The Solemn “Wave”(2nd Sunday Of Advent)

For on this 2nd Sunday of Advent, I witnessed The Welcoming & Scrutiny of People who are seeking to enter The Catholic Church, via the Ritus Novus Romanus.
As such this Entrance, Six are Actual Catechumens, who are Not Baptized. As Forest Hills, a Section of The Borough of Queens in The Roman Catholic Diocese Of Brooklyn, has a large Jewish Population, a number of times over the years I have witnessed those of Judaism enter The Catholic Faith.
Six more are Baptized Catholics but had not yet received Holy Communion & Confirmation. Then, there are Three who have received Baptism, Confirmation(Chrismation) & Holy Communion as Infants & will make a Profession of The Catholic Faith. This will be done at The Easter Vigil. These are people who are Eastern Orthodox(Greek & Russian). My Most Dear Friend came into The Church in this manner.
These People will be in the Rite Of Christian Initiation of Adults(RCIA), in the Roman/Latin Rite Catholic Church. By Right & according to the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, Greek & Russian Orthodox would enter into the Corresponding Catholic Rite(Byzantine) via the Roman/Latin Rite.

The Martyrs Wave:
The Sign of Peace has really little to do with The Roman Rite in Practice within the Nave. The Kiss Of Peace is done on The Altar.
This “Sign Of Peace” is imported from the Maronite Catholic Church of The Antiochean Rite. And it is NOT done by looking to shake one’s hand.
As with the Maronites, the Hands are folded in Prayer. An Acolyte is sent to the 1st in each pew & touches the Finger Tip of that 1st Person, who then turns to the right and does the same to the next person. THIS Is The Sign Of Peace. It is done Prayerfully & Ritually.
The Way it is done in The Roman Latin Rite, & only in The Missa Novus Ordo, appears to be chaotic. In Lent, I have seen the Practice made optional. Actually, it is optional. At Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish in Forest Hills, because of there being so much room & many people spaced out, People wave to each other. Hence, even when the crowd is larger, there is a the habit of waving one’s hand. It is why I call this “The Martyrs Wave.”

The Gospel was of St. John The Baptist, who, in the Desert, prepared the People For The Coming Of Jesus Christ. He, John, was The Herald. He was to announce The Coming. He baptized People in The River Jordan, as a Baptism of Repentance.
The Preacher of The Gospel was a Rather Well Known Deacon, one known all over the Web, & like The Noted & Redoubtable Louie Verrecchio, originally from Maryland. If you guessed that the Deacon is Greg Kandra, enjoy a Cup of Starbucks Coffee for me.  At least Deacon Kandra publishes his Sunday Homilies.
Back to Tridentine Latin Mass for The Third Sunday Of Advent, called Gaudete Sunday. I prefer Holy Innocents Pastor, Fr Leonard Villa, whose Homilies pull no punches in regards to Eternity & The Temporal. Because I can only take the Novus Ordo Mass only so far.
I can barely take “The Armada Of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion”, especially since most of them seem to be in shock when someone prefers to receive Christ’s Body on the Tongue. I know one who puts it in the Side of my mouth.
It’s Novus Ordo Land. It’s Sad, Really. And as that Ukrainian Greek Catholic Lady at St. George’s in Manhattan’s East Village says(And She’s Right), “We Are Not Priests”, to counter the Novus Ordo Mistake of “Sancte Communion A Mano”(Holy Communion In The Hand).

Time to return to Tradition, especially on the Weekends. It’s Good for One”s Soul and One”s Mind.

Kyrie Elaison!
Deo Gratias!
Laus Tibi Christe!

M

Kyrie Elaison

National Evening Of Prayer(See Below Poster)

Kyrie Elaison

“The Wave Of Peace”

I was at the 8AM Mass at Our Lady Queen Of Martyrs, the Home of “The Wave Of Peace.”
Now this past Sunday, I was at Holy Child Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Richmond Hill, and saw this for the 1st Time and it was “The Wave Of Peace.”
But it was at OLQM, where this practice began, and still goes on, even with a large throng of People. Whenever there is a Flu Season, no one shakes hands and the Wave becomes ingrained practice.

This being the Digital Age, Why Not a “Text Of Peace.” Then again, at the Tridentine Latin Mass, there is no Sign of Peace between Parishioners and other assorted strangers.

The Crowd was small at 8AM, which is usually the case at OLQM. Fr Antonin Kocurek, aided by a Visiting Deacon, offered the Mass. It is a Good Way to start the day.

Happy Christmas!

M

4Th Sunday Of Advent & Assassination

For a Uniformed Member of The NYPD Service , quite teary eyed, entered Holy Child Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Richmond Hill, Queens this morning, informing the Pastor, The Most Reverend Octavio Cisneros, of The Assassination of NYPD Officers Ramos and Liu. The Officer was in tears.
A Couple Of Days ago, at Our Lady Queen Of Martyrs Roman Catholic Church in Forest Hills, Queens, the Parish Administrator, Fr Francis Passenant, spoke of Death and Christmastide, in that when a loved one dies, it is marked with the time of year, yet when it is Christmastide, the Mourning is more enhanced than normal.

In Brooklyn yesterday, two NYPD Cops sat in an 84th Precinct Police Cruiser across the street from the Tompkins Houses.
Meanwhile, their murderer, who earlier that day, shot his ex girlfriend in The Baltimore Area. He operated via Twitter and Facebook, bragging about what he was doing. He approached the Police Cruiser and Blasted the car full of bullets, killing Officers Ramos and Liu. This Gutless Braggart then ran down into the IND Subway G Line. Sensing that he was going to be caught, he put his gun to his head and shot himself in the head to his death.

Now I did something different for Mass, for I went to Holy Child Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Richmond Hill, Queens.

For the Peace Prayer of St Francis Of Assisi was sung at the Offertory and I started to become Teary Eyed over the Assassination of The Two Cops, as I was singing.

I was once a Peace Officer myself, & it is an awesome responsibility. But one may have Colleaugues who are pretty far less than honorable. They may even try to have you set up and seriously injured. Now I have an idea just how Frank Serpico must have felt.

The Game is dangerous at times. Yesterday was one of those days. A Tarpon Springs, Florida Cop was also murdered in the Line of Duty. Ironically, he was for 5 1/2 Years, a Member of The NYPD Uniformed Service.

Requiscant In Pace, Amen

M

“Irish Schola” On Veetle

Due to Streamago misfiring, due to lack of Data Coverage at Hibernian Hall in Babylon, NY, the Traditional Forest Hills, Queens Channel, stationsquarestudios on Veetle.com, carried the 48 Minute, 2 Second Live Web Telecast Feed. The repeat was simulcast on Veetle and on Facebook.
At end of live transmission, there were 23 Views, but on repeat, 16 New Views were recorded.

It was 48 Minutes, 2 Seconds of Irish Music and Culture, mostly in Gaelic, with English and Latin as the Secondary Languages.

It was fun & The View #s have kept rising, since going to replay.

Slainte!

M

Mass In A Strange Tongue & Meeting

For this evening, at the Chapel in the Holy Child Jesus Leonard Center in Richmond Hill, Queens, I was at Mass in a Foreign language. The language is called English, which sounds unusual as I usually am at the Tridentine Latin Mass at Holy Innocents in Midtown Manhattan. But the gathering was intimate, amongst the Brothers of Ancient Order of Hibernians Queens Division 14, as it was the Biennial Installation of Officers Meeting.
I usually face Liturgical East along with the Priest who does the same. But this evening, The Priest faced Us(Versus Populum). But, it was the Mass. In anticipation of The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a new feast, promulgated by Pope St John Paul II, St. Juan Diego, was offered this evening by the Very Reverend Father Francis Shannon.

The Brothers gathered for a Meeting and Installation of Officers, followed by a Repast.

Then it was Time to head homeward. And here I write this:

Happy Advent & Happy Christmastide!

Deo Gratias!

M

Installation and Mass @ H C J

At 6:30 PM, Ancient Order of Hibernians Queens Division 14 will hold its’ Biennial Installation of Division Officers at Holy Child Jesus Leonard Center in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY.
It will begin with the Holy Sacrifice of The Mass, offered in the Ordinary Form(The Mass of Paul VI or Novus Ordo).
In short, the Table will be turned around. The Priest will face the Congregation(Assembly). But, it is The Mass.
And I Desire to be there to worship The Triune Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
A Short Meeting will occur, followed by The Pre Christmas Repast, closing the year 2014 AD.

Deo Gratias Pro 2014(MMXIV).

M

The Nativity Fast(St. Phillip’s Fast)

The Byzantine Catholic Churches as well as other Eastern Catholic Churches, as well as the Eastern Orthodox Churches as well as the Oriental Orthodox Churches, all have what is called “Saint Phillip’s Fast”, commonly called The Nativity Fast.
For what St. John Chrysostom(Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of The Church, Feast on the Tridentine Latin Mass Calendar is January 27th) said about Fasting that it is more than a Food Fast, rather it is a time of Prayer, a time to give up Sinning with your thoughts, ears and mouth.
This Fast used to be observed as the Advent Fast in the Roman Rite. Now the only reminders of Advent in the Roman Rite are the Non Praying of The “Gloria In Excelsis Deo”, except on December 8th(Feast of The Immaculate Conception), the 4 Advent Candles with Advent Wreath & that the Priest wears the Penitential Colour of Lavender. Then, there are the Communal Penance Services.
Even though I’m Roman Rite Catholic, I will be following the Byzantine Rite Practice of no meat on Wednesday and Friday for the 1st two weeks of Advent and may extend it to Christmas in the Roman Rite.
Wednesday Abstinence commemorates “Spy Wednesday”, when Judas Iscariot went to the Pharisees to betray Jesus. Friday Commemoration is for Good Friday when Jesus Christ died on The Cross. This, so many years ago, was the Roman Rite Catholic Practice.
Besides, I need to sacrifice the pounds I have put on me. Eating too much junk, doesn’t Give Glory To God. It says that I have been selfish.
The St. Phillip’s Fast (Nativity Fast) begins November 28th(Gregorian Calendar, which is November 15th, Julian Calendar).
Pray for The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, Always. Remember the Pope, Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Religious as well The Souls in Purgatory. Offer up one’s Prayers and Fasts for them. Ask the Intercession of Holy Mary Theotokos, Mother of God, Always and Especially during this Period.

Kyrie Elaison!
Deo Gratias!

M