"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 evening of chant and polyphony at St. Mary's in Norwalk

What do preteens and teenagers do on a hot Friday summer night? Go to the movies? Hit the pool? Well these kids went to church to sing in a concert of Gregorian chant and polyphony, as a fundraiser for their trip to Spain for World Youth Day!

What made it especially amazing, was for artistic reasons, the air conditioner was turned off, to allow the purity of sound to make its way through the church. These kids barely flinched, and the Sisters in full habit never wiped a bead of sweat!

All this was miraculous in itself,  but wait until you hear the music-absolutely heavenly. All the favorites: Ave Verum Corpus of Byrd, Jesu dulcis memoria by Palestrina, all the favorite Marian chants, and a special treat, Ave Maris Stella with alternating versets by Grigny played by David J. Hughes, organist and conductor. The organ at St. Mary's sounds great opened all the way, and, dare I say- it rocked!

Have you ever heard applause or seen a standing ovation in a church? Well, the answer should be "no", but I doubt it. Pastor, Father Greg Markey, told the audience that he and Hughes have an agreement that there will never be applause during Mass (Deo gratias). And Hughes, for all his toil and labors (which he loves), never receives applause. The audience, made up of many parishioners, saved it all for this performance!

Check out the article, and videos that are included. Sit back and enjoy!
http://exm.nr/nliaDo

Listen to this group of young singers on their way to World Youth Day

Ever heard anything like it? 

Read more about this talented and dedicated group- http://bit.ly/nj9L9r

Purchase CD, reserve tickets for the concert- www.chantwith.us

Sisters of Life and Connecticut student singing group bound for Madrid

 Norwalk student singing group bound for Madrid

The Sisters of Life Schola have teamed up with St. Mary's Student Schola of Norwalk, Connecticut to sing at the English-speaking Masses of World Youth Day this August in Madrid. What is so special about this group? For starters, they sing only Gregorian chant and polyphony. The WYD English-speaking Masses will include all the Propers, chanted by the Student Schola, and the Ordinary and other motets in polyphony with the Sisters of Life. A benefit concert will be performed at St. Mary Church in Norwalk, CT with the proceeds going to fund the trip for the students and their chaperones. The Schola has also recorded as CD, which will be available for purchase at the concert, or online by visiting their website: www.chantwith.us .

As if singing at World Youth Day wasn't enough, the Schola will also travel to Toledo, where they will sing for the Primate of all Spain, Archbishop Braulio Rodriguez Plaza, at one of the greatest Gothic structures in Europe, the Toledo Cathedral. The roster of activities will not conclude until the Schola has sung a Traditional Latin Mass at the Monasterio de la Encarnacion in Avila, where St. Teresa was received into the Carmelite order, and Juventutem, the Traditional Latin Mass counterpart to World Youth Day.

Help this extraordinary group get to Spain, to bring the beauty of Gregorian chant and polyphony, the true music of the Church, to the participants at World Youth Day. The youth there may never pray the Holy Mass the same way again! Donate here: http://chantwith.us/donate/
Read more here:  Norwalk student singing group bound for Madrid.

Can you tell the difference?

Yes, this is a controversial subject--liturgical music. Everyone has an opinion. But there are actual Church documents that direct us in the choice of music for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Do you feel the music at your church directs your thoughts Heavenward? Does it take you out of this world, or drag God down into yours? More than that, does it fully glorify God?



Can you tell the difference?? from Corpus Christi Watershed on Vimeo.

Critical Mass

This may sound a tad drastic, but aren't your kids souls worth considering this?

A call to celebrate and reverence God’s vision of human sexuality

Natural Family Planning Awareness Week highlights the anniversary of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae (July 25) which articulates Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, conjugal love and responsible parenthood along with the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne (July 26), the parents of the Blessed Mother.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Pope Paul VI's landmark encyclical.

For those in the NY tri-state area,visit St. Mary Church in Norwalk, CT on Friday July 25 at 6:30 PM for a High Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite followed by a visit by Msgr. William Smith, Moral Theology Professor, St. Joseph Seminary Dunwoodie, who will speak on "Humanae Vitae: 40 years later."

Mass is offered in reparation for sins committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus.