Ordination Photos of Rev. Francisco DeAngelis, ORC

On Saturday, June 29, 2013, Rev. Francisco DeAngelis, ORC was ordained to the holy priesthood at the hands of the Most Rev. Arturo Cepeda, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit at Assumption Grotto.

What follows is a sampling of the 158 photos from the ordination.

At the bottom you will find a link to the full gallery of pictures taken that day.  While it is possible to link directly to that photo gallery, I always appreciate a link to the respective photo blogpost. This allows people to get information that is not in the gallery (it tells the story), and it allows others to discover my blog, which I hope people will find useful to bookmark and check from time to time.

The Mass

Assumption Grotto is known for it's extraordinary form Masses (1962 Missal).  This was a concelebrated Mass in the ordinary form, celebrated ad orientem, with the Eucharistic Prayer in Latin.

On Bishop Cepeda's right is Deacon Gerald Smigell, who is the grandfather of Fr. Francisco.  Many know the deacon through Ss Cyril & Methodius, where he works; and through the local chapter of the Helpers of God's Precious Infants in which he is very active.

Deacon Francisco is seen in the front pew at the center aisle as Mass gets underway. In front of him is the chalice given to him by his parents, who are standing next to him.

Some of the concelebrating priests sitting on the bishop's side of the sanctuary.

Daniel Smigell, the father of Fr. Francisco served as lector.  

The Rite of Ordination

After the Gospel was read by Deacon Smigell, the candidate is called forth where it is asked if he is worthy.  Fr. Ludwig Oppl, ORC (sitting in the front row, next to Fr. Perrone), responded affirmatively. The bishop then issues the call to Holy Orders.

He then delivers the homily from the throne.

After the homily, the Rite of Ordination continues with the Promise of the Elect

Fr. Francisco making his promises.  Also in this photo, kneeling and holding the book, is Br. Matthew Schuster, SJC - an Assumption Grotto parishioner working toward's priesthood with the Order of Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in Chicago.

What comes next is the Litany of Supplication (Litany of Saints), with Fr. Francisco laying prostrate.

Followed by the laying on of hands, first of the bishop....

Then, his religious order brother, Rev. Ludwig Oppl, ORC, Superior Delegatus

And another religious order brother present, Rev. Titus Keininger, ORC

Others can be seen in the photo gallery in the link at bottom.

Bishop Cepeda offers the prayers of ordination.

And, the newly ordained Fr. Francisco is vested.

Then, his hands are anointed with holy oil and the Veni Creator Spiritus is sung.

Fr. Francisco's paten and chalice are brought into the sanctuary by his brother and father, and are taken to the bishop.

The fraternal kiss is then given by bishop and priests present.

After the Rite of Ordination, the Mass continued with the Credo, and into the Offertory. After the schola chanted the "Constitutes eos," the choir sang Palestrina's Sicut Cervus.  The newly ordained Fr. Francisco joins his brother priests. Here we see some of the other priests who were concelebrating.

And Fr. Francisco's chalice is seen on the altar during Offertory.

Brother Isaac, and the Sisters of the Holy Cross are seen here.  Members of the Children of Mary were also in attendance (purple in habit).

Incensing...

Eucharistic Prayer I (Roman Canon) was used, in Latin.  Here, we see the Elevation of the Eucharist.

And, the Elevation of the Chalice

Fr. Francisco at the altar as a priest for the first time

As is customary at Assumption Grotto, holy Communion is received kneeling and on the tongue. Here, we see the altar boys receiving on a kneeler in the sanctuary that will later be used by Bishop Cepeda to receive his first blessing from the newly ordained Fr. Francisco.

Fr. Francisco distributes holy Communion to his family

It is not uncommon to see the Missionaries of Charity at ordinations (the order founded by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta). They have a local mission here in Detroit and I have seen them at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral for ordinations, and at Assumption Grotto for other events over the years.

The schola chanted the Tu es Petrus, then sang Psalm 150 by Cesar Franck.  They sang the beautiful Missa Secunda by Hans Leo Hassler earlier, one of my favorite Masses. The choir was directed by Ruth Lapeyre. Pablo Gorin was the organist, and he finished the day with the organ postlude, Ite Misse Est, Op. 55, No. 5 and March in D Major, Op. 56, No. 2 by Alexander Guillmant.

Bishop Cepeda at prayer during the purification of vessels as the choir sang.

After the Post-Communion Prayer, Fr. DeAngelis consecrates his priesthood to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the side altar as the choir sang the Salve Regina by Paul Paray.

After Fr. Oppl offered acknowledgments and a few words, Bishop Cepeda received a First Blessing from Fr. Francisco DeAngelis, and kissed his newly consecrated hands.

The bishop and priests made their way outside where a group photograph was taken

After Mass, there was a reception in the gym.  Fr. Francisco spent the next hour-and-a-half giving First Blessings, starting with his own family.  It began with his mother and father.

Please keep Fr. Francisco DeAngelis, ORC in your prayers as he begins his priestly ministry.

EVEN MORE PHOTOS.... 

As I said at the beginning, there are many more photos in my Smugmug Gallery for this event.  While it is possible to share that link, I appreciate links to this blogpost where people may get the full story. They too will find the full collection at the bottom of the post.

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Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Wherein I agree with Jimmy Akin on the "Poggi Scandal"...

If you are looking for ordination photos, they are forthcoming.  I need to check one last thing and they will be up mid-afternoon today, barring an act of God or digital interruption.

In the meanwhile, I want to pass along some excellent analysis by Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin, but not before a brief commentary of my own. One of the things I like about any analysis Jimmy provides is that he methodically peels the layers away after first re-capping it.  This gets you up to speed if you were not in on it, and, if one disagrees with him, they can see what his assumptions are and other things on which he bases his opinion.  Feel free to debate him if you disagree with his premise or assumptions.

I've used Normal Rockwell's "The Gossip's" before.  It's a picture well worth using again and studying carefully.  You can see the various forms of gossip in this picture, from those spreading it because they are indignant or feel they are justified by righteous anger, to those utterly entertained by it. In the end, gossip is immoral and will have to account for spreading it.

There is a famous story about St. Philip Neri telling someone who confessed to engaging in gossip, to bring him a chicken and to pluck all of it's feathers on the way back to him.  When the plucked chicken was presented, the person was told to now go back and collect all of the feathers.  Obviously, this was impossible as the wind had carried many away.  And, so it is with things we spread about others.

I ignored recent sensational reporting about a specific "gay pedophile prostitution ring" in the Vatican, as described by a former priest, Patrizio Pozzi. First, it's gossip - pure and simple. And, since even police are now going after Pozzi for spreading this in the first place, it shows how credible he is... not! If something of this nature is happening, authorities,Church and secular, can deal with it while I go about my own business.

If there is one thing I learned about Italian media since I've been blogging on Catholic issues is that it is best to let time pass rather than run with what is being reported as if it were fact.  This is separate from the issue of whether there are, generally speaking, priests and bishops with homosexual attraction, who were admitted to the clerical ranks and are not living chaste (as well as clerics who are heterosexual and not living chaste). Are there networks that make life difficult for devout and holy priests?  I believe in some places, this is the case.  And, since such things are out of my control, I try to leave it to prayer and use care not to take risks with committing rash judgment, detraction and calumny (CCC 2477-78) - all of which can get you hell as fast as committing sins against the 6th and 9th Commandments, if the three conditions for mortal sin are present.

Some of my readers will claim various reasons to justify the wasting of digital "ink" and air on such titillating rumors.  Perhaps some are legitimate. That's fine. You folks feel free to have at it. I could spike my stats in a hurry by bringing you the scandal of the day to this blog, but I would also be feeding your fallen human nature, which is what draws us to scandal in the first place.

In my fallen human nature, I find it difficult sometimes to know when I've crossed the line into rash judgment, detraction, and calumny. So, while I'm not always successful, I try to remember what some very good, orthodox priests at Assumption Grotto have taught me: If you are truly disturbed about something of that nature, go do the Catholic thing and make an Act of Reparation in a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament.  It can do far more good than engaging in idle speculation, spreading gossip, and disturbing the peace of others.  If you spend 10 minutes staring at a screen reading and watching about any kind of scandal, be it from Hollywood or the Vatican, it's 10 minutes that would have been better spent on prayer, Scripture, or on some kind of useful work.  It's 10 minutes you won't get back.  Just think: Some spend hours per day on that stuff.

The shorter Diane: I risk no sin whatsoever by not sharing with you the scandal of the day. But, if I do get into conversations or pass along the information, there are risks of engaging in objectively grave matter (many do not understand detraction and calumny, so some guilt is mitigated for them, but it does not change the nature of the sinful matter, which is objectively grave).

I discuss this rumor in this post, but only because with the passage of time, we see what kind of risks we take when we run with gossip.

With that, I refer you to Jimmy Akin's excellent summary of the latest rumor and I agree with his lessons learned at the end.  Read the whole thing over there.

Go Read: Has a gay pedophile prostitution ring been discovered at the Vatican? (8 things you need to know)  

Disquiet is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit. When you are in a disquiet mode over things happening around you, and those things are outside of your control, then go discuss it with the One who matters most.

Before you comment here, please read Jimmy Akin's commentary in full.

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Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Demolition beginning on vintage building on Gratiot near 7 Mile

Yep. Roof-top forest and all - demolition crews are prepping the old Valente's building for tear down. The building was somewhat of a Gratiot landmark near 7 Mile Road on Detroit's east side, down the road from Assumption Grotto.  Valente's moved to Grosse Pointe in 1988 from what I can tell, and had been in business at that location since 1964.

Some weeks ago, I was showing Fr. Perrone's mother the trees on top as we stood at a light at Gratiot and 7 Mile Road. It's not uncommon in urban areas to see trees growing on the roofs of abandoned buildings.  There are many along the front and side of the Valente's building, but the one pictured below was the tallest.  Mrs. Perrone had never noticed it before, and got a good chuckle out of it after I brought it to her attention. It must have been growing there for years.  At least the nesting season is pretty well finished.

I'm on vacation this week and went to 7:30 AM Mass.  After having my morning cup of coffee in the Assumption Grotto Gift Shop and Cafe, and morning prayer, I hopped back in my car and headed home to continue working on my photo backlog (see my status update here).  Construction workers had so much prepped in that short time with all this heavy equipment moving in that I headed home for my camera and went back.  I had wanted to get some pics before it was gone, along with the trees that had been growing on top. I think tree roots were holding part of the roof together because I could see light coming through holes in the ceiling near the front as I drove by, but the central portion was one giant hole.

I figured someone would get killed as the building collapsed in on itself before the city took it down.  I used to worry about the homeless people I would sometimes see standing outside of the thing during cold weather.  Inside, clothes could be seen hanging on a rack as you drove by.  I don't know if there was a fire or what, but no one seemed to want those clothes and they were definitely not "formal wear."   The Detroit Funk Blog has pictures from the inside (scroll down through pics here and see discussion in com-box which is where I got the dates).  He was braver than I by actually going inside.  Though, the ceiling had not yet collapsed in his photos.  One of the workers invited me to take pictures of the inside, but I felt safer staying far away from the dilapidated structure.  I wasn't that desperate for photos.  I read elsewhere online that the building had demolition stickers on it at least as far back as 2006.  Back then, it was boarded up.

The artistry that went into these old buildings always captivates me when I see it.  No matter how fancy they try to make it with foam and other materials these days, you have to appreciate what they did back in the day for beauty.  While Valente's appears to have occupied that building from 1964 - 1988, this building must go back further than that.  I was trying to find some history online, or even vintage pictures of it when the economy was booming in that district, but didn't find any with Valente's.

I have a few more pictures here.

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

About those photos: I'm working on it...

When I began taking photos at Assumption Grotto events and posting them to extend the witness online, I would pull all-nighters to get them through post-processing.  Many people believe, in this digital era, that the pics will be up as soon as I get them done, probably because I used to respond so quickly.  There's this little thing called "age" that gets in the way of those rapid turn arounds.

I have two photo events to share.  One is the prayer vigil for life that took place last Saturday, hosted by the Helper's of God's Precious Infants of Michigan, and led by Bishop Michael Byrnes, an auxiliary bishop of Detroit. The other event is a priestly ordination which took place at Assumption Grotto for a member of the Order of Canons Regular of the Holy Cross at the hands of another auxiliary bishop in Detroit, Bishop Arturo Cepeda.

I was nearly finished with the prayer vigil photos, but discovered some editing I had done (to not give the abortion mills free advertising), seems to have been lost, so I will need to return to those and touch them back up.

I am much closer to being done with the ordination photos today than I was yesterday.  The post-processing on these takes a little longer because I do not make use of a white card for white balance.  I need to go through each photo and adjust it accordingly.  The amount of light, and the color of it, changes with each place within the church, and even within the sanctuary.  That makes use of a white card difficult because I would need many settings in those different areas and I would need the nimbleness of mind and hand to change these in a hurry.  This would allow me to set the white balance before the photos are taken and invest less post-processing time.

Your patience and prayers are appreciated.  With God's grace, and the assistance of my holy guardian angel, they will be up tonight. It also helps if I do not lose my internet as I did last night, for no apparent reason.

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Way too much concern over Pope's empty chair at concert...

The Pope skipped a recent concert (see details here).  People were told that the Pope was not ill, but that he had an “urgent task that cannot be put off but must be dealt with at the present moment.”

Some Italian news sources, and English language bloggers did an in depth analysis of the empty chair, filling in blanks and inventing dots to drive a line to go in a way that fit a particular narrative - that the Holy Father was thumbing his nose at this tradition. Or, at least leading the reader in that direction.

There is never a danger in quietly accepting, at face value, an explanation given by someone in a case like this.  It's called virtue.

There is a danger to idle speculation that dismisses an explanation given. It's called gossip.

Consider that the first thing we must do to dismiss the given explanation is to presume someone is lying.

I'm just sayin'

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Photos coming from Saturday's Helper's Vigil...

Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Michael Byrnes leads the Rosary in front of an abortion mill on 8 Mile Road

The photos from Saturday's, Helpers of God's Precious Infants Prayer Vigil for Life, are nearly complete.  I hope to have them up in a day or two, so check back.

It was a decent turn out at close to 100 for the June vigil, which is often the lowest attended due to vacations.

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Coming up...

Bishop Michael Byrnes, auxiliary bishop of Detroit,
celebrating Mass to kick of the Helper's vigil in April of 2011. 

There are two things I want to pass along.

One, is a reminder about the Helpers of God's Precious Infants Prayer Vigil for Life, this Saturday, with Bishop Byrnes. It begins with Mass at St. Barnabas in Eastpointe.  See details here.

Please consider giving some time in prayer for life this Saturday.

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Secondly, I would like to call attention to the beginning of the Fortnight for Freedom 2013, which commences tomorrow, Friday.  You will find lots of info on this, here.  Here is a video.

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Book Review | The Price to Pay: A Muslim Risks All to Follow Christ

I am not an avid reader, but I'm trying to spend more time reading. As I complete good books, I will try to post on them for you to consider.  I do much more reading since getting a Kindle Reader. I actually have two - a Kindle Fire and one of the earlier, graphite screens that I keep for reading outdoors. Now they have the Kindle Paper White, which also reads well outdoors. I also have the free Kindle software downloaded on all my devices. On a PC, it is great for quoting since limited text can also be copied and pasted - a great thing for research papers, or blogging. But, I've also read Kindle books on my laptop in my recliner.

I will be suggesting to Amy, who runs the Grotto gift shop, to get this book in there. Don't hesitate to ask her to order and reserve you a copy this weekend.

A REVIEW: THE PRICE TO PAY

The Price to Pay: A Muslim Risks All to Follow Christ was recommended to me by one of the canons at Assumption Grotto.  He was trying to get me the hard copy, but another priest was reading it.  I decided to get the Kindle version.  When I finished, I loaned the e-book out to another priest at Grotto.  Yes - Kindle books can be loaned out, but just once, and for 14 days - a period in which the owner is temporarily locked out.  I can guarantee you that if you get this book, you won't be needing 14 days.

The hardcover of this Ignatius Press book just over 230 pages.

The Price to Pay grabs you by the seat of your pants right on the first page and doesn't let go until you are done.  It begins in Iraq in the late 1980's with a Muslim man from a tribe with considerable esteem who encounters an Iraqi Catholic while in mandatory military service.  Without spoiling it, suffice it to say, that after initially having a serious aversion to the guy, he has an experience that will change his life forever.

The man lived to write about his epic and heroic journey into Catholicism.  In fact, it wasn't a journey, it was a roller-coaster ride, running at a fast pace, with many ups and downs.  As one priest said, "if you didn't know he survived, you'd have a heart-attack reading the book."

Throughout the book you see God initiating contact with a man who has no knowledge of Christianity,  much less Catholicism, other than the false notions served to him by his anti-christian culture.  You then see a man's free-will response to each grace God sends  him.  Divine providence is visible so many times throughout the book, I lost count.

The book is ultimately hope-filled and triumphant. It was fascinating to see how some people today pursue Jesus and His Church with the boldness of yesterday's first Christians. His thirst for Baptism and the Eucharist catapulted me into an examination of conscience of a very different kind.  He wanted badly to share his new found faith with his family in a country where certain death awaits one who converts from Islam to Christianity. Among the many virtues visibly infused by God, is long-suffering as he must wait years to get the sacraments of which he desires. The book makes us think about the subtle and various ways we do not want to live our faith in the open, perhaps because family and friends will think less of us, or even reject us. If getting to Mass is a struggle, our excuses will seem quite lame in contrast to all this man went through just to go to Sunday Mass.

There is a price to pay for following Christ.  Joseph Fadelle shows us how high that price can be for some people as his picks up his cross and carries it. His story is sure to increase your faith.  It also reminds us to pray fervently for Christians in the middle east and in other countries where religious freedom is non-existent.

Get this book! I especially recommend it for late teens and young adults who are faced with some of the highest pressures of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

For Some Fathers, Just a Bouquet of Prayers...

While it is good to give flowers and gifts to a living father on Father's Day, don't forget to pray for your dad.  Flowers will pass in a matter of days, but prayers last forever.

My father was truly a devout Catholic.  My mother was not practicing regularly when they met, and when he proposed to her, he told her she would have to agree to let him raise us Catholics.  She agreed.  He followed through his promise of never pushing her to go to Mass, but he said it didn't take very long for her to ask if she could come.  My parents never missed Sunday Mass unless they were half dead, and that included on vacations.  Even after dad died, the day after the feast of St. Francis in 1991, mom continued to go to Sunday Mass unless she was half dead.

Both of my parents were blessed to die with the final Sacraments.  Dad prayed for a, "happy death" with his daily Rosary that he also prayed for all of us kids. No doubt, my faith benefited from his efforts, and all those Rosaries are still working on me.

Dad admonished me many times to never presume anyone was in heaven because we then find no reason to pray for their soul, which may be in purgatory (see scriptural and catechetical explanation here).  He urged me to pray for the dead no matter how holy they seemed.  I once asked him what happens to those prayers if the person is already in heaven.  He smiled and said, "the poor souls, for whom there is no one to pray for, will benefit from them."  It's a win-win situation.

So, amidst all the nice and cute things floating around the web today, pray for you fathers, especially for those who have left this life.  May the all behold the face of God.

While you can pray in your own words, or pray a simple Hail Mary or Our Father, it might be good to look through some of the Catholic prayers written for this purpose, some by saints long ago.  These are rich theologically and poetically.  This site offers prayers in latin and english. No doubt, the english doesn't do the latin justice poetically, but you get the idea.

http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/Varia.html#ProDefunctis

And, now for one of those nice things floating around the web.  From Catholic Vote:

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Helpers of God's Precious Infants Prayer Vigil for Life: Saturday, June 22

Please help get the word out about the Helper's prayer vigil coming up next Saturday, June 22.  You can find a word document uploaded here for printing or downloading (and perhaps easier to read).


This accompanied the email:

Attached is the e-flyer for the next Helpers of God's Precious Infants Prayer Vigil for Life.  

The vigil will be on June 22nd  and will be led by Bishop Michael Byrnes beginning with 7:30 am Holy Mass at St. Barnabas Catholic Church in Eastpointe, MI. 

After the mass we will proceed to St. Veronica Church in Eastpointe, and there begin the Rosary procession to two nearby abortion mills on E. 8 Mile Rd. 

The prayer vigil concludes by returning to St. Barnabas for the Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament at 10:15am.  

After the mass we will proceed to St. Veronica Church in Eastpointe, and there begin the Rosary procession to two nearby abortion mills on E. 8 Mile Rd. 

The prayer vigil concludes by returning to St. Barnabas for the Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament at 10:15am. Refreshments will be served immediately after.
Please help spread the word by posting the flyer in your emails, blogs, websites, etc., to invite your families, friends, pastors and parishes.  You may also print copies and distribute by hand or mail.
On behalf of "the Helpers," and vulnerable mothers and babies who are in danger of abortion, please accept our sincerest thanks for your continued support.You are needed - and we hope and pray to see you on June 22! 

Here is the back of the flyer.  It is a collection of photos from the last major vigil, and was led by Archbishop Vigneron.

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Congrats to Kevin and Amy - Ad multos annos!

On Saturday, June 1, 2013, fellow blogger and friend, Kevin Tierney married Amy Walton.

I usually do not do full wedding photo packages, but will sometimes augment the bride and groom's photo collection with some extras, especially for friends.  I'm not a trained photographer: My group shots and wedding party shots always come out lousy. And, most of my work is done without flash.  That is why I usually do not take on solo work as a photographer at these events.  Photography is a hobby for me as I have another profession by day.

Kevin and Amy joined Assumption Grotto last year and can often be seen at the 9:30 AM Mass in the extraordinary form.  With their permission, I share some of these photos here on the blog.

Kevin blogs at Common Sense Catholicism, and I recommend you follow him.  You might find him lurking in the gym vestibule after the Mass on some Sundays enjoying something from the Grotto-grill.  Kevin enjoys apologetics discussions, and you will find him well read (look out, Kevin!)

The Wedding

In the 1962 Missal, vows are exchanged right at the beginning so they go through the Mass as husband and wife.

Fr. Paul Czarnota of St. Angela Parish in Roseville, came to Grotto to perform the ceremony.  He was Kevin's pastor while at St. Josaphat in Detroit.

Kevin brought in Wassim Sarweh, known in Detroit and Windsor "Tridentine" circles for his beautiful chant. He was close enough to the rail for me to get this shot, so you can put a face to that voice.

Long after the honeymoon is over and life puts ordinary bumps in a married couple's road, they need to remember where the marriage began, and before Whom it took place.

At Assumption Grotto, the bride and groom always walk over to the Blessed Mother's altar after the Mass and lay a bouquet of flowers there, while offering a prayer.

Ad multos annos!

Now, I'm going to show a few extra shots taken outdoors to give future brides and grooms, and their photographers, ideas.  Since we have the outdoor grotto in the cemetery, it can make for a nice backdrop, as can some of the surrounding greenery.  You would never know these were taken in a cemetery.

The weather forecast was just awful.  It was supposed to be the worst in a stretch of rainy, stormy days.  The wedding was at 1:30 and we were taking pics outside around 3:15 without a drop in sight.  They were blessed with very nice weather.

Shot 1: Walking up the path towards the grotto

Grotto and angel in the background.

This was taken at the St. Peter rock, shown at top.  They were looking at the real photographer in this one.

And, this was the photographer's idea (after we brushed off the marble Kevin sat on just outside the grotto sanctuary).

The full gallery can be found here: June 1, 2013 Wedding

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

R.I.P. - Nadine Brown, founder of suppressed Intercessors of the Lamb

Nadine Brown then, and more recently

I received an email from someone informing me that Nadine Brown has passed away. She founded the Intercessors of the Lamb, now suppressed by the Church, which I wrote quite a bit about some years ago.

The person who wrote me was quite distressed over my past writings. He brought up the clerical sex scandals and related cover ups and told me I was following bishops blindly in my support of Archbishop Lucas in the matter.  Here is my response to him:

Dear ----------,  

Thank you for informing me of Nadine Brown's death.  May God grant her eternal rest. I'll remember her in my intentions today. I am glad to hear that Nadine Brown continued in her Catholic faith at Our Lady of Lourdes parish, from where she was buried.  

I regret that you experienced what you did in seminary.  I'm not unaware that these things have happened, as I had read the book, Goodbye, Good Men by Michael S. Rose which describes the very culture you talk about in seminaries.  I know priests who suffered through that gauntlet, barely making it through to ordination. These things are clearly wrong, but we don't judge the Church, which was founded by Jesus Christ, on the sins of men who have God-given free will to choose a sinful path, and still others who would choose a sinful coverup rather than hold those responsible, accountable.  

Judas was a priest, called by Jesus. He too had free-will and God permitted him to turn on Jesus out of greed.  But, there were 11 other Apostles who, as weak as they were, did not turn on Jesus in sinful greed. Thanks be to God people didn't condemn the young Church for the sins of Judas, or refrain from hearing the other Apostles, projecting the blame for Judas on them. Just as those apostles didn't deserve to have the blame for Judas projected on to them, today's bishops and priests don't deserve to have the guilt of clerics who committed sins that cry out to heaven, projected on to them.  Sure, there are guilty parties and while they may escape justice here on earth, they will not escape the Just Judge, from whom nothing can be hidden. 

While in  your woundedness you may project blame on all bishops for the sins of a few, I can't go down that path.  "Do what they say, not what they do," were the words of our Lord in reference to sinful leaders.  

I understand that you disagree with my writings in support of Archbishop Lucas.  You are free to do that, but I stand by what I wrote back then.  What you don't know is what was in, and remains in my heart.  I think Nadine Brown was a victim of sorts herself. She was a victim of not getting proper oversight for her fledgling community. I'm not going to judge the predecessor of Archbishop Lucas because I do not know the circumstances surrounding this apparent lack of oversight, and whether he had tools to do that. Many new communities were emerging in those days and with their focus on a more traditional religious life, I'm sure some bishops were glad to welcome them, unaware of problems in need of addressing before they could become entrenched. In the case of the Intercessors, I believe this caused many more people to be hurt when things were found to be out of harmony with certain aspects of how religious communities are to be formed.  Had intervention happened sooner, Brown may have been more open to changes needed to bring community  life into harmony with the Vatican process. Either the community would have faded out of existence early on if it could not right itself, or it would have formed properly and blossomed into something much richer.  

I am glad to see the community which emerged from the suppressed Intercessors of the Lamb, now called, the Brides of the Victorious Lamb, recognized by the Church.  They continue under the guidance of Archbishop Lucas there in Omaha.  I was aware of some of the training they went through by some very solid theologians.  This gave the many an opportunity to see if religious life, as envisioned by the Church, would work for them in this particular charism.  I understand some have pursued life in other communities, or continued on in secular life.  May God grant all of them peace and enlightenment. 

I ask all of you to pray for the repose of the soul of Nadine Brown. May God grant  unto her, eternal rest, and let perpetual light shine upon her.

Please, also pray for all former members of the suppressed Intercessors of the Lamb no matter where they are or what they are doing. These people all desired to pursue God in a religious vocation and should be recognized for their willingness to sacrifice their lives in this way.  When a vocational pursuit comes to an end, regardless of how it happens, it can have devastating impacts to one's life and faith.  In many cases, people give up careers, homes, and much more, to follow a vocation. If it doesn't pan out, they must work through many material, emotional, and spiritual challenges.

Here is a photo of some of the religious sisters of the church sanctioned community, the Brides of the Victorious Lamb. They are small in number, but well formed.  I understand some of the priests who were with the community have gone to dioceses to work.  Keep them also in your prayers.

I am closing comments on this post because, as my blog will show with so few posts of late, I'm swamped with a number of projects, including ordinary home care, that I have not had as much time to devote to the blog. I hope to be posting more regularly in the coming weeks.  For now, a post here and there.

Any other updates on former members, please feel free to contact me at TeDeumBlog (at) gmail (dot) com.  I can't guarantee I will reply to all emails, but I will read through them.

Further reading:

• Article on death of Nadine Brown in Omaha.com
• Archdiocese of Omaha reference page on suppressed Intercessors of the Lamb
• My label for blogposts on Intercessors of the Lamb (reverse chronological order, which will include this post at the top, so scroll down)

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Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

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Sacred  Heart of Jesus, make my heart like unto thine!

I have some photos from a wedding last weekend in process.  I should have them posted this weekend. I've been deeply engrossed in finishing an important project on a deadline.  God-willing, I'll get to share it with you some months from now.

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

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I still have some big projects on my plate (both desk and house).  I'll try to blog a little more frequently.  It's just so much easier to share something in Facebook with a single click, or Twitter.  You can find my profiles in the upper right corner if you want to follow.

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For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.