75 Years Strong

I'm a shindig guy. And when it's for a good cause, all the better. In 2025, our church celebrates its 75th year of its dedication to God. Sounds like good reason to throw a party to me.

The Gem of the Diocese, said Bishop McGovern who commissioned the building of the stone church in the late 40s. Because there was so much communal effort that went in to its construction, we thought it was only right to invite the entire community to join in our celebration. 

We went all out. Late June in Wyoming, you never know what the weather will be like. Best to be prepared. 

Many hands make light work. Everybody had their own area to cover. Delegation is the key to success. 

We had people on the food and people on the games. 

We had the 4th degree Knights of Columbus host an honor guard. 

This is the 75th year of their founding in Buffalo as well.  

Then came the big day, June 24th, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. Three of my buddy priest were able to join in the fun. Good turn out for Mass. 

After which, we all lined up for burgers. 

We had plenty of games to entertain the kids. 

After they changed out of their duds, the Knights of Columbus manned the grill. 

And the Council of Catholic Women provided all the fixings. 

The Big Little Buffalo Band was also a nice touch. 

We had memorabilia up and even made a video to highlight our history, past and present. 

Special thanks to Mr. Sanchez for his good videography. 

Perfect timing. Just as the people dispersed, the skies opened up. 

Praise God! What a fun evening and what a great reason to celebrate. The Catholic Church has been present in this area since 1880. Standing at the pulpit in our little stone church, I thought of all times people had come here to worship God. What a legacy. Too hard to put into words. Special thanks to all who made tonight possible. Let's do it again next year!

Corpus Christi Procession

Don't tempt me with a good time! The rubrics for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, suggest that a Eucharistic Procession after Mass is right and just. Well, our Church plant sits right on a city block, making a procession easy. No reason not to. 

Wanting to do it up right, we ordered a processional canopy from Catholic Liturgicals. They do good work for a much cheaper price. This 6'x5' top is beautiful, but needed some poles to make it serve for a canopy over the monstrance as we process around the block.

It is ready made for poles to attach at each corner. 

So I called up John, picked up 1 1/4" dowels from the lumber yard, and got to work. First step was to cut them down to 6'. 

Then round down the ends. No cutting corners on a job like this. 

Then we drilled a pilot hole in the end.

And screwed in a lag bolt. 

After cutting off the head of the bolt, it slipped right into the sewed grommet hole.

To cut the rawness of the wood, we coated them with a bit of linseed oil. Hopefully with more than I got on the floor. 

Remembering that the wind in Wyoming can blow, we attached an eyelet to run the stings through to keep the top settled on the pole. 

Worked good! 

Fun stuff. No denying we are Catholic around here. Jesus said, unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed and by blood is drink indeed (John 6:53-55). Our Lord's real presence, body, blood, soul, and divinity, is wholly, truly, really, and substantially contained in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist (CCC 1374). 

Jesus is alive and well in the Consecrated Host at every Catholic Mass. That is worth receiving and also worth sharing. Eucharistic processions are a way for us to share the Sacramental Jesus with the entire world. It is also a way of blessing our ground and encouraging the faith of the people. "The Eucharist is 'the source and summit of the Christian life'" (CCC 1324). Corpus Christi Sunday, along with a Eucharistic Procession, is a way of driving this truth home. Let's ranch. 

Intimate Presence

God wants to have an intimate relationship with us through the Holy Eucharist.

           https://youtu.be/WQ_5z-1CII8         

Trailing Yearlings

I'm always up for something new, like trailing yearlings. I've been around them plenty, but never to this degree. No better way to learn than from those who run yearlings for a living. 

Bridget and Nathan Williams invited me down to help drive their herd of heifers to the other side of the interstate. 

Riding time was 6:15. So, Chief and I had to be saddled and on the road by 5:00. 

Reno Road, north of Kaycee, was our starting point.  

It was a family affair. Seven riders.

Ike and I headed to the bowl to look for grazing critters. 

Found some.

I pushed them to Ike and we both got them heading out of this tough country. 

Of course, we had a few on the wrong side of the fence. Ike used some cowboy ninja moves and got them back on the right side. 

Down the other side we went to meet the other girls. 1200 total we were gathering! 

I've never found an arrowhead, but I have a good eye for antlers. 

Nice little whitetail. Probably a couple years old. 

It's easier to pull yearlings than to push them, is the old saying. They are curious and will follow almost anything, even a horse in the right circumstances. 

The final push. The other riders and been trickling the herd through the underpass while we were gathering the back corner. Their crossing really went without a hitch, thanks be to God! 

Good work. But we weren't done. 

Once we got them off of the county road, we had to trial them to next pasture. 

As we were gathering, a few lame ones surfaced. 

So we pushed them into the corral to be doctored later. Then we regrouped and headed south. 

Nice cows. This is about 1/3 of them. 

Cool old homesteads around here. This is the old Myer place. 

A big bunch looks cool, but lined out moves a lot better. 

End of the line. This'll be their grazing home for a couple weeks or so, before they move them to greener pastures. Outfits like this move their cattle on a pretty regular basis. 

Well deserved back scratch. 

Good ride. Fun time. Trailing yearlings is like herding teenagers. It's hard to predict what they are going to do next. It's best if you make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard for them. Worked out good today. I was back to the church by noon. Yearlings keep you on your toes. I bet if you ran only yearlings, like the Williams' do, you'd get pretty good at cowboying by the time the summer was over. I was thankful to be a part of this move. Taught me a trick or two and saw some cool country. Couldn't ask for much more. Just another day in the life of a cowboy priest.

For the Father

Giving draws us closer to the Father's providence.

           https://youtu.be/1h8sdkSYoVc         

Prescription for Freedom

Jesus' lessons teach us freedom.

           https://youtu.be/tMNcF6X6zPY         

Christian Contradiction

Read Matthew chapters 5-7.

           https://youtu.be/e5IUmSg8u7U         

God the Father

Is the source and summit of the Trinity. 

           https://youtu.be/0vtnHKKj3aI         

Chris LeDoux Days

Since Chris LeDoux's passing 20 years ago, his family has been putting on a memorial event in his honor. In typical Wyoming fashion, this has basically consisted of a rodeo and street dance. Well, this year they decided to make it their final go round.

I think this is fitting. It's been a great event for the community, but it doesn't have to last forever. In fact, going out with a bang is consistent with the man's legacy we celebrate. What's Chris say, "When you ride your last one, make sure he’s the best one. Jump while he's moving, tip your hat boys and walk away."

After Saturday night Mass, some Florida friends of mine, Bob and Fran Fiorentino, headed south to Kaycee. The western skies weren't looking so friendly. 

That didn't stop the crowd from gathering after the rodeo. Once the sun set, Ned LeDoux was going to play followed by Sawyer Brown. 

After we arrived, the skies opened up. Good ole Wyoming down pour. Definitely determined who was tougher than the rest. 

Thankful there was no hail, to speak of. Fran and Bob found cover under Papa Bino's cooking tent. Didn't slow the cooks down. Thanks for your generosity. 

Street tacos delight. 

Good ride, cowboy. Good ride. 

Fun stuff. Great occasion, none the less. But even better with my good friends, Fran and Bob. Sit tall in the saddle folks, and don't be riding for a fall. Just remember, when she starts to twist, be more like Chris. Pull your hat down low and just LeDoux it!