A Solemn High Mass in COTA?

This year, we were able to break significant ground in the Chapel of the Apostles (COTA)--the chapel for The School of Theology.  The Senior Class is divided up by the Subdean into Liturgy Planning Groups.  Each group, then, assumes responsiblily for planning and conducting 4-5 liturgies which constitute our Thursday evening "Community Eucharists."  Typically speaking, our Thursday evening liturgies are Rite II or come from Enriching Our Worship--very standard, nothing too complex for the overloaded diet of "Senioritis."  By chance, a group of spikes were placed together and out appeared Ritual Notes!

It must be said that our Subdean is firmly planted in the reforms of the Liturgical Movement, clear symbolism rooted in simplicity.  He did, however, pull out his own copy of Ritual Notes, 9th Edition (trumping my own edition) in our planning meeting!  Moreover, he allowed us to move the altar and re-orient the worship space for the ad orientum mass.  He even showed up for the liturgy.  He's come a long way!!!

It took some careful planning and loads of practice, but we were able to have a full on Solemn High Mass, Rite I.  The ceremonial was directed by Ritual Notes, as our celebrant was sometime associate of Church of the Advent, Boston.  Yours truly was the subdeacon!

Since our Seminary does not own a full high mass set of vestments, I was able to borrow the set from my field ed. parish, St. Paul's in Chattanooga.  We even vested the thurifer in a tunicle!  Our Lady of Walsingham made two appearances:  one in the icon that I wrote and in the statue from Walsingham placed on the offering table!  Spikery at its highest level!

Two observations that struck me.  Whilst I've been worshipping in this space for the past two years, I've never felt the kind of excitement that I felt this past Thursday night.  First, I was struck by the fact that over 90 people from our community attended--with lots of kids in tow.  Getting 90 people to voluntary come out for anything in our community can be a challenge.  Many of the juniors came wearing their cassocks, hinting that there is a groundswell of support for this liturgical style.  Secondly, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of compliments that came from the congregation that was present. Many "thanked" us for doing this.  I was relived that everything went smoothly.  Many remarked as though it appeared that we have been doing this for a while!  Thanks be to God.