What Does The Prayer Really Say?
W D T P R S

Things are really looking up in Michigan, aren’t they. Think about it. First, they were blessed to receive His Excellency Robert Carlson as Bishop of Saginaw. Bishop Carlson is a real straight shooter and sound fellow all around. They have now received the gift of His Excellency Alex Sample, the brand shiny new Bishop of Marquette. He is a pious and very bright, faithful man who will dedicate both ends of the candle day and night to his flock. Count on it.

Now we read in The Detroit Freep that His Excellency, Most Reverend Thomas Gumbleton has resigned his post as auxilliary in Detroit. Moreover:

However, archdiocesan spokesman Ned McGrath would not confirm that Maida will keep Gumbleton at St. Leo’s, an appointment he has held since 1983.

“It’s up to the cardinal now,” McGrath said. “I don’t know about staying pastor at St. Leo’s. They’ll have to have discussions about that.”

Maida, who was in Marquette on Wednesday for the installation of a new bishop for the Upper Peninsula, could not be reached for comment. But McGrath said the cardinal, who staunchly opposes opening up past abuse cases to legal action, is likely to raise major questions about his former auxiliary’s political activism.

Let us sing a verse of the grand song:

Thou are so pure, but modest too,
Michigan, my Michigan;
Thou art so brave and still so true,
Michigan, my Michigan,
No promise unfulfilled; -on trust
Thy noble sons have bit the dust,
Remembered are they. For thou art just – Michigan, my Michigan.

PS: There is even some Latin in the 5th stanza.

St. Angela Merici
Foundress of the Ursulines
Educatrix

To make a long story short, I always remember with bittersweet fondness the feast day of St. Angela Merici. I will thus put to you simple questions. Do your children know what a sacrament is? Do they know the names of the sacraments? Do they know what the difference is between a sacrament and a sacramental?

COLLECT:
Pietati tuae, quaesumus, Domine,
nos beata virgo Angela commendare non desinat,
ut, eius caritatis et prudentiae documenta sectantes,
tuam valeamus doctrinam custodire
et moribus profiteri.

LITERAL TRANSLATION:
We beg You, O Lord, let the blessed virgin Angela
not cease to commend us to You mercy,
so that, closely following her concrete examples of charity and prudence,
we may be able to guard Your fundamental teaching
and make progess in a good conduct of life.

Here I am guessing that doctrina is not just simply “teaching”, but “teaching” in the sense of “catechism”. For example, when Italians talk about the fundamental
catechism given to children they call it “la dottrina”. Since this prayer concerns a saint foundress of an order dedicated to teaching children, this seems a good choice.

We should all take time to review the fundamental teachings of our Catholic Faith. We read in 1Peter 3:15: “Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence.” A good way to make this review would be with your own copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Get one and give one to those whom you love.

*This was an actual response I once got from a child two days before making his First Holy Communion. Having been asked to show the kids the church and help them understand what to do, I showed them how to genuflect before the tabernacle. They were previously unaware of such a practice. Of course, children like to know WHY they do things, right? So, I said that we pay special attention to the tabernacle (pointing to it and explaining that I meant that beautiful box, etc. etc.) because that is where Jesus is present in the Host they were going to receive for their First Communion. Blank stares. So, going deeper, we had a little quiz about Communion, and its meaning. Blank stares. I asked about Jesus and His being present in Communion. Blank stares. I asked about if they had ever noticed that their parents receive the Host during Mass. At that point one young boy said, “You mean that piece of bread thing?”