High above their convent in Santa Rosa, the Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa discovered a heartbreaking scene in September: Their beloved hilltop cross — overlooking the convent, Cardinal Newman High School, and St. Rose Catholic School — had been callously cut down.
“I was distressed when I heard from the sisters,” Bishop Robert Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa told the Register.
“Such senseless acts against our sacred symbols are deeply saddening. Besides the vandalism of the cross, the sisters who live on the property were somewhat traumatized by the thought that a stranger had come on to their property and perpetrated this act of vandalism.”
“Almost immediately, voices were heard from the students at Cardinal Newman High School, who quickly noted the absence of the cross and voiced concern as well as an immediate interest in raising money to assure its restoration,” Bishop Vasa noted.
Practically every Cardinal Newman student hikes up to the landmark during their freshman retreat. In particular, the football players — who could see the cross directly from their gridiron — eagerly volunteered to help.
Father Christopher Girolo, who serves as chaplain at Cardinal Newman High School expressed how proud he was of the students including three altar servers, telling the Register:
“I am extremely proud of our community for coming together to make this happen. Every student walks up to the cross as part of their freshman retreat and at night during sporting events you can see the illuminated cross from the field, almost as though it is floating in the night sky….”
And the entire community came together to rebuild.
“The first work was to bring the vandalized cross down from the hill. The second was the work of carrying the cross back up the hill once a replacement had been fabricated,” explained Bishop Vasa.
“This was a task which members of the football team relished and enthusiastically embraced. It was more challenging than they had anticipated, but they accomplished the work without complaint other than noting that ‘this cross is heavy.’”
On Oct. 14, the team hoisted the new 400-pound aluminum cross, fabricated by the local Lind family, and forged up the steep summit step by step. Joined by St. Rose elementary students, the Marian Sisters, and contractors from J Warner Enterprises, they anchored the monument back into the skyline.
As the faithful gathered around the risen cross on that joyful day, Bishop Vasa reminded them: “The cross, however, endures; the love of Christ endures.”
From the National Catholic Register
May God guide, bless and protect those involved in this restoration.
America needs to be re-Christianized. Right after Vatican II, when the Church was now getting involved in worldly matters, our priests urged us all to get involved in politics. The Church was no longer going to be a “mean old Authority” in the world on faith and morals. We all mut now “make our own decisions as adults.” I said, “No. you must do your job to teach and form Catholics and help form a Christian society. Christ’s teachings are eternal– and are never up for voting upon by weak, sinful mankind.You must help lead and guide society.”
The Jesuits and other Catholic teaching orders are supposed to be helping to prepare future, strong Catholic Christian leaders for our country. No more “nonsense” from the post-Conciliar Church– and “what the bishops and College of Cardinals and Pope want.” Get busy, return to the Faith, and lead the Church correctly for love of Christ. Expel all the immoral heretics. So sick of their constant, babyish wrong-doings and dumb, unmanly excuses.