Exult!
Eleven and Two
Eleven years ago today, on the night of the 26th of March 2005, I was baptized into the Church at the great Vigil of Easter. Last year, I wrote a retrospective on my first decade as a Christian. I don’t think I have much to add to that. I remain absurdly grateful to God for the life He has seen […]
» Read morePlease Join us Tonight for the Great Vigil of Easter
If you live in western Washington, I invite you to join us for the Easter Vigil at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Tacoma. The Vigil will begin at 8:30 PM, but you’ll want to get there early. Featuring: A bonfire. A dark church and a thousand candles. Chant (in Latin AND English). Seven readings from the Old Testament […]
» Read moreGood Friday: God is Dead
Today is Good Friday: the commemoration of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ at Calvary. Ecce lignum Crucis, in quo salus mundi pepéndit. Veníte adorémus. Behold the wood of the Cross, on which hung the salvation of the world. Come let us adore. (Missale Romanum: Friday of the Passion of the Lord) He was condemned by his own people, […]
» Read moreAve et Consummatum est
March 25 is the usual date for the great feast of the Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary, but it is transferred to the Monday after the Easter Octave whenever it falls within Holy Week. Very rarely, Good Friday – the date of Our Lord’s Crucifixion – is also on March 25. Conception and death, all in one day. This is, […]
» Read moreAppeal for Prayer for Rev. Tom Uzhunnalil
Bishop Paul Hinder, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia makes this urgent appeal for prayer for Salesian Priest Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, kidnapped in Yemen in the recent attack on the Care Home in Aden.
» Read moreMaundy Thursday:
Do This in Memory of Me
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. Unlike most Protestants, the Catholic and Orthodox (and others of the Apostolic Tradition) believe that God is really there, wholly present in the consecrated bread and […]
» Read moreRehearsals
The thing about Holy Week is that its liturgies – if they are to be done well and worthily – require practice and rehearsal. We had two on Saturday (for Palm Sunday and Easter Vigil), and I’m going to one for Holy Thursday in about an hour. We’ll probably sneak in a quick one before Tenebræ. Friday is the rehearsal […]
» Read moreA Final Lenten Thought for your Consideration
During Lent, I am often reminded of this, one of my favourite stories from the Desert Fathers: Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, ‘Abba, as far as I can I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace and as far as I can, I purify my […]
» Read moreThe Final Countdown Commences
One week from today, we will be in Spain. Yowza! It’s odd, this countdown being the same as the countdown to Easter. It seems to give both things an even greater urgency, as if that were even possible. Since we volunteer in our parish, this week – Holy Week – is already pretty busy. Now add to that the fact […]
» Read moreSchedule for Holy Week, 2016
The following is the Holy Week schedule for the parishes of Holy Rosary and Visitation in Tacoma. There’s a lot there. One thing to bear in mind is that the Holy Triduum is essentially one giant liturgy (with some serious overnight breaks) that begins with the Introit of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, continues through the […]
» Read moreTenebræ
This Wednesday evening at 8:00pm, our parish of Holy Rosary will celebrate a Tenebræ service. You are most welcome to join us. What is Tenebræ? The word itself is Latin for “shadows”. It is a Holy Week service tied to the prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours, being a concatenation of Matins and Lauds, anticipated the night before. In […]
» Read moreA Day in the Life of a Monastery
Pilgrims’ Blessing
This evening at the end of the Vigil Mass for Palm Sunday, our pastor imparted to us the traditional Pilgrims’ Blessing. The specific rite was originally recorded in the Missal of Vich Cathedral in Barcelona, and is thought to date to about the year 1078. We are very grateful to Fr. Wichert, our pastor, for imparting this ancient blessing to […]
» Read moreHosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David!
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 the Crucifixion 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 celebrated […]
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