To celebrate the feast of St. Alphonsus Ligori, I headed to St. Alphonsus in Millwood. It's a cute little church, with the current church built in 1955. The windows look to be original, as in not from 1955. I met Father while he was walking his dog, Alphy. Father was very welcoming and even introduced some parishoners. After Mass, while playing with Alphy (sorry I can't help myself), I spoke with Father and some of the parishoners and they were all so nice. Father even offered me a cookie for the ride back and one of the parishoners gave me better directions back than google.
The music was accompanied by an organ.
The music:
Opening: Blest Be the Lord
Gloria: #581 in the Music Issue by Mike Anderson (It's the one with clapping but there was no clapping..)
Offertory: Like A Shepherd
Amen: Amen Alleluia Forever
Lamb of God: seemed to remind me of a carnival or the entertainer...
Communion: Blest Are They
Recessional: We Are the Light of the World
Although the parish's patronal feast is today, Father used the readings and prayers for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Since the Archbishop is coming to visit on August 8 (my birthday by the way...) and it is the parish's 160th anniversary, I wonder if they are doing it next week. Although the Mass for St. Alphonsus wasn't used, Father mentioned St. Alphonsus throughout the Mass.
Father is apparently bringing reverence back. There was a crucifix on the altar and a chalice veil. The full penitential rite was used. Patens were used at communion and Father was serious about the purification afterwards. The Our Father was chanted. Father used Eucharistic Prayer III and there were bells at the Consecration.
For the homily, Father wove in the Gospel stories from the past few weeks in with today's Gospel. Apparently we are in the part of the cycle in which we are hearing from chapter 10 of Luke about how to live discipleship everyday. A few weeks ago, we heard about Martha and Mary and how as disciples, we have to be at the feet of Jesus: first praying and then doing. Last week, the disciples learned to pray and how the Father gives us what we need. This week was a warning against greed. We are so focused on storing up earthly possessions and forget about heavenly treasures. Father then went on a tangent about inheritances, the moral seemed to be spend everything before you died... As disciples we have to decide between earthly wealth or Divine Wealth. We get divine wealth by praying, repenting, doing good works, and all that stuff. Father then talked about how St. Alphonsus stored up heavenly treasure.
Pictures:
St. Alphonus
Bell Tower
(The bell was rung before Mass.)
St. I have no idea
Marian Grotto
Alphy
Named after St. Alphonsus
Holy Spirit
Outside...
View from the Back Pew
The Eighth Station
The Resurrection
The Nativity
The Miracle of the Dead Girl
The Last Supper
The Holy Family
(Tradition has it Joseph was older..)
The Wedding at Cana
The Annunciation
The Agony in the Garden
St. Alphonsus Millwood Website (note the Mass time is wrong...and they have a different priest!)
History of Millwood and St. Alphonsus
FYI: August 2nd has a plenary indulgence attached to it, called the Portiuncula. The Pope's August Prayer Intentions can be found here.
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