Today at noon there was a barage of students arriving in the church. In total, there were some 540 students from Marymount Accademy (MMA for short). Just days after the secular Thanksgiving holiday, this gathering furnished an occasion for the students to give thanks to God for the gifts they have received, even as they also recognized the challenge to be apostles to their friends as well as to strangers.
Perhaps the most surprised were those who gather for the daily Mass here, but the truth is that anyone is welcome to join us for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, and every occasion such as this is an opportunity to teach and to learn. Students willingly accepted the responsibility to proclaim the scriptures and some of the staff assisted with the distribution of communion.
These gatherings are also opportunities for the teachers (myself included) to learn. Observation allows us to perceive the need for additional catechesis, and also the opportunity to give praise for examples well set.
Since we are currently preparing for the introduction of the revised Roman Missal and the accompanying General Instruction, this was a perfect opportunity to invite the students to begin using some of the new responses (thanks to printed cards which are located in the pews). They willingly participated, even as they were obviously learning about the responses that are particular to weekend celebrations and Masses for Solemnities (of which today was neither), and those which are used for all Masses (including today's ferial observation).
Once this encounter had been completed, the students (and others who were present) continued along the road, back to their studies, back to their lives, all challenged to be apostles in today's world.
Perhaps the most surprised were those who gather for the daily Mass here, but the truth is that anyone is welcome to join us for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, and every occasion such as this is an opportunity to teach and to learn. Students willingly accepted the responsibility to proclaim the scriptures and some of the staff assisted with the distribution of communion.
These gatherings are also opportunities for the teachers (myself included) to learn. Observation allows us to perceive the need for additional catechesis, and also the opportunity to give praise for examples well set.
Since we are currently preparing for the introduction of the revised Roman Missal and the accompanying General Instruction, this was a perfect opportunity to invite the students to begin using some of the new responses (thanks to printed cards which are located in the pews). They willingly participated, even as they were obviously learning about the responses that are particular to weekend celebrations and Masses for Solemnities (of which today was neither), and those which are used for all Masses (including today's ferial observation).
Once this encounter had been completed, the students (and others who were present) continued along the road, back to their studies, back to their lives, all challenged to be apostles in today's world.
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