The Immaculate Conception
This morning’s Mass at the school where I work was sponsored by the second grade class. I am always of a mixed mind on these things. On the one hand, the children are involved in the planning and celebration of the Mass. They are gaining experience as servers, as lectors, as choir members.
On the other hand, sometimes the pagentry of a dozen second grade girls dressed up in the various ways that the Blessed Virgin has appeared to us through history can be a little distracting and, well, precious.
Still, they were reverent and proper, and they got the message across. And the parishioners certainly do appreciate the school’s involvement in the life of the parish.
The Mass was celebrated by one of our pariochial vicars, Fr. Bryan Dolejsi. He’s practically new out of the box, having been ordained this past summer. He chanted most of the Mass, including the entirety of the Eucharistic prayer. A former Dominican friar and now an Archdiocesan priest, he preaches a heck of a homily. The students were engaged and involved, and yet Fr. Bryan did not pander, did not dumb it down.
Thank the Lord for Fr. Bryan, and priests like him!