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 Easter Octave Sunday?
Tell us about attendance especially for the Traditional Latin Mass.
Any local changes or (hopefully good) news?
A taste of what I offered at 1 Peter 5 this week:
[…]
Then comes the moment of immense ecclesial and sacramental consequence. “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you” (v. 21). The Son is the One sent by the Father. The Apostles now become sent ones in and through Him. He breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” This is the institution of the Sacrament of Penance. The power promised in the discourse about the keys and in the authority to bind and loose now takes concrete form in the breath, Hebrew ruach, of the Risen Christ.
When a priest absolves sins, it is not a mere declaration that sins are somehow ignored, covered, or externally imputed away. It is a true remission, a true cleansing, a real loosing. The Council of Trent affirmed de fide that the Church received from Christ the authority to remit post-baptismal sins. The text itself makes plain that such remission requires judgment, and judgment requires knowledge. If sins are to be forgiven or retained, they must therefore be known to the minister to whom Christ entrusted this authority. Hence, verbal confession of sins belongs to the sacrament’s very logic.
[…]
GO TO CONFESSION!
TLM/VO Missa Cantata: Father preached on different forms of grace in context of putting off the white robes of the newly-baptized. He especially looked at sacramental grace and God promising to supply the graces needed to attain the purposes of each sacrament. He also sternly admonished us that television is very bad for the soul. There was also mention of the Shroud of Turin as an antidote to doubt about the Resurrection.
Today, our parish priest discussed Confession, why it is important, receiving God’s mercy, and extending mercy to others. It is a reverent N.O. Mass when our priest celebrates. It is such a stark comparison to the visiting weekend priest, who is older and of the happy, clappy/felt banner variety. (Do not ask about Easter.)
The good news is that my N.O. parish has become more traditional and less ’60s since our parish priest was assigned here almost three years ago. Attendance is soaring. Adoration, which has always been on a Tuesdays, is now on Thursdays for a short time before daily Mass. Confession time options have increased dramatically and the waiting lines are long. Daily Mass times are now accessible to 9-to-5 workers. The long abandoned parish school *might* be housing a charter school with a classical curriculum in 2027. (Please say a prayer it does.) It is all very promising!
Our sermon was given by a former member of our parish who is now a transitional Deacon at Our Lady of Guadalupe (FSSP) seminary. He also served as Deacon for our Solemn Mass for Low Sunday. Another seminarian served as Subdeacon.
This Sunday has many names, one of which is Dominica in Albis or “the Sunday of the taking off of the white robes” when in the old days the newly baptized would lay aside their white robes and put on their normal clothes. However baptism leaves an invisible “white robe” on us, both through sanctifying grace and the mark of baptism that never leaves us even if we try to renounce our faith.
TLM (I forget that not everyone attends!)
Canon preached on two different apparitions (and the contrast between them): to Sister Faustina and to St. Lucia dos Santos: one had Christ in His resurrected body, and the other His crucified one. These he situated in the context of Divine Mercy.
i was quite badly under the weather early in the morning, but revived enough to make 1130 at a different parish. i chose quite a day to go there! this was the first Sunday since their recent renovations and their observance of the parish centennial. the pastor pointed out several features of the new (strikingly beautiful) imagery: vine and branches, flowers, a blue starry ceiling and the like. he pointed out that humanity started in a garden and the resurrection also took place in a garden and so it is fitting that a church building evoke a garden. he noted that Mary Magdalen mistook the risen Lord for a gardener, and indeed He through Whom all things were made is the ultimate gardener. he also mentioned an item from a church father to the effect that we are fortunate that angels take up no space, otherwise there would be no room for us at any Mass.
Sunday was Confirmation for the class my husband and I teach. There were 25 young people confirmed at St. John the Baptist – Churchtown, Diocese of Steubenville. Our priest, Fr. David Gaydosik, was given the faculties to bestow Confirmation by Bishop Edward M. Lohse because he is currently serving two dioceses. The homily focused on confirmation of course.
Please pray for our diocese as we are still awaiting word from Rome if we will have a new bishop, or be absorbed into the Diocese of Columbus (which the Diocese of
Steubenville does not support). We have one of the highest numbers of seminarians at 10 with 2 of those being ordained at the end of May.