This Week: Lent IV - Laetare

“Lenten Cheer”  –Bp. Charles McGuire

The Bishop’s Note
The Sodality of Charity meeting two Saturdays ago seemed to go very well, and the girls all enjoyed themselves. One of the things they did was stuff plastic Easter Eggs for our Holy Saturday event. There is a story behind that! Our Holy Saturday cooks are having babies and will not be able to prepare the parish meal that day, which leaves us in a bit of a pinch, but having babies is certainly a legitimate reason to cancel. I still haven’t asked anyone to help, but Theresa has some ideas. In the meantime, the Easter Egg hunt was cancelled for this year since the cooks were also involved in the hunt. I didn’t want to cancel it, and Fr. Lehtoranta was also a little disappointed, as would have been the kids. Renee went ahead and had the Sodality stuff the plastic eggs, ready for either the Easter Egg hunt or table decorations, and then found girls to be in charge of the whole event. So now the Easter Egg hunt is back on for this year—thanks to Renee and the Sodality! We still need help with the meal, though! Any takers??

It has been quite a week as far as travel and health for the clergy and religious. Fr. Brueggemann had to make a last-minute trip to Milwaukee before heading out to Seattle last Sunday. Fr. McKenna had some hectic travel and then came down with the cold that’s been going around. Sister Eulalia’s back went out. It’s a good thing Fathers Lehtoranta and Simpson have been in good health.

Mr. Lotarski reminded me that Holy Week is only two weeks away. It seems like Lent goes so slowly and then BOOM, Holy Week is here! Make the best of what is left. It moves quickly from here. This week, in particular, should go fast with all of the celebrations. We have St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday and St. Joseph’s Day with Hot Cross Buns on Thursday. The Annunciation and Children’s Day of Recollection are next week. And then we will find ourselves preparing for Palm Sunday. I hope the donkey comes again this year!

The older students in our school have been joining the clergy for Vespers each day after the school Mass, giving up their lunch/recess period. They do a nice job, too! Some sing out more than others and some are still working on their Latin. I am proud of them though. We have also managed to have altar servers at all of the scheduled Masses. If you remember, about fifteen to twenty years ago we couldn’t find regular servers. Now that we have grown so much and have so many homeschool families we can once again have a server for all of our Masses. Thanks to everyone!

I hope you have a joyful Laetare Sunday. Rejoice a little. Joy is one of the Fruits of the Holy Ghost, with which every Catholic should be filled.

– Bishop McGuire

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