I know a man in Rockford. I think he’ll get me in. Do you have room in your car?

We Rockford people are justly proud of our dedicated young priests, and the dinner was by way of saying so to all of them. A dozen turned up from the diocese, along with our beloved traditionalist rector, Fr. Brian Bovee of the Institute of Christ the King, and Fr. Chris Henderson, the serious young priest from the Fathers of Mercy who serves as chaplain to the Poor Clares in the city. They all certainly seemed to enjoy setting aside their cares for an evening, and being waited on.

But I am putting the cart before the horse. Before the banquet, Fr. Koutnik offered his first Mass in the traditional Latin rite, with the gracious permission of His Excellency Thomas Doran, Bishop of Rockford, who has been so generous to those of us who love the old liturgy. The Mass was as grave and august as you could wish. The first of my students to serve on the altar, Kazimir, was up there, along with his brother. Father said it gave him a great sense of security to know he had that competent back-up. The older students from the school chanted the Mass, and sang the ancient music of the Church before it, and for the Offertory and Communion, in parts, unaccompanied the way they sound best. They were profoundly embarrassed when people told them how good they sounded. (Embarrassment is of course the correct response. As one of them said recently, if we happen to do something for a Mass, it isn't about us; it's about God. That observation, not incidentally, came from one of my Baptist students. We hope to see her and her family into the Church at Easter.)

The Mass was all gravity, as it should be, but the homily was pure, double-distilled Fr. Koutnik. I suppose the best single adjective is forceful.

We offer this Mass in honor of St. Martina, virgin and martyr. We are reminded by the proper prayers and readings of her Mass to keep the lamp of our faith burning until Our Lord comes again. It is cold outside tonight, cold and dark; but that cold and that darkness are nothing compared to the cold and darkness of a life without a burning love for Christ.

It is typical of Fr. Koutnik that, having discovered the ancient rite of Mass, he has fallen in love with it.

I was talking a couple of days ago with a good Jesuit yes, there is a good Jesuit—, who said what I was about to do was weird. But is it weird to want to know your family history? Is it weird to want to understand and participate in the culture of your nation? How many popes have offered this Mass? How many bishops and great saints? How many ordinary, everyday saints have prayed this Mass, people whose names we don 't know but who are now in Heaven, workers, farmers, firemen, housewives? The Mass of the Ages is not weird.

I asked Fr. Koutnik the same question I had asked years before of another young priest who had just begun to offer the traditional Mass. Did he find that the strict rules and rubrics of the traditional rite made it more difficult for him to pray the Mass, to make it his personal prayer? Fifteen years later and a thousand miles away, his answer was the same.

The strict rules, he said, make it more possible for me to pray the Mass, to forget about myself. That Mass was the shortest hour of my entire life.

Some of the students contributed music to the dinner, also. Our three best singers performed a Palestrina motet that stopped all conversation and caused not a few quiet gasps, it was so lovely. It was none of my doing: they taught it to themselves.

The students are making up a wish list of what they hope for when we have our new school building: heat in the bathrooms; hot water in the bathrooms; a real science lab; playing fields; a place for a real library. They agree, however, that most important of all is a chapel.

It would be awesome to have Mass every morning.

We could just go there when we wanted. We wouldn't 't have to go to Confession in Mrs. Altham's office, in the middle of the gym equipment.

If we had a class period off, we could just go and pray.

These are the words of modern teenagers, who pray every day for their benefactors. I do believe we've begun a good work here. Please pray for us, that we do the right things to continue it.

Single Click mail box below to contact our Administrative Assistant for the above Tape or questions by E-mail.

This evening was dedicated to all of the good and faithful priests who have given their lives in service to Holy Mother Church.

Proceeds of this event will benefit St. Patrick Church in Rockford, Illinois, the Mary Catherine Building Fund and the Clergy Relief Fund.

Single Click mail box below to contact our Administrative Assistant for your registration or questions by E-mail.

Since last newsletter, a number of events have taken place at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Academy due to your sacrifices and prayers. The first was Rockford's 's inaugural Priest Appreciation Banquet: not only did we raise nearly $12,000 for our building fund, but before the dinner nearly two hundred people attended Fr. Koutnik's 's first Mass in the traditional Latin rite, while students of the Academy served as a choir. We owe Fr. Koutnik special thanks, not only for his dedication to the traditions that have served the Church so well over the centuries, but also for the time and attention he has committed to our students. He doesn't t just teach them; he inspires them; and I must personally shark him for the inspiration he provides to me. Fr. Koutnik doesn't 's know the extent of his influence upon the Academy, or how many eyes are focused upon his example to us.

It 's my privilege to thank all the priests who attended that evening, and helped make it a marvelous event: Fr. Black for being as amiable and witty an M.C. as could be hoped for; Fr Geary for hosting the event, for supporting our endeavors as a member of our advisory board and for his holy example; Fr. Bovee for his astute advice, many prayers and generous support; Fr. Sabo for his courage; Fr. Canova for his faith and perseverance; Fr. Stringini for reaching out; Fr Henderson for his prayer and example; Fr Beekman for his zeal for souls; and father Earl for his piety.

We also have a number of students who are considering coming into the Church, along with their parents. Your tone and effort with them may well be the spark that catapults them into the Catholic faith. Thank you for caring for our Protestant converts!

March 13 was a great day for our older students: they were asked by the Legion of Mary to sing at the Cathedral for the Bishop's Mass and the Legion's consecration to the Immaculate Heart. It was good to hear the students say what an honor it was to sing for His Excellency.

Finally, I would like to offer a few words of support not only to the priests who help at the Academy, but to all faithful priests. Know that the faithful need you now more than ever. Wear your collar with pride, no matter how the culture around you looks at you. It 's a culture in which what once was called good is now called point-of-view, and what once was shameful is now glorified. Remember the urgency of the war for souls, and the fact that when God called you He put you on the front line. We need you not to allow scandal, dissent or indecisive leadership to hamper you; now, of all times, compromise and hesitation are fatal. Take heart: by God's grace we’ll triumph in the end.

Father Geary - Lou and Claire Bageanis

Back to TOP !