Post #125

Topics: Walking to Pilsen: My 1/3rd Pilgrimage....Altar Cloths: Their Use 

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...and now the Necessaries

Please note: St. Anthony Catholic Church is one of two local churches celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass (EFLR) in the Wichita area. Though this blog is loosely centered around this parish and it's members, Venite Missa Est! is by no means, in any way an official voice of, or for, St. Anthony Parish or the Diocese of Wichita. Venite Missa Est! is strictly a private layman's endeavor.

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 Walking to Pilsen

 My 1/3rd Pilgrimage

I have no money, I have no resources of goods or materials, I am not particularly adept at the hammer and saw,  I have nothing to offer except my prayers. 

Such are the thoughts in my head whenever I think of the Discalced Carmelite Sisters up north outside of  Valley Center where the The Monastery of Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Guadalupe is slowly being built.

So, with nothing else to offer and with a burning desire for sacrifice and a fervent prayer on my lips I decided to strike out in the early morning of Friday June 4th with Father Weldon and a group of 35 (or so) hearty souls on a pilgrimage to Pilsen. True, the pilgrimage is dedicated to Fr. Emil Kapaun...

“The purpose of the pilgrimage is to engage in spirited journey with our bodies in honor of Father Kapaun and promote his cause for sainthood,” said Father Eric Weldon “We are walking in holiness.”

...but other prayer intentions were offered as well, mine being for Almighty God to shower the Carmelite sisters with grace and favor....and away I went.

The morning was beautiful and humid as we tightened our laces, adjusted our water bottles and loaded our camping gear into the horse trailer for transport to the first night's camp, our goal 20 miles away just outside of the town of Whitewater. We were to be followed and led by support vehicles in case of emergency and for the necessity of water and snacks. The crowd ranged from 9 year old children to older folks in their sixties with varying degrees of abilities (me at the low end I'm sure) and I chased away a sense of dread as we started out led by a rather fit woman in tennis gear with that unmistakable look and tone of an athlete.

Everyone was in high spirits as we made our way north out of the Church of the Magdalen parking lot and onto dirt roads. The sweet smell of grass, wildflowers and wheat permeated the air as we walked and talked an got acquainted. Here was a soldier, beside me an older gentleman (who had been training and just last week did 25 miles in one day) up ahead was a grandmother with her 40 something daughter and her young children, behind me a young woman formerly a soldier in Iraq who had run two marathons and was a Physicians Assistant, ahead an unassuming fellow who looked like he just walked on from browsing the mall and several teenage boys full of strength and energy.

As we walked we fell into a rhythm of footsteps...that "one, two, one, two" cadence of  marching which actually seemed to lesson the burden of the miles. Prayer also helped to pass time as Father Weldon led us praying the Rosary asking the Saints to pray for us as everyone shouted out their particular saint.

As we reached our first stop point to drink and snack I was astonished to learn that we had walked 5 miles in one hour! I had considered 20 minute miles a decent pace and even 15 minute miles to be a manageable pace but 12 minute miles?...are you kidding me? This alarmed me but I  was still  feeling pretty good as we wrapped our short break up and headed northward.

As we trekked through the country side beautiful fields of wheat unfolded, gently undulating and spreading out forever it seemed, above us hawks and a few turkey vultures floated on the strengthening thermals of heating air. Crunch, crunch, crunch went our shoes on the sand and dirt...one, two, one, two.....marching cadence in our ears.....conversation waned....and minds turned toward the largeness of the task at hand.

As we hit ten miles we were treated to shade and soft grass at an older gentleman's farmhouse somewhere in the middle of nowhere. We stretched and groaned (well I did anyway), ate a simple lunch of bread and meat, fruit and peanuts, taped our growing blisters and adjusted ourselves (four words gentlemen...Gold Bond Medicated Powder) and rested for 45 very short minutes.

As we started again my muscles registered their protest and my feet were a little numb but I still felt good if just a teeny bit less enthusiastic. In the next ten miles the crowd lengthened out as the less accomplished started to slow a bit and the real work of determination, training and strength of attitude was demanded. At about 17 miles it started to become painful for me. My once comfortable shoes were excruciatingly tight, my toes forced into the front of my shoes as my feet swelled my thigh muscles cramping and tightening which forced my steps to shorten.

As I struggled, both physically and mentally, I thought of the Sisters who sacrifice so much for us and the whole world in their lives of simplicity, penance and prayer and their complete dedication to God.

"The nuns are dedicated to a life of prayer and loving self-sacrifice through obedience and labor. Their superior, Mother Mary of the Angels, said, “We live with an indescribable happiness, make daily sacrifices, and are here for the love of God and for the love of souls. Our mission is to pray for the Holy Church, the priests, and the world, and to be the heart of our Church because without the heart, the body cannot live.” 

http://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/news/1000-advanceimport/10624-carmelites-building-new-monastery-near-wichita

The last two miles were for me a true test of will. I was pushing my body in a way I had not for some 30 years ago when I had run distance and cross country in school, only this time I had not trained in the least bit! I prayed my own personal Rosary and prayers for strength and was answered as three gentlemen, all of greater ability than I, stayed back and encouraged me with casual stories and their mere presence.

As Whitewater came into view the heat was affecting me much worse than the physical demand...though I drank water constantly I became light headed and nauseous and was developing a wicked headache...I was heat sick.

I limped into town, triumphant at 20 miles but sadly aware that I had reached my limit. My lack of training, my age (though this is not an excuse for poor bodily condition), my mostly sedentary life had planted a boot squarely in my backside. I was down for the count, I would not attempt the another leg of the journey.

Nine of us would return to Wichita that night, 26 of the original walkers would continue the next day (assuming no more came back to Wichita the following morning). I am sure the pilgrimage was a huge success. I thought and prayed for those brave souls trudging along in the heat for the next two days, blisters rubbed raw, heat rash spreading angrily, muscles cramping, wills faltering, chigger bites (I had 83), minds wondering "why?". 

In a way I suppose those walkers were giving themselves to God for those three days...sacrificing for a good bigger than themselves much like Fr. Kapaun did and how the Carmelite Sisters do today.

I gave a third of a pilgrimage, that's all I had to offer.

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Altar Cloths

Sancta Missa

http://www.sanctamissa.org/en/sacristy/sacristy-sanctuary-and-altar/altar-cloths.html

The use of altar-cloths goes back to the early centuries of the Church. St. Optatus of Mileve says that in the fourth century every Christian knew that during the celebration of the Mysteries the altar is covered with a cloth (bk. VI). Later it became a law, which, according to Gavantus, was promulgated by Boniface III in the seventh century. The custom of using three altar-cloths began probably in the ninth century, but at present it is of strict obligation for the licit celebration of Mass (Rubr. Gen. Miss., tit. xx: De Defectibus, tit. x, 1). The reason of this prescription of the Church is that if the Precious Blood should by accident be spilt it might be absorbed by the altar-cloths before it reached the altar-stone. All authors hold it to be a grievous offence to celebrate without an altar-cloth, except in case of grave necessity, e.g. of according to the faithful the opportunity of assisting at Sunday Mass, or of giving Viaticum to a dying person. To celebrate without necessity on two altar-cloths, or on one folded in such manner that it covers the altar twice, would probably constitute a venial sin (St. Lig., bk. VI, n. 375) since the rubric is prescriptive. Formally the altar-cloths were made of gold and silver cloth inlaid with precious stones silk, and other material, but at present they must be made of either linen or hemp. No other material may be used, even if it be equivalent to, or better than, linen or hemp for cleanliness, whiteness, or firmness (Cong. Sac. Rit., 15 May, 1819). The two lower cloths must cover the whole surface of the table (mensa) of the altar, in length and width (Caerem. Episc., I, xii, II) whether it be a portable or a consecrated fixed altar (Ephem. Lit., 1893, VII, 234). It is not necessary that there be two distinct pieces. One piece folded in such manner as to cover the altar twice from the epistle to the gospel end will answer (Rubr. Miss., tit. XX). The top altar-cloth must be single and extend regularly to the predella on both sides (ibid.). If the table of the altar rests on columns, or if the altar is made after the fashion of a tomb or sepulchre, and is not ornamented with an antipendium, the top cloth need only cover the table without extending over the edge at the sides (Ephem. Lit., 1893, VII, 234). The edges at the front and two ends may be ornamented with a border of linen or hempen lace in which figures of the cross, ostensorium, chalice. and host, and the like may appear (Cong. Sac. Rit ., December, 1868), and a piece of coloured material may be placed under the border to set forth these figures. This is deduced from a decree (Cong. Sac. Rit., 12 July, 1892) which allows such material to be placed under the lace of the alb's cuff. This border must not rest on the table of the altar. Sometimes, instead of attaching this border to the upper cloth, a piece of lace is fastened to the front edge of the altar. Although this is not prescribed, yet it is not contrary to the rubrics. Great care should be taken that these cloths be scrupulously clean. There should be on hand at least a duplicate of the two lower cloths. The top piece should be changed more frequently according to the solemnity of the feast, and therefore several covers, more or less fine in texture, should be constantly kept ready for this purpose. When, during the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, candles are placed on the table of the altar, another clean white cloth should be placed over the altar-cloths to prevent their being stained or soiled (De Herdt, I, n. 179). We may note here that thecorporal and the cere-cloth cannot take the place of the altar-cloths.

The three altar-cloths must be blessed by the bishop or someone who has the faculty before they can be used for the celebration of Mass. In the United States the faculty is granted by the ordinary to priests in general (Facultates, Form. I, n. 13). The formula or this blessing is found in the "Rituale Romanum", tit viii, cap. xxi, and in the "Missale Romanum" among the "Benedictiones Diversae". Symbolically the altar-cloths signify the members of Christ, that is, God's faithful, by whom the Lord is encompassed (Pontificale Rom., De ordinat. subdiaconi); or the linens in which the body of Christ was wrapped, when it was laid in thesepulchre; or the purity and the devotion of the faithful: "For the fine linen are the justifications of saints" (Revelation 19:8). Besides the three altar-cloths there is another linen cloth, waxed on one side, which is called the chrismale (cere-cloth), and with which the table of the consecrated altar (even if part of it be made of bricks or other material, and does not form a part of the consecrated altar) should be completely covered (Caerem. Episc., De altaris consecratione). It must be of the exact size of the table of the altar, and it is placed under the linen cloths, the waxed side being turned towards the table. Its purpose is not only to prevent the altar-cloths from being stained by the oil used at the consecration, but also to keep the cloths dry. Hence it is advisable to have such a wax cloth on all altars in churches which may be, accessible to dampness. According to the rubrics, this cloth is removed once a year, that is, during the stripping of the altars on Maundy Thursday; but it may be changed as often as the altar is washed. The cere-cloth is not blessed. It cannot take the place of one of the three rubrical linen cloths. To procure cere-cloths, melt the remnants of wax candles in a small vessel. When the wax is in a boiling condition, skim off the impurities that remain from the soiled stumps of candles. Dip into this wax the linen intended for the cere-cloth, and when well saturated hang it on a clothes-line, allowing the surplus wax to drop off. When the wax cloth has hardened place it between two unwaxed sheets of linen of like dimensions. Iron thoroughly with a well heated flat iron, thus securing three wax cloths. The table on which the cloths are ironed should be covered with an old cloth or thick paper to receive the superfluous wax when melted by the iron. It should be remembered that unwashed linen when dipped in wax shrinks considerably, hence before the cloths are waxed they should be much larger than the size of the altar for which they are intended.[1]

[1] Written by A.J. Schulte. Transcribed by Michael C. Tinkler. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I. Published 1907. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York