Fact: The Emotion of Calvary

Dear Readers,

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was blessed with the opportunity to achieve one of my life's goals to go on Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The trip was more that I could ever have imagined. It has been, by the Grace of God, truly life changing for me.
As we commenorate on this Good Friday the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ, I would like to briefly share how overwhelming the emotion of standing on summit of Calvary where God Omnipotent himself redeemed the world.

In the Church of the Holy Sepulcure, once must clime a number of steps (perhaps 15 or so) to get to the "summit" of Calvary. Once there, you are in queue, but standing in chapels for the final stations of the Via Curcis.
At top of the stairs, Jesus is Stripped of His Clothes... moving on, this haunting mosaic of Christ is Nailed to the Cross.
Staring at this mosaic, and imagining the pain as the nails were driven into Our Lord's wrists and feet... because of MY SINS... begin to have it impact as my tears began to well up in my eyes. (Even as I type this post, the emotion returns)

Moving on, one passes under an archway with a mosaic stating "Stabat Mater Dolorosa, juxta crucem" ( the Sorrowfully Mother stood next to the Cross) where the most moving statue of the Blessed Mother I have ever seen stood near the Cross of Calvary. As an Italian, I have seem many statues of the Madonna.. exquisitely and artfully done... but nothing prepared me for this:
I am sure the this photo does not convey to you dear readers the actual power of this statue, but I can tell you , it is the most "living" statue I had ever seen, and the quiet pain in the face of Our Blessed Mother finally drove me over the edge, and the my tears freely flowed.
By now my emotions were inflamed... the next few minutes were quite a blur... but it included kneeling under the altar set on Calvary, and placing my hand into the hole in which the Cross of Our Redeemer stood... knowing that His Most Precious Blood ran down this Cross to pool on the very ground I was touching... that Blood, shed for me and my sins!

The emotion of that moment, while trying with this words, is really indescribable... but it was so powerful a moment, that I immediately left Calvary and returned to the tomb, the empty tomb! to remind myself that Christ is now longer dead, he is alive and risen as he said!


Stabat Mater dolorosa, juxta crumen lacrimosa

Fact: Chant Workshop to be held at St. Ann's

Dear Readers,

Many have commented on the beauty of the recent missa cantata in honor of the Annunciation to Our Blessed Mother at St. Ann's and the beautiful accompaniment of St Ann's Schola Cantorum.

None of that comes about without the study and practice of the chant propers for each Mass by the schola, The schola has a dedicated group of men (and women) who are beginning to gain some beautiful sound, but they can use more members.

To help folks better understand their own potential, and to take the mystery out of what chant is and how to interruprat (musically) the ancient text and notes, a 2-day chant workshop is being held at St. Ann.

Details can be obtained here.... please consider becoming part of this ministry so that we can be better positioned for that day when a weekly, Sunday Mass in the Extraordinary form is offered, that it can be a regular sung Mass.

Fact: Two more Missae Cantatae to be held at St. Ann's!!

After just having a Missa Cantata for the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25, word from St. Ann's in Charlotte, lead by Fr. Reid, will be offering two more upcoming Missae Cantatae:

Thursday, May 13

Ascension Thursday

and

Saturday, August 7
XI Sunday after Pentecost (anticipated)

The Ascension Thursday Mass is a second consecutive year that Fr. Reid has offered a Missa Cantata for the Feast of Our Lord's Ascension on the actual feast day.

The August 7 Mass is the regular monthly "Sunday anticipated" Mass, but with chant from the participants of the "Sing Like a Catholic" chant workshop to be held in Charlotte, also at St. Ann's on August 6-7.

I encourage you to share this information with as many as possible. They should be wonderful liturgies. Feedback from those who attended the Annunciation Mass on March 25 has been quite extraordinary. The musical assistance of the schola and choir of St. Ann's at the Mass has been highly complimented as adding awesome beauty and reverence to the Mass.

Grapevine: Missa Cantata for Ascension at St. Ann's

Graces continue to flow out of St. Ann's parish in Charlotte. Recently a Missa Cantata for the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lady was confirmed and now sources are indicating the high likelihood that another Missa Cantata will be held on Thursday, May 13, for the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ! Please pray for all of those involved that this wonderful Mass can be confirmed.

Fact: Missa Cantata at St. Ann's - March 25th

It has been confirmed from several sources that the Missa Cantata in honor of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary on Thursday, March 25 at St. Ann's in Charlotte. Please make every effort to attend this solemn event in honor of Our Lady. Please pray for Fr. Reid, the altar servers, and members of St. Ann's Schola Cantorum and Choir as they prepare for this wonderful Mass. (Photo: Church of the Annuciation, Nazareth)

Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae... et concepit de Spiritu Sancto
Ecce ancillae Domini... fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum

Grapevine: March 25th Missa Cantata at St. Ann's

The next Missa Cantata looks to be planned on Thursday, March 25: Feast of the Annunciation at St. Ann's in Charlotte, NC.

Please continue to pray for Fr. Reid and the Altar servers as they prepare. Also as a reminder, Weekly Mass in the Extraordinary Form offered on Wednesdays at 6.00pm at St. Ann's on Park Road.

Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ ....

Christus Natus Est

Greetings of a blessed Christmas to all of you dear Readers. This fall I was blessed with the ability to go to the Holy Land on Pilgrimage with Fr. Reid and other parishioners of St. Ann's Parish in Charlotte. It was an experience of a life-time, and something I will never forget... and I will never be able to hear or read Sacred Scripture again without having a mental picture of it in my mind... what a grace I have been given!

It is especially important today, as the Sunday Mass of our pilgrimage was held in Shepherd's Field, just outside of the cave in which the "shepherds of that region" would have been "keeping watch over their flocks." Our Mass was outside, on the edge of the hill over looking the valley below, and Bethlehem nestled on the other side of the valley. My heart raced and tears flowed as I pictured the sky and that valley filled with light of the angels and the air heavy with their song... Gloria in excelsis Deo" and the bright star standing above the sleepy town on the other side. (It is no mistake either that my favorite English Hymn is "Angels We Have Heard on High")

Following Mass we "followed in the footsteps" (in our motorized coach!) of the shepherds and went to Bethlehem... entering the Church of the Nativity and descended into the cave to the spot where Christ entered the world to save us... marked by the ever-present "Star of Bethlehem".

It is an amazing thing to have experienced, and over the course of this liturgical year, I hope to share more of my pilrimage experiences with you dear Readers. Until then I leave you with the beginning words of my favorite Italian Hymn of Christmas....

"Tu scendi dalle stelle O Re del Cielo, e vieni in una grotta al freddo e gelo"

(You came down from the stars
O King of Heaven;
and came into a cave,
cold and icy)

Et verbum caro factum est...