I’m sure that some of you who read this will recall the musings of a 92-year-old gentleman whom I call “Sanctus.” Everyone seemed to like his original thoughts, so I decided to share with you a story he recently shared with me.
I praphrase:
“The only priest I ever became really close to was Bishop Casey (an ‘assistant bishop’ in Rochester a long while back). He was a great guy. He used to pick me up from my house on Flower City Parkway and bring me with him when he’d visit parishioners of Sacred Heart. There was this one time where he said, ‘come on, we’re going somewhere.’ So I got in the car and we drove and drove and finally we got to the county jail. We went inside and I guess he had a Mass or something, but he gave me a book and put me in a cell and said, ‘stay there. I’ll be back later.’ I was sitting there and then I looked up and saw three friends behind bars in the next cell over. ‘For cripe’s sake,’ I said, ‘what did you guys do to get in here?’ ‘What did we do? What did you do?’ Well, a long time went by and Bishop Casey came back to get me. Did you know he was the one who did the renovation of the cathedral?’ (Here, I informed him of the contemporary “renovation.”) Why the heck did they do that? I mean, really, why did they need to do that junk? Geeze, you’d think the bishop would listen to the people in the pews.”
Well, we can pray that he does. After all, if the recommendation of the planning group goes ahead, we need to pray that the bishop would choose to sell to a religious order rather than to a Muslim group. I’m all for religious freedom, but I’d rather see a Catholic church stay Catholic. I should think you’d all agree. Anyways, we need to pray. “Sanctus” said that he has a table set up at his house that has the following things: dozens of old prayer cards in piles, a couple statues, a crucifix, a candle or two, and a bottle of holy water from Lourdes. He prays often and devotedly, as I hope we do too. Prayers are, ultimately, the only thing which can resolve the current situations in the DoR. Indeed, without prayer, any effort fails. (On that note, the Novena of Fortitude’s last two days are completed, but YouTube has been temperamental lately. I’m just waiting till it’s more stable.) 
Tags: Orthodoxy at Work
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I love the stories from Sanctus. Thank you for sharing these. This man has witnessed first hand the rise and fall of our diocese. He has so many experiences to share with you. Treasure the time you have with him while he's here, and ask him any question you might have.
I hope there will be more conversations with Sanctus posts in the future.
~DR. K
God bless Sanctus.
There is in existence an old film taken at Sacred Heart Cathedral in the late 50s when they dedicated it as the Cathedral (from pro-Cathedral status). The 50s renovation is complete in the film. The technology then was horrible, but all-in-all it's a fairly good film.
How does one go about getting a copy of this film?
~Dr. K
I'd have to ask Father if I could make a copy of it. Years ago we had it put on tape for the VCR. It shows the translation of the relics into the cathedral altar stone. The place is pack with nuns and priests. It even shows the old rectory at SHC.
Let me ask Father about it.
Bishop Clark could use a good earfull from Sanctus. That is unless he's on a month-long vacation.
Sanctus would make a good temporary "pastoral administrator" IMHO.