Pentecost IV
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 ✠
What weather!
If all of our clouds do indeed have a silver lining, at least the grass is staying green, and trees and shrubs will be well watered. As for the disagreeable heat and humidity, well, pace Bergoglio, thank God for air conditioning! Ours at the convento were out at the worst of it last week, as it always does. The local HVAC god Apollo eventually descended from Olympus to repair it, but had to be propitiated with large amounts of money in advance.
The weather made Fr. McKenna’s return flight from Minnesota very late last Monday. Anymore summer weather is worse than winter for flying. I’m in Milwaukee this weekend, and ask your good prayers.
Many prayers were submitted to good St. Anthony last weekend in time for his 13 Tuesdays, and are now in that golden chest at his feet, as he presents our petitions to Jesus, and Jesus to His Father. It would be nice to see all of you who have asked something of the saint at least once at his Summer Novena. Your presence at Mass Tuesday at 8AM or 5PM, your personal prayers joined to our public devotions, would be most powerful.
Besides, now that we have asked St. Anthony, we seem to have lost him from view, don’t we? His first day of devotions was practically abandoned. Let us do our part not only by asking, but by honoring!
Nobody remembered the Perpetual Help Icon last Monday, for our Summer Novena begins with Our Lady “of the sad eyes,” as she is sometimes called. Still, it worked out well, kind of a “stone soup” situation. Fr. McGuire helped me figure out a strategy and did the heavy lifting, and soon we had Freddy and Darlene involved as well. Fr. Lehtoranta was praying, which is good, and even Fr. Cekada participated in his own way, playing stirring organ music to keep us animated. You see the happy result today. Stop by for a prayer.
We also set up a little secondary St. Anthony shrine in the side chapel, with votive candles you can light in the saint’s honor. You may continue to hand in prayer petitions to St. Anthony all Summer.
We blessed the animals in the hot cloister last Tuesday evening, but we had more priests than pets! Puccini said it was just too warm, Caravaggio hid, but three well turned out dogs turned out to be blessed, with that unique innocent enthusiasm native to man’s best friend, and so foreign to felines. The Sisters brought Chiara. Afterwards I ran across a robin and two rabbits on the way home, who stood perfectly still and looked at me fixedly. Perhaps, like Esau of old, they were imploring “have you no blessing for me?” So I blessed them, but it had to be a dry one, as I had no Holy Water with me. Still, they seemed satisfied and went their way, these dear creatures of God.
By all accounts, Bee had a wonderful 96th birthday, surrounded by Our Lord, His priest (Fr. McGuire brought Holy Communion in the morning) and many of her church friends, and cards, prayers and greetings from us all. Darlene reports she had her first real visit with this cherished friend since her church days, and even ate some of the cake! Thank you all for remembering. Bee’s short-term memory is pretty much gone, but I know she will not forget this wonderful day.
My birthday was last month, but I continued to receive your kind cards and greetings well into June. The school gave me a very nice afternoon party, and some children even two cards! Fr. Lehtoranta gave me the fine old traditional Irish flag which antedates the revolutionary tri-color, a golden harp, on a field of blue. I have it hanging in Helfta Hall. Thank you all very much.
One of the several graces that came a the time of Alex Fulton’s funeral was some progress for getting Holy Communion to our prisoner near Cleveland, Joseph Murphy. In addition to a very prejudiced prison chaplain, the warden’s office was sede vacante as well, which made it very difficult. Still, we are waiting for the green light, so please pray for this. Pray as well, if you would, for a very poor soul now in prison. Robert DiMare attended several churches here in succession a few years ago, but has now been sent to prison for a very grave crime indeed. I do not have any further information, but do ask for prayers for him, his wife and family, who must all be suffering very much. God reward your charity.
Our last church event until Summer Camp next month, is this Wednesday’s St. John’s Evening, with Mass and potluck barbecue after Solemn Mass in honor of so great a saint, “than whom there is no greater born of woman.” Come and spend the evening with us as we bless the bonfire, sing, enjoy Fr. Cekada’s story, and roast marshmallows.
If Bill allows us to, I imagine many dads will be barbecuing today. Whatever you do, dear Fathers on your day, have a blessed one. You have first place in our prayers today, as we remember just what a blessing a good father is!
Your in the fatherly Heart of Jesus.
—Bp. Dolan