Friday, December 31, 2010
PLEASE KEEP BISHOP J. KEVIN BOLAND, DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH, IN YOUR PRAYERS
We received this communique from our diocese yesterday afternoon:
Bishop J. Kevin Boland was admitted to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Savannah Monday evening,
December 27, after suffering a severe headache and nausea.
After testing he was diagnosed with a benign tumor in his pituitary gland.
Today he underwent a successful procedure to prevent a blood clot in his right leg from causing damage.
Doctors expect him to undergo surgery next week for removal of his pituitary gland.
He has requested prayers for the successful outcome of pituitary gland surgery.
He is expected to be out of the office for several weeks recuperating from surgery.
Please keep him in your prayers.
Barbara D. King
Director of Communications
Catholic Diocese of Savannah
601 East Liberty Street
Savannah, Georgia 31401-5196
Thursday, December 30, 2010
THE YEAR OF THE RAT YEAR END REVIEW AND THEY FOUGHT THE LAW AND THE LAW WON! ME!
Below this disgusting, but somehow very pleasing picture, are all the rat stories I posted beginning in late July when I returned from vacation only to learn that four rats had been slaughtered in our kitchen! The only way I could keep my sanity was through humorous observations of the horror that I was experiencing especially at night since this big rat below in particular had walked in on me in the kitchen twice, had been in my bedroom staring at me at night as I slept and had caused me current and post traumatic syndrome of which I still have not recovered. Enjoy the year end rat in review!
ROACHES, RATS AND EXORCISMS!
FATHER Z ENTERS THE SCENE WHILE I AM STILL FREAKING OUT!
RATS IN THE RECTORY, THE SAD HORROR CONTINUES!
RAT UPDATE!
JUMPING RATS I MEAN!
THIS IS THE LAST STRAW!
AS THE RAT TURNS SOAP OPERA
RATS R US!
CHARISMATIC JOY ON MY PART!
ROACHES, RATS AND EXORCISMS!
FATHER Z ENTERS THE SCENE WHILE I AM STILL FREAKING OUT!
RATS IN THE RECTORY, THE SAD HORROR CONTINUES!
RAT UPDATE!
JUMPING RATS I MEAN!
THIS IS THE LAST STRAW!
AS THE RAT TURNS SOAP OPERA
RATS R US!
CHARISMATIC JOY ON MY PART!
TO HELL WITH THE SMALL PEANUTS OF NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATIONS, THE TRUE AND GLORIOUS ONE IS PASSED, ADVENT I, 2010!
I'm in bed on New Year's Eve by 9:00 PM! Evidently so is George Weigel. Read his New Year's essay HERE IN FIRST THINGS. It is very good!
USUALLY THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY PEOPLE SAY THEY DON'T GO TO MASS, WHAT ABOUT WASHING THOUGH?
We've all heard of the excuses for not attending Mass that sadly comes from adult Catholics. Do they say the same thing after attending the "Redneck Games" in Dublin (Georgia, not Ireland)? This annual event is a lot of fun and people get down and dirty. Do they come up with excuses not to bathe? Well, maybe some do!
From Fr. Tim Finigan and his blog The Hermeneutic of Continuity:
I am heartily sick of the protest “I don’t go to Mass because my parents forced me to go when I was young.” OK Son, what else did your parents force you to do?
Your parents forced you to wash before you went out in the morning. Those cruel tyrants made sure that you cleaned your teeth before you went to bed. They dragged you kicking and screaming to school so that you could learn to read – and the teachers collaborated by forcing you to learn the alphabet and put the words together.
To top it all, after looking after your physical needs, they had the temerity to exercise their authority by looking after your spiritual needs and taking you to Mass on Sunday.
If they had neglected to see that you were clean, had suitable clothes, eat some sort of nourishing food, get some education and cross the road safely, they would have been visited by social services and given a care plan so that you could be healthy and safe.
And you are complaining because they took responsibility for your eternal life?
In this context, it is relevant to quote again the classic:
Ten reasons why I never wash
1. I was forced to as a child.
2. People who wash are hypocrites – they think they are cleaner than everybody else.
3. There are so many different kinds of soap, I can’t decide which one is best.
4. I used to wash, but I got bored and stopped.
5. I wash only on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter.
6. None of my friends wash.
7. I’ll start washing when I get older and dirtier.
8. I can’t spare the time.
9. The bathroom is never warm enough in winter or cool enough in summer.
10. People who make soap are only after your money.
From Fr. Tim Finigan and his blog The Hermeneutic of Continuity:
I am heartily sick of the protest “I don’t go to Mass because my parents forced me to go when I was young.” OK Son, what else did your parents force you to do?
Your parents forced you to wash before you went out in the morning. Those cruel tyrants made sure that you cleaned your teeth before you went to bed. They dragged you kicking and screaming to school so that you could learn to read – and the teachers collaborated by forcing you to learn the alphabet and put the words together.
To top it all, after looking after your physical needs, they had the temerity to exercise their authority by looking after your spiritual needs and taking you to Mass on Sunday.
If they had neglected to see that you were clean, had suitable clothes, eat some sort of nourishing food, get some education and cross the road safely, they would have been visited by social services and given a care plan so that you could be healthy and safe.
And you are complaining because they took responsibility for your eternal life?
In this context, it is relevant to quote again the classic:
Ten reasons why I never wash
1. I was forced to as a child.
2. People who wash are hypocrites – they think they are cleaner than everybody else.
3. There are so many different kinds of soap, I can’t decide which one is best.
4. I used to wash, but I got bored and stopped.
5. I wash only on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter.
6. None of my friends wash.
7. I’ll start washing when I get older and dirtier.
8. I can’t spare the time.
9. The bathroom is never warm enough in winter or cool enough in summer.
10. People who make soap are only after your money.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
MORE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS THIS OCTAVE OF CHRISTMASTIDE!
I took these with my blackberry, so they are not that clear, but you get the idea!
YOU CAN CATCH MORE THAN H1N1 FLU FROM SHARING THE COMMON HOLY COMMUNION CHALICE
A communicant drinking from the common chalice that upwards to 30 people will use:
When I was in Augusta, I celebrated the funeral of a college age woman who contracted the deadly Meningococcal Disease by drinking after her boyfriend from the same Pepsi can. She looked even worse than the child in this photo who has the same disease. Amputations are done to save the life of someone with this deadly disease.
Drinking from the common chalice was banned in our Diocese last year and for several months because of the fear of transmitting H1N1 flu virus by drinking after someone who carried it. There is a news story from Australia concerning the deadly Meningococcal Disease down under and the Church's common sense approach to banning the common chalice.
YOU CAN READ THE STORY ABOUT THE FEAR OF CONTRACTING THE DEADLY MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE FROM THE COMMON CHALICE BY PRESSING THIS SENTENCE CONNECTING YOU TO AUSTRALIA!
What annoys me to no end is that many bishops and liturgists are very callous to the very real threat of contracting a mild, severe or deadly disease from the common chalice. They continue to spout off old, out dated, wrong information about the dangers to health by sharing the common chalice. I think it will take an expensive law suit to move them from this silliness.
It simply won't do to tell someone who has a serious, contagious illness not to receive from the chalice. How do you police that? And what about those of us who have to purify chalices (and only the clergy and officially installed acolytes are permitted to do it) who must first drink the dregs from an almost empty chalice that nearly 30 people have had their mouth on and which the dregs is mostly their saliva mixed with some of the Precious Blood. Then the ablutions must be drunk.
In our country there is also a silly aversion to intinction, when the minister of Holy Communion dips the consecrated Host into the Precious blood. One must receive the intincted host on the tongue. The silliness is that this upsets those who think that receiving in the hand should be the norm and a right. The "right" to receive in the hand is preserved, tough, when the person who comes forward extends their hands. They simply don't get an intincted Host.
Finally, in the Australian communique, it is suggested that people receive on the hand rather than on the tongue. When people are standing to receive Holy Communion, they are moving targets and yes it is easy to get saliva on the minister's fingers if the person receiving moves forward as the host is placed on the tongue. It is also easy to touch the hands of those who receive in the hand and the hands supposedly have more germs than the mouth.
When kneeling for Holy Communion, which should not be outlawed, the communicant is still, the mouth lower and there is very little chance of touching the tongue in this fashion of receiving.
I have dropped hosts that I intended to place in someone's hand because they moved so quickly from me even before I placed the host onto their hands. Children are the worst offenders.
Communicants should never, ever self-intinct the host as they can actually get their fingers into the Precious Blood thus contaminating it. The Eucharistic Ministers, both extraordinary and ordinary should always wash or sanitize their hands before they distribute Holy Communion.
When I was in Augusta, I celebrated the funeral of a college age woman who contracted the deadly Meningococcal Disease by drinking after her boyfriend from the same Pepsi can. She looked even worse than the child in this photo who has the same disease. Amputations are done to save the life of someone with this deadly disease.
Drinking from the common chalice was banned in our Diocese last year and for several months because of the fear of transmitting H1N1 flu virus by drinking after someone who carried it. There is a news story from Australia concerning the deadly Meningococcal Disease down under and the Church's common sense approach to banning the common chalice.
YOU CAN READ THE STORY ABOUT THE FEAR OF CONTRACTING THE DEADLY MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE FROM THE COMMON CHALICE BY PRESSING THIS SENTENCE CONNECTING YOU TO AUSTRALIA!
What annoys me to no end is that many bishops and liturgists are very callous to the very real threat of contracting a mild, severe or deadly disease from the common chalice. They continue to spout off old, out dated, wrong information about the dangers to health by sharing the common chalice. I think it will take an expensive law suit to move them from this silliness.
It simply won't do to tell someone who has a serious, contagious illness not to receive from the chalice. How do you police that? And what about those of us who have to purify chalices (and only the clergy and officially installed acolytes are permitted to do it) who must first drink the dregs from an almost empty chalice that nearly 30 people have had their mouth on and which the dregs is mostly their saliva mixed with some of the Precious Blood. Then the ablutions must be drunk.
In our country there is also a silly aversion to intinction, when the minister of Holy Communion dips the consecrated Host into the Precious blood. One must receive the intincted host on the tongue. The silliness is that this upsets those who think that receiving in the hand should be the norm and a right. The "right" to receive in the hand is preserved, tough, when the person who comes forward extends their hands. They simply don't get an intincted Host.
Finally, in the Australian communique, it is suggested that people receive on the hand rather than on the tongue. When people are standing to receive Holy Communion, they are moving targets and yes it is easy to get saliva on the minister's fingers if the person receiving moves forward as the host is placed on the tongue. It is also easy to touch the hands of those who receive in the hand and the hands supposedly have more germs than the mouth.
When kneeling for Holy Communion, which should not be outlawed, the communicant is still, the mouth lower and there is very little chance of touching the tongue in this fashion of receiving.
I have dropped hosts that I intended to place in someone's hand because they moved so quickly from me even before I placed the host onto their hands. Children are the worst offenders.
Communicants should never, ever self-intinct the host as they can actually get their fingers into the Precious Blood thus contaminating it. The Eucharistic Ministers, both extraordinary and ordinary should always wash or sanitize their hands before they distribute Holy Communion.
LIKE JESUS CHRIST, THE SOUTH HAS ARISEN OR AT LEAST THE TWO GEORGIAS!
Diocese of Savannah third year seminarian Jason Adams reads the second reading at the almost at Midnight Christmas Mass at St. Peter Basilica with Pope Benedict. The deacon who sang the Gospel was from the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The Holy Father must have had "Georgia on My Mind!"
In 1999 I visited the Church of the Most Holy Trinity's sister parish in Tblisi, the Republic of Georgia. One of the parishioners at the Latin Rite Catholic parish of Saints Peter and Paul (never shut down by the Soviets) gave me a tour of this magnificent city in his brand new Nissan. He had the radio on to a local Tbilisi station and one of the songs that just happened to come on was "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles. All of the Tblisi passengers in the car including the driver thought this song was about their "Georgia!" I had to set them straight on the matter of course.
When I was in elementary school in Augusta, Georgia, our teacher would make a big deal out of the fact that there was yet another Georgia in the Soviet Union. From that day forward I had a longing to see this other Georgia and what Augusta would look like there! Little did I know that in 1999 I would go. I didn't find Augusta, but I did find a wonderful place!
In 1999 I visited the Church of the Most Holy Trinity's sister parish in Tblisi, the Republic of Georgia. One of the parishioners at the Latin Rite Catholic parish of Saints Peter and Paul (never shut down by the Soviets) gave me a tour of this magnificent city in his brand new Nissan. He had the radio on to a local Tbilisi station and one of the songs that just happened to come on was "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles. All of the Tblisi passengers in the car including the driver thought this song was about their "Georgia!" I had to set them straight on the matter of course.
When I was in elementary school in Augusta, Georgia, our teacher would make a big deal out of the fact that there was yet another Georgia in the Soviet Union. From that day forward I had a longing to see this other Georgia and what Augusta would look like there! Little did I know that in 1999 I would go. I didn't find Augusta, but I did find a wonderful place!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
CHRISTMAS EVE'S CHILDREN MASS AND PAGEANT
Our "family Mass" was at 6:00 PM Christmas Eve. As a prelude to the Mass, the pageant was acted out by the children in a "Lessons and Carols" format. It was nice. In the past we've done this at the homily time, but this year and for the rest of my life, it will be as a prelude to the Mass. It was quite nice! Fr. Justin Ferguson was the celebrant for the Mass. Dr. Buck Melton took the photos. The angels getting last minute warnings!
CERTAINLY SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM REALIZED THAT THERE WERE SOME THINGS NEEDING REFORM IN THE TRIDENTINE MASS
This only occurs at a Solemn Sung Mass that a bishop celebrates in the Extraordinary Form. To me it cries out for reform. Get some chairs for those servers on the floor!
Now for the Ordinary Form of the Mass that needs some reform:
A reforming document from the Vatican many, many years ago in 1997:
“Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priests“.
Article 8
The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
The non-ordained faithful already collaborate with the sacred ministers in diverse pastoral situations since “This wonderful gift of the Eucharist, which is the greatest gift of all, demands that such an important mystery should be increasingly better known and its saving power more fully shared”.(95)
Such liturgical service is a response to the objective needs of the faithful especially those of the sick and to those liturgical assemblies in which there are particularly large numbers of the faithful who wish to receive Holy Communion.
§ 1. The canonical discipline concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion must be correctly applied so as to avoid generating confusion. The same discipline establishes that the ordinary minister of Holy Communion is the Bishop, the Priest and the the Deacon.(96) Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are those instituted as acolytes and the faithful so deputed in accordance with Canon 230, § 3.(97)
A non-ordained member of the faithful, in cases of true necessity, may be deputed by the diocesan bishop, using the appropriate form of blessing for these situation, to act as an extraordinary minister to distribute Holy Communion outside of liturgical celebrations ad actum vel ad tempus or for a more stable period. In exceptional cases or in un foreseen circumstances, the priest presiding at the liturgy may authorize such ad actum.(98)
§ 2. Extraordinary ministers may distribute Holy Communion at eucharistic celebrations only when there are no ordained ministers present or when those ordained ministers present at a liturgical celebration are truly unable to distribute Holy Communion.(99) They may also exercise this function at eucharistic celebrations where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful and which would be excessively prolonged because of an insufficient number of ordained ministers to distribute Holy Communion. (100)
This function is supplementary and extraordinary (101) and must be exercised in accordance with the norm of law. It is thus useful for the diocesan bishop to issue particular norms concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion which, in complete harmony with the universal law of the Church, should regulate the exercise of this function in his diocese. Such norms should provide, amongst other things, for matters such as the instruction in eucharistic doctrine of those chosen to be extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the meaning of the service they provide, the rubrics to be observed, the reverence to be shown for such an august Sacrament and instruction concerning the discipline on admission to Holy Communion.
To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches:
— extraordinary ministers receiving Holy Communion apart from the other faithful as though concelebrants;
— association with the renewal of promises made by priests at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, as well as other categories of faithful who renew religious vows or receive a mandate as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion;
— the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass thus arbitrarily extending the concept of “a great number of the faithful”.
Now for the Ordinary Form of the Mass that needs some reform:
A reforming document from the Vatican many, many years ago in 1997:
“Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priests“.
Article 8
The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
The non-ordained faithful already collaborate with the sacred ministers in diverse pastoral situations since “This wonderful gift of the Eucharist, which is the greatest gift of all, demands that such an important mystery should be increasingly better known and its saving power more fully shared”.(95)
Such liturgical service is a response to the objective needs of the faithful especially those of the sick and to those liturgical assemblies in which there are particularly large numbers of the faithful who wish to receive Holy Communion.
§ 1. The canonical discipline concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion must be correctly applied so as to avoid generating confusion. The same discipline establishes that the ordinary minister of Holy Communion is the Bishop, the Priest and the the Deacon.(96) Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion are those instituted as acolytes and the faithful so deputed in accordance with Canon 230, § 3.(97)
A non-ordained member of the faithful, in cases of true necessity, may be deputed by the diocesan bishop, using the appropriate form of blessing for these situation, to act as an extraordinary minister to distribute Holy Communion outside of liturgical celebrations ad actum vel ad tempus or for a more stable period. In exceptional cases or in un foreseen circumstances, the priest presiding at the liturgy may authorize such ad actum.(98)
§ 2. Extraordinary ministers may distribute Holy Communion at eucharistic celebrations only when there are no ordained ministers present or when those ordained ministers present at a liturgical celebration are truly unable to distribute Holy Communion.(99) They may also exercise this function at eucharistic celebrations where there are particularly large numbers of the faithful and which would be excessively prolonged because of an insufficient number of ordained ministers to distribute Holy Communion. (100)
This function is supplementary and extraordinary (101) and must be exercised in accordance with the norm of law. It is thus useful for the diocesan bishop to issue particular norms concerning extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion which, in complete harmony with the universal law of the Church, should regulate the exercise of this function in his diocese. Such norms should provide, amongst other things, for matters such as the instruction in eucharistic doctrine of those chosen to be extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the meaning of the service they provide, the rubrics to be observed, the reverence to be shown for such an august Sacrament and instruction concerning the discipline on admission to Holy Communion.
To avoid creating confusion, certain practices are to be avoided and eliminated where such have emerged in particular Churches:
— extraordinary ministers receiving Holy Communion apart from the other faithful as though concelebrants;
— association with the renewal of promises made by priests at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, as well as other categories of faithful who renew religious vows or receive a mandate as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion;
— the habitual use of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at Mass thus arbitrarily extending the concept of “a great number of the faithful”.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
NON CATHOLIC CHRISTIANS OFFENDED THAT CATHOLIC CHURCH DOES NOT HAVE OPEN HOLY COMMUNION FOR ONE AND ALL!
Protestants are angered that the Catholic Church does not invite them to Holy Communion!
It has been a long-standing tradition in the south for Protestants to attend Midnight Mass. In fact it is a family tradition for many going back well before the Second Vatican Council. Most non-liturgical protestants do not have church services on Christmas day although in the last 20 years many have started to have Christmas Eve services. This is one reason why so many Protestants come to our Christmas Masses.
At one time they would have known the etiquette about Holy Communion and that they should not present themselves to receive. But that is not the case today. We have many coming up to Holy Communion who are clueless about how to receive and others who think they should come forward as they do in their own churches. Thus today we have to make an announcement about it.
At our Midnight Christmas Mass, I made an announcement after the General Intercessions that we welcome all who are visitors especially those who are not of the Catholic faith. I mentioned that only Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Catholics who through sacramental confession are in a "state of grace" should receive Holy Communion as reception of Holy Communion indicates that one is in full "sacramental" communion with Jesus and the Church He founded (this applies to the Orthodox, who even though they do not see the pope as the head of the universal Church, have not broken communion with the Sacramental life of the Church, especially, Holy Orders and thus the sacraments of Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance and Anointing of the Sick. The Orthodox Church can legitimately declare that it was founded by Jesus Christ too.)
I invited those who are not Catholic to come forward at Holy Communion for a blessing if they so desired.
No sooner had I said this and sat down, about three men in their 20's who were sitting at the back of the Church near the front doors, came down the side aisle to our side door which is toward the front and departed, almost as though they were leaving in protest, or maybe they were catechumens from another city and thought they were dismissed. Maybe I should give them the benefit of the doubt.
I have found that in the last 10 years or so that Protestants are offended that they can't receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church. This was not the case several years ago as those who were not Catholic when attending a Catholic Mass would respect the customs and traditions of Catholics and our understanding of the Mass and who should receive Holy Communion. I find their taking offense today as very unecumenical. So many people today think they have a right to the sacraments even when the Church they are attending is not the Church they belong to. Very odd,no?
It has been a long-standing tradition in the south for Protestants to attend Midnight Mass. In fact it is a family tradition for many going back well before the Second Vatican Council. Most non-liturgical protestants do not have church services on Christmas day although in the last 20 years many have started to have Christmas Eve services. This is one reason why so many Protestants come to our Christmas Masses.
At one time they would have known the etiquette about Holy Communion and that they should not present themselves to receive. But that is not the case today. We have many coming up to Holy Communion who are clueless about how to receive and others who think they should come forward as they do in their own churches. Thus today we have to make an announcement about it.
At our Midnight Christmas Mass, I made an announcement after the General Intercessions that we welcome all who are visitors especially those who are not of the Catholic faith. I mentioned that only Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Catholics who through sacramental confession are in a "state of grace" should receive Holy Communion as reception of Holy Communion indicates that one is in full "sacramental" communion with Jesus and the Church He founded (this applies to the Orthodox, who even though they do not see the pope as the head of the universal Church, have not broken communion with the Sacramental life of the Church, especially, Holy Orders and thus the sacraments of Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance and Anointing of the Sick. The Orthodox Church can legitimately declare that it was founded by Jesus Christ too.)
I invited those who are not Catholic to come forward at Holy Communion for a blessing if they so desired.
No sooner had I said this and sat down, about three men in their 20's who were sitting at the back of the Church near the front doors, came down the side aisle to our side door which is toward the front and departed, almost as though they were leaving in protest, or maybe they were catechumens from another city and thought they were dismissed. Maybe I should give them the benefit of the doubt.
I have found that in the last 10 years or so that Protestants are offended that they can't receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church. This was not the case several years ago as those who were not Catholic when attending a Catholic Mass would respect the customs and traditions of Catholics and our understanding of the Mass and who should receive Holy Communion. I find their taking offense today as very unecumenical. So many people today think they have a right to the sacraments even when the Church they are attending is not the Church they belong to. Very odd,no?
SEMINARIAN FROM DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH READS AT PAPAL CHRISTMAS MASS AT ALMOST MIDNIGHT
3rd year seminarian Jason Adams of the Diocese of Savannah reads at Pope Benedict's almost Midnight Christmas Mass--Jason spoke southern in the most gracious way we know!
Father Justin Ferguson read at Pope Benedict's inaugural Mass and deaconed at the Pope's Chrism Mass in 2006!
As I watched a rerun of the Papal, almost at Midnight Christmas Mass, I was delighted to see one of our seminarians from the Diocese of Savannah, Jason Adams was the second lector. He spoke in impeccable southern! It was so nice to hear our native tongue from St. Peter's. The announcer even mentioned him by name and diocese and his seminary, the North American College in Rome as he stepped to the ambo to do the reading. Then once he concluded, the announcer went so far as to say that Adam is from Cordele, Georgia, just an hour's drive south on I-75 from good old Macon. Cordele is a hole on the interstate, not to be mean, and like Bethlehem, no one really important comes from there.
This is the second Diocese of Savannah seminarian to read at a televised papal Mass. My parochial vicar, Fr. Justin Ferguson, who also studied at the North American College in Rome, was a third year seminarian and read the second reading at Pope Benedict's Inaugural Mass in 2005. Fr. Justin though is from Riverdale, Georgia, which is a suburb of Atlanta next door to the world's busiest airport and well, we really don't think Atlanta is southern anymore given the fact that all those carpetbagger Yankees have taken over the whole damn place, damn Yankees! But I digress.
It was nice seeing the younger generation seminarian wearing an amice and alb to do his reading, whereas third year seminarian Justin Ferguson wore a black suit and tie! He's such a radical. Thank God that older generation of seminarian is passing!
(I suspect though it had more to do with the papal Master of Ceremony who under Fr. Justin was Marini I and under Jason, Marini II! READ ALL ABOUT MARINI II WITH COMMENTS BY FR. Z BY PRESSING THIS SENTENCE!
Father Justin Ferguson read at Pope Benedict's inaugural Mass and deaconed at the Pope's Chrism Mass in 2006!
As I watched a rerun of the Papal, almost at Midnight Christmas Mass, I was delighted to see one of our seminarians from the Diocese of Savannah, Jason Adams was the second lector. He spoke in impeccable southern! It was so nice to hear our native tongue from St. Peter's. The announcer even mentioned him by name and diocese and his seminary, the North American College in Rome as he stepped to the ambo to do the reading. Then once he concluded, the announcer went so far as to say that Adam is from Cordele, Georgia, just an hour's drive south on I-75 from good old Macon. Cordele is a hole on the interstate, not to be mean, and like Bethlehem, no one really important comes from there.
This is the second Diocese of Savannah seminarian to read at a televised papal Mass. My parochial vicar, Fr. Justin Ferguson, who also studied at the North American College in Rome, was a third year seminarian and read the second reading at Pope Benedict's Inaugural Mass in 2005. Fr. Justin though is from Riverdale, Georgia, which is a suburb of Atlanta next door to the world's busiest airport and well, we really don't think Atlanta is southern anymore given the fact that all those carpetbagger Yankees have taken over the whole damn place, damn Yankees! But I digress.
It was nice seeing the younger generation seminarian wearing an amice and alb to do his reading, whereas third year seminarian Justin Ferguson wore a black suit and tie! He's such a radical. Thank God that older generation of seminarian is passing!
(I suspect though it had more to do with the papal Master of Ceremony who under Fr. Justin was Marini I and under Jason, Marini II! READ ALL ABOUT MARINI II WITH COMMENTS BY FR. Z BY PRESSING THIS SENTENCE!
Friday, December 24, 2010
PHOTOS OF ST. JOSEPH CHURCH DECKED OUT IN BOUGHS (OR BALLS IF YOU PREFER) OF HOLLEY, NO, POINSIETTAS
I took these photos with my blackberry. These don't do justice to the church or the magnificent Christmas decorations. Dr. Buck Melton who takes wonderful pictures that I frequently post is taking some during the children's Mass even as I speak. Mine are a bit blurry, but enjoy. Click to blow them up, but not responsible for damages to computers. Merry Christmas:
WHOEVER SAID BEING A CATHOLIC PASTOR IN A SMALL SOUTHERN TOWN WASN'T INTERESTING
(I don't know what's worse, rats in the rectory or priestesses in the church! READ ABOUT HER ARREST IN THE HUFFINGTON POST!)
Macon native and Catholic "priestess" the Rev. Brenda Lee being arrested by secret service in California as she tries to board Air Force I with a sitting president on it! Along with Santa Claus, she's in town tonight and coming to the Midnight Mass whether we're naughty or nice!
The Rev. Brenda Lee, not to be confused with the singer Brenda Lee, is from Macon, Georgia and grew up in our black parish, St. Peter Claver Church, a stone's throw from Saint Joseph Church. Somehow she believes she is a Catholic priestess. She normally lives in California, which only seems like justice, but makes her way to Macon to spend time here annually. She always attends St. Joseph Church either wearing her cassock or more frequently when attending Mass, her alb and chasuble. Now what really drives me crazy is that the chasuble she wears is always the wrong liturgical color!
She came by the rectory yesterday afternoon in her cassock to inform us she would be attending the Midnight Mass and said she had never processed into Mass at a Midnight Mass. My parochial vicar informed her that she wouldn't do it tonight either. Time will tell though.
Please pray for her and for me to keep my cool.
The picture above is from the Huffington Post. READ ALL ABOUT THE PRIESTESS BRENDA LEE WHO WAS ARRESTED BY THE SECRET SERVICE IN CALIFORNIA AS SHE TRIED TO BOARD AIR FORCE I ON WHICH PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS A PASSENGER!
Macon native and Catholic "priestess" the Rev. Brenda Lee being arrested by secret service in California as she tries to board Air Force I with a sitting president on it! Along with Santa Claus, she's in town tonight and coming to the Midnight Mass whether we're naughty or nice!
The Rev. Brenda Lee, not to be confused with the singer Brenda Lee, is from Macon, Georgia and grew up in our black parish, St. Peter Claver Church, a stone's throw from Saint Joseph Church. Somehow she believes she is a Catholic priestess. She normally lives in California, which only seems like justice, but makes her way to Macon to spend time here annually. She always attends St. Joseph Church either wearing her cassock or more frequently when attending Mass, her alb and chasuble. Now what really drives me crazy is that the chasuble she wears is always the wrong liturgical color!
She came by the rectory yesterday afternoon in her cassock to inform us she would be attending the Midnight Mass and said she had never processed into Mass at a Midnight Mass. My parochial vicar informed her that she wouldn't do it tonight either. Time will tell though.
Please pray for her and for me to keep my cool.
The picture above is from the Huffington Post. READ ALL ABOUT THE PRIESTESS BRENDA LEE WHO WAS ARRESTED BY THE SECRET SERVICE IN CALIFORNIA AS SHE TRIED TO BOARD AIR FORCE I ON WHICH PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS A PASSENGER!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
THAT'S WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT CHARLIE BROWN!
With so many people today declaring they are of no religion, I wonder if their children know what Linus knows? Let's pray they do! A blessed Christmas to all!
WONDER OF WONDERS! I KID YOU NOT!
I just met with a couple whose wedding I will have here on May 28th, 2011 at 1:00 PM. They both live in Texas (going to school there) and the bride's family is here in Macon. Her fiancé became Catholic about 3 years ago. He is from Austin, Texas (his first name is Austin) and they plan to live in Texas. They have done everything properly, being prepared in Texas and having the pre-nuptial file sent to me! I only do the wedding.
But then they asked me about the following:
1. Could the Propers (and they used that term!) be sung in Latin! I said yes!
2. Could I celebrate the Mass ad orientem (and they used that term) and I said yes!
3. They said they still wanted the Novos Ordo (they used that term) and I said but of course!
This younger generation! Wow!
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