Welcome Bishop Gerard Battersby!! Tomorrow, May 20th, he will be installed as our 11th Bishop of the diocese. Pray for him and the ministry that he will be doing as our chief shepherd. This is a powerful reminder that we are part of a global church. Pope Francis appointed him from Rome and he comes to us from Detroit. Even myself growing up in Chippewa Falls, studying in Chicago and being sent to St. Peter and St. Casimir Parishes (including St. Adalbert and St. Mary) in Stevens Point. Our mind-set should be that we are members of the Catholic Church that spans the entire world. That our diocese (all 19 counties) is but a small part of the Church.
This brings to mind a great image from St. Paul in his letters that we are all members/parts of the Body of Christ. We cannot separate ourselves out or look only at what is in front of us. In prayer, let us hold Bishop Battersby close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that he as head and shepherd of the La Crosse Diocese may lead us all closer to the Kingdom.
Also, looking at our country as a whole, we are celebrating the National Eucharistic Revival by hosting part of the Marian Pilgrimage route with the traveling monstrance. If you can be a part of that day in La Crosse, I highly encourage it. Catholic Life magazine is giving highlights of the events that week; one of them is very simple and will be held nearby in Ellis, at Blessed Brother Miller’s grave. Again, I encourage you to involve yourself and read the time and details in Catholic Life Magazine.
Let me share a few excerpts from Chris Carstens article, “Bringing Children to Eucharistic Adoration.” “Silence and stillness are not simply the absence of noise and activity; rather, they create a space for God to fill. Adoration may be the only place throughout the week where silence and stillness exists–even for a child. Once we enter the silence that adoration affords, demonstrate to your children how to talk to God. Jesus doesn’t need a treatise, but the words of a child’s heart (and ours). Perhaps we need to ask ourselves, do I, as a parent/grandparent, know how to be still and silent? How can I demonstrate such to my child/grandchild? How do I talk to Jesus? If I were to give an example to my child/grandchild, what would it be? Talk with your child/grandchild after adoration: How did it go? What did you say? What did Jesus say to you?” Now answer these same questions for your child/grandchild. In the coming days let’s keep the big picture before us; let us KEEP JESUS FRONT & CENTER!