Today, Thursday, 30 May, is in the traditional Roman calendar the Feast of Corpus Christi.
Today at the Church of the Holy Innocents in Manhattan (37th between Broadway and 7th Ave – easy to reach by subway) at 6pm there will be a Mass followed by an outdoor Procession of the Blessed Sacrament around the area of Herald Square near the Church and then by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the church.
If you are anywhere in the area, I hope you will consider joining us.
The music should be wonderful: Palestrina’s Missa Lauda Sion and the famous Gregorian chants of the feast.
And did I mention the procession with the Blessed Sacrament in the streets of Manhattan?
You will also see the newly restored mural by Brumidi.
Pray for good weather! At least pray that the celebrant survives to the end.
Taking the Blessed Sacrament to the streets… this is the New Evangelization!
As an old Italian bishop said: “Meno chiacchiere – più processioni. … Less jabbering – more processions.”
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I would like to hear suggestions from the readership on how we could best manage a procession in a suburban community . . . this used to be very ‘country’ and is now suburban – houses widely separated on about 3 acres, no sidewalks. I think we might be limited to processing around the parking lot over to the school and back, so we can’t get the aspect of bringing Christ to the surrounding community . . .
I’ll be there! Have been looking forward to it all week.
I was there yesterday, too. Great sermon about the need to repent before it’s too late, drawing upon the parable of the virgins with their lamps.
On a side note I plan to start making the TLM here at Holy Innocents my regular Sunday Mass. I had been attending sporadically recently but find myself more and more drawn. No longer any doubt to me that this is how I want to worship but some mixed feelings about “leaving” the church I was going to before (I won’t really be leaving though, probably still going to Mass there a few times a week—I try to go daily anyway.) But I had a wonderful conversation about this with a priest from the “old” church who was in fact the one who brought me into the Catholic Church. I think he was not surprised because he knows I am rather conservative and sees me adopt somewhat more traditional postures in the NO Mass, etc. But anyway we had a nice conversation about reverence, ad orientem, the value of majesty & beauty, good & bad music in Church, etc, and he gave me his blessing to attend the EF. Also found out he is at least an occasional reader of this blog! Very wonderful priest.
Anyway, I will be there this evening & starting now to attend regularly on Sundays at least. I know some regular readers here also attend there, maybe we will meet “iRL” sometime :)
Father Z, do I read that you will be there perhaps even celebrating? Very cool.
We’re having one too! It’s our first one ever (I think). Solemn High Mass at 6, Procession with the Holy Eucharist at 7, followed by our usual Thursday Holy Hour/Adoration/Confessions.
SO many exciting new things in the past year since our newly ordained Parochial Vicar arrived (with the consent of our wonderful Pastor), I can hardly stand it!! First a regular Wed. Low Mass, weekly apologetics class for the high schoolers, the beginnings of a beautiful schola, new music director who majored in organ performance, newly installed pipe organ (courtesy of a great priest in OH who has a warehouse of such rescued treasures), our Novus Ordo Sunday 4pm Mass is now a High Mass every week (!!!) & a new altar rail will be installed in the next few weeks!!
By golly, WE ARE RIDING THAT BIKE as fast as we can! LOL :o)
If I were there, I’d arrange a supportive, adoring flash mob . . . . So I’ll pray for one. And for you. And for conversions. Thank you for letting The Lion out of the parking lot! There’s some maximizing of Catholic Presence in the public square! Amen!
Will one ever be able to hear “remember me to Herald Square” again, without rich new content?
Our parish is having a Eucharistic Procession on Sunday. The first one I can remember. It is not going to be very long, but it is a downtown parish and should happen around 12:30pm, just as the Sunday brunch/lunch crowd is out and about. It is worship like this that make us Catholic. It is what sets us apart from the world and makes others have to make a choice, too. They can either mock and reject, or wonder to themselves, “What does Catholicism have that makes people willing to do this in the public square?” This seems to me to be a huge part of the “New Evangelization”: Just being Catholic.
OH How we pray for a Priest in our area for Say the Mass in The E.F. we have the choir, alter boys, etc, just need a Priest who knows how to Say the Mass.
Fr. Z. Question….since the regalia needed to say the Mass in the E.F. has gone away (gotten rid of) Can the Mass in the E.F. be said w/o the Maniple??? [Off topic, but, yes, if there is no maniple to be had. Keep in mind that a stole could be adapted. Perhaps you should spring for some vestments. Organize a group and get some proper vestments.]
Sinced there are none to be found in our area…ALso Fr. Z Happy Anniversary to your Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood! [Thanks!]
God Bless
In my archdiocese there is nothing at all today to commemorate Corpus Christi: as usual, it’s all on Sunday, and I don’t know of a procession. Palestrina? I doubt I’ll hear him in any church around here during my life (unless it’s a concert).
My wife and I first heard about the existence of this wonderful place from your blog, FrZ, and we’ll be forever grateful for that. We now attend TLM regularly at Holy Innocents. [Excellent!]
God willing, we’ll be there this evening, and we very much look forward to seeing you and walking with our Lord on the streets of Manhattan.
May God bless you for all the wonderful work you do in His vineyard, Reverend Father!
Also through the streets of historic Ellicott City, Maryland after the 7pm TLM at St. Paul’s — first TLM there in decades!
Leaving in a little while to sing for the High Tridentine Mass for Corpus Christi followed by a Eucharistic procession. I am so fortunate to have found such a wonderful parish here in the Los Angeles area.
Rats. I was not in Manhattan today, but I could have hopped on a train for something like this after work if only I had known.
IT. WAS. BEAUTIFUL.
Thanks Fr.Z…God Bless You and your work!
Thanks, Fr Z for celebrating the Corpus Christi TLM at Holy Innocents yesterday. It was such a treat to join in prayer with you!!
Holy Innocents Church has a really special place in my heart, as that’s where I first experienced the TLM and rebooted my Catholic faith. The TLM along with that awesomely restored mural at Holy Innocents is such an encouragement to me and my husband as we journey together in our faith.
God continue to bless you and keep you safe during your travels. :)
Things overheard during a Procession in Manhattan:
Onlooker:”What is this, a wedding?”
Respondent from somewhere inside the mob “Yeah, the Wedding of the Lamb.”
followed by my own “Teehee… hmmmmm” contemplative moment.