The Most Precious Blood, Pentecost VI
YAG 2018
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
The feast and the month of the Precious Blood greet us this scorcher of a Sunday. The cloister fountain has been restored to us, bubbling quietly in the midst of the refreshing enclosed garden, a symbol of paradise, and the Blood of our Savior, as we keep the last of the great Redemption feasts.
We are grateful for a memorable June and a great Young Adult Get-Together. It was good to see the “old adults,” and the families and our children all having such a good time together on St. John’s Eve. The Square Dance really warmed things up before even they got to the bonfire. It was a real social sizzler! Thanks to those who helped and to those who came. Good Catholic socializing is always its own justification, for the handful of Catholics who are left, encouraging and helping in so many ways, as we try to keep and spread our Faith.
Hardly had the good young adults decamped, and it was time for our girls and young ladies and the Florida sisters. Some of you were involved in both late June activities. Thanks again for making these true apostolates possible. I know the girls had a good time during these grace filled days.
Counting the feast days and First Communion, this was an intense June. We’ll be happy to see the back of it as we remember hearing something about “rest” in the Summer. July should be a quieter month, with just the Boys’ Camp towards its end.
The Summer Novena continues to draw devotees all day long each Tuesday. Joined with Holy Mass, it packs a powerful punch of prayer.
Fr. Lehtoranta certainly stays busy. He’s put out another e-newsletter (subscribe by writing him at fr.lehtoranta@yandex.com) as well as publishing a book or two! Father found time charitably to visit and bless the grave of recently buried Bishop Slupski. The McFathers are all over the Missions, as well as helping souls here at home. Fr. Cekada is our guest preacher today, and is busy researching and writing to promote a real, Catholic understanding of the current state of the Church. I’m visiting our old chapel in Opelousas, Lousiana, and then going on to Fr. Francis’ chapel in Dallas today. We are grateful to God to be able to join forces with this fine Franciscan Father. We congratulate Rev. Mr. Caleb Sons, a Cajun deep down, ordained a deacon Friday by new Bishop Selway.
Fr. Nkamuke reports a hair-raising automobile adventure recently. He was going up a mountainside at dusk, stalled, and ended up speeding down the mountain in reverse. Somehow the angels were with him, and he was able to restart the car and safely be on his way forward. But he reports that such an incident certainly makes you think of the Four Last Things. We’re promoting Fr. Nkamuke’s Nigerian work on our website this month. See the Bishop’s Apostolate page, and learn all about it. You’ll be impressed.
We mourn the passing last Wednesday of Loraine Gates, at a very advanced age. Her funeral is tomorrow. Like Sharon Patton, she was blessed with a very beautiful and peaceful death. Who did they see, do you think, just at the end? Loraine was an active and involved parishioner for years, loved her Faith deeply, and sacrificed and suffered for it willingly. She was always one to be praying Rosary after Rosary, just like Paulina.
The priests were talking about a tale—it may be an urban myth—of Paulina once challenging her dear friend Loraine to a “walker race” down All Saints hallway. Paulina is said to have won, but may have resorted to walker blocking her buddy. All in good fun.
We love our Faith deeply here, but we do have fun as well, don’t we? How good is the good God. Have a good week, and do remember to pray for our country on Independence Day, and in reparation on First Friday and its All Night Vigil.
Happy July. God bless and keep our travellers.
– Bishop Dolan