Note from the Bishop
The Fathers and I wish you all a very blessed Christmas! What a divine mystery we celebrate this day! St. John Chrysostom puts it beautifully: “This day He Who Is, is born; and He Who Is becomes what He was not.” And Pope St. Leo the Great encourages mankind thus: “Dearly beloved, today our Savior is born; let us rejoice. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness. No one is shut out from this joy; all share the same reason for rejoicing. Our Lord, victor over sin and death, finding no man free from sin, came to free us all.” Take a few moments today and reflect on these words and what they mean.
Our church is appropriately decorated for Our Lord’s birth. I think the nicest thing about it though, is the enthusiasm of those who did all the planning and the labor—truly one of love. This is the first Christmas with so many of the younger crowd taking the reins. Bishop Dolan, we firmly hope, is celebrating this feast in the kingdom of Heaven; Miss Janet has handed over the sacristy to our Oblates; and we have two young men, celebrating their first Christmas as priests of God. There have been many changes, as well as many new things to learn. I am most edified by the zeal for Our Lord that they have all shown, and am full of gratitude for your support, both spiritual and temporal.
Fr. Lehtoranta has been in Milwaukee since earlier this week. He is known by the parishioners there as the “Christmas priest.” Fr. McKenna left very early this morning to bring Christmas Mass to the faithful in North Dakota. Let’s hope the TSA doesn’t cause him any trouble for carrying the Infant in his luggage this time. One year, they searched his bags because they thought the statue of the Christ Child was a real baby.
Well, I’ll send this note assuring you of my prayers at God’s altar and imploring Him to grant the peace and joy that this great feast day should bring us.
– Bishop McGuire