Letter From Fr Kelley

I received this e-mail from Fr Kelley:

August 9, 2018

Dear Deacon John, Vestry, & Flock,

Recently I met a man named Sameh, who told me he was Egyptian: from Giza, to be more precise, the area near Cairo where the ancient pyramids are. He was out- going & gracious. Later, I saw him doing something I didn't expect of a muslim. I got a chance to ask him about it. "Sameh, you told me you're from Egypt; are you muslim?" "Oh, no!" I asked, "Are you Coptic?" He said, "Yes!" I greeted him as a brother; I told him how I'd met Copts from Egypt years ago, who told me of the Apparitions of Our Lady, over a Coptic church in Cairo, in 1967. She appeared from April to August; the first two to see her were two muslim garage mechanics. I said, "Our God does have a sense of humor!" He said, "And yes! She has begun to appear there again, in the last two years!" He told me how patrons of a coffee house across the street from the church were seeing her -- all muslims! The owner (a muslim) has even installed a huge painting of her in his coffee shop!

He told me, "The [low church Egyptian] Anglicans didn't believe it... But the muslims are telling them, 'It is true!'" [In the 19th C, when the British 'opened up' Egypt, so they could build the Suez Canal, they thought that a "low church" presence would be non-threatening to muslims. So the mission came to bring "education & medical service," & such, in a low-key fashion. It hasn't been a very dynamic presence; very little mention was made of Our Lady, despite her miracles in that region, of which Sameh told me many. -- There is a strong tradition the Holy Family stayed in that neighborhood after fleeing to Egypt.] He said his home was destroyed in the rioting in 2011, along with 80 Coptic churches. His family escaped with their lives. "But," he told me, "every single one of those churches has been rebuilt, fresh, new, complete! 80 churches! GOD has restored them in ways we could not do! In the past, under Egyptian law, if you even went to paint a church, you'd be arrested! [Shari'a law forbids repair of churches.] But now, 80 churches, rebuilt! God restores things when we can't!"

I thanked Sameh for his witness, & this glad news. It is news we all need to take to heart, when we've been dispossessed so hurtfully. We need to acknowledge that God is at work! He does wonderful, "unexpected things" for those who are faithful to Him, who humbly expect Him to act. I hope Sameh's report will inspire & encourage you! Hold it in mind, if you face discouragement. Our parish custom has been, for some years, to make a united effort in the 40 days between the Feasts of Transfiguration & Holy Cross {Holy Wood!}. Will you please make that effort in daily prayer, when it is so vitally important for our future? You can use the attached prayer, -- or adapt it for your own use in some suitable way. [I apologize that I was unable to get this to you earlier this week, for the whole 40 days; family needs took priority.]

This coming Sunday, August 12, we'll gather again at Our Mother of Good Counsel, on N. Vermont Ave, at Ambrose, for the 10am Mass. Please look for those of our Flock, & sit as near as possible. We've been about a third of the way into the Nave, on the right side. We remain on a "Eucharistic Fast" until reception "into the fullness of Catholic Communion." (If you wish a priestly blessing, approach him with arms folded; the Lay Eucharistic Ministers cannot give such blessings, of course). Please share the information, and encourage others to join us on our pilgrimage. The "Pilgrimage of Grace," in 1536, was a witness of the Catholic heritage of England. In that heritage we stand. Let us support one another in this witness. God will show us our next steps forward. Faithfully,

Fr Kelley+

PS. Mr Bill Gould, of Troy/Gould, died after a lengthy illness, Monday, August 6. He was 79. His Requiem will be at Good Shepherd RC Church, Beverly Hills, on Monday, August 13, at 10am. To the very last, he was praying for our parish, & sent me a deeply touching note, upon hearing of the injustice lately done to us. May he rest in Christ's everlasting Peace. May the Angels escort him; may the Martyrs welcome him. May the Lord comfort his widow, their family, his friends, & his firm.

I would compare the diligent and persistent pastoral concern we're seeing from Fr Kelley with the sort of thing we've been seeing instead from -- with exceptions, of course -- the assortment of instant ordinands, opportunists, phonies, and wannabes, plus one convicted felon, who've been ordained in the OCSP up to now. These circumstances speak for themselves.