Do you have some good news to share with the readers?
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“This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque ‘salon’ with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West “saloon” with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven.” – Fr. Z
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The "sign of peace" during Mass in the Ordinary Form...
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At St Mary’s in Pendelton, OR, they not only use the Communion Rail, Communion is given by Intinction and all Masses use the Benedictine Arrangement….
The CD I ordered (through Fr. Z’s site of course) of Advent music by the the Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles arrived Saturday and we listened to it on the way to Mass yesterday. Beautiful! I especially like the Rorate Caeli Desuper.
Fever is dropping. I’ll still have to miss the Christmas Mass, sadly, but presumably the worst is past. That will have to do as my good news for now….
Our homily yesterday was one of the best I’ve ever heard. It was about the first Christmas party (the Visitation) and how we can find true joy in Christmas by seeing God in everyone who comes through our door. Father tied in respecting life (tiny Bethlehem, tiny Host, tiny cluster of cells in Mary’s womb), changing the Culture of Death and many other excellent points. People spontaneously clapped when he finished speaking – it was that good.
Yes, I attended the 11am Mass at the Brompton Oratory [OF in Latin] Choir was magnificent and the homily preached by a young priest excellent.
There are 9 lower Michigan parishes, that we are aware of, offering the usus antiquior for Christmas, and 1 in nearby Windsor, Ontario. Juventutem Michigan has made a list. Hopefully, someone finds a Mass close by they were unaware of.
http://juventutemmichigan.com/tridentine-christmas-around-the-state/
My parish, Assumption Grotto, has two for Christmas – one at Midnight (with choir and orchestra; Lord Nelson Mass conducted by Fr. Perrone), and the other at 9:30 AM (no choir).
Also, Juventutem Michigan is coming back to Assumption Grotto on the Feast of the Holy Innocents at 7:00 PM, then heading to Hamtramck for their social.
I belong to a diocesean parish led by three holy pastors – all who celebrate the TLM, spend dozens of hours in the confessional each week, and who, this Sunday, each gave a terrifying homily [hell fire & brimstone] about proper examination of conscience and getting to Confession before Christmas – said they would be there for us, morning, afternoon, and night.
They also asked us to pray for the fallen-away & non-Catholics who would be attending Christmas Mass.
Diane, I sent money to your parish, lest it close! We are blessed just by knowing about your pastor, Fr Perrone. God reward him –
While visiting my lapsed-Catholic sister in London last weekend, I invited her to what I knew would be a beautiful Christmas Carol Service on the Friday…and she accepted! When there, and after having told her to enjoy it as she would a concert, she amusingly pointed out the following on the first page of the booklet that the “famously-liberal and soft-hearted” Oratory Fathers had lovingly prepared:
“This occasion is very much an act of worship and not a concert” (!)
In any case, she enjoyed it and I am now praying that she accepts my invitation to a TLM Mass on New Year’s Day. Her first ever.
[That’s how it’s done! When it comes to Mass, etc., be inviting!]
My wife and I are at the hospital, where she is in labor with our twins. Holy Family, pray for us!
A certain priest reminded me yesterday that I haven’t posted any ‘good news’ on Fr. Z’s blog for a long time, so this is for him. ;)
Yesterday, my parish (FSSP) was host to a large contingent of FSSP seminarians. (The seminary is only an hour away, and we presently have five young men from our parish in formation there.) My son and I attended Solemn Vespers with them–awesome!
In the parking lot afterwards, my son ( a current college Classical Languages major who hopes to become an FSSP seminarian after graduation) was having a conversation in Latin with a couple of the seminarians–how cool is that?
My parish is home to two of the finest priests I have ever known–priceless.
Happy Christmas to all!
More and more families are interested in attending the TLM in our community. In the new year, we will organize a talk on several aspects of the TLM for our homeschoolers who requested a presentation.
Nobody in the choir has the flu . . . very good news because our numbers are small.
Choirmaster’s wife who has been extremely ill is out of danger and in good spirits. Thank you ALL for your prayers for her!
A tenor !!!!!! appeared out of the sky Sunday and wanted to join the choir.
My daughter is on the verge of getting officially engaged to a nice young man (we heard through the Old Atlanta grapevine that he Has The Ring In His Possession now).
My son, his wife, and our first granddaughter blew into town with no warning whatsoever, along with wife’s brother and her husband and child, and wife’s parents. We took them all to the local Chinese buffet, which looks like a third-rate flophouse but has excellent food. Son has been promoted to Corporal and has been reassigned to Parris Island to teach marksmanship to recruits. This is great news (but trying for his patience – I told him he was just getting a little of his own back :-) ) Daughter-in-law is a dog trainer (you knew I was going to like her!) and we had a good dog chat over dinner.
Despite terrible highway conditions, especially through all the random goat trails my GPS took me on, I made it back home for Christmas incident free.
Rather than attend the early Children’s Mass this year with the priest who’s lack of reverence and inappropriate humor during Mass causes me physical pain, as we usually do, we’re going to Midnight Mass (actually at midnight) celebrated by the bishop.
Ooh, and I’m going to be an auntie.
My wife got me the Knox Bible Father Z has been recommending – and it’s every bit as awesome as he said. This was a splendid birthday gift.
Also, the CD Advent at Ephesus. Made for some wonderful listening on the trip to my parents.
I have a 4-year-old this year who is beyond excited about Christmas. I’m going to attempt to make sfincione for Christmas Eve dinner (I’ve never had it before), and hopefully fit in some last minute Christmas cookies. We have a nice blanket of snow on the ground, which normally isn’t good news in my book, but I like having it for Christmas. My husband will be home from work early, and has the rest of the week off. We love having him around!
Because of one of the Year of Faith Indulgences, I found out where and when I was baptized. I returned to the Church of my baptism yesterday, attended Mass and renewed my baptismal vows. I suppose it sounds like a small thing, but if not for the Year of Faith and the 50th Anniversary of Vatican II, I’m sure this wouldn’t have happened. Yesterday, the 4th Sunday of Advent, was also the 50th Anniversary of my baptism. Although only a neighborhood parish Church, I was pleasantly surprised to find the altar and tabernacle front and center beneath a balduchin. The Mass was very well attended, the choir sang ancient traditional hymns and the parish has daily Eucharistic Adoration during the week. It was a great blessing, a wonderful experience and very comforting to see the Church of my baptism so very much alive and well.
I got my new Denzinger, ed 43, English-Latin.
In efforts responding to our Holy Father’s Year of Faith, friars of the Dominican House of Studies went Christmas caroling in downtown Washington DC three different evenings & passed out holy cards. Archbishop DiNoia OP, back from Rome, joined them one night (he has the midnight Mass here). Check out some of the photos & videos (you also will see a new beer brewed by our friars, in house only!).
Six years ago I made the decision to join the Catholic Church after four years of prior deliberation. I noticed at Mass in my local Parish that people did not kneel during Holy Communion, I could not find the tabernacle, and the Nun running the RCIA program struck me as a bit liberal. I was out of there! It looked like my old Protestant Church–what’s the point?
The neighboring Parish was just the opposite so guess where I took my family? Here is the good news—my Parish has a new Priest, much is changing to include a 24 hour Adoration Chapel. I’m back in my home Parish. It appears there are some growing pains going on but I’m in for the fight to help Father!
Merry Christmas!
Good news?
Linus sums it up nicely: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZw06AbW6Vw
Whilst searching through my collection of Advent and Christmas recordings, I came upon an old set of cassettes from the Church of St. Agnes (St. Paul, Minnesota.). …wonderful recordings not listened to in many a year. The three cassette set features the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale (with whom I sang in the past) and members of the Minnesota Orchestra (who played for Mass almost every Sunday). Titled “St. Agnes Sunday Morning”, I listened to the Mass for Christmas cassette. In addition to the Schola Cantorum singing chant, the Chorale sang Gounod’s Missa St. Cecilia…all directed by Monsignor Schuler. The collection was sold by The Leaflet Missal Company of St. Paul, Minnesota. If it is still available (I suspect now in CD format), might I heartily recommend adding these recordings to your own collections.
Verbum caro factum est, et habitavit in nobis!
Good news: We have holy priests, religious and faithful defending our Holy Mother Church indefatigably. Attendance at our Latin Mass is increasing steadily here at Blessed Sacrament in Birmingham, Alabama. Dear faithful, may Our Lord grant you physical and spiritual health, strength and protection. May He answer your most earnest petitions. May Our Lady intercede for you and grant you hope and courage. Merry Christmas!
It’s snowing here in Winchester, VA! Our first snow in well over a year.
My 14-year old son just asked if I was going to daily Mass today (I am) and if he could come along (of course he can!)
Finished decorating the entire church for Christmas! The creche is set up near the sanctuary, while the Three Kings are dutifully travelling, currently on top of the confessionals in the back of the church. High Altar looks lovely, and new, freshly-pressed altar linens and a gold frontal are in place. All ready to sing carols before Mass, and Orlando de Lassus’ Hunters’ Mass at the Extraordinary Form tonight!
John 6 fan, Praying for a safe, happy delivery for your wife and new little fans!
We have a few flurries falling, so nice. My good news is that some medical tests found nothing
bad. I had posted on Fr. Z. previous urgent prayer requests. I thank all for the prayers. I thank God. Merry Christmas to all.
My whole family is with me for my first Christmas on the west coast. Tomorrow morning I sing for the Tridentine Mass of Dawn. I miss my dear departed DH but I am happier in my new home than I ever imagined.
I haven’t seen my fiancee in nearly six months, and as we speak she is on a plane coming towards me. :) On top of that I have just gotten over the worst cold I’ve had in years, and we have an excellent FSSP priest here in my diocese who celebrates Mass every day and twice on Sundays. What more could one ask for, really? I guess if the FSSP had their own church that would be ideal, but for now I’ll take what I can get.
I’m excited to take a long road trip with my family this week to spend time in the town where Jingle Bells was written with relatives. We plan to stop along the way at Sandy Hook, CT, at our 14 year old’s request, and pay quiet and simple respects. I hope she finds it healing. We’re looking forward to good company and the warmth of being with those we love. I hope everyone who participates here at the blog can experience the same joys and hopes in this season.
My first unrestricted (i.e., non-training) medical license arrived in the mail today!
For Christmas, my mother gave me my grandfather’s well-worn St. Joseph’s Daily Missal, copyright 1957. I love this gift!
PostCatholic says:
I’m excited to take a long road trip with my family this week to spend time in the town where Jingle Bells was written with relatives.
Following your link, I saw that Jingle Bells was written by James Pierpont. Recognizing the surname, I looked up him and discovered that he was the uncle of J.P. (John Pierpont) Morgan.
After returning to the first link, I noticed that the sign says that he was uncle of JP. It was there to be read, but I hurried on. Haste makes waste.
My second son had his first confession during Advent! And my first son is serving his Christmas Mass tomorrow morning. The most amazing part is…..four fallen away relatives are going to Mass with us in order to see first son serve!
I just graduated with my Masters in Theological Studies at Loyola Chicago. Currently finishing up applications for PhD programs.
Perhaps you also discovered he was a Unitarian minister? We’ll also be visiting the UU church in that town, though it’s a successor to “First Parish of Medford” and not the same one where Pierpoint served.
It says that his brother and father were Unitarian ministers. He was a musician.
Ralph Waldo Emerson was a Unitarian minister educated at Harvard. Upon the death of his young wife he found Unitarianism inadequate for confronting the existential problems of life and turned to something later called Trancendentalism. I recommend the excellent Richardson biography of Emerson.
Our new priest, who we share with a nearby parish, has decided to offer more masses (so far once during the week in addition to the regular Sunday Masses), as well as confession, at our parish. Since we don’t have a car, this is excellent news for us, not to mention the rest of the parish!
Another part of what he has been doing is promoting more parish/community events. Recently, the parish held a Posada – a traditional Mexican celebration during the last 9 days of Advent in which all those participating “act out” the story of Joseph and Mary looking for a place to sleep, singing a dialogue with the an Innkeeper. The group representing Joseph and Mary usually carry little figures with them, but someone from the parish provided a horse, and one of the teens dressed up as Mary, with her brother as Joseph. Afterwards, there was a Mexican dinner and pinatas in the church basement. We were expecting about 25-30 people, but 100 showed up, including many non-Catholics and people from nearby villages!
Finally, my aunt (who is not Catholic) joined us for our Christmas Eve Mass, as well as our Christmas celebrations, which followed the Mexican (Catholic) traditions focusing on the Nativity Scene, Baby Jesus and, of course, a large, late-night dinner. Along with my parents and another family from the community (all non-Catholics), my aunt thoroughly enjoyed all of it! My aunt lives alone and her only son doesn’t pay much attention to her. I have no idea if she has any interest in the Catholic Church (beyond accompanying us when we invite her) but she certainly enjoyed our Catholic celebrations, and we were simply delighted to have her with us and share in our Christmas Eve.
I probably have more good news, but those are the “big ones” for now.
Baby had a heartbeat on ultrasound yesterday. 10 weeks. Due in July, God willing.
@Margaret: How exciting! Congratulations! I will pray for two of you.
I really appreciate that, VR. I have miscarried later than this, so I will breathe a bit easier once I’m into the second trimester…
@Margaret: Oh, then I will pray an extra prayer for you and your baby! St Margaret happens to be patron saint for expectant mothers and everything that has to do with fertility and childbirth, as you probably know :-) Maybe Little one will be born on her day, the 20th of July?
Is this your first child?
(As a side note, I remember seeing my son sucking his thumb at 11 weeks and the sound of the heartbeat, cla – woosh! I was so happy!)
I had to chuckle at the “first child” question. Our house is full nearly to the brim with children, thanks be to God. But there’s always room for one more, and we would all be thrilled to pieces to welcome a new baby. And now that I’m officially an “old lady,” at least in obstetric terms, I get a few extra reassuring ultrasound peeks at the baby to make sure things continue along smoothly.
@Margaret: Ooops! :-) You are indeed a lucky lady – many children! I had my son at an advanced age (42), totally uncomplicated. His Apgar score was 10-10-10, (the staff was amazed). I will pray that you have an equally easy pregnancy and delivery despite being “an old lady”, ;-)