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Contents © 2002
by Jim Holman.
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ST. AMBROSE, WEST HOLLYWOOD

Many Processions

St. Ambrose Church, at 1281 N. Fairfax Avenue in West Hollywood, holds a certain amount of sentimental value for me. In my boyhood, it shared with Blessed Sacrament and Christ the King co-sponsorship of Boy Scout Troop 363; all of us Catholic Scouts in the Hollywood area would attend Mass at Saint Ambrose for Scout Sunday. But the last time I had set foot in the place was a decade ago.

My visit on December 2, the First Sunday in Advent, would reveal both what the ensuing ten years had done to St. Ambrose, and allow me to observe the latest liturgical changes the cardinal has ordered, in keeping with his interest in what archdiocesan spokesman Tod Tamberg has called the "trifles of Catholic worship." In the interior, the picture of the Trinity, showing Father, Son, and Holy Ghost surrounded by angels, had ten years ago been sadly neglected -- it was literally pealing off the wall. It has been beautifully restored. At the same time, the brass communion rail has been torn out. While the mensa of the altar was gone, and a freestanding table put in its place, the tabernacle remained where it was. Its central location, however, remained unnoticed, as there were never any genuflections on the part of the sanctuary crew; there were, however, any number of nods in the tabernacle's general direction.

The bulletin contained the rubrics of the cardinal's Mass alteration. Under the heading, "The Communion Procession," it read: "Beginning today, the communion procession will begin in the BACK of the Church. In order to facilitate this transition, we ask those in the front to wait until those coming from further back have passed you." A second section, likewise, marked "Communion Procession," elaborated further: "When you get to the front and are the second person in line to receive, a reverence such as a bow is made. As you receive communion your 'Amen' gives assent to the Christ you are receiving. The procession continues as you return to your place. All remain standing and singing until all have received. Our standing together is a very strong sign of our unity in Christ." The section marked, "The Preparation of the Altar and Presentation of the Gifts," informed the reader that "beginning today, you will notice that the cloth for the altar will be put in place as the altar is prepared for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Sharp eyes will also notice that the gifts of the community -- bread, wine, and financial contributions -- will be taken to the altar. This is done to emphasize the role that the members of the Assembly have in the Eucharistic celebration."

The 10 a.m. crowd filled about half the church, and was primarily middle-aged to elderly Anglos. Before the proceedings got underway a number of groups of elderly women chatted amicably and loudly among themselves.

First, the cantor, a young man in a turtleneck sweater came out, and led us in the "Synod Prayer"; we asked God's help to become more ourselves within our several cultures, or something to that effect. The cantor instructed us to bow to the Gospel book as it passed by.

The sanctuary party, made up of Father Brian Doran, two little female candle bearers, an adult black crucifetrix who doubled as mistress of ceremonies, and a young boy with incense boat (the latter four all in albs) made their way up the aisle. After the altar party posted the candles and nodded to the crucifix with the risen Savior, Father Doran went over to the left side of the altar, and blessed the Advent wreath.

The "Lord Have Mercy" was sung, and a lectoress mounted the pulpit and read from Isaiah, and then returned to her pew. The cantor re-appeared and led us in the responsorial psalm. Then a lector in a power suit emerged from the audience, took his place, and in a most impressive voice read Romans 13:11-14, which concludes: "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and as for the flesh, take no thought for its lust."

As the choir, mounted in the choir loft, sang the Alleluia, the boat boy (now turned thurifer) and the priest, lectionary in hand, processed down the middle of the nave and turning round, processed back the way he came, returning to the pulpit. Father Doran then read the day's Gospel, St. Matthew 24:37-44, which speaks of the last days being like those of the days of Noah.

In his homily, Father remarked that at the death of George Harrison, we discovered what a deeply spiritual man the former Beatle was; this was something the priest said he had not known, having associated Harrison with the excesses of the 60s. He quoted him approvingly as saying, "everything else can wait except the search for God." Father then pointed out that life is often like that. We rarely know people until their funerals, when we learn unexpected facts about them. He warned us that Jesus should not be surprised at our deaths by our good deeds. They should be public enough so that He will already know about them.

The newly revised offertory procession was made up of a young man carrying the cash basket, and two elderly ladies bringing up the bread and the wine. Father Doran used Eucharistic Prayer II, elevating the Precious Blood in a sort of glass iced tea pitcher (although he did put some in a small glass goblet). Five pieces of assorted stemware were placed on the table and filled, while six extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist rose from the audience and took their places.

At the communion "procession," the choir sang Rory Cooney's "Bread of Life," which assures us that "I myself am the bread of life, you and I are the bread of life, taken and blessed, broken and shared by Christ, that the world may live. Here is God's kingdom, given to us as food, this is our body, this is our blood; a living sign of God in Christ."

Most received in the hand, having processed, as the cardinal commands, from the back of the church to the front. A few holdouts, however, instead of standing, knelt after receiving communion. Communion concluded, Fr. Doran told us that the Gay and Lesbian evening prayer service would be at 7 p.m., and that all were welcome.

The incense boat was left behind, and the boat boy was transformed into a crucifer. Thus altered, the sanctuary party recessed after making a nod to the tabernacle. The choir continued to sing; at their conclusion, the remaining congregants applauded. As the people left the church, I was surprised to note a woman with two poodles. I had not noticed them during Mass; they had been very well behaved. The patio to the right of the church featured plentiful coffee and doughnuts.

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