Sunday, October 31, 2010

Feast of All Saints

Since it is not a Holy Day of Obligation this year, I thought I'd just post anyway.  As I write this I'm trying to decide if I really really want to go to a 7 am Mass (no...not particularly), a 7:30 am EF Mass and fight traffic (7 am looking better) or an 8 am Mass with school kids.  I'd also like to know why practically every parish around me or where I go to school/work in the Archdiocese has an 8 am weekday Mass.  Seriously folks.

So here's the Litany of Saints instead :)  (I wonder if there is a saint for people who don't like to get up early...I should Ask Sister Mary Martha)

All Souls - Overland

Happy Halloween!

This morning I attended the 10:30 Mass at All Souls in Overland.  Although the Church was built in the early 1950s, it has a feel of a church built earlier.

The parish has a good mix of families and people of different ages.

Mass was accompanied by the organ and the choir in the choir loft.
Music:
Gathering Song:  Table of Plenty
Presentation of Gifts:  Loving & Forgiving
Communion:  You Are Mine
Communion Meditation:  Uhm...something about Mary maybe?
Closing:  All Creatures of Our God & King
Mass Setting:  Community Mass

Father used the full Penitential Rite.  He also spoke all the secret prayers, like at the Washing of Hands, aloud.  For the Eucharistic Prayer, Father used Eucharistic Prayers for Various Needs IV:  Jesus the Compassion of God.  and there were bells.

Father just got back from a three week cruise and started the homily talking about how he had dinner with Methodists.  Apparently they don't truck with Halloween, especially on a Sunday, cause Halloween is demonic.  Father went on to talk about how he wanted to wish us wisdom and holiness for our Halloween.  We need to get over fear, which is a disintegration of order.  We should only be afraid of separation from God.  Father touched on the First Reading from Wisdom how it is all in God's Hands and we have nothing to fear.  The Second Reading from St. Paul has St. Paul telling people not to let anything frighten you.  Then we moved on to the Gospel.  Zacchaeus was not afraid of normal stuff, he was afraid of separation from God.  Zacchaeus was lost and dead to the community.  Zacchaeus is kept away from Jesus by the mob.  Jesus obliterates all fear and transforms us.  It's all about God's love.  We must respond to God's love and not be in fear.  We need to recognize what separates us from God.  Then give Glory to God and change.  God destroys fear.

The homily was okay I guess.  It just seemed like a lost opportunity to discuss/talk about what the Catholic Church teaches about any topic associated with Halloween like: death, ghosts, spirits, Hell, etc.

I'm still looking for Mass in a Cemetery on Tuesday, All Souls.  Let me know!!! in the comments. :)  or viewbackpew@gmail.com

Pictures:
All Souls

Mary and Baby Jesus
Dedicated to the Priests and Religious who 
Served at the parish

Baptismal Font

View From the Back Pew!

Mary, Refuge of Sinners?
Not exactly sure what Her title is here.

Windows

St. Joseph

Mosaic of Sacred Heart of Jesus

Mary

Detail on Communion Rail
Not sure what is being symbolized here.

Random Nun in the Corner

Ascension of Jesus


Emblems/Seals on the Choir Loft

VIII.  Jesus Consoles the Women

After Mass Post Hymn

Links:
Information about All Souls
Pictures from Rome of the West

Sunday, October 24, 2010

St. Martin of Tours

Hello All.  It's been a rough day.  My sister's ferret was put to sleep this morning so I had a change of Mass plans.  I had planned to go to St. Jude but because I was at the vet's office, I had to find a Mass much closer to my house.  Thank goodness for the Archdiocese Website that let's you search by time and location for a Mass :)

I ended up going to St. Martin of Tours as it was the farthest parish I could make it to Mass on time by.  St. Martin of Tours is in Lemay and is a modern church and resembles Holy Redeemer, Holy Name and St. Ann.  The windows represent the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary.

Today was also World Mission Sunday!

The music this morning was accompanied by an electric piano.
The Music:
Opening:  God Has Chosen Me
Offertory:  Hail Mary:  Gentle Woman
Communion:  Change Our Hearts
Recessional:  Sent Forth By God's Blessing
Mass Setting:  Mass of Creation (but the Great Amen was just said)

The sound system at St. Martin of Tours is horrid.  I sat in the back row and couldn't really understand the readings or the Gospel and only heard about a third of Father's homily.  Father was speaking so fast I misunderstood nearly the whole point of the homily.  Father started off talking about the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola and how one of the meditations focused on degrees of humility.  The first degree I didn't hear.  The second degree was praying for humility and the third degree was praying for God's Protection.  (I'm still trying to figure out what he said and what I heard.)  Father then said that God is just and that it was good to be poor in Spirit.  In the Gospel, the Pharisee left God out.  It was all about the Pharisee and not about God.  Then Father started talking about Republicans and how they were sinners and needed God's Mercy.  So I'm alll confused at this point.  Father then went on to the Beatitudes and how Paul was a Pharisee but it is different cause Paul is conceited but thinks God is Good and Great.  We should all pray for spiritual poorness.  So after Mass I ask my social network what Republicans had to do with today's Gospel.  Fr. Leo asked me if Father said Republicans or publicans.  And I'm like what does a British Bartender have to do with the Gospel?  I have since discovered that a publican is also a Jewish tax collector.  The homily now makes sense.  (Thanks Fr. Leo!)

Father used Eucharistic Prayer III and there were bells at the Consecration.  Father motored through Mass.  It was over in 50 minutes.

Pictures:

St. Martin of Tours

View From the Back Pew

The Eighth Station






Attack Goose!!!!
HONK! HONK! HONK!!!
Apparently St. Martin didn't want to become a bishop.
He hid and a goose honked where he was hiding and he was discovered!

Baptismal Font and St. Joseph

The Annunciation

Pentecost



Close Up of Altar
The Window in the back show the Luminous Mysteries

Transfiguration Window
(close-up)

Links:
Website of St. Martin of Tours
Pictures from Rome of the West

PS!  If anyone knows of a Mass being held in a cemetery on Nov 2 for All Souls drop me a line!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

St. Luke the Evangelist

Hello!
Because Monday, October 18, is the Feast of St. Luke, I headed to St. Luke the Evangelist in Richmond Heights.  I attended the 10 am Mass on Sunday, October 17.  As I had hoped, the parish was celebrating its patronal feast!  (Happy Feast of St. Luke!).  Apparently, St. Luke was martyred, so red was the color of the Feast!

St. Luke is a Gothic church and is how I imagine the churches to look like in the England and Normandy, France.  St. Luke resembles St. Michael's, St. James and Sts. Mary and Joseph in design.

The choir was awesome today! They were in the choir loft and sometimes were accompanied by the organ and sometimes were a capella.
Music:
Prelude:  Might have been the antiphon for the Feast of St. Luke.  I'm not sure.  It was awesome.
Entrance Hymn:  A Hymn to St. Luke (apparently the choir went to Ireland and had a hymn commissioned. I'm impressed!)  The tune is Lauda Anima
Kyrie:  Missa De Angelis
Gloria:  by Peter Jones
Alleluia:  Festival Alleluia
Offertory Anthem:  O Lord, Increase My Faith
Sanctus & Acclamations:  Heritage Mass
Lamb of God:  Holy Cross Mass
Communion:  Magnificat and The King of Love My Shepherd Is
Recessional Hymn:  Go To The World

Father ( I think he was a Monsignor...there was purply piping on his cassock) used the Full Penitential Rite, Eucharistic Prayer III and gave us all an extra blessing at the end.  There were also bells at the Consecration.

The homily started off with Father referring to an interview Maya Angelou gave a few years ago.  In the interview, she was asked about vulgarity in rap music and in the context of art.  Ms. Angelou was strongly against the use of such things because words have Power.  Words have the power to build up or tear done; to divide or unite; to encourage or discourage.  Father then referenced the Gettysburg Address.  St. Luke knew the power of words.  Why was he compelled to write the Gospel?  He knew how powerful God's Word was; God's Words are life itself.  Luke was not an eyewitness to the events in Jesus' life.  Imagine the retelling and how powerful it was.  Luke knew that Christ was New Life.  Only Luke has the full story of the Annunciation.  His words paint an image of Mary.  Luke's Gospel is also known as the Gospel of Mercy.  Luke constantly tells of Jesus in prayer, with the sick, the lowly, the sinner and forgiving.  Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles.  He writes of sacrifice (that's why his symbol is an ox/calf).  We need to make a commitment to be those faithful, to be that disciple and follow Luke's example, living and practicing our Faith.  Luke had self-respect which translated into Luke focusing on doing God's Will.  When we are caught up in self, we loose our authentic self and we begin to lose God's Grace.  We need to pray to be open to God's Word; God's Unconditional Love.  (Swears the homily was good at Mass...)

The parishoners at St. Luke's were very friendly and I had some nice conversations.   It was a very nice Mass over all. :)

Pictures:  (there was an awesome rose window, with the ox in the center but, yours truly didn't get a decent picture of it.  Rose windows are hard to do well.  Really any window with lots of little pieces seem to give me issues.  If you'd like to see the blurry, I can share it though.)  


View From the Back Pew!


 
Paintings Outside the Main Entrance
Left:  Last Supper (??)
Right:  (??)


 
Symbol of St. Luke
Left:  On the Cantor's Ambo
Right:  On the Main Ambo



VIII:  Jesus Comforts the Women

Baptistry Window
Holy Spirit, Water, Butterflies, Cocoons 
Symbols of Baptism

Windows above High Altar

Windows in the Nave: (sorry about the funky angles.  I was trying to avoid the hanging lanterns) Also, all of the windows have plaques detailing what the windows are about.  If you'd like more info about the windows, let me know and I can share.

Temple
Left: Psalm 122:1 - Let Us Go to God's House
Right: Matthew 12:6 - Greater Than the Temple is Here

Redemption
Left: Amos 3:2 - You Only Have I Known
Right:  1 Corinthians 15:4 Crucified For Our Sins

Promise
Left:  Joshua 6:16 - The Lord Has Given You the City
Right:  Hebrews 12:22 - The Heavenly Jerusalem


Kingship
Left: 1 Chronicles 17:13 - He Will Be To Me a Son
Right: 2 Samuel 5:2 - He Shall Rule My People Israel

Exodus
Left: Exodus 12:4 - Partake of the Lamb
Right: 2 Timothy 1:10 - Who Destroys Death and Gives Life

Eternal Life
Left: Daniel 10:7 - I, Daniel, Saw the Vision
Right: John 1:29 - Behold the Lamb of God

Covenant
Left: Deuteronomy 6:4 - Hear O Israel
Right: John 1:17 - The Fullness of the Law is Love

Call
Left: Genesis 22:17 - From You Shall Come a Great Nation
Right: Deuteronomy 7:6 & 1 Peter 2:9 - A Royal People, My Own People

Atonement
Left: Isaiah 8:13 - It is Yahweh Men Must Seek
Right: Hosea 2:19 - I Will Betroth You to Me

Joseph Altar and Shrine:  St. Luke has Marian Windows and St. Joseph Windows.  My plurk friends requested St. Joseph.  I will add Mary ASAP.  Each of these windows is loaded with symbolism.  If you'd like more info, give a shout.

Left:  St. Joseph, Patron of a Happy Death
Right:  Fulfillment of New Life in Eternity

Left:  St. Joseph, Protector of the Family of God
Right:  St. Joseph, Father of the Holy Family

Left:  Joseph, from Genesis.  A Foreshadowing
Right:  Symbols of St. Joseph, God's Fulfillment of Protection

Left:  St. Joseph, Father, Fulfiller of Role of Husband
Right:  St. Joseph the Worker

Altar of St. Joseph

Marian Windows:
Left (my favorite!):  Mary is a Prism.  Mary will give birth to God.
Right:  Mary is the new Eve

Links:
Website of St. Luke the Evangelist
Pictures from Rome of the West