On The Road: Pittsburg

This is a recently recovered skeleton of the elusive Pullus, but not the Pullus Galinaceous, but rather Pullus Marinus, as the sign says.  It is in the airport in Pittsburgh, which is a strange place for it.  However, seeing is believing.

A priest friend picked me up at the airport and right away took me to see the Catholic ecclesial splendors of the area, prestigious churches.

Like this one.

And this.

Note the water tower in the distance.  Quite edifying, I’m sure, on a Sunday morning and more pleasing to view.

I scored a nice bowl of borscht.

This morning I attended Divine Liturgy at a Ukrainian parish and, from the doorway of the sacristy and side, was able to get a real sense of it.

There is a rite of preparation which the leavened loaf is cut at the table of oblation.

It is ritually carved and the part that isn’t to be consecrated remains to be consumed later and less formally called antidoron, the “instead gift”.  People who are not properly disposed for the Eucharist can receive this.

The following clearly is a kind of epiclesis, but in fact the epiclesis is earlier.  I must learn more about this.

There were three first Holy Communions today.

Antidoron.

Speaking with my friend afterwards, I made the comment that 1) like the classical Vetus Ordo, more than one things can go on at the same time – the Novus Ordo is rather like “chunk… chunk… chunk…” rather than the beautiful woven interactions of the Roman Rite in its splendor.  And also 2) the Divine Liturgy (like the classical Vetus Ordo) is virile and paternal.   It is a fatherly rite, intend to protect, guide and impart.  That’s what the TLM and the work of the priest in it are also: virile, paternal.  And if they are both celebrated rightly, the rites remain paternal, not paternalistic, which can so often happen in the Novus Ordo with the focus on the priest, grinning (or at least looking) out over the altar).  The Eastern liturgy is eastward as well, it orients.  Not a tautology.

It has been suggested to me that I learn the Divine Liturgy and become b–ritual.   Not a bad idea.  However, that might make me tri-ritual.

After lunch with a Catholic web commentator and interviewer, we went to visit (too briefly) the Pittsburgh Chess Club.

One of the two rooms.   Frankly, I was hoping for a little more… including more players and more time there.

Of supper I have nothing to say.  Suffice that tomorrow, southward to WV for the conference.

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