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| 1698: Cathedral
of the Holy Cross, Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
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Photo: Jim Hood |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Adoro Te Devote.
The church:
Cathedral
of the Holy Cross, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Denomination:
Roman Catholic, Archdiocese
of Boston.
The building:
A Gothic Revival building of variegated Roxbury puddingstone
with gray limestone trim. It dates from 1875 and is the work
of the 19th century Irish-American architect Patrick Keely,
who designed hundreds of churches in Massachusetts, New York,
New Jersey, Quebec, Nova Scotia and elsewhere. The cathedral
is a large and impressive building, covering an area of some
46,000 square feet. The planned western spire was never completed.
The interior is quintessentially Gothic, with arches, ribbing,
transept, apse, impressive stained glass, and elaborate reredos.
Richard Cardinal Cushing, archbishop of Boston from 1944 to
1970, did not care for the cathedral's original decor and had
most of it painted over in drab green. However, a major restoration
effort was begun in 1998.
The church:
This is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese
of Boston. It serves an ethnically diverse community.
The neighborhood:
The cathedral is in Boston's South End, at one time a very run-down
section. Recent years have seen it transformed into a very trendy
upscale area. Still, a large public housing development sits
across the street.
The cast:
The Revd David Taurasi, celebrant; Frank Doyle, master of ceremonies;
John Salisbury, music director. Also assisting were about a
dozen acolytes, both men and boys.
The date & time:
Holy Thursday, April 9, 2009, 7.30pm.
What was the name of the service?
Mass of the Lord's Supper in the Extraordinary Form (Latin Tridentine
rite, 1962 Missal).
How full was the building?
Mostly full. The Tridentine mass was held in the cathedral's
newly renovated lower church while His Eminence the Cardinal
Archbishop presided at a novus ordo mass upstairs.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
As we entered, an usher said "Welcome" and handed
us a hymnal and a sheet with the readings for the day.
Was your pew comfortable?
Yes, very comfortable. Plenty of room for kneeling on new comfortable kneelers.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Quiet and reverential.
What were the exact opening
words of the service?
"Introibo ad altare Dei, ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem
meam." ("I will go the altar of God, to God who
gives joy to my youth.")
What books did the congregation
use during the service?
Worship Resources, with the order of the mass in English
and Latin, accompanied by a sheet with hymns and the readings.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ.
Did anything distract you?
The smell of fresh paint. This was the first mass since renovations
in the lower church were completed.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
Very reverential, by-the-book Latin Tridentine mass, eastward
facing, of course. Father Taurasi wore Roman style vestments,
not Gothic, but entered in a biretta. It was notable that more
than a few folks sang the hymns, which is rare in the Tridentine
mass. After mass, the Blessed Sacrament was transferred to the
altar of repose while young girls wearing white dresses and
white chapel veils strew flower petals along the way. The service
concluded with the stripping of the altar.
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
7 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
9 – Excellent projection, strong voice.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
Father spoke of how Holy Thursday prepares us for Easter.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The whole thing, particularly the stripping of the altar.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
People wandering around taking pictures during the mass.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
It cleared out pretty quickly, it being a "work night." One
humorous moment came when we bumped into a television crew that
had recorded the upstairs mass by the archbishop, who didn't
seem to know there was another mass downstairs.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Not applicable.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 – Unfortunately the Tridentine mass isn't until 11.00am
on Sundays and the parking is poor. I would not be interested
in attending the regular services.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The little girls scattering rose pedals before the recessional
as the Blessed Sacrament was moved to the altar of repose. |
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| The Mystery Pilgrim |
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| One of our most seasoned reporters makes the Camino pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Read here. |
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