Monday, April 18, 2005

Church Dating-St. Agnes & St. Casimir

My wife, (the fair Penelope) and I have been church dating. So far we're liking the Catholic churches. Part of what we want is a nice building, although we'd go see and hear the visiting Priest from yesterday's Mass at St. Casimir on a park bench, in the rain. (Well, I'd go in the rain, Penny melts.) It's pointless to replay here any words of his ...not a sermon really, though it was on in that time slot. " Christ as the shepard, the flocks, those who entering over the fence come only to kill or destroy; the lineage of Pope's, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Presbyters..." He was solid. And Polish, with an undifficult accent like good bread. Older ladies spoke Polish with him, and they hugged one another in the doorway. Nothing abstract, nor preachy in that man.

Two weeks ago at St. Agnes almost two hours of traditional Latin mass. (Well, they did play the entire Schubert Mass in A Flat; Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C, BWV 546; and Bach's Concerto IV in C, BWV 594) . Orchestral literature was sung by the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale. Professional musicians made up the (small) orchestra. And the singing was inspired. After a while it seemed almost too much of a good thing. Or it became a performance, changing me into a spectator in an audience, rather than a participant in the Mass. (Not that I really knew the Latin responses. ) It was all new to us, incense, bow, walk, incence, bow, hand-offs of books, stand, sit, incense. (I'm sorry to say this, as I like frankincense, but the smoke aggravated my cold. I missed two days of work. No mind though.) I suppose St. Agnes for us might have been like a first drink, and we picked the 200 proof and the big glass. Still, this tradition has lasted these past hundred of years. We were unable to attend, but the following Tuesday evening, April 12th, there was a Mass for the repose of the soul of John Paul, (the Great). And Mozart's Requiem Mass. I'm sorry we missed.

Has anyone else has begun church-dating following the recent turbulence and deaths in the national consciousness? I like to believe the urges we feel are widespread.

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