The Bishop’s Note
Fr. Simpson and I got back only ten days ago from an excellent pastoral visit to Mexico. Tomorrow, Fr. Brueggemann and I are leaving for France to visit Fr. Guillaume Hecquard for a week or so. Perhaps it was a little silly to arrange two international trips back to back like this, but they had to be done, and the rest of the year only gets busier. Lent starts one month from Wednesday, and the big ceremonies go all the way to the end of June this year since Easter is very late. There is typically a trip to Fr. Martín’s chapel in Dos Rios, Mexico, in July; Confirmations in Milwaukee sometime in the summer; a priests’ retreat and Confirmations in Seattle in July; Confirmations in Boston, Connecticut, and New Jersey in October; a trip to Tijuana, Mexico, in November; and the many pastoral things that go on here at St. Gertrude’s on a daily basis. So it was now or never for the France trip. I am looking forward to seeing the Faithful of Fr. Hecquard, a small but fervent group of Catholics. I hope also to make some private visits with some of the other clergy while there, and even sneak in a visit to Our Lady of Pontmain and Lisieux, if possible. Father has me scheduled to give two conferences on the state of the Church in our day. France is very divided over the Thesis and the SSPX questions. Our position here at SGG is that, while we do not agree with the Thesis, it is not something that needs to divide Catholics, nor is it a topic that should be argued about publicly. St. Paul says, “Be convinced in your own minds.” He then goes on to tell the Romans not to argue about opinions because this type of thing only scandalizes the weak of Faith, e.g. new converts. Untrained clergy has become a new problem in France, thanks to the late Bishop Williamson and certain other bishops, who take in recently converted Novus Ordo presbyters and quickly impose hands upon them, without first giving them the proper formation. What harm this type of action does to souls, and to the glory of the Church!
Fr. Lehtoranta is writing a new article for his personal website. I will put a link in the bulletin when it is completed. He has also been invited to be a guest on a Finnish podcast by a fellow that finds Father’s story interesting… Finnish Sedevacantist priests are a rarity these days, after all.
Fr. McKenna is in Dallas today, but will be back to take care of things here at St. Gertrude’s while I am away. He has been sick lately and will, hopefully, be fully recovered by then.
Fr. Simpson has been traveling a LOT lately. I really don’t know how he does it! He will be back soon enough and will get a good break during the month of February.
School report cards went out on Friday afternoon, and it was good to see that they are doing so well, for the most part.
Lucia Constantino has been on everyone’s mind lately. As many of you know, she has been quite ill and many of you have been praying very devoutly for her recovery. Keep up the prayers because they are working well! But don’t forget to pray for her parents, too. One can only imagine the worry and stress that they have been going through these last few weeks—and they still have a few weeks to go. I am quite confident that the Holy Child Jesus, Doctor of the Sick is taking care of the situation!
Don’t forget to get your throats blessed tomorrow after the 7:00, 8:00 and 11:25 Masses. The Church’s sacramental devotions are so lovely and so very powerful! Don’t look lightly upon them!
May God bless you and Mary keep you!
– Bishop McGuire