Anniversary Mass Video...

A Busy Week...

I have completed the move back home. For good. This past week has been busy with moving my things, celebrating the Solemn Mass at St. Martin's for my tenth anniversary, hosting my friend Fr. John from Minnesota, and reacquainting myself with my home city. It is slowly sinking in that I am back for good.

The Mass last Thursday for the anniversary was quite memorable. Many friends and family members were there, the Mass was very well done, the music (also very well done) added to it's beauty, and it was great to spend time at the reception afterwards with all my guests. I will remember it fondly for a long time to come. A great way to mark ten years!

Here's some pics:
































A group of my soon-to-be parishioners at the reception after Mass:

Graduation Weekend...

Wrapping things up here in Washington. Graduation was yesterday, the family has been here for the past few days, and I am trying to pack my things for the drive back home on Tuesday (it's amazing how much junk one can accumulate in three years...). Here's a few shots of the weekend activities:

JCL: Mission Accomplished...

Many thanks to everyone for your prayers and encouragement. I took my comprehensive exam yesterday morning, and have now completed my studies. Believe it or not, the letters "JCL" now belong after my name. I pray that I will be able to use it for the good of the Church. As for the human side of things, the sense of relief is only beginning to set in. Comps and the thesis are two things that have loomed large over me for the past three years - sometimes seeming like insurmountable hurdles. Now it's time to reflect back on how wonderful the past three years have been, to enjoy this last week in Washington with my classmates before graduation on May 14, and get ready for the flurry of activities when I return home to Louisville.

The now-published thesis:

Comprehensive Exam...

Put in a good word for me, would you? 8:30am on Friday I will be taking my comprehensive exam. Three professors and me in a classroom for one hour and everything is fair game. Yikes...

St. Raymond of Penafort, Ora Pro Nobis.

Blessed John Paul II

For those interested in reviewing the legislation governing the process leading to canonization - Divinus perfectionis Magister - it may be found in the back of your 1983 Code or HERE.

Wow...

Check out this video from the tornado that hit northern Alabama a couple days ago. This guy is very lucky...

Episcopal Motto...

With the announcement this morning that another of our priests from Louisville is being made a bishop, the talk at the house here this evening turned episcopal. Specifically, what would be some of the great (ok, the not-so-great) episcopal mottos that could be chosen? (For those of you who are unaware, a bishop usually chooses a favorite quote from scripture - usually from one of the psalms or gospels - to serve as a motto; a kind of theme for their episcopate)

Knowing the sense of humor of most of us here at the house - and apologizing in advance for it - here's what we came up with as a proposed list of great (i.e., not so great!) episcopal mottos:

"Do Whatever He Tells You"
"Behold Your King"
"This Is My Beloved Son, In Whom I Am Well Pleased"
"Surely There Will Be A Stench"
"Jesus Wept"

A Weekend in Beantown...

It was a "bucket list" item: to attend a game at Fenway. Check that one off the list. This past weekend I took the chance to hop on an Amtrak train and head up to Boston with some good friends here at the house: Br. Jim and Fr. John. Br. Jim is a Capuchin who was assigned in Boston before returning to the university to obtain his doctorate in canon law. He has connections... in particular, a source for Red Sox tickets and a place to stay in Boston. Br. Jim knows EVERYBODY up there, including Cardinal O'Malley, the archbishop of Boston, who we had dinner with on Saturday night. Oh yeah, and the Sam Adams brewery is a block and a half away. This was a great weekend.

Skyline of New York:

A Random Train Shot:

On the Train w/ Br. Jim:

Fenway:

Chowder Vendor ("Chowda Venda") in the Stands:

Old Seats of Fenway:

The Guys Before the Game (Fr. Charles, Br. Jim, Fr. John):

Yawkey Way Outside the Park:

Sam Adams Brewery Tour:

Thesis: Mission Accomplished...

I can hardly believe it: the thesis is done. After many, many, MANY revisions, my director and reader both signed off on the project this afternoon. An historical and canonical investigation into the Sunday Mass obligation. Chapter four contains a survey of the question: "can a Catholic fulfill his Sunday Mass obligation at a chapel of the SSPX?" I lay out both arguments (pro and con) and then make an argument of my own as to why one cannot. It's amazing all that is involved in dealing with this question: canon 1248 concerning the Sunday obligation, canon 209 concerning the obligation to maintain communion with the Church, canon 11 concerning canonical sanctions only affecting those in full communion, canon 844 concerning communicatio in sacris, canon 28 of the Eastern Code concerning the definition of "Catholic rite," etc. etc. It was an interesting (albeit a long) exercise.

The Thesis is Approved:

Assignment...

OK, I alluded to it in the last post. It's official. I received my letter of appointment from the Archbishop last week and it was announced at the parishes this weekend.

As you know, I'm coming to the end of what has been a very interesting three years. It's been a great time studying canon law, living in Washington, DC (yes, I said it. I sure wouldn't want to live the rest of my life in this crazy town, but it's a fun place sometimes...), and being a student. I've made a lot of great friends up here: classmates, guys who live in the house here, and my professors. I'm going to miss our dinner conversations here at the house. With guys studying everything from canon law to moral theology to ancient languages to philosophy, the conversations can range from the idiotic to the sublime. While I could have done with a little less paper writing and other school work, I've often thought that when I make it to 70, I'm going to look back on these three years and remember them as a great time. While I'm looking forward to the future, I'm also leaving some great memories behind here.

Allright, no more suspense. I've been assigned as pastor of St. Francis Xavier in Mt. Washington, KY, and All Saints in Taylorsville, KY. The effective date is June 22. I am really pleased with the assignment. Both parishes have wonderful reputations; faithful people who are dedicated to the Church. I've already received several nice e-mails from parishioners welcoming me. I can't wait to get home and begin the assignment. The parishes are about twenty or so miles south of Louisville. I'll have additional responsibilities at the tribunal (putting my JCL degree to work), as well as continuing to celebrate the Extraordinary Form Mass in Louisville. No pastor has only one job nowadays - and my plate will be plenty full - but after three years as a student I'm ready to get back into the life of being a parish priest. If I've learned anything these past three years (other than a healthy dose of canon law), it's that my heart lies in a parish.

The Parish Website is HERE.

All Saints Parish, Taylorsville:


St. Francis Xavier Parish, Mt. Washington:

Next Month...

A lot of things are going to be taking place in my life in the next month or so: I'm just about ready to submit a thesis to my reader, I'm finishing the last classes of my (illustrious) canon law schooling, taking (and hopefully passing) my comprehensive exams, returning home in time to celebrate my tenth anniversary with a solemn high Mass at my home parish, vesting Deacon Matthew Hardesty at his priesthood ordination and preaching his Mass of thanksgiving, and beginning a new assignment (official announcement coming soon...).

The choir at the home parish has been very gracious in accommodating my demanding requests of music for the anniversary Mass. Here's a sampling of the pieces they have agreed to sing for the Mass:

For the offertory


Communion



The Solemn "Te Deum" will be chanted at the end of Mass


The Recessional

List This Under Something I'll Do One of These Days: the Chartres Pilgrimage...

One of these days I'm going to make this pilgrimage. A walk of about 75 miles over three days from Notre Dame in Paris to the Cathedral in Chartres. Along the way Masses are offered (in the "Extraordinary Form") and confessions are heard at various stations. The pilgrimage culminates with a Solemn Mass celebrated at Chartres. First made in the 12th century, interrupted from time to time, but more or less an annual event for 800 years. Check out the website (in English) HERE. Check out some pictures below:

Video of Pope Benedict's Ordination to the Priesthood...

Some video of the future Pope Benedict's ordination to the priesthood in 1951 in Freising. Amongst those also ordained that day was his brother, Georg Ratzinger. Too bad there is no audio.

Cherry Blossoms at Sunrise...

A group of us made the trek downtown this morning to catch sunrise over the tidal basin and the famous cherry trees, which were predicted to be at their peak today. It was a beautiful (if albeit early) start to the day. I snapped a few pictures with the cell phone: