aeternus

I have been much delayed in telling a little story… my heartfelt excuses to those who have been waiting patiently for me to write!

A few weeks ago I was invited by a dear friend, who happens to also fall under the beloved title of my “novena secretary”, to make a pilgrimage to her little town.  It seems the faithful of this town, Quincy, Illinois have been making so many petitions to our Lord that He heard their cry and has awarded them a great blessing.  While I do not know the whole entire history I have now seen the fruits of their prayerful labor.

The former parish of St. Rose of Lima (a most beautiful, beautiful church) which had been a parish closed and dismantled has now been resurrected. (Who said that such things could never happen!)

The Bishop has given the parish back to the people under the careful watch of a priest from the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter who will live at the rectory and offer the Traditional Latin Mass.  In preparation for the new priest coming the entire church had to be “reassembled” as everything from the Stations of the Cross to all statuary and sacramentals had long left the premises.  However, the faithful assembled and their labors have proof in the splendor of a church re-invigorated and decorated with beauty.  It was a very happy and holy pleasure to kneel at the newly created altar rail and upon the plush white kneeler cushion.  How beautiful it is to receive the Lord humbly upon ones knees.  Certainly we are so very undeserving such a gift as the Eucharist but where would our poor souls be without it!  To kneel during reception of this gift is a posture most fitting a soul whose disposition of thanksgiving and gratitude is burning within them.  Amen! that this practice (which is how I received my first communion) is to be experienced again for the faithful at St. Rose of Lima!

For those who have not heard of The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, their website says they are “a Clerical Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical right, that is, a community of Roman Catholic priests who do not take religious vows, but who work together for a common mission in the world.  The mission of the Fraternity is two-fold:  first, the formation and sanctification of priests in the cadre of the traditional liturgy of the Roman rite, and secondly, the pastoral deployment of the priests in the service of the Church.”

I am so very happy for the people of Quincy to have such an opportunity to worship and pray in the traditional form at St. Rose of Lima church.  On the first Wednesday of their newly designated noontime daily mass schedule I counted over 60 prayerful souls in attendance.  Most daily masses I have attended are lucky to have half that number present.  I think this assembly is off to a great start for sure and I pray for their success of growth and love in His name.  I also thank my novena secretary for inviting me to pilgrimage to her town.  I was so very happy to travel with another good soul who provided me with much appreciated spiritual talk and prayer on our 3 hour trek North of St. Louis.  I was happy also to see the shrine built to Our Lady in the back yard of her rural home.  Blessed be her talented husband who created this beautiful stone grotto in the open fields.  If there is ever an earthquake one could easily take shelter in its sturdy construction!

Enjoy the photos…