Go see "For Greater Glory"

For Greater Glory, a supurb movie about the Cristero war in the 1920s in Mexico, opens tomorrow in US theaters. In Mexico it rivals Titanic at the box office. Little known history of persecution of the church in  modern Mexico, it is instructive and should be seen!

for more information, see http://www.forgreaterglory.com/

Cross of Remembrance taking shape!

Yesterday, on Memorial Day, prioress Mrs Kathleen Schuck OP arranged for a group of folks to come out with a trencher to cut the outline of the Cross of Remembrance Memorial Garden in the ground at our Homedale Chapter House. This project will contain 1000 small crosses to commemorate babies lost before birth. Joe Spurgeon of Colorado was visiting and came out to help:

Here's a shot the gives an idea of the size. The cross is 75 feet long and 50 feet across.

Here's a shot of Mrs Gayle Boyer OP helping Joe with the stones which will form the outline of the cross. There is to be a 5 foot wide brick walkway around the cross, and the interior will be infilled with white gravel.

For more information, see page 29 in the March edition of the Lay Dominican Newsletter, Truth Be Told (click here), or the online order page (click here).

Addendum on the missing altars, from the cathedral in Lake Charles LA

Here is a email to a Dr Markey of Portland, a PhD historian who took an interest and made inquiry about the Boise Cathedral altar oddessy history.

Dr. Markey,

My name is Morris LeBleu and I am the Director of Communications for the Diocese of Lake Charles. I was forwarded your e-mail which included questions about the altars in our Cathedral church.

Here is a short explanation contained in a pamphlet about the structure.

The three Gothic altars were installed in 1923 and were originally housed in the Salt Lake City Cathedral. The Cent4ral altar is dominated by a statue of the Blessed Virgin under the title of Immaculate Conception. In the four niches, two at either side, are statues of the Evangelists: St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John. These four statues are of Carrara statuary marble from Italy, the same type of pure marble Michelangelo used in his works.

The south chapel is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the north chapel to St. Joseph. The altrs of plain Carrara marble as is the surrounding flooring in the sanctuary.

The back story, as I understand it, is that a resident of Lake Charles was related to someone in the Diocese of Salt Lake City and may have had an "in" with the Bishop there. The altars and other various accoutrements were stored in a warehouse at the time and a deal was struck to send it to Lake Charles. It arrived in pieces on railroad cars but there were no directions as to how the pieces should fit together. A local stonemason, whose family remains in the business to this day, was called upon to figure out the 'puzzle'.

The church building (that would become the Cathedral of the Diocese of Lake Charles in 1980) was completed and dedicated in 1913, three years after a devastating fire destroyed the previous church, school, and convent as well as a nearly all of the other buildings in the community. It was, at the time, considered one of the finest examples of Lombardy Romanesque architecture in the United States and was dedicated by Archbishop James Blenk of New Orleans. The Cathedral will celebrate its centennial next year.

The church parish was founded in 1869, then named St. Francis de Sales, and responsible for Catholics in a 5,000 square mile area of Southwest Louisiana. In 1927 the church was solemnly consecrated to the Immaculate Conception.

Work is being done now by volunteers at the Cathedral on a more in depth history of the parish and the church. You may wish to contact the Cathedral directly - 337-436-7251 - if you wish any further information. Also, there could be further clarifications to the story on the altars about which I have not been made aware.

Thank you and God bless you.

Morris J. LeBleu
Director of Communications
Diocese of Lake Charles
411 Iris Street
Lake Charles, LA 70601

Episcopal ordination in Bend underway

The episcopal ordination of Fr Liam Cary is just getting underway in Bend.

watch it live here:
http://www.livestream.com/bishopordination

The deacons and priests enter; here's our beloved Fr Andrew!

The bishops

including Cardinal George, who is the former archbishop of Portland.

Bishop Vasa is in there somewhere, as is the Apostolic Nuncio

The gloria was sung in Latin. beautifully!

Bishop Vlazny chanted the introit, in English. He has a beautiful voice!

Bishops Vlazny, Vasa, and Skylstad come to thr fore while the choir sings Veni Creator Spiritus

The apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Vigano, reads the order from the Holy Father

Bishop designate, his excellency Liam Cary (on right)

examination

 

prostration during the litany

The principal and then all bishops lay hands

The book of the gospels is held over his head




while Archibishop Vlazny sings the prayer of ordination

then we have the annointing with sacred chrism

and then the ring, mitre, and crozier.

The mitre chosen by Bishop Cary is an "Ambrosian mitre"

Then the new Bishop is seated in the cathedra

Today is the birthday of Blessed John Paul II

post-abortion grief captured by sculpture

Read the article at LifeSite News: Young Slovakian sculptor captures post-abortion pain, mercy and forgiveness by Dan Zeidler

Open Letter to Georgetown University

Sign the petition to Georgetown University asking them to rescind the invitation to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to address graduates at the commencement ceremonies of the Georgetown Public Policy Institute on May 18. do it here:http://catholicsforunity.com/

Boise's missing altars found

Recently I posted about the high altar which was built for the Cathedral in Boise but went to Utah instead (Got off the train in the wrong city), and followed that with a post about the missing side altars Boise's missing altar(s). now, "wbbruchhaus", an otherwise anonymous commenter, has posted the answer to the mystery!

Boise's main and side altars, originally diverted to Salt Lake City, in 1917 were shipped to the diocese of Lake Charles, LA, where they are currently serving at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception! Here's a picture that shows the high altar:

And here's a picture that shows one of the side altars:

This picture gives a better appreciation for the size of the high altar. Taken during a Pontifical High Mass in the usus antiquior, celebrated by Bishop Provost, Dec 26, 2010. (Beaumont Enterprise, link)

So, "wbbruchhaus", a sincere thank you for providing the links!

Two made solemn vows on Saturday

On Sunday, Brothers Corwin Low OP and Peter Hannah OP made their solemn vows to Fr Mark Padrez OP, prior provincial of the Western Dominican Province. Previously under temporary vows as students, these solemn vows make them Dominicans for eternity; way to go, guys!

To see a lovely slideshow of the vows which took place at St Dominic's in San Francisco, click here