[Magdalen] Doings in Chicago Diocese

[Scott Knitter]

I was glad to be the server for this Mass. Mother Anna did a splendid job
of presiding and preaching on this commemoration of Absalom Jones.

She wanted to do everything right; her first reaction after Mass once we
reached the sacristy was "Almost!" I asked what she meant, and she said she
had left out "The Lord be with you" before the final blessing. I reminded
her that this is one of those "Ascension Extras" and that leaving it out
was no problem, and that she did very well with everything. No "almost"!
All good.

I'm the one who almost panicked when it was time for the first reading and
I noticed the leaflet had a different reading from what was in the lector's
binder. I'm sure I paused with a confused look before I told myself to read
from the leaflet and get on with it. :)

We used a leaflet because we're temporarily using our original church (St.
Faith's Chapel), now called St. Michael's Hall and used for choir
rehearsals, annual meetings, and other nonliturgical gatherings except when
the main church's brick walls are being tuckpointed and so the church is
under plastic sheeting (for another week or two). Unfortunately, the peak
of the spire over the altar's tabernacle broke in the process of covering
everything in plastic. There's already a contract with a restorer to fix
that. But it'll be weird to see it broken for a while. We're also taking
the opportunity to have the sanctuary lamp refinished. Gifts have been made
to pay for these.

I'm glad we're off the list of no-women-celebrants parishes. I'm sure
somewhere in the blogosphere there will be laments of "another domino has
fallen" or some such. Which matters less and less. But this is a historic
milestone, especially significant when one surveys the history of this
matter in our parish. Several rectors ago, the parish came close to leaving
the Episcopal Church. Instead, that rector left it. (And at the same time,
some parishioners left the parish because it would *not* allow women to say
Mass.)

I hope some who would pass us by for the previous policies will come and
visit at least.

-- 
Scott R. Knitter
Edgewater, Chicago, Illinois USA