Our Lady of the Rosary--Our Diocesan Patroness: Daily Mass Homily--Monday, October 7th, 2013

            It is a great day in the Diocese of Duluth as it is our Feast Day.  Our Lady of the Rosary is the patroness of our Diocese.

            I have seen first hand the power of the Rosary.  Towards the end of her life my Grandma and I had a tender spiritual relationship founded on the Rosary.  In it, I saw some small miracles in her life that convinced me of the efficacy of the Rosary.

            I am grateful of the presence of the Rosary at our own parish.  Every day after Mass a group of our faithful pray this wonderful prayer.  I am proud of these women in their devotion.  Additionally, we pray the Rosary as a parish before the 4:30 Mass at St. John’s and before the 9:00am Mass at St. Joe’s.

            It is providential that we remember our Patroness on this day after it has been made public that a priest of our Diocese has been “credibly accused” of sexual misconduct.  As a young priest this causes me to have a heavy heart.  This is a complex situation that is not fully reported on by local media and one that leaves us—and me—with feelings of anger, sadness, helplessness and confusion.

            Yet greater than any possible misdeeds by members of our Church—remember that we are all sinners and in need of God’s grace and mercy—we have Jesus.  We also have our Mother.

            Please ask our Blessed Mother for prayers, especially through the Rosary, during these difficult times in our Diocese.