Catholicmessage.org

Bishop Daniel Dolan's death

Death always comes at the wrong time, as many use to say.

However, for those who always meditate on death and stay in a state of sanctifying grace, death is not sudden, even if it seems to be sudden. That's why we should always meditate on death and stay in a state of sanctifying grace.

The death of Bishop Daniel Dolan (May 28, 1951 - April 26, 2022) for many of us seems to be sudden and unexpected. I also hoped that Bishop Dolan would live longer.

But, although his death seems to be sudden, he was waiting for her to come.

Long before the Consecration of Bishop Rodrigo da Silva (29 September 2021), Bishop Daniel Dolan wrote to me that one of the reasons why he wanted to ordain a new bishop was that he felt he might die any moment.

Announcing a sad news about Bishop Dolan's death, Fr Stephen McKenna in his tweet did not mention the cause of Bishop's death, and while I wrote these words I did not yet know the cause of Bishop Dolan's death. Only, Fr. Charles McGuire mentioned a very important detail that Bishop Dolan died clothed in the Brown Scapular:

"You have all heard, I am sure, the sad news that Bishop Dolan passed away this past Tuesday, the feast of the Mother of Good Counsel. Although his was a sudden death our heavenly Mother was there to take care of our pastor as he died clothed in her protective garment - the Brown Scapular."

The fact that he died on the feast of OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL (this year, Tuesday of the Bright Week according to the Byzantine Rite) may indicate that his death occurred precisely at the time that was pleasing to God, and was neither sudden nor unexpected.

St Matthew the Evangelist wrote the following words of our Lord, which He will say to those who, during the Last Judgment, will be privileged to stand at His right hand:

"For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison and you came to me." (ST. MATTHEW 25, 35-36)

Bishop Daniel Dolan did it to me, and I am sure many of you can testify to the same.

Therefore, considering Bishop Dolan's death, we - at least myself - have a reason to believe that the sudden death is not about him.

Anyway, our duty is to pray for his soul. And some of us were able to fulfill one more duty, to commit his body to the ground.

For the servant of God, Bishop Daniel Dolan, and for his blessed memory, and that his every transgression, voluntary and involuntary, be forgiven, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

That he may stand uncondemned before the fearsome judgment-seat of Christ, and that his soul be committed to the place of light and life where all the Saints and rightheous repose, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.

Fr. Valerii