St. Gertrude the Great Newsletter No. 1
From Bishop McGuire
The last newsletter which we published was written by Bishop Dolan sometime back in that infamous year of 2020 and told of †Fr. Cekada’s death and funeral. So much has transpired here at St. Gertrude the Great and in our mission apostolate since then that it will be difficult to cover just the main highlights. I will do my best.
Bishop Dolan was the pastor that not only St. Gertrude the Great, but the whole world needed during the time of Covid lockdowns. Not once did he close our church doors, empty the Holy Water fonts, or insist on social distance. We heard confessions, kissed the cross on Good Friday, found ways to visit the sick in hospitals, and steered people away from receiving the Jab. His Excellency kept things as normal as possible during those very difficult times, even encouraging family gatherings on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Truly, we were blessed to have had someone like him showing the way when most of the world just followed the news headlines.
It was to the Mother of Good Counsel that he went for counsel on so many important things, so it was no mere coincidence that he died on her feast day, April 26, 2022. He died suddenly, but wearing his Brown Scapular. I have great hope that a man of such zeal for the Church, for the salvation of souls, devotions, the sacred liturgy, and the missions was given the grace of final perseverance. It is not a sudden death that is bad, only an unprovided one. Many people know that he was active on Twitter and would leave some edifying words, but it is his last Tweet that left the biggest impression: “Blessed Feast of the Mother of Good Counsel! How Our Lady has helped and protected us under this generous title over the years. A novena begun today ends May 4, Solemnity of St. Joseph, Ordination Day of our four priests: a providential help for many souls. Pray with us?…. follow her. She’ll give you her Jesus, her Great Counsel. Always ask: Mother, what am I to do?” We have been asking her Counsel ever since!
Bishop Dolan’s funeral took place on May 4th, the day on which he was supposed to ordain the four priests mentioned above. People came from all over to be at his funeral, which was conducted by Bishop Rodrigo da Silva. We were very touched by all the support we received at that time from faithful and clergy throughout the world. Bishop Pivarunas had offered his assistance in whatever way needed and even attended the funeral with some of his clergy and religious.
Thankfully, Bishop Dolan left written instructions in his Last Will and Testament and verbally to Bishop da Silva concerning the future of the apostolate and these things were carried out to the best of our ability, God providing for all. Instead of an ordination we had a funeral and the ordinations were only delayed one week. Fathers Simpson, Brueggemann, Ojeka, and Okerulu were ordained on May 11th, 2022. Furthermore, instructions were left that I was to be consecrated as soon as possible if something were to happen to Bishop Dolan (he must have suspected that his end was nearing, in my opinion). The consecration was carried out by Bishop da Silva on May 18th. As the saying goes, “God provides,” and He was certainly looking out for us at that time. The apostolate was uninterrupted and we were able to administer Confirmation as normal. Those three weeks will never be forgotten.
Many friends were lost and many more gained. Unfortunately, it became necessary to cut ties with Bishop da Silva, and time has only made it clearer that this was the right decision. Now, however, I myself have to make frequent visits to the places he had been taking care of in Mexico. There are now at least six different places in Mexico that need to be taken care of by St. Gertrude’s. Our apostolate has continued in a small way in France and now extends to Argentina, not to mention additional missions right here in the United States. Fr. Ercoli has been such a blessing, a friend, and a support ever since those days. He is now the rector of our seminary, and also hosts priest’s retreats once a year at his beautiful church in Mount Vernon, Washington.
Almost a year after all of that transpired, Fr. Nkamuke was consecrated to be bishop to our missions in Nigeria. This was a very happy occasion and one which most of the world had been expecting for quite some time. His Excellency has ordained two men to the priesthood since his consecration and now has a total of four priests of his own to cover the many missions, schools, and the seminary which were established there. His zeal and his good cheer in the face of so much work and daily danger is a good example to all.
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