Posted on 12/31/2014 4:33:50 PM PST by NYer
Brass monstrance now placed in a chapel dedicated to vocations
A man fishing at a reservoir near Baltimore two decades ago was convinced he had snagged a big fish after his line hooked something substantial.
After reeling in his haul, the angler had no fish. He had, however, caught something even more remarkable: a large Gothic monstrance used by Catholics to hold the Eucharist for worship.
Unsure what the ornate object was, but thinking it looked “churchy”, the man took the monstrance to a local Catholic church. A priest examined the vessel, suggesting that the man take the beautiful brass finding to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore, where it subsequently remained in storage for years.
During a joyous Mass that attracted hundreds of people to the historic basilica last month, Archbishop William Lori placed a consecrated host inside the restored monstrance fished from the water and carried it in a solemn procession to the church’s undercroft.
There, he placed the monstrance atop a gleaming altar inside a new adoration chapel that he dedicated to be used to pray for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.
“Using a monstrance fished out of a lake, we will ask the Lord to send us new ‘fishers of men,'” Archbishop Lori said in his homily, prior to dedicating the new chapel, “both here in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and in the whole Church.”
How the monstrance found its way into the reservoir is a mystery, Archbishop Lori said, “but how it found its way here to the basilica is a remarkable sign of God’s providence”.
Archbishop Lori announced that the new adoration chapel would be dedicated to the basilica’s 24th rector, Mgr Arthur Valenzano, in gratitude for his “goodness and priestly example”. The surprise announcement stirred the congregation to give the priest a prolonged standing ovation, during which Mgr Valenzano, who is battling cancer, smiled and placed a hand over his heart.
Mgr Valenzano established a small adoration chapel in the same spot as the new one in 2011. It is located near the tombs of several archbishops of Baltimore, including the nation’s first bishop, Archbishop John Carroll.
The new chapel features an altar inspired by the basilica’s side altars in the upper church. The adoration chapel altar includes an octagonal baldacchino, a canopy with metal shingles that Archbishop Lori said were set in a pattern inspired by the design of the dome of St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
“The tiles of blue glass which cover the interior of the baldacchino and serve as a backdrop for the monstrance recall the water of the lake from which the monstrance emerged,” Archbishop Lori said, “and also the words of the Lord to the Apostles, the first fishers of men, to ‘put out into the deep.'”
Mgr Valenzano told the Catholic Review, Baltimore’s archdiocesan newspaper, he hopes people will visit the chapel frequently to pray and draw closer to Christ by making a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament. The chapel seats eight.
“At first, a Holy Hour can seem like an obligation,” the rector said, “but eventually, it seems more like an opportunity. It’s a time when we communicate silently with God and God communicates with us.”
Among the priests present for the dedication Mass was Fr Joseph Marcello, a Connecticut clergyman and Archbishop Lori’s former priest-secretary in Baltimore, who was instrumental in the chapel’s design. Jim Sutton was the architect and CAM Construction was the builder. A grant from the Andreas Foundation helped make the chapel possible.
Mgr Valenzano noted that a display in honor of the women and men religious who have served the Archdiocese of Baltimore, previously housed in the alcove where the chapel is located, will be relocated to another spot in the basilica.
Fr Michael DeAscanis, vocations director for the archdiocese, said he believes prayer in the chapel will have a direct impact on vocations.
“Don’t just pray for vocations generically, but particularly,” he said. “Pray for the young people you know – your children, grandchildren, godchildren – simply that God’s will be done.”
An inscription above the side entryways of the chapel is a constant reminder of the power of prayer. Taken from the Gospel of Luke, it reads:
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”
Happy New Year and Vocations, ping!
Parents today only seem to think about Grandchildren.
So he gave it to a church, they put it in storage for 20 years, and have now installed it in the basement? Perhaps he should have shopped it around to find someone who really wanted it.
I wonder where it came from originally?
If this fisherman reeled in another one of these gizmos, would that be a remonstrance?
No, remonstrance is delivering grievances.
And how did it get to the bottom of the lake?
Beautiful monstrance!
The Loch Ness Monstrance?
That’s beautiful.
However, it would be sitting on my fireplace mantle if I had found it.
“How did it get to the bottom of the lake?”
Lack of buoyancy.
All manner of treasure was unceremoniously dumped in the “spirit of Vatican 2”.
And there's the problem! Moral relativism and secularism have reduced our society down to co-habiting partners who may or may not choose to have a child. In the past, vocations grew out of large families where there were many children and parents often encouraged them to pursue religious life.
Shrinking families, combined with a desire to ensure a family name is carried to future generations, has significantly contributed to the shortage in vocations. In France, the problem has become serious with only a handful of priests to replace those retiring.
You just “lose” such a beautiful RC Church item.
I wonder if it was a “GI bring back” from WWII.
The Bringbacker then got cold feet and dumped it.
“All manner of treasure was unceremoniously dumped in the “spirit of Vatican 2”.”
This monstrance probably was “dumped” many decades ago - long before Vatican II. Otherwise someone in the area would still be around who recognizes it. No one does.
veetu was 50 years ago, well within the time frame you cite.
The cathedral in my diocese chopped up the high altar and put it out as rubbish after the council.
In another diocese it was chopped and used as parking separators.
“veetu was 50 years ago, well within the time frame you cite.”
No. It was found in 1994. Thus, it was not 50 years ago. It would have been only 30 years since Vatican II and NO ONE RECOGNIZED IT.
“The cathedral in my diocese chopped up the high altar and put it out as rubbish after the council.”
Well, that’s sad but it proves my point. You know what happened to your parish altar. Someone in 1994 would know what happened to this monstrance too - if it were disposed of only 30 years before.
“In another diocese it was chopped and used as parking separators.”
Again, that’s sad but all you’re doing is proving my point - you KNOW exactly what happened to that altar. Someone would know exactly what happened to this monstrance.
God bless you!
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