How was your Easter Vigil?

[CatholicZ09]

Mine was so beautiful. I had to read the fifth reading from Isaiah. Then, at the Gloria, I got to ring the bells. It was such a nice liturgy. This is why I am so proud to be Catholic; we take pride in our liturgy.

 

[anp1215]

Awesome!

We had about 40 people received into the Church.

Thanks be to GOD!

If you would though, please pray for the repose of the soul of Eddy. He was a man in RCIA who would have joined the Church tonight but passed away last week

 

[buzzoff1031]

There were about 16 here (realtively small town in a really predominately Baptist area), so AMEN for that. Ours started outside with the Paschal candle leading all of us in the congregation and our candles into the sanctuary. Just breath-taking. I try to go each year.

 

[Sharen]

Tonight was my second Easter Vigil. Last time, I was the one being Confirmed! It was beautiful to see a young woman be baptized, and she along with three gentlemen were Confirmed. This is such a wonderful experience. Congratulations to all who were Baptized and Confirmed this evening. Welcome Home!!!

 

[misspriss]

It was absolutely beautiful. I was received into the church tonight, which makes it all that much more better, but it was still wonderful. And my DH came, even though he is a non-practicing Protestant, he came for me. It was a wonderful, beautiful, awesome night.

 

[kmuestwin]

My Easter vigil was really nice. I helped teach the RCIA class at my parish five of our candidates were confirmed this Easter.

A coworker came to mass with me and I was able to quietly explain parts of the mass for her and really get her interested in Catholicism.

I also was able to finish the rosary that I promised one of the candidates in record time.

This evening was a great evening to grow the flock!

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...56712_1313954102_3695772_453078114_n.jpg?dl=1

 

[Aleksa]

Wonderful. I am now officially Catholic

 

[CatholicZ09]

Wonderful. I am now officially Catholic

Congratulations, and welcome home!

 

[TevereNauta]

Sublime–God bless the Norbertine Fathers. We had the Exsultet in Latin, some readings in Vietnamese, some in Spanish, and the Gospel was in English. I LOVE Vietnamese Church music, and Spanish Church music too. After the reading from Exodus, the Vietnamese hymn was like a march through the Red Sea. Awe inspiring.

We also welcomed dozens of new girls, boys, women, and men into the People of God. Over fifty all together, every type of person, a totally catholic collection of folks.

Welcome Aleska (I hope you wiped a bit of the Holy Chrism onto a towel you can save, the smell last for ages and is a beautiful reminder of this joyful night) and may God bless you and reward you abundantly for your faith. Welcome home.

Without doubt, the Easter Vigil is the highlight of my year.

God bless all our new brothers and sisters in Christ! You are living proof of the Goodness of God. I’m giving my http:\greetingofpeace.online.withahug.glee to each and every one of you !

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

This was my first Easter Vigil Mass, and because of some strange things, I was left very confused about what is typically done differently tonight versus other Masses.

For instance, the church was very dark as I first entered, and remained that way until the Epistle if I remember.

What’s the Exsultet? I don’t recall it ever being read as I saw in the Missalette.

Many of the readings were skipped. I was able to listen to the 1st, 3rd, 5th, Epistle, and Gospel.

Many of the scenes of the 1st reading were acted out, some in the sanctuary.

The third reading was sung (I got my hopes up upon hearing this as the only time that I’ve ever heard a reading sung is at an EF Mass) and sounded a lot like this (thankfully without the percussion): youtube.com/watch?v=LCGcPEypq44&feature=related

Are we supposed to stand during the prayers in between the readings? I would assume so, but the Missalette usually would include that directive but this one didn’t say.

The Holy Water was available before Mass and there was no blessing of it. I guess this was just done before Mass and so this was skipped?

Why do some who are confirmed get “received” whereas others get the full baptism? Is it because the former were already baptized, perhaps?

And I’m guessing that the rules don’t change about being in the sanctuary during the Consecration, but all of those Confirmed were there behind the altar the whole time during the Eucharistic Prayer (which by the way was EPIII though I was hoping the hear the Roman Canon).

Anyway, I’ve tried to hold back on my issues with music and clapping and talking and general confusion amongst most of us to keep this post focused on the questions that I have about this liturgy. Thanks everyone.

 

[CatholicZ09]

This was my first Easter Vigil Mass, and because of some strange things, I was left very confused about what is typically done differently tonight versus other Masses.

For instance, the church was very dark as I first entered, and remained that way until the Epistle if I remember.

What’s the Exsultet? I don’t recall it ever being read as I saw in the Missalette.

Many of the readings were skipped. I was able to listen to the 1st, 3rd, 5th, Epistle, and Gospel.

Many of the scenes of the 1st reading were acted out, some in the sanctuary.

The third reading was sung (I got my hopes up upon hearing this as the only time that I’ve ever heard a reading sung is at an EF Mass) and sounded a lot like this (thankfully without the percussion): youtube.com/watch?v=LCGcPEypq44&feature=related

Are we supposed to stand during the prayers in between the readings? I would assume so, but the Missalette usually would include that directive but this one didn’t say.

The Holy Water was available before Mass and there was no blessing of it. I guess this was just done before Mass and so this was skipped?

Why do some who are confirmed get “received” whereas others get the full baptism? Is it because the former were already baptized, perhaps?

And I’m guessing that the rules don’t change about being in the sanctuary during the Consecration, but all of those Confirmed were there behind the altar the whole time during the Eucharistic Prayer (which by the way was EPIII though I was hoping the hear the Roman Canon).

Anyway, I’ve tried to hold back on my issues with music and clapping and talking and general confusion amongst most of us to keep this post focused on the questions that I have about this liturgy. Thanks everyone.

I’ll try to answer your questions the best that I can.

For instance, the church was very dark as I first entered, and remained that way until the Epistle if I remember.

The church is to be dark until the Gloria. The lack of light is to symbolize human sinfulness, and the light is to represent Christ, the true light.

What’s the Exsultet? I don’t recall it ever being read as I saw in the Missalette.

The Exsultet, or also known as the Easter Proclamation, is a proclamation that announces the Resurrection of Christ. It gives a brief overview of history from the necessary sin of Adam up unto the Resurrection.

Many of the readings were skipped. I was able to listen to the 1st, 3rd, 5th, Epistle, and Gospel.

For pastoral reasons, the number of Old Testament readings for the Vigil may be cut down to three readings. The reading that is to never be omitted is the reading from Exodus about the Lord leading the land of Israel out of Egypt. It is to be taken into consideration that the Word of God is the most fundamental part of the liturgy, so in all circumstances, unless absolutely necessary, the number of readings may be cut down.

Many of the scenes of the 1st reading were acted out, some in the sanctuary.

I do not think this is permitted.

Are we supposed to stand during the prayers in between the readings? I would assume so, but the Missalette usually would include that directive but this one didn’t say.

Stand.

The Holy Water was available before Mass and there was no blessing of it. I guess this was just done before Mass and so this was skipped?

If you mean that there was Holy Water in the fonts before the Mass even started, then this is not liturgically correct. The water must be blessed during the Vigil before being put into the fonts. I’m pretty sure that’s the way it should be done, but I’m not 100% sure about this one.

Why do some who are confirmed get “received” whereas others get the full baptism? Is it because the former were already baptized, perhaps?

And I’m guessing that the rules don’t change about being in the sanctuary during the Consecration, but all of those Confirmed were there behind the altar the whole time during the Eucharistic Prayer (which by the way was EPIII though I was hoping the hear the Roman Canon).

It is because the others were formally baptized.

The part about gathering around the altar is something that is strongly discouraged. If you have ever heard of Life Teen, which is a teen Mass, they were reprimanded about this practice because it was technically a liturgical abuse. Gathering around the altar is prohibited. The Mass is not a “show”.

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

I’ll try to answer your questions the best that I can.

The church is to be dark until the Gloria. The lack of light is to symbolize human sinfulness, and the light is to represent Christ, the true light.

The Exsultet, or also known as the Easter Proclamation, is a proclamation that announces the Resurrection of Christ. It gives a brief overview of history from the necessary sin of Adam up unto the Resurrection.

For pastoral reasons, the number of Old Testament readings for the Vigil may be cut down to three readings. The reading that is to never be omitted is the reading from Exodus about the Lord leading the land of Israel out of Egypt. It is to be taken into consideration that the Word of God is the most fundamental part of the liturgy, so in all circumstances, unless absolutely necessary, the number of readings may be cut down.

I do not think this is permitted.

Stand.

If you mean that there was Holy Water in the fonts before the Mass even started, then this is not liturgically correct. The water must be blessed during the Vigil before being put into the fonts. I’m pretty sure that’s the way it should be done, but I’m not 100% sure about this one.

It is because the others were formally baptized.

The part about gathering around the altar is something that is strongly discouraged. If you have ever heard of Life Teen, which is a teen Mass, they were reprimanded about this practice because it was technically a liturgical abuse. Gathering around the altar is prohibited. The Mass is not a “show”.

Thanks for the help. I was pretty sure about acting out the readings and was almost absolutely sure about standing in the sanctuary, but was just confused since this liturgy is different in so many ways.

So I guess the big question now remains about the Holy Water. How exactly was it blessed (if it was) and is that Holy Water actually considered blessed? Does this mean that the Baptisms were not valid? I hope I’m taking that too far.

 

[Lochias]

Congrats to all who have entered the Church! w00t!!

Easter Vigil was great…I was cantor, and got to do the Litany of the Saints, among other things…was pretty nervous, but also very exciting! Ours was a bilingual Mass in English and Spanish, and the Exultet in Spanish was very beautiful to hear.

 

[nordskoven]

Took time off work to do Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Saturday Easter Vigil all at the same church with delightful continuity, St. Cyril’s, a small church in a small town outside Kansas City, Sugar Creek. Please pray for Sugar Creek as they have a run of cancer thought to come from the refinery. Lot’s of eastern Europeans in this parish and a Byzantine Rite church next door, gold onion dome and all. They are, btw, showing a Byzantine-type Rite Orthodox mass on the tube here at 4:30 a.m. Can’t shake my night shift programming, I guess. Wonder why no Easter Mass from Rome?

Anyway, the weather was unseasonably warm and we gathered outside and the priest blessed the fire, pressed the wax ‘nails’ into the cross on the Paschal Candle, lighted it on the third try and processed into a dark church all carrying candles. Got to meet father’s parents from St. Joseph, MO, originally from Croatia, and dad born in Split. Mom, when young and new to America, thought signs saying “banana split” meant bananas grown–somehow–in Split, so ordered bananas from split, she thought; and got a huge surprise. Pray for St. Cyril’s to gain population as well as neighboring St. Ann’s, both wonderful parishes. This area east of Kansas City is rather poor and needs miracles to remove the blight and poverty to insure stability and the ability to raise families, who would receive wonderful Catholic formation in these parishes. Pray for me, too! Thanks.

 

[TrueLight]

I got to our 9:30 vigil 5 minutes late and walked into a pitch dark church. I was able to make out one parishioner who I knew. At that time I could tell the priests and servers were processing to the back of the church.

And then there was a soft glow of light due to the lighting of the Easter fire.

The Vigil was according to the 1962 missal and words cannot describe how beautiful it was.

I am so happy I’m Catholic!

 

[creole54]

I was a bit disappointed in our Vigil. Our church is about one-third Hispanic people, so the service was half in spanish and half in english. I didn’t like sitting listening to the spanish and not knowing what was being said. And ALL of the singing was in spanish and I don’t care for that type of music at all. It just doesn’t have the reverence and majesty of the standard english hymns. Even the Gloria was in spanish. I felt very disconnected at a time when I really needed and wanted to feel very much connected and immersed in the spirit of the occasion.

On the other hand, I LOVE witnessing the baptisms, confirmations and 1st communions and welcoming the new people into the church. It always makes me cry. We received 36 new members into the church last night!

 

[gracegray]

It was a beautiful evening. I was confirmed and received my first communion. Can’t get any better than that.

 

[Paxvobis]

I had a beautiful Easter Vigil. About 10 people were baptized and 10 more were confirmed. Easter is one of my favorite feasts of the entire year. I love the incense, the lighted candles, the choir and organ. The whole church was decorated.

Happy Easter Sunday!

 

[catholictiger]

Mine was so beautiful. I had to read the fifth reading from Isaiah. Then, at the Gloria, I got to ring the bells. It was such a nice liturgy. This is why I am so proud to be Catholic; we take pride in our liturgy.

best thing ever.

Monasteries know how to do easter vigils

we did 5 readings, and we had none baptized (probably because its a monastery and they let the local parishes do all the RCIA stuff, they have seminarians to teach)

I didn’t have the greatest place in the Church to see the service of light atleast the beginning of it, but I did have a very good place to see the main liturgy at the altar and such. We of course had the light spread throughout the church and it was amazing how much it lit up the Church

We did the long exalted cool

All the responses were done by schola members two were done by the entire group (I’m in the group)

The Glory to God was a amazing, they have at this church all manuel bells no automated bells. (so monks ring the bells when they need to be rung) So they had some of the seminarians ringing those bells during that time. Then also they had two seminarians and two monks with hand bells I guess you could call it, but it filled the church with the sound of bells. It was cool.

I wasn’t able to see the blessing of the fount that well because of my view in the Church. But an explanation how our baptism fountain works. We have a large lake literally a few yards from the church and they have a system very slowly trickles in water into the fount (it gets blessed when it enters) and also slowly trickles out. I’m guessing is they opened up the valve which let lots of water in. When I went to bless myself after mass the water was very mirky and such.

Then the eucharistic prayer was normal as aspected.

And ofcourse at the end a very fitting conclusion to the mass when we all sing Jesus Christ is Risen today.

Mass Lasted just under 3 hours. We started at 10:45 and Finished at 1:30.

 

[Bluesky123]

I was received into church I love, such a blessing.

However, I found the darkness too long and thunderous (and a bit scary) and people struggled with melting wax dripping around them.