Diane at Te Deum has posted some great photos from yesterday’s Call to Holiness Conference in Detroit, at the National Shrine of the Little Flower.
You may know that Call to Holiness was started as a response to the awful Call to Action group which originated here in Detroit.
Bishop Athanasius Schneider is the author of a very fine Dominus Est. This book caused quite a stir when it came out, with its preface by Archbp. Ranjith. He calls for a return to kneeling and Communion only on the tongue, the Eucharist to be handled only by consecrated hands.
Coincidentally, His Excellency and I were at the Augustinianum together in Rome for studies in Patristics. I was into Augustine, he Apostolic Fathers.
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Everything looks good, Fr. Z. I wish I could have been there. So, what was with Mass versus populum? Or with the good Bishop wearing his pectoral cross outside his chasuble (though that’s a small matter). No chance the talks will be available online?
This is all very good to see. But until the Holy See comes out and starts mandating changes to the liturgy. This is all just wishful talk. If the pope really and truly believes in the Reform of the Reform. Than he needs to start taking some firm action. Not just a little here and a little there.
The ability of people to make a sow’s ear out of a silk purse never fails to surprise me. This was a wonderful event, from many different perspectives. In the past, Call to Holiness has been held in hotels, which, while providing for decent conference rooms, lacked the atmosphere of sanctity that comes from being in a consecrated space, especially for liturgy. Now, what was looked at for many years as a sort of “fringe” conference, is being recognized as the true mainstream, solidly Catholic thing it is – being welcomed into one of the largest and most significant parishes in the archdiocese of Detroit (an archdiocese that, for years, had a deserved reputation of shaky liturgical and theological experimentation).
Yes, the Masses were offered versus populum. While ad orientem is undoubtedly to be preferred, versus populum is perfectly permissible and can be good, and holy and reverent (as was demonstrated yesterday). Fr. Z has often urged us not to make the perfect the enemy of the good. What we had yesterday was good… great even!
Has the Kingdom of God been entirely established on earth yet? No. There’s still work to be done. We are blessed – incredibly blessed – to have the Holy Father we have, and the increasingly wonderful examples of our bishops – Bishop Schneider, Archbishop Vigneron, and so many others – are a true grace for the Church in our times. They need our support, our encouragement and most of all, our prayers; as to the wonderful priests like Fr. Z, Fr. Perrone and the other priests at Call to Holiness.
In addition to what Tim F. said, there are very few churches with traditional archicecture in the area of metro Detroit that would be central. Royal oak is a compromise between east and west siders, though it is still more east than west. Not as many people are willing to go into the depths of the city for a conference. They prefer it to be in suburbia and in suburbia, most parishes are in the round.
I don’t have final numbers yet on attendance, but I do know that 900 were registered within a few days of the event. Grotto could never have held that many. Shrine of the Little Flower has capacity for several thousand, and then some.
Acoustics were also very good. At Assumption Grotto, the way sound is carried there are it can make it difficult to hear those speaking from the pulpit.
With regards to ad orientem as opposed to versus populum, and even ordinary versus extraordinary form, the Call to Holiness board was at the mercy of the Monsignor who is pastor of the place. This was all discussed and negotiated as it would be with any pastor.
The 4:30pm Mass was not a Call to Holiness Mass, but the parish vigil Mass which the bishop agreed to do. Thanks be to God that Dr. Ronald Prowse from Sacred Heart Major Seminary and seminarians taught the people chant before the Mass, then led the chant during that Mass.
As Father Z has so often said, “brick by brick”. There were people there never exposed to any of these things before. Hopefully, they walked away with their awareness heightened.
As an aside, I’ll find out if the sources who video taped and audio recorded the day are willing to do internet sales. I don’t see why not. When I have info, I’ll post it.
Clarification: I’m not suggesting it was traditional architecture by my statement above, but merely pointing out that there is no “Grotto” or “St. John Cantius” in the middle of suburbia here in Detroit. People would have to commute to the inner city, which deters some from coming. It was the location and capacity that were prime drivers, in addition to the fact that, if you had to have a Church in the round, you may as well have one that is decked out with real sacred art instead of potpourri and banners.
I’m interested to see how much material from this conference I’ll be able to glean from the ‘net. So, if there are to be internet sales
of transcripts/recordings then I’m certainly game — especially if proceeds go to support the folks at Call to Holiness.
I was not aware that the deluded crowd at Call to Action got their start in Detroit. As if that city didn’t already have enough difficulties.
I admire the organizers of Call to Holiness for not just cursing the darkness, but lighting a candle. The logistics of an event like this
represents a great deal of work. It seems they’ve lit quite the candle indeed.
Diane, the Shrine is so large, and unusual, and beautiful, it would seem difficult for any photos to do it justice. But yours do so! For those skeptical, check out Diane’s blog and the slideshow of photos, as Fr. Z suggests above.
Having attended yesterday, I can attest that it was a wonderful conference, in an absolutely terrific, sacred setting. The organizers did outstanding work, and it was well worth the four hour one-way drive from Columbus to experience it.
Congratulations to all involved!
Frank, thanks for the compliment. It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday.
Great shot of St. Therese over the bouquet of flowers.
JohnE – I think Dr. Michael P. Foley might think so too!
The church was still decked out for her feast day and I had much background to work with in composition. Many of the photos have St. Therese in the background. View the rest in the gallery or the slideshow in this post.
Yesterday I received my set of DVDs of the conference presentations. The quality is outstanding! I’m looking forward to re-viewing the talks and sharing with others who couldn’t attend.