This Week: Pentecost Sunday

“How to Be a Faithful Soldier of Christ”  –Fr. Vili Lehtoranta

The Bishop’s Note
Blessed Feast of Pentecost to each and every one of you! May the Holy Ghost enkindle in your hearts the fires of the love of God!

Yesterday’s Vigil with all of its ceremonies was truly a day of edification and of graces. It is a miniature Holy Satur-day, as it were. The Pentecost Vigil does not take nearly as long since there is neither the Blessing of Fire nor the Paschal Candle; instead of twelve, only six Prophecies are read, and Vespers is not sung during the Mass. The real highlight of the day was the Confirmations after the Mass. Thirty new Soldiers of Jesus Christ! This might be the most we have had at St. Gertrude’s since my consecration in 2022. May the Holy Ghost enlighten and strengthen these newly confirmed soldiers, and may they always be docile to His Seven-fold Gifts.

Last week was filled with delightful events! Miss Mikesell’s cooking class prepared a meal for the entire school and invited the clergy and oblates as well. The food was well prepared and tasted delicious. I am really proud of the four young ladies for their cooking skills and am always very glad to see their enthusiasm during their weekly class. I’ve included a picture of our four chefs below.

Fr. Lehtoranta organized a nice Day of Recollection for the confirmands, which took place last Thursday. Father reports that we had one of the biggest classes yet—sixteen children. They seemed to be an attentive group well versed in their catechism. Father took care of most of the talks and devotions, while I only had to give a talk on Fortitude and then run a little practice for the children’s Confirmation and First Holy Communion. During the Confirmation practice, each child comes up and kneels before the bishop while I show them how I will confirm them. After the anointing and the slap on the cheek, the bishop presents his ring for the confirmand to kiss. It is hilarious to see how many of them try to fist bump me! We had three or four of them who tried to do so during practice! Believe it or not, some of the children in different missions have fist bumped me during the actual ceremony. It is all the funnier because, for them, it is just an innocent reaction.

The Catholic Mothers’ Consortium was lightly attended on Thursday evening, but with good reason. Many of the mothers have babies on the way and couldn’t make it! Still, I think, a good time was had by all. Ivy, Siena, and Ruby showed me how to play Suspend, a fun game similar to Jenga. I came in fourth place which is not surprising, but everyone seemed to have fun.

The Brueggemann brothers had to re-move the stucco from one entire side of the Convento. We had hoped that would not be the case, but they found more damage once they started the project. They worked an entire day and did not stop until 11:00 at night. They came back and finished cutting the Tyvek covering on Thursday evening. Fr. Simpson arranged to have a company put up Staccato Board this coming Tuesday. That will cost us $12,000, and would have been more expensive had not the Brueggemanns been so kind as to help with the first stages. Next up…roofing!

Tomorrow is Memorial Day and I hope that you have a restful day, but don’t forget to start your day off with Mass. Pentecost Monday and Tuesday are very high feasts and we should do our best to observe them if at all possible. We have special High Masses on those days. We have so much for which to thank the Holy Ghost and there is no better way to do so than by attending Holy Mass in His honor!

– Bishop McGuire

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