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by Jim Holman.
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BLESSED SACRAMENT

A Solemn Dedication

By Charles A. Coulombe

On Friday, June 7, 2002, I attended Mass for the Feast of the Sacred Heart at Blessed Sacrament Church, 6657 Sunset Boulevard, in Hollywood. The 8 p.m. liturgy promised to be more than just another feast day Mass. On the one hand, Father Frank Parrish, S.J., former director of the Apostleship of Prayer in the archdiocese, would be celebrating his 60th Jubilee as a priest. For another, the Mass would be celebrated by Cardinal Roger Mahony.

The Apostleship of Prayer was founded in 1844 by a group of Jesuit seminarians at Vals, France. Its members offer their prayer, study, work, recreation, and annoyances, in union with Christ's sacrifice as renewed in the Mass, to advance the work of the missions at home and abroad. For many years, the Apostleship of Prayer was a very popular group, aimed especially at devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus; older folks will remember the group's monthly leaflets in church vestibules.

But Father Parrish's work did not stop there. As a long-time chaplain for the Catholic Boy Scouts in Los Angeles, Father Parrish was well known to all of us in that program during the 1960s and 70s. A fairly large contingent of scouts was present at the Mass, from whom the altar boys had been recruited. Father Parrish was also involved with the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

There was, however, another and greater significance to the Mass. On the same feast, in 1952, Archbishop James Francis McIntyre (not to receive the red hat until the next year) solemnly consecrated his archdiocese of Los Angeles to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Now, a half-century later, Cardinal Roger Mahony was to do the same.

Despite the solemnity and importance of the occasion, publicity was apparently limited to a curt calendar entry in the Tidings, the archdiocesan paper. As it was, despite the turnout from the scouts, the Apostleship of Prayer, the Legion of Mary, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, and the Knights of Columbus, the large barocco church was only about two thirds filled.

Prior to Mass, Cardinal Mahony was in the sanctuary chatting with another priest; then, leaving to vest, he genuflected to the tabernacle. Meanwhile, a group of about 40 Knights of Columbus, in full uniform, drew themselves up at the entrance to the nave, as did the choir (from St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle church in Granada Hills.) This group commenced the procession, followed by a large contingent of clerics, altar boys (one of whom was crucifer), and at last, the cardinal himself. The sanctuary party took their places, and the cardinal bowed to the tabernacle. (Throughout the rest of the Mass, he would bow, not genuflect, toward the tabernacle.) He then incensed the altar.

After the procession had ended, Father Parrish, old and infirm (he is 94), but in an audible voice, declared his joy at the proceedings and his gratitude toward the cardinal and the various groups who attended. He asked God's blessing upon us all. The Greek Kyrie was sung, and the readings were given by a scout leader in uniform. The cardinal himself read the Gospel and then delivered his homily.

Cardinal Mahony assured us of God's unconditional love for us all and said that we have to show that love to others. He said that promises (presumably Our Lord's to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque regarding those devoted to His Sacred Heart) and formulas were a helpful beginning, but love is what is important. Throughout the homily, he mentioned the Sacred Heart a few times. His Eminence then solemnly consecrated this archdiocese and city, its institutions of all sorts, its people, and its clergy, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The offertory was done according to the book, and the cardinal, after bowing (either to the bread and wine, or to the congregation) censed the gifts. The thurible was passed to another cleric, in accord with ancient custom, and the congregation censed. Cardinal Mahony used Eucharistic Prayer III, and at the consecration, the Knights (in accord with longstanding custom) lifted their hats in salute to Our Lord. At the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer, the congregation sang the Our Father, to the old melody. The Agnus Dei was initially sung in Latin; but the second verse began with the Spanish, Cordero de Dios, but again reverted to the Latin -- qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. The words "Lamb of God" were chanted in similar fashion in various languages -- Tagalog, Vietnamese, and a number of others which I did not recognize, to the total number of ten -- after which the last verse was sung again in Latin, with the concluding invocation, dona nobis pacem.

The choir sang Panis Angelicus, while the congregation processed to communion. The procession was somewhat complicated by the fact that, while some attempted to process up, front row first, others (more in accord with cardinal's liturgical directives) tried to start from the rear. The result was a bit confusing, but I was privileged to receive from the hands of the cardinal himself. There were no extraordinary eucharistic ministers, the sacred action being performed entirely by the plentiful clerical personnel.

The pontifical blessing given, the sanctuary party, choir, and Knights of Columbus recessed to God Bless America. Applause was thunderous, and we all had the chance to congratulate Father Parrish individually.

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