October 2005 Archives

How many out there have Communion under both kinds? It really bothers me that so many are afraid of the Precious Blood. It bothers me more when they refer to it as wine. I once did a mission in Texas and reacted with a bit a shock when one of the Eucharistic ministers introduced herself to me as one of the "wine ministers."

Anyway, we have a new "Ask Father" feature on our parish website (parishioners only, please) The first question was about the "wine." Here is my answer below:

The Newest edition of the Cup of the New Covenant is now on-line.

When we imagine that we have lived completely a life in keeping with the high state of our priesthood, we have scarcely begun. We tremble in the sight of God; yet, without losing confidence, let us be thoroughly moved within ourselves because of the responsibilities imposed upon us, and the sluggishness with which we have, perhaps, fulfilled them. In other words, When a man finishes, he is only beginning. (Sir 18:6)

This exhortation anticipates every possibility, precludes every evasion. The times are critical, the conditions are pitiful. Therefore, with even more reason should you pledge yourselves to become the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Be brave under trials; make the preaching of the Good News your life's work, in thoroughgoing service. (2 Tm 4:5)

Lastly, recall also the text: If anyone serves me, my Father will honor him. (Jn 12:26) So, let us be resolved not only to walk, but to run along the way of the apostolate. God has called us to this. Let us pray for one another, that in holy concord and unity of spirit, strongly united in bond of peace(Eph 4:3) in the heart of Jesus Christ Crucified, we may be able to reach our blessed goal of Paradise laden with palms of victory. Amen.

We must begin by purifying ourselves before purifying others; we must be instructed to be able to instruct, become light to illuminate, draw close to God to bring him close to others, be sanctified to sanctify, lead by the hand and counsel prudently. I know whose ministers we are, where we find ourselves and to where we strive. I know God's greatness and man's weakness, but also his potential. Who then is the priest? He is the defender of truth, who stands with angels, gives glory with archangels, causes sacrifices to rise to the altar on high, shares Christ's priesthood, refashions creation, restores it in God's image, recreates it for the world on high and, even greater, is divinized and divinizes.

St. Gregory of Nazianzus

Tomorrow is my 14th anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood. (October 26, 1991)

In much the same traditions as Brian Michael Page and Aristotle Esguerra, here are the selections for the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist. We transfered the Solemnity of St. Gaspar to the Sunday and used the prayers and readings from the feast.

Prelude: “Prelude on ‘O Sacrum Convivium’” Gerald Near
Introit: “By All Your Saints Still Striving”
Sign of the Cross: chanted in English
Greeting: chanted in English
Confiteor: recited in English
Kyrie: Mass XVI
Gloria: Congregational Mass, John Lee
Collect/Opening Prayer: chanted, English
First Reading: spoken
Verbum Domini: spoken, English
Psalm: Alstott, Psalm 96, Proclaim His Marvelous Deeds
Second Reading: spoken
Verbum Domini dialogue: spoken, English
Gospel Acclamation: Alstott
Dialogue before the Gospel: spoken, English
Gospel Reading: spoken
Verbum Domini: spoken, English
Homily Topic: To be good news for others, and never to be overcome by evil: Jesus, St. Gaspar and Pope John Paul being our best examples.
Credo: recited in English
General Intercessions: spoken
Offertory: “Tu Es Sacerdos” Robert Kreutz
Hymn: Glory Be To Jesus
Orate fratres dialogue: spoken, English
Prayer over the Gifts: chanted in English
Preface dialogue: chanted in English
Preface: chanted in English
Sanctus: Community Mass, Proulx
Eucharistic Prayer: I, chanted in English. Chant for entire prayer taken from Missale Romanum 2002
Mysterium Fidei: Community Mass, When we eat this bread
Per ipsum: chanted, English
Amen: Community Mass
Lord's Prayer invitation: chanted, English
Lord's Prayer: chanted in English
"Deliver us, Lord": chanted, English
Doxology: chanted, English
Pax Domini: chanted, English
Agnus Dei: Community Mass
Communion: “Life Giving Bread, Saving Cup” Chepponis
Communion Motet: “Adoramus te, Christe” Theodore Dubois
Concluding prayer: chanted, English
"Ite, missa est" dialogue: recited by Deacon
Closing Hymn: “For All The Saints”
Postlude: Fugue in G Major, Bach

Blessed Day to all!

The Solemnity of St. Gaspar del Bufalo is approaching. The Congregation of Divine Worship in Rome has recently approved the new prayers for the feast. These prayers are vastly superior to the old prayers and readings. Unfortunately the official text is still only in Latin or in Italian.

Thanks to the assistance of a friend in Rome we have some unofficial English translations

Die 21 Octobris
SANCTI GASPARIS DEL BUFALO, presbyteri
Fundatoris Congregationis
Solemnitas

Ant. ad introitum
Psalm 16(15):5-6

O LORD, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
The lot marked out for me is my delight:
welcome indeed the heritage that falls to me!

Dicitur Glória.

Collecta

Almighty and merciful God,
who gave us the priest Saint Gaspar del Bufalo
as a tireless missionary of the Precious Blood of Christ
and a witness all ablaze with love for you and for his neighbor;
through his intercession,
hear the voice of the Blood of your Son
as it rises from the earth,
one with the great cry of a humanity oppressed by evil.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.

First Reading
Isaiah 52:7-10

How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
Announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
"Your God is King!"
Hark! Your watchmen raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
For they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD comforts his people,
he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
All the ends of the earth
will behold the salvation of our God.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 96: 1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations

Sing to the LORD a new song;
Sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;

Announce his salvation day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, His wondrous deeds.

Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!

Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved
He governs the peoples with equity
.
Second Reading
Hebrews 13: 12-15, 20-21

Therefore, Brothers and sisters, Jesus also suffered outside the gate, to consecrate the people by his own blood. Let us then go to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach that he bore. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus our Lord, furnish you with all that is good, that you may do his will. May he carry out in you what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia
Luke 4:18

The Lord has sent me
to bring good news to the poor
to let the oppressed go free,

Gospel
Luke 4:16-21

At that time Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord."
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."

Prayer over the Gifts

May the bread and wine that we bring to you, Holy Father,
as we celebrate the feast of Saint Gaspar
be the sign of our self-offering
and express our dedication to your service
and to that of our neighbour.
Through Christ our Lord.

Preface

Truly it is right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.

For you grant us the joy of this feast of Saint Gaspar,
the faithful priest of your Church,
who while bearing suffering for her sake, did not waver.
Helped by the Blessed Virgin Mary,
he energetically preached the Gospel;
he faithfully dispensed the Blood of the Lord,
and as the faithful imitator of Christ,
was a brother, a friend, and a defender
to the poor and the oppressed.

And so, with all the angels and saints,
we praise you all together,
as ceaselessly we sing:

Ant. Ad communionem
Cf. Jn 15,13

No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one's life for one's friends.

Post communionem

O God, Eternal Father,
who have filled us full
with the Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation,
grant, through the intercession of Saint Gaspar
that we may ever hold fast in our life
to the mystery of which we have partaken in faith.
Through Christ our Lord.

It is a five day meeting of the Bishop with all the priests. I am leaving now, and have no idea if there is internet access there. No agenda, no schedule, no idea what we are doing.

Lovely little quote from Jean Corbon OP over at Ignatius Press.

On the other hand, if we do constantly renew this offering of our sinful hearts, let us not imagine that our New Covenant with Jesus will be a personal encounter pure and simple.

The book by Corbon is one of my favorites. It was a gift from a friend in Rome.

I made the mistake of attending the charismatic prayer meeting tonight. The man speaking said the exact opposite. It was mostly "me and Jesus." I am still discerning what to do about that group.

Yesterday we continued to observe the feast of St. Edward begun last Sunday. The celebration continues through the 22nd with the parish Feast. It is Edward's 1000th birthday, and it is the parish 125th anniversary.

We held a solemn vespers. Sam was the organist who was also celebrating a significant birthday.

It was the first appearance of our new children's choir, and they sounded delightful.

The delight for me was the experience of the first psalm, intoned by the children. The cantor was Dan Harris whom I have known for over 20 years. He is probably one of the best cantors have ever heard. Every word was crystal clear. The choir took the second half of each verse. The choir was in good form, too.

It was prayerful. It was simple, and simply beautiful.

We are going to have to have more experiences like this.

"The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the Blood of Christ?" (I Cor 10:16) With these words, St. Paul reminds us of the circle of communion that is created by participation in the Eucharist.

In sharing in the Eucharistic cup, God invites us to renew the covenant relationship with Him, as the basis of all other relationships. For reconciliation is indeed a gift from God, ''Who has reconciled us to himself in Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation...So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us" (2 Cor 5:18-20).

The aim of that reconciling ministry is to overcome hatred, injustice, and division. But its ultimate goal is the bringing of peace, the peace that Christ has won by the blood ofhis cross (cf. Col 1:20), the peace that reconciles all things in Christ.

The communion achieved in the reconciling Blood of Christ empowers us to be bridge builders, truth-tellers, and the healers of wounds. Our "amen" when receiving communion affirms not only the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist; it invites us to be bread broken and blood poured out, life given, for the life of the world. We become as it were "living chalices" carrying the Precious Blood of Christ, that sacred balm, to those who are in need of healing in their brokenness, to those wounded by poverty, to those left half dead by the wayside, scorned and scarred by prejudice, racism, and war.

As "ambassadors of reconciliation" (2 Cor 5:20) we offer the Blood of Christ to a world thirsty for harmony with God, with humanity and with all creation. The Blood of Christ quenches the thirst for that communion in which people of great diversity can come together in deep and abiding unity, and calls us to be Eucharistic communities which embrace those who are distant, separated, or cut off.

Participation in the Eucharist strengthens and emboldens us to dream a different history, to build a new world, a world that conforms to God's plan for humanity as revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This year he was found preaching in the presence of the Holy Father at the Synod.

Fr. Barry is our General in Rome.

Since the Beatification of St. Gaspar, his feast day has moved around the calendar.

His feast day is October 21.

Catholic On-Line gets it wrong. They have one of the old days.

I remember last October when I was the new Pastor here, I shared some pictures of my installation. There was one correspondant very critical of some of the pictures, as if he expected the new pastor to immediately correct the mistakes of the previous pastor. The criticisms had to do with the glass chalices and the vestments.

Well, I have been here a year now, and we have some new festive vestments, and we have new communion cups, thanks to some very generous donations.

Today we celebrated the Feast of St. Edward. We transfered the feast to the Sunday. Here are the pictures.

The following note about our Moderator General was received from my Provincial, Fr. Angelo:

Please keep the intention of the Eucharistic Synod in your prayers. This message came to us from Fr. Barry Fischer who is one of the Superior Generals selected to participate the Synod. Fr. Barry is in a Spanish speaking small group with cardinals and archbishops from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Columbia.

Barry said that they have listened to 123 talks so far and they are half way through the 6 minute presentations. He is expecting to give his talk on Monday, October 10th. He asked for special prayers on that day! The talks should be finished about mid-week and then they will go into the proposals that are to go to the Holy Father. After the proposals are made they will be discussed and voted upon as recommendations to the Holy Father. The Synod is in session from October 2-23, 2005.

....Charismatics. Since we are on the topic, can anyone think of a better term than "Healing Mass." I love first friday, but here it has been co-opted by the charismatics, and every first friday they have their "healing mass." I love how I use the word "they" and "their" in this context, because it certainly is not "ours."

My point is this: The normal means of healing for a Catholic is the sacraments of Holy Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. (For serious needs we also consult Doctors.) The Eucharist is healing par excellence. Every Mass is a healing Mass.

One of these parishioners said that last mass I celebrated with them was holy and reverent, but that it was not charismatic. I personally believe she dissed all sorts viable charisms in that one sentence.

So, I would like to change the title. What do we call it if it is not a "Healing Mass" per se? So far I have taken to calling it the First Friday Mass.

Also I have put a stop to the "slain in the spirit" phenomenon here. And instead of every one getting anointed, we offer the Sacrament of Holy Anointing, The Sacrament of Holy Reconciliation,and the opportunity for someone to pray with.

One commenter referred to them as as quasi-protestant. That certainly fits the experience here.

At St. Edward parish, the new General Instruction on the Roman Missal applies to everyone except the Spanish mass, the Portuguese mass and the Charismatics, especially the Charismatics. Does anyone have any sugestions or advice on how to make the Charismatics pay attention to the church?