Wow.

I don't often get misty-eyed reading a church bulletin.
The parts I highlighted literally made me tear up.
Lord, send us more like Father Brankin!


Ramblings - Fr. Brankin
I thought today to give a bit a report—on what we have been doing—and what we might do—in the near future—a sort of five month report.

First of all you have noticed our attempts to enhance the landscaping around the school and church. Now people might have asked—well why did they have to pull down all those stones and put up new ones?

Actually because the old walls were falling down and falling apart—And to do the job right—it had to be totally removed and totally rebuilt.

You will be pleased to know that we have been acting as our own contractors on all of this— all St. Odilo parishioners accomplishing all these beautiful things—including the transplanting and watering and mulching of all our flora and fauna, and, of course, the masonry.

I am very proud of the workers. But I am also proud of you—our parishioners who have supported this effort by your purchase of the memorial bricks. That is where our budget for landscaping is coming from.

The bricks. In about two weeks we shall start laying them in.

We have bought magnolias and birches and crab apples and that is just the very beginning, My hope is that over the next few years more flowers and shrubs and bushes, in ever more beautiful and colorful patterns, will increase and make you proud of the beauty of this parish—as you always have been.

That of course is the outside. But you know we have been working inside as well. First of all, by means of your encouragement and generosity you have helped us move the tabernacle back to the center of the sanctuary where it really belongs and reflecting our belief that Our Blessed Lord is the center of our lives.

How beautiful was the Fr. Buckley’s original vision for this church. When we returned the statues of the Sacred Heart and St. Odilo to the sanctuary it was amazing to see at how well they fit— how they lifted up the space—almost as if it were a cathedral. This is what they were supposed to do.

That’s also why we raised up the candles—to twice their original height. It is such a glorious sanctuary.

And I will say that this is a stunningly beautiful altar—with that gold mosaic of the Pelican feeding her children with her own blood. We will never cover that up.
The Pelican is an ancient symbol of Our Lord feeding us with Holy Communion—His own Body and Blood. Is there anything more appropriate than that for an altar?

I am so grateful as well for the cleaning that has been going on. The stations are now as clean as when they were first installed. There is more straightening up and cleaning up to do of course, but we are getting there.

We are cleaning and retro-fitting a couple of vigil light stands—one for each of our corners.
I would like to place in the corner by St. Joseph—a half- life-size bust of Saint Padre Pio that I sculpted out of bronze—it will be my gift to St. Odilo’s—to be put there unobtrusively for any of our people who have a devotion to Padre Pio the most miraculous priest we have had in a thousand years.

And in the opposite corner—our newly restored Mary’s altar area— where the incredibly beautiful wooden statue of Mary as Queen will remain, I would like to also place—but higher in the corner— the traditional image of Mary under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe. There we will pray for Mary’s continued intercession on our behalf and on behalf of pregnant mothers and the unborn.

An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that would be appropriate will cost about five hundred dollars—so if anyone would like to help buy that image, please tell me.

But we are not finished with the restoration of the sanctuary just yet. In my mind I always go back to Fr. Buckley and what he wanted the new St. Odilo church to look like. I try to envision the church as they intended—and what they so lovingly built—with the funds of not only the adult parishioners but also of the children.

I am thinking of the altar rail—the very one that the children of the school—from out of their pockets and pennies and allowances and piggy banks— gave as a gift to this parish. I can only imagine how many child-like sacrifices were made in those days for the gift of the Communion rail—how many ice cream cones were forsaken—how many bulls eyes and candy whips were sacrificed—how many Kayos and cokes the children of St. Odilo’s denied themselves to purchase that communion rail—and how quickly it was gone.

And indeed how many people since have been denied the opportunity to kneel if they so desired to receive Holy Communion.
I would think that it might not be an impossible task to fashion an abbreviated version of the communion rail—in the same style as it was—Connemara green marble top and bottom— travertine ivory columns.

Only this time—as we did the tabernacle table—we would do it in wood painted to look like marble—for a fraction of the cost of marble.
We don’t need to do it immediately—But it would be the perfect complement to our renewed understanding of the Mass that His Holiness is calling for.

Now in case you are wondering if there might be some spiritual plans for the future in addition to all the physical things—yes, of course.
We need also to develop our faith and devotion—we cannot let it sit—we cannot be content to feel that what we knew in Eighth grade is enough.

So we plan to have an updated Catholic Information rack in the back of church—filled with contemporary and solid Catholic CD’s to listen to and brochures to read —incredibly interesting talks from people like Scott Hahn, Kimberly Hahn, Jeff Cavins, Mother Theresa, Bishop Sheen.
They say that the life of a CD is at least five people long—that you take a CD-- you listen to it and pass it on to this one in your family or among your friends and after a while maybe 5 or 10 people will have listened to and been affected by the one CD you took. I like the idea that we are all spreading the Gospel this way and we will start that shortly.
We are going to renew our Bible study program and begin utilizing some very modern and orthodox sources to help us better understand the Word of God.
Also this year—in honor of St. Odilo’s parish being the only parish in the country named after the saint who helped establish All Soul’s Day— I have been encouraged to begin some sort of Novena for All the Souls in Purgatory. Perhaps 9 nights of nine Masses with nine talks about Purgatory, beginning or ending with November 2nd.

And I think we must give special honor to the Blessed Virgin Mary by offering the traditional Vigil for Our Lady of Guadalupe in December-- complete with las mananitas and roses.
And speaking of tradition.

You know I have discussed the Old Latin mass for four weeks now in the bulletin and failed to mention the most important feature of the Pope’s new document—namely that while it is the priest’s right to say that Mass privately—any day every day—with or without people in attendance—it is the people’s right to have that Mass celebrated whenever they want it.
So I simply ask you to tell me if the once weekly celebration of the Latin Mass is something that you would desire at St. Odilo’s. I cannot impose it on you—but you can demand it of me. And the Pope says this is your right and no one can take it from you.
I have the feeling that this is going to be an interesting year, so I promise you the prayers of all the priests in the house, and we beg for yours—that not only will it be an interesting year—but one full of grace as well.