In our regional parishes we have begun our Advent Communal Penance Services this evening. We gathered at Saint Agnes Church for dinner and Reconciliation. The dinner was (and always are) great, which is one of the best (and worse) parts of our gathering. I know - no one is forcing us to eat - but if it is offered ... well.
I have said this before. It is an awesome experience of trust and faith lived and expressed by those seeking reconciliation - faith in the healing mercy and love of God and trust in the Church's unworthy ministers. I come away exhausted, but truly blest.
We have three more evenings, with Monday being at our place. I have already shared in four other penitential services (for First Penance) - here for our youngsters, twice at Saint Agnes, our neighbor, and once at Saint Pius in Mt.. Pleasant.
May the Lord continue to guide us toward reconciliation with him and with the Church.
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I celebrated the funeral of a good parishioner, Mary Ann Germuska, this morning. She was much loved and respected, and the numbers in church demonstrated that fact.
A translation observation: I used the prayers of Form B for Outside Easter Time, and found this strange wording in the Collect "give, we pray, to your servant N., for whom we perform the fraternal offices of burial". There are many beautiful thoughts expressed in the collects, like in the alternate Collect for that Mass "O God, who have set a limit to this present life, so as to open up an entry into eternity" ... "you may command the name of N. to be inscribed in the book of life", but there are some strange ones as well.
May the Lord grant Mary Ann eternal rest.
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