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From the Pastor: July, Dedicated To The Precious Blood Of Jesus
Every once in a while it is nice to pray a “new” old devotion. Below I have copied the Short Rosary of the Precious Blood found in the prayerbook Treasury of the Sacred Heart, originally published in 1867 and reprinted in 2022 by Angelus Press. A longer version with short explanations/meditations on each mystery can also be found in the book Blessed be God, first printed in 1925. V. Incline unto my aid, O God. R. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, etc. First Mystery Jesus shed blood in His circumcision. Five Our Fathers, one Glory be to the Father, and: We beseech Thee, therefore, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood. Second Mystery Jesus Shed blood in the agony in the garden. Five Our Fathers, one Glory be to the Father, and We beseech Thee, etc. Third Mystery Jesus shed blood in His scourging. Five Our Fathers, one Glory be to the Father, and We beseech Thee, etc. Fourth Mystery Jesus shed blood in His crowning with thorns. Five Our Fathers, one Glory be to the Father, and We beseech Thee, etc. Fifth Mystery Jesus shed blood in carrying His cross. Five Our Fathers, one Glory be to the Father, and We beseech Thee, etc. Sixth Mystery Jesus shed blood in His crucifixion. Five Our Fathers, one Glory be to the Father, and We beseech Thee, etc. Seventh Mystery Jesus shed blood and water from His wounded side. Five Our Fathers, one Glory be to the Father, and We beseech Thee, etc. Then recite the following prayer: O Most Precious Blood, source of eternal life, the price and ransom of the entire world, refreshment and laver of our souls, which dost continually advocate the cause of man before the throne of the sovereign mercy, I adore Thee profoundly, and wish, as far as in me lies, to compensate the injuries and the barbarous treatment which Thou continually receivest from those, and especially those, who rashly dare to blaspheme Thee. Oh! who will not bless this blood of infinite value? Who will not feel his heart inflamed with love for Jesus, that shed it? What would have become of me if I were not redeemed by this divine Blood? But what has drained the sacred veins of my Lord of His Blood, even to the last drop? Ah! it was surely His love. O infinite love, which has bestowed on us this all-healing balsam! O inestimable balsam, springing from the fountain of an immense love! Oh! make all hearts and all tongues praise, glorify, and thank Thee, now and for all eternity. Amen. V. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, with Thy Blood. R. And hast made us a king to our God. Let us pray. O almighty and eternal God, Who hast appointed Thy only begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and wouldst be appeased by His Blood; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may so venerate, with solemn worship, this price of our redemption, as to be protected by its virtue from the evils of this present life, and enjoy eternal rewards in Heaven: Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. With prayers for your holiness, Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka From the Pastor: Confirming Rumors!
The rumors are flying. On July 16, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, something either very wonderful or very terrible, depending on one’s point of view, is supposed to happen. What is that? You don’t pay attention to rumors? Good for you! Far be it from me to chastise you for keeping your nose to the grindstone instead of sticking it into other people’s business. But there comes a time when the rumors are so large and so widespread that even those who are trying to just keep their head down and pray get at least a whiff of whatever is coming off of the rumor mill. This is the latest case of which I now write. The rumors are growing. The rumors are spreading. The lips are flapping and the ears are itching. “More, give us more,” the people are crying. And so, with that as the introduction, I will put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and confirm the rumor. Yes, it is true. Beyond any shadow of a doubt, it can be told that it will indeed happen. The Jesuit who is at the heart of all of these rumors has made it official, at least to some, that he will indeed continue what he started a while back. And, due to his plans, which I have seen in writing with my very own eyes and so can confirm without hesitation, I will be relieved of my duties as pastor after that feast day of Our Lady. Now, now, wipe your eyes. I can’t tell if you are crying tears of joy or of sorrow. As for me, I can honestly admit that I am happy that it is happening. As a matter of fact, it would have pleased me if it could have happened a bit earlier. I don’t know how I will fill my time. I suppose I will just go into exile somewhere. Maybe I can find a place in the mountains and find a bit of respite from the heat. Or maybe go visit friends and family for a while. I really don’t know yet. But I am open to suggestions if you have any for me. I won’t have to sign checks, worry about the A/C not functioning properly, attend meetings, lock up the church at night, or even answer the doorbell at the rectory. I won’t have a care in the world, or at least not quite so many. Yes, the rumors are true and I will enjoy myself because of that fact. What’s that? You still don’t know the rumors of which I write? Why, the rumors that the most notable Jesuit priest, the one and only Father Vincent Capuano, is returning to Tampa on July 16 to take my place for a short stint. Yes, the rumors are true. He will be here, relieving me of most of my pastoral duties, for nearly two weeks. Just as he did last year, he will come for a few days of vacation and for a week of retreat, during which time I will be able to get away for a break. He will take the Masses and perform any necessary tasks while I am gone. I can rest assured that the parish is in good hands while I read a book, go fishing, or just sleep for a few days. So, weep for joy that Fr. Vincent is returning and that I get a break. Weep in mourning that he will only be here for a short visit and that I must return so soon. But...but...but... some of you are spluttering right about now, that’s not the rumor I thought you were writing about! Ahh, yes, the other rumor. The one that just happens to be associated with the same date, the same feast day, and may, perhaps, even have the effect of me being sent wandering off with nothing much to do. I really don’t have much to say about that one. I don’t have any inside information so I will learn of the veracity (or lack thereof) of that rumor as it plays out in real time. I write about this today because of that strange coincidence of the date, for what comes out in writing from a particular Jesuit on that date could very well lead to all sorts of other rumors if people assume that my “disappearance” was somehow related to that rumored document when it, in fact, has absolutely nothing to do with it. Those rumors (of the document) may prove to be either better or worse than expected or may prove to have no basis of fact whatsoever. I may not know until then what is fact and what is fiction. But, either way, I still hope to take a few days off and enjoy myself to the extent that I can. For those of you who have been scratching your heads and wondering “What the heck is he writing about?” and still don’t have a clue even though the article is nearly done, count yourself blessed, for you have truly been spared the rumor mill anguish that is keeping so many people awake at night and will continue to do so for at least a few more weeks. And to all of you still reading this, I simply remind you of St. Padre Pio’s famous and very helpful advice: Pray, hope, and don’t worry. With prayers for your holiness, Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka From the Pastor: Cancer Update
When I last wrote about my little bits of cancer, (basal cell carcinoma), I had just had my first Mohs surgery done just below my nose. After writing that they had gotten all of the cancer in that spot and that a biopsy later revealed another spot that tested positive, I got a lot of feedback from you. By far the most common was the question, “Are you growing a beard?” Those of you who read the bulletin probably think that everyone else does, too, but I can assure you that many don’t! “Father Scruffy” was completely lost on them. The next most common response consisted of stories of your own basal cell cancer and/or Mohs surgery. There are a lot of you who have had this cancer and this procedure. Here’s the good news they related: Every single parishioner who told me of their own bout with basal cell carcinoma was still alive! (No duh, Father, the ones who died from it didn’t speak with you!) Although one man lost half of his cheek and had to endure both radiation and chemotherapy even after the surgery and a couple of others needed a little bit of extra treatment, most people needed just a simple surgery like the one I had and the cancer was gone. A slightly less common response was the one I was hoping to ward off by explaining what I had and how the doctor was going to take care of it. This was the panicked response of those who just heard (or read) the word “cancer” and worried that I was going to die. Oh, how I wish that were true! Death, glorious death, awaits us all and, as long as we die in a state of grace, it is something we should long for, not fear. Take me now, Lord, if You deem me worthy of Heaven! This world is certainly not worth pining for and it is only getting worse. But, alas, it seems as if I will have to wait for either martyrdom or getting hit by a bus, for the cancer is gone. Had my cancer been in a place where nobody would have noticed, I would have kept silent about having it just to ward off such worry. But with it on my lip, there was not much of a chance that I could sneak it by any but the least observant among you. This was especially true when I had to wear the big white bandage for the first day after the surgery, making it look like I was shooting a “Got Milk?” commercial. The same is true now that I have had the second spot taken care of. I went back to the dermatologist on Wednesday and had Mohs surgery above my eye. After the first cutting, the doctor told me that it looked like he got all of it and he stitched me up, had an assistant put several rather large pressure bandages on it, and sent me out to the waiting room. “Even though I think I got it all, you still have to wait until I check it under the microscope to be sure,” he told me. I had to play the waiting game the last time, too, so I knew the drill. Being able to sit in the waiting room and read a book was actually something I was looking forward to rather than dreading, for I don’t find enough time anymore to do that. So out I went with a Kindle copy of Credo, Bishop Schneider’s recently published catechism. I had gotten a copy as soon as I could but still, months later, haven’t managed to make it all the way through. Maybe this time... But all too soon they called me back in. “I’m sorry but I have to cut out some more. I don’t have to make the incision any longer so the scar won’t be any more noticeable, but I have to go deeper,” said the doc. So on to round two. Another shot of whatever painful thing they inject to keep the scalpel from being felt and, after removing all of his nicely tied stitches, the doctor dug in. I think he hacked about halfway through my brain before handing a chunk of meat to his assistant and telling her to take it for testing. (For some reason the name “Abby Normal” popped into what was left of my brain when he said that. Some of you will understand why.) Then he stitched me up once again and gave me the waiting room speech, although he wrongly assumed that I would be disappointed to have to spend more time there. I told him that I hoped he got it all this time, for if he had to cut out the stitches and restitch again, I might start having Young Frankenstein-type scars (get the “Abby” reference now?) from all of the needle holes. He assured me that the scar would be barely noticeable since it was right at my eyebrow line. So off I went to read a few more catechism sections and soon enough heard my name being called once again. This time the girl was smiling. “You’re all clear!” she said, “You just need to keep the bandage on for a day and come back in a week to get the stitches taken out.” And that, I hope, is the end of my cancer story. Except the beard... With prayers for your holiness, Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka From the Pastor: Letters and Numbers: APA, CMA, 12K, 129K
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the newest numbers available across the diocese showing how many people attend Sunday Mass. It was based on counts taken at all parishes during this past February (we send in official counts every February and October). If you missed it, you can see the results hanging in the social hall. The short of it is that Epiphany continues to grow. This week I want to point out something that goes hand in hand with the increase in the number of parishioners, namely, an increase in the amount of money we are asked to send to the diocese to run programs, pay salaries, train seminarians, and all of the other things that are done on a diocesan-wide level. Earlier this week I was rummaging through a file in my desk and came across a letter showing some old Annual Pastoral Appeal goals for years gone by. As you know, APA has now changed names and is called CMA (Catholic Ministry Appeal) and has changed in several ways that take way too much space to explain, but the changes are mostly for the good. One big thing is that the CMA goal is not mandatory to hit as the APA goal was. Rather, the Bishop is relying on the pastors to give their best shot to encourage people to give willingly to pay for the expenses of the diocese. Only if he thinks the pastor is not doing his best will he make that individual parish’s goal a mandatory one. So far it has worked and most parishes have exceeded their goals. People like being able to specify where their money is going and they have responded well. The oldest APA goal I found was for Epiphany based on pre-”resurgence” income, the resurgence of the parish beginning in August 2015 when the first TLM since 1969 was celebrated here. To reach that year’s goal we needed to raise $12,192! Of course, there were only 87 people attending Sunday Mass in February of 2015, which means that Epiphany didn’t have a whole lot of income when that APA goal was calculated. The following year, since we grew exponentially in our first year of becoming Tampa’s Center for the Traditional Latin Mass (we grew to 335 people in February of 2016), our income shot up as well (thanks be to God, for we sorely needed the income to stay open). The next year’s goal was $42,058. Talk about a huge jump! 64 families responded to the Appeal and we raised the entire amount. The next few years our APA goal outpaced our parishioner numbers, for the goal kept growing faster than our parish did, but then in 2020 our attendance numbers took off again. The current CMA goal of $128,653 is based on last year’s income, and our attendance was 875. This year our attendance rose to 912, so I expect an increase in the CMA goal for next year as well. It is good to remember that if the overall income of the parishes in the diocese stays the same or falls but ours rises, our goal will rise even if the diocese doesn’t ask for more money as a total goal. Many parishes these days seem to be losing people and income, though, and at the same time the cost of everything from property insurance to health insurance to electricity is skyrocketing, so the diocese will probably need to raise even more money just to make ends meet. So I fully expect another increased goal next year. If you remember, for the last two years Bishop Parkes has called me into his office to say that we were so far behind most parishes in donations toward the CMA goal that he had to assume that I wasn’t putting in my best effort to reach the goal. He was wrong, of course, for we were right on par with our fundraising as it had always been for the old APA. For whatever reason, probably largely because I don’t preach about money every week, most people here have put off giving to the diocesan collection until the last half of the year. And having the guillotine blade hanging over our heads didn’t help instill much good will, either. But, having explained that to him and to you, you all came through. We reached our goal last year and I expect to do so again this year. And this time the Bishop hasn’t called me in, so he must trust you, too! After all, we certainly want to support our Bishop at all times, but especially as he figures out how to keep the TLM going in the future no matter what comes out of Rome. So please remember to write your checks or give online and support our much-needed diocesan programs. You can specify where you want your money to go if you wish, or simply donate and let it be spent wherever it is needed most. Just be sure when you give that you state clearly that you are giving on behalf of Epiphany of Our Lord in Tampa. If you don’t specify, we don’t get credit. An online CMA information and donation link can be found on the homepage of EpiphanyTampa.com. Thank you for your continued generosity to Epiphany and to the Diocese of St. Petersburg. With prayers for your holiness, Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka From the Pastor: Corpus Christi
This weekend, although the traditional feast day was this past Thursday, we celebrate Corpus Christi. In the Novus Ordo Mass, the liturgical calendar doesn’t mention it on Thursday, whereas the Traditional calendar shows it being celebrated on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday and then again on Sunday as an external solemnity. Does any of that matter to most Catholics? Probably not. But it is interesting to some people, at least. The old (previous translation) Novus Ordo Missal says, “Where Corpus Christi is not celebrated as a Solemnity it is transferred to the Sunday following Trinity Sunday.” This sometimes throws the foreign priests for a loop, for they expect that, as important as Corpus Christi is “back home” it should be a big feast day here, too! While in many (most?) countries Corpus Christi is a Holy Day of Obligation, in the US we don’t celebrate it as a Solemnity, therefore, is it transferred rather than repeated in the New Mass. Corpus means body and Christi means Christ, so the feast day is celebrating the Eucharist, wherein is the fullness of Jesus Christ, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. It was just a couple of weeks ago that we celebrated First Holy Communion at the parish and the children (and some adults!) were all filled with excited wonder at receiving Him for the first time in this Adorable Sacrament. They had all passed my test and knew without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus is fully present in His humanity (Body, Blood, and Soul) as well as in His Godhead (Divinity) in either of the Species (the Consecrated Bread and the Consecrated Wine). Further, they knew that He is fully present even in the smallest particle of the Host or the smallest droplet of the Blood. But, while they were all thrilled to profess their faith when they were showing me that they really believe what the Church teaches regarding the Eucharist, I was later told a story that warmed my heart even more, as it showed that at least one little girl really got it. At the Traditional Latin Mass, the Eucharist is only distributed under the Species of the Host. She received Our Lord with great love and devotion two weeks in a row here but the following week the family was going to be attending a Novus Ordo Mass where Holy Communion is distributed under both Species. She was told excitedly, “This time you are going to be able to receive Jesus’ Blood, too!” Her simple reply showed faith greater than that of today’s average (non-Epiphany!) Catholic. “But I’ve already received His Blood!” She knew that every time she received the Host she received, repeat this after me, the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Not just His Body, as if one part of His humanity can be separated from the other two parts and from His Godhead. No, she knew and professed with simple confidence that in receiving under both Species she would not be receiving “more” of Jesus. Oh, if only the rest of the Catholic world would learn from her! Many a well-meaning Catholic has come to the Traditional Latin Mass at Epiphany for the first time and asked the question, “Why don’t we get the wine at this Mass?” They never understand my answer, “Nobody ever receives wine at any Catholic Mass anywhere in the world.” They invariably argue, “We do at my parish!” Our little First Communicant would easily correct them with a statement of fact, “At your parish, you may receive the Precious Blood, which is no longer wine, along with the Sacred Host, but even here we receive—repeat this after me—the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus!” She would, I am sure, further be able to explain how those with severe Celiac disease, who cannot receive even a low-gluten Host, can receive the Precious Blood from a separate chalice that has not had the particle of the Host added to it and they, too, would receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus! (I forgot to write, “Repeat this after me,” but I trust that you get it by now.) I wonder if those who (especially amongst the older clergy) call the two Species “bread” and “wine” and think you are somehow getting gypped if you don’t receive both would eagerly distribute/receive from two more “Communion Stations” things like a piece of fruit and a whiff of oxygen if they were told that that is how they can receive even more of Jesus by receiving His Soul and Divinity under those two extra signs. Just think of how many more Extraordinary Ministers of Something or Other we could have gathered around the altar and spread around the church! [“Are you the minister of the bread today?” “No, I have the scuba tank this morning!”] I jest, of course, but if a Jesuit ever gets such an idea in his befuddled brain it might take off like wildfire. Maybe this idea could be taken up in the next Synod meeting. What do you think? Would California or Germany be the first to implement this New and Improved Whatchamacallit? So here we are, at Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi (I suspect that you are reading this during my homily!). The Eucharist, reserved in the tabernacle and confected upon the altar, is—because It is truly Jesus—the source and summit of our Faith. We will have a Eucharistic Procession following the 10:30 Mass glorifying and honoring the Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May we all be blessed with and pass on to others the simple and profound Faith shown by the little girl who knows exactly Who she recieves in Holy Communion! With prayer for your holiness, Rev. Fr. Edwin Palka |
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