Recent Articles By Fr. Lehtoranta, including a new article on Conditional Baptism
Bishop’s Note
Christ the King thoughts are coming to mind these days and I have the Catholic Action hymn to Christ the King stuck in my head. The hymn, which is really a march, was written by Fr. Lovasik for children in the Sodality. My mother, I think, sang it in grade school; I found the music for it in her piano bench after she died. The song talks about an Army of Youth which is ready to defend Catholic Truth and the rights of Christ the King. The children in our school learn so much about Catholic truth and will learn what rights Christ has over the soul and over society, something which is so very important to know as so many groups of people clamor for the death of Christ’s rights and the uplifting of their own. I often go down to visit the children, especially the younger ones, and am very edified by their innocence. Sr. Ulrica’s class likes to play Mass. They have a little altar built in their room, and made vestments out of construction paper, as well as a biretta equipped with pom-pom and all! They each told me their favorite saint as well. They really are like little sponges soaking up what they are taught. That is why it is so important to teach them their faith when they are young. It will stay with them their whole life long. May Christ always reign in their hearts!
Miss Mikesell’s class still has three Praying Mantises, all of them females. One of the students recently came in carrying a spider, supposedly to give to the other bugs for dinner. Mrs. Swinney’s class, the youngest of the bunch, is always working on some sort of project. Earlier in the year, during apple season, they made applesauce. Fr. Lehtoranta keeps busy teaching every day, almost from the start to the end of the day, and still has Mass and other priestly duties to do.
Our servers are doing an excellent job in all the ceremonies. We lost our older MCs over the last several years, but it always seems the next in line step up in a big way. Simon Richesson and Austin McClorey have been doing most of the school Masses—and doing them almost flawlessly. I don’t remember if I told you this, but the MC at the chapel in Monroe, Connecticut has been watching St. Gertrude’s Masses online for some ten years and is impressed with the servers. In fact, he knows exactly how we do things at SGG and was able to adapt well when he had to serve my Mass and Confirmations while I was in Monroe. I think this speaks very highly of our talented servers.
Fr. Thielen stopped by the other day for a brief visit over a glass of eggnog. He is doing pretty well and has been offering two Masses on Sundays once again, and sick calls during the week. It is always nice to see him.
Many more people from different countries have expressed interest in our seminary in Seattle. This is very encouraging and is a sign that the Church is still growing and that Our Lord has plans for it. The present seminarians are doing well, but will always expect prayers. I will update you more about our seminarians and missions at some point when I can find time to get the national newsletter started up again. Until then, you can find little nuggets of information right here in the bulletin.
Don’t forget the Holy Day and All Souls’ Day this week. October Devotions end on All Souls’ Day, too. Let us remain prayerful during these days of war and general distress of nations. Prayer and Reparation… these two things will make all the difference!
– Bishop McGuire