Pentecost V
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
Someone recently wished me a “nice and relaxing Summer.” It does sound like a great idea, but anymore I think that Summer is just as busy as Winter around here, if not even busier. The great feasts of Summer have been duly, and beautifully celebrated, but now we turn to our future, our youth. It’s a busy time!
This weekend we are pleased to welcome about seventy young Catholics from all over the country, and maybe from abroad as well. As I write this, there’s a Gertrudian buzz in the air, as we make sure all is in readiness for our guests. Welcome, dear friends!
Girls next. Miss Mikesell and the Sisters of Our Lady of Reparation and their helpers are also working these days to prepare the Girls’ Camp. It always offers a wonderful three days of fun and activities for our girls. Parents, do take advantage of it.
“Ditto,” as Rush would say, for the Boys’ Camp. It’s pretty much down to a “success formula” now, the McFathers tell me. The boys seem to enjoy their time with the Fathers and the dads. We do have a special treat for the boys, and indeed for all of us. The first step to Ordination is a ceremony called tonsure. Our two St. Gertrude seminarians, Thomas Simpson and Anthony Brueggemann are ready for this sacramental, as are our two Nigerians, who visited us at Easter. God willing all four will be tonsured in the course of a Pontifical Mass during the Boys Camp, at 9:00 AM on Wednesday, July 24th. Plan to be with us.
A young coyote was with us the other evening after dinner, although I think wild rabbit was on his menu. I saw him casually strolling across the school lawn. Puccini prudently stayed on my porch that night, I noted. He’s a curious cat, and quite favors a certain door over others for his (frequent) exits. The eastern door is his exit of choice in the morning, probably for biblical reasons. I’ve had to start brushing him because of ticks earlier this season, but now it has become part of his inflexible daily program. He quite enjoys it, to say the very least. But he’s hopeless for mousing, being a male. We’ve had mice in Helfta Hall all year. A mouse is the symbol of St. Gertrude, after all, you might object. But that’s St. Gertrude of Nivelle, the Belgian one, and not “the Great.” But it would be great to get rid of the mice!
The grounds are beautiful these days, thanks to the unbearable rains we had earlier. God always knows best. Thanks to you who are helping us keep everything neat. It is appreciated. God reward you!
With a blessing to all who come and to all who help, and prayers for all in need.
– Bishop Dolan