Infant of Prague Arrived
Our Statue of the Divine Infant of Prague has arrived. We still need to fashion a pedestal and have vestments made in order to install the statue in the Sanctuary. Many thanks to all who donated. If anyone wishes to donate towards completion of the project, they may of course do so.
Confessions now avail Sat afternoons
Please note that additional Confession times have been added to the weekly schedule…
In addition to the regular schedule, Confessions will now also be available in the church from 5:00pm – 5:30pm on Saturday afternoons.
We hope this addition will alleviate the sometimes long Sunday lines as well as provide more opportunities for those who have busy schedules during the week.
New Reversible Stoles
I thought you would like to see the new reversible violet-white stoles we recently had made for the parish. These are some of the “workhorse” items of any sacristy and will be used frequently for the distribution of Holy Communion, blessings, confessions, baptisms, confirmations, anointings, sicks calls, and other sacred functions. As always please keep all our many generous benefactors in your prayers as we continue to provide for the future of our community. God bless!
New Paintings and Crucifix
Probably many of you have already seen some of the beautiful paintings of Our Lady that Fr. Fongemie asked to be placed in various places around the Church. Below are photographs of the new paintings as well as a new Crucifix (generously donated by a benefactor) which we have hung in the sacristy.
God bless.
Donor Board
Though most everyone has probably had a chance to look at the donor board already, I thought I would make a brief post for the benefit of those who like photographs. Much thanks is due to Fr. Nolan for organizing the donor board and most especially to all our benefactors for their generosity.
The donor board is located in the main stairwell between the vestibule and the basement hallway.
Do please keep all our benefactors in your prayers.
Vestments and Sacred Vessels
As promised, I am pleased to present the next round of vestments acquired by the parish over the last three months. Included are a white set with cope, a black set, and a violet set. The white set is intentionally very similar to one we just acquired, so that the cope can be used interchangeably with either set. Since a cope generally sees much less use than its associated Mass set, sharing one cope with two sets should prolong the effective lifespan of all of them. The differences between the two sets are very subtle: the newer set has a slight gold highlight down the center of the chasuble and a variation in the construction of the crosses. If you want to compare the two, the previous white set can be seen in an older post.
Also below are several photographs of re-plated sacred vessels. These were recently electroplated with a new coat of gold. I wish I had taken pictures before the work was done; the contrast is pretty amazing.
On behalf of all the priests, I would like once again to thank the continuing generosity of all our community’s benefactors. It is the hope of the priests to establish a permanent patrimony for the parish in order to provide for the needs of our parishioners for years to come.
New Vestment Cabinet and Vestments
Over the past year and due to the generosity of many benefactors, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne has acquired several new sets of vestments, as well as an additional vesting cabinet for the sacristy. You may have noticed some of these sets already in use for the sacred liturgy. Over the next few months, we should continue to receive several more sets. Currently on order are Low Mass sets in violet, green, and black, as well as a High Mass set in white. These vestments are part of several continuing efforts to build up and maintain the patrimony of the parish. In the upcoming months, the priests also plan to re-plate the greater part of the sacred vessels of the parish, as well as finish the relic display within the Marian altar.
Included in the new vestment sets:
- White Low Mass set with the Sacred Heart
- White Low Mass set with the Immaculate Heart
- White Low Mass set
- Red Solemn Mass set
- Rose Solemn Mass set
For your reference, here are the various pieces that comprise a “set” of vestments:
- Low Mass set: chasuble, stole, maniple, chalice veil, burse
- High Mass set: chasuble, stole, maniple, chalice veil, burse, cope
- Solemn Mass set: chasuble, stole, maniple, chalice veil, burse, cope, humeral veil, dalmatic, deacon stole, maniple, tunicle, maniple
Please enjoy the pictures below!
Finally, for those interested, here are the vesting prayers (in English translation) that the priest and his ministers use while preparing for Holy Mass:
- Washing of the Hands: Give strength to my hands, Lord, to wipe away all stain, so that I may be able to serve Thee in purity of mind and body.
- Amice: Lord, set the helmet of salvation on my head to fend off all the assaults of the devil.
- Alb: Make me white, O Lord, and cleanse my heart; that being made white in the Blood of the Lamb I may deserve an eternal reward.
- Cincture: Gird me, O Lord, with the cincture of purity, and quench in my heart the fire of concupiscence, that the virtue of continence and chastity may abide in me.
- Maniple: May I deserve, O Lord, to bear the maniple of weeping and sorrow in order that I may joyfully reap the reward of my labors.
- Tunicle (used by the subdeacon): May the Lord cloth me in the tunicle of delight, and the garment of rejoicing.
- Stole: Lord, restore the stole of immortality, which I lost through the collusion of our first parents, and, unworthy as I am to approach Thy sacred mysteries, may I yet gain eternal joy.
- Dalmatic (used by the deacon): Lord, endow me with the garment of salvation, the vestment of joy, and with the dalmatic of justice ever encompass me.
- Chasuble: O Lord, who has said, ‘My yoke is sweet and My burden light,’ grant that I may so carry it as to merit Thy grace.
Annual Parish Dinner of 2015
We are pleased to announce the Annual Parish Dinner of 2015, which will be hosted on October 3, 2015 at 6pm at the Shawnee Civic Center. Details for the event, as well as directions to the Civic Center, click the button below.
Phase III Building Project
A few weeks ago, our architect Daniel Himmelberg from Xpress Ideas joined us on a Sunday afternoon to give a short presentation of the proposed renovations to the exterior and grounds of the Church and Rectory. During that meeting he posted architectural illustrations in the Church Hall, which he has graciously allowed us to publish here for the sake of those who could not attend. Link is below.
Fr. Nolan Talks on Liturgy
Click on the links below to listen to or download Fr. Nolan’s series of talks on the liturgy. (Apologies for the inconsistent audio quality of talks #1-5 due to technical problems with the recording equipment. These issues were resolved beginning with talk #6)
Talk #7: Commentary on the Mass Part III: From the Introit to the Collect
(Click to listen or right-click to download)
Fr. Nolan continues his commentary on the Mass with an explanation of the first series of the ancient prayers of the Mass: the Introit, Kyrie, Gloria, and Collect. These prayers formally begin the Mass of Catechumens by disposing us to a spirit of adoration, thanksgiving, reparation, and petition: the four ends of the Mass.
Click here for the handout used for Talk #7 (same as talk #6)
Talk #6: Commentary on the Mass Part II: The Prayers at the Foot of the Altar
(Click to listen or right-click to download)
Fr. Nolan continues his commentary on the Mass with an explanation of the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, their content and structure, and the spiritual significance of these prayers in relation to the context of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Psalm 42 is the Psalm of King David after he fled from his son Absalom across the brook Cedron into the garden of Gethsemane, mystically foreshadowing the actions Christ on the night of His passion. This psalm serves then as a most fitting introduction to the Holy Sacrifice.
Click here for the handout used for Talk #6
Talk #5: Commentary on the Mass Part I: The Vesting of the Priest and Preparation of the Chalice
(Click to listen or right-click to download)
Fr. Nolan begins his commentary on the Mass with an explanation of each of the sacred vestments, their meaning and symbolism, the prayer the priest says while putting on each vestment, and its relation to the liturgy, followed by an explanation of the chalice, paten, and pall, how they are prepared and their meaning and symbolism in the Mass.
Click here the handouts used during Talk #5
Talk #4: Overview of the Prayers of the Mass and Explanation of the Liturgical Colors
(Click to listen or right-click to download)
Fr. Nolan gives a general overview of the Mass outlining the various parts of the Mass, how the prayers are structured and fit into the whole of the Mass, as well as the spiritual and theological significance of the liturgical colors.
Click here for copies of the slides used during Talk #4.
Talk #3: Why is the Traditional Mass celebrated in Latin and why does the Priest Face the Altar?
(Click to listen or right-click to download)
This third talk explains in greater detail why the Mass was celebrated in Latin for so many centuries and why this liturgical language is still of benefit in modern times. Also, the reasons why the priest faces the altar during the celebration of Mass and how this mode of celebration more richly expresses the underlying principles of the liturgy as explained in the previous two talks.
Click here for copies of the slides used during the third presentation.
Talk #2: The Proper Roles of the Priest and Laity during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
(Click to listen or right-click to download)
The second talk covers the Church’s theological understanding of the distinction between the general priesthood of the laity and the ministerial priesthood and how this distinction is reflected in the roles of priest and laity during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It also covers the many varied ways the faithful can more fruitfully participate when attending the Holy Sacrifice.
Click here for copies of the slides used during the second presentation.
Talk #1: Fundamental Liturgical Principles of the Roman Rite
(Click to listen or right-click to download)
This first talk given on Oct. 17, 2014 covers the basic principles that govern the celebration of the Mass and specifically the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
Click here for copies of the slides used during the first presentation.