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Fr Chrysogonus Waddell entered into the joy of the Lord on this solemnity of Christ the King. Born in 1930 to parents serving in the military and stationed in the Philippines, he joined the community of the Abbey of Gethsemani on August 2, 1950.

His ordination to the priesthood took place on May 31, 1958. Blessed with many talents and an exuberant spirit, Fr Chrysogonus returned the gifts generously and tirelessly. His musical compositions are known and played throughout the world.

His scholarly contributions are highly renowned and acclaimed. Humble and faithful, humorous and devout, he sought the face of the Lord with zeal and tenacity. May his song in heaven be jubilant and eternal!

A Kentucky obit.

Early this morning Father Frank Quinn, O.P. died after struggling with health issues these last few years. Father Quinn was a Dominican priest of the Province of Saint Albert the Great, a professor of Liturgical Theology and a former teacher of mine. In your charity remember Father Quinn in prayer.

O God, Thou didst raise Thy servant, Frank C. Quinn, to the sacred priesthood of Jesus Christ, according to the Order of Melchisedech, giving him the sublime power to offer the Eternal Sacrifice, to bring the Body and Blood of Thy Son Jesus Christ down upon the altar, and to absolve the sins of men in Thine own Holy Name. We beseech Thee to reward his faithfulness and to forget his faults, admitting him speedily into Thy Holy Presence, there to enjoy forever the recompense of his labors. This we ask through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

May his memory be eternal.

Remember, Lord, those who have died ... especially the Reverend Father Joseph Charles Linck, whom today you have called to you from this life ..."

 

Today, in Trumbull, Connecticut, the Church mourned the passing of Father Joseph Linck, 43, who succumbed to cancer last week. The Most Reverend William Lori, Bishop of Bridgeport, celebrated the Sacrifice of the Mass with the Order of Christian Burial for Father Linck. About 125 priests concelebrated the Mass.

 

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Linck and for the Diocese of Bridgeport. In your charity, please keep his parents and friends in prayer. Father Linck was a very kind man, talented and a man of the Church; from personal experience I can say he was a man of good humor and compassion for human nature. This summer, two young-ish priests died, Linck and Fitzpatrick, both good friends. So, a prayer for vocations would be good, too.

May his memory be eternal.

Today is the 90th birthday of His Eminence, Avery Cardinal Dulles. At Fordham University's Chapel about 175 people gathered to thank God for his many blessings and to offer Thanksgiving for the life and work of this great man of the Church: The Sacrifice of the Mass was offered by the Cardinal's fellow Jesuits and some non-Jesuit priests. Family and friends, the high and the lowly and everyone in between came to celebrate with Cardinal Dulles. His longtime friend and Assistant, Sister Anne-Marie Kirmse, O.P. made today a wonderful event for many friends. No one could want nor hope for a better friend than Sister Anne-Marie!

THE most heart-filled gesture was seeing Edward Cardinal Egan, the Archbishop of New York, pushed Cardinal Dulles in and out of the Chapel. What a perfect example of humanity!!!  Later, Cardinal Egan joked at a reception that he doesn't regularly push Jesuits around much less Jesuit Cardinals, but he said it was his honor to push Dulles because of their longtime friendship and esteem; they are classmates in the College of Cardinals.

The Church gave us this prayer for the 21st Sunday Through the Year to praise God; it also speaks to the person and work of Cardinal Dulles.

O God, You who make the minds of the faithful to be of one will,
grant unto Your people to love that thing which You command,
to desire that which You promise,
so that, amidst the vicissitudes of this world,
our hearts may there be fixed where true joys are.

(trans. Fr. John Zuhlsdorf)

I first met then Father Dulles in September 1997 at a Communio Circle in Easton, CT, hosted by the remarkable Maria Shrady. Never did I imagine what has happened to all of us since then: some that group became better theologians, some pastors of souls, some have met the Lord face-to-face, some have moved to new work and some have reached 90 years of life as a cardinal of the Holy Roman Church. Another terrific thing happened today: the opportunity to renew friendships with many whom I esteem as people and as theologians. While our Communio group has disbanded for now, we decided in 2009 to reconstitute ourselves to work on theological matters of importance under the inspiration of Dulles and under the inspiration of another venerable cardinal, Hans Urs von Balthasar (a former Jesuit I might add who died 28 June 1988).

Cardinal Dulles himself in this way:

"Although I cannot rival the generous dedication of St. Paul and Ignatius of Loyola, I am, like them, content to be employed in the service of Christ and the Gospel, whether in sickness or health, in good repute or ill. I am immesurably grateful for the years in which the Lord has permitted me to serve him in a society that bears as its motto: Ad maiorum Dei gloriam. I trust that his grace will not fail me, and that I will not fail his grace, in the years to come" (A Testimonial of Grace, 50th anniv. edition). 

The silent but very present witness of Avery Dulles is powerful and a strikingly stark approach than what we see in many parts of our society where the infirmed are moved to the margins of life. On the contrary, these are the people that most make present the beautiful of Jesus Christ. Personal purification and suffering continues to witness, at least to me, to the value of life and powerful presence of the Infinite. Dulles said of himself in the 39th McGinley Lecture, 21 April 2008:

The good life does not have to be an easy one, as our blessed Lord and the saints have taught us. Pope John Paul II in his later years used to say, "The Pope must suffer." Suffering and diminishment are not the greatest of evils, but are normal ingredients in life, especially in old age. They are to be accepted as elements of a full human existence. Well into my 90th year I have been able to work productively. As I become increasingly paralyzed and unable to speak, I can identify with the many paralytics and mute persons in the Gospels, grateful for the loving and skillful care I receive and for the hope of everlasting life in Christ. If the Lord now calls me to a period of weakness, I know well that his power can be made perfect in infirmity. "Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

In Stamford, Connecticut, Church lays to rest Father Kevin P. Fitzpatrick (aged 52) who died suddenly this past Sunday. Only a month ago did we celebrate his 25th anniversary as a Catholic priest. Father Kevin was a great person, a terrific priest and a friend. The loss is significant. May his memory be eternal and may the Lord comfort us in our sorrow. May his memory be eternal and may the Lord comfort us in our sorrow.