It was a great Sunday for blessing beer. The blessing was held at the Best Place Tavern in Milwaukee next to the Pabst Brewing facility. I was joined by Fr. Brian Mason, team pastor at Three Holy Women Parish downtown. The bald guy in the picture is Eric Peterson, a friend of mine, who is very active in the home brewing of beer world.
Blessing of the Bock
Yes, I am doing a blessing of beer today in Milwaukee. This is perhaps one of the greatest joys of priesthood!! Here is the text for the blessing in case you are interested:
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Bless, + O Lord, this creature beer, which thou hast deigned to produce from the fat of grain: that it may be a salutary remedy to the human race, and grant through the invocation of thy holy name; that, whoever shall drink it, may gain health in body and peace in soul. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
And it is sprinkled with holy water.
I will try to get some pictures of this most holy of events.
Definitely felt more comfortable using the New Roman Missal this weekend! Amazing how one week can make such a huge difference. The people at St. Dominic are making the change seem effortless. And with your Spirit!
Join us at St. Dominic for Advent Vespers every Wednesday night during Advent at 7pm in the chapel. We had the first one today and it was so relaxing and prayerful!
My classmate, Fr. Mark Brandl, said it best after this past Sunday’s Masses with the New Roman Missal. “When Mass was over, it felt like I had just run a marathon!”
Another priest friend of mine said that he lost 4 pounds in sweat while standing at the altar!
Dear Friends,
Forgive me for the delay in posting. May is a busy month here at St. Dominic, but a time for great rejoicing and celebration during this Easter Season! (Check out our website for some great pictures of the Sacred Triduum and Easter!) The parish and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee have much celebrating to do in this month named after our Blessed Mother:
May 14/15 – First Eucharist Celebration
May 21/22 – Ordination to the Priesthood of Deacon’s Kevin McManaman and Hugo Londono (both served at St. Dominic Parish)
May 29 – Confirmation Liturgy with Archbishop Listecki
These are some wonderful liturgies and the Church rejoices in the celebrations! God Bless all those receiving these sacraments!
Of the many questions that people have about the Catholic Church, those concerning the proper ways to honor the remains of a loved one have seemed to rise to the top quite frequently in the last few weeks for this priest. Just recently, I was talking to one of our beloved deacons here at St. Dominic, Deacon Greg Diciaula, about what we should be telling people about the proper reverence due to cremated remains. Perhaps, a brief note about what the Church teaches in this area.
Burial of the Body is the Norm - The Catholic Church, in keeping with our belief in the resurrection of the body, has always seen traditional burial or entombment as the normal manner of reposing the body of a deceased member of the faithful as they await that day when they will rise in glory with the Lord. This ancient custom remains the norm.
Cremation Permitted - There was a time when the Church prohibited cremation because it was often associated with a denial of the resurrection of the body. However, in 1963 the Church lifted its restrictions on cremation unless it was chosen for reasons contrary to Christian doctrine.
Cremated Remains – When cremation is chosen for a worthy reason, the cremation should take place following the funeral liturgy. The Catholic Church has a strong understanding of the dignity and beauty of the human body. The presence of the body at the funeral liturgy should remind us that this body was baptized, anointed, and fed with the Body and Blood of Christ. In addition, cremated remains should also be treated with the same dignity and reverence that is given to the non-cremated human body. These remains should be contained in a worthy vessel and buried or entombed. Cremated remains are not to be scattered in the air, on the water or on the ground. Nor are they to be divided up among relatives or friends, or stored at home. Catholic cemeteries have places for these cremated remains. The grave is a sign of hope in the resurrection and provides a place for loved ones to visit and pray for the deceased. Most times, the burial or entombment of cremated remains provides that sense of closure grieving individuals need, something that is difficult to achieve when those remains are sitting on a mantle in the family living room.
We pray for our deceased brothers and sisters in Christ, knowing that the resurrection will bring us to our true home and unite us with our glorious and restored bodies.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, throught the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
