Corpus Christi- The actual procession

After much running around and exclaiming "O God" and "God is Good" the procession finally starts, with the altar boys and the clergy processing to the altar stage.

Here is the MC leading the Nuncio and his priest assistants.

The Nuncio ascends the altar steps with a bit of difficulty, but he finally manages to get to the altar without falling down.

The blessed sacrament is exposed. This year I made sure that his Excellency's zuchetto was off before Jesus was exposed. Archbishop ordinary unfortunately left his on last year and people actually picked up on it!

The Blessed sacrament is in motion to begin the procession.This year we had a flanking guard of 6 torch bearers!

We had two thurifers, two MCs, 6 torch bearer, 1 mitre bearer, 2 acolytes , a crucifer, two priest assistants, 1 priest in Choir and an Apostolic Nuncio! As mentioned before, this year we made sure that the Nuncio's skull cap was off!
Unfortunately Fr Jordan could not wrangle up for the nuncio a crosier, which in a way was good because our crosier bearer did not make it to the procession.
about 3/4 of the procession the Nuncio, understandably was tired, so he switched with one of the assistant priests. His excellency then moved to walk behind the blessed sacrament and the MC took the assistant priests place as cope holder. I wished that we had at least 2 deacons come for the procession, it sure would have been great to have the whole range of holy orders!
After the procession reached the altar again, we had the litany of the sacred heart which was lead by the priest to the right and then a gospel was proclaimed by the priest to the left. It was quite unstatisfying to see a bishop just sit by himself on a plastic chair, but unfortunately we didn't really have time to set up a throne flanked by two chairs. Also i don't think it is possible to obtain those mobile thrones of the old mass anymore?

His excellency preach a ripper of a sermon on the true presence.

After the sermon, we sung tantum ergo and moved straight into benediction.
The torch bearers line up for benediction.
Trumpets and bells sounded as the Nuncio gave triple benediction with the blessed sacrament.After benediction the divine praises were said, one of the assistant priests reposed the blessed sacrament and the recessional hymn was sung. There were about 17 servers and priest , if my memory serves me correctly, only 3 priest from the actual archdiocese came.I'd personally like to thank, his excellency Amborse De Pauli the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia for presiding over the procession and for being so receptive of such a young MC. The Nuncio really is a holy bishop, a great asset to the church!
Corpus Christi was a great success, also people were not confused with a change in the order of procession. I'd like to thank the servers, for showing up on time and getting their respective Jobs done. At such a big event as this, the time for the servers to show up at 12 is not a big ask and is quite reasonable, 1 hr to get everything ready, 30 min to establish positions and practice and 30 minutes to fix what ever Satan has tired to do!

Corpus Christi- Prep for Procession

Here we have a few photo's my photographer took of the preparation for the actual procession.
The above photo is of the two MCs Davo and my self discussing with the servers that actually turned up on time what needed to be done.

Here is one server from the local polish parish and myself vesting by my mobile base of vestments and gear.

I had the great privilege of greeting the priests and informing them of their roles. Here is Fr Merlino OFM cap the priest who does the first Friday vigils, Father took the time to slow me down and told me that I was running around like a lunatic trying to get everything ready.

There is even a photo of me, flying!

Corpus Christi- Mass with the nuncio

I told you there would be lots of good photos from the procession! so many that I need two whole posts for them. First off we have the nuncio's pontifical low mass, with me as his assistant! It was done on a constructed and converted altar stage.

Here the servers process out with the Nuncio

Here are the opening rites, we had a lot of microphone trouble so no one really heard the opening rites!Here his excellency sits for the readings. Unfortunately i couldn't find him a nice throne like chair, so we had to settle for a crappy plastic chair not befitting his excellency, but he was okay with it.

We were scarce for resources, so we had to use a pillow as a missal stand and I flanked his excellency with a microphone, whilst at the same time assisting with the missal.His excellency celebrated mass ad orientam and was quite skilled in doing so, his excellency even knew when to turn around!For the Roman canon, I assisted by his excellency's side with the missal and Eddie and Rainier served with torches and the bell. His excellency and I exchange the sign of peace.
Ecce Angus deiHis excellency distributes communion
Finally we process out with his excellency

Stay tuned more photo posts from Corpus Christi, It was a great honor to serve for the Apostolic Nuncio.

Frist Saturday

The next day, after the first Friday vigil i always travel to Marian valley for the first Saturday devotions. One day devoted to the sacred heart of Jesus and one to the immaculate heart of Mary, this is a great way to start the month off.
The devotions start at 10:00 with exposition. Then 2 rosaries are prayed in front of the blessed sacrament. After which is simple reposition and then we launch straight into mass.

Fr Prior celebrated mass, in his new silver chasuble. He also used his monastic amice.
Here Br Luke , removes the missal for the incensing of the altar. It is an old custom to do so, but unfortunately i do not know why you remove the missal, would one of our kind readers inform us?

Fr Prior proclaims the Gospel. Normally for first Saturdays it's just Br Luke and I, but this Saturday we were joined by one of friends Eric.Here Fr Prior gives one of his inspiring homilies.Father Prior waits to receives the gifts. This is a nice close up of the chasuble Father Prior is wearing. Notice that Father wears 5 of the 6 vestments of tradition. The amice, the alb, the cincture, the stole and the chasuble. Many priest now just don on the alb, stole and chasuble , the bear minimum, due to the climate, laziness or taste. I whole heartedly implore priests to return to using at least the 5 vestments, they are rich treasures of the church, even worn by Christ him self at the Last supper and are rich in grace giving symbolism.

At the sanctus. The honor guard of Christ, still just the minimum, but at least it's there.
Here we have the procession out. After the mass, there is about 1 hr for lunch. Just enough time to eat, visit the piety shop, use the toilet and have a quick chat.
After lunch, a priest exposes the blessed sacrament solemnly and we begin the procession.
How I long for the time that you could go on a procession through the streets and proclaim Christ.
After all scripture states that we must proclaim Christ from the roof tops!
Processions are an intergral part of liturgical life, they remind us of how life is a great procession back to heaven, following Christ. But unlike our procession that day, the procession of life is much harder and contains many pains and sorrows.
Be Different, take the hard road.

Frist Friday

Last Friday, like all first Fridays, I went to a first Friday all night vigil. The all night vigil kicked off with stations of the cross.Next came the mass. Fr Merlino OFM cap celebrated the mass. I finally managed to get him a nice alb with hood, so his brown hood from his habit was covered and we had a nice white hood over his red chasuble, quite striking. I wish more monastic or friar priests would wear monastic amices, they look really good.

Father here prepares the incense. Notice the altar crucifix is point with the corpus towards the priest and is flanked by 2 candles, this is so the priest can focus on Christ and not be distracted by the people he is facing. My friend there Dony, is from my school and that night was his first time as thurifer, suprisingly he did a great job.Father, here incensing the altar. In this photo you can clearly see Fathers monastic amice. Also if there are a very generous readers, please consider donating so I can get a good chasuble made for first Friday vigil, the church unfortunately has quite a poor collection of this sacred vestment.Father then moved to the sedelia. As you an see the MC and acolyte 1, flank the priest to assist him with the opening rites. Normally it would be the cross bearer, holding the book, but unfortunately the cross bearer arrived late.
So we come to the gospel. I'd love to have a deacon, it would be so much nicer to see a deacon proclaim the gospel, after all that is what he is ordained to do!
Here is the preparation of the altar, the chalice has just been unveiled and the MC is placing it on the corporal.
The acolytes assist with the water and the wine. You can also see the bures resting up against one of the candles.

The MC, incences the priest.

The MC incenses Our Lady, normally the thurifer would incense everything apart of the celebrant, but my friend, was not to confident with the thurifer that night.The MC now moves to the left side of the celebrant for the preface. The deacon , if we had one would be on the priest's right, assisting with that pall, while the MC is suppose to be on the left, assisting with the missal.

Consecration, My Lord my God. Domine Meus, Deus Meus.
The Altar Servers receive communion on the tongue and kneeling.

shortly after mass, the Altar was prepared for exposition and Father changed into a Red cope, for the procession.Here the procession forms behind Father.Every first Friday Vigil we have an Eucharistic procession around the church.
Here we have the "Crucifix party" as I like to call it, leading the procession. Notice the acolyte candles are covered with plastic cups, does anyone know were to get proper glass wind protectors?

During the procession we prayed the rosary. There were two thuribles and the blessed sacrament was insenced during each glory be.
During the procession we had a lot of smoke, as you can see from this photo. All that is actual insence smoke, just how I like it.

Father's combination of a white humeral veil and a red cope is really striking.

Father gives benediction with the blessed sacrament.The first Friday vigil is were i get all my spiritual strength for the month. It is very intense and quite up lifting. I'd like to ask for my readers prayers for the Brisbane corpus Christi procession, the nuncio is coming and it will be a big show in the words of Davo.
But most of all there will be lots of great photos of it
That is if it all goes according to plan.