Yep, okay, this picture is one of the "scenes" from the evening upon which I was going to comment. And this picture does not do the moment justice; not even! Even the screaming child could not completely ruin the majesty of what it felt like to experience the unity and power of this moment; it was palpable.

And the music?! What a difference a year makes, huh? The Festival Choir was, hmm, what's that phrase..."off the hook"? Oh my gosh, we can really do it!!! I happen to think highly of our choir and I have to say that they outdid themselves this evening.

Another powerful time was the offering of the gifts: You and Gabrielle doing the "head-butt" thing, I mean have you ever met a more poised and reverent 1st grader? And Tim and Lily Roberto teaching their daughter Brianna to bow after presenting the gifts...These things really brought the entire congregation into the family and helped everyone to be a part of the offering of gifts; something I think we all sometimes fail to realize.

We know how hard you worked putting this together and your dedication to the Liturgy shows. This was clearly not a Liturgy that was just "phoned in" or routine. It was special. I can't wait for Easter Vigil!

Looks very nice.

We actually had a cell phone go off right in the middle of the Eucharistic Prayer last night... I can't remember a cell phone EVER going off at a Mass I was playing before. Yet it happens on Holy Thursday. Bizarre.

Here's hoping you and all your readers have a beautiful, prayerful and cell-phone-less Triduum.

Hi Matthew. We have a problem with cell phones in our parish. At least four went off during the Mass. They always seem to go off at the most sacred times. Last night a phone rang during the Gospel. I always cringe when they go off during the consecration. Last night it was a screaming baby during the consecration and a parent that tries to reason with an infant.

Still, nothing could seem to mar a beautiful liturgy last night. It was so, so different from last year. The big difference this year was I think we finally have a choir that knows how to pray. I certainly appreacitae Donalyns reflection on the liturgy.

We had a screaming baby during poor Fr. Kalicky's sermon at the Celebration of the Lord's Passion, but the cell phone thing seems to have tapered off.

It's awful at theaters, but people who bother to go to church seem to remember to bother to turn'em off.