Altar Boy Practice - in Photos

Due to circumstances in my family and a need to rest up a little, I have not edited any other photographs thus far. It was quite late when I got home and made dinner. I finally finished cleaning the kitchen around 9:30 and went to bed shortly after.

But, in my inbox, droped the photos below. Thanks to fellow parish photographer and altar boy dad, Jeff Williams, we have a glimpse into one of the altar boy practice sessions held by Fr. Perrone. By the looks of the Church, this must have been the Friday evening practice because the Sanctuary has early signs of floral development.

The Altar Boy program is one with priestly involvement, and one where the more experienced help the less experienced.

An Altar Transformed......in minutes

Watch this video out of France in which an altar is transformed from free-standing for versus populum (facing the people) to ad orientem (facing forward with the people).

Look at the creativity that went into making this rapid - and cost-effective renovation.

From what I understand, this is the work of the FSSP.

La métamorphose d'un autel
Uploaded by CHRIST-REDEMPTEUR

Hat-tip to Fr. Z and The New Liturgical Movement.

Prayer request.....

I have an aunt who is not in very good health. She is diabetic and her kidneys are only working at 20%. She is my godmother and her name is Janet.

She was just released from the hospital before Easter where she was being treated for a leg infection. An elderly woman, Marie, who was in rather good shape for 91 years of age (still spry and driving) decided to stop by and see my aunt for the first time in 7 years. As she went up the steps outside, she fell - hitting her head on the concrete. The woman is now in ICU on life support. My poor godmother is beside herself. The hospital, nor my aunt, had any idea how to contact next of kin. There was someone listed, but they were elderly and no one was answering. I stopped by the apartment complex where the woman supposedly lived, only to find that they (the staff) were concerned because she was not back yet. I explained that she was in ICU in very bad shape. They managed to reach someone - a brother I guess. She really had no one left but him and a small handful of 90-something seniors at the apartment where she lived.

I called the parish where she went weekly for Mass after learning the hospital said she was not likely going to survive. I think they were keeping her on life support until family could come. I asked the parish secretary to please convey to the pastor that the woman had gone to Mass there each and every Saturday for many years and for him to consider going up there to give her the Sacrament of the Sick, if possible.

The woman's car remains in the driveway of my distraught aunts house, as do her glasses which the paramedics said she wouldn't be needing.

My prayer, and I ask of you, is for her to be anointed, if it is God's will. May he give her safe passage.

A lesson to us all - keep something in your wallet or your purse with a list of friends and family members to call for emergencies. If they can't reach one, they can try another.

The greater lesson is to go to confession frequently because we know not the hour of our death. Examine your conscience nightly and make an act of contrition, even for venial sins.

Motu Proprio News

We had expected the motu proprio for the Tridentine before Easter. We knew not to hold our breath as many things influence when things are released by the Holy See.

In our small end of the world, we are not always cognizant of the strife which may have the Vatican's attention. There have been some moral issues everywhere, but it really hit home in Italy recently. The situation for Catholics in China is humbling to someone like myself in a country where too few exercise their God-given right to worship. More coverage on the plight of Chinese Catholics

With all of this in perspective now, it seems silly to be anything less than patient with the process. When the good Lord wants it released, it will be released. Hat-tip to Fr. Z for sharing the contents of an article in the Italian daily - il Tempo - which claims it will happen next Monday - the Pope's birthday.

See Fr. Z's post (and translation)...

Easter Sunday 2007 - Post 2

I still have much work to do before I can post many more photos. But, I would like to share these two - which was the idea of a parishioner standing in the back of the church with his young son. He had a good eye.

This is from the noon Mass, as a priest of Opus Angelorum delivers his Easter Sunday homily. Each of the pillars has a spray of yellow flowers attached to it and the row of decorated pillars, perfectly framed the shots.

Easter Sunday Photo Post 1

Easter Vigil Note with Paschal Candle Photo

Good Friday Tre Ore Service - Photo Post

Holy Thursday Photo Post

Commentary on Confession

• Additional note on Confession Schedule for upcoming Divine Mercy Sunday: Confessions will be heard at the usual time on Saturday, so try to make it between 2:30 and 3:30, especially earlier when few people are there. On Divine Mercy Sunday - April 15, there will be Benediction following the Noon Orchestral Mass, followed by Confessions until the last is heard.
  

More Easter photos to come....

As you might imagine - if you know me, I have much editing to do before I can upload more photos. Even the photo above will be "straightened" as it is not always possible to get a photo leveled before the shot.

I couldn't take photos during the 9:30am Latin Novus Ordo because I was singing in the choir. But, I did hang around for the first part of the Noon mass, before having to depart to help with dinner that I was making for my mother, and my brother's family.

There are many talented people who freely use their God-given gifts at Assumption Grotto. We are very blessed to have our dear friend, Maureen, and her eye for decorating. Thanks be to God for the army of volunteers that worked tirelessly along with her after the Good Friday Service and before the Easter Vigil. Like the woman who annointed our Lord with oils, God certainly appreciates all the love and attention He receives through the kinds of labor so visible in the arrangements of our Easter decorations.

PARTING SHOTS FOR EASTER DAY....in Michigan!

It was announced on the news last night that it was colder on Easter Day than it was on Christmas day here in Southeast Michigan. These were taken just as I left around 12:30pm.

Easter Vigil at Assumption Grotto

I have no pictures to offer for this years Easter Vigil (the above photo of the Pascal candle was taken Easter Sunday). There will be more opportunities in years to come, no doubt. I had a valid excuse for letting go of picture-taking.....really!

Saturday morning, as I was preparing for my family to come on Easter for dinner, the telephone rang. On the other end of the line was Fr. Perrone asking me if I was planning on being there for the vigil. That's like asking if a duck has feathers, but I gave him a simple, affirmative answer. He then told me that someone wanted to talk to me. That someone was a man that had been going through Fr. Perrone's Tuesday Night Catechism, which I was also attending in order to record. He and his wife had become more familiar with Assumption Grotto through this blog and inquired about RCIA. On the morning of this Easter Vigil, as the man took the phone from Fr. Perrone, he asked if I would be his sponsor.

I could not think of a more joyful excuse to set my camera down for one evening. So, without hesitation, I told him I would be honored. Also (don't tell anyone), it felt wonderful to take in Holy Mass from down in the pews.

After a deep discernment, the man's wife did not join him in coming into the Catholic faith, but the manner in which they support each other on the paths that they have chosen has been an inspiration to me. While they will worship in different houses each Sunday, they give me reason to ponder many virtues, chief among them - charity. Religion can be a testy thing in a marriage and sometimes people err in trying to force a spouse to go one way or the other. It takes courage and very strong love to follow one's own conscience while allowing others to exercise the God-given free-will all have to follow theirs.

It was love for her husband that brought his wife to Assumption Grotto to support him in his decision. My new found friends told me that this experience has made their marriage even stronger. I believe it. This practice of virtue - of love, charity and respect for each other extends to their adult children who also discern the paths before them.

I rejoice with all of those received into the Catholic faith at Assumption Grotto this year, as well as those who came home in parishes around the world. Deo Gratias! We must keep all converts and discerning people in our prayers.

Note: I have purposely left out details that would deprive this couple of their anonymity in cyberspace.

Edit: With her permission to point this out, the man's wife has a blog called, Haunted by the Holy Ghost. You will note in the sidebar, that she has a deep affection for Assumption Grotto, as revealed in the many links and references she has among other, non-Catholic links. There, she talks about her and her husband's decisions.

Yes Virginia, it really is Good Friday

Good Friday, April 6, 2007, in Southeast Michigan. Enough said!

Holy Week 2007: Good Friday

I can only imagine what it was like for people in the pews, in a mode of deep reflective prayer as the Passion was sung over an hour long period of time. Active participation begins with interior participation - the lifting of our hearts and souls in deep meditation. This deep meditation opens us for the contemplative dimension of prayer should God will that we experience it.

In this post I will show some of the photos taken during the Good Friday Service at Assumption Grotto in Detroit, which began with Sext.

All bow during the "Gloria Patri" at the end of one of the Psalms

Altar boys, arranged by height, process in for the Liturgy of the Word, with Fr. Perrone and Deacon Jim taking up the rear.

Altar boys split - one to the right and one to the left as they process into the Sanctuary

In sorrow and humility, priests lay prostrate at the beginning of the service. This sign of humility is one where the priest considers himself unworthy to lift his face on account of how Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

During the singing of the Passion, Fr. Perrone (center) takes the part of the Narrator. The man dressed in white to the right sings the part of Pontius Pilate.

Fr. John is at the pulpit, singing the part of Jesus

The choir, in the loft, sings the parts of the crowd, among other appropriate verses.

Fr. Perrone delivering a riveting homily on the topic of shame - the shame to which Our Lord was subjected on account of our sins.

The next part of the service begins: Veneration of the Cross

Altar boys line up to venerate the Cross - first genuflecting, then kissing the figure of Our Lord crucified.

Fr. Perrone and Deacon Jim prepare to take the Blessed Sacrament back to the Sacristy, where Our Lord is reposed during this time.

The Crucifix at the steps of the Sanctuary following the praying of the Divine Mercy Chaplet - around 3:15pm.

MORE HOLY WEEK 2007 POSTS:

Holy Week 2007: Holy Thursday

Holy Week 2007: Confession Schedule and Reflections on Confession

Orchestra Mass Schedule - Easter and Divine Mercy Sundays

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

Holy Thursday 2007

I won't spend too much time blogging over these next few days, but I will try to post a few pictures. I will probably continue making photo posts well past Easter with what I get, but I would like to show a little of each of the days first. This also minizes my blogging during these sacred days.

Holy Thursday was grand. I got to Assumption Grotto at 6:30 and got one of the last parking places in the lot behind the Church. Within minutes, the lot next to the Rectory was filling quickly. The Church was packed by 7:00 with a few open seats near the rear.

Assumption Grotto Knights of Columbus and Altar Boys

Altar boys wait to escort the Deacon with the Word of God to the Pulpit

Fr. Perrone, in a Roman Chasuble, waits as altar boys incense the people

The Elevation of the Chalice

After Mass, Fr. Perrone, cradling the Blessed Sacrament, processes through the church to the Altar of Repose, seen in the second photo below off to the left. After Fr. Perrone and the altar boys quickly and silently strip the Sanctuary of everything not bolted down, there is an opportunity to remain quietly with the Lord until Midnight.

More to come for Holy Week 2007

Orchestra Mass Schedule for Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday

OTHER HOLY THURSDAY MASSES:

Photo Post of Holy Thursday at Westminster Cathedral

Photo Post of a Chrism Mass at the Archdiocese of Falls River (Southeastern Massachusetts) by Bishop George Coleman

Confession Schedule at Assumption Grotto

Confessions at Assumption Grotto

Thursday, April 5: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m; 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday, April 6: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m; 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 7: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m; 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(Note: There will not be confessions Saturday evening or on Easter Sunday morning)

It's time to think about Confession, something that should be happening daily regardless when we do our examination of conscience. Hopefully, all are doing this each evening. To help with this, ebreviary.com, which requires a paid subscription to the full breviary online, does have the 7-day Night Prayer (Compline) available for free. This prayer within the Liturgy of the Hours is done before going to bed and is preceded by an examination of conscience.

Due to weak catechesis and just plain neglect of my faith, laziness, and self-deception, I went through all of my life thinking that anything I truly forgot to mention in confession was a free-pass, as long as I did not "forget it" intentionally. What I did not realize is that I needed to confess any forgotten mortal sins as soon as they came to light. Assumption Grotto and time spent at Catholic Answers cured my ignorance. Needless to say, I found myself back in confession every other week for the first few months, ridding myself of things as they came to light. God was merciful in revealing no more than I could handle at one time and the sense of freedom is indescribable.

Why do I tell you this? Because it was simple for me to "forget" most mortal sins because I hadn't bothered to go to confession for months at a time, then eventually for years. Ohhhhh, the presumption involved with that!

Don't wait. Don't be afraid. Seek God's forgiveness, and his mercy. What a great time to get into a habit of frequent confession as we approach Divine Mercy Sunday, as well. Go at least monthly. And, if you do that nightly examination of conscience you may find reasons to go more frequently. The real free pass is the one we get when the priest says, "I absolve you..."


CONFESSION OF VENIAL SINS
Don't let the lack of any visible mortal sin prevent you from going. At Assumption Grotto the priests highly recommend going very frequently to help build virtue and holiness. This means, confessing venial sins and imperfections if there is nothing serious. I have had many people tell me they just don't know how to go so frequently if there are no mortal sins. I always tell them a good place to start is examining prayer life. If we are not giving the Lord at least 15 minutes daily, confess this and talk to the priest about it. Come up with a plan and if you fail to meet that plan then go back again until you have successfully managed it. Truly, you want more than 15 minutes, but that is where you start. The priest will give you ideas if you need help.

When would you want to confess not getting your 15 minutes of daily prayer in? Certainly not when you couldn't do it because you would have forsaken an act of charity, or duty. However, if you examine your conscience and realize that you spent an hour on the Internet that day, or two hours watching television, or 2 hours on a hobby, but couldn't find 15 minutes to give the Lord.......you just found something worth confessing. If you know that the most reliable time of day to pray is in the morning and are willing to get up 15 minutes earlier, but you hit the snooze too many times.....you just found something worth confessing.


CONTROLLING ALL APPETITES BIG AND SMALL
From confession of venial sins, come opportunities to practice mortification of appetites. While we are all aware of appetites which can lead us right into mortal sin, we don't often consider other appetites which have control over us and hinder our getting even closer to God. We should always have control over all of our appetites - big and small, rather than allow them to control us. Control of lesser appetites teaches us how to control the big hitters.

Other appetites can include an appetite for sleep or rest - more so than we need. An appetite for a certain food or drink that is inordinate. Today, we have appetites for computer, for TV, for sports, for the mall and so on. None of these are bad in themselves, but lead to intemperance. This leads to yet another great thing to examine and confess are those things which we go overboard on - especially if we do not give God hardly any time but weekly Mass.

If we ever get to a point that we have learned to control every appetite - big and small - we will have realized perfection. Holiness is a lifelong pursuit, one that even if we work at and fail repeatedly is far more pleasing to the Lord than not trying at all.

"I AM", said the Lord.

In the end, we must detach ourselves from all, until all that is left is God. Possession of God can only be realized when we have cleansed ourselves of all that is not Him.


GOD PLEASING USE OF TIME
Contrary to popular opinion - time spent online reading Catholic material or blogs, or time spent in Catholic forums can actually become an appetite out of control. If it affects ability to get prayer time in or to do some wholesome spiritual and scipture reading, the good thing becomes bad. This is especially true if we find ourselves gravitating to Catholic content that is predominately negative or involves reading scandals. Some blogs and "news" out there reads like a gossip rag - and may even involve detraction - airing every piece of dirty laundry that happens in the most remote sections of the Catholic Church. Only Original Sin or the Angel of Darkness could lead us to spend time reading about such things, rather than reading Scripture, the Fathers or Doctors of the Church, studying the Catechism, and so much more.

Do we spend our time on line learning and growing spiritually, and helping others to do the same? Or, are we looking for the next big scandal to let fester within us? Trust me - confess such a thing to a priest at Assumption Grotto and you will soon learn there are better ways to spend your time - such as in Adoration where we can make general reparation for offenses to God.

I know - I've been there and done that, which is why I have taken this blog in a different direction, thanks to some wonderful confessors who had no problem telling me how to spend my time in ways that are most pleasing to God.


CONFESSION: AN ACT OF HUMILITY
I'm absolutely convinced that among other reasons the Lord instituted this wonderful Sacrament, is to give us an opportunity to practice humility. Pride is the root of all sin. Humility (not humiliation), conquers pride. In order to get the grace of humility, we must practice it. Stepping into a confessional takes courage and humility. There are graces which come with absolution to help us fight sin and build holiness in our life. But the lesser known grace is that of the humility. Anyone who goes frequently can tell you that with time it gets easier. The building of humility and the reduction of pride is what makes it easier. The Angel of Darkness may fool you into thinking that you just can't confess something out of shame. Put him in his rightful place by making an act of humility and stepping into the confessional.

The only sin not forgiven, is the one not confessed. No matter how horrendous, no matter how humiliating, seek God's forgiveness and mercy in Confession.

Confession: Just do it!!!

OTHER RESOURCES ON CONFESSION

Cathechism of the Catholic Church on Confession

What does Scripture say about confessing sins? (EWTN)

Fathers of the Church on Confession (Catholic Answers)

Conquering the Ruling Passion (Opus Angelorum)

The Quality of Mercy (Catholic Answers)

Multiple resources at Catholic-Pages

Fr. Vincent Serpa on Good Friday and time with the Lord

An excellent response given by Fr. Vincent Serpa over at Catholic Answers on the question of whether a university student with forthcoming exams should study on Good Friday. The answer went well beyond that and gives us all something to ponder. Here is that short, yet profound reflection on "time" given to God.

Only you know what your study load is and how much time you have for activities other than study. But I would hope that you could spend at least the three hours in reflection and prayer. Certainly, if you knew that He wanted to visit with you in person on that day, you would turn your schedule inside out to accommodate Him. Well, He DOES want to visit with you. Be sure have some quiet time to give Him some opportunity to do some of the talking.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.

Source

Pope Benedict on the Easter Triduum

The manner in which Pope Benedict can weave something never ceases to amaze me. Strong, yet gentle. Complex, yet simplified. Here, he speaks on the Easter Triduum (via CWNews).

Easter Triduum marks "supreme confrontation," Pope says

Vatican, Apr. 4, 2007 (CWNews.com) - At his regular weekly public audience on April 4, Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) looked forward to the Easter Triduum, saying that the liturgical events of the coming days enact "the supreme confrontation between light and darkness, between life and death."

The Easter Triduum, the Holy Father said, "invites us to contemplate the mystery of the Cross, to acknowledge our sinfulness and, in faith, to unite ourselves with Jesus in his saving passover from death to life."

Speaking about each liturgical event in turn, the Pope said that the Chrism Mass and the Mass of the Lord's Supper-- both celebrated on Holy Thursday-- encourage the faithful to recognize "the supreme triple gift of priestly ministry, the Eucharist, and the new commandment of love."

Good Friday, he continued, is a day of solemn fasting, penance, and prayer, with the Way of the Cross giving the faithful an opportunity "to imprint the mystery of the Cross ever more deeply on our hearts."

Holy Saturday should be a day of "interior meditation," the Pope said-- acknowledging that this is a challenge as the faithful prepare for the Easter celebration. Then at the Easter Vigil, "the veil of sadness shrouding the Church… with be shattered by the cry of victory."

In the Easter Triduum, the Pope said with emphasis, the Church relives "not just a memory but a current reality." Christ is triumphant over sin and death today, the Pope said. "It is upon this certainty that our Christian lives are built."

Email for Te Deum is turned back on

Evidently, when I switched to the new blogger system, I must not have checked on the feature which shows the email address.

I suppose this explains nearly zero emails in all these weeks, in contrast to several weekly. I'm starting to get some real "junk" email in there, but I just delete those. When robots do the work, it is all too obvious.

The email address is found in my profile which is under the pic of the Blessed Mother in the left hand sidebar.

Sorry for any inconvenience. Thanks to BK for the heads-up.

N. C. Register: Trend leaning towards orthodoxy in Christianity

Interesting article/opinion on the site of the National Catholic Register. It confirms something I've strongly believed since I've been discussing Catholicism on the web (two years now): There is a shift towards orthodoxy - as in less progressive/liberal.

I have not had a chance to read the entire article, but one only has to look at where vocations are - not just in the US, but in Europe as well. Religious communities which went loose - on attire, in attitude, and in doctrine - can't seem to find nearly as many candidates or postulants as are traditional communities which wear the habit and are very Eucharistic, Marian, and devout.

Here is the beginning of that editorial on the Register's site....

Will He Rise Again In Europe Too?

Something unexpected is happening in Europe. Signs of a re-awakening of the Christian faith are slowly cropping up.

BY The Editors

April 8-14, 2007 Issue Posted 4/3/07 at 8:00 AM

Something unexpected is happening in Europe. Signs of a re-awakening of the Christian faith are slowly cropping up. We have been reporting on the phenomenon, in bits and pieces, all year.

We covered the increase in female religious vocations in Italy. We summarized an article in the German magazine Der Spiegel headlined “Religion, Born Again.” The article made its case from a worldwide perspective, but added that “there are signs that faith in God” is growing “even” in the West

.

Continue reading at the National Catholic Register....

Related posts:

New Traditional Dominican Community overflowing

Springtime in France?

Where the Vocations are (1)

Where the Vocations are (2)

Joyful Young Carmelites Taking First Vows