Pentecost XXI
Ending of Fatima Rosary Procession
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
I think of last week’s heavy humid wet weather as distinctly Theresian, a characteristic of Normandy, as well as neighboring Brittany in France. It was one more sacrifice the Little Flower, in her heavy wool habit and always cold at night, offered up. With a smile she shared it with us Wednesday evening, as 125 processed and prayed through the dark wet, with the occasional soft rain.
I had asked for 104 to attend (for the Fatima years) but 21 more came, and were welcome. But how the blue lights shone in the night as we ignored the weather and treaded carefully through the goose droppings, minds on the Mysteries. It was hard to resist the temptation to turn back and glance, like Lot’s wife, at the saving fire of our Rosary lights. The line seemed to go on and on, making some think we were two or three hundred. Well, John did count 128, twice. May the good Lord count this little sacrifice as a great expiatory prayer for our country and all the world.
Just the day before we suspended our daily routine to meet for Mass and mourn the passing of another dear member, Joe Andreotta. Afterwards it was a further family feast for church and family alike, as is appropriate for a funeral. Joe died of heart, but in some of these recent deaths one must count too the disaster of a now dystopian health system. One almost gets the impression that these failures are planned.
Well, everything is planned in this Great Reset. But I don’t think the controlling interests have planned for the real resistance in our land. Pray mightily. Speak up. Be faithful to your “daily five.” Do your best in everything, and be cheered. God still rules!
And God is in our midst. The Feast of Feasts, the continuing presence of the Holy Eucharist in our midst calls you to celebrate next weekend at Forty Hours. This forty hour prayer is supremely a family feast as we honor and thank our Father, our Brother and our God for “abiding with us all days” in the Sacrament of His Love… Oh of course there’s a meal or two (do come!) and some glorious ceremonies (wouldn’t miss them!) but it’s mostly meant for a quiet chat, getting caught up with Christ, and slowing down a little so He can catch us. Forty Hours. Give it an hour or two, won’t you?
For Columbus Day we clergy ate some fried chicken together and watched For Greater Glory: The True Story of Christiada. The seminarians hadn’t seen this beautiful and so touching story of bloody Communist persecution just south of our border, just 100 years ago, but as fresh as today. Be sure to catch it, if you haven’t.
The angels see you home safely today, preside there in peace, and bring you back for Friday!
– Bishop Dolan