Lent I
Bishop’s Corner
Our latest of Lents got off to a good rainy start on Wednesday. Rain sometimes symbolizes an abundance of heavenly blessings (on a wedding day, for example) and our Ash Wednesday was full of graces. How many of you made the sacrifice to come through the dark and the rain to receive your ashes and begin your Lent with prayer! May good St. Joseph reward you with perseverance all the way through the victory of Easter.
Our school children had their little Mardi Gras celebration before Lent, as did your clergy. But our penance is barely begun this Lent, and already it is suspended on Thursday in favor of the great Saint of the Irish, Patrick. St. Joseph’s celebration is customarily a bit more sober (pun intended) and spiritual, rather than spiritous. Hear Mass for these great saints. Come to daily Mass in Lent. Be generous with the good God.
We have lost another faithful, loyal layman of St. Gertrude, the last of the too-long list which started in November with Ed Sayre, and includes Fred Hauserman, Richard Weik, Ernie Nellenbach and Bernie Brueggemann. Craig Byrne was a faithful of the 7:30 Mass, and used to lead the Rosary. He and his wife celebrated their Golden Anniversary with us back in Sharonville. When he could no longer come, he still for a long time sent in his envelope regularly, and the priests visited him with Holy Communion. He died on Saturday, February 26th. His family, taking no chances, informed us neither of his dying, nor of his death, until he was buried. I think there was a Novus Ordo clergyman, a family relative, involved. These things are some of the great sadnesses of life. God’s will be done. We will offer yet another Requiem in absentia on Tuesday. May Craig rest in peace. Remember him, and pray for him. Oh, and resolve this won’t happen to you. Make your arrangements now.
We have a moderately busy Lent planned for you. I’m sending home a Lenten calender today, as well as the little Lenten daily devotional, as we do each year. Take advantage of something this Lent, won’t you? It’s raining with opportunities for holiness. Put your bucket out, and gather some graces these forty days. It’s as easy as that.
May St. Joseph guide you.
-Bishop Dolan