If there were a time for some good news for the readership, this is it.
Do you have some good news to share?
Here is some great news.
Last Saturday three new priests were ordained for the Archdiocese for the Military Services. The new priests are from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, the Dioceses of Victoria, and of Austin.
Here is a photo from the First Solemn Mass of Fr. James Dvorak.
Please support the Archdiocese for the Military Services!
CLICK!
Coat of Arms by D Burkart
A Daily Prayer for Priests
Nota bene: I do not answer these numbers or this Skype address. You won't get me "live". I check for messages regularly.
WDTPRS
020 8133 4535
651-447-6265
My "challenge coin" for my 25th anniversary of ordination in 2016.
Want one? I do exchanges with military and LEOs, etc. and you can make a donation.
Loading ...If you travel internationally, this is a super useful gizmo for your mobile internet data. I use one. If you get one through my link, I get data rewards.
Loading ...
They find you a pro-life agent in your area who commits to giving a portion of the fee to a pro-life group!
Help Monks in Wyoming (coffee – UPDATED LINK) and Norcia (beer) and the wonderful "Soap Sisters" of Summit, NJ!
Please follow me on Twitter!
- Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
I was able to go to Confession today!!!
First time since the lockdown, er, stay-at-home order was imposed.
Halleluia!!!
I was also able to go to Confession for the first time since March!
My husband is a UPS driver – he started a new route today – it’s in a much safer area than his old route.
On Pentecost, there were three Masses. We had piano and recorders, and I sang the Sequence. (And considering I’d had about two hours sleep, it was a miracle how well it went!) Father started praying the St. Michael prayer after Mass during Lent and during the livestreams, and now all the college students know it by heart.
Over the quarantine period, somebody donated money for a big traditional mural on the walls behind/beside the altar, and the subject was the dream about the Church that St. John Bosco (the chapel patron) had. It looks really good, especially with the nice frontal from last year (there are several different embroidered medallions for liturgical seasons, as well as one of St. John Bosco), and the big crucifix from last Fall.
And even though we got sent home early from work because of potential danger, nothing riotous happened at the demonstration in our town the other day. So I’m thanking God for His mercy and love.
Here in New Zealand, holy mass for the public restarted over Pentecost. The lockdown now allows gatherings of up to 100 persons, so in the cathedral parish in the diocese of Christchurch, the three priests offered eleven holy masses over Pentecost: three on Saturday evening—4:30pm, 5:30pm and 6:30pm; five on Sunday morning—7am, 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am; and three on Sunday evening—4pm, 5pm, 6pm. The timetable will be the same for this coming weekend. The lockdown may ease further next week and it’s possible that there’ll be no limit on numbers thereafter.
We are still dispensed from Sunday mass obligation. Those who wanted to go to holy mass had to book in advance either online or by phone, and provide name and contact details. The 9am, 10am and 11am were fully booked.
We entered the church through the narthex and have our names ticked off; after holy mass we leave by the side doors. No processional, offertory procession and recessional. Alternate pews were cordoned off. No sign of peace. Holy communion in the hand. No collectors; we leave the offering in the baskets by the exits as we leave.
When the lockdown eased a fortnight ago to allow gatherings of up to ten people, the church was re-opened for prayer and Confession: Mondays to Saturdays 11am to 12:30pm, and 4pm to 5pm. This week, however, weekday holy masses have also restarted—7:30am, 9:15am, and 12:05pm, with Confession at 11:30am, Mondays to Fridays; and on Saturdays, at 9:15am followed by Confession. No need for advance booking on weekdays.
I want to share my good memories of a dearly departed priest who spent many happy years in residence at my parish.
Fr. Pat was a thoughtful, encouraging Irishman. I first met him in the confessional, when he told me the anecdote of a saint who, when spied on, was found to be acting quite morally after all. I think Father is trying to reassure me, despite scruples, that I am fighting the good fight.
Father Pat gave some great homilies for St. Patrick’s Day. They were packed with knowledge and insight into the great saint. He was well-read, and it showed.
As the sexual abuse scandal broke, Father Pat became indignant, not at the victims, but at those outside the Church who would attack her on false pretenses. He gave a fiery homily and garnered a round of spontaneous applause. He really had his ear to the ground in this matter.
Father left our parish after I knew him a few years, but he was close by, and still faithfully doing the rounds at hospitals. He must have anointed countless sick patients in that time; it’s a thankless job and perhaps not all priests enjoy it, but he certainly found meaning and purpose in these missions of mercy.
As Father Pat aged and developed dementia, he left ministry and went under professional care. Our current Grand Knight would often make visits with his wife, and he would report whether Father was having good days or bad days, but it was certainly always a good day when our Worthy Grand Knight could be in the presence of this venerable priest.
Father Pat passed away on May 24. May perpetual light shine upon him, O Lord.
Even though we are still technically under the house arrest decreed by our Democrat governor, we decided enough was enough and went down to see our son and daughter in law for a few days. While there we had an opportunity to attend Mass at St. Mary Broadway Providence RI (FSSP) which is where they usually attend and whose masses we had been watching on TV. It was wonderful to be able to attend a real Mass again, and a Traditional Latin Mass at that. Other than every other pew being roped off and people observing social distancing at the communion rail it was no different than a normal Mass. This was the usual 8 AM low mass, they have added 2 additional masses to the Sunday schedule to allow for the fact that less people can attend each one.