ROAMIN'
CATHOLIC
By Charles A. Coulombe
ARTICLES
LETTERS
NEWS
Contents © 1997
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.
Worship to a Bossa Nova Beat
AT HOLY FAMILY IN GLENDALE
Holy Family church, at Lomita and Louise in Glendale, is a beautiful church, inside and out. While the mensa part of the old altar has been separated from its body and brought forward, the tabernacle remains enthroned in the center. Parts of the altar rail remain, as do the stunning stations of the cross--enormous dioramas in plaster. There are large and lovely statues, including one of Our Lady.Just prior to the 11 a.m. Mass which I attended on Sunday, September 7, I saw Monsignor Arthur J. Lirette in the sanctuary wearing a black-with-red-piping monsignor's zucchetto, something not seen too often today. As the congregation (a mix of Asians and Latinos with mostly older Anglos) filed in (many genuflecting), a young cleric made a brief appearance. Bearded and pony-tailed, he wore a cassock and clutched a Roman priest's hat.
Upon leaving the sanctuary, Monsignor Lirette turned to the tabernacle and -- looked at it. He then went on his way. Then came the cantor, who genuflected, and then looked through his notes at the lectern. At that moment, a pigeon swooped down from the ceiling of the sanctuary. All through the Mass, the pigeon would continue to fly through the air, sailing up to the large baroque crucifix over the altar as if to gaze upon it, but never perching there. The cantor exhorted us to introduce ourselves to those around us, which lead to a riot of handshaking.
The choir dexterously executed the wide range of styles the appointed music required of them. The opening hymn was sprightly, all about the beauties of nature. The celebrant, Fr. Stanislaus Paul, a native of India, bowed to the tabernacle as the procession came in. Then followed a remarkable "Kyrie," sung in Greek, to a slow measured tone.
At the reading of the epistle (this Sunday, a reading from St. James'), the lector -- an older gentleman in a Palm Beach suit -- inserted "and sisters," both times the Apostle exhorted "my brothers."
Next came the Gospel, in which Jesus heals the deaf. Fr. Paul began the sermon by telling us that there is a difference bewteen the "Messianic miracles" and all others--those of the Saints, for example. Messianic miracles have a greater significance than simply the healing at hand: they are intended to get our attention, to make us listen -- listen to the Word of God.
Fr. Paul went on to explain that the Word of God is not only the Scriptures. Father declared: "The Word of God comes to us in two ways: through Scipture and ... through Personal Experience." He went on to say that the miracles call us to "be silent, and listen to our inner experience." His words were punctuated by the flight of the pigeon.
We recited the Creed. The offertory hymn was the bright and cheery "Canticle of the Sun." The Sanctus was an upbeat number from the "Mass of Creation."
As the last strains of the Sanctus died away, Father recited the Second Eucharistic Prayer, and elevated the oversize host. When he elevated it and the chalice, he genuflected to both. As might be expected from so happy a community, the Handshake of Peace was long and vigorous. The Great Action finished, an army of people charged the sanctuary. Half the column took up their posts on the right, the others on the left. As it turned out, this horde was made up of Eucharistic ministers. Chalicefuls of Precious Blood were distributed to the ones on the right, what appeared to be ashtraysful of hosts to those on the left. During the communion procession a Bossa Nova was played, reinforced by the use of wood blocks.
After the blessing, the choir struck up "Holy, Holy, Holy," and the sanctuary party made their recession. After the song was finished, the cantor thanked us all, and received in turn a round of applause.