Rorate Photos

You may recall that on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Francine and I attended a Rorate Mass at the nearby F.S.S.P. parish of Saint Joseph. You will also no doubt recall my inability to take a decent photo of the Mass, which was simply beautiful. Apparently, a much more talented photographer was ensconced up in the choir loft. […]

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A Final Thought on the Liturgies of All Souls

The other day, I attended two Masses for All Souls. I served at the first, an Ordinary Form (English language) school Mass at Holy Rosary at nine o’clock in the morning. The second was an Extraordinary Form Missa Cantata at Saint Joseph in the evening. In each form of the rite, the priest is allowed to celebrate three Masses for […]

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Notes on the Transitions,
Number 12 in a Series

As we head into October, the new pastors are in their places and the parishes are settling down into their new schedules. This is probably the last formal post I will make about the three transitioning Tacoma parishes. Saint Joseph On Thursday the first of October, Rev. Michael Stinson, FSSP celebrated the first Mass in the Extraordinary Form held at […]

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Notes on the Transitions,
Number 11 in a Series

Just a quick update with a few new items from each of the three transitioning Tacoma parishes. Saint Joseph Shortly after I published Episode 10, a parishioner of the Tacoma branch of the North American Martyrs FSSP parish wrote to tell me: Thought you might like to know and pass along that at today [Sunday -ed.] at Sts. Peter and […]

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Notes on the Transitions,
Number 10 in a Series

Some fairly hefty information for the Tacoma parish changes at Holy Rosary, Visitation, and Saint Joseph, so let’s dive right in, shall we? Saint Joseph The incoming pastor, Rev. Michael Stinson, FSSP, preached at this evening’s Mass at Saint Joseph. He will likewise preach at the 10:00 Sunday Mass tomorrow. The following weekend, he will be available following both Masses […]

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Notes on the Transitions,
Number 8 in a Series:
Farewell to Father Maurer

Father Maurer’s last Sunday Masses at Holy Rosary and Saint Joseph were this past weekend. Following the Noon Mass, a tremendous celebration was held for him in the old convent building. The noon Mass was positively packed. The last time I saw so many folks crowded into Holy Rosary was when Archbishop Sartain celebrated Corpus Christi here in 2013. I […]

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Notes on the Transitions,
Number 2 in a Series

A week or so ago, Saint Joseph held a “town hall” to discuss the upcoming changes as they transition to an Extraordinary Form parish under their new pastor, Rev. Michael Stinson, FSSP. There were 44 parishioners in attendance, as well as Fr. Maurer and the Vicar of Clergy for the Archdiocese of Seattle, the Very Rev. Gary Zender. It seems […]

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Notes on the Transitions,
Number 1 in a Series

The very clever amongst you no doubt noticed in my previous post that our new pastor was not named pastor of both of our parishes. Let me explain. The parishes of Holy Rosary and St. Joseph have been joined at the hip for something like twenty years. They were first consolidated under a single pastor during the last of our […]

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Corpus Christi Mass and Procession

This coming Sunday my parish will participate in an outdoor Procession of the Blessed Sacrament following the Noon Mass. The Masses that day will be celebrated Ad Orientem. This will be the third year we’ve taken Jesus through the streets of Tacoma and amongst His people. If you are anywhere in the area, I hope you will consider joining us. […]

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Corpus Christi Reflections

Yesterday, while Catholics all over the planet were joining Pope Francis in an historic hour of worldwide Eucharistic Adoration, we in Tacoma were doing our little part. You may recall that we had scheduled a procession through the streets of the city (and across the Interstate), to be led by Archbishop Sartain. Your humble author was the Master of Ceremonies […]

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Corpus Christi Procession

This Sunday my parish will participate in an outdoor Procession of the Blessed Sacrament. If you are anywhere in the area, I hope you will consider joining us. Here is the press release as it went out: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   Archbishop of Seattle to Lead Corpus Christi Procession in Tacoma   Holy Rosary Catholic Church brings to Tacoma the […]

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