Why does the Bishop preach his homily sitting down?

"Is Bishop McGrath feeling okay?" "Why doesn't he stand up to do his homily?" "Maybe he's just tired."

I hear those comments often after a big diocesan liturgy like the Chrism Mass. Here and at other more solemn liturgies, the Bishop will usually give his homily sitting down. But don't worry. He's not tired, and he's doing just fine.

The reason a Bishop preaches while seated is because of the chair. It's not because it's a particularly comfy chair (some Bishops' chairs look downright hard and uncomfortable!). The chair of a Bishop at his cathedral is a special symbol of the Bishop. This chair, the "cathedra," is what gives the cathedral its name. A cathedral is the place where the cathedra is permanently located.

Cathedra means "chair" in Latin and "seat" in Greek (kathedra). You can spot the cathedra because it usually has the coat of arms of the diocese and the Bishop near it. Only the Bishop is allowed to sit in the cathedra because this chair is the sign of the Bishop's office and the unity among all the parishes in the diocese. If the Bishop is not present and another priest presides at Mass in the cathedral, he must sit in a different chair.

From the cathedra (or in Latin, "ex cathedra"), the Bishop exercises the three primary responsibilities of his office: "The office of Bishop as teacher, sanctifier, and pastor of his Church shines forth most clearly in a liturgy that he celebrates with his people" (Ceremonial of Bishops, 11).

This doesn't mean that the Bishop can't teach, bless, and lead from anywhere else. But the cathedra is a primary symbol of his office and of his responsibility to the diocese. From the cathedra, the Bishop teaches, presides at prayer, and stands as the leader of all the faithful in the diocese. And because the liturgy is the source and summit of the Church's activity and power, the people of the diocese gathered around their Bishop at his chair is a powerful sign of the presence of Christ.

The Bishop at his chair is also a sign of the Church's unity because the Bishop is our connection to all the other dioceses around the world and to the first among Bishops, the Pope. The Pope is the Bishop of the Diocese of Rome, and he too has a cathedra in a church called the Cathedral Basilica of Saint John Lateran.

When the Bishop is seated at the cathedra, especially when he is preaching, he is fully exercising his office, especially the role of teaching:

The Bishop as herald of the faith leads new followers to Christ. As their authentic teacher, that is, one invested with the authority of Christ, he proclaims to the people entrusted to him the truths of faith they are to believe and to live by. Under the light of the Holy Spirit the Bishop explains the teachings of faith, bringing forth from the treasurehouse of revelation new things and old. He works to make faith yield its harvest and, like the good shepherd, he is vigilant in protecting his people from the threat of error. (Ceremonial of Bishops, 15

The Ceremonial (the Church's guidebook for any liturgical celebration with a Bishop) then states that "the office of preaching is proper to the Bishop, so that other ordained ministers fulfill this office only in his name," and "[u]nless he decides that some other way is preferable, the Bishop should preach while seated at the chair, wearing the miter and holding the pastoral staff" (17).

The Bishop, and through him all the priests and deacons of a diocese, are special signs of Christ. So when we look at the Bishop at his chair, we see Christ who is our Teacher, High Priest, and Good Shepherd.

Take a virtual pilgrimmage of the cathedrals in California at this very interesting and beautiful site.

Proclamation of the Date of Easter on Epiphany, 2009

The Solemnity of the Epiphany is a traditional time to announce the major feasts and celebrations of the Church for the upcoming year. Before the advent of online calendars, Blackberries, perpetual calendars, and handheld organizers, the formal announcement at Epiphany was the usual way the Church made known the date of Easter and all the celebrations that are dependent upon its date.

In the Roman Catholic Church, the date of Easter moves each year because it is affected by the lunar and solar cycles. The Council of Nicaea (325 AD) determined that Easter would be celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox, or first day of spring (in the northern hemisphere). (The Orthodox Churches use a different calendar system, and so their date for Easter is different. You can read about the difference in Easter calendaring here.)

The Sacramentary Supplement, in which you can find the proclamation, states: “Although calendars now give the date of Easter and the other feasts in the liturgical year for many years in advance, the Epiphany proclamation still has value. It is a reminder of the centrality of the resurrection of the Lord in the liturgical year and the importance of the great mysteries of faith which are celebrated each year” (#2).

The proclamation can be sung (a cappella) or spoken by a deacon, cantor, or reader at the ambo after the gospel, after the homily, or after the prayer after Communion.

The text of the proclamation remains fixed except for the dates for that year which must be inserted for the proclamation. Below are the dates for 2009 (in red).


Proclamation of the Date of Easter on Epiphany

Dear brothers and sisters,
the glory of the Lord has shone upon us,
and shall ever be manifest among us,
until the day of his return.

Through the rhythms of times and seasons
let us celebrate the mysteries of salvation.

Let us recall the year’s culmination, the Easter Triduum of the Lord:
his last supper, his crucifixion, his burial, and his rising,
celebrated between the evening of the ninth of April
and the evening of the twelfth of April.

Each Easter—as on each Sunday—
the Holy Church makes present the great and saving deed
by which Christ has for ever conquered sin and death.
From Easter are reckoned all the days we keep holy.

Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent,
will occur on the twenty-fifth of February.
The Ascension of the Lord will be commemorated
on the twenty-fourth of May*.
Pentecost, the joyful conclusion of the season of Easter,
will be celebrated on the thirty-first of May.
And this year the First Sunday of Advent
will be on the twenty-ninth of November.

Likewise the pilgrim Church proclaims the Passover of Christ
in the feasts of the holy Mother of God,
in the feasts of the Apostles and Saints,
and in the commemoration of the faithful departed.

To Jesus Christ, who was, who is, and who is to come,
Lord of time and history,
be endless praise, for ever and ever. Amen.

*In the western dioceses of the United States, the celebration of the Ascension is moved to the seventh Sunday of Easter.

Managing Low Gluten Hosts at Mass

Todd Flowerday, who writes at Catholic Sensibility, has a regular feature called The Armchair Liturgist. Think of it as Monday-morning quarterbacking for Catholic geeks like you and me.

In this installment, he asks the question of how you handle giving Communion to those with wheat allergies who need low- or no-gluten hosts.

Here's a past article on the US Bishop's FAQ on Celiac Sprue Disease.

Click here to participate in the conversation at Todd's blog and to read the wisdom of his readers who have figured out how to make the Eucharistic table more hospitable to our brothers and sisters with this special need.

Scripts and the Pope's Ordo

One of the things I often do is prepare a ritual script for the Bishop or other presiders, especially for more complex liturgies like the Chrism Mass or Rite of Election. It really is an art to put together readable and clearly laid-out scripts for presiders.

I think those who designed the Pope's Ordo (order of rituals) for his recent U.S. visit did a great job. If you haven't seen it yet, click here to see the complete set of scripts (in pdf) that the Pope used throughout his visit here.

Liturgy, Cold, and Flu

As we continue through the winter cold and flu season on our way to the warmer days of spring, it's a good time to review some common sense liturgical practices and issues to help everyone stay healthy and to care for one another as we gather each week for Mass and other parish activities.


If you are sick, take care of yourself
Encourage those who are sick with a cold or the flu to care for the Body of Christ by first taking care of their own body. Reassure them that the obligation to participate in Mass is not required for those who are sick. In fact, the Church honors sickness and those who are sick with special rites and prayers and cares especially for those who are unable to come to Mass because of sickness.

For Church ministers, it's often hard for us to stay home and care for ourselves when we're ill. We tend to push ourselves over our limits because we want so much to do our ministry and to help others. But let's also remember the safety announcement we hear before every flight: "Put your mask on first, then assist others." Take care of yourself so that you can take care of others.

Now don't go posting signs up in your Church doors or bulletins like this one I saw in big, red, bold letters: "Please do not come to Mass if you are sick!" There are better ways to communicate this message. Here is one suggestion:

Take care of yourself and one another. If you are sick, or know someone who is ill for whatever reason, please contact [insert name here] of the parish staff at [insert phone number and email address here] so our parish can pray for you and your caregivers.

If you are sick, do not worsen your illness by trying to get to Church. One of our priests or pastoral ministers would be happy to bring the Word of God and Holy Communion to you if you need to stay home because of illness or because you are caring for a sick family member. Also, if you are seriously ill, the Church wants to celebrate with you the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Contact the parish office at [insert phone number here] so we may care for you and your loved ones during your time of illness.

Wash your hands often, especially if you are a greeter, usher, or Communion minister
Soap, water, and a good scrubbing are the best defense against the cold and flu viruses. Scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds—the time it takes to say two quick "Hail Marys." If you are not near soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand cleanser or disposable hand wipe. Keep a small bottle or packet in your purse or pocket.


Don't cough or sneeze into your hands
Use a tissue to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, then throw it away. If you don't have a tissue handy, do what food-service workers are taught to do: cough or sneeze into your shirt sleeve and avoid touching the area of fabric you coughed into.


Avoid shaking hands with others at Mass if you are sick and have been sneezing or coughing
This is just common sense, and you wouldn't be considered anti-social if you are sick. But try not to go overboard either on the giving or receiving end. If you are sick, greet each other warmly before Mass as usual, but avoid hand to hand contact. Use a tissue if you need to sneeze or cough, and throw it away. At the Sign of Peace, you can offer a simple bow of the head to those around you. If you have come in direct contact with someone who has been sneezing or coughing, avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with your hands until you can wash them. This is a good practice at anytime since germs can spread when we touch our eyes, nose, or mouth.


Refrain from receiving Communion on the tongue or Communion from the cup if you have a cold or a cough
Although receiving both the consecrated host and wine are encouraged, you only need to receive one form if you are unable to receive both. If you are accustomed to receiving Communion on the tongue, prevent spreading your saliva to the hand of the Communion minister by receiving Communion in the hand while you are sick.


Pray for the sick and evaluate your ministry to the sick
This cold and flu season is also a good time for parishes to evaluate its ministry to the sick and its full use of the rites and options in the Pastoral Care of the Sick. Remember also to include at Mass and other parish liturgies intercessions for those who are sick, for their caregivers, for those who have died because of sickness, and especially for those who suffer with no one to care for them.


If Communion ministers need to clean their hands during Mass, where, when, and how should they do this?
The best way for Communion ministers to clean their hands during the Mass is in their pew, using a sanitizing liquid or antibacterial wipe, just before they come to the sanctuary. The reason for this is that it becomes distracting and inappropriate to see a line of Communion ministers standing near the altar, first, getting a squirt of sanitizing liquid in their hands (it looks almost like Communion), then, vigorously rubbing their hands just before Communion begins. I've also heard reports of Communion ministers trying the shake off the excess liquid from their hands as they are about to receive Communion. This is just bad form and often looks ridiculous.

Remember, if Communion ministers have practiced good hygiene during the Mass and are not sick, there is no obligation for them to wash their hands again during Mass. But if they need to wash their hands during Mass, give your Communion ministers their own travel-size bottle or packet of wipes so they can clean their hands more discreetly in their pews. If this cannot be done, Communion ministers can wash their hands in the sacristy as they come forward to the sanctuary. Anything you do should not delay any part of the Communion Rite or distract from the focus at the altar.

Whatever you do, don't place a bottle of sanitizing liquid on the altar (I have seen this!) or among the Communion vessels and other sacred items on the side table (I have seen this too). These areas are visually too prominent, and all you will see from the assembly's vantage point is the soap bottle.


Should the presider wash his hands as well or does the ritual purifying at the lavabo suffice?
If he has practiced good hygiene and common sense during the Mass and he is not sick, there is no need for him to wash his hands before distributing Communion. (The ritual washing of hands during the preparation of gifts is a ritual act of purification; it is not intended to be a hygienic action.) If he is sick, it's best that he not be presiding at the Mass. If this is not possible and he must preside while he is sick, the duty of distributing Communion to the assembly can be done by other ordinary ministers: assisting deacons and concelebrants at the Mass. If these are not available, he may permit extraordinary ministers to distribute Communion to the assembly.


How can we prevent panic or alarm during the cold and flu season?
If concerns arise, assure parishioners and your ministers that the usual liturgical practices of the Catholic Church are not dangerous to one’s health when exercised with ordinary common sense. Yet in order to help lessen the spread of naturally existing germs that are more prevalent during the cold and flu season, everyone should be more attentive to their own daily health practices, especially if they themselves are sick.

Catholics cannot be Catholic by themselves. We must gather together in order to worship as Jesus directed us. We cannot lock ourselves away into our own personal “upper rooms” in order to safeguard our health, nor can we put others at risk by our own behaviors. Since we are a communal Church, I hope these are helpful reminders to you to catechize parishioners all year long about good hygiene and standard considerate behavior when one is sick. Help parents teach children about good etiquette when one is healthy and when one is sick.

The axiom, lex orandi lex credendi, tells us that our liturgy teaches us what we believe. Our rites teach us to remain faithful to each other “in sickness and in health.” Our Scripture readings proclaim to us, “fear not, the Lord is in your midst.” We need not fear each other. We do need to care for each other—this cold and flu season and all throughout the year. As a Church, we embrace sickness and death, for the sick themselves, in their very bodies, exercise a special ministry. They are visible signs of God’s enduring love, a love so strong that it took on the frailty of human life and suffered our daily aches, pains, and illnesses all the way to death. As a people of faith, let us honor the God who became human by caring for each other.

---

These related articles may also be helpful:

• Rite for Sending Communion Ministers to the Sick from a Parish Mass
• World Day of Prayer for the Sick - February 11

Advent Review

Here's a review of past articles on Advent.

An Advent Penitential Prayer Service

Reconciliation Services Resources

Advent Basic: Getting Back to Liturgical Essentials

Advent: Season of Anticipation

What is Advent?

First Week of Advent 2004 reflection

A Marian/Advent Examination of Conscience

First Week of Advent 2005 reflection

Adapting Simbang Gabi for your Community

What Heaven Is and Is Not

Liturgical Calendar for the Diocese of San José: 2007-2008

Here are some important liturgical dates to keep in mind for 2007-2008.

• Holy days of obligation are highlighted in red (Sundays are the first and most important holy days of obligation).
• Diocesan celebrations are highlighted in purple.
• Parish feast days in the Diocese of San José are highlighted in green.

December, 2007

• December 1: World AIDS Day
• December 2: First Sunday of Advent (Year A / Year II begins)
• December 4: Anniversary of the approval of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (1963)
• December 6: Optional Memorial of Saint Nicholas (Saint Nicholas parish in Los Altos)
• December 7: Vespers in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe @ Our Lady of Guadalupe parish, 7:00p
• December 8: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, holy day of obligation (Saint Mary parish in Los Gatos)
• December 9: Second Sunday of Advent
• December 12: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Solemnity in the city of San José) (Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in San José)
• December 12: Season of Hope 2007 @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 13: Memorial of Saint Lucy (Saint Lucy parish in Campbell)
• December 13: Season of Hope 2007, San José Youth Symphony @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 14: Season of Hope 2007, Diocesan Filipino Priests Chorale @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 15: Season of Hope 2007, Presentation High School @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 16: Third Sunday of Advent
• December 16: Season of Hope 2007, Harper's Hall Celtic Harpists @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 17: Season of Hope 2007, "Friends of Jesus" Catholic Contemporary Band @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 18: Season of Hope 2007, San Jose Youth Chamber Orchestra @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 19: Season of Hope 2007, Castillero Middle School of the Performing Arts @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 20: Season of Hope 2007, Notre Dame High School @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 21: Season of Hope 2007, Maranatha Hope of Glory Choir @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 22: Season of Hope 2007, Bella Sorella - Opera Duo @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 23: Fourth Sunday of Advent
• December 23: Season of Hope 2007, Cathedral Schola - directed by Julie Wind @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p and 8:00p
• December 25: Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (holy day of obligation)
• December 30: Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (Holy Family parish in San José)

January, 2008

• January 1: Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God (obligation is dispensed in the Diocese of San José)
• January 3: Catechumenate Support Group meeting @ Holy Spirit, 7:00p
• January 6: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord
• January 8: Liturgical Coordinators' Gathering @ Saint Mary of the Immaculation Conception, 10:00a
• January 10: Novena for the Feast of Santo Niño @ Santa Teresa Parish, 7:30p
• January 11: Novena for the Feast of Santo Niño @ Saint Julie Parish, 7:00p
• January 12: Novena for the Feast of Santo Niño @ Saint Catherine Parish, 5:30p
• January 13: Novena for the Feast of Santo Niño @ Saint Joseph Parish, 5:00p
• January 13: Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (Christmas ends after the last Mass of this day)
• January 14: Novena for the Feast of Santo Niño @ Saint Elizabeth Parish, 7:00p
• January 14: Ordinary Time, Year A / Year II, begins
• January 15: Novena for the Feast of Santo Niño @ Saint John the Baptist Parish, 7:00p
• January 16: Novena for the Feast of Santo Niño @ Holy Cross Parish, 6:30p
• January 17: Novena for the Feast of Santo Niño @ Christ the King Parish, 7:30p
• January 18: Novena for the Feast of Santo Niño @ Most Holy Trinity Parish, 7:00p
• January 18: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins
• January 19: Santo Niño Fiesta @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph
• January 20: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
• January 21: Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday
• January 22: Day of Penance on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade
• January 24: Ongoing Professional Education Series: God the Psyche and Me @ Church of the Transfiguration, 9:30a
• January 25: Anniversary of the Episcopal Ordination of Patrick J. McGrath (1989)
• January 28: Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Saint Thomas Aquinas parish in Palo Alto)
• January 31: Ongoing Professional Education Series: God the Psyche and Me @ Transfiguration Church, 9:30a

February, 2008

• Februry 2: Diocesan Celebration of 25th and 50th Wedding Anniversaries @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 10:00a
• February 4: Rehearsal for Rite of Election @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p
• February 5: Rehearsal for Rite of Election @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:00p
• February 6: Ash Wednesday, Lent begins
• Febuary 6: Optional Memorial of the Five Wounds of Christ (Five Wounds Portuguese National Parish in San José)
• February 7: Ongoing Professional Education Series: God the Psyche and Me @ Transfiguration Church, 9:30a
• February 10: First Sunday of Lent
• February 10: Rite of Election @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 3:30p
• February 11: Rite of Election @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:30p
• February 12: Rite of Election @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:30p
• February 17: Second Sunday of Lent
• February 24: Third Sunday of Lent (First Scrutiny of the Elect)

March, 2008

• Month of March: Special Diocesan Days of Prayer for Human Rights and Equality
• March 2: Fourth Sunday of Lent (Second Scrutiny of the Elect)
• March 9: Fifth Sunday of Lent (Third Scrutiny of the Elect)
• March 11: Chrism Mass @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 7:30p
• March 15: Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, Principal Patron of the Diocese of San José (transferred this year to this date from its usual observance on March 19 because of Holy Week) (Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph parish in San José)
• March 16: Palm Sunday; Holy Week begins
• March 20: Holy Thursday
• March 21: Good Friday
• March 21: Anniversary of Dedication of Saint Patrick Proto-Cathedral in San José
• March 22: Holy Saturday; Easter Vigil
• March 23: Easter Sunday (Church of the Resurrection parish in Sunnyvale)
• March 30: Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday
• March 31: Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (transferred this year to this date from its usual observance on March 25 because of the Octave of Easter)

April, 2008

• April 5: Neophyte Mass @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 4:30p
• April 6: Third Sunday of Easter
• April 8: Optional Memorial of Saint Julie Billiart (Saint Julie Billiart parish in San José)
• April 13: Fourth Sunday of Easter
• April 20: Fifth Sunday of Easter
• April 27: Sixth Sunday of Easter

May, 2008

• May 1: Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker (Saint Joseph parish in Mountain View)
• May 2: Memorial of Saint Athanasius (Saint Athanasius parish in Mountain View)
• May 4: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord (transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter) (Church of the Ascension parish in Saratoga)
• May 11: Solemnity of Pentecost (Easter ends after the last Sunday Mass of this day) (Holy Spirit parish in San José)
• May 11: Confirmation of Adults @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 3:00p
• May 12: Ordinary Time resumes
• May 17: Ordination of Deacons @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 9:30a
• May 18: Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity (Most Holy Trinity parish in San José)
• May 24: Ordination of Priests @ Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, 9:30a
• May 25: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
• May 30: Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in San José and Sacred Heart parish in Saratoga)

June, 2008

• June 1: 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time
• June 13: Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua (Saint Anthony parish in San José)
• June 17: Optional Memorial of Saint Brother Albert Chmielowski (Saint Brother Albert Chmielowski parish in San José)
• June 24: Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (Saint John the Baptist parish in Milpitas)
• June 25: Optional Memorial of Saint William (Saint William parish in Los Altos)
• June 27: Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Pertpetual Help (Oratory of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Chapel in Santa Clara)
• June 29: Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
• June 29: Anniversary of Episcopal Ordination of R. Pierre DuMaine (1978)
• June 30: Anniversary of the transfer of Bishop Patrick J. McGrath to the see of San José (1998)

July, 2008

• July 4: Optional Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal (Saint Elizabeth parish in Milpitas)
• July 5: Feast of Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners, Patroness of the Californias
• July 6: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
• July 9: Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Peace (Our Lady of Peace parish in Santa Clara)
• July 28: Optional Memorial of Pope Saint Victor I (Saint Victor parish in San José)

August, 2008

• August 4: Memorial of Saint John Mary Vianney (Saint John Vianney parish in San José)
• August 6: Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (Church of the Transfiguration parish in San José)
• August 8: Memorial of Saint Dominic (Catholic Community at Stanford under the patronage of Saint Dominic in Palo Alto)
• August 11: Memorial of Saint Clare of Assisi, Secondary Patron of the Diocese of San José (Feast in the Diocese of San José; Solemnity in the city of Santa Clara) (Saint Clare parish in Santa Clara)
• August 15: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (holy day of obligation) (Saint Mary of the Assumption Croatian Mission in San José; Saint Mary parish in Gilroy)
• August 22: Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Queen of Apostles parish in San José; Queen of Martyrs Vietnamese Catholic Center in San José)

September, 2008

• September 12: Optional Memorial of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Our Lady, Star of the Sea parish in Alviso)
• September 14: Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Holy Cross parish in San José)
• September 16: Memorial of Saint Cyprian (Saint Cyprian parish in Sunnyvale)
• September 18: Memorial of Saint Joseph of Cupertino (Solemnity in the City of Cupertino) (Saint Joseph of Cupertino parish in Cupertino)
• September 20: Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and their Companions (Holy Korean Martyrs parish in Sunnyvale)
• September 21: 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October, 2008

• Month of October: Special Diocesan Days of Prayer for the General Needs of Humankind
• October 4: Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi (Saint Francis of Assisi parish in San José)
• October 7: Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary (Our Lady of the Rosary church, part of Saint Thomas Aquinas parish in Palo Alto)
• October 15: Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, also known as Saint Teresa of Avila (Santa Teresa parish in San José)
• October 28: Feast of Saints Simon and Jude (Saint Simon parish in Los Altos)

November, 2008

• November 1: Solemnity of All Saints (not a holy day of obligation this year because it falls on Saturday)
• November 2: Commemoration of All Souls
• November 4: Anniversary of the Re-Dedication of Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph in San José (solemnity in the parish of the Cathedral; feast for the rest of the diocese)
• November 9: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
• November 10: Memorial of Saint Leo the Great (Saint Leo the Great parish in San José)
• November 11: Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours (Saint Martin of Tours parish in San José; Saint Martin parish in Sunnyvale)
• November 13: Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (Saint Frances Cabrini parish in San José)
• November 15: Optional Memorial of Saint Albert the Great (Saint Albert the Great church, part of Saint Thomas Aquinas parish in Palo Alto)
• November 23: Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King (last Sunday of Ordinary Time) (Christ the King parish in San José)
• November 25: Optional Memorial of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (Saint Catherine of Alexandria parish in Morgan Hill)
• November 24-26: Special Diocesan Days of Prayer for the Harvest and Fruits of the Earth
• November 27: Thanksgiving holiday
• November 27: Anniversary of the Installation of Bishop Patrick J. McGrath as second Bishop of the Diocese of San José (1999)
• November 30: First Sunday of Advent (Year B / Year I begins)

December, 2008

• December 1: World AIDS Day
• December 4: Anniversary of the approval of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (1963)
• December 6: Optional Memorial of Saint Nicholas (Saint Nicholas parish in Los Altos)
• December 7: Second Sunday of Advent
• December 8, Monday: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (holy day of obligation)(Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception parish in Los Gatos)
• December 12: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Solemnity in the city of San José) (Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in San José)
• December 13: Memorial of Saint Lucy (Saint Lucy parish in Campbell)
• December 14: Third Sunday of Advent
• December 21: Fourth Sunday of Advent
• December 25: Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (holy day of obligation)
• December 28: Solemnity of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (Holy Family parish in San José)

Music Ministry Evaluation Checklist

Here's a really good evaluation checklist prepared by Melissa Broome, liturgy director at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph in San José, for music ministers and choir directors. Permission is granted by the author to reprint this for your own music ministries.

Download a Word doc version of this checklist.

I. Quality of Worship Aid

• Does the community have access to participate fully in the music being sung?
• Is the program professionally made (e.g., capitalizations and spelling are correct)?

II. Quality of Blend of Choir

• Are the voices blended as one or do individual voices stick out?
• Is the choir on pitch? Is one section better than others?

III. Quality of Congregational Singing

• Is the assembly singing?
• It the music simple enough for them to join in?
• Is the majority of the music familiar to the community, or is it all new?

IV. Tempo of Music

• Is the music too slow? Is the choir having a hard time breathings? Is the choir being forced sharp or flat because the phrases are too long? Are they able to sing a complete thought without needing multiple breaths in between?
• Is the tempo too fast? Is the assembly unable to follow along because they cannot keep up with the pace of the music?

V. Quality of Diction

• Can text be understood, especially during the psalm?

VI. Quality of Cut-Offs

• Does the choir end phrases at the same time?
• Are final consonants together and crisp? Or is there a trail of final consonants? (e.g., t-t-t-t)

VII. Quality of Cantor

• Are the musical entrances for the assembly clear? Can the assembly see that they are being encouraged to sing?
• Does the cantor have a pleasant demeanor, or do they look nervous or unfocused?
• Can text be understood?

VIII. Quality of Rehearsal Time

• Is time during rehearsal well organized? Does the director know exactly which piece will be next and move to it quickly, or is the choir waiting for music to be distributed or prepared before moving on?
• Does the rehearsal include a spiritual component, a time for the choir to gather in prayer and blend hearts, not just voices?

Copyright © 2007, Melissa Broome. All rights reserved.

What's the deal with Anticipated Masses?

In researching what happens with holy days and if one can celebrate a Mass for Immaculate Conception on the evening before, I found this great article on the historial, theological, and pastoral issues surrounding anticipated Masses.

Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead

"Dia de los Muertos" or "Day of the Dead" is a two-day festival celebrated throughout Mexico on November 1 and 2. Families and towns create elaborate altars for their deceased loved ones. On these altars they place photographs of their loved ones, their favorite foods, flowers, and candles. They also decorate these altars with "calaveras"--skeletons depicting the dead doing the activities they used to do when they were alive.

The rituals of Dia de los Muertos express the strong bond between loved ones, a bond that even death cannot destroy. In Catholic terms, we can call this intimate union between the living and the dead the "communion of saints." Many families and churches have adapted this Mexican tradition to remember and pray for the dead. Some churches invite parishioners to bring pictures of their dead loved ones to place on a side altar throughout the month of November. In one parish I worked in, we also invited the parish to celebrate evening prayer at the end of Christ the King Sunday--the end of the liturgical year and near the end of November--during which they shared stories of their loved ones. In the context of these "end times" we recalled the promise of resurrection that Christ the King upon the cross gave to all who believed in him.

Here are some "Day of the Dead" resources for you.

A article in Spanish by Lupita Vital on the Day of the Dead.

A beautiful website with lots of pictures and examples of the Day of the Dead rituals. Includes recipes, poems, and explanations of the rituals.

Same website above in Spanish.

Rite for Quinceañera

Confirmation of the Rite for Quinceañera

On July 10, 2007, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments confirmed the Spanish and English texts of the USCCB blessing for a young woman who has reached her fifteenth year, commonly called the Quinceañera. This rite, a part of the Book of Blessings and the Bendicional, to be published by the USCCB in the near future, may be found at this link (PDF). On July 26, 2007, Bishop William S. Skylstad, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued the following decree.

This ritual, the first confirmed edition of the Quinceañera, is popularly celebrated in several Spanish-speaking countries. A celebration of the passage of a young woman from childhood to adolescence, the rite expresses thanksgiving to God for the gift of life and asks for God's continued blessings of the young woman for years to come. Adaptations of the rite are provided for celebrations within or outside of Mass.

A commentary on the rite was published in the December, 2004 edition of the BCL Newsletter (pages 52-55) and is available online.

The BCL also published 15 Questions on the Quinceañera.

Singing Bowls: A Wordless Call

This article by Diana Macalintal first appeared in Simple Gifts, Vol. 7, No. 1, February-March 2001.

So much of the Western culture is based on words and speech, and sometimes we saturate our liturgies with words thinking that verbal explanation and direction are more effective than sound, color, and gesture. Yet imagine these two scenarios. Both take place at a Sunday morning Mass in Lent. Both Masses are packed, many are children. People are gathering in the church, many greet each other catching up on the week’s events, some spend time in quiet prayer, parents settle into the pews with their children, the choir finishes up the last moments of rehearsal. The cantor begins to rehearse the psalm with the assembly, half of whom are still trying to find a seat. Most aren’t paying much attention to the rehearsal. From all this activity, the Mass must begin.

Now, in one scenario, the cantor instructs the assembly to stand, repeating the instruction a few times before the whole assembly hears the direction. People flip through the hymnal searching for the opening song. The music begins, the singing is weak, the procession is hurried, and hearts and minds have not yet begun to gather.

In the second scenario, the cantor steps away from the mic and stands quietly for a full minute. Then she moves slowly but confidently to the front of the assembly where all can see her. She is joined by another music minister who stands next to her holding a small golden bowl. They wait again there, slowly making eye contact with as many people in the assembly as they can. Then without a word, they both raise their arms in a giant sweep beginning from the side of their legs and slightly forward to just above their shoulders, all the while maintaining eye contact and a gentle smile. The assembly stands. The cantor lowers her arms while the music minister raises the golden bowl higher for the whole assembly to see. In his other hand he holds a short wooden stick. After another thirty seconds of silence, he brings the stick to rest at the side of the bowl in preparation to strike it. He waits another thirty seconds before he strikes the bowl. A pure clean piercing bell tone sounds throughout the room. After a few heart beats, he strikes it again and finally a third time. He slowly lowers the stick as he lets the bowl resonate and the sound drift away. When the tone is almost inaudible, the cantor begins a cappella, “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom….” The assembly easily picks up the song on the second phrase since it has been their lenten gathering song for all the Sundays of Lent for the last couple years. The choir adds harmonies while a Celtic drum gives a steady downbeat. Every other refrain the golden bowl is struck again on the first down beat, offering its own unique voice to the choir.

In both scenarios, the assembly was called to worship, but in which did the assembly feel gathered together? While the first relied on verbal direction and visual cues from the hymnal to gather the assembly, the second used silence, sound, gesture, eye contact, and memory to unite people’s hearts and minds.

The second also used an instrument called a “singing bowl”, traditionally employed in Buddhist prayer and healing services. Singing bowls come in a variety of sizes, from as small as two to three inches in diameter to large flowerpot sizes. In Tibetan tradition, they are usually made of seven different metals corresponding to the heavenly bodies: gold for the Sun, silver for the Moon, mercury for the planet Mercury, copper for Venus, iron for Mars, tin for Jupiter, and lead for Saturn. The sounds they make are used to purify spaces (the larger ones are even used to purify whole villages), to heal the body, and to calm and center a person for meditation.

There are two ways to play a singing bowl. In both methods, the bowl must be free from anything that would unnecessarily dampen its vibration. So the bowl would rest in the palm of your hand or on a small cushion. If in your palm, do not cup the bowl, but hold your palm flat, or use just your fingertips to balance the bowl.

In the first method of playing, the bowl is struck on its side with a wooden stick. The tone produced is clear and piercing. But every bowl will have its own unique sound, based on size, shape, and quality. Also, the type of stick you use will affect the sound. Some sticks are wrapped in leather or felt, producing a softer attack. Finally, the tone will change dramatically depending on the force used and the location on the bowl of the strike, for example on the rim or just below the rim.

In the second method of playing a singing bowl, the wooden stick is rub around the rim of the bowl, in the same way a person would rub the rim of a wineglass. For this method, holding the bowl on the tips of your fingers may work best. Rub the stick around the rim of the bowl, keeping the stick slightly angled inward, and use a steady, even pressure toward the center of the bowl. It will take more pressure than you expect to get the bowl singing. As you do this you will feel the bowl begin to vibrate and the sound will start to come out. If the bowl begins to “chatter”, decrease the rate of the movement while keeping the pressure constant. The slower the pace, the louder the tone. If you have trouble getting the vibration started, gently tap the bowl with the stick, then begin to rub the stick on the rim of the bowl. This second method produces a deeper tone than striking the bowl. It also can accentuate the harmonics of your bowl, so that you may hear several pitches. Because of the deeper tone, it may be quieter and may need a microphone to fill an entire church.

Many communities have begun to use these instruments to start their Masses and other liturgies. The unique tone centers and calms the assembly and focuses their attention on the ritual. However, as we saw in the opening scenarios, other “non-verbal” elements can help to make the use of a singing bowl more effective.

Look at how you gather your assemblies. How do you give instructions? Do you say, “please stand” when a solid gesture would be enough? Do you creatively use percussion instruments, such as bells, gongs, singing bowls, and hand drums? Do you remember to poise yourself confidently, using eye contact and large strong movements to communicate? Do you rely too much on printed text and not enough on repetition, mantras, and ostinato chants learned from memory? Let’s take a non-verbal cue from other cultures and learn to speak without words.

Click here for some tips on purchasing a singing bowl.

Liturgical Decoder

Every organization or institution develops its own jargon, its own code or shorthand for complex ideas and operations. The Catholic Church is no different from other organizations in this respect, and pastoral musicians working in the Church even have their own jargon subset. To help newcomers sort through the code words, NPM has prepared a "Liturgical Decoder." Check out this new aid, and if you have other "code words" to add, send them to npmedit[at]npm[dot]org.

- from NPM Notebook, March 2007

Tools for Evaluating Liturgy

Evaluating liturgy can sometimes devolve into a competion of varying personal tastes and preferences. But by starting with some solid liturgical principles, such as the integral role of the assembly, silence, the purpose of music, the transparency of ministers, we can begin to evaluate our liturgies using some common baseline standards.

I discovered this Sunday Eucharist Evaluation Instrument in English (pdf) and in Spanish (pdf), developed by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. This can be a good starting point for discussion among your liturgical committee members.

Also, we developed these Observation Forms for liturgy to help your liturgical ministers and leaders look at your liturgies more objectively. Feel free to use them in your parish to evaluate and discuss your liturgical practices.

• Observation form for liturgy - Gathering Rites (Word doc)
• Observation form for liturgy - Liturgy of the Word (Word doc)
• Observation form for liturgy - Liturgy of the Eucharist (Word doc)
• Observation form for liturgy - Communion Rite (Word doc)

Christmas Hospitality ideas from Saint Lucy

Fr. Dave Mercer, Parochial Vicar at Saint Lucy Parish, sent me the following ideas based on what they have done at Saint Lucy's Parish during the Christmas season. Kudos to the parishioners and staff of Saint Lucy for welcoming Christ in all who seek him!

For the second year in a row, we surrounded the Christmas liturgies with a strong focus on hospitality, especially for the alienated/inactive Catholic and for the visitor. We did this in various ways:

Special Christmas Greeters

1. Like last year, we recruited “Special Christmas Greeters,” using recruitment cards in the church during the weeks prior to Christmas and last year’s list of Christmas Greeters. We held two short training sessions for the special greeters.



2. In total, we had 61 greeters spread out over 7 Masses, with a “captain” at each Mass to help facilitate. Greeters had special name badges, were at the doors before and after Mass, and distributed special prayer cards to everyone after Communion.



3. Using the list of Christmas Greeters, we anticipate recruiting greeters for every Sunday. We hope they will serve as “spotters” of visitors and newcomers as part of a ramped up Newcomer Ministry.

Prayer Cards

1. Like last year, we designed a special prayer card. In October, we posted in the parish office four pages of prayers that are ascribed to saints, plus a few from the Bible. Staff members commented on which ones they liked, until we decided upon words by St. Thomas More. We did not look for a Christmas prayer and did not consider writing our own prayer, but looked for words that tie people to our spiritual heritage.



2. We then recruited a parishioner with computer and graphic layout skills to design the card before taking it to a print shop for reproduction.



3. When distributing the cards at Christmas, we strove to get as close as we could to a personal presentation to each person in attendance. Rather than hand them out as people left or have them on tables at the doors to be picked up, we distributed them right after Communion, with the special Christmas Greeters passing them down each pew and to people standing in the back. The priest said that the cards were a gift from the parish and explained the significance of St. Thomas More.



4. We produced 6,000 cards in English and 1,500 in Spanish, so we have many left over for distribution throughout the year (e.g., by visitors to the jails, mailings). We hope a prayer card in people’s homes will be a reminder of the parish, that they were at Church on Christmas, and serve as a subtle invitation to return.



5. This year’s prayer: Father in heaven, you have given us a mind to know you, a will to serve you, and a heart to love you. Be with us today to in all that we do, so that your light may shine out in our lives. (In Spanish: Padre Nuestro que estas en el cielo, Tú que siempre nos has dado la capacidad para conocerte, la voluntad para servirte, y un corazón para amarte. Acompáñanos en nuestras labores, y que tu luz brille en nuestras vidas para siempre.)

Children’s Gift

1. We distributed a simple craft-style gift to all the children at the Children’s Mass and at the Spanish Mass. This year, it was an angel and fashioned as an ornament.



2. They were made by a team of parishioners and labeled with the parish name and year.



3. At both the Children’s Mass and the Spanish Mass, children joined the priest in front of the altar for a dialog homily, after which the priest let the children know that we had a special gift for them. Several parishioners then stepped forward and gave each child a gift.



4. We hope the gift serves as a subtle reminder that they were at Church on Christmas and as an invitation to return.

Words of Welcome

1. In the introductory rites, we welcomed all visitors using words by Fr. Joseph Champlin, who uses them at the beginning of his Christmas and Easter homilies:



2. “Most of you are here today (tonight) (this evening) because you are believers. You have faith that the child called Jesus is really the Savior, the Messiah, the Son the Father sent into the world and that he would go to the cross and save us. You’re here to express your faith with others and to deepen it.
   
   “I also know that some of you are here, not because you believe this, but because someone you love wanted you to come—someone: your spouse, your children, a friend. I call you lovers.
   
   “Whether you are believers or lovers, we’re delighted you are here.”



3. We discussed the above words beforehand, wondering if they would appear natural to the priest. However, what is more important is how the words sound to people in the pews. The feedback has been very positive.

Request for Forgiveness

1. Because some people come to Christmas Mass reluctantly due to having been hurt by someone in the Church, we also incorporated into the penitential rite a request for forgiveness. Again, the words come from Fr. Joseph Champlin, who uses them at the beginning of his Christmas and Easter homilies:



2. “There may be someone here who hasn’t been here for a long time, and, sometime in the past, you perceived that you were hurt by someone in the Church—by a lay person or a priest. In the name of our Church, I ask for your forgiveness.”

Brochure in the pews.

1. Given that many people at Christmas Mass are not familiar with Liturgy and can find it confusing, we placed in the pews a simple brochure that explains the Mass. Drafted by a parishioner and entitled “Understanding the Mass,” it always disappears quickly.

I’ll be happy to forward to anyone any of the above materials: greeter recruitment cards, prayer cards, brochures, instructions to greeters, etc. (Unfortunately, I cannot forward the gifts we gave to children, because we need the few remaining angels for future reference.)

Contact Fr. Dave Mercer at Saint Lucy Parish for more information.

What helps American Catholics to sing the liturgy?

The National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM) recently conducted an online survey of both musicians and non-musicians asking them what helps Amercian Catholics sing the liturgy. There were 2,349 respondents; 1,541 were involved in music ministry; 808 were not involved in music ministry.

The survey results demonstrated an interesting divergence in the perspectives of musicians and non-musicians. Non-musicians identified familiarity and ease as most important in supporting their sung participation in the liturgy. The top three responses from this group related to the choice of music for people to sing: familiar melody (52.2%), easy to sing (51.4%), and traditional song (47.9%).

Those involved in music ministries--directors, organists, cantors, choir and ensemble members--were more likely to focus on issues of leadership and text. The top responses from this group included leadership of organ or instruments (66.4%), meaningful text (65.6%), leadership of cantor or director (60.9%), and music linked to the liturgy of the day or season (59.6%).

What might this survey be teaching us liturgical musicians? One possible lesson is that we need to get feedback from those in the pews. Songs that are familiar to us and easy to sing for us might not be for those who are not part of the choir. Remember, if you're a music minister:

• you probably attend a rehearsal during the week at which you sing a particular song probably three or four times.
• Then you probably rehearse the song again before Mass at least once or twice.
• Then you sing it again at Mass.

You've sung that particular song maybe seven times that week, while the person in the pew gets to sing it only once that week, maybe twice if you go over it with them just before Mass.

• That's 7 to 1!

No wonder the criteria for what helps us to sing is so different between musicians and non-musicians.

Of course, good leadership by the organ and instruments, meaningful texts, and the leadership of the cantor or director are important, and we need to continue to improve these. But we also have to put ourselves in the "shoes and pews" of the assemblies we serve. If they cannot sing the music we have labored so hard over during the week, we have ceased to be ministers and have become entertainers instead.

Read the entire set of results here.

A Sample Lenten Reconciliation Service

“When a number of penitents assemble at the same time to receive sacramental reconciliation, it is fitting that they be prepared for the sacrament by a celebration of the word of God. Those who will receive the sacrament at another time may also take part in the service. Communal celebration shows more clearly the ecclesial nature of penance.” (Rite of Penance, 22).

During Lent it is appropriate for all the baptized—including those candidates who are preparing to be received into the full communion of the Catholic Church and those candidates preparing to celebrate confirmation or first Communion during the Easter season—to participate in the Sacrament of Penance. Remember that catechumens cannot celebrate the Sacrament of Penance until after they are baptized; however, they can be encouraged to participate in the liturgy to be strengthened by the Word of God and the modeling of penitence by the assembly.

Below is a script for a lenten reconciliation liturgy prepared by Diana Macalintal. It may be adapted to be either a sacramental celebration which includes an opportunity for individual confession and absolution, or a penitential liturgy (read more about penitential liturgies here) that prepares the assembly to celebrate the sacrament at a later time (for the latter option, omit the section in brackets). The liturgy may be led by a priest, deacon, or other minister using the appropriate adaptations. Because the liturgy recalls the reconciliation we first encounter through baptism, it adapts a ritual signing with holy water in which all the baptized may participate. Please feel free to copy, adapt, and use the text free of charge for your own parishes.

Download a Word file of this liturgy here.


Lenten Reconciliation Service
© 2007, Diana Macalintal


Gathering Rites
The liturgy begins in a similar way to the Sunday lenten liturgies, except the Penitential Rite is omitted.


Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Ephesians 2:1-10
Psalm: Psalm of the season
Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46
Homily or reflection


Reconciliation

Examination of Conscience
Music for the acclamation begins.

Presider:
My friends, as we prepare to renew our baptismal promises this Easter,
let us bring our hearts and minds before the Lord.
Let us examine our consciences, remembering that God is merciful.
Together, let us kneel.

Acclamation is sung – “Lamb of God” from Mass of Creation

Reader(s):
You come to look for the lost sheep; joyfully you carry it on your shoulders.
Yet do we run away from you
because of pride, arrogance, or shame? [pause]
And so we pray: (Jesus, Lamb of God…)

You go to meet the prodigal son; you embrace him in your arms.
Yet have we become jealous of your mercy
for those who we think don’t deserve it? [pause]
And so we pray: (Jesus, Lamb of God…)

You choose the humble and the sinner to be your apostles;
you have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
Yet are we deaf to your voice
because of our need to be perfect, self-sufficient, or right all the time? [pause]
And so we pray: (Jesus, Lamb of God…)

You save Peter from drowning in the sea when he lost his faith in you.
Yet are we too afraid to even try what seems impossible? [pause]
And so we pray: (Jesus, Lamb of God…)

You enter the house of Zacheaus in order to seek out and save what was lost.
Yet do we close our doors to your own people? [pause]
And so we pray: (Jesus, Lamb of God…)

You accept the perfumed oil of the sinful woman;
because of her tears you pardon and defend her.
Yet do we carry stony and indifferent hearts,
refusing to ask for and offer forgiveness? [pause]
And so we pray: (Jesus, Lamb of God…)

You heal the lepers and restore them to wholeness,
though only one returns to give you thanks.
Yet do we daily take your blessings for granted? [pause]
And so we pray: (Jesus, Lamb of God…)

You open the gates of Paradise to the good thief crucified by your side.
Yet do we condemn and crucify others
with our words, actions, and failure to act? [pause]
And so we pray: (Jesus, Lamb of God…)


General Confession
Presider:
Our God is a God of mercy, slow to anger and abounding in love.
Like the father who welcomes us home,
or the mother who kisses away our wounds, our God is ready to forgive.
So let us trust in his goodness as, together, we confess our sin.

The assembly may be invited to place a hand on the shoulder of the person next to them.

All: I confess to almighty God….


Lord’s Prayer
Presider:
Let us stand and pray for forgiveness as Jesus taught us. Our Father….


Remembrance of Baptismal Reconciliation
Music for procession begins.

Presider:
My brothers and sisters, we have neglected the gifts of our baptism,
and we have confessed our sin before God and each other.
Let us come forward now and recall the commitment we made
when God first raised us to new life.

Several ministers each hold a small bowl of holy water. As members of the assembly approach them, the ministers mark the foreheads of the faithful with a cross of baptismal water, saying:
Remember your baptism, and be faithful to the Gospel.


[Individual Confession and Absolution]
Penitents may go to the priests designated for individual confession, and confess their sins.


Proclamation of Praise for God’s Mercy
Presider: Give praise to God who remembers not our sin.

All sing a song of praise.


Concluding Rites

Sign of Peace
Presider: Let us share with one another a sign of peace.


Concluding Prayer
Presider:
God, our help in every age,
you have washed away our sin with the cleansing waters of baptism
and have made us your own chosen ones to be called holy and beloved.
We give you thanks for your unending love and mercy.
Strengthen us with your Word and fill us with your Spirit
that we may profess our faith with joy
and renew our baptismal vows at the Easter feast
you prepare for your children who return home to you.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Blessing
A lay minister concludes the rite by signing himself or herself with the sign of the cross saying:
Presider:
May God bless us and keep us. (+) Amen.
May God smile upon us and be gracious to us. Amen.
May God look upon us kindly, and give us peace. Amen.


Dismissal
Presider:
Friends, peace and joy are ours this day.
Let us go now in peace. Thanks be to God.

What time can the Easter Vigil begin in 2007?

Based on sunset information from the U.S. Naval Observatory, Easter Vigil this year (April 7, 2007) in the Diocese of San José cannot begin any earlier than 8:15 p.m. Therefore, 8:30 p.m. would be an ideal start time for the Easter Vigil.

From the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department, the following information is provided for San Jose, Santa Clara County, California (longitude W121.9, latitude N37.3):

On Saturday, 7 April 2007 Pacific Daylight Time

• Begin civil twilight 6:18 a.m.
• Sunrise 6:45 a.m.
• Sun transit 1:10 p.m.
• Sunset 7:35 p.m.
• End civil twilight 8:02 p.m.

Civil twilight is defined to begin in the morning, and to end in the evening when the center of the Sun is geometrically 6 degrees below the horizon. This is the limit at which twilight illumination is sufficient, under good weather conditions, for terrestrial objects to be clearly distinguished; at the beginning of morning civil twilight, or end of evening civil twilight, the horizon is clearly defined and the brightest stars are visible under good atmospheric conditions in the absence of moonlight or other illumination. In the morning before the beginning of civil twilight and in the evening after the end of civil twilight, artificial illumination is normally required to carry on ordinary outdoor activities.

Complete darkness, however, ends sometime prior to the beginning of morning civil twilight and begins sometime after the end of evening civil twilight.

Nautical twilight is defined to begin in the morning, and to end in the evening, when the center of the sun is geometrically 12 degrees below the horizon. At the beginning or end of nautical twilight, under good atmospheric conditions and in the absence of other illumination, general outlines of ground objects may be distinguishable, but detailed outdoor operations are not possible, and the horizon is indistinct.

Astronomical twilight is defined to begin in the morning, and to end in the evening when the center of the Sun is geometrically 18 degrees below the horizon. Before the beginning of astronomical twilight in the morning and after the end of astronomical twilight in the evening the Sun does not contribute to sky illumination; for a considerable interval after the beginning of morning twilight and before the end of evening twilight, sky illumination is so faint that it is practically imperceptible.

For more information: http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/RST_defs.html#top

Looking for a Singing Bowl?

A singing bowl is an instrument that is used in many Asian cultures as a call to worship, a meditative accompaniment to prayer, a healing device, and a tonal kind of "incense" that lifts prayers up to heaven. I’ve used singing bowls as a wordless call to worship during Masses in Lent and Advent and at other liturgies. It’s a great way to set the tone for a celebration.

You can buy singing bowls from many places, even online. But the best place I’ve found is in person at the Berkeley Himalayan Fair. This fair happens once a year and is a great source for singing bowls and colorful fabrics. You'll find lots of vendors each selling tons of singing bowls of all shapes, sizes, and sounds.

The Himalayan Fair

Live Oak Park, Berkeley

www.himalayanfair.net

If you can't make it to Berkeley, I found a great local shop that not only has singing bowls but many other Asians instruments such as bells and drums.

Global Beads

345 Castro Street, Mountain View

650-967-7556

www.globalbeads.com

If you're nowhere near Berkeley or Mountain View, just do an online search for "singing bowls" and you'll find thousands of singing bowl vendors with both online and tradition brick-and-mortar storefronts. You can also look for them at many music stores that sell ethnic instruments, yoga centers, and businesses that specialize in Asian goods.

Here's how you can test the quality of your singing bowl:

• Hold your hand open and flat, and balance your bowl on your palm. Try not to let your fingers touch the sides of the bowl since this will deaden the sound.
• Feel its weight. Bowls of thinner material usually sound more metalic than thicker more solid-weighted bowls.
• Using a wooden stick, strike the bowl's side once just below the lip. Keep your stick parallel to the ground as you hit the bowl.
• Start with a soft gentle strike. Then try a medium force. Then finally, give your bowl a good strong hit. Let the tone die down each time before hitting the bowl to test how long the bowl sounds with each type of strike.
• Finally, make your bowl sing. Holding the bowl in your palm, gently strike the bowl with your stick. Then, as the bowl is ringing, hold the stick upside down at a 45 degree angle. Place the stick against the outside edge of the bowl's rim, and rub the stick slowly around the circumference of the rim using even pressure all the way around. This motion is similar to rubbing your finger around the lip of a wine glass to make it vibrate. If you're bowl starts to "chatter", slow down your motion. You'll probably need to practice this a bit. Some bowls are harder to make sing than others. Each bowl will be different.

Tones will vary in pitch depending on the size of your bowl. Listen for a clarity in the bowl's tone. Some bowls will have a "buzzing" sound; some will sound "tinny"; some bowls will make several "notes" simultaneously. This will sound discordant. (Don't get this sound mixed up with the pleasant natural harmonics that occur with any tone.) Most likely you will want a bowl that makes a clear "pure" single tone that doesn't fade too quickly. If you don't get a clear sound, make sure you are not dampening the sound too much with your hand and that you are striking the bowl solidly just beneath the lip. If you still don't get the quality of sound you want, find another bowl.

Before you make a final decision, think about how you plan to use your bowl. If you want to use it for liturgies in a large church, you will probably need a larger bowl to fill the space. Different kinds of mallets will also give you a different sound. A mallet with a crack will give you an imperfect sound. A mallet wrapped with felt gives a less harsh sound but might also be too quiet for your needs. You can often ask the vendor for a different mallet that goes better with your bowl. Also note that the small cushions that often accompany the bowls are not always necessary to use. Only bowls that you cannot hold comfortably in your hand will need a cushion.

An average-sized bowl (6-9 inches in diameter) of good quality can run you about $75-$100. The stick is always included in the price. Cushions may or may not be included.

Reverence: Revealing the Presence of God

This article by Diana Macalintal first appeared in Eucharistic Ministries #246, September 2004.

Reverence, which is the synthesis of love and fear.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Spirituality is the consistent integration between action and feeling, the marriage of creed and deed. A Christian spirituality is one of reverence. It is our intimate love for the mysterious God expressed through our ordinary actions to reveal the extraordinary presence of the Creator in all things. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal defines reverence as an “interior disposition and outward expression” that proclaim the mystery of the Lord’s presence (3). Through our reverence, we are evangelizers, prophets and icons that say, “Look! God is here.”

As liturgical ministers exercising public ministry, think of yourselves as signposts for the holy. We have to know not only where to point but also how to give clear directions. That is, the sign we present has to accurately convey what we believe.

• Do you outwardly express your respect for the holiness of time and the work of the liturgy by giving time during the week to prepare for your ministry and arriving early before Mass?
• Do you show your belief in the Incarnation — God in human skin — by clothing yourself with dignity and moving with intention and grace?
• Do you honor the Body of Christ with words and actions by making and keeping your commitments to your parish community?

The church has always been about reverence for the holy. Yet, this reverence must always flow from an integration of action and feeling, an equal expression of familiar intimacy and dreadful mystery and a deep respect for both the human and the divine. Reverence without love is piousness, and reverence without awe (fear) is carelessness. Reverence never expressed deadens love, and reverence that attends only to the human or the divine while ignoring the other is idolatry.

As we proclaim the mystery of the Lord’s presence, we must do so from that middle ground between love and fear. When we walk upon holy ground, we remove our shoes to feel the dirt between our toes. We know in our bones and in our hearts that Eucharist is both meal and sacrifice, the altar is both dinner table and gravestone and the Gospel is both word of comfort and two-edged sword. As artists of faith, we pay attention to the discipline of structure, form and rubrics so as to move confidently, freely and gracefully through the dance that is the liturgy. We point to altar and tabernacle, font and infant, baptismal garment and priestly stole, host, cup, communicant and minister alike and proclaim with our thought and our actions, “Look! God is here.”

FILED UNDER: LITURGY