This Week: Septuagesima

“Second Wake Up Call”  –Bp. Charles McGuire

The Bishop’s Note
Last weekend’s snowstorm turned out to be the real deal; the type of storm that I haven’t seen since my childhood days—although we did get one last year for the Epiphany, too! Some say we got as many as 16” of snow. It was enough to keep pretty much everyone off the roads. On that Sunday, we only had 40 to 50 souls come to Mass and we even had to cancel the 11:30. Fr. Lehtoranta commented that he has not seen a Sunday like that since he has been working here. Nor have I! The Sisters got both of their cars stuck and Fr. McKenna and Fr. Brueggemann had to go shovel them out and bring at least one of the cars back to church. Somehow they managed to crash into each other in the process, not doing any damage to the cars! The angels witnessing these scenes must have been amused. I am just happy that the angels saw to it that no one was hurt!

While you were suffering through a blizzard here in Ohio I was enjoying 80 degrees and sunny weather down in Florida. It was nice to see Bishop Sanborn, who offered a Solemn Pontifical Mass on the celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Selway. I used the opportunity to visit with many of the people whom I taught in the Queen of All Saints Academy in my last year as a seminarian and my first year as a priest. I knew these people when they were just teenagers and now most of them are either religious or have gotten married. It was so good to see them and to get reacquainted. It was also a stark reminder of how fast time goes by. The trip also took me a little farther south to visit with Fr. McKenna’s parents whom I have not seen for a while. When all was over I had been thinking about all the snow in Ohio and how I had parked my car on the top level of the parking garage and that now it had to be cleaned off upon my arrival at the airport. But God provided! A big thank you to Fr. McKenna and Fr. Simpson for going all the way to the airport to clean off my car. It was very thoughtful of them!

The old home place back in Chillicothe has finally sold. It is bittersweet. On the one hand, it is nice to have one less property to have to manage. On the other hand, it is the closing of a chapter of life which is rich is many good memories. There are the family memories, of course, but that little house was also the last site of the old St. Clare Mission. In that house had been offered many a Holy Mass, and many souls were absolved of their sins, and Confirmations administered. Many priests visited there and Faithful came from as far away
as Columbus to attend Mass. The Blessed Sacrament was reserved there as well. Well, it is now the closing of this chapter. How-ever, it is best (at least in my opinion) to not spend too much time dwelling on the past, but to look forward so as not to miss the next opportunity of doing good.

Monday is the feast of Candlemas! I hope to see you at the ceremonies in the evening. It is a feast rich in mysteries and in lessons.
– Bishop McGuire

Mass Livestream