Epiphany of Our Lord
Vesting of the Bishop
Christmas Poinsettia Memorial List
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
What welcome warm weather! Welcome Bishop Joseph Selway must have brought the early Spring with him from Florida. You are welcome, too, for this morning’s Appreciation Reception, honoring especially our new bishop. But bishops who shepherd the flock rely on the assistance of the faithful, fair weather and foul. Thank you to all of our church workers, volunteers, benefactors, and those who come and pray. Today’s High Mass is for you. We your clergy pray for you with appreciation, every day.
Epiphany is the great solemnity of faith and adoration, and it is a special grace when this, the third greatest feast of the year, falls on a Sunday, enabling everyone to follow the Wise Men to the stable. Be sure to take your Epiphany blessing kit today, and bless your home with this ancient and powerful sacramental. The devil indeed goes about, “seeking whom to devour,” but your devotion in family prayer will defeat him.
Speaking of the stable, I forgot to mention that the shepherds, symbolizing priests, are both playing a flute. Think “Pied Piper.” We play to draw you to pray, to Mass and devotions, and especially to say the Rosary. Note one of the shepherds carries an ingeniously crafted mini banner, like the large one which is carried in each one of our Fatima Rosary Processions for Peace from May to October.
The Divine Child holds out His hands to draw us to Himself, and holds out two of Heaven’s helps to that end: the Brown Scapular (sign of our consecration to the Immaculate Heart) and the Rosary. St. Gertrude is in the scene as well, holding her symbolic heart, depicted as older and suffering, as she did, from illness. But nothing separates us from the love of Christ. Thanks again to the Sisters.
Finally, in the beautiful Baptistry chapel, our latest Infant, dressed as a bishop, is displayed. This was a gift from Bishop Sanborn for my anniversary, and it came from the late Fr. Fulham’s church in Spring Hill, Florida. Sometimes one sees the Infant dressed as a priest, sometimes as a doctor or a bishop or according to some other title, but most often as a King. Do remember to pray to this Little King for deceased priests and bishops, as well as our faithful.
We invited our two seminarians, Thomas Simpson and Anthony Brueggemann, to a Christmas dinner with us this past Wednesday, but we all got more than just an excellent barbecue from the grill of
our own Fr. McKenna. Waterworks were on the menu as well. For some time the water bill has been unaccountably high, but the waterman found the leak on Wednesday, and plans are underway to repair it. But more was to come.
Fr. McGuire was doing his security check after Mass Wednesday evening, while Fr. McKenna was putting the finishing touches on a fine dinner. But the dinner was to be delayed, due to a flood in the men’s room. The repair entailed phone calls, relayed instructions, and panicked searching for the wrench. Meanwhile, the water flowed freely all over the floor. Once the flood was stanched, clean up was required. But we waited dinner no longer, and worked on the steaks instead. Good choice. The delayed and major cleanup came afterwards. Fr. Cekada always tells the seminarians that exploding toilets are part of a priest’s life.
And travel is, as well. I’m taking advantage of Bishop Selway’s visit to spend the weekend in Milwaukee. Two Confirmations were scheduled for yesterday, and a special Epiphany Mass today.
All this week passes in the serene adoration of Epiphany, as we contemplate Christ’s triple manifestation at His birth, His baptism and the marriage feast. The Holy Family is tucked in on Saturday.
I hope your new year is going well. There are no bad years where there is Jesus and Mary and God’s holy will.
–Bp. Dolan