PRAYER & LITURGY

“With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made “restless” by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity. Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another."

—Homily of Pope Leo XIV at Inauguration Mass, May 18, 2025

The Feast of Pentecost, fifty days after Easter, is the Birthday of the Church when after the Ascension the disciples, waiting in the Upper Room with Our Lady, received the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus. The Third Person of the Trinity, the Advocate whom the Father sends to us, was described as "dew" in the 2nd century homily of St. Irenaeus: "If we are not to be scorched and made unfruitful, we need the dew of God. Since we have our accuser, we need an advocate as well."

On this day we pray for an outpouring of the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, fortitude, knowledge, understanding, counsel, piety, and fear of the Lord, so that the Spirit, dwelling in us, may guide us on our mission to bear witness to the Gospel. Our paschal candle is now spent. It has burned throughout Paschaltide and as it melts the "nails" have been falling to the ground. There is a poignancy in seeing the flame now so close to the symbol of the Omega. On Pentecost after Compline and the singing of the Vidi Aquam for the last time, the flame is extinguished, signaling the end of Paschaltide.

Easter Fire And what a Paschaltide it has been for our Church!
We began Lent with the Burial of the Alleluia the day before Ash Wednesday. Throughout Lent we prayed for Pope Francis for his health and recovery and in gratitude for his indomitable spirit after his release from Gemelli hospital. His physicians could not keep him away from his beloved People! On Holy Thursday he visited the prisoners at Regina Coeli prison. On Easter Sunday he gave his Urbi et Orbi blessing on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica and rode through St. Peters' Square blessing and embracing the people. On Easter Monday we grieved his passing, yet were grateful he passed to his Lord peacefully. We were pierced by the images of his last journey through Rome as his coffin was driven over the Tiber River and past the Colosseum on the way to the Basilica of Mary Major where Pope Francis desired to be laid to rest. We were consoled as we remembered his message from his decree for this Jubilee Year of Hope: Hope Does Not Disappoint: "What, then, will become of us after death? With Jesus, beyond this threshold we will find eternal life, consisting in full communion with God as we forever contemplate and share in his infinite love. All that we now experience in hope, we shall then see in reality."

Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum:
Habemus papam!

Will we ever forget watching the white smoke billowing out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel so soon on the second day of the Conclave? From every corner of the world believers and non-believers alike joined the thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square and the streets of Rome, awaiting with joy and exhilaration for what seemed to be an interminable hour for the newly-elected Pope to be revealed. Finally we saw and heard our new Holy Father. The details of who he is slowly filtered in: American born in Chicago, Son of Augustine, citizen of Peru, Bishop of Chiclayo—but it was the image of the man that pierced our hearts—humble, holding back tears as he looked lovingly at the crowd. We were amazed and grateful that everyone of us could receive Pope Leo's first blessing as announced by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti: "The Holy Father Leo, to all the faithful present and to those who receive his blessing by means of radio, television and other communication technologies, grants plenary indulgence in the form established by the Church. Let us pray to Almighty God that He may long preserve the Pope as leader of the Church, and grant peace and unity to the Church throughout the world."

“In those difficult hours, we felt like the crowds that the Gospel says were “like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36). Yet on Easter Sunday, we received his final blessing and, in the light of the Resurrection, we experienced the days that followed in the certainty that the Lord never abandons his people but gathers them when they are scattered and guards them “as a shepherd guards his flock” (Jer 31:10)."

—Pope Leo XIV speaking of Pope Francis, Inauguration Mass, May 18th

Having seen and witnessed the actions of the Holy Spirit so vividly this Paschaltide, we pray with and for Pope Leo that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will strengthen our unity.

The beautiful sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus is sung at Mass on Pentecost Sunday. We are pleased to offer you an original English translation by classicist and friend of the community, Joseph T. Moller. Joseph includes the historical background to the sequence:.
This hymn clearly dates from the 12th century; its authorship has been the subject of scholarly discussion, but the Cistercian Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton, seems the most likely author. This sequence which became know as the 'golden sequence', is one of the few sequences that survived the reform of the liturgy after the Council of Trent. The poetic, theological, and musical felicities of this sequence make it one of the great masterpieces of Gregorian chant.

Listen to the monastic choir of Regina Laudis sing the Sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus.

Veni, Sancte Spiritus,
et emitte caelitus
lucis tuae radium.
Veni, pater pauperum,
veni, dator munerum,
veni, lumen cordium.

Consolator optime,
dulcis hospes animae,
dulce refrigerium.
In labore requies,
in aestu temperies,
in fletu solatium.

O lux beatissima,
reple cordis intima
tuorum fidelium.
Sine tuo numine,
nihil est in homine,
nihil est innoxium.

Lava quod est sordidum,
riga quod est aridum,
sana quod est saucium.
Flecte quod est rigidum,
fove quod est frigidum,
rege quod est devium.

Da tuis fidelibus,
in te confidentibus,
sacrum septenarium.
Da virtutis meritum,
da salutis exitum,
da perenne gaudium.
Amen. Alleluia.

Come, Holy Spirit,
And send out the heavenly
Light of your radiating.
Come, father of the poor,
Come, giver of ministering gifts,
Come, light of hearts.

Consoler best,
Sweet guest of the soul,
Sweet refreshing.
In toil, rest
in heat, cooling
In weeping, solace.

O light most happily blest
Fill the heart's inmost spaces
In your faithful ones.
Without your divine presence
Nothing is there in man,
Nothing, that is not hurtful.

Wash what is soiled
Flood what is desert
Heal what is wounded
Bend gently what is stubbornly rigid
Warm what is cold
Straighten what is deviant.

Give to your faithful ones,
To those in you trusting
The holy gifts sevenfold.
Give virtue's merits,
Give salvation in the end
Give eternal joy.
Amen. Alleluia.

PRAYER & LITURGY

Lumen Christi This year we had a beautiful celebration of the Triduum and Easter, officiated by our chaplain in residence, Father Ezekiel Lotz, O.S.B. Our Oblates, guests, and interns enriched our celebration of the Holy Week Sequence beginning on Palm Sunday and culminating in an Easter Vigil. Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the intensity and significance of the Triduum in this way: "These three days could be considered one single day. They reveal the heart and are the key to both the liturgical year and the life of the Church."

Each morning of the Triduum during Tenebrae, the haunting Lamentations of Jeremiah were sung by Father Ezekiel and monastic community members, and lessons were read by our oblates and guests. When the service begins, all of the candles on the Tenebrae Candelabra called a Hearse have been lighted. As each psalm is completed, a candle is extinguished until only one remains for the singing of the Benedictus, signifying Christ, the source of light, amidst the gathering darkness of the Passion.

Mother Ozanne and our interns prepared a glorious Easter Fire, that burned brightly in front of the entrance to our chapel. The dry Christmas tree from last Christmas became the backbone of the fire. Our candlemaker at the Abbey of Regina Laudis, Mother Lioba Postel, inscribed our Paschal candle this year with unusual brilliant dark blue lettering. As Father Ezekiel embedded the incense into the Pascal candle he prayed: "By His holy and glorious wounds, may Christ the Lord guard us and protect us." When the Paschal candle was lit Father Ezekiel led us into the Chapel proclaiming: Lumen Christi! After the flame was passed to all tapers held by the community and congregation, our interns Sarah and Emily sang the Exultet beautifully. O truly blessed night!

Enjoy this gallery of the celebration of Holy Week and Easter 2025 at Our Lady of the Rock. (Click to enlarge.)