Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
Here is the text of the Q & A documents we handed out earlier this weekend. It includes the new Sunday and daily Mass schedules for Holy Rosary and Visitation. Coming Together in Christ Transitions at Holy Rosary and Visitation, No. 4 Father Wichert and the parish transition team are committed to answering your questions and keeping you informed about the upcoming […]
» Read moreFather Maurer’s last Sunday Masses at Holy Rosary and Saint Joseph were this past weekend. Following the Noon Mass, a tremendous celebration was held for him in the old convent building. The noon Mass was positively packed. The last time I saw so many folks crowded into Holy Rosary was when Archbishop Sartain celebrated Corpus Christi here in 2013. I […]
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Here is the text of the Q & A documents we handed out earlier this weekend. It includes the new Sunday and daily Mass schedules for Holy Rosary and Visitation. Coming Together in Christ Transitions at Holy Rosary and Visitation, No. 3 The parish transition teams are committed to answering your questions and keeping you informed about the upcoming changes […]
» Read more
Here is the text of the Q & A documents we handed out earlier this weekend. It includes the new Sunday Mass schedules for Holy Rosary and Visitation. Coming Together in Christ Transitions at Holy Rosary and Visitation, No. 2 The parish transition teams are committed to answering your questions about the upcoming changes at Visitation and Holy Rosary. Over […]
» Read moreHere is the text of the Q & A documents we handed out this past weekend, minus the pastors’ introductions. Coming Together in Christ Transitions at Holy Rosary and Visitation The parish transition teams are committed to answering your questions about the upcoming changes at Visitation and Holy Rosary. Over the next few weeks, we plan to print out sheets […]
» Read moreThis morning’s Mass at Holy Rosary was the last solemnity celebrated together by the parishes of Holy Rosary and Saint Joseph. Father Maurer celebrated the Mass to honor Our Lady and give glory to God, and it was beautiful, uplifting, and holy. Father chanted the prayers. We chanted the Ordinary of the Mass in English. Francine read from the Revelation […]
» Read moreLast night, the Holy Rosary and Visitation parish Transition Teams met together for the first time. The meeting was chaired by our incoming pastor, Very Rev. Nicholas Wichert. Also there were our current pastor, Rev. Jacob Maurer, and Leigh Stringfellow from the office of the Vicar of Clergy. This is a great bunch of folks. It was interesting to meet […]
» Read moreLast night, the Holy Rosary Transition Team met for the first time with our new pastor, Very Rev. Nicholas Wichert, as well as our current pastor, Rev. Jacob Maurer. The meeting was ably facilitated by a number of folks from the Archdiocese, including Deacon Eric Paige and Leigh Stringfellow from the office of the Vicar of Clergy. They were great, […]
» Read moreThis morning, we were privileged to meet the young lady in this photo. She served with us at the Saturday Mass on the Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori. Her name is Kara Jackson. She has Down syndrome. Kara is an Altar Server in her home parish in Ohio, and God has asked her to serve at the altar in all […]
» Read moreA week or so ago, Saint Joseph held a “town hall” to discuss the upcoming changes as they transition to an Extraordinary Form parish under their new pastor, Rev. Michael Stinson, FSSP. There were 44 parishioners in attendance, as well as Fr. Maurer and the Vicar of Clergy for the Archdiocese of Seattle, the Very Rev. Gary Zender. It seems […]
» Read moreThe very clever amongst you no doubt noticed in my previous post that our new pastor was not named pastor of both of our parishes. Let me explain. The parishes of Holy Rosary and St. Joseph have been joined at the hip for something like twenty years. They were first consolidated under a single pastor during the last of our […]
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Years ago, when we were parishioners at St. Rita, our long-time pastor retired. At that time, I wrote what has oddly become one of the most Googled posts on this blog, Hopes and Prayers for a New Pastor. At that time, I said: Being a pastor is one of the most difficult jobs in the world, I think. The responsibility […]
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Several things crowd my mind this morning. Chiefly, I’m still processing the Corpus Christi Masses and procession we celebrated at our parish yesterday. But first, a slight digression. Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces On the calendar used in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces. I wrote an article several […]
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Depending on what calendar you use (Ordinary Form or Extraordinary Form), and whether or not it is a Holy Day of Obligation in your diocese, tomorrow (or last Thursday) will be (or was) the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Happy Corpus Christi! Whereas Holy Thursday is a celebration of the institution of the Eucharist, Corpus […]
» Read moreThis coming Sunday my parish will participate in an outdoor Procession of the Blessed Sacrament following the Noon Mass. The Masses that day will be celebrated Ad Orientem. This will be the third year we’ve taken Jesus through the streets of Tacoma and amongst His people. If you are anywhere in the area, I hope you will consider joining us. […]
» Read moreCongratulations to my new Goddaughter Monique’ on her Baptism and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil! She took the name Anastasia, for Saint Anastasia of Rome, who is honoured in the Roman Canon. It’s always amazing to me to see the smiles on the faces of the newly Baptized. I remember it my own Baptism, and I’m pretty sure my jaw […]
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