Solemnity of Corpus Christi
Alexander P. Fulton
Visitation
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Rosary 7:00 PM
Mueller Funeral Home
6791 Tylersville Rd.
Mason OH 45040
Requiem Mass
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
11:00 AM
St. Gertrude the Great Church
4900 Rialto Rd.
West Chester, OH 45069
Burial
Oak Hill Cemetery
11200 Princeton Pike
Springdale, OH 45246
Luncheon at St. Gertrude the Great follows Burial
You are welcome to bring a salad or a dessert to share.
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Daily Sermons
May 29 – Bp. Dolan – A Joyful Saint of Sorrow
June 1 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Our Lady’s Garden
June 2 – Bp. Dolan – Martyrs’ Story
June 4 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Make Jesus the Center of Your Day and Life
June 5 – Bp. Dolan – St. Boniface; Do Good
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✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
Trinity Sunday, and the Ember Saturday, last weekend, were particularly joyful days for us, as we celebrated the graduation of some of our fine young people. God bless them in their future endeavors, and always keep them close to Himself and St. Gertrude the Great.
A similar prayer is whispered by us today as we pray to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist whom eight little ones receive for the first time today. May they stay just as close to Jesus and Mary and Mass and prayer as they are today. That way, ten years time will find them not cold and careless on their Faith, but truly confirmed Catholics, ready to go forth and spread the knowledge of God in a world grown so far from Him. This way, the reign of Jesus in the monstrance will be His rule from the altar throughout the world.
Grand and glorious as today’s Eucharistic Observance is, with its solemn adoration, triumphal procession, First Communion and Mass and Vespers before the Blessed Sacrament Exposed, we have not yet exhausted the riches of Corpus Christi, nor the reserves of our own devotion. Daily Mass and Benediction call us back, beginning with the grateful First Communicants themselves, and their parents. The feast ends Thursday after a full week of celebration, only to give way to another feast, of reparation, the Sacred Heart. Be with us.
The first days of June surprised us with their overcast, humid chill, which gives way only to a muggy warm day. Typical enough for Cincinnati weather, isn’t it? Still, there is just too much joy and light within to pay too much attention to fallen nature without. “Let all the earth rejoice before Him.”
I’m also very proud of some of our school girls who went from door to door in their neighborhoods to collect money for Alex Fulton’s family. Their natural—and quite proper—shyness and timidity would have checked them, but their charity was inspired by the tale of St. Augustine of Canterbury overcoming his fears to be the Apostle of the English. The lives of the saints applied!
Well, the children won’t be getting their daily sermons until September brings them back, as school has ended for the year. Some of them are coming to help with the daily Corpus Christi High Mass at 9 AM through Thursday, God love them. We’d like to see your children too this Summer.
The coyotes have returned, and Caravaggio bravely took up his watch post high on the patio trellis, leaving it only to take nourishment as needed. This was early morning on Wednesday, and I wondered what became of the bunnies. Eerily quiet, as they say. Then a young coyote appeared, quite bold and in no hurry to go anywhere, sauntering along and eying me, perhaps for future meal potential. I must confess that he’d get his money’s worth anymore….. Fr. McKenna, who doubtless would give satisfaction in that department as well, was then summoned, and arrived in cassock and slippers to pursue the hunt, but Wily Coyote slipped off into the underbrush. Father reports they’ve been around for a while now, meeting by the shed in the middle of the night. Somehow the cats seem to survive just fine, probably suffering more from killdeer than coyotes. They were dive-bombing Puccini last week, but he bore it with meekness.
We are grateful to Doby for his devoted hours—and in such weather—to keeping our grounds looking good. Freddy and newly graduated 18 complete the team, a fine one indeed. The bunnies have been getting at my roses. I’ll have to have a word with Caravaggio. Be sure to have a word with Our Lord in the monstrance these Corpus Christi days, won’t you? Let us not leave Him unaccompanied when He comes, and stays, just for us.
May the Blessed Sacrament be your great joy!
—Bp. Dolan