Pentecost edition:

Just to clarify for any new readers: This is a recurring feature here at Open Book in which I invite readers to share their experiences at this past Sunday’s Mass (or church service – we often have folks from other denominations contribute), with a focus on music, homily and anything "special" – since yesterday was Pentecost, we’d ask – was the Sequence sung? In what form? Was everyone invited to wear read? Did rose petals shower down from the oculus?

As much as possible, we like to keep this a "no discussion" thread – keeps it focused. If something persistent or interesting arises, I’ll pull it and make it a separate thread. It’s also not intended to be a griping thread, although if something really bugged, feel free.

It’s simply that this is a fascinating opportunity to see what’s going on in the Church worldwide, to see how profoundly we’re on the same page, and sometimes…how we’re not.

Our Pentecost was a little unusual. We attended the traditional German parish (4th oldest in the city, Stations of the Cross are in German, etc) because the 11 am Mass was to be in German, with special music, in honor of the beginning of the "Germanfest" festival here in town. Not everything was in German – the second reading, Gospel, homily and prayers of the faithful were all in English, as well as one of the Communion hymns. But the rest of it was, and we engaged in a Teutonic struggle to pray/read/follow along. It was fine. The homily was interesting, if loudly and flatly delivered – I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a lack of modulation. You wonder why people do that. Anyway, the content was fairly strong – going through all the things that gripe about in regard to Church (from the inside) and then wondering what it is about this faith that holds us or is worth holding on to. He was good on connecting it all to Christ, but was still a little more on the "We have to hold to this because it’s the Church and it’s really important" rather than "This saves us." But still, that’s a quibble.

Sequence was sung by the cantor – in Latin.