Bishop’s Note
As I write, I reflect on the graces and favors Our Lord gave us during the solemn time of Holy Week and Easter—and there were many. Attendance was excellent, even at Tenebrae and Easter Matins! Your devotion is truly edifying and I am thankful for your good example in this regard. The choir and schola sounded fantastic, and it was nice to have Andrew Richesson back at the organ after forty days of silence (a true penance for our organist!). Our servers did a fine job, as usual. Fr. Simpson commented that all the sacristy helpers this year were 21 years old or younger, while Sr. Ulrica mentioned how very tranquilly the stressful work was being carried out. I am so proud of everyone.
Easter week was not so quiet as it normally is. We had a nice, albeit short, visit from Fathers Contreras and Richards, who had to return early to beat a huge snowstorm in the Boston area. There was, of course, dear Pat Kolb’s funeral on Easter Wednesday. Then Fr. McKenna had to return to Boston to see his dying grandmother. Please do pray for her and for the McKenna family! It is nice to have Fr. Lehtoranta back after his week long trip to Washington, D.C. I was glad to hear that he was able to do some sightseeing on his way back—but boy, did we miss having him and Fr. McKenna, especially on Friday!
There has been a lot of talk about the eclipse on Monday, but please don’t let it cause you to forget that it is the feast of the Annunciation! The eclipse of the sun will be a sight to see, but Mary’s “Fiat” is what brought “The Light” to the earth to enlighten our darkness and to redeem the sinful world which was lost to the powers of darkness. Surely, you could make one of the morning Masses before heading out to see the eclipse—or make it to our evening Mass afterwards?? It would be a good way to thank God for such a beautiful occurrence of nature.
This Saturday is the feast of the great St. Hermenegild, who refused to receive the valid Holy Eucharist from an Arian bishop. This would cost the saint his life. Why, you ask, was it so imperative for him to not receive the valid Eucharist? Because the Holy Eucharist is a sign of unity. When we receive Holy Communion we are united to Christ, and through Christ with one another. He is the Head, we are the members. Had he received Holy Communion from the Arian bishop, he would have shown unity with a false sect. This is one of the reasons why we here at St. Gertrude the Great hold very firmly that one cannot attend Mass or receive Holy Communion from the SSPX. No matter how traditional their Mass looks, or how conservative their views on other questions of the Faith, they are in union with a false sect (the Novus Ordo). So many people fraternize and compromise with the SSPX, but the group is just as inimical as is the Novus Ordo. They (as an organization) as well as the Novus Ordo, ought to be disbanded and condemned, not sympathized with. We have our example in St. Hermenegild. To act any differently toward the SSPX would be to compromise Catholic principles.
May Our risen Savior grant you peace and an increase of Faith during this holy season. “If you be risen with Christ, mind the things that are above.”
– Bishop McGuire