St. Joachim
Daily Sermons
August 7 – Bp. Dolan – St. Cajetan
August 10 – Bp. Dolan – St. Lawrence
August 11 – Bp. Dolan – St. Philomena and Modernists
August 13 – Bp. Dolan – God, Mary & Numbers
August 15 – Bp. Dolan – Our Blessed Mother and Judith
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✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
Our three blessed days of the Blessed Mother lead us to the Lord’s Day, dedicated this week to the Father of the Virgin Mary by a loyal son, Pope Leo XIII. His baptismal name was Joachim, and the Holy Father thought it fitting thus to associate the father with his daughter’s stupendous victory over death and sin. Among other lessons, this is a good reminder to us to know and honor the patron saints we received at baptism, and to pray to them daily. I say “them” because we often receive more than one saint’s name from Baptism, to say nothing of Confirmation. Since we all “need all the help we can get,” let us daily turn to our own family of saints, given us when we were adopted into God’s family at Baptism. Of course, this includes the Holy Family, doesn’t it? As well as Our Lady’s parents, for they are then our adoptive Grandparents, as well as God’s. It’s nice to be related.
Speaking of help, great thanks to our staff and volunteers for these three blessed Marian Days: Our faithful Rosarians for Thursday night’s Fatima Procession for Peace, the Vigil Novena and High Mass, for the grotto work and the flowers and shrine for the Assumption, as well as for yesterday’s Pontifical Mass. Thank you for your fidelity in attending these days, your full participation. The Novus Ordo did not have a Holy Day yesterday, as it would be inconceivable for them to go to church two days in a row. Well, if I were going to that mess that replaced the Mass, I wouldn’t want to go either! Most of you seem to manage, and those who don’t, don’t. It was still a mortal sin last time I checked.
We had a beautiful shrine for St. Philomena last week, didn’t we? The Princess of Paradise was encircled by pink roses, with many votive candles burning at her feet. Many sent in petitions for the triduum and Mass, and some were able to come personally to honor this honorary patroness of “traditionalists”, as today’s remnant Catholics are sometimes informally known. She is indeed the very antithesis of Modernism, despised and declared a nonperson by the first of the modernist popes, Roncalli or John XXIII. Often pray the three Creeds in her honor, as she requested, and she is sure to shore up your faith in the face of false science which today replaces religion.
Astronomy is interesting, though, isn’t it? Did you get to see the Perseids last week, those “falling stars” Catholics call St. Lawrence Tears? They were supposed to peak Wednesday night, so when I woke up during the night, about 3 AM, I went out for a look. The sky was clear, but I didn’t see anything, so I said a De Profundis for the Poor Souls, (always a good idea to pray for them at the “witching hour,”) and went back to bed. I asked Caravaggio if he wanted to take a look, but he thought not. Of course, twenty minutes later his cat curiosity got the better of him, and we went out to check. Still nothing. I’m sorry I missed them. I remember going out one night at the old St. Clare in Columbus, and the sky was full of these shooting stars, unforgettably beautiful, the cope of Heaven, all embroidered with brightness.
Today Fr. Lehtoranta is going up to the new St. Clare in Chillicothe to mark their patronal feast, which fell quietly last week. Some of our fine your people are accompanying him to sing a High Mass, a rare treat for the little faithful flock who still worship under the mantle of Lady Clare, the true daughter of St. Francis and great saint of Poverty and of the riches of the Blessed Sacrament. God bless them for their fidelity and generosity over the years.
Some dear old former parishioners, with us still in spirit I’m sure, contacted the office about receiving the Bulletin in the mail, so they could get our news, especially about the sick and deceased. We are happy to oblige, even as we are happy to produce a pretty “newsy” bulletin each week, one also full of edifying Catholic articles and prayers, as well as the odd irresistible news commentary, not to mention a wide range of very fine poetry, culled from many sources. It’s a little magazine most weeks, which I hope you will keep with you and work your way through it. Pass it on to someone else when you’re through. Theresa Simpson is doing a fine job as our bulletin editor.
Bless Octave of the Assumption days, these, aren’t they? Stay close to Our Lady this week, and remember her Immaculate Heart come Saturday. St. Bonaventure says that devotion to Our Lady in a sinner is always the first sign of salvation.
May Mary keep you and yours in her hear!
—-Bp. Dolan