Low Mass {+2 New Altar Boys}

Joseph assists Father Saguto with candle lighting before low Mass on Gaudete Sunday, Holyrood Cemetery Chapel.

After almost a year of training and memorizing the Latin responses, Joseph and his friend Jonah had the privilege of serving their first low Mass in the Extraordinary Form at dawn on Gaudete Sunday in a cemetery chapel about an hour and half from home.  This 'old' form of the Mass appeals in a very particular way to many young people, our boys included.

Benedict XVI re-opened the door for the 'old' Mass in 2007 with his Apostolic Letter Summorum Ponitificum.  Interestingly, Benedict XVI specifically noted the appeal of the Traditional Latin Mass for young Catholics:

"Immediately after the Second Vatican Council it was presumed that requests for the use of the 1962 Missal would be limited to the older generation which had grown up with it, but in the meantime it has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form, felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them." © Copyright 2007 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Joseph and Jonah assist Fr. Vreeland at low Mass on Gaudete Sunday in Edmonds, WA.

A look around the congregation in the Extraordinary Form Mass seems to validate that the 'old' form of the Mass appeals to young people.  The pews are packed with young Catholics, truly engaged and actively participating in the Mass.  Many young men eagerly assist at Mass as altar boys, a great privilege to be sure.  Even the very small children are seemingly drawn into the mysteries of the Mass and show age-appropriate reverence and participation. 

Another interesting phenomenon to note in an Extraordinary Form congregation is the average size of the families in attendance.  These authentic Catholic marriages ~ couples living true to their sacred vows with an 'openness to life' and the faithful rejection of artificial contraception and sterilization ~ are truly inspiring to see on such a large scale.  Extraordinary indeed, and while large Catholic families are not found only in Latin Mass congregations by any means, they simply seem more plentiful here.

Before heading off to high school seminary, our youngest son, Peter, had nearly completed his formal training to serve Latin Mass, and was very eager to do so.  However, his distance from home and the infrequency of his home-visit weekends means that he will have to wait, perhaps until next summer, to serve the Latin Mass.  Peter greatly anticipates serving at the Ordinary Form (English Mass) at our home town parish during his home-visit weekends, as his opportunities to serve at the seminary are somewhat scarce.  Joseph, too, remains active as an altar server in our home town parish, hopeful that someday the cassock and surplice will be welcomed back.
  
In what can only be explained as "God's perfect timing," or better yet, Divine Providence, on this very same Gaudete Sunday, Peter served his first Mass in a cassock and surplice, assisting at dawn in the seminary chapel.  The Extraordinary Form (or Traditional Latin Mass) has not returned to Westminster Abbey, BC, but the vestments worn by the altar boys there are still the traditional (masculine) cassock and surplice.  The extremely reverent, chanted Masses at Westminster Abbey follow the prescribed rubrics beautifully and solemnly, at a measured monastic pace which allows for prayerful contemplation throughout.  An extraordinary ordinary, so to speak.

Jonah and Joseph vested in cassocks for the first time.

How blessed we are to have a wide range of reverent and authentic Catholic Masses to attend daily; from our small local parish in Bellingham, to our FSSP Latin Mass parish in Seattle, to our son's Benedictine community in BC; we are part of an awesome and truly Universal Church.

Never Forget the Dead {All Souls}

Do you give more thought to fallen leaves than to your fallen relatives and friends?  Some of our dearly departed are still awaiting heaven, in a cleansing place called purgatory, and benefit from our prayers and sacrifices on their behalf.

Whether one believes in it or not, purgatory is real and if we end up there we'll wish more people down here were earnestly praying for our release.  On All Souls Day (November 2) the Church commemorates all the faithful departed and we continue to hold them in our prayers in a special way throughout the month of November.

Priests are allowed to offer three Masses on All Souls Day.  Participating in these Masses (though not required) is an honor and a gift we can give the poor souls awaiting heaven. 

Father Saguto, FSSP, offers Mass at Holyrood Catholic Cemetery on All Souls Day.

 

An altar boy lights the candles surrounding the catafalque on All Souls Day.

Biblical scholar Dr. Scott Hahn gives a straight forward answer to questions surrounding the biblical truths of purgatory in an interview on EWTN's Journey Home.  As a former anti-Catholic and still zealous evangelist, his perspective is especially insightful

Father Vreeland, FSSP, prays absolution over the catafalque at High Mass.

If you've never been to a Solemn High Requiem Mass for All Souls Day, St. John Cantius Church in Chicago, Illinois, uploaded a video of theirs.  Consider it a history lesson in this year of faith.

Today I attended my first High Requiem Mass for All Souls Day at North American Martyrs parish in Seattle.  The Gregorian Chant from the choir loft above sounded heavenly, as always, and the somber tone of the sequence before the Gospel was especially moving.  I posted a short clip (above), which, though a poor amateur recording from the pew, gives a little auditory taste of today's high Mass in Seattle.

Someone once told Venerable Fulton Sheen, "I don't believe in hell."  Rev. Sheen quipped, "You will when you get there."  The same could be said about purgatory, "You'll believe in it if you stop there on your path to heaven." 

 II Mac 12:38-46

Hebrews 12:29 

1 Cor 3

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Time Flies {Zachary to Munich}

At the Ballard Locks on Zac's first day home from Notre Dame; Ascension Thursday, before Mass at N. American Martyrs on Joseph's confirmation day

Another bittersweet parting with Zachary looms on the near horizon as he packs his backpack for a month of German studies in Munich.  Last minute errands are on our to-do list today, including a possible stop at a local strawberry field to pick a bucket of berries for dessert.  We have thoroughly enjoyed having our whole family together these past two months, and anticipate a few withdrawals as we adjust to life without Zachary again.  

Hitting the Chuckanut trails on a training hike with the Scouts

After spending the past two months at home, Zac eagerly anticipates his European adventure, which begins in Canada, land of the cheaper departures.  After an hour's drive to the Vancouver airport, give or take depending on border traffic, Zac will spend eleven hours or so en route to Munich.  Upon landing, his plan is to find a place (or a few) to visit for 5 days before his classes begin; maybe in Vienna, maybe somewhere else.

Tutored by a pro, Zachary learns the art of cooking dumplings with Grandpa Cliff.

After a hard day's work at the sawmill

Many hours laboring in the sawmill for a few dollars

The product of many hours' labor

Zachary's primary endeavor while home on his first summer break from university involved holding down a full time minimum wage job at a local lumber mill while maintaining constant contact with friends and balancing family time and recreation.  Quite a juggling act, but by simply and consistently reducing the total number of hours of sleep, Zachary made ends meet.  Unlike my first smelly job packing pickles at Nalley's in Tacoma, or Tim's first stinky job gutting salmon around the clock in South Naknek, Alaska, Zachary exited the lumber mill each day smelling like a cedar chest.  On one of his more educational lunch breaks, his co-workers boasted of places where they'd done time.

Zachary and Roy taking off on the 18 mile canoe leg of the annual Ski 2 Sea race on the Nooksack River.

Zachary trains Peter in the fine art of Polish dumpling cooking.

Floating Lake Padden on a sunny Sunday afternoon

3 bros ready to hike the shores of Baker Lake

A revival of sorts: all the men in our family assisted with the Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession; Zac crossbearer.

Manly men celebrating bearded faces

With only hours left before our next farewell, we pause to remember (and document) the wide variety of wonderful events and experiences we've shared with Zachary and his awesome peeps during these past few weeks of togetherness.  Godspeed, son.  We're all praying for you!

Zachary, Joseph and Tim (with Caleb) honor David at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor.

In one last pre-departure attempt at raising cash, Zac flags traffic toward our family fireworks stand.

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for Zachary's German adventure.

Extraordinary Jaunts {Sundays in Seattle}

Ryan, Joseph, Peter and Peter enjoy baked goodies.

In this Year of Faith, our family set a goal of participating in and growing more familiar with the 'Extraordinary Form' (Latin) Mass.  This form of the Mass is not offered in our city, or county, or neighboring counties, but it is offered at North American Martyrs in Seattle, about a 90 mile drive from home.  FSSP priests pastor this technically 'homeless' parish, which worships at St. Alphonsus Church and at Holyrood Cemetery Chapel in Shoreline.  This ancient ~extraordinary~ form of our Holy Mass almost disappeared in my lifetime after rapid changes implemented following the Second Vatican Council in the 1960's.  I don't remember the 'old' Mass, nor was I taught about it in my Catholic upbringing; but I always fostered a special attraction to the enlarged, framed black and white photograph of my parents' Nuptial Mass, said in the 'old' form at Holy Rosary in West Seattle.

The 'Ordinary Form' (Novus Ordo) Mass which we know, love and attend daily at Sacred Heart follows basically the same 'order of events' but with significant differences, not the least of which is the language in which the Mass is said and the manner in which we receive our Lord in Holy Communion. Following along in the little red booklets offered at the entrance, or fumbling along with the 1962 (heirloom) Missals we have inherited, we can mostly keep up with the Mass and prayerfully worship. The solemnity with which the Latin Mass is celebrated, the profound reverence and the decorum of the congregation are awe inspiring to say the least.  The preaching is certainly not for the faint of heart!

Our special Sunday journeys to Seattle punctuate our ordinary calendar and offer us extraordinary ways to keep holy the Lord's Day. 

Peter holds his God-brother Samuel

Meeting in the middle, each family driving about an hour, we celebrated a recent Sunday in Seattle with our dear friends from Tacoma.  Aileen's family honored her wish to attend Latin Mass and we combined the main event with a tasty side-trip to a bakery a few blocks from the hospital in Ballard where Joseph was born almost 15 years ago.  'Ballard Blue,' the first house Tim and I owned happens to be just a few blocks from the Church, so we are familiar with the surrounds, though the area has certainly been further developed and more densely populated since we moved to Bellingham in 1998.

Bridget, Samuel and Aileen, together on Sunday morn

King Tut's exhibit at the Pacific Science Center, another Sunday side-trip during Zachary's Christmas break, offered a glimpse of history for about the price of a sarcophagus.  Being linguistically inclined, Zachary especially enjoyed the inscriptions on the various artifacts.  King Tut's name (or one of his names) included a sign meaning 'manifestation', which when being viewed by those of us celebrating the Epiphany (which means Manifestation) held special significance.  King Tut, you may have been a king, but you were not God. 

Brothers in Seattle

Spending time at Great Grandma's house on a Sunday afternoon included being catered to and well loved.  Grandma and I feigned interest in the Seahawks game, while the guys intently cheered for the home team, which on that day reigned victorious.  The views from her windows overlooking the Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains beyond are phenomenal, but sitting in the company of my 95 year old Grandma would be a pleasure in any environment.

Guests of Great Grandma for the Seahawks playoff game; watching her double-decker TV

Peter cheering for the Seahawks in his Sunday best