Dear Ann-

You might appreciate this photograph today especially, the day of +Bp Gracida’s death. This photograph came to me from an old monk at Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, PA. The future bishop is on the far left, first row, on the day of his priestly ordination, May 23, 1959 at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg, PA. He was ordained by Bishop Hugh Louis Lamb, the first bishop of the diocese of Greensburg. Gracida was a monk from Saint Vincent Monastery for 10 years (1951-1961) and the Archabbot Denis Strittmayer is on Bishop Lamb’s left.

Requiescat in pace Bishop Gracida.

Many Blessings,

R

Today’s Epistle for the Feast of Sts. Philip and James immediately brought to mind the old axiomatic truism:

“First they laugh at you. Then they fear you. Then you win.”

Hang in there, folks. Keep praying, and GO. TO. MASS.

Lesson from the book of Wisdom

Wis. 5:1-5

The just shall stand with great assurance before their oppressors who set at nought their labors. Seeing this, these shall be shaken with dreadful fear, and amazed at the suddenness of the unlooked-for salvation. They shall say among themselves, rueful and groaning through anguish of spirit: These are they whom once we held as a laughingstock and as a type for mockery, fools that we were! Their life we deemed madness, and their death dishonored. See how they are accounted among the sons of God; how their lot is with the Saints!