Strengthen Your Brethren - Trinity Sunday - June 11, 2006
The Catechism of the Catholic Church helps us see the practical implications of this weekend’s celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity: “The Church is one because of her source: ‘the highest exemplar and source of this mystery is the unity, in the Trinity of Persons, of one God, the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit [Vatican II, Decree on Ecumenism, 2].’ The Church is one because of her founder: for ‘the word made flesh, the prince of peace, reconciled all men to God by the cross . . . restoring the unity of all in one people and one body [Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 78].’ The Church is one because of her ‘soul’: ‘It is the Holy Spirit, dwelling in those who believe and pervading and ruling over the entire Church, who brings about that wonderful communion of the faithful and joins them together so intimately in Christ that He is the principle of the Church’s unity [Vatican II, Decree on Ecumenism, 2].’ Unity is of the essence of the Church” (813). A few paragraphs later the Catechism continues: “The Lord’s missionary mandate is ultimately grounded in the eternal love of the Most Holy Trinity: ‘The Church on earth is by her nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, she has as her origin the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit [Vatican II, Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity, 2].’ The ultimate purpose of mission is none other than to make men share in the communion between the Father and the Son in their Spirit of love” (850).
A warm welcome to all our guests who have joined us for Saint Peter’s Picnic! We appreciate your presence with us this weekend! Please know you are always welcome here!
Two times per year all the priests of the Diocese of La Crosse gather to strengthen our fraternity in the priesthood of Christ, to hear presentations by various speakers, and simply to enjoy some time of relaxation together. The summer gathering in La Crosse – called “Priest Unity Days” – begins at 4:00 pm on Sunday, June 11, and ends at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, June 13. At Saint Peter Father Worzalla will celebrate Mass as usual at 8:00 am on Monday, June 12. However, there will be no Mass on Tuesday, June 13, as Father Sakowski and I will still be in La Crosse and Father Worzalla will be on vacation. On that Tuesday at 8:00 am our parish’s deacon-in-training, Gary Glodowski, will lead a Liturgy of the Word with the Distribution of Holy Communion. Gary has already been trained to conduct such a service, which is detailed in the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship’s 1973 Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharist Outside Mass. Please pray for your priests, for those studying to be priests, and for the young men of Saint Peter’s to have hearts open to the call to the priesthood.
Very early Saturday morning, June 17, I will be leaving for Hanceville,Alabama, leading a week-long Eucharistic pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The Shrine is at the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, home of the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration established by Mother Angelica in 1962. It is into this religious community that our parishioner, Katie Buss, will be entering July 16. Please pray for all the pilgrims and for me as their spiritual director, that it will be an occasion of many blessings and graces. You will be specially remembered in my prayers at this holy place.
Saint Peter, pray for us! Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!