Christ the King

zelusdomustuae
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
Golden Autumn was momentarily sideswiped by snow and cold in some parts of the state this past week, but the brisk October sun shone merrily again by week’s end, to usher in the great solemnities of Christ the King and All Saints and All Souls, along with First Friday and Saturday. May the blessings of these days both reward and renew your generosity by warming your heart and home with the fire of God’s Love.

Today it is the little ones, all dressed up as saints in the army of Christ the King, who warm our hearts. May their innocence inspire us, the guilty, to take up again those weapons of penance, prayer and joyful Catholic living which lead to Heaven. “O Christ, Thy guilty people spare,” we sing on All Hallows’ Eve as Vespers open the great feast of All Saints. May our reparation to the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart win us God’s pardon and peace.

Remember your Holy Day on First Friday, and those dear souls who are “almost there” on First Saturday, All Souls Day. The Queen of Purgatory only waits for your prayer to descend to that prison and release so many souls detained there.

For all of the joyful innocence and sacred solemnity which mark these so holy days of Autumn, there is another darker side to this week. Satan does reign in society, and is served by so much “adult sinning” at Halloween, so much excess. It would not even be necessary that he be openly honored, but of course, he is. So let us openly profess our Faith, and fast on Halloween, we adults, like Christians who “know the score” these days, these “last days.”

Still, let us follow the advice of our Little Saint, “and make fun of the devil;” “all his works and all his pomps,” all his dark temptations and open inducements to sin. A Little Child will lead us, the Holy Child, Jesus our King, followed by innumerable “little” saints, humbly, happily smiling.

Little saints? Yes! The devil cannot bear even a little of the humble, childlike spirit, and the Gates of the Kingdom open only to those who practice it, Our Lady and Queen in first place. “He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted the humble and meek.”

Are you remembering to “lift up your eyes” at church? The magnificent golden angels on the rood screen adore like the cherubim on the ark of old. In time for All Saints Day, the saints are raised up along the nave. Thank you, Gino. Thank you, Marlys, and all of our benefactors! The whole church property seems properly protected now under the sword of great St. Michael the Archangel, looking out from the parapet of the cloister.

We’re busy getting ready for Rev. Mr. Nkamuke’s ordination. Thank you for your interest, generosity and prayers. Our new priest will be with us for Forty Hours, and celebrate its closing Mass on November 17th as one of his first Solemn High Masses. At Christmas he returns home to ever more dangerous Nigeria for his first missionary tour. St. Thérèse, watch over him!

Fr. Lehtoranta is visiting the faithful of St. Hugh today, and Fr. McKenna is heading up to St. Clare. Fr. Larrabee will be visiting us for five days, the week of November 11th. It will be good to see him again. God bless and save us all, priests and faithful, adults and children, and keep us faithful to the King of Kings!

– Bishop Dolan

PS: Don’t forget St. Jude tomorrow, patron of the hopeless and helper for despaired-of cases. Somebody is always dis-honoring St. Jude by superstitious practices. Honor him the best way, by praying to him, confiding your cares, and hearing Mass in his honor.