COME HOME return to Mass in the Diocese falling on the same weekend that the Universal Church commemorated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Yolanda Gora of Sacred Heart Parish, emphatically responded that “It’s a sign from God … “I see it as a sign of hope that everything will get better,” said Gora, who had attended the noon Mass that was celebrated in Polish in Holy Cross Church. After the Mass she joined in the annual Corpus Christi feast day procession that followed. While watching Father Apoldite carry the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament, and the stream of parishio-
ners singing and praying as the procession traveled to the three altars set up around the church grounds, Gora found it uplifting. “It was sad this past year having less people in church, but today it’s very nice to see people here,” she said, then noted that she was especially pleased that at least 12 more parishioners offered to help with setting up for the procession. “I think they feel more comfortable coming out and helping, and they are also more comfortable having their children get involved with activities,” she said. Father Gartland said he found the solemnity to be the “perfect day to begin our exciting journey in the post-COVID
Church. “For so many folks, being able to receive the Eucharist in community again was something that they had missed and had longed for throughout the pandemic, so joining with the community to celebrate the Eucharist, the central act of our faith, was a long-awaited event,” he said. “Their joy was evident.” Acknowledging that the COVID crisis presented a real challenge to the faithful’s being able to celebrate the Eucharist, Msgr. Gartland added that by its very nature, Mass is a participatory event reflecting the diversity of gifts of the worshiping community and calling for the full and active participation of all. “A liturgy in which all or most of the ministerial roles are taken by the priest makes visible a Church in which the priest has all the responsibility, a lopsided Church, that can easily become stagnant,” he said. “This is not only misleading, but contrary to the teaching of the Church, for all the baptized form the Body of Christ. “The body has many members all with different and varied functions and is most healthy when all the members are working well together,” he said. “We are now freely moving in that direction. When you are not there, you are missed.”
The annual procession for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, followed the noon Mass that was celebrated in Polish in Holy Cross Church, the same day that the pandemic dispensation was lifted and all parishioners were required to attend Sunday Mass. Scores of parishioners in Sacred Heart Parish, Trenton, kneel in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament during the annual outdoor procession held for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi on the grounds of Holy Cross Church.
June 2021 THE MONITOR MAGAZINE 35
