The foundation of every Catholic parish and of the Catholic Church in general is the celebration of the Sacraments, in particular Holy Baptism and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Mass is where most Catholics, at least 98% of them, will connect with the local parish and with God and His Church, the Catholic Church. Everything else that a parish does flows from the Mass to include any social work or “good works” that are accomplished. This include political activism and politically correct activism such as concern for climate control, opening boarders and the like.
St. John Cantius Parish in Chicago, Bee’s parish, is highlighted in Crux this morning because they get it. From what Bee has said it is a parish with both the EF and OF Masses celebrated well and in continuity with each other with attention to detail, music, choreography, altar servers and the like.
It is working for them! And it would work for every parish and diocese but courage is needed and a theology of reform in continuity promoted which Pope Benedict promotes:
Attention to worship leads to a thriving Chicago parish
- Jack LyonsApr 18, 2020
Worshippers pray during a Mass at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago in an Oct. 12, 2015, file photo. (Credit: Karen Callaway/Catholic New World via CNS.)
BURLINGTON, Vermont - During the summer of 1988, Chicago’s St. John Cantius Church was in crisis.
The parish that formerly ministered to a vibrant Polish community saw its neighborhood transformed across several decades into a seedy district with mostly commercial properties. The large church, which used to welcome hundreds of worshippers each Sunday, saw about 70 congregants each week.
However, the arrival of Resurrectionist Father Frank Phillips as pastor in August 1988 marked a turning point for the parish. Phillips reignited St. John Cantius through dedication to the Church’s liturgical tradition, building a center of music and worship where Catholics from across the region come to pray.
Today, the parish hopes to address a crisis they see in the Church - the declining number of U.S. Catholics who attend Mass - with the same ideas as their former pastor: A commitment to authentic and aesthetically-pleasing liturgy, grounded in the Church’s tradition.
7 comments:
Unlike our wonderful contributor, Bee, I had not been a parishioner of St. John Cantius in my 31 years in Chicago, but I went there often, while I still lived there. I recall in 1989 seeing the future Bishop Praprocki celebrate the OF, in Latin, on the Cranmer Table that used to be in the sanctuary. At some point, it was discarded and all Masses, whether the EF or the OF in Latin or English began to be celebrated once again at the magnificent high altar.
I remember all of the stages of the restoration of the Church interior, first glorious new wood floors, and then the restoration of the sanctuary and the repainting/restoration of the entire interior. Many fine pieces of religious art and vestments were acquired. All during this time, the choirs and the music provided, became ever more glorious. The crowning glory was the installation of a magnificent pipe organ which was acquired from one of Chicago's Protestant churches which had closed.
I would point out that this parish has an abundance of young families with children. I recall my delight when I stood next to a lad who could not have been older than 10, who chanted in Latin, the Pater Noster, just like I did when I was his age. My joy often would turn to sorrow when I think of the clueless bishops and clergy who deprived a couple of generations of Catholics of their rightful liturgical heritage. But I am now past sorrow because I now see that the seeds of a Catholic restoration have been firmly planted.
Thank you Father McDonald for helping me recall all of these wonderful memories and sharing with your readers what can be done if one has the vision and the will.
“It is working for them! And it would work for every parish and diocese but courage is needed and a theology of reform in continuity...”
Exactly so.
Bee here:
Home sweet home!!! Oh, how I wish I could go there tomorrow...
But it is so nice to see such a great photo of the inside. Thanks for the posting Fr. McD.
God bless.
Bee
There is a comparison here with what the Oratorians are doing in England. In the mid-19th century Oratories were founded by Newman in Birmingham and by Faber in London (the latter, popularly known as 'Brompton Oratory', is a well-known London landmark, next to the Victoria & Albert museum and a stone's throw from Harrods).
In the 1990s St John Henry's dream of an Oratory in Oxford was finally realized; the church (St Aloysius) was originally built for the Jesuits - Gerard Manley Hopkins was a curate there for a time. Since then Oratories have been set up in Manchester and York, and there are Oratories-in-formation in Bournemouth and Cardiff.
The English Oratorians are renowned for their solemn Latin liturgies and fine musical tradition, but that's not the whole story. Those who prefer a vernacular Mass celebrated reverently are also well catered for, and their pastoral outreach is exemplary.
John Nolan,
That is wonderful news to hear! Thanks for sharing.
TJM
St Aloysius, Oxford, was built in the 1870s in the French gothic style (architect J Hansom). One of the parishioners was Hartwell de la Garde Grissell, a convert who served as a papal chamberlain to three popes: Pius IX, Leo XIII and Pius X. When he died in 1907 he left an impressive collection of relics which were housed in a specially dedicated side chapel.
In 1971 the Jesuits, for reasons of their own, had all the relics burnt and their cases destroyed. For good measure they sold off (to theatrical costumiers) the church's historic vestment collection, which included two mitres which had belonged to Pius IX.
They left in 1981 and the church reverted to the archdiocese until the Oratorians acquired it in 1990. Since then the relic chapel has been restored with relics from other sources and they have built up a fine collection of vestments.
In fewer than thirty years they have seen the congregation increase five-fold.
John Nolan,
What those Jesuits did was scandalous beyond measure.Sad burning at the stake had gone out of fashion by then!
That is a very impressive achievement, particularly in these times. If I ever make it back to Oxford I will definitely stop by the Oratory.
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