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Internationas Mass Second Reading
"Internationas Mass Second Reading"

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September 2010
Poll

How did you become Catholic?


I was born into a Catholic family and was raised Catholic.

My family previously worshipped in another faith tradition but converted.

I chose to become Catholic as an adult through RCIA.

I am not Catholic.



Posted by LauraBa267
Votes: 193
Previous polls

Headlines

»Popemobile routes for UK visit highlight Catholic Church's history and future
London, England, Sep 7, 2010 / 08:10 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Organizers of the papal visit to England ...
»Papal Mass in Glasgow to use Latin, Vatican master of ceremonies says
Glasgow, United Kingdom, Sep 7, 2010 / 07:11 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI's master of cer ...
»Lay Catholics in Korea express commitment to evangelizing Asia
Rome, Italy, Sep 7, 2010 / 06:07 pm (CNA).- Participants of the laity congress taking place in Seou ...
»Archbishop Gomez celebrates God's gift of work on Labor Day
Los Angeles, Calif., Sep 7, 2010 / 03:01 pm (CNA).- In his Labor Day homily at Our Lady of the Ange ...
»Bolivian archbishop urges protection of children's rights
La Paz, Bolivia, Sep 7, 2010 / 02:04 pm (CNA).- Archbishop Tito Solari of Cochabamba in Bolivia has ...
»Archbishop encourages faithful to ask Blessed Mother's intercession
Barcelona, Spain, Sep 7, 2010 / 11:54 am (CNA).- The Archbishop of Barcelona, Cardinal Lluis Martin ...
»Stats on Catholic Church in Britain published ahead of papal visit
Vatican City, Sep 7, 2010 / 10:45 am (CNA/EWTN News).- As the United Kingdom prepares for Pope Bene ...
»First Dalit archbishop laid to rest, hailed as champion of the oppressed
Hyderabad, India, Sep 6, 2010 / 07:07 pm (CNA).- A massive crowd gathered in the city of Vijayawada ...
»Angel of Light Statue dedicated to Katrina volunteers
Bay St. Louis, Miss., Sep 6, 2010 / 01:11 pm (CNA).- Our Lady of the Gulf Parish said thanks to the ...
»Cardinal O'Brien accuses BBC of attempting to 'humiliate' Pope
London, England, Sep 6, 2010 / 09:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Cardinal Keith O'Brien, the senior Cathol ...

Date published: not known

»New gym for St. Joseph School
New gym for St. Joseph School
»Field-house addition completes KCHS capital campaign
Field-house addition completes KCHS capital campaign
»Pope: the key to peace is respect for humanity and all of creation
Pope: the key to peace is respect for humanity and all of creation
»Letters to the editor
Letters to the editor
»Continuing Christmas
Continuing Christmas
»Renew workshops scheduled
Renew workshops scheduled
»Meetings are a must
Meetings are a must
»Jan. 17 papal-honors ceremony set for Monsignor Humbrecht
Jan. 17 papal-honors ceremony set for Monsignor Humbrecht
»Two diocesan positions open
Two diocesan positions open
»Faith-formation classes set for 10
Faith-formation classes set for 10

Date published: not known

»Mon 6 September
»Tue 7 September

Date published: not known
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Fr. Michael explains the importance and sacredness of entering the sanctuary
Jim Wozniak, Thursday 14 January 2010 - 21:32:01 // comment: 0

Entrance points, both in terms of time and also in terms of space, carry a unique weight.  We know that culturally we mark the entrance into a new year in a celebratory way full of hope, expectations and promises.

Every January 1 we enter into a new and different space of time.  Also our entrance into a church should move us into a different space; in fact a sacred space.

This is why in Catholic churches entrances into the church proper are often unique architecturally (for example: large weighty doors, the use of stained glass and heavenly images). When we come into church we are not just entering another building, we are entering a sacred space which houses the encounter between God and the community in worship.


The entrance of a church should be constructed in such a way as to help each individual person entering make the body, mind, and soul transition needed from the busyness of our everyday and secular lives into the privileged and focused space and time of worship where the Word of God is proclaimed, the Body and Blood of Christ is made manifest and given and where heaven and earth unite.

Here at St. Mary Church, this act of transitioning to the sacred space of worship is enabled through the hall leading one from our gathering space with its sounds of welcome, laughter and fellowship to the large doors of the church proper.

We enter into the confined space of the hall with its focused movement and when we cross the threshold of the doors we are initially met with the baptismal font recalling our sacramental entrance into the life of Christian faith and then, behind that, the striking openness of our church!  It all opens before the one who enters with faith and humility – both physical and spiritual.

The awareness of the importance of transition into sacred space is what is behind recent decisions and actions of the parish Liturgy and Worship Committee. By keeping the doors of the church shut until the start of Mass, by encouraging the use of the gathering space before Mass as the proper location of welcome and fellowship and by encouraging an awareness of the church before Mass as a space for private prayer and reflection we are enhancing our parish community’s transition into the sacredness of worship and church.

Also, you will soon notice signs posted at the side entrances of our church encouraging parish members to enter the church through the main entrance.  It is certainly acceptable for parishioners having to deal with handicap issues and also our elderly parishioners to use these side doors when needed, but all other parishioners are asked to enter the church through the main entrance.  Again, this is to encourage and enable the full transition of body, mind and soul into sacred space.

Put bluntly, entering into church for worship is not the same as running in and out of a convenience store.  The practiced habit of entering through the main entrance allows all of who we are – body, mind and soul – to be engaged in worship and prayer. Similarly, leaving at the proper time (which means after the final procession and song) demonstrates our awareness and respect for the community in worship and our respect for our encounter with God in the liturgy.

Finally, the Art and Environment Committee will begin to make specific use of items in our hallway leading to the church (banners, displays, etc.) to help us make the transition into sacred space.

What occurs at church is utterly unique and important.  Church is the privileged place of encounter between God and the worshipping community.  Heaven and earth do unite in the church.  Entrance into church (both the physical entryway itself and our own action of entering) should reflect and express who we are as Christians, what we are about in worship and what we believe about church as sacred space.





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