Pentecost VII


YAG 2018

zelusdomustuae
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
The last of our Summer Solemnities comes today, Ss. Peter and Paul. We should turn to these two great Apostles of Rome with even greater devotion and confidence, as it has been so very long that the Church has been plunged into crisis. Of course it is so, for we are sixty years without a head on earth, without a pope. As goes the Church, so goes the world in this terrible era of chastisement. But as the indulgenced prayer of St. Peter phrases it: “the weaker we are, the more mightily may we be helped by the power of his intercession” and thus “neither yield to any iniquity, nor be overcome by any adversity.”

Everybody’s traveling these days, it seems, for vacation or vocation. No wonder St. Christopher comes in July. Last weekend I offered a final Mass for some of our dear old faithful at Our Lady of the Rosary in Opelousas, Louisiana, and then went on to meet new faithful at St. Anthony of Padua Chapel in Dallas. It was a tiring trip in the great heat, but energizing as well to meet and serve our devoted faithful, young and old.

The Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel was the last of the ORCM chapels, and the last one served by founder Fr. Fenton. But now that Franciscan Fr. Francis Miller is working with us, the old chapel attendance has dwindled, as most attend Sunday Mass with Fr. Miller at his Christ the King in Lafayette. Still, it was a sad event to offer the final Mass at our old Opelousas chapel, which we have served for thirty years. So many priests have visited there, and so many faithful have passed through as well, fortified with the Mass and Sacraments. But God has blessed us these divisive days with a measure of unity, and we are grateful.

The other day I counted thirteen priests who work together with me throughout the world. I refer to our informal union as the Salesian Sacerdotal Society. I’ll be serving the Mexican branch next weekend, visiting Mexico City and the little village of Dos Rios in Veracruz State for the fiesta of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Fr. McGuire returned from a busy Midwestern mission trip late last Saturday night, and spent all of Monday at the funeral of dear Loraine Gates, who died at almost 100 years, always faithful to the true Mass and Faith, and to the Rosary. Thanks to the Legacy Choir and our volunteer servers for their Summer help. It is a great work of mercy to bury the dead.

Tuesday saw many of you at Mass for the Summer Novena, and yet again Wednesday for Independence Day. We thanked Almighty God for providing a safe harbor for the Church in our land, and for the freedoms we still enjoy until this day and hour. Let us not take them for granted, but work and pray in a true spirit of pious patriotism. The Supreme Court is in effect the external ruling entity of our land. May the next Justice serve the cause of justice and of God, and the Natural Law in particular. Surely that is not much to ask for? Let us pray.

We are still praying for our Sisters to find a home, and asking for donations to that end. There’s a Go Fund Me page on the internet, but a check or even cash would find its way to the good Sisters. God reward your charity. The charity of †Beckie Mattingly (her first anniversary is Wednesday) actually provided a house for the Sisters in her will. But her well to do family is contesting the will, and these lawsuits generally take years to resolve. In the meantime, we do ask for your prayers and contributions.

And may St. Maria Goretti, whose feast comes tomorrow, bless our girls and help them grow up strong and pure.
May the Precious Blood of Jesus save you!
– Bishop Dolan

P.S. An excellent attendance for our First Friday and Saturday—don’t forget Friday night’s Fatima Rosary Procession.