The Bishop’s Note
This entire Easter season seems to be much busier than usual. The Friday before last was very hectic as we had the Funeral Mass of Tom Simpson, which was carried out quite nicely. Still, there was a Greater Litanies procession, High Mass, and Benediction to be done in the evening. We managed to put it together with Sisters Eulalia and Regina singing the Mass parts, and Fathers McKenna and Simpson chanting the propers. It was a smaller than usual procession, but still quite impressive seeing as how so much had already been done that day. Bishop Selway joined us for all the ceremonies.
Mark the Lamb was a big hit this past Sunday. Bishop Dolan once brought in a lamb for Shepherd Sunday and showed it to the parishioners, and probably also gave some eloquent speech about lambs and shepherds. Mark was a bit timid at first, but by the end of the High Mass he was frolicking with people, especially the kids. Little Ivy Moore was well liked by the lamb. Casimir Smith, a real animal lover (so I hear), became fast friends with Mark the Lamb. You can see the picture below! Mark was gone after the third Mass and everyone who was hoping to see him thought that maybe the paschal lamb had been taken away to be roasted. Don’t worry! He went home where he continues to frolic as a lamb ought.
Congratulations to William and Kayla Long on receiving the sacrament of Matrimony yesterday on the feast of the Holy Cross. I am confident that this will be a good marriage. May Our Lord grant them, through Our Lady’s intercession, many holy and happy years together. This is the first of many weddings coming up. Edward Fernandez and Renee Arlinghaus are to be wed this Thursday, the feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel. Michael Hudson and Marcie Arlinghaus are scheduled for a July wedding, I believe. It is a wonderful thing to see so many weddings at our church because it is a sign of continuity. As you know, there is a war being waged against the Catholic family. We see this in many ways in society. It becomes all the more imperative that we hold fast to the Catholic Church’s laws concerning marriage.
Fr. McKenna has been trying to put together a draft of the summer travel schedule, which always includes the different events that we have here and in other missions. Because Easter was so late this year, we go all the way to the end of June with big ceremonies and feast days. Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday (and Graduation Day), Corpus Christi, First Holy Communions, the parish bonfire, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the feasts of the Sacred Heart and Saints Peter and Paul. July is filled with camps and YAG, and even a trip to Mexico for me. It does make it hard to schedule vacations, but God must come first.
It is the month of Our Lady. Have you made your home May Altar? It is not too late to do so, and it will be an incentive to the family to honor Our Lady more this month than at other times. It is, after all, through Mary’s hands that we receive every grace. It is to her, our Mother and Queen, that we should often turn. Hail Mary, full of grace…!
– Bishop McGuire