Easter Sunday

zelusdomustuae
Bishop’s Corner
Happy and Holy Easter to you! As I pen these greetings, our “little village” at St. Gertrude the Great is humming with life and activity, as we prepare for the Triduum Sacrum. Now, “it is accomplished,” another Holy Week at St. Gertrude the Great and we bask in the sunshine of our Risen King, His court all glorious and gold. Let us remember to thank everyone who did everything these days, so that this “Day of Days” would dawn so holy and bright. May God reward you with lasting Easter Peace by infusing true, sweet supernatural charity into your heart for always. Thank you!

I wish particularly to thank our young Fathers, including Fr. Nicholas Desposito from the seminary, and our fine and international seminarians from Nigeria and France and Russia. Their presence with us was a big practical help, as well as an inspiration. We remember the importance and encouragement of unity (never achieved without some sacrifice), the strength there is in numbers, and over all the sweet comfort of charity. When we see the next generation at our side we are filled with holy hope, and remember that nothing done for our children is ever wasted. Our children do a lot for us, don’t they? Let us always encourage vocations by our good example, the esteem in which we hold our faith and our fathers, the priests. God will never abandon us!

Enjoy a blessed, peaceful Easter Day with your family and friends. Our seminary guests are with us through Saturday, and we will have a daily High Mass for the Octave, as well as a special Holy Hour Thursday evening. Fr. Larrabee is helping Fr. Zapp in California for Easter, and new Fr. Lehtoranta is holding down the fort at Milwaukee.

St. Hugh’s congregation has been growing this Lent, Fr. McGuire reports, as has the El Paso chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, served by Fr. Roberto Mardones. Father leaves this week for a visit to his native Chile, which will include a good amount of missionary work. Next week our Franciscan friend Fr. Francis Miller is going to South Africa to visit the one “non una cum” family from †Fr. Leslie’s congregation.

We were sorry to learn last week of the death of Andy Courter. With his late wife Alberta, they were active and devout members of our church for years, coming each Sunday all the way from Xenia, Ohio. After Alberta’s death in 2008, Andy moved out to Denver to be with daughter Mindy and the grandchildren. He was a good, gentle man and a loyal Catholic. If you can, come to his Rosary and Requiem on Saturday at 9:45 AM.

May the promise of the Resurrection be our comfort and strength every day of our lives!

-Bishop Dolan