First Communion, Friday Nights, Tea

“It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes.”

That has nothing to do with First Communion, but it’s a great quote from St. Thomas Aquinas…

A Picture of My First Communion Picture

Going through some boxes of files today, I came across my First Communion picture. Wasn’t I a handsome kid? Lord knows what happened along the way. I snapped a shot of it on my cell phone with Instagram, which I love. I’ll have to scan it soon for my much anticipated and long awaited Biography section.

I actually remember posing for this photo. The photography studio was over on Airline Highway near Causeway, and I had to get dressed up out of the blue and kneel down and pray with my pre-Vatican II (it had just ended) prayer book and my First Communion Rosary. I still have those also.

When I think about my First Communion, it must have been in the extraordinary form, or the Latin Mass. Back then it was just the Mass of course and we didn’t worry about reforms or reforms of reforms, or whether or not we would understand it or whether the music would be good. And no one worried if us kids got bored, we just had to go.

And we all liked it.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that I loved Mass. To be honest after the drastic changes that took place around 1970 or so I found the Mass confusing, loud and somewhat banal.

It’s not that I was a snob, I was only a kid. But some other people from my old school have mentioned the same thing and we all ended up as music majors, so the music was probably influential for us.

Speaking of changes in the liturgical life of the Church, I consider the new translation coming in Advent an extremely simple switch in comparison. Almost like a hiccup after having gotten over a case of influenza.

On a separate note, there’s this:

Hilarious!

I’ve learned not to talk a lot about politics on my blog… for better or for worse. Issues but not politics. Lord knows what will come of that but it’s fine with me for the time being.

Go and have a looksee at the whole post.

A Happy Feast of Martha it was today. Cheers, and Prayers that all may find a Blessed Weekend ahead.

The Rev. Kenneth Allen