Greetings,
Happy Easter to Sisters, Family, and Friends! The Triduum was hosted by wonderful weather out here by the lake! I was grateful for the sunshine since my parents joined me Thursday afternoon and just left this morning. I didn't want them to see the city and campus in the dreary gray of springtime rain.
Thursday we attended Mass and it was packed! Since two parishes share a priest and an assistant, they combined the two for Holy Thursday. It was full to the choir loft! There was a full choir with bells and other instruments. The service was wonderful, but just not quite the same. I missed some of the music the Community uses on that night. Our Ubi Caritas chant is just much more where my heart is rather than the Ubi Caritas arrangement the parish used.
Friday, I drove my parents about the city. Dad took pictures as
I drove through the several level interchange system where the two expressways meet. We shopped at a local Catholic goods store and I discovered that not only are my purchases tax exempt there, I also get a religious discount! Then we drove along the lake to the sisters Motherhouse. There we met up with one of the sisters I live with and she gave us a wonderful tour of the chapel and old wood work in the motherhouse.
Good Friday Services were held at the other parish. The building itself is a large space with hard tile floors and a high open ceiling...it was freezing. My parents and I stayed in our jackets as did most of the parishoners with us. The lady next to my mother even left her driving gloves on! The services were good. One of the readers took his role in the Passion very seriously. His Pilot voice was harsh and gravely, mean and demanding...I had to chuckle just a little bit at the theatrics. The whole congregation processed down the middle aisle to reverence the cross. Even with restricting the people to a solemn bow before the cross, it took 7 songs before all had processed before the cross! This is a day for my favorite songs of old...and we didn't get to sing them! Instead there were things like "Jesus walked this lonesome valley, He had to walk it by himself..." Ah well...one more year!
We ended Good Friday by inviting the sisters out for "fish fry" with the family. My parents enjoyed the fish fry and getting to visit more with the Franciscans who have taken their daughter in. Mom 'thanked' them by bringing her travel massage table with her and each of the sisters got a full massage that night. All slept well! And the sisters are more than willing to invite my parents or at least my mom back.
Touring started early on Saturday. We drove down the lake side road so my parents could see the homes aka mansions that were built there. Then Dad and I stopped a local haunt for coffee
while Mom choose a homemade blueberry scone. We took our breakfast to the lake side and let the wind blow, took a few pictures, and gathered some rocks for the grandchildren. They loved seeing the old buildings there. Next, I took them out of the city to Holy Hill Basillica (Discaled Carmelite Monks). The Basillica is gorgeous! The Church is dedicated to Mary and all the windows tell her story in lovely pastels and lighter colors. The Rose window is the only one that uses the deeper tones and more vibrant colors. There was a side chapel to light candles and leave notes for prayer; Mom and Dad each filled out a slip for our family and friends who had been asking for prayer. Leaving the chapel, we looked at some of the Stations of the Cross the monks had built as large grottos. You can walk up the hill (over a half mile on a 50 plus degree grade) and pray the stations of the cross while winding your way up the hill to the chapel. Finally, we did a little shopping and headed back to the city.
Holy Saturday, I herded my parents into the car early so we could be to church a half-an-hour early. This service is usually packed at any parish I've attended. All the "easter bunnies" come out for the smells and bells as my Grandpa used to say. When Mass began, the was only about 2/3 of the parish filled...sad for such an active parish. This night there was a full choir, bells, horns, stringed instruments, and soloist cantors for each psalm response. The cantor for the Exodus "Horse and Chariot" really got into her music and it felt like we were watching the opera. Father had a wonderful homily about the women who went to attend to Jesus body. He said they allowed their heart to overcome their common sense. Their common sense kept asking who will roll away the stone? How will we get in to Jesus? But they kept walking to the grave to seek and serve him. It allowed for a very nice time of person reflection...do we allow our desire to seek God to direct our lives or do we rely on our common sense and let it overcome love?
Mom decided we needed to celebrate their last night in the city after Mass.
So, we went to Kopps and ordered some of their awsome cheeseburgers complete with home cured bacon! It was a great way to end a good weekend of visiting, touring, and celebrating together. Hope you liked this little peak into my Triduum! Now I need to catch up on the school work I didn't do!
Blessings,
Happy Easter to Sisters, Family, and Friends! The Triduum was hosted by wonderful weather out here by the lake! I was grateful for the sunshine since my parents joined me Thursday afternoon and just left this morning. I didn't want them to see the city and campus in the dreary gray of springtime rain.
Thursday we attended Mass and it was packed! Since two parishes share a priest and an assistant, they combined the two for Holy Thursday. It was full to the choir loft! There was a full choir with bells and other instruments. The service was wonderful, but just not quite the same. I missed some of the music the Community uses on that night. Our Ubi Caritas chant is just much more where my heart is rather than the Ubi Caritas arrangement the parish used.
Friday, I drove my parents about the city. Dad took pictures as
I drove through the several level interchange system where the two expressways meet. We shopped at a local Catholic goods store and I discovered that not only are my purchases tax exempt there, I also get a religious discount! Then we drove along the lake to the sisters Motherhouse. There we met up with one of the sisters I live with and she gave us a wonderful tour of the chapel and old wood work in the motherhouse.
Good Friday Services were held at the other parish. The building itself is a large space with hard tile floors and a high open ceiling...it was freezing. My parents and I stayed in our jackets as did most of the parishoners with us. The lady next to my mother even left her driving gloves on! The services were good. One of the readers took his role in the Passion very seriously. His Pilot voice was harsh and gravely, mean and demanding...I had to chuckle just a little bit at the theatrics. The whole congregation processed down the middle aisle to reverence the cross. Even with restricting the people to a solemn bow before the cross, it took 7 songs before all had processed before the cross! This is a day for my favorite songs of old...and we didn't get to sing them! Instead there were things like "Jesus walked this lonesome valley, He had to walk it by himself..." Ah well...one more year!
We ended Good Friday by inviting the sisters out for "fish fry" with the family. My parents enjoyed the fish fry and getting to visit more with the Franciscans who have taken their daughter in. Mom 'thanked' them by bringing her travel massage table with her and each of the sisters got a full massage that night. All slept well! And the sisters are more than willing to invite my parents or at least my mom back.
Touring started early on Saturday. We drove down the lake side road so my parents could see the homes aka mansions that were built there. Then Dad and I stopped a local haunt for coffee
while Mom choose a homemade blueberry scone. We took our breakfast to the lake side and let the wind blow, took a few pictures, and gathered some rocks for the grandchildren. They loved seeing the old buildings there. Next, I took them out of the city to Holy Hill Basillica (Discaled Carmelite Monks). The Basillica is gorgeous! The Church is dedicated to Mary and all the windows tell her story in lovely pastels and lighter colors. The Rose window is the only one that uses the deeper tones and more vibrant colors. There was a side chapel to light candles and leave notes for prayer; Mom and Dad each filled out a slip for our family and friends who had been asking for prayer. Leaving the chapel, we looked at some of the Stations of the Cross the monks had built as large grottos. You can walk up the hill (over a half mile on a 50 plus degree grade) and pray the stations of the cross while winding your way up the hill to the chapel. Finally, we did a little shopping and headed back to the city.Holy Saturday, I herded my parents into the car early so we could be to church a half-an-hour early. This service is usually packed at any parish I've attended. All the "easter bunnies" come out for the smells and bells as my Grandpa used to say. When Mass began, the was only about 2/3 of the parish filled...sad for such an active parish. This night there was a full choir, bells, horns, stringed instruments, and soloist cantors for each psalm response. The cantor for the Exodus "Horse and Chariot" really got into her music and it felt like we were watching the opera. Father had a wonderful homily about the women who went to attend to Jesus body. He said they allowed their heart to overcome their common sense. Their common sense kept asking who will roll away the stone? How will we get in to Jesus? But they kept walking to the grave to seek and serve him. It allowed for a very nice time of person reflection...do we allow our desire to seek God to direct our lives or do we rely on our common sense and let it overcome love?
Mom decided we needed to celebrate their last night in the city after Mass.
So, we went to Kopps and ordered some of their awsome cheeseburgers complete with home cured bacon! It was a great way to end a good weekend of visiting, touring, and celebrating together. Hope you liked this little peak into my Triduum! Now I need to catch up on the school work I didn't do!
Blessings,
1 comment:
I lived in Waterford, about 25 miles s.w. of Milwaukee before moving here in '99. I enjoyed your description. So glad you could show your parents Holy Hill. I miss going there. And Kopps---mm-mm-mm---I'd almost forgotten about that place. Happy Eastertide to you, and enjoy your studies too!
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