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Six Seminarians Wow Our Weekend

On Friday night, Fr. Sandquist brought down six first and second-year seminarians from CMRI’s recently-acquired Iowa location to help us prepare for Candlemas and a High Mass for the Feast of the Purification, as well as lend their muscles to a chapel workday: Joe (Nebraska), Dominic (MN), Adam (MI), William (MI), Caleb (Scotland), and Frederic (France).

Saturday morning was dedicated to removing the Christmas decorations and Nativity, followed by server and choir practice. Then sheetrock projects began as the ladies boxed up the large Nativity figures. That complete, the women organized an assembly line to pull nails from salvaged oak baseboards. After the de-nailed boards were stained, seminarians whisked them off to be cut and then nailed in place while others taped so that a second coat could be applied. Fr. Sandquist took to his hands and knees to finish the staining–the baseboards and, he ruefully noted afterward, his hands. Between all the sheetrock dust, the blue tape, and everything being pulled away from the walls, including the altar, it looked like we couldn’t possibly be ready for mass on Sunday, but of course it all came back together with many hands making light work.

Sunday’s Candlemas ceremony and high mass were simply glorious. We couldn’t have asked for a more gorgeous day for our procession either. It was 69 degrees with sunny, blue skies. The seminarians were thrilled with the fantastic weather after enduring a tough winter in Iowa. All the practice paid off, and everything went smoothly. The choir finished with a stunning Stella Matutina. Afterward Adam asked if it was too loud, and I assured him that it was exquisite, and the volume was perfect. Truly, we congregants zoomed heavenward in a musical chariot powered by their strong male voices, sonorous with Marian devotion.

Below is a photo gallery from the Asperges, Candlemas ceremony, and procession:

Below is a photo gallery from the Mass for the Purification, with the final two photos depicting the new location of the statues of Sts. Peter and Paul and a zoomed-in look at the altar with the newly-acquired Jesus and Mary statues.

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Saturday Mass, Practice, and Work Day

Since Fr. Sandquist will be at our chapel with four seminarians for a work day, we will have mass on Saturday, Feb. 1st, at 8 am.

Afterward we will eat breakfast, take down Christmas decorations, and have choir and server practice.

Then the work projects will begin, which will include installing double doors on the chapel entrance from the hallway so that we may have the Blessed Sacrament reserved on our altar and finishing sheetrock projects in the confessional, priest’s office, and cry room.3F76E077-A7CE-4901-BA53-EAC189EF7298

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Mass Time Change for Jan. 19th & Other News

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A SUNDAY MORNING LOW MASS

Fr. Sandquist will offer Mass for us at 10 am this Sunday to accommodate his travel schedule to the CMRI priests’ meeting. Father will hear confessions beginning at 9:30. We will return to the regular schedule the following Sunday: Confessions at 1, Mass at 1:30.

A SUNDAY AFTERNOON HIGH MASS

Four CMRI seminarians will be visiting our chapel on Feb. 1-2. On Saturday they will assist us with chapel work projects, and on Sunday they will sing, so we will be able to have a High Mass for the Feast of the Presentation/Candlemas.

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Adventures Galore at CMRI’s Omaha Boys’ Camp

Are you considering sending a boy to camp this summer but want to know more about what the campers do and why they should go?  Well, you’re in luck.  This post about last summer’s camp is for you.  *UPDATE*  A link to the registration form has been added to the bottom of this post.

“The whole point of boys’ camp is to show them that they can have fun and still be good Catholics,” explained Fr. Timothy Geckle, CMRI.  “We want them to see that being Catholic is not only about ‘No, you can’t do this or that!’”

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Every day was packed with activities dear to most boys’ hearts, but the scavenger hunt stood out as one of the most challenging and thrilling of all.  It was comprised of numerous trials to earn the next “clue” which involved answering a catechism question.  Whether it was shooting a balloon out of the air with an Airsoft gun to drop the question down to earth, or squirming through a dark pipe to retrieve it, or diving into a pool to snatch it from the bottom, each challenge kindled the Catholic imagination as well as involved the whole body.  Bravo!

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Fr. Geckle and Fr. Philip took a small group of boys to set up an ambush on the airsoft course while the other boys were swimming.

“We had a great group this year—not a bad apple in the bunch,” Fr. Geckle said of the 2018 campers.  “We got compliments on them everywhere we went.  This was the first time we rented a swimming pool, and afterward the manager said that our boys were so well-behaved, they were welcome to come back anytime.”

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War broke out, and the boys were issued Airsoft guns and rigorous rules of engagement.

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Singing around the campfire was followed by a talk from one of the dads, then night prayers.
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Setting up forts

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Campers attended daily Mass and had lots of opportunities for Confession.

 

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Fathers Borja, Philip Marie, and Geckle planned and oversaw the camp that was hosted by the Mater Dei seminarians.

Registration is open for the 2019 camp which runs Monday, July 22, through Friday, July 26th.  To register, please fill out this registration form and mail it, along with the $100 registration fee, to the seminary by June 30 . Please make checks payable to: Mater Dei Seminary. 

Mater Dei Seminary

7745 Military Ave.
Omaha, NE 68134

 

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We Celebrate Our One-Year Anniversary

Last Sunday two Congregation Mater Dei Sisters traveled to us from Omaha to teach catechism before mass.  They brought two lovely young ladies from Mater Dei Academy with them who joined the sisters in choir.  Such sweet pure voices!  We were blessed once again also with the presence of seminarian Carlos Zepeda, who served at the altar.

Afterward we had cake and socializing to celebrate our one-year anniversary as Our Lady of Fatima Mission Chapel, under the pastoral care of the CMRI.  Our chapel blossomed from the former St. John Fisher chapel in Tulsa when it was abandoned without warning by the SSPX last year.

There is much to celebrate!  Not only have we procured our own property, Fr. Geckle told us that the Sisters are planning to come to us every third Sunday to teach catechism!  Deo gratias!  And Bishop Pivarunas has twice generously sent us seminarians to help remodel our church.  In those two visits, they helped put down the flooring, modify the pews, and put up new sheetrock.  We feel so loved and cared for.  Thank you, Bishop Pivarunas!