...at Westminster Cathedral drew hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people, streaming across the piazza, and packing out the cathedral, its aisles, its side-chapels, all the spaces at the back by the doors... Auntie ended up, squeezed very happily between others, perched on a stone step near the tomb of Bishop Richard Challoner...
And it's all strange, in a way, because the Chrism Mass isn't particularly advertised or promoted, and people aren't specially urged to go...word just seems to get around, and the crowds arrive and arrive and arrive...
For some years now, a group of us ladies have gathered to welcome the priests and to give each one a card thanking him for his service as a priest and assuring him of our prayers. At this Mass, the oils that are to be used for baptism, Confirmation, and anointing of the sick during the year are blessed and distributed to the priests, who take them back to their parishes. It's all rather moving, and the long, long procession of priests in white vestments, coming up Ambroseden Avenue and across the piazza, is impressive...
Our group from the Association of Catholic Women was joined by a young team from St Patrick's, Soho Square. The latter cheered and sang, while we were rather more staid, but we all united in our feelings and it was a real joy to be there...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Thank you so much for being there yesterday, and for the prayer cards. They mean a great deal. It was a wonderful day!
Post a Comment