Dominican Rite Candlemas Photopost

On February 2, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, commonly called Candlemas, a Dominican Rite Solemn Mass, the blessing and procession of candles, was celebrated at St. Albert the Great Priory in Oakland CA, the house of studies of the Western Dominican Province. Our new prior provincial, the Most Reverend Christopher Fadok, O.P., assisted and received the friars' candle-offering. Some of the sixty or so faithful who attended came from as far away as Fresno and Fullerton!

The celebrant was Fr. Augustine Thompson, O.P., professor of history at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley CA; deacon was Fr. Christopher Wetzel, O.P., parochial vicar of St. Dominic's Church SF; subdeacon was Bro. Joseph Selinger, O.P.; first acolyte, Bro. Nathaniel Maria Mayne, O.P.; second acolyte, Bro. Matthew Heynen, O.P.; thurifer and holy water carrier, Bro. John Peter Anderson; crucifer and pax-bearer, Bro. Paul Maria Müllner, O.P.  The music from the Dominican Gradual was lead by the cantors, Bro. Patrick Rooney, O.P. and Bro. Elias Guadalupe Ford, O.P.

Highlights of the Mass follow.

Blessing of the Candles

The Provincial Receives his Candle

The Laity Receive their Candles

The Procession Enters the Cloister Garden Led by the Holy Water Carrier

Statue of Our Holy Father Dominic in the Cloister Garden

Some of the Laity Following the Procession

The Station Altar for the Procession

The Mappula is Placed on the Minsters' Laps as they Sit for the Kyrie

Intoning the Gloria

Subdeacon Arrives at the Altar during the Procession with the Chalice during the Gloria

The Singing of the Collect

Subdeacon Sings the Reading from Sirach

Preparation of the Chalice during the Responsorium (Gradual)

Deacon Sings the Gospel (Seen from North Passage Way)

Singing of the Creed

Et incarnatus est.

The Prior Provincial Receives the Friars' Candle Offering after the Offertory

Incensing of the Altar after the Offertory and Candle Offering

Bowing for the Gratias agamus

Incensing of the Minsters during the Preface

The Elevation of the Host

The Elevation of the Chalice

The Ministers Kiss the Pax Instrument

The First Cantor Kisses the Pax

Ecce Agnus Dei

Communion of the Friars

Communion of the Congregation

Ablutions

Deacon and Subdeacon Put the Corporal and Chalice in Order

Swinging for the Postcommunion Prayer

The Blessing

Swinging for the Last Gospel

Et verbum caro factum est

Recessional Procession

I thank Bro. Joshua Gatus, O.P., for these lovely photographs.