Easter III
Our school children sing at their spring spaghetti dinner fundraiser.
Bishop’s Corner
I am writing this on the feast of the Mother of Good Counsel, who graciously shared that day’s honors with her Son’s first Evangelist, St. Mark. The Divine Child she holds and the Man-God held out by the first Gospel, both present to us the startling reality of the Sacred Humanity: God became a Man. The bald and realistic Baby of the Mother of Good Counsel picture; the Man who sleeps on a pillow, sighs deeply, looks about angrily in St. Mark’s Gospel: behold the evidence of the Incarnation. Mohammedans and Monophysites (Egyptian Copts and Armenians) deny it, and Our Lord withdraws His Mother and Saint from their lands. How blessed are we! May our confident devotions ever foster our faith, the one, holy, Catholic and Roman Faith. Leave us not, O Lord!
The Easter era of devotions and holy observances has begun. Let us look lively! These are the days of grace. Last week’s two double days open now into May, with the Apostles and the Holy Cross, the Sacred Heart and St. Monica, the Immaculate Heart and St. Pius V. Take your pick! Pick a handful of these beautiful flowers from God’s garden and lay them shyly, sincerely, at Mary’s feet.
The children crowded around the lambs last Sunday. They were a big hit, and I thank Paul and Marlys Arlinghaus for bringing them. A bunny made its way into the menagerie as well, and was well received. I fed one of the lambs with a bottle (they are just being weaned now) but the other lamb wanted in as well, and it ended up rather a food fight, with milk all over their wool. Children will be children!
We are looking forward to the school children today, and their Spring Entertainment. I hope you’ll come, and have some spaghetti with us to support our fine school!
Our “visiting professor” Fr. Cekada was doing his academic duties last week in the Seminary, and reports that two seminarians received their first two Minor Orders from Bishop Sanborn. Mr. Jorge Bosco is from Argentina, and you all know Mr. Bede Okechukwu. It is cheering to see these fine future priests advance nearer the altar.
Spring is for children, and also for flowers, isn’t it? Our church gardens (we have so many, and are grateful to Eldon and Dale for maintaining them so well) look beautiful now in bloom: iris and lilac, lilies of the valley, some azalea, different purple ground covers, pansies, and really Knock-Out roses, which always look their best in Spring. March’s summer weather pushed everything ahead by a couple of weeks, but I hope there will be flowers for May and Mary.
We decorated the altars last Sunday with honeysuckle, which grows with glorious abandon on our property, and gave an interesting airy look to the altar. I fear our allergy sufferers had some penance to do, though.
May…Mary’s Lent, it’s sometimes called. The sweet penance you are called to do is to honor her, and keep this month of devotions and saints with all due devotion. Have a May altar at home, renew the family Rosary, bring the kids to church. If you miss some Sundays, make them. If you’re a regular for the Lord’s Day, branch out into a weekday Mass or devotion. You will not regret it, in time or eternity.
May St. Joseph and St. Catherine lead you to Our Lady and her Son, the dear Doctor of the Sick, she who is herself the Health of the Sick. Say the Litany of Loreto every day in May.
May Mary make these days of May blessed for you!
–Bishop Dolan