Friday, April 25, 2014

Br Peter's invitation: Ordination is coming!!



Dear Friends and Family,
 
I would be delighted for you to join me in my ordination to the priesthood in San Francisco this May 31. If you are coming from a long distance, we have limited accommodations at St. Albert's Priory. Please contact me (pjohannahop at gmail dot com) and I can inform you of possible space.

There will be a light reception following the ceremony at St. Dominic's, and then a luncheon on the back lawn of St. Albert's Priory beginning at 2pm. In addition to the mass attendance RSVP (on the main invite), please let me know by e-mail or phone if you intend to join us for the 2pm reception.

I am truly indebted to all of you for your support and prayers through the years. In this vein, it is a tradition for newly ordained Catholic priests to offer "masses of thanksgiving" at places that have spiritually formed them. Below is my current list of such masses/celebrations. You are invited to attend, according to desire (and geography!), any of them:

St. Albert's Priory, Oakland, CA June 1st, 9:30a 7th Sunday Easter
Carmel Mission Basilica, Carmel, CA June 7th, 5:30p Vigil of Pentecost
1st Presbyterian Church, Monterey, CA June 8th, 9a & 10:30a Pentecost
                                ("Thanksgiving Sermon")
Santa Catalina Chapel, Monterey, CA June 10th, 10a (Weekday Mass)
Holy Family Cathedral, Anchorage, AK June 15th, Holy Trinity Sunday
               9:30a (English)
               4:00p (Dominican Rite Missa Cantata)
St. Mary's Parish, Annapolis, MD June 19th, 8a (Weekday Mass)
Corpus Christi Monastery, Menlo Park, CA June 29th, 8a Solemnity of Sts. Peter & Paul

Chapter puts up new cross on Good Friday


On Good Friday, Mr Paul O'Leary OP brought out a team of volunteers to erect the steel cross which had been built for us.  The cross stands 12' above ground and is constructed from square box steel. It should stand much longer than our previous wooden crosses, which seemed to last about 2-3 years each.  This one was anchored with about a half ton of cement.


 
The day was gorgeous, the very earth bursting forth with new life in anticipation of our Lord's resurrection!



The cross against the skyline... a view we should see for many years to come!

 
 
Many thanks to Stephanie DeNinno for arranging for the cross to be built, and to Paul O'Leary who arranged for its delivery and installation!


Next item: The Bl. Margaret of Castello life-size statue is taking shape under the careful hands of sculptor Michael Dente.  Michael has a long history of sculpting for the Western Dominican Province; notably the statue of St Dominic which is at the Dominican Cemetery in Benicia, California.  It is fitting that Little Margaret will be here in our little Dominican cemetery in Idaho!