Low Sunday
At the start of the Easter Vigil services, Bp. Dolan processes outside for the Blessing of the New Fire.
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Daily Sermons
March 29 – Bp. Dolan – No Ghost
March 30 – Bp. Dolan – Anything to Eat?
March 31 – Bp. Dolan – Too Many Tears
April 1 – Bp. Dolan – But Some Doubted
April 2 – Bp. Dolan – Dust Collects
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✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
We were up early last Sunday for Easter, to sing our Matins at the actual hour of the Resurrection. It is always a peaceful, blissful hour of prayer. But it was so cold that even the birds didn’t show up for choir. Oh, one bird tried to send out a tweet at the Te Deum, but soon gave up as Fr. McGuire resolutely rang the tower bell into the Easter dawn.
I ran into Katie afterwards and she pronounced herself well pleased with Holy Week this year, even though she had caught the virus and her knees had about given out. Everything was indeed beautiful, and so many came to do something, so no one person was burdened with it all, she said. I was happily thinking too of how much thought, planning and practicing is entailed in our Easter/Holy Week observance. Such devotion! And such a good attendance this year. And our visitors. Alleluia.
Later on the day mellowed with spring sunshine, and shone with great crowds of people. By Vespers the birds had returned, and sang with the clergy and the Sisters, with great gusto.
I came across this Bishop’s Corner from our first Easter in our new church 11 years ago. It says it all, still today:
In the restful quiet of this Easter Octave, I remember with gratitude the intense efforts of so many who worked so well together to make our first Holy Week in our new church so memorable. May God reward you! the Novus Ordo says the people make the church, and while we do not understand this as they do (making it a pretext for stripping and de-sacralizing the church building), it is true in a sense, and nowhere more true than at St. Gertrude the Great during Holy Week.
Besides being actually necessary—no one person or even little group could do it all—this profound popular participation is the secret strength of our church, and always has been. Individuals come and go, but God always provides a good crew, and the beautiful and varied old ceremonies are well and prayerfully performed in our beautiful new church. Alleluia!
It is rare that we have an uninterrupted month to honor the Resurrection of Our Lord. May the truths and consolations of Easter slowly steep into your soul, and fill you with an abiding, serene joy. Remember the Holy Face devotion as well, by which Our Lord promises to “procure the settlement of all the affairs of our household.” Later this month comes St. Joseph’s Easter Feast and Novena, and the feast of Our Mother of Good Counsel. Tomorrow we keep the Annunciation, a traditional day of Adoration and prayer for the pro-life cause. Could you make a visit during the afternoon?
May Mary fill you with Easter joy.
With my blessing,
Bishop Dolan