Solemnity of Corpus Christi
Congratulations to the children who received their First Holy Communion on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.
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Daily Sermons
May 23 – Fr. McGuire – St. Julia, Virgin & Martyr
May 24 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Cain and Abel
May 25 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. Gregory VII, Defender of Truth
May 26 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Three Communicants: Judas, Peter and Mary
May 27 – Fr. Lehtoranta – A Father’s Promise
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✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
It was Our Lord Himself, repeatedly, patiently, over many years, who asked for the feast of Corpus Christi. This feast sums up, as does the Holy Eucharist itself, all of the marvels of God’s merciful dealings with men. It is a feast, a week, both quiet and prayerful and triumphal and glorious. It demands something from each of us, and gives those that give, the graces of God Himself, who is offered, received, and abidingly present in this Blessed Sacrament.
God bless you for coming today to honor Him who is with us “all days.” God bless the children to whom He comes for the first time in Holy Communion this morning. What a blessing it is still to have the Holy Mass, the Real Presence, the sacraments, to have “my God and my All,” and so close, in every sense.
Let us pray for our First Communicants and their families, for fervor and perseverance in the years ahead. Spare a prayer too for the clergy and laity who worked and prayed so hard for this beautiful feast. Last Thursday saw the priests together chanting the entire Divine Office before the Blessed Sacrament Exposed. The school children (!) helped us to finish the day with the beautiful Vespers and Benediction, expertly chanted. St. Thomas Aquinas himself composed the Office of this feast.
St. Scholstica like, as soon as we raised our heads from prayer, a great rainstorm broke, which blew in water from the side vent, still open for the new air conditioning unit. We threw a tarp over St. Cunagunda, who was getting doused. I’m praying for good weather for this morning’s procession. Thank you for your contributions for the air conditioning.
Sisters, sainted sisters, are ineluctably part of this week’s feasts, Corpus Christi and Sacred Heart, as they are of Catholic life itself. It is therefore particularly fitting that our two new Benedictine sisters should be receiving their habit on First Friday, feast of the Sacred Heart. These ceremonies are always both interesting and inspiring, and I invite you to be with us Friday for the Mass, and luncheon following. More prayers for perseverance.
Fr. Cekada is doing well. I accompanied him to several medical sessions of late. Father has four rather strong chemotherapy sessions scheduled this summer, starting Tuesday, and spaced two weeks apart. His spirits are good, and he is grateful for your concern and prayers.
Summer already! Our school concludes on Friday, and we thank our teachers—and students—for a job well done. The same goes for our devoted choir. Our congregational High Masses, an annual Summer tradition at St. Gertrude, commence next Sunday. Soon it will be time for the St. Anthony Tuesdays, and our first Rosary procession. Anyone for the St. Anthony Animal Blessing? Let me know, and also if you have any suggestions or preferences for the Summer weekday Mass schedule. We aim to please.
The cats have been extraordinarily active of late. I’ve been on bunny rescue as well as general cat care. Puccini is as regular as a religious in his habits. After he breaks his fast in the morning, he generally requires five minutes or so of recreation. I’m usually scheduled, because Caravaggio is a curmudgeon most of the time, and will only rarely give a good chase. I’d like to make clear that I don’t either, my role being only to wave a wand about with a frizzle on a string, representing an imaginary foe. The things we do.
Tomorrow is Memorial Day, which fits in well with Corpus Christi. Poor veterans, wounded and dead, they are soon forgotten. Our Lord’s plea “Remember Me!” could well come from them. And what a remembrance would be an extra Mass or Holy Communion! Remember to bring our First Communicants for a second Communion, one of thanksgiving, this week. And how wonderful it would be for them—and you—to start on the Nine First Fridays this week as well.
May the Holy Eucharist be your greatest blessing!
—Bishop Dolan