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