Sexagesima
Solemn Mass of the Epiphany. Fr. Mardones, Celebrant; Fr. McGuire, Deacon; Fr. McKenna, Subdeacon. Bp. Dolan and Fr. Lehtoranta look on.
_________________________________________
Daily Sermons
January 22 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Gratitude to God for Our Life
January 25 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Conversion of St. Paul
January 26 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. Polycarp
January 27 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. John Chrysostom
January 29 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. Francis de Sales
_________________________________________
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
We did a lot of St. Paul for the seminary retreat, and to-day we all have his autobiography for Sexagesi-ma Sunday. He is the very example for the Christian, clerical and lay, of the best laborer in the vineyard, the seed that bears fruit a hundredfold. Thus he inspires us to greater generosity as we plan out our Lent. If it must come so early, I thought to myself, at least a retreat is an excellent way to prepare for it.
There were four priests with us on the retreat and one deacon. This year there are three new seminarians, one from Germany, one from Columbia, and one from good old Detroit, and it eight students for the priesthood all together. A nice group. Pray for their perseverance.
We persevered through some mild rainy days, but it is always nice to get away from the cold for a few days in Florida. The sun came back out as I was leaving on Friday. We’re hoping for good weather on Tuesday for Christmas’s fortieth day, our Candlemas celebration. Will you be coming? Fr. Saavedra in Detroit took his Christ-mas down already. He’s more efficient than liturgical, but he often has a storm for Feb 2, and all Winter long, and he likes to be prepared. It was good to see him again, and the seminary Fathers as well. As usual Dorothy’s cooking was great, as was Fr. Disposito’s singing for the daily full High Mass. All very conducive to spiritual recollection, and we are grateful.
Fr. Cekada has been working on another video. We’re joking that we’ll get him a director’s chair and sun glasses, but it seems that this is the ideal means of reaching, teaching, people today. His latest presents some of the history of the Church since the changes, by means of answering the charge that Sedevecantists are a particularly bitter and divisive lot. He seems to enjoy the work, and certainly gets his message across in an engaging manner. Stay tuned!
Caravaggio has been in sick bay this week, despite Fr. Cekada’s very devoted care. Katie got the cat to the vet, and it turns out to be conjunctivitis. I hope I didn’t infect him, as I just had it myself. But he also seems to have gotten himself into a classic cat fight, at least as bad as the Iowa Caucuses. He lost some fur in that one, and emerged all scratched up. So maybe it’s simply the feline version of a black eye. In any case the cats are on full Spring alert now. Puccini never makes a fuss, but was whining to be let out. Duty calls. Good example. Let us be eager for the coming Lenten combat.
Fr. Lehtoranta is happy to be finished with exams, but reports that one of his history students brought a smile to his face by writing about “The dull medieval art and style were called Gothic, which is very ugly.”!! Well, of course, Gothic was not originally a compliment.
There was a sad death last week of one of our faithful in Milwaukee, Nico Anania, a young family man who was in a car accident. Please remember his soul, as well as his widow and children, in your prayers.
I’m writing this on the feast day of our local patron saints, great Francis De Sales. May he bless those who write and teach, and all those who try to spread our holy faith, and those who wish to keep it. God bless you for a happy Pre Lenten season, as we rejoice a little, and prepare a lot for a good Lent.
-Bishop Dolan