Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
Today is the first full day I spent praying a monastic day, here at Clear Creek Abbey. The rhythm of the day, particularly the morning, absolutely entranced me. It really is virtually nonstop from five in the morning until breakfast at 10:30 AM. I awoke at 3:30 in the morning to the sound of rain outside my window. There was […]
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Last night, I once again camped, this time on the grounds of the monastery. It was a fitful night. My body is definitely feeling the effects of walking 60 km in two days and sleeping on a thin air pad on the ground in a tent for three nights. I went to the little monastic oratory at about 6:30 AM […]
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Today, October 7 is the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. For those of us who were once parishioners of Holy Rosary parish in Tacoma, it was our patronal feast. In years past, we could celebrate this on a Sunday. I thought it would be nice to mark the feast in some way, in addition to praying a daily […]
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Do you pray to your Guardian Angel? Do you ask them for advice or help? Why not? The Church teaches that we all receive a guardian angel at birth, an angel assigned to guide and protect us, to watch over us. As it says in scripture: There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy […]
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Whither is thy Beloved gone, O thou most beautiful among women? Whither is thy Beloved turned aside, and we will seek Him with thee? We begin with the first antiphon of Lauds for today’s feast of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Monastic Diurnal. It has always affected me, but perhaps just now it’s affecting me […]
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Today marks five years since the final Mass of the parish of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Tacoma. These years have been filled with heartbreaking, almost unfathomable loss. This is an annual post, updated only slightly. Much of the language reflects my thoughts and feelings of the day, taken from my journaled notes. Over the past few years, […]
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“We make Idols of our concepts, but Wisdom is born of wonder.” (Pope St. Gregory the Great) Only a handful of Popes ever get named “Great”. Today in the Ordinary Roman calendar is the feast of one of them, Pope Saint Gregory the Great, confessor and doctor of the Church (540 – 604). His feast, originally celebrated on the day […]
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Yesterday, on the Feast of the Transfiguration, I learned of the death of Bishop Peter Elliott. His Excellency was the author of any number of liturgical books. I consider myself privileged to have collaborated with him on his book, Ceremonies Explained for Servers. In addition, His Excellency wrote the foreword to my book on altar serving, The Altar Server Manual. […]
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Francine’s funeral arrangements are in place. Vespers for the Dead Vespers from the Office of the Dead will be sung for Francine on Thursday, 10 July, 2025 at 6:30 pm Pacific Time at Saint Patrick Church in Tacoma. The principal celebrant will be our friend, the Rev. Jacob Maurer. Music will be directed by Maestra Amy Gallwas. Vespers will not […]
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The Season of Lent comes to its end this evening, as we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. This celebration commemorates the institution of the Eucharist, the source and summit of Church life, as well as the sacred priesthood which offers this sacrifice. Unlike most Protestants, the Catholic and Orthodox (and others of the Apostolic Tradition) believe that God […]
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This weekend, Holy Week begins with the Sunday of Lord’s triumphal entry into Jersusalem – Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. Although Good Friday is coming – the Passion and Death are coming – for the moment, this moment, joy resounds as our King arrives in His city. In most parishes throughout the world, the principal Mass is normally celebrated […]
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For the first time since the Plague Year, our parish of Saint Patrick in Tacoma will celebrate a Tenebræ service. You are most welcome to join us on the Wednesday of Holy Week (16 April) at 7pm. What is Tenebræ? The word itself is Latin for “shadows”. It is a Holy Week service tied to the prayers of the Liturgy […]
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At our parish of Saint Patrick in Tacoma, we will be celebrating Solemn Vespers in the evening of each Sunday of Lent at 6:00 PM. Please, join us in the coming weeks if you are local and able. Chanted Vespers is a beautiful and traditional way of worship in our faith. This is our second year singing Vespers in Lent, and […]
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It’s a little hard to believe, but Ash Wednesday is less than a week away. How can Lent be so close already? The modern Roman Missal has a set of rubrics that cover the whole of Lent, before it digs into each day separately. Let’s take a look at them, because there may be some surprises. Most folks are familiar […]
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Today is traditionally Septuagesima Sunday, the beginning of a liturgical season known as Septuagesima or Fore-Lent or Shrovetide. It consists of the three weeks immediately before the start of Lent, and indeed the name Septuagesima means seventy, in reference to Quadragesima – forty – which is the proper Latin name for Lent. This liturgical season, meant to prepare us for […]
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Vatican News is reporting that Saint Teresa of Calcutta has been added to the General Roman Calendar. The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments releases the decree inscribing St. Teresa of Calcutta in the General Roman Calendar, along with the liturgical texts to accompany her feast day on September 5. You can read the full story […]
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