From a reader:
Mass today was amazing. Two hours and 10 minutes of heaven. Shared with 3 generations of my family (my mom plus 4-year-old son, who was transfixed by the music). Simply marvelous.
A tidbit from Fr. Pasley – he has 450 families and THREE vocations! Meanwhile, in all of Philadelphia we ordained 6 diocesan priests last year. Wow.
A healthy note – our Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Thomas (my parish’s former pastor) was there. Maybe he’ll have a good report for Cardinal Rigali and perhaps someday I won’t have to drive over 100 miles round trip to attend an EF Mass!
Anyhow, what a day.
I am happy to hear this.
It would be great to get photos.
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The Mass truly was amazing. Just the procession in was a sight to behold, and it was wonderful having +Thomas there. I wanted to take pictures for you but everything is boxed up for the move tomorrow.
To your reader in the OP, there are several EF Masses already offered in Philadelphia, though certainly not enough yet. But Cardinal Rigali is very orthodox and traditional, and while he might not be taking the lead on pushing for EF Masses, he’s certainly not an enemy to it the way some bishops sadly are. Hopefully the experience of Auxiliary Bishop Thomas at the sublime and magnificent Mass today will lead to greater use of the EF in Philadelphia.
As an aside, one of the priests assisting at the Mass is a new priest at my home parish, the newly merged Our Lady of Peace in Williamstown, NJ (formed from St. Mary’s and St. John Neumann). He was more or less raised by Fr. Pasley, and is about to start learning the EF Mass directly from him. That bodes well for my home parish, as they now have a new, traditional pastor who has already begun instituting greater use of Latin and traditional hymns along with many other returns to orthopraxy, and so I think there is great hope that with Fr. Markellos the EF might one day be offered in my home parish, as well. Brick by brick, Father.
Sorry, meant to include this link for the reader from the OP, but here is a listing of the current EF offerings in Philadelphia. It’s not much, but it’s something.
Maybe he’ll have a good report for Cardinal Rigali and perhaps someday I won’t have to drive over 100 miles round trip to attend an EF Mass!
Gentle Reader, in case you missed the announcement on this blog back in July, St. Paul Church in South Philadelphia will offer Mass in the EF, a Missa Cantata, every Sunday at noon starting on October 25th. Hopefully, St. Paul’s is considerably more convenient for you.