St. John Paul II- Transfiguration Detroit

On Friday, I attended the celebration of the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua at Transfiguration church. 

St. Anthony Bread was handed out, songs were sung, a lesson on St. Anthony was given and we took time to write our requests on slips of paper that were brought before a shrine. 

And the homily from the Mass has stayed with me

"Never be afraid to ask for help."

Saint Patrick's - Detroit

Before Mass even started the parishoners of St. Patrick's came over one by one and greeted me. There was a feeling of being at a very gregarious family reunion and indeed once I thought about it that's exactly the right feeling. Mass (church) is a family reunion of sorts. We gather as members of the human family, as coheirs and members of the one body to offer up praise to The Lord, our God. Indeed, Mass often feels like a family reunion because we are one family. For over two thousand years we have called to one another as Brothers and Sisters in Christ. 

Being part of the family requires more than just showing up at the reunion and we must be ready to help. At St. Patrick's when the musician couldn't make it to Mass several parishoners stepped up to lead us in song. Other parishoners were ready to help set up th chairs for Mass. And afterwards, we all pitched in to put the chairs away. What a family! 

With great shock I learned that St. Patrick's faces closure. 

Sacred Heart - Detroit

The Year of Faith journey continues with a visit to Sacred Heart church in Detroit. 

Let your Yes mean Yes and your No mean No. 

As Christians we are called to live a life of sincerity. The homily this Sunday at Sacred Heart was based on the day's Gospel reading that provides us with the first step in living a truly sincere life. Like most teachings of The Lord the words are simple. And like most teachings of our Lord, the practice of the words is difficult. 

The Lord said:

Let your Yes mean Yes and your No mean No 

Perhaps sincerity starts with being honest in what we say and being honest in how we feel. What does Jesus's saying mean to you? 

 I'm thinking about taking these words with me on my upcoming Lenten journey. 

Saint Cunegunda - Detroit

The Year of Faith journey continues with a visit to Saint Cunegunda on Detroit's Westside.

I knew I was at a historically Polish parish when the Christmas songs being sung in what I thought was Latin were in fact being sung in Polish. Even as a Catholic, a command of Latin has never been one of my strengths. 

We were gathered to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. I was only half listening to the homily, I was distracted by the interior of the church, when the priest asked what we were doing to protect families. Oh great!, I thought to myself, a lecture on same sex marriage was in store. My ears perked up as I suspected I may have been the only LGBT Catholic in the church and thought all eyes would soon be upon me. 

Instead, the priest asked what are we doing to help the hungry family, the homeless family, the refugee family, the shattered family. What are we doing to help the human family. The Holy Family on a night in Bethlehem had no one to help them. Joseph and Mary wandered from inn to inn looking for a place to stay as she was in labor. The Family found no help and settled into a lowly stable to deliver our Savior into this world. 

We reflected on the uncertainty the Family must have felt that night alone in a stable. How many families in our world face uncertainty and hunger and war? and what are we doing to help? 

Saint Jude Detroit

Visiting Catholic houses of worship during the Year of Faith

The Year of Faith is winding down and I have yet to accomplish my goal of visiting each Catholic church in Detroit. Accomplishing goals takes time and I am beginning to realize that the Year of Faith is more than just dates on a calendar. 

Behind the alter at Saint Jude church is a piece of art with depictions of modern day saints. Reflecting on this after Mass I have come to realize that the Spirit continues to move among our modern world. God is a living God and His graces continue to touch our lives in many ways. 

Modern day saints. The Holy Spirit continues to fill our lives with the graces of God.

Can you identify each of the persons depicted in the stained glass window?

Soul Psalms - Celebrating Black Catholic History

Year of Faith Detour-
Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament
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Our church is truly universal and we must celebrate this! Catholics come from all races and walks of life and together as one body we bring gifts that strengthen our faith. Soul Psalms was a joyous celebration of Black Catholic history complete with Afrocentric music and a full choir. But it was so much more than just singing and psalms. That evening the Body of Christ lifted its voice to heaven like incense before the alter of God and amidst shouts of joy the Spirit was present among us.

Some links:

Mi Catholic

AOD- Black Catholics

National Black Catholic Congress

Nativity of Our Lord Detroit

A Year of Faith Journey to Detroit's places of Catholic worship.
Nativity of Our Lord Church.

We Are Here to Stay! proclaims a sign at the front of Nativity church. Recalling the East side neighborhood I just drove through, the sign has a powerful meaning.

Our Christian faith, the universal church, has endured for over 2,000 years. Neighborhoods may crumble, membership may dwindle, wars may destroy and yet the church endures.  The church is more than just a sum of the earthly parts. Ours is a church that exists here on earth and in Heaven. While cities rise and fall, and loved ones pass from the face of the earth our Church and God's love endures. With tears of lamentation or with shouts of joy the Body of Christ continues to proclaim the Good News. Our church continues, ever ancient, ever new.

The sign at Nativity church sums up the whole of Church history, we are here to stay

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Saints Peter and Paul West Side Detroit

A Year of Faith Journey to the Catholic worship sites of Detroit


Near the end of the homily the priest at Saints Peter and Paul began the first of his "Things we forgot about the Catholic faith" lessons. Using a copy of the Baltimore Catechism, an updated version he assured us, he began with the first of the Ten Commandments.  You Shall Worship the Lord Your God and Him Only Shall You Serve

So often, the priest instructed, we let the gods of our disposable culture come between us and loving God or come between us and loving our neighbor. The priest rattled off a familiar list of false gods; mindless consumption, the drive to buy more and more. Loss of value and worth for all we consume and discard. When was the last time you repaired something? Obsessions with gossip, celebrity or personal power. And then a jolt as the priest mentioned one final obstacle, one final false god. Are we too busy comparing ourselves to others, he asked.

Are we too busy comparing ourselves to others? Are we too concerned how others perceive us. Could this really prevent us from having a relationship with God? We paused to reflect on our own disruptions.

It has been many years since the catechism classes of my youth and a refresher course is certainly needed.  Perhaps I should mention these weekly lessons at Sts. Peter and Paul to my parish priest. Maybe we could organize a weeknight class for adult Catholics to learn anew what makes our faith so rich and beautiful. A Catholic should reflect on what we believe and why, for it will certainly bring us closer to God. The priest at Sts. Peter and Paul understands this and with a few minutes taken at the end of each homily to teach our faith he is strengthening that love.

When was the last time you read a book about Catholicism? Perhaps this is a good week to select one from your library or bookstore. A beautiful feature of our faith is the wealth of writing available to us. From the ancient Christians writers to those of the present, we are a religion that loves to write!

Suggestions

The Mass: The Glory, The Mystery, The Tradition

Consuming the Word: The New Testament and The Eucharist in the Early Church

The Bad Catholics Guide to Good Living

Fearing the Stigmata (very funny and touching)

The Bible

Confessions- Saint Augustine

Sacred Heart Chapel at Marygrove College Detroit

-A Year of Faith Journey- A pilgrimage to the Catholic worship spaces of Detroit

Sing to the Lord a new song

Sing to the Lord, praise his name

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High

Praise Him with trumpet sound

Praise Him with string and pipe

From the Psalms to the Acts of Apostles where Paul and Silas sing hymns of praise, the bible is filled with references to joyous song.
Acts of the Apostles
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them

At Sacred Heart Chapel, the organ filled the worship space with layer upon layer of sound. It was music with no beginning or end, like the angels singing continuous praise around God's throne. Voices lifted praise towards heaven and mixed with sounds of the organ. It was a moment that plays out at Catholic churches the world over. And here in the Gothic style chapel it felt medieval, for a brief moment I closed my eyes and was transported to a soaring cathedral in old Europe. 

Catholicism is filled with song and music. The ancient church sang in times of happiness and in times of sorrow, just as we sing today and we bible mentions the angels singing praise to God.

Song is both heavenly and earthly and ties both places together. We join with the voices of Heaven and sing praise to God.

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My Year of Faith journey will continue!

Holy Family Church Detroit

"Increase our faith."-Luke

So often, like the apostles, we yearn for a deeper and stronger faith. Our world is full of violence, sadness, and loss that can erode faith. When a loved dies, when a child dies, and when war strips compassion from the earth we find reason to lose faith.

What will increase our faith? Perhaps a set of rules. Perhaps fasting or attending daily prayer service? Or certainly some sign from God, since surely it is God's responsibility to increase our faith.

Or is it our responsibility? And how do we measure faith? Maybe sometimes we need to lose faith in order to increase in faith.

On a rainy Sunday morning in downtown Detroit I pondered this homily message at Holy Family Church. All through the Latin Mass I struggled to keep up, always a few moments behind in the kneeling and standing. When it was time for the readings and homily I felt relief since it was back to English. 

Faith can be a struggle and the struggle is part of being Christian. We can follow all the rules, fast and pray and still struggle in faith. During the homily the priest explained that we must open ourselves to grace and open ourselves to God so that we may increase in faith.

And there lies the challenge.

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Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament - Detroit

My Year of Faith journey continues with a visit to the Cathedral.

I thought I would conclude my Year of Faith pilgrimage with Mass at the Cathedral. Instead, with quite a few more churches to visit, I participated in a tranquil Saturday morning Mass. Tucked away in the side chapel of the immense stone structure, a good number of worshipers had gathered on a brisk weekend morning. I could see the immensity of the central worship space between the delicate stonework making up one side of the chapel and the Mass began and ended with a song.

 During the homily the priest reflected on the presence of God in the Eucharist and then he paused and sat, allowing us to meditate on this.

Nestled below soaring stone arches and columns I reflected on this awesome truth. God is present in the Eucharist. In silence with other believers I contemplated the awesomeness of that presence. On a quiet Saturday morning in the Cathedral I found myself humbled.

SS. Andrew and Benedict Detroit

Living Votive

All eyes were upon me as I entered SS. Andrew and Benedict on a Monday morning. It's easy to spot the newcomer at weekday Mass since those attending are usually a tight knit group. Greeted by smiles from the parishioners, I was looking for a place to sit when  I spotted St. Dominic smiling at me from a church window. Then, a certain brightness filled the church as our prayers and smiles blazed like candles.


And then during Mass, as we prayed for parishioners and loved ones, the priest said that we are all "living votive candles". And now days later I keep reflecting on those words; living votive candles. The priest explained that we light votive candles so our prayers continue to be offered up as the candle burns. As a living votive our prayers never cease since we are like candles burning before the alter of God.  And like the flame of a votive candle our prayer brings light to the world.

I realized why it was so bright inside SS Andrew and Benedict. The church was blazing with the light of living votive flames. And here lies the challenge I have pondered in the days following Mass. How do we as Christians become living votive candles that light the world?