First Masses in Fairfield
The inaugural Mass at our new property at 3200 Woodside Drive, Fairfield, was held on Friday evening, July 16, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. With Father Thielen on hand to hear confessions, Father Ramolla started the ceremony with a simple blessing of the Sorrowful Mother Chapel and the traditional sprinkling of holy water as the choir sang the Asperges. Low Mass followed, punctuated with hymns in Latin and English to the Mother of God on her feastday.
During the distribution of Holy Communion, the choir sang the Magnificat Antiphon and the psalm "Laetatus sum" -- I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the house of the Lord, a beautiful reminder of our new duties as we move into our new home and make our resolutions to be a united parish living in peace amongst ourselves and with our neighbors: Our feet shall stand in thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city that is at unity in itself. O pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces.
Our new sign made a surprise appearance at the head of our driveway in time for Sunday Mass. Our thanks to the Wnek family for their time and skills in designing and creating this new landmark.
Two days later, on the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, and almost miraculously in less than a week since our team of men drove a Penske truck up to Akron to pick up our new altars, Holy Mass was celebrated for the first time at our new High Altar. The 8:00 am Mass was said by Father Thielen.
While Father Thielen heard confessions in the Sorrowful Mother Chapel, Father Ramolla began the Missa Cantata at 9:30. One of the first differences that was noticeable was that we were again able to use incense without fear of triggering smoke alarms and sprinklers!
With a very good crowd in attendance, including some very welcome and familiar faces from St. Gertrude's, the High Mass progressed beautifully, as we see from the pictures below.
It is a testimony to Divine Providence once again that the good folks of St. Albert the Great are now provided with the graces of Mass in this new and more fitting location. Lest we forget that it is the hand of God that has guided us from out of the land of Egypt, and that will continue to protect us as long as we are faithful to Him, we were reminded by the following words of the Sacred Liturgy, read on this very day, the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, in the very first reading from the Office of Matins:
And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do, that the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.