Pentecost X
The following weekday Masses will be webcast this week: (This is not an exhaustive list of Masses. Click “Download the Bulletin” for additional Mass times.)
Mon: 9:00 AM
Tue: 8:00 AM
Wed: 8:00 AM
Thu: 8:00 AM
Fri: 8:00 AM
Bishop’s Corner
We may certainly call these delightful days of August, so moderate after July’s heat, “St. Phiiomena’s Summer,” for this great miracle worker brought pleasant weather with her for her feast, and left it as a token of the relief she offers her devout clients. Ask her for her help and more by reciting the Creed three times, as she requested, as well as by honoring her with the Rosary. The coolness of the nights lately reminds us Fall is on it’s way, with Rosary Sunday, and Forty Hours.
As I write this Gino and James are taking advantage of the good weather to retar the parking lot – hot, hard work in any season! John Lotarski is trying to mow the lawn at long last. The mower has been moody of late, and Chip McClorey has devoted many hours to its repair. Eldon and even some of the boys finished mowing by hand the most visible part of the lawn in time for the Assumption. Our procession, under a cool cloud cover went out to Katie’s strikingly decorated Lourdes grotto for the Blessing of First Fruits, Herbs and Flowers.
I want to thank all who contributed to spiffing up the grounds and grotto, as well for the cleaning, flowers, and preparation in church. This was surely one of our more solemn and spiendid Assumptions. How fitting thus to honor Our Lady for her most ancient and greatest feast!
All day long we honored the Mother of God, from 7 A.M. until 7 P.M. I wish to thank Mark Lotarski and Bede Okechukwu for their invaluable sacristy and sanctuary setup on Sunday, and Katie and Darlene for their long hours. On Monday Mark did the abundant breakfast buffet as well, which more than fed the many who stayed. On Friday, Marlys and the children were a big help for the flowers and more. The Kamphaus family, led by Connie, worked several days on the grounds, especially by the grotto where she and Tom (gone now one year) would pray together.
Our young ladies sang beautifully with Joan Lotarski, Fr. Cekada played sonorously, and many servers served under our capable MC’s. Fr. Larrabee was our Assistant Priest, and then left for some time with his family in California. Our hopeful and international seminarians, zealous young levites, learned the ancient roles of subdeacon and deacon to a bishop at a faldstool. The children, forty and more in number, did a good job as angels and many blessed flowers and herbs went home. Fr. Cekada concluded the day for the children, and many entertained adults, by gracing us with another crocodile story, his second of the summer, accents included.
Last week we were happy to have a new seminarian from Michigan with us, Robert VanBerge, and offer him and all of our aspirants to the altar, our support and prayers. Fr. Cekada and Katie, with our seminarians, spent a day organizing and moving church things, which are used throughout the year, from the classroom to the new sacrisry annex. Gino’s addition will save many steps.
This Sunday’s services are sung a capella, as Fr. Cekada is in his native Milwaukee at St. Hugh, and our younger organist Andrew Richesson is away too. So, things are a bit more quiet today. Still, every style of singing and kind of Mass in the Church’s tradition has its own beauty with which we solemnly surround that Sacrifice of submission, through Christ to the Father, which is the perfect prayer of the Mass. Thank you for your Sunday singing at all the Masses, as well as for your quiet reverence every Sunday.
Speaking of that, I’ve been meaning to remind you to go easy on the kneelers at Communion time. “Crash!! Bang!!l” is neither edifying nor necessary at this holy moment. It’s o.k. to raise the kneeler, but do it quietly and by hand, rather than slamming the kneeler with your feet. Let’s save the noise for Tenebrae!
Today’s Vespers and Benediction and tomorrow’s Masses are part of the final plan “for renewing American society.” You don’t have to send money to politicians, but you should come yourself to reverence and offer reparation to the outraged Immaculate Heart of Mary. This is how things will get better. Try it. We need you! Pray the Mass with us, at least in spirit, and the Rosary with the family.
With a blessing in our Blessed Mother’s Heart,
-Bishop Dolan