Many Blessings on your Lent. I must say starting out with several days of no power is one way to surrender things we are attached to!
A few dates for the calendar. March 19th, at the 9:30 Sunday Mass at St. Mary on the Lake, Bishop Boyea will be coming down to consecrate the new Altar and Ambo. When I came to St. Mary’s, the sanctuary beautification was the next thing on the list from our Witness to Hope projects. I am very pleased with how the first phase went and I am excited to see it finished. There will be five new things you will see that day—the new altar, ambo, credence table, railing for the ramp, and a presider chair. This will be a beautiful Mass if you would like to come. Plus, they don’t happen very often, so it is neat to take the opportunity when it arises. I have only been to one before—I will have a different perspective now as a priest. During the rite the following will happen to the Altar:
It will be anointed with the oil of Chrism as a symbol of Christ the High Priest “the Anointed One,” so that on the altar of his body he might offer the sacrifice of his life for the salvation of all.
Incense is burned on the altar to signify that Christ’s sacrifice, there perpetuated in memory, ascends to God as an odor of sweetness, and to signify the people’s prayers ascending, pleasing and acceptable to God.
The covering of the altar indicates that it is the altar of Eucharistic sacrifice, and the table of the Lord around which God’s people joyously meet to be refreshed with divine food.
The lighting of the altar teaches us that Christ is the light; his brightness shines out in the Church and through it to the whole human family.
Finally, the celebration of Mass proclaims the bond that closely connects the dedication of the altar with the celebration of the Eucharist.
Chris Malarney (a parishioner at Sacred Heart) has been our carpenter. His mom, Joyce, works with him doing a lot of the sanding and finishing work. I have been out many times as they built them—they have a done a great job! Barb Gillies from St. Mary’s is making the Altar cloths. We are very blessed with the local talent between our two parishes.
Following the Mass there will be a brunch. Please call St. Mary’s if you plan to attend the brunch so we can have enough food. Some are bringing a dish to pass—If you would like to help in that way, please let Suzzanne know. A bunch of my family will be coming down the day before and camping out at the rectory, so Fr. Ginu will have to deal with an abundance of Koenigsknechts!
The second date is June 10th. That is the day that Deacon Seamus Kettner will be ordained a priest. That Mass will be at 10:30am at the Cathedral. I am hoping we can get him down here at some point this summer for a Mass of Thanksgiving. We will hammer out those details as things get closer.
Thank you in advance for your generous support of the DSA appeal. No parish or community is an island in the Body of Christ.
Renderings of the new altar: https://8d58568a-88af-467e-94b4-3ae61075dea7.usrfiles.com/ugd/8d5856_f1d1b20e69c946b9946a3d351ba561e8.pdf
God Bless,
Fr. Todd