Easter V
Young Adult Get-Together
This summer, we are hosting a young adult get-together. We hope to draw Traditional Catholics from across the country. Visit our event website for more information.
YAG Cincinnati Website
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Watch a very short video with scenes from our May crowning.
We had a large turnout for our first Fatima Rosary Procession of the year.
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Daily Sermons
May 15 – Fr. Lehtoranta – A Good Teacher and a Good Student
May 16 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. Ubaldus and Forgiving Our Enemies
May 17 – Bp. Dolan – Learning to Read with St. Paschal
May 18 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. Eric and the Finns
May 19 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Holy Mass at the Home of St. Pudentiana
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✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
May in the Ohio Valley seems to have saved and spent all of its allotment of good weather for one per-fect weekend under blue skies and bright sun. But the perfection of those days far exceeded the extraordinary weather. Visitors from Michigan and faithful from Kentucky and Indiana joined us for our two days of homage to the Mother of God and of men, two Mothers Days, not one.
Saturday’s centennial of Our Lady of Fatima opened with a High Mass of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, followed by the reception of 18 new members of the Rosary Confraternity. Helfta Hall was full as we took a little quick breakfast on our way to West Chester and the Rosary Procession. More faithful awaited us there for a beautiful tribute to Our Lady of Fatima. I didn’t see any walkers, but there was one cane and several strollers and wheelchairs. What an impressive sight! Such intent, reverent public prayer in obedience to Our Lady’s request. It was a gift to all who saw us. Why should religion be practiced only behind closed doors? Viva Christo Rey! Dona nobis pacem.
Attendance estimates varied between 93 and 110, so I’ve decided to compromise at 100, one for each of the years since Our Lady first spoke to the little shepherds her simple Gospel message of penance and pray-er, conversion of life, punishment and paradise, peace and devotion to her Heart.
But St. Gertrude is the church of processions, and we had one more for good measure, for our good Mother, Mary. It was wonderful to see the many little children filing into the procession, clutching their posies for presentation to Our Lady. We ran out of flowers, but hastened to make some more, and “to meet them at the pass,” so they would not arrive at Our Lady empty handed.
It truly was a touching procession, solemn, well ordered, yet so moving as we moved slowly and sang loudly, led by Our Lady and the little ones. One little girl deemed too young to participate, finally succeeded in escaping her father for a brief moment of glory, near Our Lady. Mary was duly crowned, and we knelt to consecrate ourselves, our church, our country and all the world to her Immaculate Heart. Thank you, Blessed Mother, for letting us show our devotion during those perfect days.
Fr. Cekada was reciting his office on his smartphone the other morning, and ran into some of our students. He showed them the page he was praying, and was impressed that they recognized it as a Psalm, could recite the Latin, and get the sense of it.
Not bad for elementary school students, including two second graders! The immersion in Catholic life at our school, and the great benefit of phonics, really pay off. The “see say” method is difficult for English but impossible for Latin. We only wish more parents would take advantage of the excellent education we offer.
The school year will soon be over, but it’s always time to evaluate, and consider what truly is best for our children. Join us in prayer to the Holy Ghost as we begin the Pentecost Novena on Friday. Well, actually, join us in prayer all week long. It’s one of those weeks. Take your pick, but do pray with us.
The Lesser Litanies are sung in procession on Monday through Wednesday this week at 11 AM. Afternoons we sing Our Lady’s litany at her May Altar. All of us come to church for the Holy Day on Thurs-day. Some will start the Novena for Pentecost on Fri-day.
It’s Confirmation time, and I’m happy to be visiting the faithful in Milwaukee to confirm their two First Communicants. Our Confirmation is First Saturday in June.
Did you ever see the little reminder in the bulletin: “Remember St. Gertrude the Great in your will”? Barb Steinmetz did, or more properly speaking, actually took out a life insurance policy in our favor. We are so grateful to her for this! The “big ticket” expenses are many, and our income just does not meet them. Would you consider remembering us in your will?
We remember Barb, who died last December, as a warm person, a most devout Catholic, and a colorful character in her own right. She was an active member of our church for many, many years. Her good example, and now her thoughtful bequest, live after her. Please say a little prayer for a dear member of our family.
What a prayer we offered up last weekend to Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, for the living and the dead, for this world and the next. Let us persevere in prayer!
– Bishop Dolan