Lent IV – Laetare
✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
The Annunciation is really the day of days, beyond even a holy day. Its falling on a Lenten Friday did not dispense us from abstinence, as in the Novus Ordo and aligned groups. It did permit us to have a truly holy day, with Masses Solemn and Low, Vespers, Adoration, two Rosaries and two Benedictions, two novenas and the Blessing of the Sick. This great feast marks the Incarnation. Tradition tells us that March 25 is as well the day of Creation, the Fall, the Passover, and the Redemption, the original Good Friday. All of this prayer was certainly well timed to counteract current events, man waging merciless war against God, birth pangs of a Satanic One World Church and State.
Spring finally snuck up on us this year, all taken up as we were with Lent and its attendant activities. I almost missed the daffodils, but St. Joseph didn’t. His March altar glows golden with the Welsh national flower. A shout out to our Forsythia, which bravely bloomed three times this winter, twice for a false spring and finally for the real thing. Of course allergy sufferers pay for this pied beauty, but who would turn aside from Nature’s flower show?
Fifty-one rather demure and unusually well-behaved children made the Lenten Recollection with us on Wednesday. There was some illness—there always is—which tamped down the numbers, but it was such a wonderful day for our children, our future.
I spoke on Wednesday about the brother of a Cincinnati priest, a Civil War veteran who dedicated his life to serving Fr. Damien’s lepers on Molokai, Br. Joseph Dutton. He was converted to the Faith by the good example of his Catholic orderly. One of Fr. Damien’s purificators made its way to Fr. Dutton, and finally to us here, a precious relic of a great and holy priest.
It is our prayer that the four deacons presently preparing for Holy Orders in May will be each of them, great and holy priests. How touched we are at your great generosity for today’s “Seminarian Sunday,” which aims to help equip these future priests and necessarily missionaries, with all they will need in their labors. A lot of work went into preparation for this day. Please participate, and generously.
Today is Laetare, MidLent Sunday. Ask yourself how the first half has passed and resolve earnestly, pray sincerely, for an even better conclusion. Your prayer, alms and penance will promote peace and order in a crazy world, as well as in your own soul and family.
First Friday’s All Night Adoration, the second of this Lent, beckons all to come and adore and store the needed graces for Holy Week and Easter.
God bless you and yours,
– Bishop Dolan