ROAMIN'
CATHOLIC

2004 ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
December
November
October
September
June
May
April
March
February
January

Little Notes
Letters

Confessions
Talk About Movies
Follow Me




Contents © 2004
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

ROAMIN' CATHOLIC
February 2004

---

SAINT MARY'S, ESCONDIDO

Saint Mary's Church, located at 1160 South Broadway in Escondido, serves the south side of this still growing city. The exterior of the building features a facade of red brick giving it a Midwestern look. Gracing the high front wall is a fresco of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the parish.

Saint Mary's nave has a center aisle and two side aisles, with pews in four sections. The Stations of the Cross consist of wooden bas-relief images in an oval platter on a cross. The left transept of the cruciform church houses a cry room. The right transept contains more pews and votive shrines for the Virgin of Guadalupe, Saint Vincent de Paul, Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, and Our Lady of Sorrows. Adorning the rear wall is a magnificent icon of the Mother of God praying.

The Blessed Sacrament resides in a tabernacle located in a chapel behind the altar. However, thanks to an opening in the wall behind the altar, the tabernacle -- a golden church -- is visible. On the sill of this portal stand six golden candlesticks. Above it hangs the image of our crucified Lord. Along either side of this "window to heaven" the Four Evangelists are depicted in an Italian-Byzantine style.

I attended the 10:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, January 11; the Baptism of our Lord. The celebrant was the parish pastor, Father Peter Navarra. Serving with him was Deacon Larry Michaels.

The parish choir provided the music for this Mass and the entrance hymn was the Baptist standard, "Shall We Gather at the River."

While all were heartily singing this, the sanctuary party processed. Leading the way, altar girls walked three abreast; a crucifer and two candle-bearers. A very young boy and girl followed with palms joined in prayer. Deacon Larry was next, holding aloft the gold cased Gospel book. Finally Father Peter appeared wearing a white chasuble embroidered with a red and gold Y-cross.

After the Sign of the Cross, Father Peter explained the meaning of today's feast. He then performed the blessing and sprinkling of Holy Water in lieu of the penitential prayers. As today was also the leave-taking of Christmas, the choir sang the Gloria to the tune of "Angels We Have Heard on High," with the congregation joining in on "Gloria in Excelsis Deo." Then the aforementioned very young boy and girl came to attend Father at the opening prayer. While they struggled to hold up the big altar missal and get it open to the right page, Father waited patiently.

The readings were those common to the Baptism of the Lord in Years A, B, & C. However, the Cantor sang the Responsorial Psalm for Year C; verses from Psalm 104. This led to a little trouble during the homily, since Father had keyed some of his remarks to the verses in the common series, from Psalm 29.

Father Peter began his sermon by noting the special place that Christ's baptism occupies between his birth in Bethlehem and his cross and resurrection. He did not dwell on the events of Christ's baptism but brought out its meaning for us in connection with the Incarnation: God the Son became Man that we may become divine; sons and daughters of God sharing in the divine nature. This is what is conferred upon us in baptism. Nevertheless, just as Christ had to enter His glory by way of the cross, so do we. By enduring with patience the hardships which God sends, we carry our cross behind Christ. Pointing out that Christ began every work hearing his Father's voice in prayer, Father emphasized that we must learn to listen for the voice of the Lord in prayer. Thus we will have the strength to suffer with him, so that we may also share in his glory.

During the offertory we sang "Come to the Water." Only now did Father Peter and Deacon Larry assume their places at the altar. Prior to this they stood by their seats to the right of the altar.

When all things were ready for the Sacrifice, Father Peter intoned the preface dialogue. He chanted the proper preface and the choir rendered the Sanctus in full harmony. He recited Canon II. At the words of consecration, Father elevated the host overhead long enough for a mass attendee to say "My Lord and my God" slowly three times. He did likewise with the chalice.

We chanted the Our Father in unison. Most joined hands, but they did not cross the aisles. At the Agnus Dei, six women and four men came forward to serve as Eucharistic ministers.

During Communion all sang "Behold the Lamb of God."

After the post communion prayer and blessing we had a final taste of Christmas, singing "Joy to the World."

TOP