Note from the Bishop
What beautiful weather Our Lord has blessed us with lately—a couple of rainy days, but mostly, we’ve had sunny ones. The locusts have begun their late summer singing, which I have always found to give these months a sort of sense of mystery, yet an almost melancholy, but peaceful, longing. It is such a beautiful time of year. Enjoy your summer, but always keep heaven in mind in all of your actions.
Speaking of heaven! Our Eucharistic King made His heaven in the hearts of two of our young ones just over a week ago. Maria Brueggemann and Bernard Constantino received their First Holy Communion on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Fr. Brueggemann then clothed them with the Brown Scapular of Our Lady. Soon they will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, along with some others who were not able to make the ceremonies on the Vigil of Pentecost.
I thank Fr. Lehtoranta and our young priests for holding down the fort last weekend. It was a busy one for them, but all went smoothly. Fr. Okerulu was especially busy since he was also making last minute preparations for his trip. Just this past Monday he returned to his native Nigeria to begin his apostolate assisting Fr. Nkamuke in the missions and seminary. Father told me that he loved being here, and mentioned how impressed he is with the charity that exists among the parishioners here at St. Gertrude’s; but he is happy to be home. He, along with the seminarians, sing Prime, Vespers and Compline each day—a part of seminary life which I always cherished. Remember the Nigerian Fathers in your prayers. I intend to send Fr. Ojeka back in the near future, although the exact date has not been determined. His return will really boost the amount of good that will be able to be accomplished in the Church in Africa. May God grant the spread of the faith throughout that beautiful continent.
Bishop da Silva was in Mexico for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. His Excellency, always the zealous missionary, has really done a lot of good in the missions all over Mexico and South America, places which Bishop Dolan had not been able to visit for awhile due to Fr. Cekada’s illness and then the Covid scamdemic. Now, thanks be to God, the Faithful in those places were able to receive Confirmation and the needs of the priests are taken care of.
Miss Janet and the Oblates have been busy as bees in the sacristy, setting vestments, fixing albs and surplices and rochets, organizing things to be sent off to the missions. We clergy are more thankful than we can ever express. We could not make St. Gertrude’s run smoothly without a good sacristan!
Fr. McKenna is a little under the weather. Thankfully, he’s not traveling this weekend, but we are hoping he is better before the beginning of Boys’ Camp this week. Fr. Simpson is in Dallas and Fr. Ojeka in Milwaukee. Both will return to assist at the Boys’ Camp.
Tomorrow is the feast of St. Christopher, but we have blessed your cars today. May this blessing keep you safe in all your comings and goings…and may each one bring you closer to heaven.
– Bishop McGuire