Sunday, September 28, 2014

Update pt2

Next weekend will be my last post of an Arkansas church for a bit.  I'm having surgery for my girlie bits on October 15. Feel free to pray (that it goes well...).  I could be out anywhere from 2-6 weeks.

Oh.  And by the way....
I've been transferred back to St. Louis :D :D :D :D

St. Mary - Paragould

Hello all.
I didn't make it to Mass this weekend because of travel.  However I did stop by the other Eames church in Arkansas - St. Mary in Paragould.  I wish I could have seen the interior, but as most of you know, churches are only unlocked during Mass.





Link:
Interior Pictures from the Eames Office


Sunday, September 21, 2014

St. Benedict Church at Subiaco Abbey

Hello all!

This morning I trekked out to Subiaco Abbey, which is about 2 hours west of Little Rock.  It's a lovely drive and a lovely campus.

The church, named after St. Benedict, is rather large, considering it is near the middle of nowhere Arkansas.  It's rather plain on the inside, but in a good way.

As Subiaco is also a boarding school for boys in grades 7-12, the young men also participated in the Mass at 10:45 am, as lectors, servers and ushers.

All of the monks processed in.

Music:
It was a mix of chant and not chant.  The music was accompanied by an organ and a piano.
Entrance Chant:  I Am Your Savior My People
Gloria:  Missa Ubi Caritas
Preparation:  There is a Longing
Communion:  Loving and Forgiving
Sending Forth:  Sing of the Lord's Goodness (YAY! at the correct tempo!!)
The Our Father was chanted.  The Lamb of God was interesting.  It was sung in English, but Latin was  sung over it.

Mini-homily:  Jesus calls those to the vineyard.  Those who respond will have great rewards.

Homily:
From the 2nd reading, Christ is magnified is our bodies in life and in death.  This is true, provided we conduct ourselves in the way of the Gospel.  For Paul, this is a win-win.  The last line:  conduct yourselves worthy of the Gospel.  In the Gospel, the workers were called at different times but all were paid equally.  God calls us to be fruitful.  God rewards all with generosity.  All will receive mercy and generosity.  What about the workers who worked all day? (Call your union rep!)  Can any one really claim lifelong faithfulness?  Lifelong fruitfulness.  All receive generosity, more than they deserve.  Conduct yourself worthy of the Gospel.  No complaints (well..uhm...oops) No grumbling (uhm) Not being stingy.  God rejoices when we finally repent, even at the last minute.  It might be us that think, he's made his bed, now he has to lie in it, that is not God's way.  The vinter is not a good business owner (sure he is...)  The Gospel life is not miserly or focused on the bottom line.  It is open, generous, not fearful.  Belief requires Faith.  We can't see God and His mercy, we can only get glimpses.  God is love.  A life worthy of the Gospel entrusts us with this Love. Father then read the Prayer of Abandonment by St. Charles Foucauld.

Father used Eucharistic Prayer III.

Pictures:  (Thanks Brother Francesco who let me go behind the altar to take some pictures.)
(There are pictures about the life of St. Benedict...I like to have such things in order...so I'm reading about his life and will post later :D )




 

















Links:
Subiaco Abbey
St. Benedict

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Update

Just an update.
On the Sunday before Labor Day I got really ill.  I was sick that entire week.  I finally went to the doctor on Friday, who sent me to the ER, because they suspected appendicitis.

It turns out I have 1 or 2 very large cysts on my right ovary.  I'll need surgery.

I'm aiming for mid-October and plan to have the surgery in St. Louis.  I think my recovery will take anywhere from 4-6 weeks...so if I disappear...that's probably why.

Thanks.

St. Boniface - Fort Smith

Hi all.
On Saturday I decided to visit Forth Smith to visit the historic site instead of mopping in my apartment. (There will be a 2nd post explaining the mopping.) I managed to visit all 3 parishes in Fort Smith and attended Mass at St. Boniface at 4 pm on Saturday.  The parishes were really close together, something I was rather surprised give how spread out everything else is.

You know the best part about doing this?  Walking into a Catholic Church and recognizing it as a Catholic Church.  I've been in some churches that could be confused for a giant lecture hall.  St. Boniface did not disappoint in this aspect.

The music was supplied by a piano and cantor in the choir loft.
Music:
Opening:  Lift High the Cross
Offertory:  Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent
Communion: We Have Been Told
Closing: How Great Thou Art

So I never really got the whole idea behind Father What-A-Waste...I mean they are priests.  Most of them are *old*  Yeah.  I got it today looking at the priest.  Very cute in a rugged way..that's one way to get people to come to Mass.

Mini-Homily:
Means of our Lord's death becomes our redemption.

Homily:
The homily was said by the Deacon.  This had to be one of the best homilies by a Deacon I have ever heard.  I was impressed.  (Which is saying something.)
18 yrs ago when in formation, taking homelitics, something stuck in my mind.  A near perfect homilest was talking about how a homily was not an exercise in elocution.  It is by the Power of the Cross that I have been given the power of giving homilies.  The Feast of the Holy Cross has been around since the 7th century when the True Cross was recovered from the Persians and shown in Jerusalem.  The cross is about the triumph of Jesus' love for us.  The cross of Moses prefigured Jesus.  Moses' cross healed all those who gazed upon it.  Jesus was lifted up so that all who believe would have eternal life.  God so loved the world, He gave His only Son.  The cross is a symbol of all our stains; it is the symbol of our personal relationship with Jesus.  Many people think the Cross is a trinket and has extra powers.  It is the power of Christ that conquers evil. (Duh...that's what they chant in the Exorcist...).  In the 2nd reading, Paul explains that Jesus accepted the worst death to demonstrate God's love for us.  Jesus showed us His love of the Father.  His death saved us from horror and a meaningless life.  Jesus is Lord.  His love makes this possible.  When we wear the cross, we are showing that Jesus is the Lord of our lives.  All of our problems take on infinite (missed this word) when merged with the Cross.  All might be saved through the Cross.

Father used Eucharistic Prayer III and there were bells.  Additionally there was a 2nd collection.  Father explained how he didn't get a raise every time there was a collection but that the money was used to protect the Church's patrimony.

Pictures:

















Link:
St. Boniface - Forth Smith

Sunday, September 7, 2014

St. Michael - West Memphis

Hello all.  I went to Memphis to look at a possible basset hound for me to adopt.  She totally snubbed me so I'm still looking.  Since I was on that side of the state, I attended St. Michael in West Memphis.

I attended the 5 pm Vigil on Saturday.  It was pretty full.  St. Michael's was a nice little church and the people seemed friendly.

Music:  Apparently the organist didn't come, so Father randomly picked songs.
Opening:  We Gather Together
Offertory:  Amazing Grace
Communion:  Silence
Closing:  Now Thank We All Our God

Homily
I really like our nuns but sometimes we drive each other crazy (I see).  Father then related a story about how he and Sister were driving somewhere and Father asked Sister to give the trucker the finger (the scandal).  So Sister gave him a thumbs up.  In today's Gospel, Jesus says if something bothers you, you need to address it yourself.  But we don't do that.  We go to the authorities first.  We go the person last.  Cops say domestic disputes are the worst, because there are no winners.  When we have a problem with another person we gossip or call the authorities but we don't confront that person.  It is very difficult.  We don't like to be confrontational. (some of us live for confrontation....)  When someone is bothering us, ask is it worth it?  Is it worth getting the authorities involved?  Look at your priorities.  Let it go instead of making a big deal out of it.  If you don't like something that a priest does, don't call the bishop first, let it go (somebody's gotten in trouble....).  We have to stop passive-aggressive behavior (*blink* but it is so much *fun*).

Father used one of the Eucharistic Prayers for Various Needs...it was all about love.  There were bells at the Consecration.

I was impressed.  Mass was over in 33 minutes.

Pictures:







Links:
St. Michael - West Memphis