"They don't build them like this anymore": Inspiring renovation to Traditonal Latin Mass Parish Church in Norwalk CT

 

Even when the Traditional Latin Mass was confined to the "crypt," hundreds of worshippers searching for its reverence and beauty overflowed the pews in St. Patrick Chapel in the basement of St. Mary Church. That was Advent of 2007, and the parish, under the pastorship of Fr. Greg Markey, has been evolving toward the perfect form of Catholic worship ever since. "Creating a beautiful home for our Lord gives glory to His greatness and helps form strong Catholics,' says Fr. Markey. A traditional Gothic architectural structure, St. Mary in Norwalk, is forming many strong Catholics through prayer, liturgy, sacred music, worship, art and architecture.



After that trial period in the basement of the church, then Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Rev. William Lori, allowed the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass to be moved upstairs to the church proper. Unfortunately, St. Mary was not immune from the disastrous effects of church whitewashing that occurred in the 60's and 70's. A beautiful testament to the glory of God at the turn of the 20th century, St. Mary's became a banal "worship space", devoid of the rich history of 2,000 years of Catholic worship.

St. Mary Church 1930

St. Mary Church 1989

Renovations began soon after bringing the Traditional Latin Mass upstairs, and will be culminating this Christmas season of 2013, when the commissioned painting of renowned neo-Classical artist Leonard Porter, The Assumption, will be installed in the central reredos, directly behind the high altar.

The video is a special report covered by Channel 12 News in Connecticut about the renovation at St. Mary.

If you are interested in supporting the renovation project at St. Mary, please visit this link. 
To donate by PayPal click this link.

Read article by Joseph McAleer, former Diocesan spokesperson at this link.

View more photos at this link.

A traditional type of Eucharistic flash mob

Fr. Greg Markey carries monstrance during procession

Corpus Christi at St. Mary's in Norwalk, CT

In the times after Christ's Ascension, when Christians were being openly persecuted, even killed, priests and holy messengers carried the Sacred Body of Christ, the Eucharist, to prisoners, and others who had no way to receive Holy Communion. The devotion and fervor for Jesus in the Eucharist was so strong, that early Christians were prepared to die to protect the Body of Christ, rather than see It desecrated. The Eucharistic, or Corpus Christi Procession, grew from this first practice of carrying the Eucharistic Lord from place to place. Now, out of hiding, Catholic Churches celebrate the feast day devoted to the Body of Jesus, Corpus Christi, the first Thursday (or Sunday) after Trinity Sunday.


Read about, see, and hear a traditional Corpus Christi procession, with all its splendor, that took place at St. Mary Church in Norwalk, CT, with the incredible choirs and scholas. Follow the link to examiner.com. If you've read this blog before, you know that music like this can be heard every week at St. Mary's, and the traditions that belong to our Holy Mother Church are preserved as timeless in St. Mary's daily and weekly Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Church is alive and well.