The Holy Family
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Daily Sermons
January 1 – Bp. Dolan – A Resolution: The Sign of the Cross
January 2 – Fr. McGuire – A Birthday Present for the Baby God
January 7 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. Lucian of Antioch
January 8 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. Severinus
January 9 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. Agatho
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✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
Last Tuesday I was worrying about the Epiphany. Oh, not our Epiphany, thank you. Nature graced us with a white Christmas for our Little Christmas, and even the freezing temperatures and below for the first days of its Octave didn’t bother us, although we would prefer our annual zero weather at its traditional time, around January 22, the Chair of Unity Octave and the Pro-Life prayer day. Two zero weather spells now two years in a row! Here our Epiphany was picture perfect, with a splendid beautifully sung Pontifical Mass, expertly served. The candlelight party featured delicious fried chicken and other savories, a wonderful range of music, and just enough guests to fill the hall. It’s what I would call a great success. It is so nice an affair, this Solemn Mass and party, so pleasant an evening, so modest in its time allotment, (barely three hours in toto) that I always wonder why more don’t come. But thanks to those who did, those who prepared and tidied up, and thanks to those who help us here, but were not with us to be properly thanked. The Mass was offered for you all, with my thanks! That should cover everybody.
Worrying about the Epiphany? It is one of the greatest feasts of the year, eight days of pure adoration, and yet often forgotten (perhaps because it rarely falls on a Sunday) overshadowed by Christmas although technically it is greater. I thank God that we are able to celebrate Epiphany so solemnly and to spread its knowledge by means of the Epiphany Blessings. It is the great feast of “Oh come let us adore Him,” of faith and of gifts.
Life slows down in a way when it is so cold. You feel it in church. At home, the cats are confused and hungry, and half hibernate, half get bored, like children cooped up too long in the winter. We priests are busy as ever of course, with priestly work and travels. Today I am in Albuquerque for Confirmations and a pastoral visit to St. Gertrude the Less, and hoping for a bit of warmth as well. Fr. McKenna left us early after the feast, to visit his dying grandmother in Boston, and then continue on to his northern missions. Fr. McGuire is in Milwaukee today, returning after Fr. Lehtoranta’s long Christmas stay. Father is back to his regular school year routine of teaching and assisting at St. Gertrude. The “Christmas priest,” they call him in Milwaukee. This is his favorite time of the year.
The Fathers are grateful to Chip McClorey who found two reasonably priced older Crown Vics to replace their very used cars, and on their last legs. Fr. McKenna had a cold trip in one of them to Chillicothe on New Years, as the heater died recently. Speaking of heat, of course this is the season of high heating bills, and we are grateful to you for your regular and generous Sunday support. At least the gas prices have come down, so there is some good news about, and just in time for our lifelong resolution not to miss Sunday Mass. Now, if only the imperious Duke would deign to lower the heating tax he extracts from the peasants, we’d be in business.
Speaking of heating, we had a real break the other day in the person of a former parishioner who’s in the business, and whose advice saved us from a costly and seemingly unnecessary replacement of equipment. We’re at the mercy of the experts, and thus it is a mercy to have the advice of someone who knows the ways and pitfalls of the business. God reward him for his kindness.
All winter, (well, up until the current freeze) we’ve had a cardinal (a bird, not the big scarlet ones who are for the birds) in the office garden who would see his reflection in the patio door, and fly into it repeatedly, day after day. Presumably after his head started to hurt, he would give up, only to resume on the morrow. Poor bird, but he at least has an excuse for being a birdbrain. What of Novus Ordo Cardinals or conservatives? When will they realize they are hitting their head against a wall? After 50 years of Vatican II, Bergoglio means to make it stick, an entirely new religion.
I heard last week from some Catholics in the Philippines, who realize Bergoglio is no pope and the New Mass and priesthood are not valid either. There is one good sedevacantist priest in all that huge country. Please keep them in your prayers, and all of the Catholics in the world, especially those who are beginning to wake up, and give up hitting their head against a wall.
The Restoration Radio season will be revving up soon and Fr. Cekada and I have recorded a Clerical Conversations show on the perennially interesting subject of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, with gambling thrown in as well. It’s one of those “pay to view” deals however. You may have to subscribe to get it. Still, this is a good way to support the Faith this Epiphany, and to strengthen your own.
God bless your family on Holy Family Sunday. Remember to do the Epiphany Home Blessing as a Sunday activity today. Shore up your good Sunday resolutions by changing your Sunday environment, the way it looks at your house come Sunday. Have a prominent family altar. Pray together there on Saturday night. Have a Sunday morning schedule and program for the whole family, one which is pro church, and leads naturally to going there for Mass. Pray about it, and for all of your family needs.
We are glad to have you part of our Church family. I pray that our church is a blessing to your family. Jesus Mary and Joseph bless you and keep you!
Bishop Dolan