If you suggest an activity to Fr. John MacKenzi, be ready to plan and organize it.

What better way to have a public display of the Eucharist, than to stop traffic for a Euchristic Procession to cross the highway?

I’m new (two years) to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.
The idea of a Eucharistic Procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi was first posed to the council with overwhelming support.
The idea was then posed to the pastor who was in full agreement; with the response, why don’t you plan it.
Finally, the plan was proposed to the Parish Council which fully supported the Procession.

Utilizing the KofC Eucharistic Procession guidebook, planning began. 
It became known that the parish does not own a Baldachin (Processional Canopy) which is optional for a Eucharistic Procession.
Based on the procession from a previous parish in Maryland, it was decided to have the procession around the church grounds with three stations.  Prayers at the first station, a Gospel reading at the second station, and a hymn at the third station.
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish consists of both the 100 year old Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Pittsfield and the newer mission church of St Joseph’s in Northwood.  The 10am Sunday mass at St Joseph’s is the most populated mass and the property is more conducive to a procession, so the St Joseph’s property was chosen.

What better place to have the prayer station, then the prayer garden across highway Rt4? 
A quick check with the Northwood Police identified that as long as the officer on duty was not on a 911 call, they would be available to stop traffic to allow the procession to cross the road, then stop it again several minutes later for the procession to return.
As a backup plan, if the police were not available, stations one and two would be combined.
The prayer garden was chosen as the first stop to allow anyone leaving immediately following Mass to navigate the parking lot without the procession present.

Two additional locations were identified for stations. One near the front of church visible from the highway, and one at the Mary statue near the entrance to the school.

The sacristan was contacted to inquire about linens for the tables at the stations.
Fr decided he would not set the Monstrance down, so altar cloths and corporals would not be required; nor did he plan on kneeling at the stations, so a kneeler would not be required.
 A simple table with a candle with flowers in front, would mark the locations of the stations.

The sacristan also coordinates the altar servers and he was requested to confirm the servers were aware of the procession with the need for a cross bearer, a candle bearer, and a thurifer.  He also agreed to ensure the incense charcoal was prepared in the thurible in time for the procession.

The lady that provides flower arrangements for the church was contacted and suggested simply using the silk arrangements already around the church for the stations.

The master gardener who maintains the plants around the grounds suggested flowering drought resistant annuals that could then be planted around the church.

Both options were used.  The silk arrangements were used at the stations and six flowering plants were purchased and planted near two of the stations to add color to the gardens.  The third station at the Mary statue already had plenty of flowering plants.

Understanding that not everyone reads the bulletin, and not everyone listens to the announcements at the beginning of Mass, approval was obtained to do a special invite the weekend prior to Corpus Christi Sunday.  The invitation started with a story from Pope John Paul II’s visit to the US in 1995, then invited the congregation to participate in the public display of our belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The invitation announcement is attached.

With the expectation of road noise at the stations, simple booklets were printed which included the prayers, the reading, and the words to the hymn so everyone could easily follow along.  Additionally, the booklet included the prayers and hymns for benediction back in church after the procession.  The booklet is attached.

A week prior to the procession, the weather forecast was calling for rain on the procession.

A few day prior to the procession the Northwood Police we again contacted to confirm; then on Sunday morning, as directed, dispatch was called requesting the officer.

The field at the Prayer Garden needed to be mowed and I mowed it and sprayed for ticks to make it presentable for the procession.

The morning of the procession:
The sun was out and the rain forecast was shifted to after 3pm.
The tables were set in place decorated with a candle and flowers.
The Monstrance and Humeral Veil were placed at the Mary altar for ready access at the end of mass.
A Bluetooth speaker was placed near the third station for you-tube organ instrumental backup for the hymn at that station.
With only two altar servers present, the candle bearer was eliminated from the procession.
The Knights present at the procession were requested to follow Fr in the procession as the Guardians of the Eucharist.
The announcements at the beginning of Mass included some final directions for the procession.

The procession proceeded as planned!   With many compliments and thank-you’s.

For next year:
Obtain a Baldachin.
Include the words to O Salutaris Hostia in the booklet for the beginning of the Exposition.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jay Schaefer, Lecturer
Council 11606