Showing posts with label Maryknoll Centenary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maryknoll Centenary. Show all posts

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Things to be thankful for

Yesterday about 20 Maryknollers gathered around the Celtic Cross at the top of our cemetery for a brief (thank God, it was freezing!) ceremony to honor the many deceased Maryknoll veterans. Fr. John Kaserow lead the service that included singing "O God, Our Help in Ages Past." Every year, twice a year, Br. Kevin Dargan does a great job making sure each veteran's grave has a marker and flag.

Fr. Ed Dougherty, superior general, announced via email to all the members that the cause for canonization for one of our founders, Bishop James A. Walsh, has (finally) been officially opened. Why there was a delay of more than ten months (It was supposed to have opened last January) was not divulged. We conspiracy theorists are left to our overactive imaginations to speculate as to why Rome is now more receptive to things Maryknoll.

Catholic New York (The archdiocesan newspaper) did two very excellent pieces (an editorial and the entire center spread) on our Centennial. If I can figure out how to post their URL (weblink) I will do so.

Three evergreens will be planted in loving memory of our three founders: Bishops James A. Walsh, Fr. Thomas F. Price and Sister Mary Joseph Rogers. The two for the Fathers & Brothers will most likely be planted on either side of our main chapel. The site for the Sisters' tree is to be announced.

To symbolize the transition from our Centenary to that of the Sisters', the Maryknoll Processional Cross, containing relics from each Founder as well as from deceased Lay Missioner Joe Honnerkamp, will be brought over to the Mother House following the closing liturgy on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12.

Listen carefully for the HUGE collective sigh of relief as the Centenary of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers comes to a close.

(Now, where were we in our discussions about the ambo????)

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Joncas "Our Father" now on YouTube

With the wonderful technical assistance of Ms. Emily Ruiz in the interactive media section of our Mission Education and Promotion Department, I have created a video reflection for the "Our Father" from the Missa ad Gentes, composed by J. Michael Joncas for our Centenary.

You can view it here or, hopefully, by clicking the appropriate icon on the right of this message.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoYzSvC0iQI

This is the fifth track from the Mass that has been uploaded to YouTube. Once the "Sanctus" is finished, we hope to make a DVD available on this and other websites.

Friday, June 24, 2011

A gathering of (gray and balding) eagles

Reports I've heard from some who attended the Mission Institute confirmed my contention that many of us Maryknollers are still stubbornly stuck in the 1970s and 1980s. This has a direct bearing on our vocation recruitment efforts, as it may blind us to where the Church in the States and its young people actually are, as opposed to where we think they ought to be. Yet again we seem to show more flexibility and acceptance of other religions than we do of variations in Roman Catholicism.

Things are happening fast and furious as Jubilee Weekend and our 100th anniversary approaches. Jubilarians have gathered the past few days, necessitating a move for the daily Mass from the Lady chapel to the Queen of Apostles chapel.

Our grounds crew and physical plant are doing great work to spruce up this place and set up flooring, round tables and chairs to accommodate 800+ expected Sunday and 350 on Wednesday.

New, reinforced-roof tents went up. These have weathered the torrential rains we've been having. The weather for Sunday promises to be sunny but if the ground hasn't drained off completely by then, Plan B is to give our guests a real mission experience of planting rice in the quadrangle.

The flags of all the countries where Maryknoll has ever worked will grace our upper quadrangle. The physical plant has creatively hit upon a way to display the flags without permanently affixing flag holders to the pillars: removable clamps.

Many thanks to Br. Kevin Dargan, Fr. Tom McDonnell, Fr. Joe LaMar and moi for selecting vintage photos from our archives for display in the dining room. Ms. Roberta Savage of our art department printed these and Kevin, assisted by Brother candidate Glen D'Angelo and Seminarian Jonathan Hill framed them nicely.

A huge, red Centenary banner to be draped from our tower throughout the coming year has to await the grommets (I never heard of them, either) to connect it by way of a cherry-picker to the supporting cables. Given the thunderstorms we've been having, such a delay is prudent.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I'm BAAAck! (A quick update!)

Contrary to nothing, no, I haven't been silenced. Rather, I have been
A) Away on a ten-day cruise to the southern Caribbean and therefore incommunicado from the goings on here at the Knoll
B) Crazy busy with last minute details for today's official Centennial Opening Liturgy
C) Exhausted

D) All the above!

Now that we have successfully completed the liturgy and I have napped all afternoon, I can once again take up my blogging duties!

Let's start with today and work backwards. About 400 attended the opening Mass (with at least 65 concelebrant priests in the sanctuary, wearing the new stoles Fr. Joy Tajonera was kind enough to physically deliver from the Philippines!)

The service was preceded by the enhance of all 42 flags of the places Maryknollers have served over the last century. Fr. Bob Jalbert announced the country and year as each flag was carried up the main aisle, then set in special stands at the outside end of each pew. The timpani dramatically accentuated the tempo. More than one person expressed surprise at how emotional the scene was.

Then the liturgical procession entered from the back with Fr. Joe LaMar in the role of thurifer, Br. Kevin Dargan carrying the Maryknoll cross (containing the relics of Frs.Walsh & Price, Br. Tom McCann and Maryknoll Lay Missioner Joe Honerkamp.) Deacon Rodrigo Ulloa-Chavarry bore the Book of the Gospels to the altar.

The entrance hymn was the Glory to God from the Missa ad Gentes. The Choir (of about some 40 Sisters, Fathers, employees and neighbors) was superbly directed once again by Ms. Lucille Naughton. In addition to timpani, other orchestration included violin, electric cello, trumpets, coronets, flute and kanga, which are like bongos on steroids.

Fr. Ed Doughtery was main celebrant and gave a real barn-burner of a homily. Yes, it may have been 30+ minutes long, but it was well written, well delivered and well received. I shall post it in the near future.

BTW, the entire celebration was broadcast to the men in St.T's by our own Channel 15, thanks to the able camera work of Ms. Kathy Brophy and Ms. Maureen Touhey in the control room. Overflow crowd in the Spellman Room was able to watch on a huge screen. Since they got to see close-ups, they in fact got a better view of things. Former Maryknoll lay missioner Mr. Mike Lavery who works for the archdiocesan communications department has been hired to video all three Centennial Masses.

After the Mass, everyone was invited to a wonderful luncheon of chicken cordon blue and roast vegetable ravioli. The Maryknollers and outside guests went to the dining room and Founders Room; Maryknoll employees dined in the Asia/Africa Rooms. Our people from Sodexo really outdid themselves both with food preparation and presentation.

Among the guests was a delegation from St. Paul's Korean parish in Queens, including the mother of Fr. Alphonso Kim. They presented Maryknoll with a lovely Korean statue of Our Lady. The Ossining Fire Chief also presented Maryknoll with a beautiful plaque honoring our 100 years in mission. Fr. Dougherty has suggested getting a special display case for these and other tributes.

As my fatigue once again creeps up on me, I shall end today's post with acknowledging those Maryknollers who came from afar to be with us today: Fr. Jerry O'Connor, from Korea; Fr. Jim Najmowski, from China; Fr. John Sivalon, from University of Scranton; Fr. Joe McCabe, from Rockville Centre; and the aforementioned Fr. Joy Tajonera, from Taiwan and Rev. Mr. Rodeo Ulloa-Chavarry, from Chicago.

TTYS

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Mid July Bits of Liturgical Tid

Greetings from a sweltering Maryknoll.

My hiatus (no, not a hernia) in blogging stems from multiple reasons. Mostly not much exciting to report. Other times I may be away from the Knoll or am actually busy working (rarely, to be sure). More often then not there are REALLY juicy tidbits that prudence, one of my weakest virtues, forbids me from posting. That being said, in recent days I have gleaned some interesting snippets to share.

The Liturgy Subcommittee for Maryknoll's Centenary, of which I am co-chair with U.S. regional Superior Fr. Mike Duggan, has selected January 25, 2011 to formally open festivities.

Why this date? Early December is taken up with rehearsals and performance for the annual Advent/Christmas concert, usually the second Friday. That leaves precious little time to prepare for an opening liturgy in which we will introduce the Missa ad Gentes, composed by Michael Joncas of "On Eagle's Wings" fame for our 100th. Christmas-New Years is down and away time at Maryknoll. Towards the end of January, we have on January 25 the Solemnity of the Conversion of St. Paul, with various themes all of which virtually SCREAM Maryknoll. so there it is.

This will be followed by a joint day of reflection with the other Maryknoll entities.

Our Subcommittee is entrusted in preparing three such liturgies: one at the beginning; THE 100th Foundation Day on June 29; and a closing Mass sometime either in December 2011 or January of 2012 during which we shift gears to focus on the 100th of the Maryknoll Sisters.

According to Br. Kevin Dargan, Maryknoll's answer to Google, this is slightly misleading since that would be the centenary of the Teresians, the lay women secretaries of the early years who did not receive their canonical "recognition" (here's an example of my prudence kicking in) to become the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic until 1921. But hey, Brothers mark their time in Maryknoll from their first oath, so who are we to quibble? Besides, Hawaii has every right to celebrate the Fourth of July along with the original 13 States.

Also marking their 35th anniversary this year are the Maryknoll Lay Missioners, with Archbishop Timothy Dolan presiding at the Mass in our main chapel on August 28.

I have much more to share but you could not bear it now. Check back in about 12 hours.