The Bishop’s Note
The cats have not done anything really newsworthy for quite a while…until now. Fat Cat, formerly known as Giacomo (I never understood naming cats after opera singers/characters!), who likes to sit on the top of Fr. McKenna’s car to warm himself, was apparently very unhappy with Father for leaving the roof off for the night. Some of the priests walked outside one morning to see the hazard lights flashing and figured it must have been Fat Cat who somehow turned on the flashers as he was climbing around inside the car. Personally, I wonder if he was trying to take the convertible on a cruise or just get back at Father for taking away his favorite sitting spot. Whatever the reason, this was just a mild trick and I suspect that Fat Cat has worse ones for the next time Father leaves the roof off of his car.
The coyotes have been quite active in the area lately. No one has seen them, but they are loud…even during the day. Several of the girls heard them during camp and scurried inside for the night, preferring to sleep inside rather than facing the mangy animals. A skunk was spotted, too, but seems to have done no harm to anyone! The Sisters mentioned that there were over fifty girls at camp this year and that it was an exceptionally well behaved group. Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun. The performance put on at the close of camp was highly entertaining as well as very edifying. The smaller girls sang about the old lady who swallowed a fly…the props were great! And the older girls put on a play that gave the lesson of how even the smallest acts done for love of Our Lady are pleasing to her.
Fr. Lehtoranta gets back this week from his vacation and Fr. McKenna leaves for his. Fathers Simpson and Brueggemann will be busy with boys’ camp which begins this Tuesday. I don’t know what you think, but this summer seems to be passing by exceptionally fast. It has been an extremely busy one here at St. Gertrude’s and we clergy have not been together in one place at the same time for quite a while.
August begins soon. What feast days the Church has given us during this month dedicated to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart! The Blessed Mother said at Fatima, “To save the souls of poor sinners, God wishes to establish the devotion to my Immaculate Heart throughout the world.” Contemplate that statement. Life is all about the salvation of souls. How much do you do for the conversion of sinners? Surely, we can all do more. This month, learn more about the devotion to the Immaculate Heart and put it into practice. Reparation is especially important in this devotion. Make little acts of reparation throughout the day and say often, “O My Jesus, I offer this for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
– Bishop McGuire