2018 Confirmation Mass with Bishop Lopes

As reported here a few days ago, the Fellowship of Blessed John Henry Newman (Victoria, BC) hosted His Excellency Steven Lopes on the occasion of his first pastoral visit to our community, a community of the Personal Ordinariate of The Chair of St Peter, of which Bishop Lopes is the Ordinary.

Bishop Lopes gave a stirring homily on the readings for the Sixth Sunday in Easter.

Given this Sunday was the first time we have served Mass with a bishop, we now have a better grasp on how to serve Mass with a bishop. Also, it was a first serving Mass concelebrated by our resident priests and the bishop. Despite a few liturgical curveballs, though nothing outside the rubrics, the expanding altar server team managed to avoid any major collisions or omissions.

An honour guard consisting of six Knights of Columbus welcomed the procession. Thank you, Knights!

The Choir, assisted by a couple of familiar guests, gave an excellent presentation of the music of the Liturgy.

Bishop Lopes confirmed four youngsters during the Sunday Mass. Two brothers from one family and two sisters from another family. The boys are altar servers, and the girls serve in the altar guild. Please pray for the young people confirmed, and pray for their families.

After the Confirmation Mass, the congregation retreated to the basement for the reception. A team of women of the parish organized an outstanding reception for the gathering.

Bishop Lopes acknowledged the growth of the community and noted the advantages of having our own space, i.e., church building. It certainly is the hope of the community to acquire a building. Let the prayers continue with renewed vigour!

The Fellowship of Blessed John Henry Newman is currently the guest of the good people of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, a Catholic Portuguese parish centrally located in the Capital Regional District. Our Mass times have shifted now and then to accommodate the needs of the host parish. Scheduling is particularly challenging at those high holy days when the parish becomes a 'little Jerusalem' and two liturgies are celebrated in different parts of the same building, making for a happy boisterous experience.

Our host parish wants to reestablish a second Mass earlier on Sunday mornings at a time that would collide with our current Mass time. In the coming weeks, the Ordinariate Mass will be moving again, at the request of the host parish, to a later time, that will alleviate some of the pressures on both communities, parking being one of the issues. The later time, probably noon, does offer the advantage of providing young and growing families more time to organize their mornings in a less rushed manner. Recalling our Bishop's encouragements, we hope to move our growing community into a building of our own as soon as numbers and finances allow us to make that leap!

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© 2018 by Gilbert

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members of the Fellowship of Blessed John Henry Newman, Victoria, BC.