Come to the Feast
A Teaching Catholic Mass St Ann Church March 26, 2017
What does a priest wear and why? Why do we sometimes say the Apostle's Creed and sometimes the Nicene Creed? What does 'Alleluia' mean?
Fr. Patrick Schultz of Communion of Saints Parish preached a one night Inter-Parish Mission at St Ann Church called "Come to the Feast." It was a "Teaching Mass" and Fr. Patrick explained many aspects of the Mass.
Fr. Patrick Schultz is a diocesan priest serving the Diocese of Cleveland. He was ordained in 2016 and serves as parochial vicar at Communion of Saints Parish in Cleveland Heights. He graduated from Borromeo College Seminary and John Carroll University with is BA in Philosophy in 2011, and St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in 2016 with an MA in Theology and a masters in Divinity. He loves being a priest and serving the people of God!
Fr. Patrick Schultz
In the introductory video, Father Patrick Schultz explains the idea of the Teaching Mass. He said, "The Second Vatican Council was convened as a missionary council not in order to modernize the Church but in order to Christify the world. The council fathers wanted the laity to participate "fully, consciously, and actively"ťin the Church's liturgy so that, having encountered the transformative power of the living God there, they would be empowered and enlivened to bring Christ to the world. That dream remains largely unrealized, and for many reasons.
The idea to celebrate a teaching mass flowed out of a desire to address this issue. We wanted to take the opportunity to teach our lay faithful the meaning behind the rituals and gestures that are so familiar and commonplace, so that, with new eyes and ears and with greater understanding, they could more easily encounter God who comes to meet them in the Mass.
NOTE: The images below with a white arrow in the middle are videos. You can click on the white arrow to watch the video of whatever is described. Make sure your speakers are on and you can make the video full screen once it begins by clicking the icon in the lower right corner.
Before Mass, Father Patrick explained why priests wear black with a white collar. He then put on and explained other vestments - the Alb, Cincture, Stole and Chasuble - that priests put on before Mass.
Why is there a Procession before Mass? In this video clip, Father Patrick explains how the entrance procession and song is a symbol of our journey through life.
As they reach the altar after the Procession, the priest kisses the altar. In this clip Father Patrick explains how the first masses were in the catacombs often above the graves or relics of saints so the priest kissed the altar. He then explained why we make the Sign of the Cross.
This short clip explains why we say "The Lord be with you." It is both an angelic greeting from Heaven but also a sign that something huge is about to happen.
Next, Father Patrick explains why we begin Mass by calling to mind and confessing our sins and weaknesses.
He then explains what Kyrie Eleison means.
Next, Father Patrick explained explains what the Collect is and what we should do during it.
Father Patrick explains how we shift into a posture of receptivity and active listening to the Liturgy of the Word. He explains the Lectionary and how it is a 3 year cycle covering almost the entire Bible. He then tells what it means when the lectors says "The Word of the Lord."
Father Patrick then spoke of the next posture change - standing for the Gospel. He explained why we say 'Alleluia" (Praise God) but not during Lent. He also told why we trace the cross on our head, lips and heart before the Gospel.
In his homily, Father Patrick told how we need to learn to see below the surface to fully understand God and our Catholic faith.
Next, Father Patrick explained why we sometimes say the Apostles' Creed and sometimes the Nicene Creed. He also explained the Arian heresy in relation to the Nicene Creed.
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Father Patrick explained the history of the Offertory collections and gave an interesting perspective on how this is a time to present your Guardian Angel with something to place on the altar.
Next, he explained the mixing of the water and the wine at the Offertory and the priest washing his hands.
Father Patrick told how the Preface sets up the Eucharistic prayers. He then explained the Sanctus (Holy, Holy Holy) and said to look for the calling down of the Holy Spirit before the Consecration. He stated that the bread and wine is not a symbol it becomes Jesus. "This is what makes us Catholic."
Father Patrick did not interrupt this most holy part of the Mass, the Consecration, with commentary.
After the congregation said the Lord's Prayer, Father Patrick told why we offer the sign of peace before receiving Communion.
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Fr. Patrick explained how Jesus is the Lamb of God and why we chant Lamb of God or Agnus Dei before receiving Communion.
Fr. Patrick explained why the priest breaks off a piece of the host. He then told how Jesus waits at the altar for his bride, the Church, to march down the aisle at Communion.
After Communion, Fr. Patrick explained how the priest purifies the vessels because every crumb is Jesus. He then told how we are like Mary at the Annunciation when reflecting after receiving Communion.
In this final video, Fr. Patrick explained how the Dismissal at the end of Mass is sending us, as tabernacles, out to the world. The congregation sang 'Lead me, Guide me'.
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This DVD is a Living Rosary in the sense that over 200 people participated in saying a prayer. 3 bishops, numerous priests and sisters and a variety of lay people all said a prayer (Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary or Glory Be) that when put together combine to form the complete Rosary.
All 4 Mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous) are included and there is an extra Decade for your special intentions.
We hope that this DVD inspires you to pray the Rosary more frequently. You can choose to view/pray a single Decade, a complete Mystery or all 4 Mysteries. The DVD includes a listing of all the Mysteries.
The Rosary is a great gift given to us by Our Blessed Mother.
