Joe Gorney came to see me last August to tell me that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer & learned of this back in April of last year, just a couple of weeks after he turned 60 (I had turned 60 just a few days before he came to see me). Sadly, Joe passed away last month & we celebrated his funeral Mass February 6th. He has 2 sons, Steve & Joe, who possess his same gentleness and kindness. I had anointed Joe & prayed with him, so I know he was ready to meet the Lord. I thank God for knowing him, even for just a short time, and pray he may rest in God’s peace.
We also extend our sympathies to Chris Barhof, whose husband Tom passed away suddenly while I was on vacation. Fr. Brown was able to celebrate his funeral Mass at Mary, Queen of Peace and I’m grateful for him doing so while I was away. We pray for Tom and Chris and ask the Lord to fill them both with his peace.
This weekend we welcome Bishop Martin Amos to St. Leo’s as he celebrates the Sacrament of Confirmation for our young people at the 4pm Saturday Mass. I have known Bishop Amos since I started the high school seminary in 1974, where he was assigned. He was my first spiritual director and confessor, and I since I always referred to him as my “model priest,” I predicted to him at that time that he would become a bishop some day. And so he did! I’m so happy to have him come to St. Leo’s this weekend. I understand that he grew up in this area so I’ll be asking him about that after Mass. We welcome him and congratulate our confirmandi as the gift of the Holy Spirit is given to them sacramentally.
While I was in the high school seminary, we saw some changes in the practice of our Catholic faith which were the result of the Second Vatican Council that took place in the early 1960’s. I remember receiving Holy Communion in the hand which became an option at that time & is now a common practice among most Catholics. I also remember going to confession “face to face” which was quite a change from the previous anonymous confessions behind the screen. You will notice another very small change as of Ash Wednesday as we begin on that day to conclude our prayers by saying, “We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.” Did you notice what was missing? The word “one” before “God.” This is a more accurate translation of the Latin and is meant to clarify that we are speaking here of Christ’s divinity, and so call him “God.” We are not speaking of the Oneness of the Trinity, which is implied. Other languages besides English already have the correct translation.
Lent begins this week with Ash Wednesday. Mass will be celebrated at 8:30am (live-streamed for the school students & of course those at home) & at 7pm. Deacon Pat will have a service with ashes at Noon. Again, a small change due to the pandemic: ashes will not be placed on the forehead but sprinkled on top of your head in silence (seriously). Here is what the Diocese instructs: “This method of distributing ashes by sprinkling is a common practice in other countries, but is not well known in the United States...there is no requirement to physically receive ashes, but they (the faithful) may come forward if they so choose in order to receive them in the manner described above. I’ll speak more about this at Mass this Wednesday.