Faith, Fruit and Flowers

Today is the culmination of our parish's patron saint, Our Lady of the Assumption. Check your catechism for further details on the significance. It has been very interesting and downright fun celebrating with our friends and neighbors here. Today, Monday, the church was packed, at noon, for the 2 hour mass. In the morning, artisans were cutting patterns from cardboard, then laying a flowered carpet in colored sawdust the length of the front walk from street to church. The church is filled with flowers, including 10 baskets hanging from the ceiling and another, bigger,from the center of the church, out of which extend blue and white huge sweeping banners.

The Eucharistic ministers, usually in sober navy skirts or pants and white shirts today were gala in white with aqua flowers. The choir all had matching light blue shirts. The whole floor was covered in aromatic herbs and leaves, that gave out a lovely perfume when stepped on. We had two priests and one deacon, a big choir, and about 8 acolytes, resplendent in navy suits and red shirts.

As mass began, the triumphant procession arrived with Mary on the litter, standing with arms raised, no more "sleeping in death", the band outside began to play with loud enthusiasm, the choir, inside, launched a more solemn churchly song,(at the same time) and the procession moved majestically into the church as louder than ever fireworks went off without ceasing and bells rang. Saintly pandemonium.

During the Offertory a long line of folks brought up baskets of fruit, several months' supply of hosts, some of the baskets were so big it took two adults to carry them. At the end of mass, the care of the parish for the year was handed over from the last "mayordomo" to the new one, with their wives and all the major players in keeping the parish going were recognized with praise and applause.

Then this evening, the bishop arrives for a Confirmation Mass. Wow! Four masses in 2 days. I'm feeling positively saintly!