14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - July 4, 2009

Processional: I Sing the Mighty Power of God (BB 416)
Offertory: I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (BB 479)
Communion: antiphon (Gustate)
Listen to the antiphon here. Click on "Gustate et videte".
Recessional: America the Beautiful (BB 647)

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time - June 27, 2009

Processional: Praise to the Lord (BB 203)
Offertory: Hymn of the Year of Paul
Communion: antiphon
Recessional: Now Thank We All Our God (BB 204)

All right, people...: UPDATED: CORRECTION

...you're all under moral obligation to pray. Madame Drill Sergeant Ma'am has diverticulitis, which she is currently recovering from by use of antibiotics. That does not mean you are released from the (understood by all parties at the beginning of your Choirhood) obligation to pray (not just for choir director ma'am but for all ill members of said choir). So--keep it up.

Besides. We're supposed to pray always. So while you're having a stomachache or burning a pot roast...pray still. Besides, prayer transcends time. So pray for Claus von Stauffenberg that he succeeds. (or you could pray for something current. like Ma'am Choir Director's immediate recovery so that she can still attend the Sacred Music Colloquium).

UPDATE June 19 2009

Pray harder. Ma'am Choir Director Ma'am is detained at the hospital with unknown blood loss. That's not good.

CORRECTION JUNE 19 2009 OF 5:30 AM

Ma'am choir director ma'am's 'unknown blood loss' was in fact a goofed test, courtesy of medical professionals. She is now at home and in no danger.
Thank you.

--Celestine

In Honor of MCK's Recent Victory...

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Congratulations, MCK! No more typing--only petting!

Spring Quarter Finals Week - almost done!

...and if you don't think this is cute....

...I hereby excommunicate you from the Royal Imperial Army of her Imperial Majesty, R. H. Stockingfluff. (don't ask questions. Just watch the kitty.)

Corpus Christi - June 13-14, 2009

Processional: Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (BB 748)
Offertory: Sing My Tongue the Savior's Glory (BB 23) p. 115
Communion: Godhead Here in Hiding [Adoro te devote] (BB 533)
Recessional: To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King (BB 740)

Our Humorous Bible

There are really funny passages in the Bible. Today's first reading tells of a marital spat:

At that time, my wife Anna worked for hire
at weaving cloth, the kind of work women do.
When she sent back the goods to their owners, they would pay her.
Late in winter on the seventh of Dystrus,
she finished the cloth and sent it back to the owners.
They paid her the full salary
and also gave her a young goat for the table.
On entering my house the goat began to bleat.

I called to my wife and said: "Where did this goat come from?
Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners;
we have no right to eat stolen food!"
She said to me, "It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages."
Yet I would not believe her,
and told her to give it back to its owners.
I became very angry with her over this.
So she retorted: "Where are your charitable deeds now?
Where are your virtuous acts?
See! Your true character is finally showing itself!"

Most Holy Trinity - June 6, 2009

Processional: Come Now Almighty King (BB 721)
Offertory: O God, Almighty Father (BB 724)
Communion: O Sacrament Most Holy (BB 320)
Recessional: Holy, Holy, Holy (BB 211)

Athens Catholics and Planned Parenthood

Let's play a fun little game, shall we? See how many Athens Catholics and Catholic-owned businesses you can spot on this Planned Parenthood donor list!

Chocolate & Champagne Affaire

The 21st annual Chocolate and Champagne Affaire was held February 21st at the newly-renovated Eclipse Company Town General Store. This year’s event proved the most successful yet, bringing in over $29,000 with 175 people in attendance.

All the artwork, elegant dinners, travel packages, jewelry and services in the live and silent auction by Pat and Wanda Sheridan, and the “choice” raffle were donated by local individuals and businesses. Local restaurants and individuals donated the decadent desserts and hors d’oeuvres. Bella Vino provided the wine and Champagne and Athens’ Own provided gourmet coffee.

All of the money raised at Chocolate and Champagne stays in Southeast Ohio to provide reproductive health services and education to our community. PPSEO is grateful to the many people in this community who came together to make this year’s Chocolate and Champagne most memorable.

Thanks to all who made this event so successful!

Sponsors
Liz Maule Realty
Jewelry for Choice
Bella Vino
The Athens News
Hocking Valley Bank
Eclipse Company Town
Sole-Wentworth, Inc.
Corrine Brown
Tanya Conrath and Matthew Sweeney
Peggy Lionberger and Douglas Cohn
Danny Moates

Food Donations
Casa Nueva
Moku
Purple Chopstix
Salaam
Stephen’s
Village Bakery
Zoe’s
Lauren Bartolozzi
Ken Brown
Beth Ferrier
Mary Anne Flournoy
Anne Jenson Holmes
Susan Hostetler
Margie Huber
Edie Luce
Michelle Lyle
Danny Moates
Lorraine Myers
Marlene Poches
Mary Lee Powell
Susan Quinn
Amy Robison
Shannon Slavin
Janne Wernet
Ellen Wiseman
Jane Woodrow
Katherine Furler

Donations
Diana Irwin
North Hill Massage Therapy
Jennifer Jones LMC
On the Path, Ltd.
Susan and David Hostetler
Cita Strauss
Jonathan Silbert
Mark Rothstein and Lynn Last
Michele Biddlestone
Max and Sheila Mark
Black Swamp Furniture
Roxanne Groff and Ed Fisher
Ken & Kit Brown
Claressa Page of the Village Bakery
Louise Fish
Bonnie Proudfoot
Susan Quinn
John Matz
Little Professor Book Center
Athens Wellness Cooperative
Mary Dewey
Shannon Slavin
Roger Wells
Three Treasures Health Center
Nature's Magic
Puhl Landscaping & Design
Ceramics By Brad Schwieger
Salaam Restaurant
Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium
Corrine Brown
Athens Center for Film and Video
John Sullivan
Garnish with Jewelry for Choice
Factory Street Studio
Eve with Jewelry for Choice
Freve Pace
Court Street Collections
Jewelry for Choice
Mollica, Gall, Sloan & Sillery
Art Werger Lithograph
Lamborn's Studio & Custom Framing
S. Nicole Conrath Family Dental Care
MaryAnne Erwin with Jewelry for Choice
Lucinda Moran
Janet Kelsey Werner
Casa Nueva
Hampton Inn
Wellworks
Sattler Photography & Framing
Cornwell Jewelers
Interior Concepts
Anne Holmes
The Columbus, a Renaissance Hotel
Columbus Museum of Art
The Lancaster Chorale
Attractions
Bali Karma
Bird Arena
Jackie O's
Milo's Whole World Gourmet
Beads & Things
Athens Own
Class "A" Sounds
Taylor Honda
S. Nicole Conrath Family Dental Care
White's Mill
Robin Webb with Jewelry for Choice
Fall Hill Bead and Gem
Scorchy's w/ Jewelry for Choice
Stuart's Opera House
Blue Moon Bottles
The Farmacy
O'Bleness Memorial Hospital
Sue Zano
Seth Teicher

Food for thought

From Bishop Vasa's most recent column:

It is a great time to travel through the diocese. This does not imply at all that other times are less attractive, but only that the possibility of icy roads and snow covered passes is greatly reduced. This affords a little more leisure in travel and a greater opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the countryside. When the weather is less cooperative I do tend to focus on arriving at the destination much more than the joy of the journey. This week was a time to focus just a bit more on the pleasantness of the country through which I am blessed to travel.

This is something that is perfectly legitimate to do when traveling across the diocese to a variety of locations but one needs to take a slightly different approach when considering this life as a journey. In cross-state travel there is little danger, at least for the time being, of getting so distracted by the country through which I travel that I forget both where I am going and how I plan to get there. Unfortunately, in terms of the spiritual life, it is quite easy to get so distracted by the “foreign land” we presently inhabit that we can quite literally forget who we are, where we are going and how we plan to get there. In the midst of the busyness of a typical day, we can forget that we are Catholic Christians, followers of Christ, pilgrims, lovers of the Gospel, sons and daughters of God, a resurrection-believing people. We can forget that our true citizenship is in heaven, that we are “strangers and aliens” here, that our true home still awaits us, that this world is passing, that our relationship with God surpasses all others. We can forget, usually because of being distracted by what we find along the way, that we are to leave ourselves behind, that he who seeks to save his life will lose it, that strict obedience to a moral code is essential, that Jesus is the way, that he gave us the Church to show us the way.

On one of my journeys, not this round, I needed to get to the cathedral and I started out, who knows why, going east out of Bend on US 20. Now it is possible to get to the Cathedral on that road but it is about 100 miles further than the US 26 route. I “woke up” to my error very early and so doubled back the two or three miles to reestablish a start on the right road. Prior to discovering my mistake I was making great time and I was enjoying the journey. However, there was a problem. I was on the wrong road. It wasn’t as wrong as being on US 97 South and not ever so bad as being on US 20 West but having temporarily lost sight of my destination and the proper road to get there my journey had the potential to be a great deal of fun but really quite ineffective in terms of my predetermined goal and destination.

We can never forget that our living is really a spiritual journey with a very important and baptismally predetermined destination. It is certainly good and proper to enjoy the journey but never at the expense of the destination.

Pentecost - May 30, 2009

I can't believe it's Pentecost already!

Processional: Come, Holy Ghost (BB 459)
Preparation: Veni Creator Spiritus (ladies only) (BB 196)
Communion: antiphon (men only)
Recessional: Creator Spirit, By Whose Aid (BB 194)

I was thinking of doing "The Spirit is A-Movin'" by Carey Landry. The words are really "touching". Maybe we'll do it after I get my Banjo Performance degree.

1. People are gatherin', the church is born; the Spirit is a blowin' on a world reborn.
2. Old ones are dreaming dreams, young men and women see the light.
3. Old walls are falling down and people all over are speaking with each other.
4. Filled with the Spirit, we are sent to serve. We are called out together, we are called to work.

Four weeks and counting....

Exactly four weeks until the Sacred Music Colloquium! I am really excited about going, but a little nervous about not knowing anyone there. Although I've never been to Chicago, my Better Half was there this past week, and he had nice things to say about it. I hope to not only sing some great music, but also learn a little about how to better direct a choir.

...well....

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'Nuff said.

Ascension Thursday Sunday Vigil (7th Sunday of Easter)

Processional: Come, O Holy Spirit (BB 197)
Offertory: Immaculate Mary (BB 209)
Communion: antiphon
Recessional: Creator Spirit, By Whose Aid (BB 194)

6th Sunday of Easter - May 15, 2009 EDITED

Prelude: Salve, Regina (BB 702)
Processional: At the Lamb's High Feast (BB 180)
Offertory: Ye Sons and Daughters (BB 181)
Communion: antiphon
Recessional: Alleluia! Alleluia! (BB 174)

Bishop Vasa - "Giving Testimony to the Truth"

I referenced this document in another post. Bishop Vasa is a true shepherd. Pray for ALL our bishops.

GIVING TESTIMONY TO THE TRUTH
A Pastoral Letter for Diocesan Lay Ministers
By the Most Reverend Robert Francis Vasa, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop of Baker
April 23, 2004

Anniversary of Fatima Apparitions

An email from the Basilica of The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception:

Feast of Our Lady of Fatima

Today, May 13, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Since 1917 Fatima, Portugal, has been one of the most famous Marian Shrines in the world due to the apparitions of Mary to three shepherd children six times, from May 13 to October 13, 1917. Having seen the figure of a Lady brighter than the sun and standing on a cloud on an evergreen tree, the children were asked to return to that same place on the 13th of each month. In spite of local incredulity, the children returned to witness the apparitions, each time joined by a larger crowd of spectators. Only the children could see the Lady; however, others reported that they noted movements on the evergreen tree and the arrival and departure of a cloud.

The Lady announced to the children that she was Our Lady of the Rosary and called for amendment in people's lives. On October 13, 1930, after a canonical process of inquiry, the Bishop of Leiria pronounced the visions of 1917 to be worthy of credence and authorized devotions to Our Lady of Fatima.


Prayer to Our Lady of Fatima

Most Holy Virgin
who hast deigned to come to Fatima,
to reveal the treasures of graces hidden in the recitation of the Rosary,
inspire our hearts with a sincere love of this devotion
that meditating on the Mysteries of our Redemption recalled therein,
we may obtain the conversion of sinners
and the favors we ask you now,
for the greater glory of God,
for your own honor,
and for the good of souls. Amen.

Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, pray for us!

We beg the Blessed Mother, especially during the Marian month of May, to intercede for our needs and intentions. You can still include names for prayers in the Mother's Day Novena of Masses which will end on Monday, May 18th. We also invite you to submit your prayer requests online, that we might join with you in lifting up our prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Lady of the Rosary, Mother of Our Lord. And please, forward this message to your friends. Thank you.

The clergy, religious, and staff of the Basilica wish you a blessed and holy Feast Day. For more information about our Mass and special events schedule please visit our web site at www.nationalshrine.com.

Diocese issues ‘Q & A’ to explain termination of dissenting catechist

Read all about it here.

CHOIR BOOT CAMP

There will be a Saturday Choir BOOT CAMP on Friday, May 15 at the Thomas Monastery from 5 p.m. until whenever. We will be working on Lux Aeterna by Andy Francis. The goal is to perform this piece on May 30.

Pretty Please do your very best to attend this BOOT CAMP. This is not an easy piece, and we all need to work on it together. (And when Andy is famous someday, you will all be able to brag that you premiered one of his choral works. I'm serious.)

Supper and snacks will be provided.

Let me know if you need a ride; most of our members have cars, and can provide transportation.

Visit Andy's music site at http://www.myspace.com/andyfrancismusic