The Rev. Mr. James Wilder - New Deacon for Grotto - Leads Fatima Rosary

Assumption Grotto did a fine job with the Fatima Worldwide Sanctity of Life Day, which Fr. Perrone plugged in his weekly bulletin a couple weeks ago before heading off to Italy on pilgrimage with Bob and Penny Lord, where he served as Spiritual Director for the group.

I participated following the 9:30am liturgy, with about 200+ parishioners. It was led by our new Deacon, the Rev. Mr. James Wilder, newly ordained on Saturday! Fr. John announced it from the pulpit at the Masses this weekend, after Cardinal Maida (God Bless him!) surprised us by giving the Grotto one of our own who was in the diaconate program. It was nice to see our new Deacon lead us in this Rosary.

Profiles of the 10 men ordained this past Saturday, including Jim's, can be seen on the AoD website. The Cardinal discusses the Diaconate program in Detroit in his October message.

After choir practice ended at noon, I decided to stick around for the 1:00 procession and Benediction, figuring it could be our last outdoor Sunday procession of the season, now that cold weather is settling in. I don't know why it hadn't occured to me that the priest would hold the post-Mass Rosary outdoors, but it was beautiful. Leaves were falling against a deep blue, cloudless sky, and I was kicking myself for not having the camera with me. There had to be close to 200 in attendance for the outdoor Rosary and Benediction, with most kneeling throughout, all around the grotto. It all ended at 1:30pm.