Seven Sorrows of Our Lady
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
Last Sunday was a beautiful start to a new season, with the Nativity of Our Lady, celebration and catechism for the children, a good attendance and a beautiful High Mass presented for Mary’s birthday by the school children. Visitors swelled our numbers. They usually do, anymore, and I saw happy children from all over wandering out with a blue cupcake or a pansy seedling.
Mary’s Holy Name comes during the Octave, as does Jesus’ Name at Christmas. We finished the Child Mary Novena on Friday, whose Fatima observance led us to West Chester, Rosary in hand. This was a great week for church attendance the Catholic way, not just on Sunday. A good number made the 13th Tuesday of St. Anthony, and the closing of Our Mother of Perpetual Help’s Summer Novena. May your persevering prayers be heard.
Fr. Cekada was excited and pleased by the first practice, new members and customary enthusiasm shown by the choir on Wednesday evening, heard by us, and the angels, at this morning’s High Mass of the Seven Sorrows.
Today we have the usual/unusual annual combination of the Blessing of the Sick in the morning, and the great fun of the Parish Picnic in the afternoon. But the combination spells parish life at St. Gertrude the Great. Thank you for sharing yours with us.
Next we look forward to Angel Sunday on Michaelmas, September 29, and Rosary Sunday the following week. Oh, don’t forget the Fall Ember Days for a little timely penance. Speaking of penance, it has been hot, hasn’t it? Florida weather for September, but I’m sure Autumn is waiting just around the corner.
“Through the Virgin Mother, may Our Lord grant you health and peace.” This is the little blessing of the sick I say when I sign you with the cross, and I sign off with it today.
– Bishop Dolan
P.S. I forgot to mention last week in my “America is great” list that a very nice black gentleman bought breakfast for Fr. Cekada and me at the airport Brueggers’ Bagels. They’re really good there, the staff, I mean, but their bagels are, too. Of course, across the way is Chick-Fil-A which is good to patronize as well. Almost makes me wish I traveled more!