevard and Western Avenue.
Gia Hoa Ryan giving away free masks
The Friendship Foundation will again Pass out Free Protective Viral Mask to all on Sunday April 26. This will be done from 9 AM to Noon at corner of West Boulevard and Western Avenue.More about the Mask Giveaway
Salute and Praying 03-22-2020
Gia Hoa Ryan set up a corner flag salute for all, especially patients in hospitals struck by the virus and all the medical heroes.
Gia Hoa Ryan
Joe Meissner
Joe says "Get out your flags. Fly them high. Ohio Governor encourages us all to fly our flags as a sign of hope and unity, And pray to God for all of us."
Archived Items
Bob Hope's Thanks for the Memory
Special lyrics from Indians last game at Municipal Stadium
WW II Navy Submarine Veteran Jack Paulin
65th anniversary of V-J Day celebration
Debbie Hanson throws out the first pitch
at Cleveland Indians game
Pirohi Time at St. Stephen's Byzantine Church
Seniors making pierogis March 2009
Pamela Parker Sweeney
2009 Mother of the Year
Wilma Smith voted ClevelandSeniors.Com Favorite Female News TV Anchor
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