‘Weekly Post. Anno Domini 2023 October 28
Beloved of the Lord:
Today is Saturday, 28 October, in the year of our Lord 2023. The scheduled Services are as-follows:
- Saturday (today): 5:00 PM, Mass, SS. Simon & Jude, Apostles & Martyrs.
- Sunday: 8:30 & 10:00 AM, Mass, the Feast of Christ the King.
Monthly Parish Brunch, following the 10:00 Mass, at County Grill. - Monday: 10:00 AM, Mass, Feria.
- Tuesday: NO MASS; Trunk-or-Treat, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, in the Parish drive.
- Wednesday: 12:10 & 6:30 PM, Mass, All Saint's Day.
- Thursday: 12:10 & 6:30 PM, Mass, All Soul's Day; Soup & Study following 6:30 Mass.
- Friday: 9:00 AM, Mass, S. Winifred, Virgin & Martyr, with Gregorian Canon.
Immediately following, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. - Saturday: 5:00 PM, Mass, S. Charles Borromeo, Bishop & Confessor.
- Sunday: 8:30 & 10:00 AM, Mass, Trinity XXII, Comm. S. Elizabeth, Mother of S. John Baptist.
Before plunging-into the usual rota, here is a note from Dave Radcliffe's family:
Dear Family and Friends,
We hope you are all well. Unfortunately, you are receiving this message because David Radcliffe, wonderful husband, father, brother, and friend passed from this life on Saturday, October 21st. There will be a funeral and grave side service forthcoming. As soon as these dates have been fixed, we will inform you. Please share this news with anyone that also knew David, and pass on any information that will help us reach as many people as possible.
Best wishes,
As you may've noticed, we've a busy week ahead. There will be no Services on Tuesday, 31 October, the Vigil of All Saint's, also known as All Saint's Eve, All Hallow's Eve, or Hallow E'en, crushed by the decay of grammar into Halloween. For our Second Annual Trunk and Treat, we will assemble at about 5:30 PM, to arrange our cars, start the fire, and generally set-up for the arrival of the tots. The more cars the merrier! We will be done and packed before 8:00.
On Wednesday, we will say the Mass for All Saint's twice, for those who may not be able to make the Midday Service. The same schedule will be kept for All Soul's Day, on Thursday, 2 November. PLEASE BRING THE LIST OF NAMES YOU WANT REMEMBERED AT THE MASS TO CHURCH TOMORROW! All Soul's Day is that day when we pray for all of those whom we have known and lost. If you've names not on our permanent list, please write them ~ legibly ~ down, and give them to me. We will pray for the holy progress of their soul at both Services.
All Saint's day has an early lineage in the Church, the first known mention of such a Feast occurring in S. Ephrem Syrus (d. 373). The first record of a specific date occurs in S. Chrysostom (d. 407), where it was assigned to the first Sunday after Pentecost, which date still obtains in the East. It became firmly planted in the West in the early Seventh century; the assignment of the 1 November date was under Pope Gregory III (d. 741). Its universal observance was ordered by Pope Gregory IV (d. 844); the Octave was added much later, by Pope Sixtus IV (d. 1484).
Although not known by many in the United States, where a new Prayer Book was approved in 1928, there was also an English Proposed Book of 1928. Therein, the Octave Day (8 Nov.) was assigned to the 'Saints, Martyrs, and Doctors of the Church of England'. If you read closely, you will see this reflected in our Saint Matthew's Ordo Kalendar. Perhaps this is something to which we should give greater prominence, in coming years.
All Soul's Day follows All Saint's Day, on 2 November, and was made universal by Odilo of Cluny, who, in 998, commanded its annual celebration in the Benedictine houses of his Congregation. This is one of only two days in the Kalendar when a Priest may thrice say the Mass, the other being Christ Mass. Inasmuch as the liturgical colour of the day is Black, should it fall on a Sunday, the Observance must be moved to 3 November. It has always been forbidden by Holy Church to say a Requiem Mass on a Sunday, which day is a commemoration of the Resurrection of our Lord.
Surprisingly, this Day does not occur in the 1928 BCP. To me, this has always been the more powerful, the more immediate Observance. It not only affords us an opportunity to remember, and pray for, those who we've lost, but it serves as an immediate reminder of our own mortality, this being the one aspect of humanity that, more than any other, makes us as we are. Again, bring your list of names tomorrow ~ we will pray for them, and, in so doing, pray also for ourselves. I remain
in His praise,
The Rev'd Canon. T. L. Crowder
Pastor, Saint Matthew's Parish