Posted on October 22, 2017 View all news
Laudetur Jesus Christus! Gelobt sei Jesus Christus! Sia lodato Gesù Cristo! Praised be Jesus Christ!
October has certainly been a very busy month. Catechism is in full swing, we have had two Confirmations, several Solemn Masses, our Annual Musical Oratory of our Blessed Virgin Mary. We commemorated the 100th Anniversary of Fatima, have had our special German Masses, and our third Annual Men’s Holy Name Eucharistic Procession. Today is the Italian Dinner at Sacred Heart and we welcome the Germainia Society to Old St. Mary’s. This coming weekend will be Forty Hours, followed by the Fundraising Banquet for the Oratory, on Monday, October 30.
I now take this opportunity to publicly thank everyone who helped make each of these events, and so many other things not mentioned, possible. A lot of planning, time, and effort goes into all of the different events which happen at Old St. Mary’s. Without so many people being willing to pitch in and help, so much could not be done. I am simply one person; but with the other Priests, Seminarians, all of the Parishioners and beyond, we make great things happen. Thank you!
On the 100th Anniversary of Fatima, I did consecrate each family in our Parishes, Old St. Mary’s and Sacred Heart, to our Immaculate Virgin Mary. Each last name of all of our Parishioners is contained in the locket around the statues of Our Lady found in our Parishes. I pray that she keeps each of you under her motherly protection. St. John Vianney did the same thing when he became the Parish Priest in Ars. Our Lady never let him down in watching over his Parishioners; and I trust that she will not let us down either. Please be sure to pray to our Blessed Virgin each day, especially in offering the Rosary every day. Pray for our Parishes, our Priests & Seminarians (those assigned here, and those who grew up at Old St. Mary’s who became, or hopefully will become, Priests), and all of our Parishioners. There is so much needed; but Our Lady knows no obstacle.
This coming weekend is Forty Hours. We begin with Holy Mass at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. I am personally asking, urging in fact, each and every Parishioner to take on a Holy Hour. You may sign up for an hour at: http://fortyhours.oldstmarys.org/. Our Lord asks each one of us, as He asked the Apostles in the Garden on the night He was betrayed, “Could you not keep watch with Me for one hour?” Over 400 people attend Mass here each and every Sunday. We should have at least 10 people at every hour. Pray for the intentions stated above. Bring your own intentions to our Lord. Pray for the Archbishop, for our Country, the world, the Pope, the Church. Our Lord is waiting here in quiet, amidst a noisy world. He will hear our prayers, but we must bring them to Him. Please sign up! I don’t want to see just two people per hour. That is the minimum. The Lord calls us to perfection, a high standard; but not impossible. I want this Parish so perfect, that each of us is pushed a bit higher and a bit closer to the Lord!
Thank you again to everyone for all of your help and assistance this past month. We will conclude the busy month of October with the celebration of All Saints and the commemoration of All Souls. Shortly after that I, along with 36 other parishioners, will depart for Italy to walk in the footsteps of St. Philip Neri. Please keep this endeavor in your prayers. Have a blessed week ahead!
