INTERESTED IN A QUALITY MUSICAL EDUCATION FOR YOUR SON?

Then look no further than the Boston Archdiocesan Choir School at St. Paul Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They raise the bar (and then some) when it comes to music in Catholic worship! I finally had a couple of chances to attend the 11:00 Mass there (February and March 2011) before finally returning to parish work myself. These guys really are a cut above the rest. So, if you have a son who loves to sing and you want to nurture that love in a liturgical and educational environment that is a cut above the rest, consider BACS. Below is a flyer I got from music director John Robinson. You can click on it to make it bigger.

Peace,
BMP

HOME IMPROVEMENTS BEING DONE

at the Westminster Cathedral

Some great news in the UK, compliments of Damian Thompson (click on his name to read the full story):

The big free-standing altar that cluttered up the sanctuary of Westminster Cathedral has gone for good, it seems - with the full approval of Archbishop Vincent Nichols, who is happy to celebrate Mass at the proper altar at the back of the sanctuary, under the baldacchino.
Not only has the new altar (above) gone, but the hideous wooden platform on which it stood is now firmly locked away in a warehouse, never to return. And its location is being kept a secret, lest Tabletistas steal it back and try to restore what they imagine is "Vatican II worship".



I like Abp. Nichols already!
Peace,
BMP

ON MAY 16

This is where I'll be interviewing:


Organ: a two-manual, 20-rank Austin.
More later!

Peace,
BMP

CONNECTICUT GETS THEIR FIRST BASILICA

Pictured here is the newly-named Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Waterbury, CT. This minor basilica is the first basilica in Connecticut.


OK, you may think this is nice outside. The inside is drop-dead gorgeous. Click here for some pics from the dedication.


Also, here's the story in the June 2008 issue of the Catholic Transcript, the official newspaper of the Archidocese of Hartford.

I wonder if Rhode Island will ever have a minor basilica. I know of at least a couple of churches that would fit the bill - Holy Name is one of them.

Peace,
BMP

UPDATE ON A STOIK PROJECT

The new church of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in LaCrosse, WI, is almost done. This is Duncan Stoik at his best. I mean - the Dunc does marvelous work anyways (he's the exact opposite of Dick Vosko when it comes to church architecture), but this tops all!

RSCT to Matthew at NLM.


Baldacchino detail - gorgeous!


View of the sanctuary - so far.


And quite the nice pipe organ - in a loft and not on a stage! Perfect! Anyone have info on the builder? Specs?

I like it! I like it!
Peace,
BMP

CANTIUS WEBSITE REVAMPED

St. John Cantius Church in Chicago, the church with multiple Masses in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary form, has revamped their website quite nicely.

The Masses are no longer referred to as Normativa and Tridentine, but Mass in the Ordinary Form and Mass in the Extraordinary Form (though Tridentine does get forced into parentheses). Ordinary Form and Extraordinary Form are the designations given by our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI in his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum.

The music section REALLY got revamped, now naming staff to go along with all them choirs they have, and the FOUR pipe organs in the church:

1. An Oberlinger continuo (or "positive") organ, a portable single-manual pipe organ. Pipes are self-contained in a small box. The console is also attached to this box.

2. A three-manual Kilgen in the upper gallery (yeah, this church has a double gallery).

3. A two-manual "unit" organ assembled by John Hoverland out of used odds and ends (similar to the chancel organ that William Laws built at Holy Name in the 1960's) in the lower gallery.

4. A single-manual tracker built in Holland in 1860 that is awaiting restoration.

Check it out. Just about every department got expanded upon. Really nice job.
Peace,
BMP

HOW A HISTORIC CHURCH WAS SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION

Bear-i-tone just posted a link in the combox of an earlier post of mine to the story of how Dick Vosko almost got the chance to wreckovate the Church of Our Lady in Guelph, Ontario. Thankfully, the people of the Church of Our Lady knew enough to run him out of Guelph. Here's the full story (emphasis and snarky remarks mine).

How a Canadian church was saved from destruction

In what has become a familiar story in many parts of the world, including Australia, self-proclaimed experts have decreed that the interiors of Catholic churches should be radically altered "in line with the teaching of Vatican II on the liturgy." (In other words, the so-called "Spirit of Vatican II") As a result, hundreds of beautiful and historic churches have been 'renovated' since the late 1960s, in a manner that in some cases would have done Oliver Cromwell proud. In fact, there is no demand in the Vatican II documents for radical alterations such as removing high altars, altar rails, pulpits, confessionals, etc.

Nevertheless, the push to make such alterations continues, as the following report indicates, except that for once, the forces of 'renewal' were thwarted, at least for the time being.
Parishioners of the historic Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate in Guelph (Hamilton Diocese, Canada), known commonly as "the cathedral," rallied earlier this year to stop a drastic plan to alter the awe-inspiring interior of their magnificent church.

Father Richard Vosko, a priest of the American diocese of Albany (New York State) (and wreckovator extraordinaire), who had proposed the radical plan to remove the church's marble communion rail, confessionals, high altar and rearrange the pews, was still paid $60,000 for his plan to wreck the church's interior; but, parishioners will enjoy - at least for the foreseeable future - worshipping God in the magnificent surroundings crafted by their ancestors. (They paid him sixty grand just for his plan? Hee haw, hee haw!)

On Saturday, 13 March 1999, the parish priest, Monsignor John Newstead, informed parishioners that, after consultation with Bishop Anthony Tonnos of Hamilton, Fr Vosko's plan would not go forward because of overwhelming opposition by parishioners. (Good!)

The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate is an enormous neo- Gothic, twin-towered church modelled after the Cathedral of the Three Kings in Cologne, built by parishioners at the turn of the century of stone cut from local quarries.

"Basically what happened," said a parishioner active in the effort to block the 'renovation,' "is that we prevailed because we did our homework and Fr Vosko didn't. We told him that if everything was wrong, why didn't anybody tell us this for 30 years."

The parishioners' experience with Fr Vosko and his plans for the Church of Our Lady mirrors that of many other North American churches. (except that, sadly, many churches have fallen victim to Vosko and similar ilk).

In the mid-1990s, Guelph's parishioners were advised that the church's leaking roof had reached such a stage of disrepair that a major renovation of the roof was in order, which was estimated to cost approximately $3 million.

Parishioners understood the importance of the work, and began fund-raising and sacrificial giving on the part of many. However, before that fund-raising period was completed, Monsignor John Newstead announced his plan to "restore the interior." "People thought 'restoration' meant restoration," a parishioner said, "that dilapidated and worn out material would be replaced."

'Renovations'

Then, in May of last year, Monsignor Newstead informed parishioners that the Church of Our Lady had contracted with Albany priest, Fr Richard Vosko, to come in and offer lectures and advice on how to renovate the church. "That's when we learned there was more afoot than just freshening things up. Fr Vosko told us that, under (the so-called Spirit of) Vatican II, the altar and its ornate surrounds were wrong and had to be removed (which we all know is pure bull$&!+); the altar rail should not be there; a recently-installed elevator to help access our handicapped people was in the wrong place; the altar itself had to come forward so no-one would be more than 60 feet from it; the baptismal font and confessionals were in the wrong places. (All of which is a total crock - and what in the sam hell does all this have to do with a leaky roof?)

"He didn't even like the big heavy wooden doors with their huge iron hinges. He said they were most unwelcoming. What Fr Vosko didn't know is that these doors were very welcoming to us. Many of the parishioners came from lands where their parents and grandparents were persecuted for the faith, and those heavy doors were most welcoming because people knew they could find sanctuary in the church. Fr Vosko wanted to take those doors off." (I suppose he was looking for doors like those that let you into your friendly neighborhood Quicky Mart.)

As is often the case in other parishes where Fr Vosko works, parishioners are never informed in advance that Fr Vosko has been retained, the cost of his services, and how he is to be paid. "We were simply invited to attend workshops to hear some proposals," said the parishioner. "We were told the renovation process would be 'open.' We were told, 'It's your church. We want your opinion'." (Not that it really matters because in most cases Vosko and company are going to screw up your church no matter what.)

In May 1998, Fr Vosko gave his first presentation, and then returned a month later to give an update, speaking each time to about 350 of the parish's 1,500 members. To most, Fr Vosko appeared arrogant, brash and insulting (in a matter similar to those who have blatantly tried to screw up the Church, not only in architecture, but liturgy and music too). "People were stunned and shocked by his presentation. Disbelief at his proposals was widespread. We couldn't believe a stranger would come into our church and tell us everything was wrong with it," said the parishioner.

As a result of those two meetings, upset parishioners began meeting on their own and formed a committee to oppose Fr Vosko's proposals, and eventually formed the Committee for the Preservation of the Interior of the Church of Our Lady, with eight parishioners taking the lead. The newly-formed preservation committee held a number of public meetings, and it soon became apparent that a sizeable majority of the parishioners opposed Fr Vosko's plans. (These are very smart parishioners!)

At one of the meetings, the group obtained 500 signatures on a petition to stop Fr Vosko's plan. Despite rising opposition, however, the "core committee" formed to ruin the church resisted popular reaction. The preservation committee made strenuous efforts to have a meeting with the "core committee," but were rebuffed repeatedly. (Nihil novi sub sole)

Finally, the preservation committee was able to meet with two members of the "core committee" to present their views, at which time they asked its co-chairmen to present the views of the preservationists to the full committee. The "core committee" members were reluctant. Still the preservationists persisted. Finally, after three months, the core co-chairs relented and allowed the preservationists to present their views. (The preservationists stuck to their guns. Here comes the payoff!)

Program dropped

At that meeting, the members of the "core committee" sat in stony silence, not once uttering any comment or acknowledgement, and the meeting adjourned. Time passed, and the preservationists asked for another meeting.

Just before Christmas 1998, the request for a second meeting was granted. At that subsequent meeting, the preservationists were given the "Vosko II" report, which detailed the changes approved for the church - despite the fact parishioners had been told repeatedly no decisions had been made.

"So we spent most of the Christmas period preparing a five-page brief in response," a member of the committee said. "We presented that in early January, and to this day, we have not received any comment.

"However, that doesn't matter. Subsequently, the preservation committee called a general meeting of the whole parish - including the "core committee" - and we outlined the entire procedure to date. The parishioners were vociferous in their response, and made it very clear they did not want Fr Vosko's proposed changes." After that 9 March meeting, parishioners were informed the following Saturday by Monsignor Newstead that he had discussed the matter with the bishop, and "in view of the divisiveness which had occurred, the program had been dropped in its entirety."

I am so happy that the voice of the TRUE faithful prevailed, and the Church of Our Lady remains in its sacred form, and not wreckovated at the hands of Father Dick Vosko. This is a rare story of a parish that stuck to their guns and kept a beautiful church beautiful.
Peace,
BMP

NOW HERE'S A LOVELY CHURCH

In the small town of Guelph, Ontario lies a big beautiful church, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (or, as known by the townsfolk, "Church of Our Lady"). Outside, it kind of reminds me of SS. Peter and Paul Basilica in Lewiston, Maine.


I auditioned for the music director post at SS. Peter and Paul Basilica (above) in Lewiston, ME, back in 2002. Didn't get the job. You should see the Casavant that they're restoring there too! The church became a minor basilica, the only New England basilica north of Massachusetts, in 2005. Phil Fournier, who was the music director at Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Portland, ME, at the time, was on hand at my interview. He's now music director for the Toronto Oratory.


Church of Our Lady, Guelph, ON, Canada. Quite the resemblance on the outside, give or take the statues, to SS. Peter and Paul.


Here's an interior shot of Church of Our Lady. Very nice! I hope the music's just as good.

More shots of the Church of Our Lady at NLM.

UPDATE: Bear-i-tone (who is from Ontario himself, along with his co-blogger wife, Puff the Magic Dragon) at The Spirit's Sword dropped me this line in the combox:
Fr Richard Vosko was brought in at one point to help with some renovations at Church of Our Lady. The congregation successfully united to bring an end to his proposed renovations.

The best thing the parish did was run Dick Vosko out of there! They saved themselves a lot of damage. Those who have read this blog for a long time know my opinion on Dick Vosko. It's not pretty. Type "Vosko" on this blog's search (all you who haven't heard of the Dickster) and you'll find some goods scattered about between 2005 and now.

Peace,
BMP

SOME REALLY COOL PICS

I wasn't kidding when I said this church was gorgeous!

I stumbled onto some really nice pics of St. John the Baptist Church in Pawtucket, where I had attended Mass for Advent IV, Christmas (Midnight, with my daughter Jessica), and Holy Family. Of the twelve Catholic churches in Pawtucket, St. John's is definitely the most majestic looking (though other notable mentions in the city include St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, St. Cecila, Our Lady of Consolation, St. Edward, and St. Joseph - the old St. Joseph, before it burned down in 1976). These come courtesy of the Lemieux and Associates Pipe Organ Company. Daniel Lemieux has been doing work on several notable organs in southern New England and upstate New York. The notable organs around here include St. John's, St. Anne's monster Casavant in Fall River, MA, and St. Anthony's monster Casavant in New Bedford, MA.


Exterior


The sanctuary, which is eight steps high. Though you can't see it from this pic, above the apse is the inscription ECCE AGNVS DEI (Behold the Lamb of God). The classical Roman style of using "V" in place of "U" was utilized in this inscription as well as the inscriptions on the side walls of the nave.


View from sanctuary to the choir loft. Note the inscriptions along the top of the side walls:
LAVDATE PVERI DOMINVM, LAVDATE NOMEN DOMINI.
LAVDATE DOMINVM DE COELIS, LAVDATE EVM IN EXCELSIS.
(Praise the Lord, O children, Praise the name of the Lord, -- Psalm 113(112))
(Praise the Lord from the heavens, Praise Him in the highest. -- Psalm 148)


The case of the 1924-built organ by the Canadian Organ Company


The console of the COC organ. And it's nice to see my favorite '70's hymnal (Worship II) up on the music rack.

Peace,
BMP

MUSIC FOR HOLY MASS

Today I attended Mass a parish church in North Providence, RI. Before I start with the music list, I have to tell you for a church with a cornerstone dated 1963, it's not a bad looking church at all. There is a high altar there. No fancy reredos, but kind of a "semi-baldacchino" (with no supporting pillars) that extends almost to the ceiling. The Tabernacle is centered on the high altar. There is still about two thirds of the altar rail left. The seating is in the traditional style. The pipe organ, a three-manual Wicks, rebuilt by Peragallo (as I learned after Mass), is up in the choir loft, where the choir also sang from. Further, ALL the music was played on the organ. The organ playing wasn't "great", but was "decent", though I think there was a transposer set on the organ that was a half step flat (I say that because - one: I have perfect pitch and music normally played in G sounded like it was in G-flat, a key hardly anyone uses anymore, same for its enharmonic, F-sharp; two: I've learned not too long ago that modern technology has allowed even the pipe organ to transpose). There is absolutely no carpeting, thus, the acoustics are resounding!

So far, so good! However, let's now look at the music selected (ruh roh!)

In a mix of mostly trashy selections, the opening hymn was one I was very elated to hear, and the ONLY thing I sang from the pew:
On Jordan's bank the baptist's cry...Winchester New
To you, O Lord, I lift my soul...the composer eludes me. Wasn't all that great of a setting. Plus, I would have used the proper (Justice shall flourish...) instead. However, seasonal Psalms (Ps. 25 for Advent is one of them) are still allowed.
Alleluia...Jesuits Mass (blech!)
Offertory: A voice cries out...Joncas (Fr. Joncas has a few good pieces to his credit. This is not one of them. Sounds like typical Roc O'Connor fare from the 70's)
Sanctus, Memorial A, Amen...Janco (Mass of Redemption) (not so hot!)
Agnus...Olawski (blech!)
Communion: Come, O Lord...Dameans (absolute trash! The song itself sounds like a ripoff of the theme from Room 222 - remember that one from the early 70's?)
Recessional: City of God...Schutte (also absolute garbage! Has that quick 3 "bar song tempo" and trashy self-praising "we are sons of the morning, we are daughters of day" text.)

Despite the excellent acoustics, the choir and the organist was heavily miked. They really did not need the mics.

Was my first time at this church. Overall, I was disappointed.
Peace,
BMP

MASS I ATTENDED YESTERDAY

Yesterday, I took my wife and daughter for Holy Mass at St. Matthew Church in Central Falls, Rhode Island (pictured at left). It's actually the first time I've been in St. Matthew's since around 1991-ish. Still quite the nice church, and I'm happy to say that the altar rail is still fully intact.

St. Matthew's was established in 1906 for Catholics of French-Canadian descent. I can recall even in the 70's a Mass schedule that consisted of four English Masses and two French Masses, and the front page of the parish bulletin was headed with the words "Eglise Saint-Mathieu".

Over the last decade, the parish merged with two other parishes in the square mile city of Central Falls - Holy Trinity and Notre Dame du Sacre Coeur. Notre Dame, obviously a French-Canadian ethnic parish like St. Matthew's, was the mother church of Central Falls, established in 1872. Holy Trinity, established in 1889, was mainly Irish, but took in a sizeable Hispanic population from the mid 70's on. In fact, here's the evolution of Mass schedules at St. Matthew's since 1976:

1976 - Saturday 5 and 7 PM, both in English / Sunday 10 AM and 5:30 PM in English, 8:30 and 11:15 AM in French
1985 - Saturday 5 PM in English / Sunday 8:30 AM in French, 10 and 11:30 AM in English
NOW - Saturday 5 PM in English, 6:30 PM in Spanish / 8 and 10 AM in English, 11:30 in Spanish

Holy Trinity Church closed its doors in 1989, and was demolished shortly after. The pipe organ, a 1917 Cole and Woodberry two-manual tracker of about 27 ranks, was moved to a Presbyterian church in Wheeling, West Virginia. I was very elated to learn that that organ is still in use. From the time the church closed up to the merge ten years later, Holy Trinity held Masses in the lower hall of the former parish school.

Notre Dame just closed its doors last summer. That building is still standing at this point. The pipe organ, an old W.K. Adams instrument to my understanding, was destroyed when that church got a face lift in the early 1970's, and replaced with an Allen electronic instrument.

Holy Trinity and Notre Dame merged with Saint Matthew's around 1999 to become the "Holy Spirit Catholic Community". Unfortunately, since the untimely death of St. Matthew's then-pastor, Fr. Donat Tremblay, in 1988, the line of pastors to follow have been of the progressive lot - with the pastor to succeed Fr. Tremblay probably doing the most damage. The Worship II hymnals were taken out of the pew and replaced with WLP's We Celebrate, only to be replaced again shortly after - by the same pastor - with the OCP Today's Missal/Music Issue.

The organ at St. Matthew's is an interesting one, though large. The gallery case is Casavant Freres, built around 1925, under the "Audsley System", by the late George Audsley. The small chancel case, underneath some grillwork in the floor and presently not functioning, is Hook and Hastings. There is a four-manual Casavant console in the gallery that controls both cases, totalling about 70 ranks (though with the chancel case not working, that leaves about 60 or so ranks actually working). The divisions are laid out thus:

- First Organ (lowest manual, functioning as the Great)
- Second Organ (second lowest manual, functioning as the Swell, with two sub divisions marked "First Sub Division" and "Second Sub Division")
- Third Organ (second manual from the top, functioning as the Choir, with two sub divisions just like the "Second Organ")
- Fourth Organ (topmost manual, functioning as the Solo)
- Pedal Organ (duh! I think we know what that controls, eh?)
- Aerial Organ (the floating chancel division I mentioned above that no longer works)

In the late 60's, a three-manual Austin console was added downstairs in the chancel area, also controlling the entire organ. In the early 90's that console was replaced by a rebuilt Aeolian Skinner console, also a three-manual. Because of wiring difficulties, the four-manual Casavant console upstairs landed up being disconnected. The current chancel console is prepared for the time that the "Aerial Organ" may someday get fixed.

Anyhoo, here's the music that was sung at the 10:00 Mass yesterday for the Solemnity of Christ the King. You may gag at some of it, but if the organist had his way (and he's quite good), it would be far more traditional. Obviously the opening and closing were of the good solid Catholic variety.

To Jesus Christ, Our Sov'reign King..."Ich Glaub an Gott"
Gloria...Hylton (this actually isn't a bad setting when done on the organ, plus the text is faithful to the Roman Missal, and it's through-composed, not responsorial)
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord, and matching Alleluia...Alstott, from "Respond and Acclaim" (the alleluia was the one in D where the melody ends on the fifth).
Soon and Very Soon...Crouch (I'm not a fan of the tune, but the harmony was quite nice)
Massive Cremation
This Is My Cry...Whitaker (blech!)
Crown Him with Many Crowns..."Diademata"

Peace,
BMP

PS: Central Falls does have one other parish, Saint Joseph, a very active Polish American parish established the same year Saint Matthew's was established.

NICK'S CATHEDRAL ON THE NLM

Matthew at NLM has a great post showcasing the home improvements at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Harrisburg, PA - yes, where CV's own Nick Basehore is music director!

Stephen at For God, For Country, and For Yale has an equally great post, with even more pics, on the same Cathedral!

Looks great!

Peace,
BMP

CHURCH ARCHITECTURE

The Good, the Bad, and the WTF???

First, welcome to the CV Definitve Blogroll the St. John's Valdosta Blog. Robert Kumpel, the blog's owner does a considerable amount of posting on church architecture. Here's a sampling of buildings he has recently featured from Robert's own home diocese. Soon enough I could feature some from my own diocese as well. We have some really nice looking Catholic churches in Rhode Island, but we have some hideous ones as well. (RSCT to Gerald, snarky remarks mine):


This one, to me, looks like one of those little Pentecostal chapels, perhaps in the midst of a rich snooty neighborhood, an industrial park, or adjacent to a Holiday Inn somewhere (nothing negative intended towards the Holiday Inn).


This church is just drop-dead gorgeous! Definitely built in an age where church architechts knew what they were doing!


WTF??? I'd hate to imagine where in this thing they call a church the altar is located, let alone the Tabernacle!


Here, Robert rightfully comments, "This church points upward, but no further upward than Snoopy's A-framed doghouse." Yeah - maybe towards the Red Baron, wherever he may be (hehehe!)


Robert states here, "Built in the early to mid 60's, it looks Catholic, but is a bit bland." Truthfully, I don't think it's totally hideous. It's better than most structures I've seen post 1960. I give this builder credit for a fairly decent belltower for that era. I don't know what the inside is like, however. One could be disappointed.


Another WTF??? Maybe a modern convent building of sorts, perhaps combined with a greenhouse to the left and a carport to the right? Or the cafeteria to a shrine? But a church???


This one is gorgeous as well. If I remember correctly, this church, Most Holy Trinity, has a remarkable music program as well.


Finally, this church, Robert rightfully compares this church to the one below:


I'll have to try a similar series for my diocese. :)
Peace,
BMP

SANCTUARY IMPROVEMENT

Thanks to our pastor, Fr. Finelli, the hard work of our parishioners, and the generosity of anonymous donors, the back wall of our sanctuary has transformed over the last few years from this:

to this:

Photos courtesy of Holy Ghost Church.

Nice work, eh? Not bad for a church that was built in 1987 (replacing a church that burned to the ground). Notice that the sanctuary carpet was also removed.

Peace,
BMP

HOME IMPROVEMENT: THE TAJ MAHONY

Matthew at NLM has a counter-proposal of how the LA Cathedral (Our Lady of the Angels) would have looked like under his watch, had he been commissioned to build it. Yes, it would have stuck out from US Route 101 as the current "edifice" does, only it wouldn't have been such a dang eyesore as it is now.

Compare this...

to this...


I choose Matthew's.
Peace,
BMP

A NEW GAME SHOW ON PWTN

Name That Order!

Ah yes, good ol' PWTN! Anyhoo...
This morning I played a funeral in a nuns' chapel. Now, for a chapel that was built in 1960, it's not a bad looking chapel at all. After all, at that time the Mass was still in Latin. Nice baldacchino still intact, and an altar rail (albeit metal). Casavant organ, two manuals, about 14 ranks, German stoplist, built in 1962.

However, because the funeral was small, there was a table set about halfway up the aisle that was used for an altar. Despite that, the priest said Mass reverently. But...

Let's look at the music - something I couldn't change since the people were supplied with written programs...
In: Be not afraid
Ps: I have loved you (which isn't a responsorial Psalm to begin with)
Alleluia wasn't specified, so I used the one from O Filii et Filiae (hey, we're in the Easter Octave, right?)
Off: Suscipe (My God, I am yours for time and eternity...) by Sr. Dolores Nieratka
Massive Cremation
Com: All I ask of you (nice love song for Communion, eh - blech!)
Eulogy given by a nun, longer than the priest's homily (he didn't preach long either - probably about five minutes)
Commendation: Songs of the Angels (by Bob Dufford; the title is deceiving, making one believe it's really the In Paradisum)
Out: Beagle's Things

The deceased nun is pictured in the program wearing her habit (of course - she was 96 when she died). However, there wasn't a freakin' nun in the church with a habit (but there were a banana boat load of nuns).

Now, for a thousand points:
(besides the Water Buffalo Women's Auxiliary) NAME THAT ORDER!

Peace,
BMP

INSTANT HIGH ALTAR

Here's what happens when the FSSP visits a parish church with a modern style table altar. This is one of the coolest transformations I've seen, albeit only temporary. This was very likely taken in France.
Red Sox cap tip to Shawn at NLM.

Enjoy!
Peace,
BMP

La métamorphose d'un autel
Uploaded by CHRIST-REDEMPTEUR

A GREAT BOSTON PARISH

Fr. David Barnes is 35 years old, and the youngest pastor in the Archdiocese of Boston. He's also taken his parish out of a $748K debt (Red Sox cap tip to Gerald) parish collections have increased by 50%, the church underwent a $300K renovation while keeping the sacred space sacred, and the parish also has a music program that doesn't mess around. They have a well-educated music director, they use Worship III, and use actual hymns, not hootenanny music. The music lists are in the bulletins at the parish website.

The younger priests are comin' in, and they know their stuff. I can safely include my own boss, Jason's new boss, and Fr. Barnes, amongst those younger priests. Keep up the great work!

Peace,
BMP

MADISON'S ST. RAPHAEL CATHEDRAL AND DUNCAN STROIK

These make a great pair!

This Wednesday marks the second anniversary of St. Raphael Cathedral in Madison, WI, destroyed by fire. I'm happy to learn that Bishop Morlino has called on Duncan Stroik as his advisor for the building of a new cathedral. Now, learning that a final decision by Bp. Morlino won't be made until just after Easter, one can hope and pray that it's Professor Stroik who gets the job, as he has a reputation for building beautiful new churches.

Stroik, whom Bishop Robert Morlino introduced as a trusted friend and adviser, invited an audience Thursday to imagine the fire-gutted St. Raphael's Cathedral, a historic church off the Capitol Square, replaced by something more grand.
"With the Cathedral of St. Raphael you have the opportunity, maybe even the obligation, to build something that speaks with, and politely debates, the Capitol and university," Stroik told area Catholics at the O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center as part of a lecture series.
- Newspaper Article from the Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Hat tip to Dad29

Peace,
BMP

ANOTHER IN A LINE OF NICELY BUILT NEW CHURCHES

St. Raymond of Penyafort Church, Springfield, Virginia

Hat tip to Fr. Gonzales.
Features in this really nice new ediface include a high altar with a really nice reredos, a choir loft with a three-manual Rodgers organ (pipes from Fratelli Ruffati are due to follow in a month or two, but the organ is in use now as it is), and many other features that have often been removed in the so-called "spirit of Vatican II".

Check out the St. Raymond Parish Website for plenty more pictures of this modern traditional ediface.

Peace,
BMP