The Bus Stopped Here

Some of my parishioners got caught on camera as the religious sisters’ summer road trip commenced. I was sorry to miss it. Monday mornings I’m usually on the road with church errands. Plus my wife sent me to pick up cat food and I dropped off my bike at the repair shop since both those stops were on that end of town.

I see the RNS is calling CDF vs NCWR a standoff. (Amazing how much is communicated in ten capital letters and a link, eh?) This is not going down particularly well for the hierarchy. It seems that a pattern has been established: an event puts the women/men issue into the news. A bishop usually pounces in pretty early on the publicity front. The women usually wait a bit, meet up, talk it over. Maybe discern. And their statement usually makes more sense.

Case in point, Cardinal Levada channelling his inner pharisee:

Too many people crossing the LCWR screen who are supposedly representing the Catholic church aren’t representing the church with any reasonable sense of product identity.

Didn’t we cover this already?

And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him.When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mark 2:15-16)

Others have commented on his curious phrase, “dialogue of the deaf.” That presumes both sides are deaf to what the other is saying. Or maybe his long years in the States have rendered Cardinal Levada rather inclusive in his outlook. It’s rather shocking for a Vatican bureaucrat to even accidentally concede his side doesn’t always listen. And if one is not prepared to hear, how can one discern?

Really, I don’t see the issue with the LCWR closing up shop, and the sisters deciding to hold an annual conference, or start a group blog, or what-not. And just jettison the official association with the institution on that level.

 

Singing MR3 Runs Off The Rails

And I thought it was going so well in my parish.

To set up what happened at the Eucharistic Prayer in my parish this morning at about 11:10, you should know that we work with good liturgical priests. But they’re a little shy about singing. They all pretty much wanted to get MR3 under their skin first.

So we had the preface dialogue sung today for the first time since MR1. And everybody, including the choir, sang the old responses we were used to.

If I had anticipated this, I think we would have made a case for singing them from the start.

Anybody else’s MR3 run off the rails lately? I mean, besides the really poor presidential prayers.

(Image credit: channelnewsasia)

 

Acceptance: The Cycle Begins Again

It was a bonus to come to a parish four years ago that did a year-round catechumenate. What’s that, you ask? Simply that we are focused on evangelization and welcoming twelve months a year. Not just in the Fall.

And when unbaptized inquirers are ready, we celebrate the Rite of Acceptance. It can happen at any time during the year, as it did at 8:30 Mass this morning. The pews empty somewhat so the newcomers are surrounded by their new community as they enter the church.

Left, our pastor Fr Jon Seda greets two new members of God’s household. They encounter the cross of Christ for the first time (ritually).

Below and right, our new members experience the Signing of the Senses.

 

New Staff Colleagues

It’s always sad to see good colleagues move on. I’ve worked with our fine faith formation director and our outstanding campus minister for my four years here. But these great women–two of the most talented ministers I’ve ever been privileged to work with–are moving on to other things.

The pastor just announced this past week we have two fine people hired to fill their shoes. I’m excited to get bumped down from the third-newest kid-on-the-block to the fifth.

 

Adoration

Eucharistic adoration in our main worship space.

 

Father Everett Hemann

Father Ev Hemann, the Iowa priest who has shared much of his final days from cancer diagnosis to death, will be remembered in funeral rites this weekend and Monday. I note he’s getting quite a bit of notice around the blogosphere, and even at the Religion News Service.

We intersected in ministry a few times in my first Iowa sojourn (1995-2002) serving on a few committees together. We also overlapped at the Iowa State Catholic Student Center: his last year there, and my first. I knew him as a dedicated campus minister and liturgical priest. Carefully crafted homilies and prayerful presiding: this is what I will remember. Plus, his trademark sociability.

Our parish will host the first of two Father Ev vigils Saturday afternoon. The pilgrimage moves to Cedar Falls for a Sunday night vigil and a Monday morning funeral. I believe final committal will be in northern Iowa, at a family site in a cemetery there.

It will be a busy day at our parish, as the 2:30 vigil will be followed by 4:45 Mass with First Communion. The vigil and its preparations will be bracketed by First Communion, and its rehearsal and other preparations. It’s rather fitting for my departed friend, that he would insert himself so notably on such a liturgical day, and that we are used to his affable and graceful presence.

 

Daily Mass Ambo

Here is my parish’s daily Mass ambo. It’s a bit worse for wear, and a few parishioners and I have been either repairing it or chatting about a replacement for the past few years.

If we do opt to replace, it will have to be reasonably portable, as this chapel is set up with seats facing the nave for weekends. One candidate to replace is our Sunday Mass ambo. There has also been discussion to have at least a platform for it a bit more mobility accessible. And we’ve been trying to figure out a good way to display the Book of Gospels during the week. There’s not an easy way to accommodate a display option into the existing design without upsetting the overall effect.

For your parishes, are you satisfied with your parish appointments for Sunday and daily Mass? What would you replace? Do you provide for the display of the Book of Gospels? Share pictures if you wish.

 

Fasting and Numbers

Saint Jerome once said:

When the stomach is full, it is easy to talk of fasting.

It was a busy day at the parish, bigger than any other Sunday of the year, even Parent’s Weekend. But I did take time to eat my full meal (lunch) at home with my wife: a cheese omelet with a few rye crackers.

With my diet and new food consumption philosophy (six small meals a day) I had to judge the Ash Wednesday fast for the first time. I settled on four meals instead of three or six, and those other three not quite equal to an omelet and crackers. I had a few crackers for breakfast, an apple around dinner time, and a warmed up baked potato when I got home last night at 11.

What made it a very satisfactory day was the huge turnout for liturgy. Our seating capacity is a bit more than 800. We hauled in about a hundred chairs for 5:15 Mass and people were still standing. I credited that to the mens basketball game on campus at 8. Funny enough, we had only seventy shy of the 5:15 attendance at 7pm. So much for the basketball theory. The truth is we’ve never had to use chairs from the basement for Ash Wednesday, at least since I started serving this parish.

Is there a corollary to Saint Jerome?

When the church is empty it is easy to talk of evangelization.

I remarked to a few friends after one of the Masses last night, “We have Ash Wednesday figured out. We have the palms for five, six weeks from now. All we have to do now is to figure out three-hundred sixty-three other giveaways and we’ll pack ‘em in every day.”

 

Parisian Thoroughfares

Since I’m reflecting on parish fun, I thought I’d share an image of our occasional jazz band, the Parisian Thoroughfares.

This was snapped at the recent auction/dinner/dance. Our singer Anna and drummer Adam are rather obscured. I’m not at all an accomplished jazz player, but I enjoy playing music for the sheer fun of it. And among the genres, there’s nothing quite as much fun as jazz, imo. Here was out set list:

Freddie Freeloader
How High the Moon (Anna)
All Blues
Take the A Train
Lullaby of Birdland (Jeremiah)
Mr P.C.
Girl from Ipanema (Jeremiah)
Blue Monk
All of Me
It’s only a paper moon (Anna)
Baby Its Cold Outside (Anna, Jeremiah)
Blue Trane
Song For My Father

Vocals in parentheses. Jeremiah plays a fantastic trumpet. Plus his vocals are always fun. On his duet with Anna, they both had cocktail glasses with apple juice. So if you know that song from Elf or from a prior generation, you’ll appreciate the spirit of fun on that one. Brandon, on alto sax, was in my Tobit band. Sean on bass is the most experienced jazz player in our group.

 

Having Fun

Our padre is away in Honduras making connections with our sister parish there and solidifying relationships. While the cat’s away …

Some people were concerned about his statement “College students don’t know how to have fun.” Hence this.

 

MR3′s EP3

I prayed with Eucharistic Prayer III last night for the first time in the New Age. It was admittedly very cool. Our parish priests have been using II and I exclusively. I’m finding the insistence on “chalice” to be a fussy obstacle. If “cup” is good enough for the laity to sing, it’s certainly good enough for us to hear. This insistence on the linguistic virtues of the Norman Conquest is pretty infantile.

That said, our archdiocese’s vocations awareness director is a fine liturgical presider. Fr David Schatz used Prayer III, and it was very moving. He prayed the words at a careful and stately pace. I didn’t get hung up on about three or four mis-speaks/stumbles because the rest of the proclamation was so elegant. If it were possible to make a good case for the English MR3, at least in the Eucharistic Prayers, I heard it last night.

As I reflect more on MR3, and I compare the language to my daily Lord’s Prayer, I think a good case might be made for this level of language–accurately translated and well-adapted of course–for the Eucharistic Prayers. The presidential prayers are still a jumbled mess, kind of like throwing fruit and a glass of wine into a blender to make a sangria–and including the glass.

Another word on last night’s presider. My wife and I have known him since his seminary days. It is so edifying to see a talented guy come into his own as a priest. It reminded me why I love campus ministry so much, and why I’m going to enjoy it even more in the years to come.

 

On The Last Day of Christmas

Every five, six, or eleven years, this feast falls on a Thursday, so the students get to do fun liturgical things on their Thursday night Mass. Like tonight: haul all the year’s candles out to the prayer garden, bless them, then haul it all back in. And carry candles in procession. Could it be Candlemas, by any chance? Pray that fourth joyful mystery, people, and get to Church!

 

Thomas Aquinas Novena, Day Nine: Doctor of the Church

Opening Prayer

Glory Be …

Scripture

The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring for ever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb. (Psalm 19:8-11)

Intercession

Loving God, as you inspired Thomas to teach to the generations to follow, open all minds and hearts to the sweetness of God, and allow our faith community to flourish under his patronage, as faith seeks understanding among believers and seekers alike.

Concluding Prayer

Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
and a hope of finally embracing you.

 

Thomas Aquinas Novena, Day Eight: Saint

Opening Prayer

Glory Be …

Scripture

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ (Revelation 7:9-10)

Intercession

Holy God, as you received Thomas to the glory of sainthood, challenge me to imitate the sanctity of my brothers and sisters in heaven.

Concluding Prayer

Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
and a hope of finally embracing you.

 

Thomas Aquinas Novena, Day Seven: Keeping Vigil

Opening Prayer

Glory Be …

Scripture

In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you;
your name and your renown  are the soul’s desire.
My soul yearns for you in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:8-9)

Intercession

Hidden God, as Thomas waited for you in the unfolding of his life, calm me in uncertain times, and settle my doubts as I keep vigil with your saints and holy ones.

Concluding Prayer

Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
and a hope of finally embracing you.