Cardinal George in Special Ceremony at the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

This came across the Email Wires today:

Cardinal George in Special Ceremony at the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest

(Chicago, November 26, 2007) A historic landmark church in Chicago, once on the road to demolition, will be the site of a rare ceremony following Christmas, on December 29^th. During the course of a Solemn High Mass in the traditional Latin form, Francis Cardinal George will solemnly crown a statue of the Infant Jesus at the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, formerly known as St. Gelasius Church in south side Woodlawn. The antique wooden sculpture from southern Spain will be the central piece above the future high altar of the church that is now being restored. The event will also mark the beginning of regular use of the once shuttered church for Sunday Mass.

The magnificent church building, designed by revivalist architect Henry Schlacks in the 1920s, was the center of much controversy when in 2003 it was slated to be razed but eventually was made a historic landmark of Chicago. Originally known as “St. Clara Carmelite Church,” it had been commissioned by Carmelite Friars of the Old Observance to replace a smaller structure of this parish founded by German immigrants in 1894. The church had the distinction of being the National Shrine of St. Therese of Lisieux, where weekly novena prayers were held beginning on the very day of her canonization in 1925 until the mid 1980s. Vicissitudes affecting the neighborhood, a fire in the 1970s, disrepair and a dwindling congregation eventually led to the church’s closure in 2002.

However, after its near brush with destruction, St. Clara/St. Gelasius Church was given new life when Cardinal George invited the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest to take charge of it. The Institute is a society of priests established in 1990 in Florence, Italy, under the Ecclesia Dei indult. Priests of the Institute of Christ the King celebrate Mass and all the sacraments according to the 1962 liturgical books -- the traditional form of the Latin Rite recently given new impetus by Pope Benedict XVI in his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. The group’s experience in reforming and restoring church buildings to their former beauty, coupled with the track record of growth in the “Latin Mass” milieu, made the Institute of Christ the King a good fit for the task of transforming the gutted former St. Gelasius into a living church.

Indeed, since the Institute began regularly offering Mass in 2005 at their Chicago location using a provisional chapel in the adjacent rectory, the congregation has increased from not a single person to an ever growing group of faithful, which required that a second Mass be added on Sundays for lack of space. In June 2006, the church received its decree of erection as the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

The Cardinal’s ceremonial crowning of the Infant Jesus during Christmastide this year is of special significance for the church. The first Mass ever offered inside the building was on Christmas 1924, a few years prior to its completion. And 2007 marks the 80^th anniversary of the dedication of the church, on May 15, 1927. Those who attend the Solemn High Mass at 1:30 pm on Saturday, December 29^th, will be treated to what many describe as the “transcendent beauty” of the Latin Mass, with its ancient prayers chanted in Latin, studied and choreographed movements, moments of silent prayer, incense, traditional vessels and vestments, and timeless music. Members of the Chicago Chorale will sing William Byrd’s four-voice polyphonic setting of the Mass, as well as motets by Tomás Luis de Victoria and Josquin de Près. The Gregorian Chant will be provided by the Shrine’s own schola.

This Christmas season, the ever-growing congregation at the Shrine of Christ the King will be moved from the basement-chapel in the rectory to the historic church when regular Sunday Mass again returns to the once-shuttered building. On Christmas Eve, Mass will be at 11:00 pm. On Christmas Day there will be the traditional “Mass at Dawn” at 8:00 am (Low Mass) and the “Mass during the Day” at 10:00 am (High Mass). For more information call 773-363-7409.

Border Showdown : Catholic Edition

As I was listening to KEXS yesterday there was an interesting bit of information that I thought I would like to pass along to everyone.

It seems that this years game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Missouri Tigers is at its peak and the two Bishop's of the area are making a friendly wager.

As reported by KEXS the terms of the wager is as follows:

• If the Jawhawks win, Bishop Finn will attend a youth oriented event In Lawrence KS wearing a K.U. Jersey.
• If the Tigers win, Archbishop Naumann will attend a youth oriented event in Kansas City Missouri wearing a M.U Jersey

I will continue to pass along more details as they become available

The Eucharist

The Eucharist- The word literally means "Thanksgiving"

I can not imagine a better way to celebrate the secular Holiday of Thanksgiving than participating in the Eucharist.

The true presence of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine is something truly amazing, and something too many people seem to be so nonchalant about.

Clergy, and layman - even I catch myself from time to time not staying in the correct state of mind when I meet Jesus in Holy Communion. I can even think back to the few times as a teenager where my mom would seem like "FORCE" me to go to mass on Sunday after I had missed for many months, and I would just receive the Eucharist like everyone else, stick my hand out and eat it, not going to confession, not living in a state of grace, probably committing mortal sins once I got home. For Shame

With my reversion though that I have been striving more and more to encourage everyone that I come into contact with to go and participate in the Eucharist, and If they are Catholic to be in a state of grace to receive our Lord, sure this seems like elementary, First communion information here but we as sinners must be reminded of exactly how prepared our souls must be to accept the Body and Blood of Jesus.

Speaking with a fellow Catholic at work, we went out to lunch together one day and we started discussing our faith, I was impressed with his vigor for our common faith and even though he was a cradle Catholic, he would speak of the Eucharist as a fresh convert. This really stayed with me, and I pray that all of us may have that passion and vigor for Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.

Happy Thanksgiving May Yours be Safe, and Blessed

Happy Birthday to My Grandmother

My reversion to the faith was greatly impacted by the death of my grandmother, I do believe that she interceded for me to return to the faith with vigor and commitment.

Today is her birthday, and this is the first one that she has had that we will not be able to celebrate with her, and give her a big hug and a kiss and wish her many more, instead I must lift my heart up to her full of love.

If you have time Please say a prayer for the repose of the soul of my Grandmother, I know she will pray for you.

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Additional Information for the next EWTN Extraordinary mass

I have found some additional information regarding the Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite that will be televised on December 15th at 8:00 am EST from the FSSP website here is the LINK and here is the info:

The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter to Celebrate a “Rorate” Mass in Hanceville, Alabama, Will be Televised by EWTN

DENTON, Nebraska – The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) will celebrate a Solemn High Tridentine Mass at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama on Saturday, December 15, 2007 at 8:00AM EST. The “Rorate” Mass will be televised live by the EWTN Global Catholic Network.

The “Rorate Mass,” so called because it begins with the words “Rorate caeli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum…” (Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just One…), is a votive Mass offered within the season of Advent in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Celebrated by candlelight, and traditionally held before dawn, this beautiful liturgy is esteemed particularly as part of the patrimony of the German-speaking peoples.

Very Rev. Fr. John Berg, FSSP, the Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity, will travel from the community’s headquarters in Switzerland and will serve both as the celebrant and preacher. Priests and seminarians from Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, the FSSP’s international seminary in North America, will also travel to Alabama to assist.

Pilgrim groups are invited to attend this public Mass, to be offered in the extraordinary form, and should visit the Shrine’s webpage (www.olamshrine.com) if information is needed regarding accommodation options.

About the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP)
Established in 1988 by Pope John Paul II, the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter is an international society of Catholic priests entrusted with the administration of the Catholic Church's ancient Latin liturgical traditions, trains priests in the extraordinary form of the Latin Roman Rite, and has over 120 seminarians preparing for the priesthood in the Fraternity’s two seminaries in Bavaria, Germany and Denton, Nebraska.

About EWTN Global Catholic Network
Founded by Mother Angelica, a Poor Clare nun, the Eternal Word Television Network is available in more than 140 million television households in 144 countries and territories. With its worldwide short-wave radio station, its direct broadcast satellite service, AM & FM radio network, website (www.ewtn.com) and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

Contact:
Father Calvin Goodwin, FSSP
Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary
7880 West Denton Road
Denton, NE 68339, U.S.A.
(402) 797-7700
www.fsspolgs.org

EWTN to Broadcast Another Extraordinary Mass

It seems EWTN is at it again, EWTN will air the Advent Solemn Mass of Our Lady - in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite on December 15, 2007 - 8:00 AM EST

You can see it posted on their calender here: http://www.ewtn.com/tv/NA_120907.asp

Reading Level?

This seems Odd.. but hey I'll take what I can get

My Trip to the University of Notre Dame

I returned Sunday night from South Bend Indiana. I was fortunate to take a weekend trip to the beautiful college campus of Notre Dame du Lac , The not so fortunate part was I was witness to history, that is the witness to the Fighting Irish give up a 43 Game winning streak to the Navy Midshipmen. Overall though I was thoroughly impressed with the campus and the Catholicity of the college. I was even Blessed to attend the newly restored Extraordinary Mass in the dorm of Alumni.

(Future Kansas City Chief Ring of Fame inductee- Jim Lynch)

The Extraordinary Mass way Prayed by a Holy Cross Priest the Mass was a Missa dialogata and I was rather impressed with the turn out for a 8 a.m. Mass the day after a football game. Before mass there was a welcoming announcement from the Priest that this was his first mass in the extraordinary form in 40 years, He informed us that he was going to go slow, read the rubrics, and try his best, he stated he had practiced some but was just not the same as actually doing it, he apologized for any mistakes ahead of time. He gets an "A" for effort from me!