The Bishop’s Note
The church has been bustling with so many different ceremonies and events lately that it is overwhelming…in a good sense! We have had so many blessings lately, between the successful “Bishop’s Meeting” a few weeks ago and what many have said was the best Holy Week we have ever had. God has been so very good to us.
Mark Lotarski said that he cannot remember having such good attendance for the Holy Week ceremonies. I believe he said that we had around 200 people each day of the Triduum. I could not be more proud of your devotion. One other interesting thing that he mentioned is that church attendance during Holy Week was up not only here, but in general. It makes one wonder what God is preparing us for. Certainly, it seems that God is offering many graces—and souls are cooperating with them.
Right now, I feel like a proud father and must give some praise. The choir did a fantastic job with the complicated chants throughout Holy Week and Easter, even timing them just right—something which is very difficult to do. It certainly was nice to have the organ back for Holy Saturday and Easter, too! Our servers did a professional job at the altar, running the ceremonies smoothly. The sacristans and helpers did their work flawlessly and without any drama. All this made for a very peaceful and, more importantly, prayerful Holy Week. Thank you one and all! Thanks, too, to the Caggesos for the delicious meals.
Bishop Selway was with us for a few days this past week, mainly to be present at Tom Simpson’s funeral, but also just to visit with the clergy. His Excellency and I went to the seminary together (he was four years ahead of me), and we have become good friends over the years. It has been good to see him and to be in communication with him these last few weeks. Bishop Selway and I plan to visit Most Holy Trinity Seminary sometime after Easter break. Eventually, Bishop Sanborn will be invited here. We must, especially in these days of chaos, hold to unity and charity. It is important for the Church, and it is important for the clergy and people on a personal level as well.
As mentioned above, Tom Simpson died on Good Friday. Tom was a long time parishioner here at St. Gertrude the Great before moving to Florida and joining Bishop Selway’s chapel in Brooksville. It is very providential that he died on the day he did. He was always a devoted server, teaching many of our young men how to serve (he was also my MC the day of my ordination), and himself serving each Mass with great dignity and attention to detail. He was a model server whom I wish many of our younger servers could have known. But Mr. Simpson had a great devotion to the Holy Week ceremonies, which is why it is believed that Our Lord took him from this world on the same day on which He Himself died. One other touching anecdote about him. He had always loved both the SGG clergy and the MHT clergy. When we had our unfortunate split a few years ago, it hurt him very much. He several times told us that one of his biggest prayers was for our reunion, and he said prayers for this daily. Again, it can be no mere coincidence that this reunion was accomplished just before his death. God works in such beautifully mysterious ways. Blessed be God for His goodness.
I know many people are going to want to hear our thoughts on Bergoglio’s death. Firstly, our hope is that he repented and was able to save his soul by an act of God’s grace. We cannot pray for him publicly, but we can and should pray for him privately. I am sure that there are other opinions on the matter, but that is mine. What does his death mean for the Church? Who knows. He was not a pope in the first place. However, it could be that God uses this as an opportunity to send us a true pope. Personally, I do not believe that we look to the Novus Ordo cardinals to give us a pope. I cannot see how heretics can elect a true pope. Others will have their opinion to which they are entitled though. In any case, it will take an act of divine grace for there to be a pope elected, and I am sure that God will make it clear when and how this is to be done. I am sure that all sides of the opinion on the Thesis debate will be satisfied. In the meantime, we should say many prayers that a pope be given to us unworthy sinners. How much would be solved if only we had a pope.
Have you made your Easter Duty of a worthy Holy Communion? If not, there are plenty of opportunities to make it to confession and Holy Communion. Our Lord says several times in today’s Gospel, “Peace be to you.” Oh, what peace there is in having a good conscience, clear of mortal sin. Our Lord has made it so easy to obtain this peace. Courage! Just go. The priest will help you, and Our Lord will forgive you!
– Bishop McGuire