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Thursday, February 18, 2021

GLORIOUS ASH WEDNESDAY MASS AT SAINT ANNE, RICHMOND HILL, GEORGIA WITH THE NEW BISHOP OF SAVANNAH, HIS EXCELLENCY, BISHOP STEPHEN PARKES PRESIDING IN CHOIR DRESS!

 Here is our Facebook live-stream of the Mass at which Bishop Parkes presided on Ash Wednesday evening. I gave a pretty good homily and Bishop Parkes gave a great reflection after the Prayer after Holy Communion. Fortunately, for me, His Excellency has a good sense of humor and our bantering back and forth "just happened!"

 

Unfortunately, too many photos for my blog platform to get them in order, and I did input these in order, but you get the idea:



































20 comments:

Jacob said...

He sure is a BLESSING for the Diocese.

Pierre said...

I am amazed at the number of people given the pandemic.

Victor said...

I am sorry, but I find nothing glorious in a Mass in which a presider is praying to the people.

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

Victor all the major basilicas in Rome, the priest faces the nave and thus the faithful. That orientation is the same since the construction of these basilicas, pre and post Vatican II.

Pierre said...

Father McDonald,

I believe most of the Roman major basilicas altars are facing eastward. I seem to recall that in the old days, people would shift around so the priest and congregation both were facing eastward during the Canon, although my recollection may be faulty

Anonymous said...

How do you get such high compliance with mask wearing? In my neck of the woods, with a mandate from both the state and the bishop and signs posted, we get maybe ten percent wearing masks at best. At my parish the priest and ushers will not wear masks and they don't have the servers wear them either.

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

St. Peter’s altar when the pope faces the nave, the only way the Latin Rite Mass is celebrated there for centuries, is eastward. However at St. Paul outside the walls, the ancient position of it altar and priest facing the nave is westward to St. Peter’s. That altars are facing each other.

Fr. Michael J. Kavanaugh said...

At my parish we have 99.9% mask wearing compliance.

From the get-go, I simply stated that, according to local regulations, masks were required. I don't think more than 3 people protested. I listened to their concerns, but told them that masks were required for attendace here.

That worked for us.

ByzRus said...


"Anonymous Fr. Michael J. Kavanaugh said...
At my parish we have 99.9% mask wearing compliance.

From the get-go, I simply stated that, according to local regulations, masks were required. I don't think more than 3 people protested. I listened to their concerns, but told them that masks were required for attendace here."

Agree. We have 100% compliance. A non-negotiable that no one has questioned.

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

Richmond Hill has not had a mask mandate the entire pandemic and our public schools have been fully in class session since late August. Local businesses can require masks as well as churches. We don’t shun the mask less. I would say most wear them.

ByzRus said...

"Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...
Victor all the major basilicas in Rome, the priest faces the nave and thus the faithful. That orientation is the same since the construction of these basilicas, pre and post Vatican II."

I don't wish to be disagreeable, however, that was the tradition there....obviously, being outside of Rome, we aren't bound to a tradition started, I believe, because of the confessios underneath. I seem to remember there being another reason why St. Peter's is oriented westward but, my memory could be faulty.

Anonymous said...

FR MJK,

You misspelled "attendace!"

Pierre said...

Father McDonald,

I have to say looking at these pictures, your new bishop looks kind, personable, and highly approachable. I am happy for you and the people of the diocese.

Anonymous said...

"We don't shun the maskless."

Oh, we most certainly do at 30327. Our pastor noted one time in his homily that one parishoner claimed he did not have to follow the mask requirement at our parish because of the Bill of Rights...really? You come to our parish, you will get a temp check and be expected to wear a mask and every other pew will be empty. Is that too much to ask?

As for your bishop, is he the tallest one the Diocese of Savannah has ever had? Hard to tell from portraits of your previous bishops.

Fr. Michael J. Kavanaugh said...

Undoubtedly the tallest bishop in Savannah.

His brother Gregory, Bishop of St Petersburg, FL, is 6' 8".

Our man is 6' 4" .

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

Pierre, Bishop Parkes is extremely personable with both clergy and laity. He was a pastor his entire priesthood and never a bureaucrat or worked in the chancery--all pluses.

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

a@11:24, Richmond Hill has the lowest rate of transmission and deaths in the metro area. The city of Savannah the highest especially FrMJK's parish boundaries. As I mentioned before, our public schools have been open for full time classes since late August. And many in Chatham County, where Savannah is are selling their homes and moving to Richmond Hill because of our progressive, liberal agenda that does not want to control people but allow people to make their own decisions.

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

Of course all decisions based on faith and reason, not science alone.

Pierre said...

Father McDonald,

His prior experience truly shows. We certainly could use more bishops like him, a shepherd, not a bureaucrat

Fr. Michael J. Kavanaugh said...

Fr. McDonald:

My parish boundaries are outside the city of Savannah. Heck, I think we're not even touched by the limits of my hometown, Thunderbolt!

Cheers!