Weekend Masses

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, June 4th is my ordination anniversary. Every year as it approaches I remember the eleven others who were ordained with me especially the one who died young rest in peace. Three others left and two joined dioceses. Looking back I am amazed at the journey my life took. I made a choice to become a priest and thought that my whole life would be spent in Africa. I have served in Africa but also in vocation ministry and in promotion (fundraising) I planned none of that. When I moved on from fundraising I made a request to be an associate somewhere but others had other plans and here am I Lord. I would not want to change it. Let God be God and get on with it. Every appointment has been a challenge, everyone different and I know that the Lord has been on the journey with me. At times I didn’t see it but I know he was there even in the darkest moments. Yes its hard to trust, yes at times the road is windy and hilly but to any young person who takes up the challenge willingly God is there as you enter in and as you journey. Please pray for vocations to the diocesan priesthood and to the missionary and religious life. If you put your hand to the plow the Lord will journey with you every step of the way. Let the journey continue, Fr Karl  

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, May 16th /17th. Arrived at the Airport and it was nice to see familiar faces, people I had traveled with before and then there were new faces. As we introduced and reintroduced ourselves there was an atmosphere of pleasantness and comradery as we told stories of past trips and caught up on the ones we had missed. There was a slight delay but soon we were on our way to Paris arriving there at 9:30 Paris time 2:30 am Chicago time. Most of us had not slept. It took ages to clear emigration and collect our luggage. Then we were on our way to our first stop Chartres with a familiar guide and bus driver. We drove around Paris on the ring road, lots of traffic and then on the motorway to Chartres getting in here in the afternoon of a glorious day. We checked into our hotel. Some went to sleep but others who had been here before wandered up to the Cathedral with those magnificent stained glass windows with the unique blue that bathes everything in that color in the early morning and late afternoon. A color that has yet to be replicated over 800 hundred years later. I lit a few candles at the shine of Our lady and knelt and said a prayer. Then visited the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and our Lady of Fatima. On the way back to the hotel, I stopped for coffee. Before we went out for dinner we had Mass in the hotel. As we walked to dinner the rain fell a blessing on the journey. Tomorrow morning we celebrate Mass in the Cathedral Crypt and then tour the building. More about that and parts of the journey in the next Bulletin. Let the journey continue, Fr Karl