Pentecost VII
YAG 2017! Thanks to everyone who worked hard to make this event a great success.
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Daily Sermons
July 7 – Fr. McKenna – YAG I: Sacred Heart and True Love and Courtship
July 8 – Fr. McKenna – YAG II: St. Elizabeth of Portugal, the Faithful Wife
July 9 – Fr. McKenna – YAG III: Solemnity of the Precious Blood and Sacrifice in Marriage
July 12 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Girls’ Camp I: Jacinta and the 1st Secret of Fatima
July 13 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Girls’ Camp II: Francisco Marto and the Second Secret of Fatima
July 14 – Fr. Lehtoranta – Girls’ Camp III: Lucia and the Third Secret of Fatima
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✠ The Bishop’s Corner ✠
I am writing this in the midst of a busy Friday afternoon. Fr. Lehtoranta and I are about to go off to visit Sr. Jeanne Marie with Holy Communion. Sister had, on top of everything else, a mild heart attack on Thursday morning. We got Fr. Nkamuke (wasn’t that a great talk he gave last Sunday?) off to the airport this morning, freshly consecrated chalices in tow. Gino made a surprise visit during the thunderstorm and there are fresh rumors about that parking lot asphalt repair. The air conditioner was repaired yesterday, our forty days of penance being accomplished. In my desperation I prayed to St. Rita of Cascia and St. Jude, which seemed to do the trick. I do apologize to you for so many hot afternoons in church, especially last Sunday.
We had a nice visit with all the multicolored nuns last Sunday, and enjoyed the little concert from the Girls Camp choir. It was a true “Vocations Sunday” and very gratifying and encouraging. The Boys Camp is revving up for Tuesday, and the McFathers seem in fine fettle. I am grateful for the run of High Masses this week, as it seems God is more neglected in the warm weather. God bless these important apostolates.
Donna Patton wrote with Sharon’s report, and how very touched and grateful she is with all of the Rosaries and Masses and cards. She is pretty much holding her own thus far, but must avoid infection. She has no cancer in any of the major organs. The family is grateful for the financial help you have given. God reward your generosity.
Today one of the Fathers will be blessing cars at every Mass. I pray your vacation and travel plans are going well, refreshing and safe. Eldrachers were down from Michigan to visit their daughter, one of the Sisters who helped with summer camp. Colleen Eldracher, who did a bang up job organizing the Young Adult Get-Together, will be teaching in our school this Fall.
Sr. Jeanne Marie has been visited, and is remarkably chipper for all she has been through. Sister makes a friend of everybody who comes in the room, and thus is running her own little apostolate. Still, the pain and suffering remain. Perhaps this is her way to win graces for those she comes into contact with.
Speaking of pain, some of our boys are at Fr. Saavedra’s severe military style camp he conducts each summer. They always report having a good time, however. Boys enjoy the challenge. How quickly our summer is passing. August will soon be here.
Yesterday Fr. McGuire went to offer Mass for a small group in Effingham, Illinois. Today I’m offering Mass for the dear Cajuns in Lousiana. It’s been a long time since my last visit. Whoever draws the Louisiana detail each month is steeled for an open-ended trip. You may get back at midnight, Sunday (scheduled time) but then again, you may not. Fr. Cekada had a most enjoyable visit to Milwaukee last weekend. He got back on time, too.
Fr. Palma has been transferred to Fresno, California, where he will be offering a 10:00 AM Mass each Sunday. The Fresno group has worked hard and sacrificed much for the Holy Mass, and we wish them much success. Fr. Roberto Mardones is moving this week to metropolitan Mexico City, to a lovely church and rectory dedicated to St. Joseph. He has spent almost all of his priesthood in the wilds of the dangerous border town Juarez, surviving sometimes only by his wits and the angels. We pray another priest will be able to attend to his little chapel in El Paso, Texas.
Fr. Marcello Cohetero was ordained at St. Gertrude by Bishop Pivarunas in 1992, and was once one of our priests. His life took some difficult turns, and he suffered as well from severe diabetes. He was on dialysis when his family took him home from the hospital for some reason. He died alone, a week ago Friday (kidney failure), and was buried, also without a priest, early last Sunday morning. A very sad ending to a priestly life. Please remember him in your prayers. The good Fathers here helped me to give him the full Funeral service on Thursday morning.
Do remember all of our dead, as well as the sick and the lost and the little ones who have no one to see to their Catholic education or prayers. Remember your prayers!
— Bp. Dolan