Corpus Christi Update

[Nihil Obstat]

Thank you very much to everyone who prayed that our procession would go well. :)

 

The amount of effort it must have taken to put together the whole Mass and procession is spectacular. One of the three priests came all the way from Saskatoon, a minimum six hour drive. Presumably he must be the priest who says the diocesan Latin Mass over there. Unfortunately I have not been yet. Very friendly looking man, and as I discovered, he has a great, sonorous chanting voice.

The other priest, who is the second of the two Fraternity priests in Alberta, came from Edmonton, which is about a three hour drive. A good number of people from that parish joined him, which was excellent.

I think every single altar boy in the parish must have served tonight. I forgot to count, but there must have been over a dozen in the sanctuary (in red cassock and surplice), plus all the younger ones leading the procession (in black cassock and surplice).

 

The procession was really something.

 

I was very worried earlier today. As I mentioned, it has been raining on and off since last week. Today it rained steadily throughout the day. Around 3pm the rain was so heavy that there was nearly standing water on some of the major roads. Clouds as far as the horizon. Things looked doomed to be wet and gross.

But by the time the procession started, it stopped raining. We had a little bit of mist in the air, but not even enough to make you feel wet. The ground was a bit damp (therefore so were our knees), but overall I think absolutely our prayers had an effect. My priest mentioned this a few times, that when they make a concerted effort to pray for cooperative weather, they always get it. Sometimes in a spectacular manner.

 

We had three Knights of Columbus in the procession, then all the young girls of the parish in white dresses throwing rose petals. This was the first time I have seen our parish's canopy before. I think probably it has not been taken out since the sixties. :P We have had smaller processions before, but we have used the umbrellino in those cases. It is a lovely canopy, so that was great to see.

All three priests were in procession. Our priest was vested in a golden cope and humeral veil, then the other two in dalmatics, as they were deacon and subdeacon for the Mass itself. We had two thuribles lit and filled.

The choir followed the canopy, and chanted the whole way. All the good stuff. :)

 

We stopped at three temporary altars along our route (which overall was around 45 minutes). One was in the church parking lot, one in a public park, and one in the front yard of a parishioner. I was impressed at how elaborate the temporary altars were. Most of the other churches in this city would be lucky to have altars that elegant. :P

 

The only negative was kneeling on the sidewalk at the last altar. My knees and legs were highly unappreciative. I told them to cooperate, but they were not particularly interested.

 

All in all, excellent day and I am very much looking forward to next year's. :) Thank you to everyone who prayed when I posted earlier today.