The red ribbon wrapped envelopes lying on the altar at this morning’s mass tell about the great value of having masses celebrated on special occasions or for special people. Each mass, be it Sunday or weekday is offered for the deceased or for the living, such as for mothers on Mother’s Day and father’s on Father’s day. This morning’s envelopes celebrate Father’s Day.
Catholic youth haven’t been taught the great value of the mass and how precious the act of having a mass said for their fathers is. They ought to be reminded that the mass is the act of redemption—not the death of Jesus on the cross 2,000 years ago, but the never ending ever present sacrifice of Jesus through the mass.
One of the modern rising saints, Solanus Casey, called the Porter of St. Bonaventure, proved this. When the sick or spiritually troubled came to his door, he told them to offer a mass. He presented them with his monastery’s mass card for a small donation, and had the priests of his order celebrate mass. The number of miracles worked through the masses at St. Bonaventure which Father Casey also celebrated are countless.
Solanus was a priest of the Capuchin order but was unable to hear confessions or preach doctrinal sermons. His right to do so was withheld, making him a priest simplex, able only to say mass since he did not have the theological understanding necessary to celebrate the other sacraments. His story is worth reading. http://www.ourecho.com/story-6466-The-Porter-of-St-Bonaventure.shtml
A book of the Venerable Solanus Casey called The Porter of St. Bonaventure can be found on Amazon.com
Perhaps next year more fathers will receive mass cards on Father’s Day.
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