I am still sorting and culling and throwing and organizing. Along the way I am finding interesting things! Well.. admittedly some of them have been in plain sight.
This, however, was not. The first biretta I ever used. Pretty worn.
I don’t know why I have two Rosaries with all the mysteries, but I do.
Now that I think of it, I have a bag full of rosaries somewhere with a really nice complete corona… somewhere.
The sorting of vestments continues.
What to do with enormous and very heavy tabernacles. They have to be heavy, of course, because they are intended to safeguard the Blessed Sacrament.
And if that wasn’t enough.
And on the the theme of the Blessed Sacrament, a procession canopy!
Here is something you won’t see everyday… I hope.
I found these in the basement when I moved in. I keep them in the guest room, for obvious reasons. They are simply too ghastly not to be wonderful!
Not just one, but two!
Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and seeing this:
I’ll take offers for those. No… no… get in line!
On a happier note, here is something with lots of memories. I actually bought this from a men’s clothing store when I was a kid.
This is a plaster statue of Cyrano, not quite 3′ high.
So sad.
You can’t quite see it, but in his right hand he has a rose, and his hat, held somewhat behind his back has the great plume… his panache (in case you younger readers didn’t know where the figure, the image of “panache” came from to indicate great and high style).
He has a few little dings to his finish, but no breaks or chips.
CYRANO:
Mais aussi que diable allait-il faire,
Mais que diable allait-il faire en cette galère ?. . .
Philosophe, physicien,
Rimeur, bretteur, musicien,
Et voyageur aérien,
Grand riposteur du tac au tac,
Amant aussi–pas pour son bien !–
Ci-gît Hercule-Savinien
De Cyrano de Bergerac,
Qui fut tout, et qui ne fut rien,
. . .Mais je m’en vais, pardon, je ne peux faire attendre:
Vous voyez, le rayon de lune vient me prendre !
(Il se retombé assis, les pleurs de Roxane le rappellent à la réalité,
il la regarde, et caressant ses voiles):
Je ne veux pas que vous pleuriez moins ce charmant,
Ce bon, ce beau Christian; mais je veux seulement
Que lorsque le grand froid aura pris mes vertèbres,
Vous donniez un sens double à ces voiles funèbres,
Et que son deuil sur vous devienne un peu mon deuil.ROXANE:
Je vous jure !. . .
Did you know that there was a musical of Cyrano? I saw it in 1973 at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis with Christopher Plummer in the title role.
And so it goes.
keep the tabernacles Father, for your secret, hidden, basement/underground chapels in the days of persecution…
If you have vestments, tabernacles, and etc. that you don’t need, you might consider donating them to EWTN. They receive visiting priests from all over the world, and I’m sure that some of them would be quite happy to take some to their poor home parishes.
I like the owl lamps! But I have no place to put them at the moment, and probably won’t for quite a little while… :(
I’m thinking the owl lamps would make marvelous (and much-coveted) annual prizes for “best comment”. You could keep one in a showcase, Father, while the other rotates among winners.
My grandmother collected owls, and those lamps would have been right up her alley.
Fr. Z, there are some used church goods stores that would probably drive to your location and gladly take these items off your hands. I suspect there is at least one in the Twin Cities some where. There is one south of Madison and in Milwaukee. My parish just acquired a refurbished tabernacle. Just a thought.
RE the owl lamp: you could place them by your bird feeders . . .
My young adult daughter would love one of those owl lamps..
Father:
There are two outfits hereabouts that might want some of these things.
There is the Society for the Preservation of Our Roman Catholic Heritage, located in Dayton.
And there is the admirable Father Kevin Lutz in Columbus, who you may know.
Of course, these are locations far from you; however, one never knows if someone is passing through to one place to the other.
I know that Christ the King Parish in Kansas City is looking for funds to acquire a new tabernacle. They currently have a side drive-thru tabernacle, and the Pastor is looking to put a tabernacle back in the middle where it should be. Both the Pastor and his new Associate Priest say the EF.
816-363-4888
Note to designers of tabernacles: you can’t improve on designs that look like a tower or a miniature church, with suitable surface embellishments.. In my parish’s Blessed Sacrament chapel, we have one that is a polished brass cube, each face of which is intersected by a plain stainless steel cross. It started out in the late 1980s as “antiqued bronze”, but our newest pastor favors all things sanded and polished to a shine, with the result that the front of our tabernacle now reflects whatever is in front of it, like a mirror. Talk about distracting! That would never happen with tabernacles like the ones in Fr. Z’s photos.
I do not envy you Father. I hate to get rid of old stuff. (My wife says I am a pack rat.)
How did you end up with so many tabernacles?
I think my grandma had a set of similar owl lamps. Those look very familiar.
If you happen to be selling and/or giving away those tabernacles, I know of a good priest that is reforming the reform in his parish right now that is looking for one becoming of the dignity of Our Lord and either of those would be beautiful. You can email me at catholiconahottinroof@gmail.com.
Father, seriously, there are people out there desperately looking to restore their church and would undoubtedly pay you for these things. If you don’t want money, donate them! I know of a priest who saves vestments, tabernacles, and other holy items so that they will be preserved and hopefully used again someday. PLEASE FATHER!!! [Settle down and don’t shout at me.] Maybe these aren’t just being burned or thrown away and we’re all just freaking out for no reason, haha.
ALL: I am not in a position to give these things away.
Doesn’t it feel great to organize and sort out items? I hope you are able to part with some, because it’s when they leave the house that you get a feeling of satisfaction. I never miss the items that leave. We are considering selling our home and that would mean more purging of things. Although I am considering purchasing a Honda scooter and that would mean something big coming in. Oh well, it all balances.
Love the owls, in your house.
They are really cute though. Who can resist little birds or animals? So…70’s!
The green vestment. Ooh. Gorgeous. If that is a vestment.
I think your fate was sealed when you purchased the petite Cyrano. what kid would buy such an item? So interesting! I wonder if you knew who he was when you bought him? Why did you buy him? Maybe you don’t remember. He does look sad.
I wish I knew what Cyrano was saying there. The only Cyrano I have seen is the one with Gerard Depardieu as Cyrano. I thought he was very good. Very romantic story! Young people today know nothing about romance.
XD
I LOVE those lamps. Those are outstanding.
I sense an upcoming auction for owl lamps! Or a raffle perhaps?
Make an offer on the lamps.
Go ahead!
With respect, Father, you haven’t exactly been crystal clear on your intentions. If you can’t dispose of those important items like Tabernacles, why post pictures of them under the “sorting and throwing” banner? Most of the comments appear to revolve around the idea of sending these items to worthy chapels and parishes.
If you do have plans for these items that don’t involve a bonfire, why not say so? You need not be overly specific, and it will set many hearts at ease.
Having just sorted and packed, filled a 20′ container and shipped, unloaded and put away all my belongings AGAIN: I marvel at how much stuff I still don’t need or know what to do with. I try to keep a spartan home and closet; I think my belongings party and reproduce when the lights go off.
I have two altar editions in very good condition of the 1964 Roman Missal… I am looking for someone to make me an offer!
Hey Father, have an auction for the lamps. You could make a needed bucket of money. They are great. Just think what they would look like at Christmas with red and green bulbs.
I have an offer of $75 for the lamps.
Anyone?
As to holy objects, give them to rural parishes in the Midwest which are shutting down like dominoes and the stuff being sold to you-know-who art collectors. Already happened in some areas, or keep them for the hard times so that we can have Mass underground.
Higher, Father. I think they are worth that each minimum. Great conversational faux-art.
@sissy, did you use ABF ?
As a matter of fact, if the price goes up… and I think Supertrad is on the right track… I will throw in this little owl which I found at Goodwill.
Come to think of it… as a “family” shot, it is sort of like “the new ‘normal'”.
acardnal asked “did you use ABF?”
No, acardnal. We had to use the local shipping agent out of the Bahamas – Tropical Lines. They were great, and everything came through in perfect condition – even the piano.
Father Z. ah, how cute….I had a frog lamp once. It might still be in a box somewhere. Your owls are much more….well…well…I am at a loss for words.
I assume, Father Z, that you cannot sell sacred objects, but can’t you ask for a donation of some of the things you feel you must move on to someone else? [It is permitted to buy and sell things that are not sacred in themselves, such as relics. Reliquaries, yes. Relics, never. Vestments, vessels, buildings, etc. Yes.]
I would not be timid, either, as even the Magisterium of Nuns, as at Sinsinawa, got tons from the sale of their sacred items years ago, and not so nicely done, either.
Ah, Father, to know you have excess beautiful tabernacles that no one sees on a daily basis all the while my suburban parish houses Jesus in a structure with nothing more than a travesty of design. It is so hideous, so jejune. It appears it was designed by a preschooler.
SegoLily says: It is so hideous, so jejune.
Make me an offer.