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Of Stained Glass and Pilgrimages...

As I write this on my MacBook Pro, I'm sitting on a bus returning from a very enriching and inspiring pilgrimage to Conception, MO, Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO. The pilgrimage began with an overnight stay and day of recollection led by Archbishop Raymond Burke at the beautiful grounds of Conception Abbey (a Benedictine monastery) in a rural area of northwest Missouri. The picture below is from their main church, the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception:

Reflections in the Water  

(The picture above was taken with my D40 on the ledge of the holy water font in the back of the Basilica Church, thus the watery reflections).

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart

Shrine to the Sacred Heart - Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis  

Today I finally had the privilege of visiting the newly-dedicated shrine to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis (New Cathedral), and after praying the Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart (copied below), I snapped a few pictures (one is above) of the shrine. It is a beautiful mosaic image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and I hope you get a chance to see it if you are in or around St. Louis.

Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart
by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Steubenville Mid-America 2007

As all great Catholic events begin, this year's Steubenville St. Louis Mid-America conference began with the Eucharist. Jesus was carried amongst all the teenagers (about 2,000!) in a Eucharistic procession at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. I posted pictures from this night's events here, and I'll be posting the rest of the pictures as time allows this weekend.

Eucharistic Procession  

The above picture is from the Eucharistic procession, with Fr. Stan Fortuna carrying the monstrance and leading adoration and benediction.

Vatican Issues Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum"

Here's an unofficial English translation from the Vatican. And here's a translation of Pope Benedict's letter explaining it. And here's a little explanation from Whispers in the Loggia. I think this will be a positive (if not earth-shattering) change in the Church, and I hope to someday be fluent enough in Latin to celebrate a private Mass or two according to the 1962 form of the Latin rite.

Update: I read through the Pope's letter explaining the motu proprio, and it contains a lot of thoughtful insights, one of which I'll paste below for those of you not able or willing to read through the whole letter: