Lent V – Passion Sunday

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✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
Laetare, or Rejoice Week has been one of weddings and funerals, preparing for them, and carrying them out. Tuesday we had a Solemn Requiem for Eldon Neukam, token of our esteem and lasting gratitude to a good man who gave of himself year after year. Today I’m in Milwaukee due to a funeral yesterday for one of our first faithful, Helen Kalian, a real foundress of that church.

But green shone among the black this week: another glorious St. Patrick’s Day with beautiful music, Solemn Mass, and an abundant Italian dinner. And why not? Many an Irish saint ended up in Italy, giving those good folk what only the Irish can give.

Friday’s feast of St. Joseph has more of a universal character, for St. Joseph is the Patron of the Universal Church. But by yesterday afternoon he was shrouded in purple with all the rest for the Passion of Our Lord. Only his golden daffodils and green lights remind us it is still his month. And how fitting, for St. Joseph matches each of his Seven Joys with Seven Sorrows, which enabled him to suffer the Passion with his Son, by anticipation. In a different way, we do as well, anticipating the sad chronology of Holy Week, as well as the splendor of the Resurrection. Be sure to anticipate your Holy Week this week, by planning and preparing for your participation.

This is the last of our Lent, for Holy Week has its own spirit and schedule. The final “Short Stations” are this morning, Children’s Stations on Wednesday, and the closing of Sorrowful Mother Novena on Friday, the final Recollection. Joyful news in times of sorrow: You can still get in on everything!

But let us not forget Thursday, which brings us to our knees in Adoration and takes us back to the beginning, the Annunciation. Against the Lenten purple the Sacred Ministers don Mary’s colors, and another Solemn Mass is sung. Afterwards the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for a few precious hours until the early Vespers and Benediction. Last year we prayed for protection from the Plandemic. A year later, with so many falling victim to the “vaccine,” we are still praying. Pray with us. Many adorers are needed from 12:30 until 3:00 PM, a kind of Tre Ore a week in advance. Friday is the feast of Mary’s Seven Sorrows.

We ought to pray that this year-long plague of wicked plans, death and destruction, be brought to an end. There are stirrings of sense in our land. Will they make a difference? It will be a battle. St. Michael must both sheath and unsheathe his sword these days. Prayer is our weapon, our proven protection.

A blessed Passiontide!

– Bishop Dolan