Too many people today are without good, strong preaching, to the detriment of all. Share the good stuff.
Was there a GOOD point made in the sermon you heard at your Mass of obligation for this 5th Sunday after Pentecost, or the 12th Sunday of Ordinary Time?
Tell about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass.
Any local changes or (hopefully good) news?
A couple thoughts about the sign of the cross: HERE A taste…
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The 20th century liturgical commentator Pius Parsch thought that the 2nd and 3rd Sundays after Pentecost showed God’s love inviting us (the Parable of the Supper) and His seeking us (Parable of the Lost Sheep). On the 4th Sunday, God revealed in the calling of Peter and the Apostles the instruments of administering His love and the messengers inviting us. The Good Shepherd has Fishers of Men. On this 5th Sunday after Pentecost we move from a painting by the Church of God’s love for us, to an image of our love for our neighbor, which is a demonstration that we have recognized God’s love and providence.
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Father spoke of the document abolishing the TLM. Said it probably exist and has for some time. Will Pope Fancis sign it? He said, remember to pray. Prayer can change anything. (I thought Lapanto ) He quoted St. Peter in the Epistle about anger, something I am guilty of. Put away anger and pray.
At Holy Ghost FSSP Church in Bethlehem PA there was an abundance of visiting priests so of course we had to have a Solemn High Mass for the the 5th Sunday after Pentecost. It was quite a sight seeing these young priests all processing in, the future of the Church.
One of those visitors who was also the Subdeacon for the Mass gave the homily which was on the subject of anger and the need to develop meekness.
Solid homily on making sure we keep ourselves close to God, followed by a bit on Confession and a little more on the Eucharist.
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Bonus material later in the day. Made it to the final day of annual Greek festival at a nearby Orthodox church. Fortuitously-timed arrival meant we were in good time for a tour of their beautiful church and a background talk – both led by their pastor. He packed a lot into 45 minutes – architecture, liturgy, local immigration history, their congregation’s history, iconography, a couple of points of doctrine & discipline, comparative religions, Arianism, Constantine, Saint Spyridon, and the Council of Nicea.
Went to 5pm Sunday evening Mass last night. Our good parochial vicar focused on prayer since the Gospel covered Jesus in the boat during the storm. Father urged the congregation to take at least ten minutes daily to pray, even if it is a distracted ten minutes. Father described three types of prayer: verbal, mental, and communal.
About attendance: I couldn’t help noticing the sanctuary was about 70 percent full. Our good pastor emphasizes not to take a vacation from Church during the summer months. I even met a family in the parking lot coming in for Mass who told me they were in town for a volleyball tournament and I thanked them for taking the time to make Mass and they were welcome anytime. Saturday and Sunday evening Masses sometimes work better into people’s schedules for items like this.
Not preaching, but…
Due to an unplanned gas stop messing up getting to my preferred TLM, I wound up “stuck” going to my “home parish” for the 5PM Mass on Sunday. One thing that I was not expecting – after the priest had exited the hall (they’re currently in the parish hall while the church itself is renovated – they’re ripping out the “dubious” 1980s suburban design and installing a communion rail, etc.), the congregation prayed the Prayer to St. Michael. I was actually startled – I hadn’t expected that – but also deeply pleased.
We’re at a physically small SSPX chapel in New Plymouth, ID (Boise area) that is always overflowing at the 2 Sunday Masses. We are currently trying to find a facility to renovate or land on which to build a new chapel. Since we started attending in late 2019, the number of parishioners has tripled and the tiny chapel just cannot accommodate the growing congregation. I expect with the upcoming TLM bans, the single diocesan TLM will disappear and we’ll have even more new faces!
As for the sermon, this week was the second in our pastor’s series on the Precepts of the Church. Last week, he spoke on the Sunday obligation, when it is dispensed, and striving to attend Holy Days of Obligation even if they are no longer required such as Ascension Thursday. This week, he spoke on fasting and abstinence. He gave the current guidelines regarding both, including the logistics and the ages who are required to fast and abstain. He then talked about why we fast an abstain: penance, subduing our passions, remission of temporal punishment, etc.
In the 4 northwestern states we’ve lived in and the numerous diocesan parishes we have attended (all NO) over the years, we never had sermons on anything this concrete. In fact, we just found out in the last year that my in-laws who have attended Mass their entire lives in the Boise area had never heard of the Precepts. It’s heartbreaking how deplorable catechesis has become nowadays. I honestly learned the precepts from the back of my St. Joseph missal when I was reverting to the faith as a young adult. I’ve never heard them mentioned in a sermon outside of the SSPX.