Mother Church Opens her arms to the New creations ( Catehumens and Candidates)
Immaculate Conception church, which is located at the heart of Midtown Memphis, is the Cathetral church for memphis Diocese, where the reign of Mother Church resides among the people of Memphis Diocese. Febrauary 26th, the first Sunday of lenten season, celebrated the rite of election, which is a function of recieving catehumens and candidates into the heart and arms of the mother church . I had the previlage to participate in the rite of election as I was one among the representative choir members from OLPH Church, German Town for Diocese Choir this year. I placed myself in that Choir group not because I have wonderful voice or talent to sing, but to participate in my Mother Church activities closely, inorder to learn and know about her in a different level, as I love her majesty and I am focused and dedicated few years from now on reflecting upon her mystical and natural presence in this world, as Jesus christ chose her to be His bride.
I have seen and participated in the similar rite of election in India and in Malaysia. I was looking forward for that day as we as a choir were undergoing rehersal marathons under the direction of Mr. Lynn. Learning music under his direction added a new perspectives to my singing. Practice became easy as I was familar with some of the selected songs in the school of Mr. Ben at OLPH church.
I belong to the school of Mr. Ben, who I consider as a rare teacher, who is musically talented, spiritually grounded, genius in articulation and delebration of the music concepts,delightful in expressions of poetry behind the music, a great teacher. It is more than a previlage to be in his choir. I always consider every Thursday rehersal in OLPH church as a music class and I call myself as a student in Ben's class, which I am proud off. Let me pen few lines about this great teacher, He is the choir director at OLPH church at Germantown. It is my home parish where Rev. Monsignor. Edwin Creary is the Pastor, in his leadership, church activities have adherence to the classical Catholic tradions, as Monsgr. Creary himself is gifted with a majestic, cheerful voice and has ear to music. From this school, three other music genius joined me (I am an ametur in this school) to participate in the diocesean choir. Majority of the songs what we prepared to sing were familar to us already, which Mr. Ben had drilled us on some times in the far past.So the practice was easy so that I was able to open my understanding to not just learning the tune but in articulation, phonations, and modulations.
In this background, I learned something new in Diocesan Choir practice. It is in this diocesean choir practice,under Mr. Lynn conduction, I learned that I could hold my voice for a prolonged period of time with out taking breath in between, which was myth so long. With me, the members from OLPH church Ms. Marsha and her sister, who are from a traditonal catholic music family and their father was a well known catholic musician, who played Piono up his 104 birthday, Lona and Sara, who have beautiful soprano voice and they are some of the leading sopranos from our parish. We participated in the rite of election 2012 diocesan choir with great enthusiasm.
It was Sunday early evening when there was mild cold but gentle breeze was flowing over the Cathetral church. Trees and shrubs have seen their early Spring cleaning and the hedges were trimmed the surroundings of the Church looked so beautiful and serine. Geographical midtown surrounding stone houses, tall spring budded trees, and early blooming decidous Tulip Magnolias added color to the environment. Group of small birds were everywhere chatting on the trees and shrubs which was a sure sign of approaching Spring. Cathetral Church is a tesetament of art where there are large stein glasses and high decorated painted domes, which I would like to write in detail in another article. The image of Immaculate conception surrounded by holy Angels above the tabernacle is breath taking scene in the church, which gave me the impression that i am walking inside my Mother's house.
Any child who goes to the mother's house never retrns with empty hands or hungry. I reflect upon my visits to my Mother's house as I just had one of such visit in December. In december 2011, I was fortunate to have family union in my parent house in India with my family. We drove to my parents house which is located in Tuticorin district about 600 miles away from my house which is Madras ( Chennai). We were on the road for whole day as family to reach to my mothers house. As I think back, I can almost palpate my state of mind during that travel. We were having lot of joy, expectations, hope and enjoyed the fun of journey itself. We stopped in few places in between and enjoyed the travel, with the hope of seeing my parents and sibbilings at the end of the journey. Throughout the journey, we were also constantly connected via cell phone with my parents, brothers and sisters. I will not forget my brother Raj's loving care,as he was making calls almost ever hour to see the progression of our travel as it was the first time we were driving to parents house, other times we travel by bus or train, he was very concerned of our safety on the road.It was his loving care made him to call very many times, although my husband is well versed on Indian roads and directions. As we parked the car in front of my Mother's house as we were encircled by parents,,whole family and the neighbors to welcome us, i could also smell the aroma of my mother's cooking.My mother has a tradition, when I am present near her, what ever she cooks, she will make sure to serve me first before anybody, on which she is very particular, as I am her first born.I enjoy that expression of love as a previlage all the time quietly.
I have taken you very far from the Rite of election at Memphis Catholic Diocese. However, the journey to My mother's house and the mother's cooking have an anological meaning, so I placed them with the perspective here. With the evening breeze, there was a sweet aroma at the basement,which welcmed us, where the church had prepared the reception for candidates and catehumens, who are at the journey of travelling towards their mother's house, which was a symbolic gesture of mother's house.The church had two services one at 3pm and another one at 7pm and both services were well attended by the catehumens and candidates and their families, friends, God parents, and sponsors. Among them, there were candidates who have recieved baptism from other denominational churches, now they are at the different level of faith journey , where they are inquiring themselves to join with mother Church in travel.There were catehumens who were studying the Catholic faith and enquiring to become christian for the first time seeking baptism and other sacrements.There was glorious presence of new creation among catehumens and candidates, as they seek Christ presence through sacrements, which is the heart of Mother Church. There was great joy, expectation, and excitement evident in each one of the faithful faces. Immaculate conception of Virgin Mary brought Saviour to the world, who is the first born of all the new creation, as He is the Second person of God and the Son of man. In Him, through Him, and with Him, those who are baptised in the Mother Church becomes the heir of His kingdom. Mother Church holds the very womb of Virgin Mary, as Virgin Mary's virgin womb in the union of Holy Spirit became the tabernacle of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In the sameway, from the Mother Church womb in the union of Holy Spirit faithful children are born, who are sisters and brothers to Jesus christ. As any child has to undergo the life in the womb, which is a life journey, every candidate and catehumen undergo a faith journey in the Mother Church womb. On this holy sacremental life journey, Rite of election is a mile stone of that holy journey of Joy, hope and anticipation.
To be continued........ in the book " I will be with you Always"
I have seen and participated in the similar rite of election in India and in Malaysia. I was looking forward for that day as we as a choir were undergoing rehersal marathons under the direction of Mr. Lynn. Learning music under his direction added a new perspectives to my singing. Practice became easy as I was familar with some of the selected songs in the school of Mr. Ben at OLPH church.
I belong to the school of Mr. Ben, who I consider as a rare teacher, who is musically talented, spiritually grounded, genius in articulation and delebration of the music concepts,delightful in expressions of poetry behind the music, a great teacher. It is more than a previlage to be in his choir. I always consider every Thursday rehersal in OLPH church as a music class and I call myself as a student in Ben's class, which I am proud off. Let me pen few lines about this great teacher, He is the choir director at OLPH church at Germantown. It is my home parish where Rev. Monsignor. Edwin Creary is the Pastor, in his leadership, church activities have adherence to the classical Catholic tradions, as Monsgr. Creary himself is gifted with a majestic, cheerful voice and has ear to music. From this school, three other music genius joined me (I am an ametur in this school) to participate in the diocesean choir. Majority of the songs what we prepared to sing were familar to us already, which Mr. Ben had drilled us on some times in the far past.So the practice was easy so that I was able to open my understanding to not just learning the tune but in articulation, phonations, and modulations.
In this background, I learned something new in Diocesan Choir practice. It is in this diocesean choir practice,under Mr. Lynn conduction, I learned that I could hold my voice for a prolonged period of time with out taking breath in between, which was myth so long. With me, the members from OLPH church Ms. Marsha and her sister, who are from a traditonal catholic music family and their father was a well known catholic musician, who played Piono up his 104 birthday, Lona and Sara, who have beautiful soprano voice and they are some of the leading sopranos from our parish. We participated in the rite of election 2012 diocesan choir with great enthusiasm.
It was Sunday early evening when there was mild cold but gentle breeze was flowing over the Cathetral church. Trees and shrubs have seen their early Spring cleaning and the hedges were trimmed the surroundings of the Church looked so beautiful and serine. Geographical midtown surrounding stone houses, tall spring budded trees, and early blooming decidous Tulip Magnolias added color to the environment. Group of small birds were everywhere chatting on the trees and shrubs which was a sure sign of approaching Spring. Cathetral Church is a tesetament of art where there are large stein glasses and high decorated painted domes, which I would like to write in detail in another article. The image of Immaculate conception surrounded by holy Angels above the tabernacle is breath taking scene in the church, which gave me the impression that i am walking inside my Mother's house.
Any child who goes to the mother's house never retrns with empty hands or hungry. I reflect upon my visits to my Mother's house as I just had one of such visit in December. In december 2011, I was fortunate to have family union in my parent house in India with my family. We drove to my parents house which is located in Tuticorin district about 600 miles away from my house which is Madras ( Chennai). We were on the road for whole day as family to reach to my mothers house. As I think back, I can almost palpate my state of mind during that travel. We were having lot of joy, expectations, hope and enjoyed the fun of journey itself. We stopped in few places in between and enjoyed the travel, with the hope of seeing my parents and sibbilings at the end of the journey. Throughout the journey, we were also constantly connected via cell phone with my parents, brothers and sisters. I will not forget my brother Raj's loving care,as he was making calls almost ever hour to see the progression of our travel as it was the first time we were driving to parents house, other times we travel by bus or train, he was very concerned of our safety on the road.It was his loving care made him to call very many times, although my husband is well versed on Indian roads and directions. As we parked the car in front of my Mother's house as we were encircled by parents,,whole family and the neighbors to welcome us, i could also smell the aroma of my mother's cooking.My mother has a tradition, when I am present near her, what ever she cooks, she will make sure to serve me first before anybody, on which she is very particular, as I am her first born.I enjoy that expression of love as a previlage all the time quietly.
I have taken you very far from the Rite of election at Memphis Catholic Diocese. However, the journey to My mother's house and the mother's cooking have an anological meaning, so I placed them with the perspective here. With the evening breeze, there was a sweet aroma at the basement,which welcmed us, where the church had prepared the reception for candidates and catehumens, who are at the journey of travelling towards their mother's house, which was a symbolic gesture of mother's house.The church had two services one at 3pm and another one at 7pm and both services were well attended by the catehumens and candidates and their families, friends, God parents, and sponsors. Among them, there were candidates who have recieved baptism from other denominational churches, now they are at the different level of faith journey , where they are inquiring themselves to join with mother Church in travel.There were catehumens who were studying the Catholic faith and enquiring to become christian for the first time seeking baptism and other sacrements.There was glorious presence of new creation among catehumens and candidates, as they seek Christ presence through sacrements, which is the heart of Mother Church. There was great joy, expectation, and excitement evident in each one of the faithful faces. Immaculate conception of Virgin Mary brought Saviour to the world, who is the first born of all the new creation, as He is the Second person of God and the Son of man. In Him, through Him, and with Him, those who are baptised in the Mother Church becomes the heir of His kingdom. Mother Church holds the very womb of Virgin Mary, as Virgin Mary's virgin womb in the union of Holy Spirit became the tabernacle of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In the sameway, from the Mother Church womb in the union of Holy Spirit faithful children are born, who are sisters and brothers to Jesus christ. As any child has to undergo the life in the womb, which is a life journey, every candidate and catehumen undergo a faith journey in the Mother Church womb. On this holy sacremental life journey, Rite of election is a mile stone of that holy journey of Joy, hope and anticipation.
To be continued........ in the book " I will be with you Always"
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