| November 03, 2011
SEMINARY SOCIETY BREAKFAST – COMPLETION OF RESTROOMS
MUSIC GALA IN DECEMBER - BLEST ART VISIT
NOVENA - FIRST FRIDAY – CAN YOU GUESS?
SEMINARY SOCIETY BREAKFAST ON THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING
Second to Christ the King, our Sovereign High Priest, the attention of the entire Oratory was turned to the Seminary of the Institute this past Sunday. What love could be spared from Our Lord was focused on the young men who are answering the call of our Master, the King of kings, the Prince of peace, and the Lamb of God.
Holy Mass was celebrated with great solemnity, with the children’s choir, the men’s and the ladies’ schola singing pieces from Louis Vierne and Lassus, and a wonderful cadre of servers in Institute blue. Not only did we pay homage to Our Blessed Lord on this regal feast day, we also celebrated the patronal feast of our beloved Institute. Grace radiated from the Altar, engulfed us, and motivated our hearts.
Following both Masses, over 350 of the faithful met in the Oratory hall for our Second Annual Seminary Society Breakfast. The breakfast has helped raise awareness of the Institute’s St. Phillip Neri International Seminary and also assists in providing material support. True to the best Midwestern hospitality, a warm, hearty breakfast was provided at a very family-friendly price to the gathering of Oratory families and friends. It was edifying for all, particularly our youths and children, to be able to hear the Rector describe the Seminary and its thoroughly human formation, to watch a video of Canon Huberfeld, and to see many images of Seminary life in a slide show which played throughout the breakfast. Many faithful took the opportunity to sign up to pray for a seminarian in this coming year. In addition, the Rector’s Raffle, the 50/50-Raffle, and door prizes for ticket holders all contributed to the great success of this event. One of the candidates in St. Louis donated a beautiful oil painting of Gricigliano, and Mark Abeln’s altar photo, available for only $100.00 as a half-size copy, found much interest.
For this superb breakfast event, we are deeply grateful to the organizers, particularly Mrs. Mary Hayworth, and to Two Mikes Catering who provided the breakfast at cost so that more funds could be donated to support the Seminary. In all, the Seminary Society Breakfasted netted well over $3,000 for the benefit of the Seminary! Together with the second collection for the Seminary and funds that were collected by the Seminary Society earlier this year, we will be able to send $9,556.78 to the Seminary in Gricigliano. Thank you very much for your outstanding generosity!
 
In the name of the superiors of the Institute, and all the canons, oblates, seminarians and sisters, we wish to thank you very much for your prayers and for your material support of the Seminary. The seminarians of the Institute remember all of you, their benefactors, in their daily prayers; your generosity and friendship are the means with which Our Sovereign Priest and King provides us with His future priests. Thank you very much!
COMPLETION OF RESTROOMS - DONATIONS NEEDED – WE ARE NOW AT $13,365.00
We are pleased to announce that the renovation of the restrooms in the Oratory hall are completed! For logistical reasons and for the comfort of our Oratory families in the cold winter months, it was decide to renovate the women’s restroom although we had not yet collected enough funds. Thanks to all of you, the funds are slowly growing. We are now 17,635.00 short of our collection goal. Your help is deeply appreciated!
 
ANNOUNCING THE FIRST ANNUAL GAUDETE BENEFIT GALA
In the spirit of Gaudete Sunday – “Rejoice in the Lord Always” – an evening of excellent food, drink, and music awaits us on Saturday, December 17th, 2011 at 6:30pm. On this date, we and the Oratory Choirs and Orchestra cordially invite you to the first annual Gaudete Benefit Gala, showcasing our music program. Music is an important part of the liturgy and an important way that the faithful of the Church participate in her liturgy. It is also a beautiful way in which we can share the majestic traditions of the Church with everyone, particularly during Advent.
The Gaudete Benefit Gala will feature the music talents of the Oratory: the Polyphonic Choir, Ladies’ Schola, Gentlemen’s Schola, Girls’ Choir, & Boys’ Choir, and the Saint Francis de Sales Oratory Orchestra. What will we hear at the Benefit? “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, “Coventry Carol” by Philip Stopford, “Brandenburg Concerto no.3” by Johann Sebastian Bach, and “Pueri Concinite” by Johann von Herbeck are just a few!
The tickets for this Benefit will go on sale next week, on November 10, and will range in price between $35 and $50 (Rector’s and Conductor’s Tables). Please mark your calendars, and plan to invite all your family and friends to share in this living tradition and priceless treasure of the Church!
VISIT OF BLEST ART
The mission of Blest Art, Inc., based in Beloit, WI, is to support Catholic Christians in the Holy Land by selling art work they produce. The hand-carved olive wood pieces, from simple ornaments to elaborate crucifixes and Nativity scenes, will be exhibited and offered for sale today after both Masses in the hall. Please see the posters in our vestibules.
“Only with your help can we provide some stability and keep a continued Catholic Christian presence in the Holy Land. We cannot let them destroy the testimony that our Lord lived. We would like to invite every one of you to come and take a look at our beautiful artwork. If you like anything, please consider purchasing it because the people who chose to stay in the Holy Land to protect our holy sites deserve your help and support.”
NOVENA IN PREPARATION FOR THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
It is hardly possible to pay too much attention to the Immaculate Conception. Our Lady under this title is the patroness of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, and also the primary patroness of our country, the United States of America. In preparation for this important feast, we have invited many guest homilists to share their meditations with us. The following is the schedule for the Novena:
Wednesday, November 30, 6:30PM: Father Bede Price, OSB, Rector of the Oratory of SS Gregory and Augustine, St. Louis: “Mary – Queen of the Apostles”
Thursday, December 1, 6:30PM: Father Eric J. Kunz, Associate Pastor at Queen of All Saints, St. Louis: “Mary, Mother of Divine Hope”
Friday, December 2, 6:30PM: Father Gregory J. Lockwood, Administrative Director - Vocation Office, Diocese of Kansas-St. Joseph: “Woman, Behold your Son: Mary, the new Eve”
Saturday, December 3, 8:00AM: Canon William Avis, Rector Old St. Patrick’s Oratory, Kansas, Missouri: “Mary, One of Heart with Our Lord”
Sunday, December 4, 10:00AM: Father John Horn, S.J., Rector at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary: “Advent, Waiting and the Coming Glory of the Lord”
Monday, December 5, 6:30PM: Father Thomas Keller, Pastor of St. Angela Merici, St. Louis: “Mary, Throne of Eternal Wisdom”
Tuesday, December 6, 6:30PM: Bishop Edward M. Rice, Auxiliary Bishop, St. Louis: “The Purity of Mary”
Wednesday, December 7, 6:30PM: Father Brian Harrison, O.S.: “The Immaculate Conception in American History”
Thursday, December 8, 6:30PM: Monsignor Arthur Calkins: “Mary’s Presence in the Mystery of Christ ‘before the creation of the world’”.
SACRED HEART FRIDAY – SOLEMN HIGH MASS TOMORROW
Reminder: On Friday, November 4th, we will celebrate the votive Mass of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, at 6:30 PM.
The Oratory Choir of Men and Boys will assist again at the First Friday Solemn High Mass from the Sanctuary Choir Stalls. This Friday the choir will sing movements of Sir Richard Terry's Short Mass in C Major. Sir R. Terry was the founding director of the Westminster Cathedral Choir, London. Both the Boys' Choir and Girls' Choir took a special trip to the Cathedral Basilica on October 19th to hear the Westminster Cathedral Choir sing a concert of Sacred Choral Music.
CAN YOU GUESS?
Beautiful and interesting images abound in the Oratory to invite us to contemplate the mysteries of our Faith. If you’ve been to the Oratory, most likely you have seen this fellow. Or have you? To see the latest mystery photo, check our restoration website’s latest blog entry. You may take our Virtual Tour if you wish.
With the assurance of my prayers and deeply grateful for all your generosity,
Canon Michael K. Wiener
Rector, St. Francis de Sales Oratory |
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