Dear Friends,
The saints remind of us our destiny—that we strive by the grace of God and their good prayers to be in the future where they now are.
But the saints also remind us of our past. The saints we celebrate in August remind us of our local past, our diocesan history.
August Fourth we remember St. John Vianney, a French priest of humble birth who, after ordination was sent to the little town of Ars. For the next 41 years he served as the parish priest: celebrating mass, hearing confessions, and teaching the Catholic Faith. He had the gift of reading hearts, of being able to tell penitents their sins before they could confess them. He would often spend 8-12 hours a day hearing confessions.
Pope Pius XI named St. John Vianney the patron saint of parish priests, so this month please do pray for the Cathedral clergy, or your own parish priest.
August 8th is the Feast of St. Dominic, the founder of the Dominicans. We are fortunate in this diocese to have all three expressions of the Dominican life—the friars, the nuns, and the religious sisters. Some of you may have been taught by the Springfield Dominicans. The nuns pray for us in their monastery near Girard, and the friars are their chaplains. We thank God for the many years of blessings, preaching, and teaching the Dominicans have provided for our diocese.
August 11th is the Feast of St. Claire of Assisi, and the 14th is St. Maximilian Kolbe, both Franciscans. We give thanks for the Franciscan Friars, Sisters, and Brothers who have served in our diocese in parishes, schools, homes for the disabled, and by providing excellent healthcare and care for the poor. May God continue to bless their ministries.
With gratitude and joy for the days ahead!
Fr. Seth
PS—for those looking ahead: August 15th is the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, and normally it is obligatory to attend Mass on that day. But as it falls on a Saturday this year, it is not obligatory to attend Mass for that Solemnity (though I certainly encourage you to do so!).