I write this on a sunny, early (very early) Spring day, hoping the fullness of this season of rebirth will soon be ours: sun in the soul as well as the sky; rebirth for our spiritual, family and church life. Meanwhile Caravaggio and Puccini are unusually chipper and frolicsome. I think they are on the trail of some nice baby bunnies, though I wish they would stick to mice.

“Behold, how good it is, and how pleasant, when brethren dwell as one.” How comforting to see Helfta Hall last week full of Recollection children, contently munching on their chicken McNuggets. (Thanks to all who helped!) How good are our Friday night suppers, between Mass and Stations. Thanks to our master chef, Jim Soli, and all who participate. Thanks to our Lenten Vegetarian cooks who are feeding the clergy. We had Fr. Saavedra with us for a very pleasant, international meal last Monday – Mexican, French and American.

Lent at St. Gertrude is the season for fasting, but also for eating. These meals promote charity and maintain a friendly, united spirit. Come, eat with us!

Well, I have Mexican food on my menu this week, as I make my annual trip south of the border. I will pray for you all at the “Baby Doctor’s office” in Tepeaca, the shrine of the miraculous image of the Holy Child Jesus, Doctor of the Sick. I also go to Dos Rios and Atlalaucan for Mass, Confirmations, and visits with the clergy and faithful. Please keep me in your prayers, as well as Fr. Siordia who is kindly putting me up, and accompanying me on my trip.

We thank Fr. Disposito for helping us today, as Fr. Cekada (seminary week) and I both prepare to depart for a few days. When we return, it will soon be time for St. Patrick, St. Joseph’s Mass and Table, the Annunciation Ordination to the Diaconate, The Seven Sorrows and a special talk on the Holy Shroud, and then Holy Week and Easter. These are the best days and weeks of the year. Spring is here!

May St. Joseph bless your March.
–Bishop Dolan

“Come Winter, have another flight,” the verse reads for a sunny Candlemas dawn. Ours was cloudy, but Winter came back anyway, giving us, with its difficulties and crosses, many opportunities for Lenten sacrifices. The ones God chooses are always better than the ones we pick.

Persevere in your devotion to the Poor Souls, and extra Lenten Masses, as well as giving alms for Masses for them. I was edified at the good number of Mass offerings we received. Please keep it up. What a reward comes to the merciful!

We priests are edified as well by the devotion of our school boys who want to continue our tradition of Noontime Lenten Vespers after Mass. They not only sacrifice part of their lunch period, but also participate quite audibly, and well, in the chant. God reward them for this extra sacrifice for His glory. Perhaps you would like to attend the Vespers sometimes as part of your Lent?

Through the good work started with the Baptism of Joseph Murphy on Death Row twenty years ago, a number of other prisoners have “put on Christ” and been converted. Some of them are scheduled for execution and need the support of our prayers. God bless Fr. McGilloway and the other CMRI priests who have continued and expanded this apostolate. Fr. Palma, who has often visited and helped us here at St. Gertrude, has been installed as the successor, after many difficulties, of Fr. LeBlanc, at Our Lady of the Sun in Phoenix. The Sisters of St. Thomas Aquinas have moved their novitiate there to the spacious house built by the devoted founding pastor, and will be opening a little school. Please remember this apostolate, and the Sisters, and Fr. Palma in your prayers.

March opens tomorrow with St. Joseph’s patronage. Our week closes with All Night Adoration. Please pray to St. Joseph for a successful one, as there is no greater remedy for all of a church’s needs than Solemn Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. We have missed two months in a row due to New Year’s Day and a snowstorm. May all unite around the Monstrance!

Father Cekada reports a good week at the seminary, and progress towards the publishing of his book. We look forward to having some of the Florida clergy and seminarians with us for Holy Week.

May God bless you for a wonderful Lent. See you at Stations, and maybe even at Vespers!

–Bishop Dolan

Bishop’s Corner

We started this Lent in the cold dead white of Winter. The Holy Souls, however, provided warmth against the chill by their presence which filled the pews and swelled the congregation, as they drew near to find relief, and speedy assistance by our prayers. May their Spring be in paradise, and our Winter soon ended.

I very much appreciate all of you who made such a successful St. Valentine’s Day Bake Sale, and as well those who literally dug themselves out of the snow Tuesday morning so that the children would not miss their Mardi-Gras, and all would be ready for Lent come Ash Wednesday morning. We offered the Mass of the Holy Face and closed the Triduum before going on to one last pre-Lenten party, which was enjoyed by all.

For so many, however, this Winter has been no party. Some seniors, having no one to dig them out (think of the Poor Souls!) or help them to church, languish at home with holy desires. Meanwhile, one wonders if perhaps all of this ice and snow across the United States is not an editorial comment from the Creator on the already debunked myth of Global Warming. The reality of hell’s incredible heat, and that of Purgatory, “the pain of the senses,” is replaced by a fable. Let us, at least, not be deceived, and dedicate our Lent to rescuing many souls from the real pain of Purgatory’s mystic fires.

The first full week of Lent opens today! Have your plan, your prayers and penances to hand. Pray quietly at home, in your Holy Hours, and here at church, in Holy Mass and Stations. Use the daily devotional you receive with your bulletin for some quiet reflection and prayer each day. Make the Friday Evening of Recollection with us. Pray the Rosary.

Fr. Cekada goes to the seminary today, and Fr. Ercoli has kindly come to assist us. By exception this Sunday we are giving out again ashes, due to last week’s weather. Remember, you who will one day return to dust, to give your good works and prayers to the Poor Souls this Lent. May they lend us something of their flames to warm our hearts with true devotion these days.

God bless you,
–Bishop Dolan

After Candlemas’ cruel promise of early Spring, Winter has come for a second flight. Its severe beauty dazzles us, leaving everything white in its snow reflected light, cold and bright. The world has forgotten what Winter is in its obsession with “global warming.” Our Creator, however, has seen fit to remind us as the Psalmist says, “He made us, and not we ourselves.” Let us then praise God again for ice and snow, and do our best to get about His business each day, as weather permits.

Still, Spring waits at the door. “Holy Spring,” Lent, comes for its annual visit on Wednesday, and surely Mother Nature will not long lag behind Mother Church. The longer days point the way, and we continue to pray for timely relief from Winter’s blasts. Let us ask the Holy Souls to help us with this, and all of our needs this springtime of the soul, which this year we dedicate to them.

Happy St. Valentines’ Day, and an enjoyable Mardi Gras to all, these last days before Lent. Relax and rejoice some before the penance comes, but do be thinking and planning how you will help the Poor Souls come Wednesday and its blessed Ashes. May they inspire us and help us to help them so that for all of us this will be the best Lent, the most charitable Lent, ever.

Fr. Cekada has been working intently on the final touches for his book on the New Mass, the fruit of many years of research and thought and writing. Please pray St. Francis de Sales to bless this work, and render it fruitful for God’s glory.

As usual, ashes will be given out all day long on Wednesday. Be thinking what time you and your family will come to receive this powerful sacramental. Start your Lent well. You will be surprised at what will follow.

God bless you for a blessed Shrovetide.
–Bishop Dolan

It is Sexagesima, the middle Sunday of the pre-Lenten season. The church it seems bare in its post-Christmas sobriety, a good sign of the seriousness of the soon coming forty day fast. Still, joy fills our hearts, engendering generosity towards the good God who is ever so good to us.

Last Sunday I asked for prayers, too, for our seminary which was under attack, even as we promised our prayers for the Poor Souls all Lent. On Monday the pro-Seminary prayers were answered, and we give all the credit to Our Lady and the Poor Souls. Set aside a double Lenten Alms in your planning: Masses for the Holy Souls, and a special gift to the Seminary, which is our lifeblood, who should be its as well.

What a joy it was to be graced at Candlemas with so many priests, all of whom have some seminary connection. Fr. Ercoli joined us from the seminary, I had just been there for the retreat, busy Fr. Cekada is a visiting professor there, and Fr. McGuire and Fr. Larrabee are both graduates of this fine house of priestly training. Completing our number is the Rev. Mr. Guillaume Hecquand, a seminarian from France, who is with us through Easter, and will be ordained a deacon here March 25.

We have only today, but our duties today include preparing priests for tomorrow, for our children. Thank you for your assistance. Thank you, too, for helping to feed us today. Give us a call if you can drop off a meal. The church will reimburse your expenses if you’d like, and God will richly reward you.

Thanks so much to all of those cooks who worked in God’s kitchen or their own to prepare the simply beautiful Candlemas, glowing with the light of Christ, and the soup supper, warm with charity’s fire. It was a splendid feast, and we were so happy to have ten members of the Patton family with us (and from so far!) Bud Patton celebrated his birthday with us, as did the Rev. Mr. Hecquard, both born on the Purification.

Thank you for persevering in prayer for our church, for your Novenas and home holy hours (please continue them) and rosaries. Our church and school (such an important part of the parish) life continues steady in our New Year, going from strength to strength. It has been especially encouraging to welcome many visitors since Advent. Make a point to smile and say hello, won’t you?

One of our faithful suggested a nice idea to show our love for our fallen away members. If you know of someone in this boat (or actually, out of the boat!) why, just drop off or send a Sunday Bulletin from time to time, perhaps with a friendly note. Be sure the bulletin will be read, especially the “good parts.” Thank you for your love for your church, and everyone in our St. Gertrude family!

With a Blessing,
–Bishop Dolan

Our blessed January ends today (and with it, soon, the Christmas season) and we view already a glimpse of Easter’s light after the purple and penance of our coming Lent. The days grow longer at long last, and there are little hints of Spring, regardless of whether or not our resident groundhog, Senex, stirs early on Candlemas to check his shadow.

Amongst the resolutions we all should make is to attend and support the daily Masses and devotions which make our parish life so rich at St. Gertrude the Great. Keep the bulletin handy for a little reminder of what is on offer. List some of your current needs and prayer petitions, and circle such and such a Mass or extra service so that you will remember to attend, and get in on the so many graces that here perish, unasked for. Bring the children, offer a ride to elders. Be a full time parishioner, and make your prayer time count. Come to church, but don’t forget those ever so important family and home prayers, including your monthly Home Holy Hour. Doris Ritze tells me they are still doing theirs, all of those years since the first time it was promoted in 1987. God bless you, Doris and Vic!

We seem indeed to have escaped our late January freeze, or to have anticipated it. (Florida was pleasant last week.) I hope the weather here will cooperate with church attendance this coming month which sees Lent start.

Thanks for your prayers for me and our seminarians on retreat. It was good to visit the seminary again, and to have some quiet spiritual days given over to the soul. Our retreat theme was “Devotion and devotions.” Holy Mother Church intends that Lent should be a retreat for every Catholic. Start planning – and praying – now for it to be so!

With a blessing,
–Bishop Dolan

Today we close our Twelve Sundays of the Mother of Good Counsel, having again been saved by our Blessed Mother under this powerful title and devotion. Today as well we pray for the conversion of the Jews in the Chair of Unity Octave, which concludes tomorrow. Pray with us! Already this Friday we begin our Sorrowful Mother Novena after the evening Mass on the great feast of St. Francis de Sales.

Today I am giving the opening conference for our annual seminary retreat at Brooksville, Florida, which lasts through Friday. Please keep the fine young men who are our future priests in your prayers. Our seminary is under attack as well as our church and school. We take it as a compliment from the devil! May God reward richly all of our enemies by making them saints. Thank you for your prayers and continued financial support. Thank you for making the Novena with me to Our Lady of Hope.

I couldn’t resist publishing Fr. Martin’s most interesting and uplifting letter. I know you will enjoy it, and will keep this good priest of God in your prayers.

Let me close with a cute anecdote from our school. I forgot this past Tuesday morning that I had promised Fr. McGuire to take the First Grade Bible History Class for him, and was working at the rectory. Fr. McGuire was on business in Columbus, and Fr. Cekada was not free either. One child started to weep, and another put her head in her hands and exclaimed quite sincerely, “Oh, no! what will we do?” Well, Fr. Larrabee to the rescue! Class was taught much to the children’s satisfaction, and our school morning continued peacefully. God bless our little school!

God bless you as well. I will return on Friday afternoon, and really hope to see you at evening services!
–Bishop Dolan

Bishop’s Corner

We’ve already had our late January freeze, so I wonder if “Global Warming” will work in our favor, and we’ll have a temperate week? Well, whatever weather Our Lord chooses, will be fine with us, although …it is easier for so many to make it to church when it is not quite so cold and icy. St. Scholastica, pray for us!

This is a good week to make it to church, as we are praying daily the Chair of Unity Octave. Certainly Friday claims our attention with its annual Pro – Life Adoration and Reparation. Mothers, why not bring the children to the school Mass, or to the Children’s Holy Hour at 2:15? We are looking for adorers during Exposition from 2:15 until 5:45 PM. Can you help? “If not you, who?” Pat Patton likes to say, “If not now, when?” Wise words!

Fr. Siordia had a spot of TROUBLE during the Procession the night of January 3rd for the Fiesta of Our Lord of the Expiration. The police blocked the route, and tried to claim that there was a bomb, that the church would have to be closed, that the miraculous image would have to be left outside. Thank God that Our Lord and His Angels were with Fr. Siordia! It was only a plot of the corrupt police to steal the offerings of the Fiesta, and the statue as well, and give it to the Modernists. Father resisted, and everything concluded normally and peacefully. How the devil attacks our priests! Let us pray for them daily.

Fr. Cekada reports a good, but cool, week at our seminary, where quite a bit of work has been done on finishing the chapels, as well as preparing our future priests.

Our little scholars have resumed sweetly singing at the daily Mass now that school is in session again, and are sounding like little angels.

Won’t you remember to sign up for and make a Home Holy Hour once each month? The sign up poster is in the vestibule.

Christmas is still up at church for the full forty days until Candlemas. Thanks again to everyone for everything! My memories are many, but I think first of the children, who so creatively, and energetically decorated the church for Christ’s birth. Then, of the beautiful Christ Child Paul and Marlys put up over the Rood Screen, somehow finding time to do this just after the death of Paul’s mother. I was very touched by this. We will remember Ann Arlinghaus, George Wissing and Ralph Patton, in our prayers always, our three Christmas deaths.

Now in the new year we have just had our first wedding and, today, our first baptism of the year. Thank you for standing by us as we work to serve Almighty God, and to save souls.

On a lighter note, I must mention my most Catholic cat, Caravaggio. Although the Bishop’s cats in general can’t bear noise or crowds, Caravaggio most insistently wanted to come in from the cold for Midnight Mass. He couldn’t, but I’m glad so many of you did. May our Christmas graces stay with us all year long. May Our Lady of Hope “fill us with all hope and peace in believing.”

With a blessing –Bishop Dolan

Bishop’s Corner

I’m writing to you on Epiphany afternoon, as we prepare for the last and the greatest of our Christmas celebrations, and a well deserved dinner for all of our generous and good workers, volunteers, and faithful. May God reward them, and you, with every grace for a peaceful and holy new year.

Among our guests this Christmas was Fr. Gabriel Lavery CMRI, who was in town to visit family, and kindly visited us, too. It’s always a pleasure to greet another priest, especially at this happy season.

It is now a very snowy and school-less Epiphany Octave afternoon, and I reflect with gratitude on the beautiful, quiet coming of the Kings last night, and the wonderful Appreciation Dinner, warm and joyful, in Helfta Hall. Thank you to all who “worked the feast,” clergy and lay, and to all who work for all of the feasts, and Masses and classes at our church and school.

Our guests, Fr. Ercoli and Mr. Lehtoranta, have flown back to Florida, and Fr. Cekada joins them for a few days as he resumes his “traveling professor” role at our seminary. Fr. McGuire will be with us during most weeks now, helping in the school and our missions and sick calls. Fr. Larrabee had a nice Christmas assisting Fr. Zapp in California, and is here again for the school and parish of St. Gertrude the Great. God reward our zealous young priests, and grant them perseverance.

Our January cold struck earlier this year, and things certainly are looking “Christmassy” for its continuation this month. As usual, we pray for good weather for Sunday Mass, and safe travels for all.

May this Epiphanytide be an epiphany to us all of the goodness of God, answered prayers, joy in the heart and happiness in our homes.

Happy Holy Family Day! Yours in Jesus, Mary and Joseph, (may they be, as Gerry Keaveney used to say, your best friends!)
–Bishop Dolan

Bishop’s Corner

New Year’s greetings in the Holy Name of Jesus! May Jesus and Mary be often on your lips and always in your heart during this New Year, and it will be a blessed one.

Today we honor the Infant of Prague, as well as the Holy Name. Join us on Fridays for our Novena to the Divine Infant, in which we are confidently praying for continued peace and protection throughout this year, and the return of our dear fallen away brethren.

Our Christmas was peaceful, wasn’t it? It belonged to the children and the elders, those who may walk right in to Bethlehem’s Basilica. I thank the little ones who decorated and served and sang for His holy birth, and the sweet seniors who sang forth the carols at the 11 A.M. Mass on Christmas.

God bless and keep you, and those in between as well. We had a lot of true “comfort food” this Christmas, loving baskets for the clergy, and a very generous spread for the Midnight Mass reception. God bless you for bringing comfort and joy to others.

We received many compliments for the choir, the Christmas decorations, and the very beauty of the Midnight Mass this year. It was beautiful because it was simple yet elegant, rich and heartfelt worship rendered to the Newborn King. What a pleasure it was to hear High Mass or Vespers sung by Fr. Ercoli this Christmas. We are grateful for his visit, the supportive and loyal presence of Fr. McGuire, and our seminarian from Finland, Mr. Vili Lehtoranta. Fr. Larrabee was helping Fr. Zapp, but returns tomorrow. Come and visit with them all Wednesday evening for our Appreciation Dinner on the great feast of Epiphany.

Thank you for making this one of our best Christmases ever.

Yours in the Holy Name,
–Bishop Dolan