His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of the New York, will visit the Church of the Holy Innocents on Saturday 28 February 2015. At 10 AM, His Eminence will celebrate a Mass for the Dead (Ordinary Form) for Fr. Benedict Groeschel.
The usual volunteer/dedicated servers from Holy Innocents will serve this Mass. The volunteer choir of Holy Innocents (Vox in Rama… clever!) will provide the music.
Please, spread the word. Fr. Groeschel used to give talks at Holy Innocents. It is fitting to have a Mass for him at Holy Innocents.
After the Mass, there will be a reception in the parish hall.
I would very much like to be there for that.
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Will it be ad Orientem? :)
Is it a “Requiem” Mass when the word “Requiem” is not said by the celebrant?
I would love to be at that Mass. What a great priest. We watched Fr. Groeschel many times on EWTN and never once do I remember hearing anything that made our ears *perk*, and only recall being edified and inspired by his words, and this was over many years. His books were wonderful as well. He spoke with clarity, and wisdom, and humor, and love for God and for all things Catholic. We actually met him once, I believe it was the day after the funeral for Mother Teresa and he was giving a talk. He was very tired.
He gave so much to the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and the needy people they served. He helped people as a psychologist. He taught and instructed. He was a marvel and we were lucky to have him. I’m glad Cardinal Dolan is offering a Mass for him. God rest his soul. Pray for us, Father Groeschel!
Fr. Benedict was my spiritual director via his talks on EWTN and in local parishes and from his books over the years.
I am from NY, near where he was active.
I told him once that he was my spiritual director and he replied that “Yes that is what he wanted”!
His tremendous love and his great sense of NY humor was so endearing.
He had so many great stories to tell.
I also spoke to him in one of the early March For Life’s in DC.
I saw him being interviewed and went over to him after that and we briefly spoke but the one thing he always said was “pray for me”!
My goodness, a very humble man. I hope he remembered to pray for me too! : )
On one occasion at a parish as I looked into his eyes I really felt I saw the compassionate eyes of Christ looking at me.
I wish I could go to that mass. Please pray for all of us “commenters” on this blog Fr. Z and we will pray for you.
I suspect he is a saint in heaven even though it is not “confirmed”. Nonetheless he said to pray him out of Purgatory!
God bless dear Fr. Benedict!!!
A donation’s on the way in case that’s what’s preventing you from attending. May I suggest others consider doing the same. If you don’t use it for this trip, please put it towards your next one.
Father Groeschel was one of the most sincere, down-to earth priests I have ever known. There was absolutely nothing phony about him. He truly loved people and never turned anyone away. He loved Christ and His Church and literally spent his life in service to the Chuch and humanity in general. He had friends among the “great” in the world and among the poorest and most rejected by society. He suffered immensely, especially in the last ten years of his life, but he died a beautiful peaceful death on the eve of St Francis.
Father Groeschel and Cardinal Dolan were very good friends even before Cardinal Dolan came to NYC. I am sure Father Groeschel is enjoying the fact that his good friend will be saying the Mass, and especially at a church which has not been especially friendly to the Cardinal in the last couple of years. [HUH?!? The “church” hasn’t been friendly to the Cardinal? First, I’ll assume you don’t hear buildings talk to you and that you mean people at the parish. That assumed… if you assert that, you don’t know them. I know them. Card. Dolan has been requested to come often to HI. That’s not an unfriendly act.] Hopefully this Mass will help heal those bad feelings. Father Groeschel would like that especially.
His Eminence has been invited to visit Holy Innocents several times during the last 6 years. He was very happy to celebrate a Mass for Fr. Groeschel given that he could not attend his funeral in Newark, N.J. The parishioners who pray for him daily at Holy Innocents are very excited to have him visit the parish.
I wonder if His Eminence will be silently taking inventory and seeing how much he can get for the church fixtures..
In seriousness, His Eminence will hear a fine choir and meet reverent parishioners. It will be a good day.
Father Groeschel’s writings along with Archbishop Fulton Sheen are what brought me fully into understanding our faith. Each provided clear and concise teaching of Holy Mother Church. God bless them both. I pray that both are cannonized before my final days here on earth.