Student Parishes

[asquared]

You’re right about the Spartan Marching Band. In my day the big rivalry was Ohio State-Michigan State, so you know how old I am. Come to think of it, it was the Catholic school in Indiana that really did us in. Welcome to Michigan, I think kneeling has been banned there. When I visit family we visit parishes all over the Detroit Archdiocese, Saginaw, Gaylord etc. and nobody kneels. Don’t blame the university student Catholic centers for something that is a regional or diocesan custom.

 

[CatholicNerd]

asquared:

You’re right about the Spartan Marching Band. In my day the big rivalry was Ohio State-Michigan State, so you know how old I am. Come to think of it, it was the Catholic school in Indiana that really did us in. Welcome to Michigan, I think kneeling has been banned there. When I visit family we visit parishes all over the Detroit Archdiocese, Saginaw, Gaylord etc. and nobody kneels. Don’t blame the university student Catholic centers for something that is a regional or diocesan custom.

Hehe… at the parish I attend at Gonzaga, we do just about everything contrary to the diocesan norms. Masses said ad orientem, kneeling, legitimate music (Go Gregorian Chant and Renaissance Polyphony! Yeah!)… and unlike most areas of the country, we have a handful of orthodox Jesuits! I think we’re a thorn in the diocesan bishop’s side, but he grudgingly comes to celebrate a Missa Cantata in our little chapel once a year.

After His Grace issued the statement saying that all roles in the liturgy are equal, and that a chorister is no greater than the priest, which is why we must all stand after the Sanctus… the deacon who got permission to have an authentic Novus Ordo Missa Cantata talked it over with the priests and said “Ya know, we’re not gonna do that here.” lol Thankfully the bishop granted us dispensation to ignore the diocesan norms, so we’re not really renegades or anything.

Now the Masses said at the Newman Center at MY University are another matter entirely. I think that half the Newman Center is living with the other half (probably not a polyamorous situation, but I think the Newman Center priest thinks that’s ok, too) outside the bonds of matrimony, the Eucharist is offered freely to non-Catholics, the wine was consecrated in a rustic looking coffee mug (a friend of mine seized it from the sacristy after Mass and buried it out back to insure that it didn’t get used for the priest’s coffee the next morning. There’s no shortage of nice chalices at either the parish church or the Newman Center), the ciborium and chalice are passed around the room like heavenly chips-and-dip (thankfully I have not seen any self-intinction there! Yet…). The list goes on and on. Anyone wonder why I drive 40 miles each way to go to Mass and Divine Liturgy? lol I guess student Masses are a mixed bag. I’ve noticed that many bishops in the state of Washington don’t want to be involved with Newman Centers or other Catholic student organizations. I wish they would. If mine doesn’t answer some letters regarding the abuses at the Newman Center I’m gonna go a little higher up the chain of command and that’s not gonna be pretty.

 

[Edwin1961]

Catholic Nerd wrote: …".the wine was consecrated in a rustic looking coffee mug (a friend of mine seized it from the sacristy after Mass and buried it out back to insure that it didn’t get used for the priest’s coffee the next morning. "

Did the grass die after he buried the coffee mug since Precious Blood was disgraced by being placed in s ‘coffee mug’?

go with God!
Edwin

 

[chemcatholic]

MrS:

On the weekends, come up to Holy Spirit in Hamburg… up 23 to exit 55, then one mile west to the Church.

Then at least you will have some orthodoxy to compare to. Pastor is good (convert from Luthern and Reformed Calv). And the Chaplain from Ave Maria School of Law, also says Mass at Holy Spirit on the weekends.

All your fellow students are welcome to come with you !!!

MrS

What times are the weekend Masses? I might come up there from time to time to keep myself from tearing my hair out.

Despite some of the problems I see with St. Mary’s, I’m going to keep that as my regular parish until I witness something completely sacriligious. It just seems better to me to stick with the local parish and try to reform it from within (no matter how fruitless the efforts) than running off to another parish…

Peace

 

[chemcatholic]

Sparky:

As for UofM…all I can say is…I received a really good education at MSU…and our band was better (at least, when I was there it was) .
–Ann

Well, I’m at UofM for it’s chemistry graduate program. No offense, but I’d rather be here instead of MSU

I haven’t seen either of the bands yet, so you might have a legitimate point there.

Peace

 

[chemcatholic]

CatholicNerd:

…legitimate music (Go Gregorian Chant and Renaissance Polyphony! Yeah!)…

You’re forgetting that legitimate music can change. The Church didn’t have polyphony for more that 1000 years of it’s existence, and there have been dozens of different styles of chant. Music doesn’t have to be chant or Renaissance polyphony to be legitimate.

Peace

 

[Timidity]

Matthew-John:

By and large, it appears as though all the Liturgical rules are being followed (except for the lack of a Crucifix behind the alter).

Just to ease your mind on this one–there is no requirement for a Crucifix behind the altar.

 

[Sparky]

chemcatholic:

Well, I’m at UofM for it’s chemistry graduate program. No offense, but I’d rather be here instead of MSU

Sure, if the program is good…why not? If you were going to be a Vetrinarian, you might have chosen differently. At the time I was at MSU, the English department was outstanding, so I’m glad I went there.

By the way, I was accepted at both, I chose MSU of my own free will.

I haven’t seen either of the bands yet, so you might have a legitimate point there.

Peace

To be honest, I don’t know how good either one is this year. I do know that MSU’s was chosen recently to do college football theme music for ABC Sports. Now, UofM has an excellent music performance program. And standing still, their band played well. Fine musicians, no doubt about it. It’s when they started moving they had issues…

But that’s neither here nor there. Spiritually, I’d say UofM has an advantage as they’ve got AveMaria not far away. If I’d have my choice to make over again, I might have gone to Ave Maria instead…
–Ann

 

[kmktexas]

Chem Catholic,

Me too. I turned down a scholarship at MSU to pay my own way at UM. I have visited E. Lansing though and it’s pretty.

The Newman Center in Ann Arbor (St. Mary’s, right) is where I left the practice of my faith for 20+ years. Really vibrant liturgy with little behind it. If you have transportation, head over to Ypsi. The chapel at Ave Maria is supposed to be one of the nicest Masses around.

The former pastor of St. Mary’s went to found a new parish nearby (it might be Saline). I have read his homilies and he seems really orthodox now. If I can find it, I will post the location and name of his parish.

 

[loyola_rambler]

chemcatholic:

What times are the weekend Masses? I might come up there from time to time to keep myself from tearing my hair out.

Despite some of the problems I see with St. Mary’s, I’m going to keep that as my regular parish until I witness something completely sacriligious. It just seems better to me to stick with the local parish and try to reform it from within (no matter how fruitless the efforts) than running off to another parish…

Peace

Which part of campus do you leave near? Maybe it’s worth giving Gabriel Richard parish a try. In fact, given his good graces in the Church (and his story really is fascinating!) maybe it would be worth a little intercessory prayer with him to find a happy religious experience while attending his university. Who knows, it might even become a miracle in the cause of his sainthood.

 

[chemcatholic]

loyola rambler:

Which part of campus do you leave near? Maybe it’s worth giving Gabriel Richard parish a try. In fact, given his good graces in the Church (and his story really is fascinating!) maybe it would be worth a little intercessory prayer with him to find a happy religious experience while attending his university. Who knows, it might even become a miracle in the cause of his sainthood.

I live near central campus. Are you by any chance referring to the Gabriel Richard Newman Center at St. Mary’s student parish? After a quick internet search, it’s the only one I can find, unless there’s a chapel at the high school of the same name. St. Mary’s is the parish I have been attending. I have been praying about it, and I’m a bit more comfortable with the fact that most people at Mass don’t follow the GIRM guidelines. I figure I’ll just kneel at the appropriate times and so forth until somebody gives me a convincing reason why I shouldn’t.

Peace

 

[Illini]

I enjoyed my years at the University of Illinois Newman Center (graduated 1993). It had 4 or 5 priests, all of whom were quite good. The chapel is both large and beautiful. The central cruxifix statute and statutes near it (one is the Blessed Virgin Mary) are modeled after those in the Cathedral of St. Louis. (Or is it the other way around? ) I am struck by one stained-glass window dedicated to the soldiers who fought for freedom in the Civil War.

 We did have "modern" music at the later masses, but on the rare occasions I was awake before 8:00 AM on Sunday, I discovered that the church did use the beautiful organ. Liturgical abuses were few.

 In looking at its Web site ([www.newmancenter.com](http://www.newmancenter.com/)), it appears to have become even better. Daily masses AND adoration, and even a vocations program. I suppose it should not be surprising given that Champaign is in the Diocese of Peoria. I guess I was lucky considering what has been written about other places.

 Any current Illini out there to offer their thoughts and impressions?

-Illini

 

[Grace_and_Glory]

I am an Illini at the Newman Foundation. I actually live and work here, and I can tell you it’s great!

We have spiritual direction, and there is a group devoted to people trying to determine vocations. There is Eucharistic adoration every day, multiple daily masses, and Sunday masses at enough times that, even with a crazy student schedule, there is always a time to go. There are Bible studies and groups that focus on the Catechism. I have not seen any abuses or examples of softening the truth, even when it’s not in line with current popular thinking (when is it, anyway?).

There are actually now even more stained glass windows, because apparently someone found out that there had been stained glass windows that had been covered up. Now, on both sides of the altar, we can see stained glass windows of the Agony in the Garden and of the Resurrection.

I have definitely seen an improvement in my own spiritual life since I came here and can testify to the fact that it is great!

 

[msproule]

For those of you seeking a more orthodox parish within walking distance of St. Mary Student Parish in Ann Arbor, try St. Thomas the Apostle Parish at the corner of Kingsley and State Streets. I believe this is the one referred to as “Gabriel Richard” in an earlier post because it used to be the site of Gabriel Richard High School.

 

[John_Higgins]

Two sets of kudos, and a question.

Kudos to the fine Jesuits at St. Louis University. The first Campus Ministry Mass my wife (to be, then, we married later) attended was on Sunday evening at 10 PM. St. Francis Xavier College Church (where we were later to be married) was magnificent and filled with about 1000 students. There were seven priests, acolytes (who were Jesuit scholastics) and a thurifer. This was the best Novus Ordo Mass I’d ever seen. The Campus Ministry is great as well. My wife was a doctoral student there, and one visit to that Mass and the first RCIA session convinced her that the RCC was the place to be. In fact, she’s been disappointed with many parishes we’ve looked at since she’s moved up here, but that’s another story. There RCIA was great as well. Not only did my bride to be learn of the Church, I did as well.

As far as the Newman Center in Champaign, it was great in '69 when I was a freshman at the Big U (I wish I had attended more), and it was great the last time I was there on a football weekend.

Question to Loyola Rambler: How do you know about Northeastern?

John

 

[chicago]

Sparky:

As for UofM…all I can say is…I received a really good education at MSU…and our band was better (at least, when I was there it was) .
–Ann

Who cares about the band. All that really matters is how good looking the cheerleaders are!