Photos: First Mass of Rev. Charles White IV - Solemn High Mass - Pentecost 2009

Fr. Charles White IV of Assumption Grotto was ordained with five other men by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron on Saturday May 30th. Fr. White celebrated his First Mass on Pentecost at the parish. He celebrated a Mass in the Extraordinary Form (1962 Missal) and it was a Solemn High Mass. Newly ordained transitional deacon, John Dumas - also of Assumption Grotto - was the deacon of the Mass, and Fr. John Bustamante was sub-deacon. Fr. Paul Ward is seen in the photos in cope, as Assistant Priest. From Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described(Fortescue, O'Connell, Reid)⁽¹⁾:

....When a priest says or sings his first Mass, or first three Masses, he may be assisted by another priest. If it is a solemn Mass, the assistant priest may wear a cope. In this case many of the ceremonies performed by the ministers are modified.

A seat, a stool without a back, is prepared for the assistant priest (AP) near the sedilia, to the right of the deacon's place, facing down the church; or it may be to the lef of the subdeacon, so that the AP faces the altar....

Fr. Francis Dobrzenski, pastor of St. Joseph parish in Lake Linden, MI (Diocese of Marquette) delivered the sermon. Father was an instructor of theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary and served as spiritual director of college seminarians from 1999 - 2002. Fr. Dobrzenski has agreed to send me his excellent sermon for publishing after he gets back up north.

Fr. Eduard Perrone, Grotto's pastor, was conducting the orchestra and choir (music will be repeated for Corpus Christi on June 14th at Noon).

For those wondering, the Assumption Grotto altar boys are wearing their festive white cassocks, with red shoulder capes. These are worn mainly during Christmas season, but also come out on Pentecost. Throughout Easter Season, and on Corpus Christi, the white cassock and gold shoulder capes are worn. Ordinarily, they were black cassock with white surplice. The liturgical season changes in dress is a long-standing tradition at Assumption Grotto parish.

You may view the photos I took in this slideshow, or use one of the links below to view it at my smugmug site in various ways. If you are a Catholic blogger or have a Catholic site, you may use the pictures found at my smugmug gallery for these photos, provided you link back to this post (copy the shortcut in the title or timestamp). For professional use in print, please contact me at TeDeumBlog@gmail.com

You can start the slideshow from the beginning by placing your cursor over to the left on the filmstrip and an arrow should appear. You can also change the speed. I recommend "fast".


Other ways to view the pictures:

• Click through individual pics in the gallery



• View a full screen slideshow



• View collection as a light box (nice way to advance one frame at a time)

You can read more about Fr. Charles White IV in Fr. Perrone's May 31st pastor's column. ⁽²⁾

Please pray for all of the transitional deacons ordained this year, and newly ordained priests. Profiles for all of the men ordained can be found on this page at the Archdiocese of Detroit. May their words bring you hope for the future of Church in metro Detroit.


Archbishop Vigneron's homily is also up on the AoD's website.

[1] Posted edited at 8:00pm on June 2nd to include information about the Assistant Priest.
[2] Posted edited at 5:50pm on June 3rd to include link to Fr. Perrone's article about Fr. White.

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Grotto-goer to be ordained for Archdiocese of Detroit; will celebrate Solemn High on Pentecost for his First Mass!

Charles White IV is seen on the left side in this 2008 Corpus Christi procession at Assumption Grotto in Detroit.

UPDATE 6/2/2009: Photos: First Mass of Rev. Charles White IV - Solemn High Mass - Pentecost 2009

This past Saturday, some men were ordained as transitional deacons, including John Dumas of Assumption Grotto. The Saturday before Pentecost, on May 30th, several transitional deacons will be ordained as priests for the Archdiocese of Detroit. The Michigan Catholic and AoD website often make announcements and profiles accordingly. As soon as they are available, I will bring them to you here. Please keep all of the new transitional deacons, and soon-to-be ordained priests for our Archdiocese in your prayers.

One of those men being ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit is Grotto-goer Charles White IV. It will take place at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron on Saturday, May 30th. (See updated post with links to AoD, including profiles of all men being ordained, broadcast and live webcast info, etc.)

His first Mass as celebrant, will be in the Extraordinary Form - a Solemn High Mass on Pentecost Sunday, May 31st, 2009 at 9:30am, at Assumption Grotto Parish in Detroit, Michigan.

This is an opportunity to not only attend a Solemn High Mass and a "First Mass" in metro Detroit for Pentecost, but it will be an orchestra Mass conducted by Rev. Eduard Perrone (Mozart's Missa in C Major, KV 256 - aka, the "Credo Mass"). This orchestra Mass music will be repeated again for Corpus Christi at Noon on Sunday, June 14, 2009. Click the pic to see more.

The music program will also be used for Corpus Christi, on Sunday June 14th, 2009 at Noon. It will be a Mass in the Extraordinary Form. At this time, I am uncertain as to whether it will be a Solemn High Mass.

For more on Corpus Christi at Assumption Grotto, see these posts, and watch the short promotional video I made for 2008 with pics from previous years (prior to Extraordinary Form).

• Corpus Christi 2008 at Assumption Grotto: Photo Post 1 (following Extraordinary Form Mass)
• Come to Grotto for Corpus Christi Procession in Detroit
• Corpus Christi 2007 - Procession at Assumption Grotto (photos)
• Feast of Corpus Christi - Sunday (Photopost collector for 2007)

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Fr. Perrone's May 11, 2008 Homily in audio on the web

Grotto's pastor, Rev. Eduard Perrone, at the pulpit on September 14, 2007 - the first Traditional Latin Mass (1962 Missal) in 40 years at the parish, thanks to Summorum Pontificum.

Sidenote: Vestments are red for Pentecost.

Our pastor was kind enough to give me the green light to have an audio uploaded from his May 11, 2008, Noon Mass, homily for Pentecost. Since a group of children were making their First Holy Communion, he touched on this subject, as well.

Listeners may find it unusual, that Father would ask people to not take pictures during the Mass of those making their First Holy Communion. He poses with each child, with an unconsecrated host at the rail AFTER Mass. There is a very different culture at Grotto with regards to how children, or really - anyone, is treated during Mass. God is at the center and regular Grotto-goers do not expect focus to go on anyone person or thing during the liturgy, regardless of what is happening. Children do not grow up with low self-esteem as a result of this "lack of attention". Rather, they grow up understanding that when they are in Church, it is God's time, not ours. They know that going to Mass is not about what we get, but what we give to God - our time and full attention.

I typically have the liberty to take photos because I do so without flash, and do not look to photograph a specific child. I took a few broad shots during the sermon and will post these when I find a little more time.

Our webmaster for the Grotto site, Rick, was kind enough to upload and host the audio, since I cannot do so here on the blog.

Now, keep in mind, this is from the noon Mass, which has more children and babies than any other Mass of the weekend. One child was "with us" throughout the recording, but I managed to cut out some of the louder moments as Father paused. The way I see it, if the people there could focus on the word of Fr. Perrone, so can we.

My desire is to eventually podcast Fr. Perrone's sermons and by then, I hope to have a direct feed from the sound system. Pray that God gives me the ability to organize my life's tasks to "get there".

GO LISTEN to Fr. Perrone's May 11, 2008 Pentecost sermon. It's about 13 minutes.

Readings for this Novus Ordo Mass were:

63:Acts2:1-11
Ps104:1ab,24ac,29bc-30,31,34
1 Cor12:3b-7,12-13
Jn20:19-23

I would also like to point out that Rick, who manages the Sts Cyril & Methodius website (Sterling Heights, MI), also have audio homilies to look forward to each week on that site.


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Fr. Aidan Logan, O.C.s.o. - US Naval Academy Chaplain at Assumption Grotto

Grotto was graced with another visiting priest this weekend, in addition to Fr. Tom Euteneuer. Many recognized him from past visits, but did not know who he was. It was Fr. Aidan Logan, O.C.s.o. - a Cistercian who serves as a Catholic Chaplain at the United States Naval Academy in Anapolis, MD. Father periodically stops in - especially over Memorial Day weekend. He is a friend of parishioner Chris Kolomjec who just returned safely from his tour of duty in Iraq. Chris is a Major in the Reserves with the 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, and a member of the K of C. He has been very active at Assumption Grotto since arriving about five years ago.

Father Logan celebrated the 9:30am Latin Novus Ordo, and has been with us at other times during the year, as well. It is always a pleasure to have so many fine priests visit Assumption Grotto - always to our benefit.

I have an affinity for the chasuble worn by Father in the photos above. It is difficult to see the Sacred Heart on the back of this Roman Chasuble (casually referred to as a "fiddle-back" even though it is the front which has the fiddle shape). Click on the photos to enlarge.

Undoubtedly, Fr. Logan will be at the Memorial Day Mass which starts around 9:00 with a flag-raising ceremony. Here is Fr. Logan in last year's procession, just ahead of Fr. Perrone.


Well, it's time to get the camera ready and head out for yet a third, straight day of photography at the Grotto. The Lord has given us a grand, beautiful, sunny day after two days of rain.

Edit: Below are photos of Fr. Aidan Logan and Chris Kolomjec taken right after the social which followed the Mass on Memorial Day 2007.

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Pentecost 2007

Pentecost will always be very special to me because it not only marks my yearly anniversary with Grotto (second this year), it marks a point in which my life was radically changed.

For those who are newer to the blog, I wrote last Pentecost how the conscience-stirring words of Fr. Perrone in his weekly column lured me to Assumption Grotto.

See my post from Pentecost 2006 and to read about Fr. Perrone's "Fallacy of the Middle Ground"

I will be making separate posts on two priests who visited Assumption Grotto this weekend.

One of those priests was Fr. Tom Euteneuer of Human Life International, the other was Fr. Aidan Logan, O.C.s.o. - a chaplain at the US Naval Academy.