May 12, 2024
Seventh Sunday of EasteR
by Fr. Boniface Endorf, OP
Dear St. Joseph Parish Family,
We’re now in that in-between time when Christ has ascended into heaven but we’re awaiting the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Let us pray for the Holy Spirit’s arrival. We’re able to live the Christian life because of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives—He makes it possible for us to follow Christ to the Father. We can see that in the Apostle’s lives. They often failed to understand Christ when He walked with them, and they all abandoned Christ during His Passion. It was only after the Holy Spirit descended upon them at Pentecost that they became courageous and began to preach the Gospel boldly among the nations. It is the same with us—only by the power of the Holy Spirit can we find virtue and holiness. Let us pray for His coming so that we too may boldly follow Christ and spread His Gospel.
As our Dominican community prepares for next year we have some news. Fr. Clement Dickie OP has been transferred to the chaplaincy at Providence College and will be moving there in early June. We’ll have a going away party for him after the 11:30am Sunday mass on June 2nd. Fr. Vincent Berhard OP will move here in June to help at the NYU Catholic Center. You may remember him—he was a summer student brother here in 2019. Now he’s finished formation and has been ordained a priest and will be serving here.
Have a blessed Ascension Season!
Fr. Boniface
Mass Tidbit
After purifying the sacred vessels and clearing the altar, the priest returns to his seat and prays the Prayer After Communion. The words of this prayer depend upon the liturgical day each Mass celebrates. It begins with “Let us pray” and then prays that God’s grace may transform us into holiness, usually summing up the theological themes of the liturgical season or readings. Right after this prayer we have the concluding rite, where the priest says “The Lord be with you” and the people respond “And with your spirit.” Then the priest gives the final blessing: “May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” This blessing is to strengthen us as we go forth from Mass and live by the grace we just received. The priest then concludes the Mass with “Go in peace” or an alternative conclusion. He then kisses the altar and he and the servers process out.
Whew. That’s the end of Mass! Looking back, I believe I started these Mass tidbits on 7/10/22, so it’s taken almost 2 years to go through the whole Mass.
