edited: Tuesday August 9, 2011 2:59pm CDT
Solemn High Mass: September 14, 2011
We will celebrate a Traditional Latin Polyphonic Solemn High Mass on Wednesday, September 14 at 7:00pm. A special Polyphony choir with the Men's Schola will sing during Mass. They are rehearsing Monday nights at 6:30pm if you are interested in joining them. Contact Kyle Eller at for more information on Men's Schola.
edited: Tuesday August 9, 2011 2:59pm CDT
Polyphonic Mass: August 15, 2010
On Sunday, August 15, 2010 we celebrated a Traditional Latin Polyphonic High Mass at St. Benedict's at 1:00pm.
For information, click here to read Sandy Eller's bulletin column on this Mass.
edited: Friday February 12, 2010 10:53am CST
Ad Dominum
Conversi ad Dominum - Turn to the Lord - Towards the Crucified
Last January on the Feast of the Epiphany as Pope Benedict was preparing to celebrate the Mass standing together with the congregation turned towards the fresco of Michelangelo's Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel, his personal secretary was asked to explain this. As Msgr. Marini explained “this means that at some points the Pope will turn towards the Crucified, thus underlining the correct orientation of the Eucharistic celebration. This is not about turning the back to the people, but about assuming the same orientation as the assembly, which precisely looks toward the Crucified.”
Fr. Eric prayed the Eucharistic Prayer ad Dominum (also known as ad Orientum - towards the East) during Mass at St. Benedict's during Advent and Christmas.
Starting January 9, Fr. Eric returned to praying the Eucharistic Prayer facing the congregation for the 8:00am Sunday Masses.
Fr. Eric plans to continue praying ad Dominum (toward the altar and the crucix) for the 5:00pm Saturday Masses, 10:30am Sunday Masses, and weekday Masses for the duration of Ordinary Time.
To find out more about the meaning of ad Dominum, this common direction of liturgical prayer, read Fr. Eric's five bulletin inserts. Click on the dates below for each week's insert.
October 25: Part I
November 1: Part II
November 8: Part III
November 15: Part IV
November 22: Part V
edited: Tuesday January 18, 2011 2:50pm CST
Papal Nuncio Celebrates Mass at St. Benedict's
A great blessing was giving to our parish on Tuesday, December 15, 2009.
His Excellency Archbishop Pietro Sambi celebrated the morning Mass at our parish together with Fr. Steve LaFlamme and me with the lay faithful. Beautifully, the Mass was celebrated together in the common posture towards the sacred images in the sanctuary. During the Mass, Archbishop Sambi spoke about this artwork at length. He began by emphasizing the image of the Crucifixion as a sign of God's love of us. He then spoke of the first panel which depicts the Last Supper. He highlighted that the Supper shows God's abiding presence with us. He concluded by pointing to the last image of the Resurrection. He spoke about the power of Christ's resurrection dwelling within each of us. He also noted how the sacred art of the sanctuary was beautiful and that it presented the whole Paschal mystery rather than just a part. He finished by saying this helps us to better understand our faith in a more complete way.
For the Final Blessing at the Mass he imparted to those present and to the entire parish of St. Benedict the Apostolic Blessing the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI (It is to be noted that when a nuncio gives the papal blessing it is as if it were the Pope himself giving the blessing). This means that the Holy Father, through his ambassador, has directly blessed all of us! After Mass, Archbishop Sambi had a cup of coffee and visited briefly in the Parish Center with those who were at Mass on Tuesday morning.
Fr. Eric
A note: Archbishop Pietro Sambi was in town for the ordination of Bishop Paul Sirba, the Diocese of Duluth's current bishop, on December 14, 2010. For more information on the ordination or Bishop Sirba, go to the diocesan website by clicking here.