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To my Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican iMSN friends...

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  • To my Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican iMSN friends...

    Is anyone going to a Candlemas service today? I am taking going to our mass this evening, and I just realized: I've never BEEN to a Candlemas service before. I am not sure why, but since I entered the faith in college, I just haven't ever gone on this day. I would really like to take DS--so that he knows that today is more than Groundhog Day (which was a BIG deal this year, for some reason--he was up at the crack of dawn to watch Phil on TV). How long is your service? Do you think a five-year-old could handle it, or should I park him in the nursery care program? He can usually do a shorter mass (with a homily, not a sermon), but there's no way he could make it through a really long mass, like the Easter Vigil.

  • #2
    Oh my goodness, we used to go to this Mass all the time as kids. Sadly, unless you go to the morning daily Mass it is hard to find a service around here. I loved having my throat blessed, always thought it was very cool. I think it is the length of a regular Sunday Mass. Let us know how it goes, enjoy!
    Tara
    Married 20 years to MD/PhD in year 3 of MFM fellowship. SAHM to five wonderful children (#6 due in August), a sweet GSD named Bella, a black lab named Toby, and 1 guinea pig.

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    • #3
      Huh? *scratches head*

      I guess that's a no.
      -Ladybug

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      • #4
        Like Tara I haven't been to this service since I was a kid but I don't remember it being any longer then a regular mass.
        Wife to NSG out of training, mom to 2, 10 & 8, and a beagle with wings.

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        • #5
          Actually, I'm a lifelong Catholic and never heard of it until this past Sunday--I wish I could have attended tonight!
          Married to a newly minted Pediatric Rad, momma to a sweet girl and a bunch of (mostly) cute boy monsters.



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          • #6
            Originally posted by SoonerTexan View Post
            Actually, I'm a lifelong Catholic and never heard of it until this past Sunday--I wish I could have attended tonight!
            ditto
            Jen
            Wife of a PGY-4 orthopod, momma to 2 DDs, caretaker of a retired race-dog, Hawkeye!


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            • #7
              Originally posted by SoonerTexan View Post
              Actually, I'm a lifelong Catholic and never heard of it until this past Sunday--I wish I could have attended tonight!
              Ditto. Except that this is the first I've heard of it.
              Veronica
              Mother of two ballerinas and one wild boy

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              • #8
                Originally posted by v-girl View Post
                Ditto. Except that this is the first I've heard of it.
                If you check on Wikipedia or Catholic.com, you can find out about it. I only knew about it in passing--not much. It is the commemoration of the presentation of Christ for his dedication as the first born son at the temple (when Simeon and Anna were there) and Mary's ritual purification after childbirth. On the theme of dedication, the priest's homily focused on re-dedicating ourselves to Christ's calling in our lives--so it all kind of tied in together.


                I've been to churches in the past that celebrate this liturgical date, but the church we've being going to here in St. Louis is celebrating it for the first time this year. We had a really big turn out, for a Tuesday night! Our associate rector has been working for about five years to "re-introduce" to our parish some of the ancient observances that have kind of fallen by the wayside. He is very orthodox and goes all out in his "high church" efforts--as they say, "smells and bells." My appreciation of the liturgical calendar, and much of church history, has really grown since he's come on board. Plus, I really like incense and candles. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I absolutely love his services. My particular parish is a wonderful blessing, given how generally completely screwed up my denomination is (I am SO fed up with it--but that's another story).

                The service tonight was terrific. I am so glad I went. DS made it half-way through...but I "let him off the hook" before the homily, and took him downstairs to the nursery, so he could hang out with DD and not have to sit still. The whole thing last about an hour and a half, but we also had a 10 minute Blessing of St. Blaise at the end, since today is the Eve of St. Blaise Day. I hadn't ever seen that blessing before, with the double-twised candles. Everyone had the opportunity to receiving a blessing, although apparently St. Blaise is really popular with people suffering throat ailments.

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                • #9
                  I grew up Catholic and went to Catholic school for 6 years and I have never heard of it either!
                  Luanne
                  wife, mother, nurse practitioner

                  "You have not converted a man because you have silenced him." (John, Viscount Morely, On Compromise, 1874)

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                  • #10
                    Hmm...I wonder if there is a wider effort to make feast days like this known--I'm really sure I've never heard a priest bring it up before now. Who knows, maybe they're trying something new?
                    Married to a newly minted Pediatric Rad, momma to a sweet girl and a bunch of (mostly) cute boy monsters.



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                    • #11
                      Hi all, I found this thread very interesting. I am not of this religious persuasion, but I checked out an informational book yesterday to read to my students for Groundhog's Day, and I learned from reading the book about Candlemas. Very interesting! (Its crazy how much you learn when trying to teach third graders!)
                      -L.Jane

                      Wife to a wonderful General Surgeon
                      Mom to a sweet but stubborn boy born April 2014
                      Rock Chalk Jayhawk GO KU!!!

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by L.Jane View Post
                        Hi all, I found this thread very interesting. I am not of this religious persuasion, but I checked out an informational book yesterday to read to my students for Groundhog's Day, and I learned from reading the book about Candlemas. Very interesting! (Its crazy how much you learn when trying to teach third graders!)
                        Wow. No kidding! Hey, do by chance remember the title of the book?

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                        • #13
                          I think it was just called Groundhog's Day. I still have the book in my classroom. I can look at it tomorrow and tell you. It just had one little paragraph on it.
                          -L.Jane

                          Wife to a wonderful General Surgeon
                          Mom to a sweet but stubborn boy born April 2014
                          Rock Chalk Jayhawk GO KU!!!

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                          • #14
                            Not Catholic, but went to Catholic elementary school for some time. This was celebrated during the school day. We had to attend the mass that school morning and I remember the sore throat blessing thing being all the rage with us first and second graders.
                            Angie
                            Gyn-Onc fellowship survivor - 10 years out of the training years; reluctant suburbanite
                            Mom to DS (18) and DD (15) (and many many pets)

                            "Where are we going - and what am I doing in this handbasket?"

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                            • #15
                              The book is Groundhog Day By Amy Margaret. You can see a preview of the book here: http://books.google.com/books?id=cn_...age&q=&f=false
                              -L.Jane

                              Wife to a wonderful General Surgeon
                              Mom to a sweet but stubborn boy born April 2014
                              Rock Chalk Jayhawk GO KU!!!

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