Rosary Sunday
On Rosary Sunday, Fr. Carlos Ercoli gave a very moving talk, “My Path to the Priesthood.” If you missed our Rosary Sunday breakfast, be sure to listen to it here.
Bishop’s Corner
A Blessed Rosary Sunday to you all, and especially our St. Gertrude Rosarians. I hasten to thank Gloria and Richard Zbilicki who helped organize things this year, as well as our own Pat Kolb with daughter Susan Ackley for the delicious breakfast. Thanks too, for the helpers who sold and arranged roses, set up Helfta Hall, and tidied up afterwards. A very sincere thanks to our guest speaker, Fr. Ercoli.
Speaking of the Rosary and thanks…We all have so much to be thankful for. Won’t you publicly praise Jesus and Mary, and join us “off and on” for the October Rosary Devotions? Let us make October truly the month of the Rosary, at church as well as at home. See you again this afternoon, or during the week?
October ends with the feast of Christ the King, and I thank Eldon and his helpers for the beautiful shrine for the latest member of our outdoor statue family at St. Gertrude, the statue of Christ the King. It came to us from the old St. Clare, needing repair (thanks Jim!) and a safe home. May it inspire us all to strive for the Kingship of Christ in all things.
We did a week of special prayers at Mass for rain, and were rewarded (again) with a gentle rain, this one of several hours. We are still terribly dry going into Autumn. Please pray for rain, as also for all of our needs.
Fred Hauserman, oldest member of St. Gertrude the Great, turned 102 the other week. Our congratulations and prayers go to this good soul, who shows us all a fine example of perseverence. At his age, he is a shut-in, but always welcomes the priests who comes to bring him Our Lord in Holy Communion. Please do keep him and all of our shut-in, in your prayers.
Our Michaelmas celebration included not only a Solemn High Mass to honor and thank the Prince of the Heavenly Host, but also Solemn Vespers sung with the school children in honor of the great Archangel. Don’t forget the month of the Angels, with its own indulgenced devotions. The prayers we say to angels always return to us with blessings attached.
Fr. Hecquard, our newest priest, wrote recently to give us the news from our brethren in Rennes, France. They have purchased a house outside of town to house the boarding boys of the school, some of the clergy, and a considerable menagerie: 19 sheep, 2 pigs, and a cat. They are all comfortably installed in the country. Fr. Hecquard finds himself quite busy, and probably won’t be able to visit us here in the short term.
Hasn’t September, with its lingering Summer and sweet memories of vacation, just slipped away? The nights grow cooler, and longer, and soon Winter will come for its stay. The days pass quickly, but don’t let a single day pass without a Rosary prayed for our dear land, these thirty days which lead up to All Souls. Prayers through the Poor Souls are doubly efficacious. Help them and they will help you.
God bless you, and may Mary reign as Queen of your home, and of your dinner table.
–Bishop Dolan