Sunday

Yesterday was pretty good. Leslie ended up coming to the 9:30 Mass this morning so that was cool to see her!I stayed to help Esther lead the rosary before the 11:45 Mass and then headed to work.
After work I went to Esther's house (we were going to watch Juno but their DVD player isn't working) and Lilia ended up coming later. I had a nice time just talking and being with Lilia and Esther

Some things happen for a reason

Last night I met up with Ruth, Esther, and Lilia at Hacienda (we saw Patti, Sean, and a few other people from Q of P there as well). When we were in the parking lot afterwards we said good-bye to Lilia and she headed off.
Ruth, Esther, and I talked for a while. I was finally able to give Esther the blanket I made for her birthday and she gave me a big hug and thanked me for it. What she said to me after that meant so much and let's just say that some things are meant to happen - I appreciate and love my friends more than ever!
I thank God for bringing them in my life!!

Easter Vigil

Yesterday around 4ish Ruth and I stopped by Diane Martin's house to visit. While we were there she made home-made pizza and invited us to eat dinner there - it was delicious!
After that we went to Family Dollar to buy stuff for some of the people that were coming into the Church later that evening. We parked in the Q of P parking lot and put together the arrangements and waited until a little after 8.
I saw Linda walking in to the choir room so I went and talked to her. She helped calm me down (I was feeling a bit nervous because I have never sponsored anyone before) and prayed for the sponsors and those entering the Church this night.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to sponsor someone - it was such an honor & everything went smoothly and of course we went to the reception afterwards.

Michael, Brianne, and Mike


Aaron and Laurie


Patti


Krystal, Brady, Kira, and Brianne (I was Krystal's sponsor & Brianne was Kira's godmother)


Brianne and Me


I hope everyone has a Blessed Easter! Now you can sing your "Alleluias" loud & strong :)

Good Friday

Good Friday - Nobody asked Him to go through with this but He loved us so much He wanted to! I love the Good Friday Service at St. Pius. If you go there, they have you off your shoes because we are walking on Sacred ground. It's always so wonderful to see the Church as packed as it is on this day! Last year I got there a half hour early and there was only one parking spot available (which I ended up getting, lol) - people had to park across the street. I love to see a Catholic Church that packed...of course it's normally pretty crowded, but especially during Lent, Holy Week, and Easter it's more packed than it normally is.

I leave you with this (this is what Good Friday is all about)

Holy Thursday and Explanation of the Easter Triduum

Today is Holy Thursday already -- the beginning of the Easter Triduum. Tonight I'm going to Mass for Holy Thursday -- which celebrates both the institution by Christ himself of the Eucharist and of the institution of the sacerdotal priesthood (as distinct from the 'priesthood of all believers'). For in this, His last supper with the disciples, a celebration of Passover, He is the self-offered Passover Victim, and every ordained priest to this day presents this same sacrifice, by Christ's authority and command, in exactly the same way. The Last Supper was also Christ's farewell to His assembled disciples, some of whom would betray, desert or deny Him before the sun rose again. -- the priest will, depending on how some priests want to do it, wash the feet of 12 people or have anyone get it done. This symbolizes Christ's washing the feet of the Apostles, the first priests. After Mass there is Eucharistic Adoration for anyone who wants to stay.
On Good Friday we have a service at, depending on the Church, noon or 1pm. Father Bob had a great explanation of what goes on that day in the videos I posted a couple posts before.
The entire Church fixes her gaze on the Cross at Calvary. Each member of the Church tries to understand at what cost Christ has won our redemption. In the solemn ceremonies of Good Friday, in the Adoration of the Cross, in the chanting of the 'Reproaches', in the reading of the Passion, and in receiving the pre-consecrated Host, we unite ourselves to our Savior, and we contemplate our own death to sin in the Death of our Lord.
The Church - stripped of its ornaments, the altar bare, and with the door of the empty tabernacle standing open - is as if in mourning. In the fourth century the Apostolic Constitutions described this day as a 'day of mourning, not a day of festive joy,' and this day was called the 'Pasch (passage) of the Crucifixion.'
The liturgical observance of this day of Christ's suffering, crucifixion and death evidently has been in existence from the earliest days of the Church. No Mass is celebrated on this day, but the service of Good Friday is called the Mass of the Presanctified because Communion (in the species of bread) which had already been consecrated on Holy Thursday is given to the people .

Traditionally, the organ is silent from Holy Thursday until the Alleluia at the Easter Vigil , as are all bells or other instruments, the only music during this period being unaccompanied chant.

The omission of the prayer of consecration deepens our sense of loss because Mass throughout the year reminds us of the Lord's triumph over death, the source of our joy and blessing. The desolate quality of the rites of this day reminds us of Christ's humiliation and suffering during his Passion. We can see that the parts of the Good Friday service correspond to the divisions of Mass:
- Liturgy of the Word - reading of the Passion.
- Intercessory prayers for the Church and the entire world, Christian and non-Christian.
- Veneration of the Cross
- Communion, or the 'Mass of the Pre-Sanctified
And of course Saturday is the Easter Vigil (which we celebrate with Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation) when those who have been preparing to join the Catholic Church finish their steps in becoming Catholic. This is always such a happy time =)

Chrism Mass

Last night Linda picked me up at the church around 6ish and from there we went to St. Matt's for practice.I went to the Chrism Mass with Carol last year but this year I decided to sing with the choir. It was a pretty neat experience. Linda, Shane, Cathy, and I (we're in choir at Q of P together) were the only ones from Q of P that sang.
It's always so nice when the priests renew their promises - what a loving sacrifice for them to serve as preists! I saw Fr. Dan, Fr. Bill Schooler, Fr. Bill Sullivan, Fr. Bob, Fr. Derrick, Fr. Terry Fisher, and (the newer preist) Fr. Kevin Bauman.
When it came time for Communion Fr. Dan ended up coming up to the choir loft with the Precious Blood. He realized he was on the wrong side so he had to go back down and come up the other way, ha. It was cool he was up there though.

Well today is the only day I don't have choir - so I have a free day! Tomorrow we practice; Thursday I work 8-1 and then we sing at the Holy Thursday Mass; Friday we're singing at the Good Friday service and then I work from 5 to close. We're singing for the Easter Vigil and then again on Easter Morning at 9:30
It'll be a busy week but a great week since it's Holy Week

Holy Week

I hope you all have a good Holy Week!
This is what it's all about:

Soup Supper, Stations, and Birthday

This afternoon Ruth and I helped prepare the soup and set up for the soup supper. The staff from Q of P was suppossed to be in charge of tonight's soup supper but Carol and Laurie were the only ones available and needed our help...so Ruth, Arlene, and I helped out.

After the soup supper we went to Stations of the Cross and afterwards I noticed Luke had tried calling me. I called him back and it turns out my parents wanted to go to Pizza King tonight to celebrate Luke's birthday a day early since they were going out of town.

Here are pictures from pizza king:

Dad and Luke


Mom and me


Luke putting the pizza in a box (he made this face on purpose)

Oh and tomorrow is Luke's birthday - Happy Birthday!