Tomorrow, June 30th, there will be a Mass at 8:30 AM. Yes, you read that correctly. St. Peter’s will have a Saturday morning Mass.

You prayed four years for this day. The exile is over. It’s time to come home!

I have been a “sheep in exile” for four years. I met many of you during our exile. And, although we didn’t speak of it, I could tell you all wanted to go home.

Some of you, have made changes and have become members of one of our surrounding parishes. Perhaps your children have made new friends in CCD or you are tied to your parishes in other ways.

Now the announcement is there in the Catholic Herald for all to see; St. Peter’s will have a new pastor. (Click here.)

Like me, many of you have no real decision to make. You knew all along that you would come back the very first moment that you could. For some of you, the decision will be a bit more difficult.

This will be our last post. Your support and prayers kept us going. Now, I’m coming home. Will you join me?

It’s been a very long time since I dedicated a song – this is for you.

Charlotte

Father Grinnell is safe! Pray a prayer of thanksgiving.

Apparently, another priest was scheduled to take his place and did not show up.

Thank you for your prayers.

Father Grinnell did not show up for the 5:00 PM Mass this evening. He was not to be found in the rectory and his car was not in the garage. Deacon Benyo reported this to the authorities. At 7:55 PM, I spoke to a deputy sheriff outside St. Peter’s and was told by him that the authorities are attempting to locate Father.

We are deeply concerned by this and request that all who read this pray for Father’s health and safety.

Here is Bulletin_2018-01-14

Knights of Columbus Mardi Gras Benefit Social: Check out the last page of Bulletin_2018-01-14 and you will find details for the Mardi Gras Benefit Social on February 10th at 6:00 PM. My beautiful spouse probable will not be up to attending the event, but I have instructions from her to sample everything (perhaps more than once) and to take notes.

The Slopes are Calling: Father make it easy for us. He is so tied into his personal plans that there really isn’t much that needs to be done to figure out when it’s time for another vacation. (See For the Sheep in Exile – Bulletin 2017-01-22 for an example of his annual January skiing trip.)

This year, his vacation will begin on or about January 16. We don’t know for sure if he will be gone for the weekend or part of the next week. We will have to go through our archives and do some research. But, as usual, he will not be available to join us on the bus to attend the annual March for Life.

Oh, speaking of the March for Life, our Pastor posted this in the bulletin and on the parish website:

 MARCH FOR LIFE, JANUARY 19 SIGN UP FOR OUR ST. PETER’S BUS 

Thanks to the Knights of Columbus, we will have a bus taking people to the MARCH FOR LIFE on Friday, January 19. SIGN UP FOR THE BUS IN THE NAVE OF THE CHURCH.  The bus will leave about 10am on the 19th and return after the March to St. Peter’s.  You will be able to leave your cars here at the Church and take the bus. 

My beautiful wife put’s it this way: “Father takes a vacation and the Knights of Columbus have to pick up the tab for the bus. Our Pastor won’t lead the flock on the March, so the good men of the parish have to pick up the slack.”

Obviously, in addition to her recent medical problems and slow road to recovery, my wife has to undergo the pain and stress of watching this happen all over again and again and reminding us of the dubious benefits of having a radical pastor. This is the way she see’s it –

And she also asks, “How many souls are being saved?”

Here is Bulletin_2017-11-26

Today is the the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

According the Manual of Indulgences, “A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who on this solemnity, publicly recite the act of dedication of the human race to Christ the King (Iesu dulcissime, Redemptor); a partial indulgence is granted for it’s use in other circumstances.

Act of Dedication of the Human Race to

Jesus Christ King

Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thy altar. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy most Sacred Heart.

Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to their Father’s house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.

Be Thou King of all those who even now sit in the darkness of idolatry or Islamism, and refuse not to draw them into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Thy eyes of mercy toward the children of that race, once Thy chosen people. Of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Saviour; may it now descend upon them  a laver of redemption and of life.

Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church, assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations; and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation: to it be glory and honor forever. Amen.

Prayer source: The Young Seminarian by B.F.  Marcetteau, S.S. Spiritual Director, Theological College of the Catholic University, Washington, D.C., 1943

Please note that the entire section in blue is omitted from the Manual of Indulgences. Originally, the prayer was composed by Pope Leo XIII and accompanied the encyclical Annum sacrum. It was promulgated on May 25, 1899 with the following wording”

The section that was omitted in the current Manual of Indulgences reads:

Rex esto denique eorum omnium, qui in vetere gentium superstitione versantur, eosque e tenebris vindicare ne renuas in Dei lumen et regnum.

While the above text and the text in blue are not identical in meaning, the additions to the original text were considered necessary by the Church. That is why almost every young seminarian was taught this form of the prayer until the mid-1960’s.

It is more than a shame that the entire section and it’s revisions have been dropped. Consider what the world might be like today if the Church had been praying that Christ would be the “King of all those who even now sit in the darkness of idolatry or Islamism“.

As for me and my house, we will keep the old form!

Viva Cristo Rey!!

Where will Father be? Once again our Pastor will be unavailable, unattainable, unreachable, and just generally “un-” for an entire week. Once again he will be gone with no warning, no explanation, no reason, and just generally “no“. That is our Pastor – the Pastor of “un-” and “no“.

Speaking of “no“, there will be no Mass on Monday. There will be Communion Services on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at the usual times.

Like a Broken Record: It’s back again, and again, and again – The Little Blue Book

LITTLE BLUE BOOK ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS 

At the door of the church there is a little “Blue” reflection book with daily reflections for its Advent and Christmas seasons.  Six minutes a day.  That’s what you’re asked to give during these next 37 days—the 22 days of the Advent season, and the 15 days of the Christmas season.

Each 24-hour day has 240 “six minute” packages.  During the Advent and Christmas seasons, you’re asked to give one of those to the Lord.  People are often surprised at how easy it is to pray this way, and how deep such prayer can be.

It can change your day…change your life. 

If our Pastor can say all this about The Little Blue Book, as for me and my house we can say: Balderdash, poppycock, and baloney!!! My beautiful spouse would add, “It’s a bunch of crapolla!”

(Note: If you wonder why we say this, please search for “Blue Book” in the search box in the upper right hand corner of this page.)