The 10 Most Popular Posts of 2020
Once again, it’s time for our annual look back at the year that was. And what a year! Plague, lockdowns, crazy elections, murder hornets, you name it! But instead of looking at the crazy out there, we’re concentrating on the crazy in here, in the form of a top ten.
Who doesn’t like top ten lists? These are the top ten post hits on the blog for this past year. Not all of the posts receiving the hits were necessarily written this year. Apparently, their appeal is enduring. As perhaps befits this year, though, there’s a lot that’s new on this list – much of which has to do with the suppression of our beloved parish.
As always, there are links in each title to the full article.
TEN: Cornerstone
Posted on 26 May 2020
A century ago, on May 30, 1920, the cornerstone of Holy Rosary Church in Tacoma was laid. It was the feast of Saint Joan of Arc, who had been canonized just ten days before.
Here’s what our parish history says about the day: …
NINE: Monastic Diurnal
Posted on 18 July 2014
This arrived in the post today. It’s the seventh edition of the Monastic Diurnal, published in 2011 by Saint Michael’s Abbey Press. You can purchase it in the United States from Clear Creek Abbey.
EIGHT: The End of Holy Rosary Parish
Posted on 14 August 2020
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in Tacoma is being suppressed as of August 31, 2020. This parish began through the hard work and vision of German immigrants, who gathered in the Fall of 1890 to persuade the Bishop to grant them a new parish. Over the next year, they pooled their money and resources and purchased the land and built the first wooden church on the site. They arranged for Benedictine monks from Minnesota to …
SEVEN: “…I Stab at Thee”
Posted on 24 September 2020
Forty-one days ago, we learned that our parish of Holy Rosary was to be suppressed. Twenty-five days ago, we celebrated our last Confirmations as Holy Rosary ceased to be a parish in the Archdiocese of Seattle. Eleven days ago, Archbishop Etienne celebrated the final Mass for Holy Rosary parish.
And then, six days ago, we received this in the mail.
SIX: Sorrows
Posted on 15 September 2020
Two days ago, Archbishop Paul Etienne celebrated the final Mass of Holy Rosary parish in Tacoma. Perhaps appropriately, today is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. In his blog, his excellency had this to say:
Despite poor air quality due to heavy smoke in the air from surrounding wildfires, nearly 200 parishioners gathered at Noon Sunday for an outdoor Mass of Thanksgiving at Holy Rosary in Tacoma.
Now that a decision has been made determining the parish is no longer viable on its own …
FIVE: The Professor!
Posted on 03 January 2020
On this day in 1892, J.R.R. Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The Professor is 128 today! All around the world, at 9pm local time, the Tolkien Society and the Professor’s many other devotees will celebrate his birthday with a toast to “the Professor”.
I will join in, though it may be …
FOUR: Rorate Mass Resources – in the Ordinary Form
Posted on 12 December 2018 (2019: 8th)
Last year about this time, our parish of Holy Rosary celebrated a Rorate Mass in the Ordinary Form. And what, pray tell, is a Rorate Mass?
The name comes from the opening words of the Entrance Antiphon, Rorate cæli desuper, Latin for “Drop down dew, ye heavens”. The Rorate Mass is a Solemn Votive Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrated in Advent. It is traditionally celebrated by candlelight on the high altar, and sung in Gregorian Chant. The sky is dawning just as it finishes. This is to symbolize the coming of Christ, the Light of the World. …
THREE: Vesting Prayers
Posted on 29 March 2017 (2018: 6th; 2019: 7th)
One of my volunteer positions at my parish is that of MC and Altar Server coordinator. Since I started in that position, we’ve made any number of changes. One of the simplest and most profound, though, was the reintroduction of Vesting Prayers.
And what are they? In the immemorial tradition of the Roman Rite, certain prayers were recited while vesting for Mass. Indeed, each vestment had its own specific prayer, that alluded to the symbolic meaning behind that particular vestment.
Such things weirdly fell out of favour following the liturgical reform. …
TWO: Godspeed, Christopher
Posted on 16 January 2020
French newspapers are reporting the death of Christopher Tolkien, son and literary executor to the great J.R.R. Tolkien. As a boy, he drew the first published maps of Middle Earth. Following his father’s death in 1973, he supervised and edited his remaining work, publishing all that was publishable and much that was probably not.
He began with Silmarillion in 1977, and twenty-five volumes later …
ONE: Review: Monastic Diurnal at One Year
Posted on 24 July 2015 (2016: 1st; 2017: 1st; 2018: 2nd; 2019: 3rd)
Although I’ve prayed some form of the Divine Office since before my baptism, just over a year ago I began using the Farnborough Monastic Diurnal. It is only at this point that I feel confident enough to review it. …
Many new posts on the list, mixed in with just a couple of old stalwarts, which somehow are climbing on the list. I’m particularly pleased at how strongly the Rorate and Vesting Prayers posts continue to perform.
What was your favorite this year? Any favorites that didn’t make the list?
Thank you to each and every one of my readers. You guys are the best.