Snup's View From the Back Pew: Sacred Heart

Woot! There are 9 parishes dedicated to the Sacred Heart in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and as of this morning, I have visited them all. :)

This morning (7/10) I attended the 10:15 am Mass at Sacred Heart in Valley Park. I wanted to go the 12 pm which has more contemporary (guitars) but alas, I have a great deal of work to do for my job...

Sacred Heart was originally a church that was rectangular shaped. In the last renovation, the side walls were pushed out and the church now has wings so that the pews are fan-shaped around the altar. I was happy to see they kept the original stained glass windows and incorporated them into the actual nave of the church instead of hiding them somewhere. Mass was full this morning. I actually had to share my pew...

The music today was provided by the adult choir. (The choir schedule is in the bulletin...). There is a choir loft but the choir was off the left of the sanctuary in front. The choir was accompanied by a piano and a flute.
Gathering Hymn: Rain Down
Gloria: The Sing Glory to God one
Presentation of the Gifts: Seed Scattered and Sown
Mass Setting: Mass of Glory by Canedo and Hurd (the one that sounds loungy)
Communion: Unless a Grain of Wheat
Communion Meditation: Open My Eyes (no bridge)
Hymn of Sending Forth: Canticle of the Sun
The Responsorial Psalm was Psalm 145 instead of Psalm 65. This is an allowed substitution, but given how well the first three hymns lined up with the Gospel, it seemed odd to change the matching Psalm.

I think I've heard a homily by Father before. I believe he's like 84 and just keeps going and going and was a missionary. The homily started off with about how the parables have twists in them that surprise the listener. You don't actually sow seed the way Jesus describes. God wants the Word to go to as many places and people as possible if there is any chance it could bear fruit. What does that mean? We are invited to participate in the story and to put ourselves in the story and see where we fit in. We can be any of the seeds that were sown at various times in our lives. Father then had an AA story. No matter what your situation, God always has a chance if you just come to the Meeting, the Meeting being Mass. You need to get involved because you can't go to Heaven. Father ended his homily with "So Be It" and I wondered if Father liked Pump Up the Volume.

Father used Eucharistic Prayer II and there were bells. There was also handholding at the Our Father.

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