ST. SYLVESTER DAY

Mass on December 31 was followed by Eucharistic adoration, during which we chanted the Te Deum, thanking God for the blessings of the past year.  Under the normal conditions, a plenary indulgence was possible for doing this.

CHRISTMAS MIDNIGHT MASS

Before Midnight Mass began, Father chanted the proclamation of the Birth of Jesus.  This tradition takes a passage from the Roman Martyrologium, which briefly tells the story of the martyrs, saints and feasts for each day on the religious calendar.  For December 25, the Martyrologium recounts how many years since the creation of the world, the flood in Noah's time, the birth of Abraham, and so on, Christ was finally born.

Mass begins with Father carrying the Infant Jesus (Niño) to the belen (Nativity Scene or creche).  The schola sings "Ecce Nomen Domini Emmanuel."  Hail, the Lord's name is Emmanuel!

The Kyrie, Sanctus and Agnus Dei for Midnight Mass were taken from the Misa Pastorela.  It was taught to the Chamorros in Saipan by Spanish missionaries and is sung just for Christmas.

As is the custom on Guam, Masses all throughout the Christmas season end with the veneration of the Niño (Infant Jesus).

PHOTOS

The Sermon

The Consecration

The Last Gospel

(Photos and Video courtesy of Bryan Quinata)

RORATE MASS

On Saturday morning at 6AM, December 17, Father celebrated a Rorate Mass.  The idea is to experience the light of Christ grow into the fullness of daylight in the midst of our darkness.  So Mass is said in darkness, except for the light of candles.  As Mass continues, the sun gradually fills the chapel with light.

With the aid of the flash, this is what the chapel looked like at 6AM

But this is what people saw at 6AM when they entered the chapel.

In the early part of the Mass, during the lessons, it was still very dark and Father had to read the Missal with the help of candles.

By the middle of Mass, at the Sanctus, the sun had risen enough to start filling the chapel with light, though candles were still helpful.

After the Mass, in full daylight, we prayed the rosary for the intention of the Pro-Life cause, and chanted the Litany of Loreto.

GAUDETE SUNDAY

GAUDETE (REJOICE) SUNDAY

Third Sunday of Advent

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

The Schola sings Dom Pothier's Tota Pulchra Es, in honor of the Immaculate Conception.

The beginning verses of this hymn say :

Tota pulchra es, O Maria, tota pulchra es

et macula non est in te.

Quam speciosa, quam suavis

in deliciis Conceptio illibata.

Veni, veni de Libano; veni, veni de Libano;

veni, veni coronaberis.

Thou art all fair, O Mary, thou art all fair

and no stain is in thee.

How lovely, how sweet

in its delights, thy Conception unstained.

Come, come from Mount Lebanon; come, come from Mount Lebanon;

come, come you will be crowned.

These words come from the Song of Songs, which tells of a man calling out to his beloved.  This is symbolic of the beauty God finds in Mary's holiness, which began at her Immaculate Conception.