Corpus Christi

[dUSt]

3 hours ago, franciscanheart said:

Last year (or the year before or the year before?), there was a procession from one church all the way through downtown to the Cathedral. It was amesome. I hate that our whole parish is getting an email saying these don't still happen, and kind of accepting that that's okay (if it was true).

Do you know of any procession going on in the DF Dub? Your confirmand needs to council you.

[franciscanheart]

25 minutes ago, dUSt said:

Do you know of any procession going on in the DF Dub? Your confirmand needs to council you.

I don't know of one as big as the one last year to the cathedral. There will be a pitiful one in the interior of our parish before Masses this weekend. I know St. Monica is doing one around the perimeter of their campus. I'm pretty sure St. Patrick does the same every year.

You tell my confirmand to text me any time. I reach out, but I'd need to set up camp outside her residence to get any kind of consistent response.

[Nihil Obstat]

Here is a link to the Facebook album I created. I will post some highlights.

Start of Mass. More people seemed to trickle in over time.

Chanting of the Epistle. The rain was pouring and we heard thunder at this point.

Chanting of the Gospel. Rain still pouring.

Father gave an incredibly poignant homily on St. Philip Neri's and our own faith in the Holy Eucharist.

Oh no! This was not our brand new beautiful canopy I have heard so much about. At this point I assumed it was not finished in time and I would have to wait for the next procession to see it.

The end of solemn Mass.

But rejoice! Here is the canopy!

Start of the procession.

Clouds. Not a drop of rain.

Processing to the first altar in the back of the parish parking lot.

More clouds, but not a single drop of rain.

The procession was about the length of a full city block, but keep in mind that we spread out to fill the whole street. In past processions we stuck to the sidewalk. This was much better.

Second altar.

I was about two-thirds of the way to the back of the procession, so this gives you an idea of the number of people. As mentioned above, many people (including a decent amount of traffic) stopped to watch us.

Third altar.

Clouds all around us.

Now heading back to the church.

Not a very pretty church, quite frankly. 

Back inside for solemn benediction.

And the recession. Priest celebrant was Fr. Antony Sumich, FSSP. Deacon and Subdeacon were two priests from the Anglican Ordinariate. I do not recall/remember their names. Also vested in front is Fr. Lee Kenyon, Episcopal Vicar and dean of the Canadian Deanery of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter (the Ordinariate).

Make of this what you will. Weather was terrible all week. Pockets of sun and violent downpours seemingly at random. On Saturday Fr. Sumich held a rosary procession for good weather. In his homily he made a pointed comment about all of creation obeying its King. Poured, with thunder, all through Mass, and the moment we opened the doors, nothing but sun. Not a single drop of water. Third year in a row, it has been identical circumstances and outcomes each time.

[Nihil Obstat]

Pictures from a much more skilled photographer than myself.

 

[Nihil Obstat]

One more, one more.

Small clarification. As far as I can tell, the priest who served as subdeacon is not an Ordinariate priest. I had assumed he was.  He is a Catholic priest from England.

[DominicanHeart]

I'm out of props right now but I owe you a bunch 

[DominicanHeart]

Thanks be to God for such gorgeous weather last night for our procession. It made it better since we got the news that my Pastor is leaving in a month. 

[Seven77]

No procession. No Benediction. Sloppy vestments. General lack of enthusiasm. Dumb songs.  No catechetical instruction about the Eucharist during the homily. Deacon going on about material hunger to the detriment of spiritual hunger, mentioning that it's important to address spiritual hunger while letting the congregation starve, possibly to death.  Having the need to be so grateful that *at least* there was no denial of the  miracle of the multiplication.  Check and check x7x7. That was my experience yesterday at the local parish.

I am really chargedby FH's post… no, we shouldn't settle for the bare minimum. In the name of justice and mercy we need to cry out… let's take some action pham. What are some things that we can and must do?

Edited May 30, 2016 by Seven77

[franciscanheart]

22 hours ago, Seven77 said:

No procession. No Benediction. Sloppy vestments. General lack of enthusiasm. Dumb songs.  No catechetical instruction about the Eucharist during the homily. Deacon going on about material hunger to the detriment of spiritual hunger, mentioning that it's important to address spiritual hunger while letting the congregation starve, possibly to death.  Having the need to be so grateful that *at least* there was no denial of the  miracle of the multiplication.  Check and check x7x7. That was my experience yesterday at the local parish.

I am really chargedby FH's post… no, we shouldn't settle for the bare minimum. In the name of justice and mercy we need to cry out… let's take some action pham. What are some things that we can and must do?

I tried reaching out to my deacon. I wrote an email that was kind, but convicted. The response:

"Thank you, [franciscanheart], for your input."

 

I can't say I'm surprised, but I am disappointed.

[Spem in alium]

FH, your post was so moving and it would certainly be disappointing to get such a response from your deacon...but thank you for sharing your thoughts here with us.

For the last ten years, our Archdiocese has coordinated processions for Corpus Christi. They take place in the heart of the city, with thousands of people attending. There are hymns, readings, prayers of intercession, the Rosary is recited, and Benediction concludes. This year, they had to postpone because of some road closures, so it will happen in November. Here are some photos from last year, hope you can view: https://www.facebook.com/WalkWithChristSydney/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10155619958540361

The Polish custom is also to have processions, and at the shrine owned by my congregation they have a procession every year; our Eucharistic Lord is carried to four altars, where readings and hymns are led.