Strengthen Your Brethren, - July 30, 2006
One of the signs of the vitality of the faith and families of a parish is the number of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life that the parish has nurtured. God has truly blessed Saint Peter’s raising up from our midst many young men and women to these special vocations. This weekend several native daughters of our parish are celebrating their Jubilee of Religious Profession as Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Third Order of Saint Francis. We rejoice with Sister Florence Domka on the 60th anniversary of her religious profession and with golden jubilarians Sisters Catherine Kieliszewski, Gerri Kryshak, and Mary Ann Stoltz. Although not a native of Saint Peter, we also beg God’s blessings on Sister Michele Nemojeski on her 50th anniversary. May the witness of these women “who are consecrated in a special manner to God by the profession of the evangelical counsels (of) chastity, poverty, and obedience” (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 178) inspire our young people to prayerfully consider the consecrated life. Congratulations, Sisters!
Thank you for the beautiful cards, kind wishes, gifts and prayers on the occasion of my 17th anniversary of ordination to the Priesthood! In some ways July 22, 1989 seems just like yesterday and in other ways it seems like a million years ago! I am most grateful to those who helped me to hear God’s call to the Priesthood and to embrace it with joy. “The anointing of the Spirit seals the priest with an indelible, spiritual character that configures him to Christ the priest and enables him to act in the name of Christ the Head. As a co-worker of the order of bishops he is consecrated to preach the Gospel, to celebrate divine worship, especially the Eucharist from which his ministry draws its strength, and to be a shepherd of the faithful” (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 328). Please pray that I may always remain faithful to this wondrous gift! Thanks, as always, for your many signs of support, encouragement, and affection!
Our Diocese of La Crosse was honored recently as Pope Benedict XVI appointed a native son, Archbishop Raymond Burke of Saint Louis, to the Vatican’s supreme court. He remains the Archbishop of Saint Louis, but now also serves as one of the 15 judges of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. This means that Archbishop Burke will occasionally have to travel to Rome for the court’s business. The Church’s high court hears final appeals of decisions by Vatican administrators and offices and ensures that justice is administered correctly in the Church. Archbishop Burke explained that the Apostolic Signatura’s work involves more than merely handing down legal decisions. “The Signatura serves a very important function in promoting reconciliation and peace within the Church,” he said. “Efforts are made to bring a peaceful resolution.” May the Holy Spirit guide the deliberations of Archbishop Burke and the other members of the Church’s supreme court!
Saint Peter, pray for us! Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!