Mass of St. Josemaria
by Esther Keeley
On June 26, we celebrated the Feast of St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei. Every year, Masses are held world-wide to commemorate this saint of “ordinary life”. This year, in the San Antonio area, the Mass was held at the beautiful church of St. Anthony Marie Claret. The main celebrant was Bishop Michael Boulette, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of San Antonio. There were nearly 200 people in attendance. Through the tremendous efforts of so many, this celebration proved to be a memorable one. From the choir to the organ music to the incense to the words of Bishop Michael on family life, all who attended were touched in some way when it was over.
Bishop Michael spoke of St. Josemaria’s teachings about the importance of doing work well for the honor and glory of God. The Bishop shared that every morning, after saying Mass, when he sits at his desk, his desk becomes, for him, another altar in offering his work to God. He suggested that we, too, should make whatever our work is, an altar for God. Bishop Michael said that the home is the domestic church and he reminded parents that they are priest, prophet, and king (& queen) in their homes. He said children learn about the Eucharistic altar first around the dinner table, and the dinner table should be kept clear of homework and bills. It is a sacred place for conversation and meals. Lamenting the fact that out of approximately 21 meals that could be shared in a week’s time, families today, from his experience, are only sharing 3-4 meals a week, at most. Terri Garza, mom of 4, and a pediatric dietitian, knows first hand about the importance of family meals. She says that the dinner table is one of the places children can develop self-confidence and sometimes, the absence of shared family meals can lead to eating disorders. In spite of her family’s challenging schedules, (her husband is a pediatrician as well), she has always stressed the importance of eating meals together as a family and they strive to make it happen as much as possible. As the bishop stressed eating meals together, Terri’s children, who attended the Mass too, nudged her and said, “Mom, that’s what you always say!” Bishop Michael, in speaking of his own mother, reflected on how she used to bless him whenever he entered or left her home. He encouraged parents to do the same with their children.
Bishop Michael thanked Opus Dei for the help their presence gives to the Archdiocese. He praised parents for working to instill the faith in their children. Lillian Smith, who is a parishioner at St. Anthony Marie Claret, mentioned how the bishop reminded everyone that even though parents are working hard to hand the faith down to their children, he said there is still more to be done. Parents should not only pray for their children but they should pray with their children, and often. Lillian mentioned how this year was even more special to her, although she has been coming to the Mass for at least 10 years. She said what made it different this year is that she prepared herself by saying the Novena to St. Josemaria ahead of time. She prayed the novena with friends and each day they would share quotes from the readings with each other. It kept her focused and she came to the Mass with great joy and excitement.
There were many families of all ages in attendance. Allyson Rodriquez attended the Mass with two of her daughters, who were looking forward to going. It was wonderful to see so many young people participating, as well as attending. It is good for young people to see other young people living and loving their faith. Allyson appreciated the little details that were incorporated into the Mass, such as the incense, sacred music selections, and some prayers in Latin. As the bishop processed down the aisle at the conclusion of the Mass, he stopped frequently to individually bless young children, such as Tommy Cannon, who, while standing at the end of his bench, was fascinated by the presence of the bishop. The gathering in the Parish Hall after Mass, provided the opportunity for old friendships to be renewed and deepened, and new friendships to be made. It was a beautiful witness to what true and authentic friendship is all about. St. Josemaria, pray for us!