• Fr. Jeffrey R. Keyes
    • Psalms
    • Catechism Quizes
    • The Roman Catholic Priesthood
  • Blog
  • CV
  • St. Gaspar Del Bufalo
Omnia Christus est Nobis

2017 Year in Review

12/16/2017

3 Comments

 
January
Picture
February
Picture
March
Picture
Picture
April
Picture
Picture
May
Picture
June
July
Picture
August
Picture
September
Picture
Picture
October
Picture
November
Picture
December
Picture
Blessings All Year
Picture
Dear friends and neighbors,
​
2017 is drawing to a close and it is time to look back and count all the blessings. Last year I wrote: “I celebrate Mass at the Convent on weekday mornings, teach at the High School during the day, and on weekends, I hear confessions and celebrate Mass at the Parish. Also during the week, I teach an Adult Faith Formation class and conduct a rehearsal for the Chant Schola.”  Nothing has changed.  I can’t believe how much fun I am having!!

The main event for January ’17 was the Walk for Life.  It was a great time to see friends, the faithful from Newark, some of whom make annual pilgrimages to the north for Mass, food and fellowship. February ’17 saw a trip to Oklahoma for the first Regina Conference. There was a handful of us in the conference room and others joined from across America and Europe by video. March ’17 saw the dedication of the Cathedral and the new Baldacchino.   The Gregorian chant schola I conduct teamed up with the Marian Sisters to chant the music for the dedication. The next day,  I was celebrating Mass at the new High Altar for Gaudete Sunday. This year’s Triduum (April ’17) was pretty extraordinary: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday were all in the Extraordinary Form.

May ’17 was the observance of the 100th Anniversary of the appearances of the Blessed Mother at Fatima. We started with a Rosary in the Parish Hall, a procession with the Statue around the property and along a busy boulevard into the Cathedral, where the new Statue was installed in its niche, then Mass was celebrated and many consecrated themselves to the Virgin.
June ’17 saw another pilgrimage to Rome. It was great to spend time with friends, enjoy terrific food and have marvelous conversations.  This included a pilgrimage to the Eucharistic Miracle in Lanciano, to the Holy Face in Manoppello, and to Roman sites associated with the Martyrdom of St. Paul. There was also a pilgrimage to the historic shop of Gammarelli where with assistance, I designed and ordered a very Roman Marian Vestment. Pictures of this trip are on my blog, along with pictures of the vestment. June also saw a trip to St. Paul, MN for the annual CMAA colloquium.  July ’17 included a trip to Medford, OR for the Sacred Liturgical Conference.  Four of the Marian Sisters also attended.  Here, I was able to meet Cardinal Burke, but most attendees insisted the best talk was by Bishop Vasa.

August ’17 was the celebration of my 64th birthday.  Many friends came from the old parish and we had a marvelous five course dinner here in the Cathedral Rectory. September ’17 saw another trip to Rome; this was a quick trip of four days to attend the celebrations of the 10th Anniversary of Summorum Pontificum.  Here, I had a more extensive conversation with Cardinal Burke who reported on conversations with Italian CPPS.  He said that they were aware of how bad things were in the USA and he affirmed my intention to leave the CPPS.

September ’17 I began my second season of teaching High School Scripture and Church History. This included even a few evenings of stretching my vocal chords to sing the National Anthem at Football games on cool autumn evenings.  October ’17 was the Fire that engulfed much of Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino Counties.  Many parishioners and students lost their homes.  The High School where I teach was heavily damaged by the fire. When school resumed, we gathered at four different sites.  Now, much of the instruction is done online with Google Classroom.

November ’17 saw the renewal of religious vows for the Marian Sisters, chanting a Missa Cantata each Sunday and celebrating Requiems.  December ‘17 will include the efforts to celebrate an occasional Solemn High Mass with Deacons and Subdeacons, and singing a solemn Vespers with the Bishop presiding. 

I would be remiss if I did not mention a small part of the beauty of my life: The Amice Art. Each morning the sister sacristan who lays out the vestments creates some wonderful artwork from the Amice ties.  These have become internationally famous, having appeared on the New Liturgical Movement blog some three times.

Some of my favorite songs are from this Advent time.  They speak of an unspeakable joy awaited, an enrichment celebrated with extravagant joy.  Our God has visited his people.  My prayer for you in this time is that God continues to fill you with his most wonderful gifts.  In Christ and in His blood, we have been redeemed and our sins forgiven, so immeasurably generous is God favor to us. (Eph 1:7) Blessed Christmas.

 
 


3 Comments
David de Luna
12/16/2017 07:55:41 pm

Sounds like a wonderful year. I also went to Lanciano to pray at the Eucharistic Miracle. I lectored at Mass in St. Peter's, saw the Holy Father at his general audience, and we participated in mass in the cave at Monte Sant'Angelo. We just returned a few weeks ago. If you wish to see the pics just type #deLunaItaly2017 in the search box in Facebook. God bless you, Father.

Reply
Filomena Seiffert
12/25/2017 12:06:59 am

The EF Christmas was beautiful. Thank you father Keyes . Bishop Vasa has done great improvement at St Eugene. MERRY CHRISTMAS Father Jeff.

Reply
Miles Riley link
3/12/2021 04:02:37 am

Very niice blog you have here

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Omnia Christus Est Nobis

    Christ is everything for us!

    Picture

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    Categories

    All
    Daily Homily
    Holy Matrimony
    Priesthood
    St. Gaspar
    The Liturgy
    Travel

    RSS Feed

    Incoming Missal
    Explanation Coat of Arms
    Dinner with Fr. Keyes 2015
    The Women Speak
    An American Priest in Ireland
    Bringing the "Catholic" back.
    Burying the Alleluia
    Sacristy Art I
    ​
    Sacristy Art II
    ​
    Sacristy Art III
    Sacristy Art IV
    Sacristy Art V
    Sacristy Art VI

    Years in Review
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    2019
    ​
    Decade in review
    ​2020

    Author

    I am a Roman Catholic Priest from California. I spent 13 wonderful years years as a member of the Province of the Pacific in the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. The outline of my life can be traced here. 

    Friend's Blogs

    Melissa and Andrew Steele
    ​
    Fr. John Hogan OCD
    Joan from Rome​
    Fr. Joseph Illo