The altar of repose in readiness.

After the Holy Thursday Mass, the procession to the altar of repose at the parish of St. Mary, Norwalk, CT.

Yesterday evening a very beauiful Office of Tenebrae was sung at St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk, CT. The psalms were chanted in the front by a men’s choir.   The St. Mary’s Schola Cantorum sang the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah and the responsories in polyphony in the choirloft.  The liturgy ended in complete darkness with a polyphonic setting of the Miserere.  The clergy, choirs and congregation departed in silence.

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Palm Sunday 2018 at St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk CT. Fr. Donald Kloster, celebrant.

The beginning of the Mass of the Palms.

The blessing of the palms.

Distribution of the Palms.

(Above and below) David Hughes, music director of St Mary’s, led the assembled musical forces of the parish:the schola cantorum, combined student scholae, the men’s chant choir and the parish adult choir. It is a most challenging day of the year in terms of musical complexity!

The procession through the streets of Norwalk on a chill early spring day.

The procession reaches the door of the church.

The cantors inside the church sing: Gloria, laus et honor tibi sit, Rex Christe Redemptor...

After the final repetition of the refrain,  the subdeacon bangs three times on the doors with the foot of the cross. The door is then flung open.

The Mass of the Passion.

The Passion according to St. Matthew. The Passion is sung by three cantors; the choir provides the polyphonic responses of the crowd.

After the cantors of the Passion leave, the conclusion of the Passion is  proclaimed by the deacon.

We end on a meditative note. The palm crosses from the day’s ceremonies left at the tomb of Fr. Ignacio Barreiro, curate of the parish, who died almost a year ago on Holy Thursday, April 13, 2017.

The Dominican Rite Mass for the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas on March 7 at St. Vincent Ferrer Church, New York. Photo courtesy of Diana Yuan.

Photos from the New York Purgatorial Society monthly Mass in the Dominican Rite at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, New York,  on February 19  for the Feast of St. Francis de Capillas, OP.  Photos courtesy of Diana Yuan.

Yesterday evening at St. Mary’s in Norwalk a shrine for the statue of Our Lady of Norwalk was unveiled and dedicated. The local artists who created the shrine were in attendance, Henry Egan, artist, and Alonso Florez, master woodworker. Also in attendance was Harry Rilling, the Mayor of Norwalk. Fr. Cipolla explained the iconography of the statue and shrine. “The oyster shell she holds in the symbol of Norwalk, oysters having a particular symbiosis with the city. The Child holds a pearl, for it is He who is the Pearl of Great Price, who died and rose that we might live.”

The right panel shows St. Mary’s Church

The left panel shows an oyster fisherman, with the Norwalk islands in the background. Is this a likeness of Fr. Cipolla? He explained in his sermon that an oyster fisherman is like a priest who uses his rake to dig for souls.

At the top of each panel is an oyster with a pearl.

Behind Our Lady is her throne surrounded by saints and angels.

Solemn Mass was celebrated with the usual large assembly of altar boys.

The combined choirs of St. Mary’s performed,  under the coordinated direction of both David Hughes and Charles Weaver.

After the Mass, a procession to the new shrine of Our Lady

Fr. Cipolla blesses the shrine.

A reception featuring fresh oysters and clams, and cava.

Fr. Cipolla, honorary oyster fisherman.

But the star of the reception was Fr. Donald Kloster, the new curate, who arrived at the parish on Monday.

On New Year’s Eve, St. Mary’s Church in Greenwich had Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the singing of the Te Deum. Photos courtesy of Fr. Cyprian La Pastina.

Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Holy Innocents at Holy Innocents Church, New York on December 28. Photo courtesy of Diana Yuan.

In January 2015 (above) and December 26, 2017 (below) – after a restoration of the sanctuary directed by Fr. La Pastina, the pastor of St. Mary’s.