A Vestment for All Seasons

[Josué]

how are things progressing thus far? 

[Tulkas]

Talk to Saruman from Lord of the Rings.  Maybe you can use his cloak. 

[TheresaW]

Talk to Saruman from Lord of the Rings.  Maybe you can use his cloak. 

 

how are things progressing thus far? 

Things are making progress! We've had 5 different altar servers offer their services (4 young men and 1 middle-aged gentleman,) one person donated $100 worth of the little red missal booklets for our use, at least two priests have offered themselves, we have an email list of interested people growing daily, and in the next week or two a few strong, young men including Richard C will be testing to see if we can get our altar picked up and turned around.

Please pray especially for the success of the altar turning. Right now it's the thing on which our ability to proceed most hinges. We have a large, beautiful altar that is originally from the Basilica in Baltimore, but it must be turned around so that the altar stone would be in the proper place. This may be difficult since the space between the wall and our communion rail is almost exactly the width of the altar. We need to be able to move it back and forth without too much difficulty in order to make this happen.

Eventually, it would be a blessed to have all of our Masses at the chapel here (even the Ordinary) said ad orientem, but we're trying to take baby steps in order to be sure that it will happen.

Once we know that the altar will work, I will start trying to sew the maniple and humeral veil. (If anyone knows someone who wants to donate some fabric or their services as a talented seamstress, please let me know. I sew well enough, but I'm certain that someone more capable than myself is out there.)

Whew! How's that for an update? Thanks so much for your prayers, it's really incredible how everything has been coming together.

[moneil]

Please pray especially for the success of the altar turning. Right now it's the thing on which our ability to proceed most hinges. We have a large, beautiful altar that is originally from the Basilica in Baltimore, but it must be turned around so that the altar stone would be in the proper place. This may be difficult since the space between the wall and our communion rail is almost exactly the width of the altar. We need to be able to move it back and forth without too much difficulty in order to make this happen.

...

Whew! How's that for an update? Thanks so much for your prayers, it's really incredible how everything has been coming together.

An awesome update!  I am a little confused about the altar stone situation.  Altar stones with relics aren’t typically used for Mass according to the 1969 missal.  I’m speculating here but if a “large, beautiful altar that is originally from the Basilica in Baltimore” was brought to the oratory, is free standing, and the OF is typically said there facing the people, I’m assuming that the front of the altar was left facing the people (as that part of the altar was often decorative) and the priest says Mass standing at the back side of the free standing altar facing the congregation.  IF this is the case the altar stone is already in the proper place for saying the TLM on that altar.

However, if my speculation is way off base another potential option is a portable altar stone.  Pre VII parishes commonly had them (for saying Mass at a mission station, at the parochial school, for a priest to say a private Mass at one of the side altars, etc.).  I still see them around in sacristies. You might check with some neighboring parishes.

 

[Josué]

how about you take a picture of the altar situation for opinions and suggestions?

[Richard C]

An awesome update!  I am a little confused about the altar stone situation.  Altar stones with relics aren’t typically used for Mass according to the 1969 missal.  I’m speculating here but if a “large, beautiful altar that is originally from the Basilica in Baltimore” was brought to the oratory, is free standing, and the OF is typically said there facing the people, I’m assuming that the front of the altar was left facing the people (as that part of the altar was often decorative) and the priest says Mass standing at the back side of the free standing altar facing the congregation.  IF this is the case the altar stone is already in the proper place for saying the TLM on that altar.

Thanks for your prayers! I don't know much about it's history, but the altar is wooden and free-standing, about 8 feet wide and 4 deep. It has four small wheels on the bottom. There is a relic stone (reminds me of a flagstone, about 1 foot square) inset on it. The stone is offset toward one of the long sides of the altar, so it can be easily accessed from one side but not the other, that's why we are figuring out how to rotate it. I don't own a camera, I'll see if Theresa has one.

[TheresaW]

An awesome update!  I am a little confused about the altar stone situation.  Altar stones with relics aren’t typically used for Mass according to the 1969 missal.  I’m speculating here but if a “large, beautiful altar that is originally from the Basilica in Baltimore” was brought to the oratory, is free standing, and the OF is typically said there facing the people, I’m assuming that the front of the altar was left facing the people (as that part of the altar was often decorative) and the priest says Mass standing at the back side of the free standing altar facing the congregation.  IF this is the case the altar stone is already in the proper place for saying the TLM on that altar.

However, if my speculation is way off base another potential option is a portable altar stone.  Pre VII parishes commonly had them (for saying Mass at a mission station, at the parochial school, for a priest to say a private Mass at one of the side altars, etc.).  I still see them around in sacristies. You might check with some neighboring parishes.

 

Actually, as far as I can tell either there is no significant decoration (back in the day there may have been an altar screen or triptych placed in front of it...of course, now I'm speculating.) We have it covered from top to bottom with a nice embroidered tapestry-type covering (and then the appropriate linens above that) which uses all of the liturgical colors so it need not be changed frequently. Probably it's already turned in reverse from how it was in the basilica originally.

moneil, are altar stones with relics really not so common? I think every altar I've seen, including those at NO only parishes has one. I wonder if that's mere coincidence

I'll try to track down a camera. Thanks for the help, fellas!