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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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