Anything but Ordinary...

Yesterday, the Church returned to Ordinary Time, but this liturgical season is anything but what we may consider "ordinary."  The recent issue of Liturgy Line, published last week, which includes many resources, liturgical formation opportunities, and information about feasts and rites during this liturgical season, signals toward that reality.  This is a time when we experience order in the liturgical year, a time when we experience Christ walking among us and transforming our lives. Anything but Ordinary.

Throat and Candle blessings

Although this coming Sunday we celebrate the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, the blessing of throats may be given on Sunday by a priest or deacon, (or lay minister who follows the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister and does not make the sign of the cross for the blessing) in honor of St. Blaise, whose feast day is February 3^rd. Legend has it that a boy who had a fishbone stuck in his throat was brought to St. Blaise and when the boy was about to die, St. Blaise healed him.

Within Mass, the blessing follows the homily and general intercessions (or for pastoral reasons may take the place of the final blessing of the Mass.)

Outside Mass, it is preceded by a brief celebration of the Word.

At Morning or Evening Prayer, it follows the reading, responsory and homily.

If, for pastoral reasons, each individual cannot be blessed in the usual manner, a priest or deacon may give the blessing to all by extending his hands, without crossed candles, over the people while saying the prayer of blessing.

The formula for blessing is:

"Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit."

And of course, who can forget Candlemas Day! Also known as the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, celebrated this Saturday, February 2nd, on when candles are traditionally blest (and if lucky enough, used in procession!)

 

Behold...

Behold, the Lamb of God...(or Pac-Man?)

Just a fun picture from today's Mass, courtesy of our parochial vicar for St. Paul Parish, on this 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

More pictures

As promised in my last post, here are additional pictures from a busy MLK weekend:

Mass for Life (St. Martin University - Marcus Pavillion)

NPM Seattle Chapter's Choral Reading Session presented by Michael Connolly

slight tangent - I posted some pictures from last Saturday's Mass in Thanksgiving for the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr (celebrated the day after the reading session, two days before I left to start setting up for the Mass for Life) but those pictures don't compare to the ones taken by Maria Laughlin of St. James Cathedral...they're posted on the Cathedral's website, and if you look closely, you'll see my sister and me.    (pictured with Deacon Lamar during the gospel procession)

MLK Mass pictures

This morning was the Mass in Thanksgiving for the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Here are some pictures from the celebration. Enjoy!  

[coming up, pictures from last night's NPM Seattle Chapter's choral reading session with GIA, presented by Shelton, WA native Michael Connolly (whom I just found out also served in the Liturgy Office back in the '70s) and next week's Mass for Life)]

 

 

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Today the Church begins to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Here is the site for the week from Seattle University's School of Theology & Ministry.
Here are some events going on throughout Seattle.

The World Council of Churches also has prayers and reflections on this year's theme based on Micah 6:6-8: "What does the Lord require? Only to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (and in five different languages)

The Chapel of St. Ignatius at Seattle University will host the Countywide Prayer for Christian Unity on Tuesday, January 22nd at 7:00pm. The week will conclude with an ecumenical prayer for Christian Unity on Friday, January 25th at 6:30pm. Father Michael G. Ryan, pastor of St. James Cathedral, will be joined by leaders of different downtown congregations.

The following Masses for Various needs and occasions may also be celebrated throughout next week, as appropriate and allowed:

• Mass for Unity of Christians #17
• Evangelization of Peoples #18
• Persecuted Christians #19

St. Kateri: Mass of Thanksgiving for her canonization

Image of the 8' icon of St. Kateri
that will be blessed on the 26th

In Thanksgiving for the Canonization of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lummi Tribe and St. Joachim parish will host a Mass and lunch on Sat. Jan. 26th at the Lummi Community Center near Bellingham. Mass begins at 10:00am and all are welcome to join with Jake Finkbonner in this joyous celebration.

At the Mass, Archbishop Sartain will also bless this pictured icon of Saint Kateri. When I first saw this beautiful icon in person at St. James Cathedral, I was blown away at it's height. It's about 8 feet tall! In deciding when the unveiling and blessing of this icon would be during the Mass, we thought it would be awkward if it was kept veiled all throughout the Mass, because of the great suspense of what was behind the huge cloth...so we decided it best to bless the icon immediately after the greeting.

(Extra) Ordinary Time

Today marks day three of Ordinary Time. But of course, nothing is ordinary during this liturgical season. In fact, I find it to be a great opportunity to be creative and use any of the 34 formularies in the Roman Missal for Sundays in Ordinary Time as well as any of the Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Occasions and Votive Masses, as pastoral needs may suggest. (and as liturgical norms allow, of course)

In fact, just today at the Chancery Chapel, the celebrant selected the prayers for the Votive Mass for Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest.

Liturgy Line

Our office publishes a seasonal liturgical resource called Liturgy Line every couple of months. Here's the one for this coming Ordinary Time, just released last week.

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Mass of Thanksgiving for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As the nation prepares to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., people from across the Archdiocese of Seattle will gather on Saturday, January 19th, 11:00am at St. James Cathedral to honor him. 

Archbishop Sartain will celebrate a Mass in Thanksgiving for the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and in celebration of the presence of African and African American Catholics in the Archdiocese of Seattle. My sister, Valerie and I have been going to this Mass for a couple of years now, and it's an inspiring celebration.

This year, I was invited to proclaim a prayer of the faithful in Tagalog (each prayer will be proclaimed in a different language), and Valerie will be one of the candle bearers! We're very excited and honored that each of us are able to have a liturgical role in this year's celebration.

Here are pictures from last year's Mass, courtesy of St. James Cathedral website. Featured towards the bottom of the site is a fun video clip as well.

All are welcome to join in this celebration!         Hope to see you there!