Advent IV

Recent Short, Daily Sermons
Fr. McKenna: Vigil of the Immaculate Conception

Fr. Lehtoranta: St. Peter Fourier

Fr. McKenna: Holy House of Loretto

Fr. Lehtoranta: St. Daniel the Stylite

Bp. Dolan: St. Pope Damasus

Fr. Lehtoranta: Our Lady of Guadalupe

zelusdomustuae
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
Well, tomorrow’s Winter Solstice is coming just in time. It’s been dark so often since St. Lucy brought us her light last Sunday. We were all edified and impressed to see how well the St. Lucy procession went. Our Lucia was perfectly poised with her flaming candle crown. All went brightly, in stately safety. Just in case, Fr. Lehtoranta, who prepared everything, was on watch, as was every mother in the church, “just in case.” But “no worries,” as the Aussies, who have plenty of them these days, like to say. Just another tradition starting at St. Gertrude, which carefully guards them all.

Speaking of light, be on the watch for the historical conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn tonight, which suggests the miraculous star of the Magi at Our Lord’s birth. (But the real one was 100 times brighter.) “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” in the sky and here in our little church. Many thanks to many workers and long hours given to beautify our church for Christ’s birth. If you’re here at night be sure to visit the Lourdes Grotto, which also serves as the Cave of Bethlehem, so beautifully lit. Our Lady Immaculate looks to be of marble, all gleaming white.

But if you’re outside, be on the lookout for coyotes. One Friday night earlier in the month, they were having a coven at the campfire site, howling with all their might and main. Brave Fr. McGuire dispersed them, but I went home, Wisemen-like, “by another way.” More recently an owl was quietly presiding over the same site, and didn’t seem to mind me at all. Speaking of animals, I think Santa may be bringing a kitten or two, if the Bishop is good.

Such a beautiful Advent in every sense. It would be too sad to see it go, were it not for Him Who comes, Who is our All. The Rorate Masses in particular stand out. They start out so dark, with only Our Lady’s altar ablaze with light. But by Communion, Christ’s Light has come, and the sun follows the Son.

December’s dark days brought us more sorrow. We sang the Requiem on Tuesday for Mark Lotarski’s father, Ronald. On that same day, Doby Curran’s wife, Jan, died after a long illness. Jan was always a welcome and interested visitor to our church, and we remember her charity with gratitude. Monday Carl McClorey, brother of Dean and Chip, died in Michigan. Vic Ritze, who was just to Mass and Communion on Gaudete Sunday, was hospitalized with pneumonia. Of course, due to the staged “epidemic,” the visit of a priest is out of the question.

This year Vic, one of our original faithful, both celebrated his 90th birthday and survived a long incarceration in the nursing home, before he was able to escape. Keep him, and all of our sick and elderly, in your prayers these days.

If you can (it is a confusing moment), call the priest to give Extreme Unction before you call for the ambulance. Once in the hospital, it will be well nigh impossible to give the sacraments to our sick. The body is meant to die. The soul lives on forever.

I am sure you are praying with all of us for the liberation of our Church and country, both chained by this communist conspiracy these days. This should be our constant, and confident intention. Bring it to the Crib, to the Child and Mother.

One of your best ways to oppose the death grip of Satan’s forces in our land this week is simply to have the best Christmas ever. This is counted not by gifts, although giving is of the essence. Replace Fauci with Faith and Family, God’s gifts to man, and you will do well, and fight—and win—for the Light.

A Blessed Christmas!

–Bp. Dolan