Tuesday, July 2, 2013

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.


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.

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.


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.

Monday, July 1, 2013

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.



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.


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.