In the nine years I've been here, we only had one very wonderful outdoor procession on Corpus Christi. It was wonderful, fabulous and I've wanted to do it every year, but every year it has been 100 degree outside on a Sunday afternoon and every year since this one my parochial vicar has chosen to begin his vacation (as Easter has been late for the last several years, pushing Corpus Christi into June. I really need a priest to coordinate this and we need streets closed and well, it is a bit of a hassle. Next year Easter is earlier, so I hope to duplicate this next year! Fr. Dawid is gone to Africa for his vacation.
These are from 2009:
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MY FINAL COMMENT: Now which is better, like ours at Saint Joseph Church or like the Pope's on the back of a flat-bed Chevy Pick Up Truck? I ask, you answer!
8 comments:
I missed it that year but what happens? Do you sing or say the rosary or just silence in the procession.
The procession is silent.
At the FSSP procession for Corpus Christi that I attended last year, the Litany of Loreto was chanted continuously. There were outdoor altars set up. When we reached an altar, Benediction was given whilst the people knelt in mud and on concrete - young and old people alike.
It was very moving seeing people kneel with great difficulty on demanding surfaces.
FrAJM, considering your Southern heritage, I expect you are irked with the Popes vehicle because you are a Ford man.
I see Chevy trucks and, sadly, am reminded of the opening of the Atlanta Olympics...... (shudder)
Processions should not, must not be silent! The Corpus Christi procession has hymns (yes, hymns, this is an occasion where they are entirely appropriate) allocated to it. These are Pange lingua, Sacris solemniis, Verbum supernum, Salutem humanae Sator, Aeternae Rex altissime, plus the Sequence Lauda Sion (all in the Liber Usualis) even before you get to vernacular hymns like Sweet Sacrament Divine, O Bread of Heaven and Faber's Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All.
In south Germany and Austria Frohnleichnam is a public holiday and you have waterborne Blessed Sacrament processions on the lakes complete with brass bands. And everyone repairs to the Biergarten afterwards. Trudging around in silence is soooo protestant!
John, Then that is one thing, at least, my last parish did correctly. I did enjoy singing those hymns.
Right, John. Indeed, doesn't the Corpus Christi procession have to start with Pange lingua, perhaps saving the last two verses (Tantum ergo) for the Benediction back at the high altar at the end.
But I'm not sure of your familiarity with real Protestants. A good Southern Baptist procession in our parts would not be silent, more likely alternate Amazing Grace with a rousing Onward, Christian Soldiers.
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