52 Masses

One of the really neat aspects of the pilgrimage I’ve undertaken is to encounter things truly new to me. My visit to Atlanta in late August was just such an experience. For the first time, though not the last, I experienced the Liturgy in a parish outside the Roman Catholic tradition.

St. John Chrysostom is part of the Melkite Church, an Eastern church with roots in Greece, Syria, Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East that is in communion with the Holy See. I was invited by Father John to the parish, where I enjoyed Orthos (the prayer service) and Divine Liturgy, followed by lunch and the opportunity to meet many of the parishioners.

It was an enlightening experience, one that serves as a reminder of the breadth and diversity of our Catholic faith.

For the architectural buffs among my readers, it’s worth noting that the church building was once the mansion of Coca Cola Company Founder Asa Candler. I’d say now it’s closer to the Real Thing.

The ceiling above the sanctuary.

This past week was the first time I’ve been on the road for an extended period, venturing across the south over the course of nine days. I’m just now playing catch up.

My visit started in Alabama, in the river town of Tallassee. The parish there is St. Vincent de Paul, though that’s not where I spent the Vigil Mass.

Each Saturday in the summer, SVdP moves its Vigil Mass to the Church in the Pines, a nondenominational outdoor structure located just a few feet from Lake Martin. Vacationers, boaters and other summer sorts take a break from their leisurely activities to worship.

My experience featured virtually all of the elements of the outdoor Mass setting, beginning in the sweltering heat of an August day in Alabama, watching the darkening clouds behind Father Mateusz Rudzik while thunder rumbled in the distance, feeling the spray of the blowing rain when it finally broke through, then watching the skies clear again for a beautiful sunset.

Tomorrow morning, Thursday, Aug. 19, I’ll be featured for about 10-12 minutes on a radio station in Kansas City. I had a nice conversation with host Ken Billinger yesterday, to be broadcast between 7:35 and 7:50 a.m. Thursday on his program.

He’s also welcomed me to come back periodically to update him on the trip.

Here’s the link below if you’d like to listen live. And many thanks to Ken for reaching out to me to set this up.

https://streamdb8web.securenetsystems.net/v5/CRN3&embedOpened=true&embedOpenedApp=song&embedOpenedSong=Get%20Out%20Now%20-%2060&embedOpenedArtist=Regnery%20Publishing&embedOpenedAlbum=

The first day of August took me to Dexter, Michigan, eventually to the right location.

I headed up early in the morning, plugging St. Joseph into my phone. I arrived at about 20 after 8, giving me enough time to patrol the grounds and snap some photos before Mass. By 8:30, it dawned on me there was no way Mass was taking place there at 9 a.m., given the complete absence of any other human beings. I was at the Village Church, which is still home to daily Masses but gives way to the Country Church on Sundays.

I hightailed it a few miles east (I think) to the new facility. As you’ll see from the photos, each church is beautiful in its own way. I guess that’s always the case.

I had a nice morning at St. Joseph, meeting a host of parishioners after the 9 and 11 a.m. Masses, while enjoying lunch with a handful of folks from the parish’s music ministry. All in all, a satisfying trip.

I’m be back on the road at the end of the month, hitting up three parishes in the South. I pray the COVID surge there, and everywhere, is on the wane by then.

The Country Church

It’s been a long three weeks, but I’m finally getting back on the road this weekend. I’m heading to Cabot, Arkansas, to worship at St. John the Baptist.

St. John the Baptist serves as the Latin Mass parish for the Diocese of Little Rock, with all services being performed in the form. I’ll be writing about the appeal of the form to those Catholics who prefer it.

This won’t be my first Latin Mass. When my oldest son, Ian, graduated from Johns Hopkins, I woke up early on graduation day to take in a daily Mass at National Shrine of St. Alphonsus Liguori, which just happened to be sitting across the street from our hotel. Here are a few photos of that beautiful church, once home to St. John Neumann.