One thing I like a lot about Spanish is the expression for certain human conditions. In English, we say, “I’m sleepy.” Or, “I’m hungry.” I will need to get used to using the Spanish verb tener, to have. Instead of I’m hungry, I would think, “I have hunger.” And I would say:
Tengo hambre.
Or if the young miss has been up late studying for her final exams, instead of ”My daughter is sleepy,” it would be “My daughter has sleepiness.” I would say:
Mi hija tiene sueño.
It makes more sense to me for people to say they “have” these conditions, rather than to say they are these conditions.
My older brother passed away a year ago today. My wife puts stock in anniversaries. I didn’t do that, but I wonder …
Yesterday I attended a meeting with the same group that met the day I got word of my brother’s fatal accident. The young miss was just a few hours into a week-long trip last year when we got word. She was upset and distracted the whole week. Monday, she texted us that she got sick at school, and for us to pick her up. “Not thinking,” she just walked out of school without a trip to the nurse, the main office, or even the student attendance desk. No wonder my wife and I got those e-mails and v-messages about absence.
When life seens out of balance, maybe the best thing to do is to look up.
I think I posted this music last year, but this is the setting of Psalm 36:6-9 (BCP) I composed for my brother’s funeral.
“One Bread, One Body” was a slight surprise, edging out Ave Maria by one vote in the last round. “Ubi Caritas,” whichever incarnation was in your minds, had two very easy votes to get here. Let’s see how it turns out.
According to the General Norms for the Liturgical Year:
A. Anniversary of the Dedication of the Cathedral Church
26. In order that the importance and dignity of the local Church may stand out with greater clarity, the anniversary of the dedication of its cathedral is to be celebrated, with the rank of a solemnity in the cathedral itself, with the rank of a feast in the other churches of the diocese, on the date on which the dedication of the church recurs. If this date is always impeded, the celebration is assigned to the nearest date open. It is desirable that in the cathedral church on the anniversary the bishop concelebrate the eucharist with the chapter of canons or the priests’ senate and with the participation of as many of the people as possible.
B. Anniversary of the Dedication of a Particular Church
27. The anniversary of a church’s dedication is celebrated with the rank of a solemnity.
Some pastors and others get skittish with going off the page in the ordo. It’s probably the first bit of info a new pastor or liturgist should get. What does a solemnity mean? It gets treated pretty much like a holy day of obligation (Gloria, three readings, Credo, Sunday psalms if it hasn’t already been moved to a Sunday) only without the obligation. I do think parishes are obligated to observe and ponder this annual observance. What about your parish? Do you observe one or both of these?
about Todd Flowerday
A Roman Catholic lay person, married (since 1996), with one adopted child (since 2001). I serve in worship and spiritual life in a midwestern university parish.
about Neil
Neil has been a blogging collaborator for the past several years on Catholic Sensibility. He brings his unique experiences from theology, spirituality, and the ecumenical sphere. Pay special attention to each one of his posts.
According to the General Norms for the Liturgical Year:
