Church of the Resurrection

Parish History

Church of the Resurrection was founded in 1971 when the Diocese of Cleveland purchased 15 acres off Cannon Road in Solon, then a growing suburb. The first Masses were celebrated in June 1971 in the gymnasium of Dorothy Lewis Elementary School with about 200 families. Fr. Louis J. Trivison, the founding pastor, deliberately built the parish on a Vatican II model that invited laity — including women — into real pastoral leadership. The parish broke ground for its first church in 1973 and worshiped there from 1974 until 2004, when it dedicated a new and larger worship space. The parish marked its 50th anniversary in 2020–2021, closing with an outdoor Mass and the dedication of a Healing Garden by Bishop Edward Malesic.

• 1968 — Diocese of Cleveland purchases 15 acres off Cannon Road in Solon
• June 19, 1971 — First Mass at Dorothy Lewis Elementary School
• July 15, 1973 — Groundbreaking for the first church
• October 13, 1974 — First Mass in the original church
• June 8, 2003 — Groundbreaking for the present church
• September 23, 2004 — Blessing of the Bell and Organ
• September 26, 2004 — First Mass in the new church
• November 12, 2006 — Welcomed 130 families from St. Jude Parish
• June 21, 2020 — Opening of 50th Anniversary
• June 20, 2021 — Closing of 50th Anniversary; Dedication of the Healing Garden

Meet Our Staff

The parish is led by Rev. Thomas M. Dragga, who became pastor in 2015, and is supported by Deacon Jerry Ziemkiewicz, two pastoral associates (including a Parish Catechetical Leader), a music and communications director, faith-formation staff, a business and office manager, and a maintenance/sacristan team.

• Rev. Thomas M. Dragga — Pastor (ext. 22)
• Deacon Jerry Ziemkiewicz
• Sr. Susan Javorek, S.N.D. — Pastoral Associate (ext. 27)
• Julie Tragon — Pastoral Associate / Parish Catechetical Leader (ext. 25)
• Michael Cirino — Director of Music & Communications (ext. 24)
• Christa Bomeli — Faith Formation Assistant
• Christine Ule — Business and Office Manager (ext. 23)
• Jackie Ketring — Receptionist (ext. 21)
• Herb Wilson — Maintenance / Sacristan (ext. 38)

Parish Office

The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It can be reached directly from the East Parking Lot or through the main doors into the Gathering Area and up the ramp. Volunteer Afternoon Receptionists answer phones and greet visitors from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays; the office is actively recruiting for summer coverage (June–August).

• General inquiries: 440-248-0980 or [email protected]
• Volunteer reception desk: contact Jackie Ketring at ext. 21

Mass & Liturgy

The parish celebrates a full weekly Mass schedule led by the pastor, with daily Mass Monday through Friday (no morning Mass on Thursday), a Sunday morning schedule, and a Sunday vigil Mass on Saturday evening. The current (2004) church was designed to seat a worshipping community that had grown to roughly 1,200 households.

• Saturday Vigil — 5:00 PM
• Sunday — 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM
• Daily Mass Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri — 8:30 AM
• Thursday — no morning Mass

Sacraments

• First Reconciliation — typically in 4th grade with the 'Be Forgiven' program (4th–6th grades for 2026–2027), after at least two years of faith formation
• First Eucharist / First Communion — prepared through the parish's family-based program
• Eucharistic Ministers assist at Sunday liturgy on a scheduled, team-based rotation

Faith Formation & Religious Education

Family Faith Formation is the parish's primary catechetical program for youth in kindergarten through 12th grade and their families. It meets during and after select 9:00 AM Sunday Masses (12 sessions, September through April) and is built on four pillars: connecting families to the wider parish community, supporting parents as primary catechists, accompanying each family where they are, and grounding everything in the source and summit of the Mass. Teens in grades 7–12 are also invited into a separate Youth Ministry program.

• Family of Families — connecting to parish, diocese, and global Church
• Parental as Primary Catechists — equipping parents to lead faith at home
• Ministry of Accompaniment — flexible, one-on-one walk with families
• Return to the Source — grounding in the Eucharistic liturgy

Music Ministry

Music Ministry enhances parish worship and welcomes anyone — with or without experience — to share their gifts. The adult Chorale sings at weekend Masses and special liturgies, with weekly rehearsals on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, September through May (no audition required). The Children's and Youth Choir rehearses occasionally after the 11:00 AM Mass and sings at special events throughout the year. Cantors are sought to lead the congregation in song; training is provided at the start of each choir season.

• Adult Chorale — Tuesdays, 6:30–8:00 PM, Sept–May
• Children's and Youth Choir — after 11:00 AM Sunday Mass, by announcement
• Funeral Choir
• Cantors — training provided each choir season

Outreach & Social Justice

Outreach is a defining feature of parish life. The Social Justice Committee raises awareness of Catholic Social Teaching through service and advocacy, while the Charitable Giving Board provides parishioner-led oversight of charitable funds distributed through the Trivison Scholarship Fund (Catholic-education aid), Loaves & Fishes grants, and the monthly Charity & Justice envelope (which funds emergency assistance for the needy). Sr. Susan Javorek, S.N.D. coordinates much of this work.

• Cana Food Pantry (on-site, in the Trivison Center)
• Thanksgiving, Easter, and July 4th food baskets
• Christmas Giving Tree
• Thea Bowman Hunger Center — third Saturday of each month, Mount Pleasant
• Bread for the World Offering of Letters
• Voter Registration
• Game Nights at Cuyahoga Juvenile Corrections Center
• Fair Trade Boutique

Cana Food Pantry

Housed in the Trivison Center, the Cana Food Pantry collects donated food, cleaning supplies, and personal-care items from parishioners and the wider community, and distributes them to neighbors in need. Teams of ambassadors rotate weekly to receive donations, stock shelves, respond to requests, and keep records. At Thanksgiving, Easter, and July 4th, ambassadors prepare special holiday boxes and bags.

• Donations accepted from parishioners and community members
• Holiday meal boxes at Thanksgiving, Easter, and July 4th
• Assistance requests: 440-248-0980 ext. 30
• Contact: Sr. Susan Javorek

Hunger Center at the Thea Bowman Center

Each third Saturday of the month, parish ambassadors prepare and serve a hot noon meal for about 100 people at the Thea Bowman Center in Cleveland's Mount Pleasant neighborhood (E. 120th and Union). Three teams rotate so that each serves roughly four times a year, helping sustain the parish's long-standing CityLinks partnership with East Side parishes.

• Serve or clean up between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM
• Bake cookies for the meal
• Donate food items
• Contact: Sr. Susan Javorek

Eucharistic Ministers

Eucharistic Ministers assist at Sunday liturgy by distributing the Body and Blood of Christ and are scheduled once a month on teams assigned to a specific Mass. Schedules are posted publicly and also available in the sacristy; changes are coordinated through the receptionist.

• Scheduled about once a month on a per-Mass team rotation
• Schedule changes: contact Jackie Ketring

Parish Social Events Team

A dedicated team organizes social and community-building events that bring parishioners together beyond Sunday Mass, complementing the parish's mission to build community at the heart of parish life.

Getting Involved

Beyond the formal ministries above, parishioners can volunteer as Afternoon Receptionists during the week, serve on the Charitable Giving Board (which meets four times a year — September, January, May, and June), or join the music, faith-formation, or social-justice teams.

• Afternoon Receptionists — 1:00–4:00 PM weekdays
• Charitable Giving Board — four meetings per year
• Contact Sr. Susan Javorek to get involved