All Saints
Also this week: Listen to Bp. Dolan’s Sermon from the “Closing of our 2009 Forty Hours Devotion”
Bishop’s Corner
We are so grateful to God for the graces and glories of our Forty Hours Devotion, and to so many of you for your hard work, prayers, and extra church attendance. These were days of great and powerful prayer, and more faithful than ever attended our opening Mass and closing service. Deo Gratias! May God reward those who came and watched with us and prayed and those who helped us party, too.
And wasn’t Fr. Cekada’s organ playing a treat? We are grateful to him for taking time from his busy schedule to practice and play for these special days. “It’s hard work,” Fr. Cekada commented to me, especially if one is not used to it anymore. But Fr. Ramolla said the same thing about all of the altar and sacristy work for last weekend. I’m sure Marlys, who drove so far to make such vibrant and beautiful altar flowers could second the theme, as would Tim Duff and his tuneful choir, and many others “behind the scenes.”
At St. Gertrude, imperfect human beings though we be, we ask only to work our hardest and give our best to God, to His worship, to souls, and to His children. This is our secret, and our strength, and I thank St. Gertrude that she has inspired so many to give of themselves so freely, all for love. May the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary be the only fuel we finally need to keep on going and giving.
Well, today, we have a splendid Sunday All Saints Day, a double Holy Day. We are grateful to parents who have worked on costumes for the little saints who inspire and charm us today. Tomorrow is All Souls Day, and all of us will want to pray and hear Masses for them, and to continue this generous devotion all November.
Remember First Friday and Saturday. The All Night Adoration is suspended so we can rest a little after Forty Hours, but next Sunday afternoon we meet at New St. Joseph’s Cemetery for our Rosary Procession. The school children are going to St. Stephen’s on Thursday. And so it is at St. Gertrude the Great. We keep on going, praying that we may keep on growing in the love of our dear Lord and Lady.
May they bless you with a true devotion!
–Bishop Dolan