Ascension Thursday

It is hoped that this update finds you in time for the celebration of the Feast of the Ascension.

High Masses for Ascension will be celebrated at St. Stephen and Immaculate Conception Cleveland. Both Masses are at 6:30pm.

The excerpt below is from The Golden Legend.

...he ascended from the mount of Olives by Bethany; the which mountain, by another relation, is said the mountain of three lights. For by night on the side of the west it is lighted of the fire that burneth in the Temple, which never is put out ne quenched. On the morning it is light of the orient, for she hath first the rays of the sun before it shineth in the city, and also it hath great abundance of oil that nourisheth the light, and therefore it is said the hill of three lights. Unto this hill Jesu Christ commanded his disciples that they should go. For on the day of his Ascension he appeared two times, one time to eleven disciples that ate in the hall where they had supped with him. All the apostles and the disciples and also the women, abode in that part of Jerusalem which is called Mello, in the mountain of Sion, where David had made his palace. And there was the great hall arrayed and ordained for to sup, whereas Jesu Christ commanded that they should make ready for to eat the Paschal Lamb, and in this place the eleven apostles abode, and the other disciples, and the women abode in divers mansions there about. And when they had eaten in this hall, our Lord appeared to them and reproved them of their incredulity. And when he had eaten with them, and had commanded them that they should go to the Mount of Olivet on the side by Bethany, he appeared again to them, and answered to them of the demands that they made to him indiscreetly, and with his hands lifted he blessed them; and anon before them he ascended unto heaven. Of the place of this ascension saith Sulpicius, Bishop of Jerusalem, and it is in the gloss. For there was edified a church in the place where were made the signs of his ascension. Never sith might be set there any pavement, it could not be laid ne set but anon it issued out, and the stones of the marble sprang into the visages of them that set it. And that is a sign that they be stones on which Christ passed upon, which lie in the powder and dust, and abide for a token and sign certain.

The church mentioned in the above excerpt is known as the Chapel of the Ascension, built c.390. Muslims seized control of it in 1198 and added the dome.

The signs of His Ascension, as mentioned in The Golden Legend, are Christ's footprints in stone.

You can find The Golden Legend in its entirety here.

Thursday Evening Mass in Rectory Chapel

The normal Thursday evening Low Mass at St. Stephen will be in the rectory on 5/10 due to a scheduling conflict. Mass time will still be 6:30pm.

New Resource for the Latin Mass

Usus Antiquior is making the propers for Sundays and Feast Days available online for print. The PDF's can be customized to include your parish's or institution's name. This is a great resource for those without a Missal. Please take advantage of this for you or a friend. 

Mercy Sunday

Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Cleveland, Ohio, will offer a Low Mass on the Sunday after Easter, April 15, 2012, now known as Divine Mercy Sunday, but known in the Tridentine calendar as Low Sunday.

Mass will be at 2pm, with confessions available at 1pm. Following the Mass, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for adoration, the Divine Mercy Chaplet will be recited and then Benediction. Afterwards, you may have sacramentals blessed.

From Catholic Culture.

In a decree dated August 3, 2002, the Apostolic Penitentiary announced that in order "to ensure that the faithful would observe this day (Divine Mercy Sunday) with intense devotion, the Supreme Pontiff himself established that this Sunday be enriched by a plenary indulgence…so that the faithful might receive in great abundance the gift of the consolation of the Holy Spirit. In this way, they can foster a growing love for God and for their neighbor, and after they have obtained God's pardon, they in turn might be persuaded to show a prompt pardon to their brothers and sisters."

The plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!).

Holy Week Schedule

Below is the schedule for Holy Week liturgies.

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
Spy Wednesday
Office of Tenebrae
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
6928 Detroit Ave, Cleveland
April 4, 2012
7pm

Maundy Thursday
High Mass
Immaculate Conception - Cleveland
April 5, 2012
8pm

Good Friday
Commemoration of the Passion
Immaculate Conception - Cleveland
April 6, 2012
6pm

Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil
High Mass
Immaculate Conception - Cleveland
April 7, 2012
11:30pm

Office of Tenebrae

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Cleveland, will host the Office of Tenebrae on Wednesday, April 4, at 7pm.

Courtesy of Dom Gueranger....

THE OFFICE OF TENEBRAE.

On this and the two following days, the Church anticipates the Night-Office; she celebrates it on the previous evening of each day, and this in order that the Faithful may be present at it. The Matins and Lauds of Maundy Thursday are, therefore, said this afternoon. The Faithful should make every effort to assist at this solemn Office, seeing it is on their account that the Church has changed her usual hours. As to the merit there is in joining in it, there can be no doubt, but that it is to be preferred to any private devotions. The surest means for obtaining favors from God, and winning him to our requests, is to approach him through the Church. And as regards the feelings of devotion wherewith we ought to celebrate the mysteries of these three great Days, the Offices of the Church are, ordinarily speaking, a surer and richer source than the Exercises of Piety composed by men. The soul that feeds on the words and ceremonies of the holy Liturgy, will be all the more disposed to profit by the private devotions she practices at home. The prayer of the Church will thus become the basis, whereon is built the edifice of Christian piety during these glorious Anniversaries of our Redemption; and we shall be imitating our forefathers who lived in the Ages of Faith, and who were such admirable Christians, because they lived the life of the Church, by means of the sacred Liturgy.

Fish Eaters also has an excellent article on Spy Wednesday.

The Hiatus is Over

The long anticipated return to the beautiful and spiritually edifying house of God, St. Stephen Church, is upon us. Lent is not over, but Our Lord has graced us with the reopening of St. Stephen's for Palm Sunday, April 1. The work of painting the walls and ceiling is nearly finished. The nave is completed, and at a later date the sanctuary will be; the church will remain open even during that, according to the information given by Fr. Franz, pastor of St. Stephen. The painters have done a fine job. Deo gratias!

 An old photo of the Nave

Nota Bene:  The schedule for Holy Week is posted in Upcoming Events.

New Years Resolution Idea

A suggestion from a reader of the blog.

If you haven't made any New Year's resolutions yet, or if you'd like to make more, consider taking up the devotion of First Fridays and First Saturdays. 

First Friday
http://catholicinformation.aquinasandmore.com/2008/11/07/first-friday-devotion-in-the-catholic-church/

First Saturday
http://www.rosary-center.org/firstsat.htm

High Mass, Candlemas Day: CANCELLED

Apologies for not having updated the blog for a couple weeks.

As some of you already know, due to the painting of the ceiling in St. Stephen's Church, all Masses have been moved either to the rectory chapel or school gymnasium. Sunday Masses are in the gym; weekday Masses in the rectory.

You may have noticed in the "Upcoming Events" section on the sidebar that St. Stephen's was going to offer high Mass for Candlemas Day, Thursday, February 2. This has been cancelled due to scheduling conflicts. Therefore, the regular Thursday evening low Mass will be celebrated in the rectory chapel.

Epiphany, St. Stephen Church

Friday, January 6, is the Feast of Epiphany. In place of St. Stephen's regular First Friday low Mass, high Mass will be offered at the same time, 6:30pm, followed by Benediction.

Traditionally, on the Feast of the Epiphany, the priest, wearing white vestments, would bless the Epiphany water, frankincense, gold, and chalk. Chalk is used to write the initials of the three magi over the doors of churches and homes. The letters stand for the initials of the Magi (traditionally named Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar), and also the phrase Christus mansionem benedicat, which translates as "may Christ bless the house". According to ancient custom, the priest would announce the date of Easter on the feast of Epiphany. This tradition dated from a time when calendars were not readily available, and the church needed to publicize the date of Easter, since many celebrations of the liturgical year depend on it.