Saturday. June 3rd, the Archdiocese of Seattle welcomed Deacons John Paul Tomassi and Deacon Sylvester Chanda as Archbishop Paul D. Ettiene presided over their ordination Mass.
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| Deacons Tomassi (L) & Chanda (R) |
Newly minted priest Father Tomassi celebrated his first Mass at his home parish, Holy Redeemer Church, Vancouver, WA. Established in 2000, Holy Redeemer is fertile ground,as it has already produced two priests, including Father Tomassi.
If you happen to attend Sunday Mass at Holy Redeemer, and witness the procession of altar servers, you might guess why of the fertile ground.
In many Catholic churches, the priest likes to have three to six altar servers. Although once prohibited in the Catholic Church, female altar servers are now allowed to serve provided that the diocesan bishop and the parish priest allow the practice. Altar servers carry the cross and the processional candles. They hold the book for the priest celebrant when he is not at the altar. They carry the incense and censer and present the bread and wine along with the water to the priest during the preparation of the gifts or assist him when he receives the gifts from the people. At Holy Redeemer. Father Nathe usually has fifteen altar servers for Sunday Masses. Father Tomassi was an altar server at Holy Redeemer and entered the Seminary right after High School.
Begs the question. Who celebrates the liturgy? And the answer is everybody! Dead or alive! The pews are not bleachers for expectators but for participants.
"Liturgy is an "action" of the whole Christ (Christus totus). Those who even now celebrate it without signs are already in the heavenly liturgy, where celebration is wholly communion and feast." CCC 1136
""Recapitulated in Christ," these are the ones who take part in the service of the praise of God and the fulfillment of his plan: the heavenly powers, all creation (the four living beings), the servants of the Old and New Covenants (the twenty-four elders), the new People of God (the one hundred and forty-four thousand), especially the martyrs "slain for the word of God," and the all-holy Mother of God (the Woman), the Bride of the Lamb, and finally "a great multitude which no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes, and peoples and tongues."" CCC 1138
""Recapitulated in Christ," these are the ones who take part in the service of the praise of God and the fulfillment of his plan: the heavenly powers, all creation (the four living beings), the servants of the Old and New Covenants (the twenty-four elders), the new People of God (the one hundred and forty-four thousand), especially the martyrs "slain for the word of God," and the all-holy Mother of God (the Woman), the Bride of the Lamb, and finally "a great multitude which no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes, and peoples and tongues."" CCC 1138
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| Father Tomassi & Holy Redeemer Church illustrate the Law: lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi |
"It is in this eternal liturgy that the Spirit and the Church enable us to participate whenever we celebrate the mystery of salvation in the sacraments." CCC 1139
It should not bee too surprising then that Father Tommassi started as an Altar Server at Holy Redeemer.
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