Corpus Christi at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish

Good Morning,

The Feast of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ) was June 26, over a week ago, but I'm still thinking of it. After all, I named this blog after the Eucharist because it's so meaningful to me.

I attended Mass at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Crystal Lake, Illinois, because I was staying at my friends' house in that town.

As the Mass ended we had a procession around the parking lot. The pastor held the monstrance, and we all followed him around. It was very silent and reverent.

This parish has some events listed in the bulletin that impressed me:
1) There are two daily masses.
2) There are three different times for confessions every week.
3) The rosary is recited eleven times every week.
4) The Divine Mercy Chaplet is recited six times a week
5) Eucharist adoration is available seven days a week.

One of the priests is a parochial vicar, which sounds very impressive. What is a parochial vicar? I've never heard of one.

The pastor, Fr. Brian Grady, wrote an entire page about the Holy Eucharist. Here is part of what he wrote.


"Did anything of the bread and wine remain after their substance had been changed into Our Lord's body and blood? After the substance of the bread and wine had been changed into Our Lord's body and blood, there remained only the appearances of bread and wine. Because the appearances of bread and wine remain in the Holy Eucharist, we cannot see Christ with our bodily eyes in this sacrament. We do see Him, however, with the eyes of faith. Our bodily eyes, moreover, do not deceive us when they see the appearances of bread and wine, for these appearances really remain after the Consecration of the Mass. By the appearances of bread and wine we mean their color, taste, weight, shape, and whatever else appears to the senses. The change of the entire substance of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ called Transubstantiation."

I believe.

One more thing: you had the option of receiving communion by kneeling at a communion rail at this church.

My Parish Church Looks Just Fine

I had dinner with two of my Catholic friends. These are practicing Catholic friends. One is very traditional, and one is somewhat traditional. They were talking about how some churches don't look like very traditional Gothic churches, mine included.

I like my parish church. Even if it is egg shaped, and the walls are cement blocks. I like that the stained glass windows are of a modern design. I like my church even if we sit on chairs and not pews. It's my church where many sacraments are celebrated. It's the church where I attend Mass and feel the presence of God. So what if it was built during the "worship center" phase of church architecture? Since when does the design make a place holy? That's my church where I celebrate with friends. It's where the Word of God is spoken. It's where I distribute Communion. It's where I pray with my Catholic community. It's where I hear the homily of my pastor. It's where I go for reconciliation. It's where I go every week to reset my spiritual gauge on catholicism. It's my church, and right now it's where I am invested.

Yes, I'm feeling defensive.

Statue, Scared, Starving Children

I hope St. Anthony overlooks the fact that I don't have a statue of him as I pray this novena. I fully expect it to work and am wondering who my faithful Catholic husband will be. Have I already met him? Or not?

The other day I did get scared at what changes would happen when this novena works. Then I remembered that changes sometimes require adjustments then everything is fine.

Today I did some volunteer work for an organization called Feed My Starving Children. It's a Christian organization, and after packaging the meals, we prayed.

St. Anthony Novena - It's International - I'm included

Here's the comment I left over at A Martha trying to be Mary blog. She is including me because of a comment I left on her previous entry.

Wow! I'm . . . I'm feeling wordless that I am included in the international novena to St. Anthony. I am grateful. Thank you for very much for including me. 


I feel a nice warmness come over me and not because it's 94 degrees where I am at right now. It's warmness from being included. Thank you again.

Maybe it's the Holy Spirit.

http://amarthatryingtobemary.blogspot.com/

St. Anthony - Find Me Please

I was just reading the blog A Martha trying to be Mary and learned that St. Anthony is the Padua is the patron saint of barren women and women seeking husbands (rather women seeking single man to be her husband). This is crucial information to my life.

Guess who is in search of a St. Anthony statue? ME.

Read the blog entry here.

Another Novena to St. Rita

I am day 7 into my second novena to St. Rita. I am praying for gainful employment (I don't have any), and romantic love - the kind of love that lasts.

Met with Delia

Hi,

I met with Delia for a game of Skip-Bo. We kept things light and avoided certain subjects. It was obvious that a lot of water went under the bridge.