This Week: Sexagesima

“What Made St. Gertrude so Great”  –Fr. Vili Lehtoranta

The Bishop’s Note
It’s funny how much we have become dependent upon computers and the internet these days. Last week someone tried to fix the internet so that it didn’t slow down or shut down whenever the priests taught their online classes for the seminarians. Well, the problems got worse and now we’re reduced to using our phones as hotspots. Not having the internet really slows things down. And that’s the point! It’s a time killer and keeps us so occupied that we scarcely find time to think of the more important things. Besides, after reading today’s Epistle on the long litany of St. Paul’s adventures in the apostolate, not having the internet seems to be a very minute inconvenience.

Our Candlemas ceremonies had a few minor glitches this year, but were very good overall. We do try our best to be perfect in the worship of God, but we are human and will, as humans do, make clumsy mistakes. Our Lord understands us though and does see our goodwill. We never will worship God as perfectly as the angels, but God does not expect us to—anymore than He expects a little child to pray as a grown man. Still, with all of the human errors, Our Savior came down upon the altar, sacrificing Himself mystically—and this is the sacrifice that pleases our heavenly Father most perfectly, and which more than makes up for our human blunders.

Attendance at Candlemas was impressive and shows your devotion to Our Lady. Fr. McKenna said that all had a good time at the soup supper. I was really looking forward to it, but ended up having to leave during the Mass due to the cold/flu that’s been getting everyone lately. As of Friday I still have not recovered my voice (it’s been three days) and so Fr. Lehtoranta kindly volunteered to preach. The thoughtfulness of the priests and people here at St. Gertrude’s always catches me off guard and is so encouraging and edifying!

Sister Eulalia said that the Christmas decorations came down fairly quickly—and that with only a few families helping. Thank you to all that helped. The monthly shrine in the side chapel is dedicated to the Holy Face. It does look really nice. It isn’t too often that Mass is offered over there anymore, but make it a point to go over and make quiet prayers of reparation to Our Lord’s Holy Face.

This Wednesday, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, is Fr. McKenna’s anniversary of ordination. It will be celebrated with a Solemn High Mass. I do hope you can come—if not to that Mass, at least to one of the other Masses—to pray for Father on his big day. If you can’t do that, maybe just say a Hail Mary for him. He’s a good priest and has done much good for souls.

Fr. Brueggemann rarely goes to St. Hugh’s but has been there these last two Sundays. This evening, he departs from there to go to Seattle for his monthly seminary visit. Fr. Simpson is here today (another rarity!) and for the next week.

Just over a week until Ash Wednesday and the be-ginning of Lent! What sacrifice will you offer Our dear Savior? As Fr. Ojeka would say: “Think on it!”

– Bishop McGuire

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