Quinquagesima
Daily Sermons
February 9 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Sts. Cyril and Apollonia
February 10 – Fr. Lehtoranta – St. Scholastica and Prayer
February 11 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Our Lady and Fr. Nelson Baker
February 12 – Fr. Lehtoranta – The Servites and Heroic Hermits
February 13 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Hope Overcomes the Fear of Death
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✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
The days lengthen, Lent approaches, and today we honor Our Lord’s Holy Face, as we prepare to “go up to Jerusalem” with Him. Before we do, a little joyful indulgence seems quite traditional for Mardi Gras these last days. Then, fortified with prayer and hungry for fasting, let us enter our Lent with humble resolve and spiritual joy, ashes on our face as we contemplate Christ’s adorable Face, mirror of man’s misery and God’s Mercy.
One of the compelling components of the Holy Face devotion is Eucharistic reparation, which has always been dear to us at St. Gertrude the Great. This seems an excellent time then to have blessed the chapel of the Sisters of Reparation, and begun the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament at their convent. The Sisters are only a few minutes from church, but now have the great privilege of Our Lord under their roof, Whom they honor in prayer all day, especially their daily Holy Hour of Reparation. A special “shout out” goes to the faithful here who have been so faithful in helping them prepare the chapel, altar and convent.
Last Sunday’s big news was the accident in which two of the Soli children, Alex and Lindsey, were rather severely burned. Thank you for your concern and prayers. They seem to be on the mend now, having learned the hard way that aerosol cans do indeed explode in a fire. We are all relieved and grateful.
Fr. McGuire is assisting Fr. Cekada in serving you all this cold Quinquagesima Sunday in West Chester. I am in balmy 80’s weather in northern Mexico, just on the other side of the California Border. Three busy days are planned for me, but I should return in time for the last hours of Mardi Gras, and then the start of Lent. As always, we have a full schedule of Masses and ashes, and urge this one sacrifice to start off well the season of sacrifices, our annual Lenten retreat.
Fr. McKenna is back from his rounds tomorrow, now having marked already his third priestly anniversary on Our Lady of Lourdes. The busier you are, the faster it goes. Father offered Mass again near Bismark, and caught up with some folks we know, Dan and Rose (Geckle) Wright, both of whom had attended Mass with us at times over the years. The little mission is growing, and some folks even came all the way from Powers Lake, several hours north, which was in the 70s a true traditional powerhouse of Catholicism under the late Fr. Nelson. Father and most of the shrine are gone now, but still it is nice to think of some continuity in these days of change.
I was happy to see so many at the 5PM Mass for Our Lady of Lourdes last week, and pray that weekday Mass attendance will pick up for Lent, so simple, so sublime a sacrifice. And don’t forget Stations, which are slowly dying out, as well as the concept of just dropping by for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.
Have a blessed start to your Lent, but first of all rejoice a little and drop by the Bake Sale. Rejoice, Spring must be near, since Lent is here.
May Our Lord make His Holy Face to shine upon you!
—Bishop Dolan