The Bishop’s Note
We are now on day three of the Pentecost Novena, our little retreat, as it were, before the great feast of the Holy Ghost. How is it coming along? Are you practicing the points that will help to dispose you to be docile to the Holy Ghost? Obedience to the Commandments and to the duties of your state in life; the frequent renewal of your resolution to do the Will of God; and praying to the Holy Ghost to enlighten and strengthen you to follow the Will of God in all things. This should be the focus and, along with the recitation of the daily novena prayers, will help to prepare your soul for Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Ghost.
It was nice to speak with Bishop Nkamuke again last week. There is much trouble in Nigeria: the persecutions continue, making it hard to travel; there is corruption; the economy has pretty much destroyed the middle class; people are truly suffering there. Yet, during this time of trial, the Faith is growing and they founded yet another mission. People from Angolia, Congo, and Uganda have contacted them as well. Their seminary seems to be growing quite nicely. I was able to meet the major and minor seminarians and even one of his priests during our conference call. His Excellency is spending time at the seminary right now, and plans to station one priest at each of the busier mission chapels so as to avoid dangerous travel as much as possible. Through it all, they remain cheerful. May God bring peace to their land, and much spiritual fruit to their apostolate.
What a week it has been for us here at St. Gertrude’s. The May Crowning and procession last Sunday, three Rogation Day processions, and a Fatima Rosary pro-cession—all before the Holy Day on Thursday. That, together with the daily May Devotions, makes for a very prayerful time. Prayer is what keeps us going, so it is good to be “forced” into praying so much. It would be hard to imagine a life without prayer, wouldn’t it?! Where would we be without conversation with God, which brings us so many necessary graces to avoid sin and to practice virtue, to bear the cross, and to persevere in our vocations and in the Faith? Well, the saints tell us where we would be in the ultimate picture, and it isn’t good. Our fallen human nature with all of its evil tendencies requires prayer and the grace of God. May God grant us love of prayer, and let us persevere in the remaining days of the Pentecost Novena. You will see its fruits!
Fr. McKenna had his flight from Dallas canceled last week due to weather. He got back late on Monday night and was here for only a very short time, and is now in the northern missions for a while. Fr. Lehtoranta took
care of all the ceremonies this past week, and the majority of the preaching and May Devotions on the weekdays, which is an enormous help. He does a good job with all of these things, so it is a good thing that he enjoys it! This week he will also be assisting with the Confirmands’ Day of Recollection. He does have a busy life, but reaps much spiritual fruit in what he does. Fr. Simpson is making huge progress on the floor of the sanctuary, the roofing project, arranging for the convento wall to get fixed, and getting the phone/internet lines installed properly. Fr. Brueggemann is keeping up with all the sick calls, teaching seminary classes, and the additional work that I give him. We have a few hard working, dedicated priests. Truly, I am thankful that God has given me such good priests to work with.
Thank you to the Sodality of Charity for mulching our flower beds last weekend! Everything looks very nice. One of our parishioners has volunteered to plant some rose bushes and other things around the convento. It seems the roses that we have are diseased and need to come out. I guess this disease is airborne and infects the other rose bushes in the proximity.
If May isn’t busy enough, June is ramping up to be even more so. First Communions, Corpus Christi, the second Fatima procession, Girls’ Camp, clergy retreat in Seattle (along with the conferral of Tonsure and two minor orders to some of our seminarians), the parish bonfire, a wed-ding, and then the usual. The ending of the school year means the beginning of a very active summer. I hope you will participate as much as possible.
May you remain under the protection of Our Lady and the guidance of the Holy Ghost now and always.
– Bishop McGuire