Posted on 04/10/2020 6:44:29 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
Staff photo by Wyatt Massey
The Very Reverend J. David Carter, far right, of the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul holds a monstrance to bless a family on April 8 while Fr. Valentin Iurochkin shakes incense from a thurible. The priests made home visits the past week to bring encouragement to families who could not attend in-person worship services because of COVID-19 concerns.
In an effort to encourage Chattanooga's faithful through the ongoing global pandemic and its economic fallout, the Very Rev. J. David Carter of the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul visited people at their homes on Wednesday.
Just as the priest did on Monday. And the week before. And just as he plans to do next week.
For nearly three hours on Wednesday morning, the priest traveled from house to house. At each stop, Carter, Sister Imelda Quechol, Fr. Colin Blatchford and Fr. Valentin Iurochkin set up a cross and monstrance, the elaborate sunburst-like vessel that holds the Holy Eucharist during Mass. The clergy, kneeling in the street or on sidewalks, prayed with each family and blessed them.
For many, this was their first in-person interaction with the church since the Basilica held its last service on March 19, when the church shut down over concerns about spreading the coronavirus.
"It sort of made sense to bring Jesus to people, since people can't come to Jesus now," Carter said.
Catholic priest blesses, encourages Chattanooga's faithful
Carter began visiting homes last week, starting with English-speaking congregants. He would call ahead, then sit outside with the people to hear confessions and pray. When the church decided to do the same among the Spanish-speaking members, Quechol quickly mobilized the community into the machine-like procession carried out on Wednesday, just days before the holiest moments in the Christian calendar.
Visión Católica TV Internacional live-streamed the procession on Facebook, letting hundreds of viewers know which street the clergy were visiting. People commented with their addresses or texted the clergy.
Some families who were driving through the neighborhood saw the priest, fully robed, and pulled over to join in the nearest prayer session. Carter, Quechol, Blatchford and Iurochkin knelt in prayer in driveways, front yards and on street corners, before again packing the car with the cross and thurible, which emanated incense.
Facebook has been a powerful tool to get word out about the visits, Carter said. Like many churches now closed because of COVID-19, the basilica is livestreaming its services. Churches throughout the Southeast have been closed for weeks as the coronavirus continues to spread. In Tennessee and Georgia this week, at least 400 people have died from the virus.
Going out into the community and working with families face-to-face brings encouragement, although the prayers and blessings from at least 6 feet away can seem odd at first, Carter said. The priest estimates he has visited at least 100 houses in the past week.
Street processions are common in the Catholic Church, especially on feast days. Each year, on the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Basilica holds a procession in the surrounding city. What the priests have been doing the past week with home visits is not dissimilar, Carter said.
"Instead of people coming to the church to process around, we are going out to the neighborhoods. In a way, it's what Jesus did."
This was my church for a while growing up in Chattanooga. I took Catechism classes there in the evenings - just our family and Father Rudisill who passed away in 2006. We attended St. Jude school, but for some reason my mother liked Saints Peter and Paul. She would so pleased. My mother passed in 2002, I like to think they’re in each other’s company again.
They have that beautiful Basilica of Ss Peter and Paul, and the pastor, Fr. Carter, is the one who is doing this Adoration --- what can you call it, "Adoration Procession" of sorts --- to visit the homes of adorers with our Blessed Eucharistic Lord during the coronavirus.
I don't think he's limiting this to Lent. He may not even be limiting it to VirusTime!
Malachi 1:11
For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my Name, and a pure offering; for my Name shall great among the nations, says the Lord of Hosts.
`
Let us adore God in glory and majesty, praising His Name .... this has benefit in time and in Eternity.
What a wonderful thing. I wish we were doing that in our diocese (where the bishop closed the churches immediately even though the governor said that churches could remain open).
C. El Señor esté con ustedes.
R. Y con tu espíritu.
C. Levantemos el corazón.
R. Lo tenemos levantado hacia el Señor.
C. Demos gracias al Señor, nuestro Dios.
R. Es justo y necesario.
Mi casa es Tu casa. Eucharistic adoration
“Look up :o) search word “incense” in a Bible Concordance and get back to me :o)
Sorry, but not a Church practice in Scripture. Saving incense has no spiritual value.
I think I live in a relatively good Diocese. Bishop Stika said all the churches are to remain open to the public from 8 am to 8 pm, with the Blessed Sacrament on the altar for private adoration.
Chattanoga is part of the Diocese of Knoxville. And this excellent pastor in Chattanooga, pastor of the Basilica of Ss Peter and Paul, Fr. David Carter: not to derogate +Stika, but I would sure love it if Carter were Bishop. Maybe they'll re-draw the jurisdiction lines and make Chattanooga a diocese. :o)
Insence is used all over the Bible in religious services. Saying it is not is just unbiblical.
Ping
“ Insence is used all over the Bible in religious services. Saying it is not is just unbiblical.
.......
I didn’t say that ...
I pointed out incense is not used in the church, as revealed in the New Testament Scriptures concerning the church.
No Apostle used it, nor did they teach it in Scripture, nor is it recorded that this is a church practice during the lives of the Apostles.
It was added later, as error came into the church... like so very many things.
Real continuity there. Let's get Biblical.
By the way, my Christian friend, who the heck are you to declare that a fellow Christian's worship has no value? or to pronounce on what is or is not a Biblical practice? Do you speak for God, to tell use what is or is not pleasing to God?
It seems just a tad odd for you to take it upon yourself to contradict what God commanded, and what the Church, (past, present, and future, in Time and in Eternity), did, has always done, is still doing, and will always do.
Numbers 4:7 And over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth, and put on it the dishes for incense..."
On the other hand, I might agree that, if you *don't* have the bread of the Presence, why bother with incense?
Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!
Numbers 4:7 And over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth, and put on it the dishes for incense..."
It just struck me today, that Scripture says that the Bread of the Presence is to be adored with incense.
And it's an indication that its value is permanent and eternal, since heaven unquestionably transcends time and space.
So Biblically, your argument just disappeared. God accepts incense from the beginning of the Bible to the end. And beyond!
Not only that, but we are certainly not forbidden to worship The True God using elements of worship not mentioned in the NT.
Does the NT say anything about having church choirs? Pianos, organs? An electronic keyboard? How about youth ministers? How about a church building, for that matter? Does it mention sitting in pews? How about a nursery or "cry room" for the infants while the adults are upstairs?
Does it mention having weddings in the church? Does it mention having wedding rings? How about funerals? Does it mention having floral arrangements? Burying deceased people in caskets? Does it say anything about any form of commemorating the day of the Resurrection?
Does it say anything about Sunday as Sabbath?
Does it say anything about "fellowshipping" as a verb? Does it say how many P's are in it? :o)
Blessed Easter, my brother! The Lord is Risen! Praise and honor the Resurrection of the Son of God!
Malachi 1:11
For from the rising of the sun to its setting my Name is great among the nations [gentiles], and in every place incense is offered to my Name, and a pure offering; for my Name is great among the nations [gentiles], says the Lord of hosts.
Heartwarming to see priests going to small/family groups...a good friend up in NY says his church is streaming services and my wife attends on-line (Zoom app) AA meetings - not so much that she is in danger for not being able to attend but there are others that need the active support.
They could do that in Monroe, where the church is back in a neighborhood that looks a lot like that one. My parish is on a main road that’s too narrow for its traffic, and people would die.
Never in the NT church. Never by an Apostle.
Too many category mistakes to respond to...
Incense has no value in the NT Church, nor does Scripture ever say it does. It is God's Word that is the final authority above all practices of men.
What value does it add, being non-scriptural for the Church on earth??
Only that which is made up by men, who fail to distinguish the Church from Israel...
or to pronounce on what is or is not a Biblical practice?
Again, if you claim to be Apostolic, why did no Apostle write anything in instructions for the church regarding incense?? Why did no Apostle participate in worship with incense in a church?? Why does it not appear in the lives of the Apostles??
Yo creo en Ti,
Jesus Eucharistia,
La inmensidad presente en el altar.
Tu amor por mi,
me vuelve la alegria,
De mano de Maria, aqui estoy para adorar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV-6cwAxBws
They’re probably singing “Bendito, Bendito,” though. Everyone knows that, from toddlers to bisabuelos.
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