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ARTICLES (8):
Acts
of Reverence (Mar.
19th)
A
quick review on when to bow and how to bow during Mass.
The
Apostolic Symbols in the Windows
(Mar.
19th)
The
windows above the main entrance at St. Mark's parish
depict the 12 apostles. Here are the first six.
Liturgical
Fasting (Mar.
12th)
A look at the Lenten
practice of fasting and frequently asked questions.
The
Seasons and Days of Penance (Feb.
22nd)
Entering into the
journey of Lent.
Rite
of Viaticum
(Feb.
22nd).
Food for the Journey.
Standing
and Kneeling During Mass.
(Jan
22nd)
Do you know there were some recent
changes to when to kneel and when to stand during Mass?
The
Oil of the Sick (Jan
22nd)
Where does the oil used by the priest for anointing the
sick come from?
The
Sick and the Vital Role of the Laity (Feb.
5th).
What is the
role of the faithful when a loved one is ill?.
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Acts
of Reverence
During
Mass both the celebrant and the people express
their faith, devotion, and reverence not only in
words but also in gestures and postures. Bowing,
like the bow of the head at the name of Jesus, has
been restored for several rituals throughout the
Mass. Referring to the Order of the Mass and the
GIRM no. 234, here are the gestures we should make
during Mass:
· A
bow
of the head is
made when the three divine persons are named
together and at the name of Jesus, Mary, and the
saint in whose honor Mass is celebrated. Also when
the people say, “that
I have sinned through my own fault…”
· A
bow
of the head and shoulders
is made toward the tabernacle with the blessed
sacrament during the prayer “Lord
God, we ask you to receive...”* and
within the profession of faith at the words, “by
the power of the Holy Spirit…”
· During
the Christmas Masses, there is a genuflection
at the words, “And
he became man” (see
MR pp. 153, 155-157). The same holds for Mass on
the solemnity of the Annunciation
of Our Lord
(see MR p. 538).
*Also
during baptism and the sprinkling of Holy water at
the words, “May
Almighty God cleanse…”
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The
Apostolic Symbols in the Windows
Here's
another article for the CC page. It's from 3/19
and is titled "The Apostolic Symbols in the
Windows." A summary is that the windows
above the main entrance at St. Mark's parish
depict the 12 apostles. Here are the first six.
St
James the Greater, the
eldest brother of John, traveled as far as Spain
to preach the Gospel. A scalloped shell and other
signs of his pilgrimage by the sea, represents
him. He was one of Jesus' closest disciples and
was present at the Transfiguration.
St.
Bartholomew was
a scholar who traveled widely to spread the word
of God. His apostolic symbol of a knife resting on
the Bible recalls his life's work and his death at
knifepoint. A very holy man, he is said to have
prayed 100 times a day and 100 times a night. He
was waited on by angels, and knew all languages.
St.
Jude, Thaddeus, or Lebbeus, son
of Alpheus or Cleophas and Mary. He was a brother
of James the Younger. Jerome called Jude "Trinomious"
which means "a man with three names." In
Mark 3:18 he is called Thaddeus. In Matthew 10;3
he is called Lebbeus. His surname was Thaddeus. In
Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13 he is called Judas the
brother of James. Judas Thaddeus also was called
Judas the Zealot. He was killed with arrows at
Ararat.
The chosen symbol for him is the ship because he
was a missionary thought to be a fisherman.
St.
Peter is
the Prince of the Apostles and brother of Andrew.
Peter is represented by crossed keys, which
represent his role as the Holder of the Keys to
the Kingdom of Heaven.
St.
Andrew was
the brother of Peter, and a son of Jonas. He was a
fisherman before Jesus called him. Originally he
was a disciple of John the Baptist. He introduced
others to Jesus including his brother Peter.
Although circumstances placed him in a position
where it would have been easy for him to become
jealous and resentful, he was optimistic and well
content in second place. His main purpose in life
was to bring others to the master.
He is claimed by three countries as their
Patron Saint-Russia, Scotland and Greece. A symbol
of two crossed fish has also been applied to
Andrew, because he was formerly a fisherman..
St.
James the Lesser (or Younger) according
to tradition wrote the Epistle of James, preached
in Palestine and Egypt and was crucified in Egypt
Some scholars believe he was the brother of
Matthew, the tax collector. James was a man of
strong character and one of the most fiery type.
Tradition tells us that he also beaten to death as
a martyr and his body was sawed in pieces. The
fuller’s club and saw became his apostolic
symbol.
Next
time: The
other six windows and the apostles they represent.
Can you guess them before we print them?
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Liturgical
Fasting
Some
of our traditional Lenten disciplines require the
giving up of things: food on fast days (Ash
Wednesday and Good Friday) and meat on days of
abstinence (Ash Wednesday and all the Fridays of
Lent). Many Catholics also give up desserts and
treats such as candy or television.
The
purpose of denying ourselves these pleasures is
not to punish us but to discipline us. If we can
say no to these things in our lives for forty days
then we strengthen our will power to say no when
we are tempted by sin. An added benefit of giving
up these treats is that when we go back to them we
are more grateful for them and are able to
appreciate them even more.
In
the same way our liturgical celebrations also
fast. We don’t pray or sing the Gloria or
Alleluias at Mass. These prayers of joyful praise
return on Easter day. We also fast from flowers in
our liturgical environment. All flowers are
removed from the church and no flower memorials
are taken during Lent. The altar may display
desert plants like cactus to remind us of the
forty days our Lord spent in the desert in
preparation for his public ministry. They are
there to remind us during Lent of our “dry
time” while we await the waters of Easter
baptism.
Frequently
Asked Questions About Lent
Since
St. Patrick’s Day is on a Friday during Lent
this year can I eat the traditional corned beef?
Do I need to get dispensation?
You
may eat the corned beef without getting
dispensation. Simply substitute a different day
for abstinence or a different act of penance or
charity. You have the authority to make those
decisions for yourself without consulting any
clergy.
I
gave up ice cream for Lent. Should I also do this
on Sundays?
You
may, if you want, but you don’t have to. Sundays
are not counted in the forty days of Lent. The
reason for this is that Sundays are festive days
of celebration and therefore, not penitential
days.
I
forgot it was Friday and I ate meat. Do I have to
go to confession?
No,
sin comes about from purposely choosing evil.
Also, failure to perform one particular act of the
Church’s communal penance isn’t an act of
grave evil. It is a failure to pray and to be
charitable which is a more worthy subject matter
of confession than accidentally eating meat on
Friday.
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The
Seasons and Days of Lent
Entering
into the journey of Lent.
1438
The
seasons and days of penance
in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and
each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord)
are intense moments of the Church's penitential
practice. These times are particularly appropriate
for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies,
pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary
self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and
fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary
works).
In the face of the terrible challenge of poverty
afflicting so much of the world's population,
indifference and self-centered isolation stand in
stark contrast to the gaze of Christ," Pope
Benedict XVI said in his Lenten message released
on January 31 at the Vatican. In the message, the
pope encouraged us to try during Lent to share the
same attitude Jesus showed to the suffering, which
says, "Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was
moved with pity."
As
we enter into Lent, the Gospel accounts of Jesus'
temptations, always read on the first Sunday of
Lent, allow us to recall the 40 years of Israel's
temptation in the wilderness on their journey to
the Promised Land. During the 40 days of Lent, we
share with the whole Church an annual
"wilderness experience." The questions
and issues we face are basically the same as those
we have seen in the Old Testament and in the New.
They are themes ripe for our Lenten practice,
themes around which we can organize our
traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting
and almsgiving.
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Rite
of Viaticum
Suffering
and illness have always been among the greatest
problems that trouble the human spirit. Our
faith helps us to grasp more deeply the mystery
of suffering and helps us to bear the pain with
greater courage. From Christ’s words we know
that sickness has meaning and value for our own
salvation and for the salvation of the world.
For Christ himself, who is without sin, took on
all the wounds of his passion and shared in all
human pain (see Isaiah 53:4-5).
While
Anointing of the Sick is celebrated at the
beginning of a serious illness, Viaticum is
celebrated when death is close. Often
misunderstood as the act of bringing Communion
to the sick, Viaticum is a rite which can be
celebrated outside of Mass. By receiving the
consecrated food for the passage through death
to life the dying have the pledge of the
resurrection that our Lord promised, “Those
who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal
life, and I will raise them up on the last
day” (see John 6:54) and are united with
Christ as they leave this world.
A
distinctive feature of the celebration of
Viaticum is the renewal of the baptismal
profession of faith by the dying since it was
through baptism that we became adopted children
of God and coheirs of the promise of eternal
life. All baptized Catholics who are able to
receive Communion are privileged to receive
Viaticum when in danger of death. The rite is
the completion and crown of the Christian life
on this earth, signifying that the dying
Christian follows the Lord into eternal glory
and the banquet of the heavenly kingdom.
It
is equally important that all the faithful
prepare for and participate in the Sacraments of
Anointing and Viaticum so that we will
understand more fully how these sacred Catholic
rites nourish, strengthen and manifest faith
more effectively. For the prayer of faith which
accompanies the celebration of the sacrament is
an expression of our union with Christ.
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Standing
and Kneeling During Mass
In
a 2004 newsletter from the Worship Office of the
Archdiocese of Newark the Diocese included a
summary of the newest edition of the General
Instruction of the Roman Missal. Not intended to
be a substitute for reading the entire document,
the purpose of the summary was to help all of us
to remain current with developments in the liturgy
so that during Mass we show the unity of the
assembled Christian community.
During
a recent discussion about when to stand and kneel
after the Preparation of the Gifts, we found that
no two people agreed. That’s when we consulted
Chapter Two Section II under the Different
Elements of the Mass and thought we might clear up
some confusion by publishing what we learned:
The
people stand following the invitation “Pray,
brethren that our sacrifice…” through the
end of the Santus. Since the response of the
people is itself a prayer, standing, rather
than sitting is seen as the most appropriate
posture at this point in the liturgy.
The
General Instruction recognizes the custom of
the assembly to kneel after the singing or
recitation of the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei).
Although the directives found in the General
Instruction state that the diocesan Bishop can
elect to have the assembly remain standing,
the Bishop of Trenton has asked that the
custom of kneeling be reinstated in the
Diocese of Trenton. Since the Diocese of
Trenton was the only diocese in the northeast
to have implemented the option of standing,
the Bishop of Trenton has asked that each
parish return to the custom of kneeling after
the Lamb of God as a sign of unity with the
other dioceses
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The
Oil for the Sick
The
Oil of the Sick, usually labeled OI (for Oleum
Infirmarum), is often reserved with chrism and the
oil of catechumens in an ambry. An ambry is a
cabinet, usually beautifully ornamented and kept
near the baptistery in the Church. In St. Mark’s
parish, the ambry is located on the southeastern
wall of the sanctuary in a recessed cabinet. Many
priests keep a small supply of oil close at hand
in a small metal tube called a "stock."
Olive
oil is blessed by the Bishops at the Chrism Mass
during the Holy Week and distributed to all the
parishes within their Diocese. In the Diocese of
Trenton, the beautiful Chrism Mass is one time
during the year when all 126 parishes come
together to worship as a community and receive the
blessed oil.
In
the former rite, every sense of the body was
anointed, accompanied by a prayer for forgiveness
of sin. So, the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth,
hands, and feet were all touched. Today, this is
simplified to an anointing of the forehead and the
hands, but generally today the oil is used more
lavishly, and the symbolism of touch so central to
the rite is enhanced. Often, a priest will invite
everyone present to join in the "laying on of
hands." Sick persons are often pushed aside
or feared in our culture, and to be reverently
touched in love can be a profound experience of
God's healing, forgiving, accepting presence
through the ministry of the Church. |
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The
Sick and the Vital Role of the Laity.
The
Church desires that the Anointing of the Sick be
celebrated fairly early in the crisis of an
illness, and not as a last measure. In fact the
Vatican Council II added that Extreme
Unction—which may also and more appropriately be
called ‘anointing of the sick—is a sacrament
not reserved only for those who are at the point
of death. The Council suggests that as soon as any
one of the faithful begins to be in any danger
from sickness or appears to be weakening from
advanced age, “the fitting time for that person
to receive this sacrament has certainly already
arrived.”
By
focusing on what only a priest can do, we may
forget the fullness of liturgical care that the
Church desires. For if one member suffers in the
Body of Christ, which is the Church, all the
members suffer with that member (1 Cor 12:26).
Kindness shown to the sick and works of charity
and mutual help for the relief of every kind of
human want are held in special honor. It is
fitting that we share in this ministry by helping
the sick return to health, showing love, and by
celebrating sacraments with them. If the sickness
grows worse, the family and friends have a
responsibility to inform the pastor and by their
kind words help guide the sick for the reception
of the sacraments at the proper time.
The
family and friends of the sick and those who take
care of them in any way have a special share in
this ministry of comfort. It is their task to
strengthen the sick with words of faith and by
praying with them, to commend them to the
suffering and glorified Lord, and to encourage
them to contribute to the well-being of the people
of God by associating themselves willingly with
Christ’s passion and death. |
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