The Bishop’s Note
This Christmas week has brought with it a bit of everything. Rain and thunderstorms, tornado watches, high winds, spring temperatures, a drop in temperature of 48 degrees from one day to the next, snow, gloomy skies for the most part, but with a couple of sunny days. God planned it thus. Most of all, this Christmas week has been a time of grace. It seems that our Infant Savior only wants to give us gifts on His birthday. We mustn’t let Him be the only giver, but should ourselves give Him as much as we can—especially more and more of our love, growing in supernatural charity each and every day. Oh! Infant Savior, even the love that You ask us to give You is a gift that You have given to us for we are not capable of loving You unless Your grace implants that charity into our hearts and inspires us to acts of charity. Sacred Heart of the Infant Jesus, grant that I may love Thee ever more and more!
It was most edifying to see such a full church at the Midnight Christmas Mass, but that Mass is always a popular one. This year, many of you came back for the String Quartet Mass the next morning. One of the violinists said that he has been coming to St. Gertrude’s to play for the 9am Christmas Mass for 41 years and he has never seen such a big crowd in all those years. I think it is a fine tradition to come back for a second Mass on Christmas. I can remember that, when I was pastor at St. Hugh of Lincoln and still living there, many of the Faithful would attend the Midnight Mass and then come back the next day for one or two of the morning Masses, too!
St. Stephen’s Day was a more or less quiet day around here, but St. John’s Day saw many of you returning to church for the High Mass and Blessing of Beverages with a little celebration back in Helfta Hall. Holy Innocents fell on a Sunday this year, which is why red vestments were used instead of violet, and there were a lot more children at the Holy Innocents Party after High Mass. It was such an enjoyable time, although I am not sure who enjoys it more…me or the children. The innocence of children is such a precious thing that one must strive never to be the occasion of its loss. Fr. Brueggemann gave an excellent sermon on that very matter. As he said, television and unsupervised screen time, and the like, are killers of innocence. You might almost say that it is the technological Herod of our day. Children really should not have cell phones and definitely should not be al-lowed on social media platforms, nor be permitted to watch movies or shows on those gadgets, except under the strictest supervision. You know—you really do—that it is not good for them. You know—and you really do—how dangerous these things are, especially with advertisements and every-thing else. Instead, give them wholesome, Catholic entertainment and send them outdoors to play. All ye Holy Innocents, pray for our youth!
Our seminarians, Alphonso Capetillo and Christopher Brueggemann, are home for Christmas break and have already been on a ski trip with the young Fathers. It is nice to have them here for a little while. Fr. Lavery was in town for a visit with family and stopped by for a short visit before the New Year. He is now stationed in Maine, I believe, and has a small parish with a school. Fr. Lehtoranta made it back safely from his Milwaukee trip, which was a very busy one for him this year. Bob Poggel, one of the Faithful at St. Hugh’s, died on St. Stephen’s Day. Mr. Poggel was a man with a big heart who has done much for his church and clergy over the years. It was his love for the Faith and for Holy Mass that was most edifying—and his joyful spirit, too. He will be missed, but I am confident that he had a holy death. Merciful Lord Jesus, grant him eternal rest.
I wish you a holy and happy New Year with many graces ahead. Stay with Our Lady and recite the daily rosary. You will never regret having done so. Oh! and don’t forget the Epiphany this week!
– Bishop McGuire