THE ALTAR IS THE GATEWAY TO GOD! These words proclaimed by CARDINAL GREGORY in his homily touched the hearts of many of our parishioners attending the solemn Liturgy of the Dedication of our new altar last Sunday. These words touched my heart too and they resonated in my ears throughout the entire Liturgy. We were all focusing on a new altar where Heaven and earth were to meet for the first time in the presence of the Shepherd of our entire Archdiocese.

We were blessed and honored to have Cardinal Gregory preside. For nearly all of us, including me, this was also the first time to participate in such an ancient rite. It was, truly a most memorable moment in the short history of our parish (41 years). We could sense the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT. We could sense the JOY of a community United in Prayer and Song.

Our choir rose to the occasion. They were superb throughout the 90 minutes of celebration. The singing of the Litany of the Saints was particularly moving as we heard the names of two Saints we will never forget: St John Bosco and St Mary Mazzarello .Their two first class relics (bones) will be later placed by the Cardinal inside the altar as part of the Dedication. We will keep asking for their prayers whenever singing the HOLY, HOLY, HOLY (Sanctus) with all the Saints at Mass.

If you attended, you will never forget the brazier put on the altar and filled with much incense by Cardinal Gregory. Then he prayed "Let our prayers rise, O Lord, like incense in your sight; and as this house is filled with a pleasing fragrance, so let your Church be fragrant with the AROMA OF CHRIST". There was so much incense that some were worried that it might trigger the fire alarm as it happened at the 2020 Easter Vigil!!! But it was a beautiful sight: the rising incense above the Altar was another reminder of the meeting of Heaven and Earth. Earlier on, the Cardinal had anointed the entire Altar with lots and lots of CHRISM OIL, so that "the Altar, as a visible sign may express the mystery of Christ who offered himself to the Father for the life of the world.” The entire dedication was a reminder that the ALTAR is at the center of the Liturgy of the Mass. Yes, it is the place where HEAVEN AND EARTH MEET!

In his homily, Cardinal delivered a powerful message, including a reflection about the meaning of an Altar:

“THE ALTAR is the place where the Church prayer, the perfect prayer, the Liturgy is offered. Here around this table, all of God's children assemble to speak to OUR FATHER, not as individuals with many voices, but as a single family of Faith, speaking ONE WORD.  

THE ALTAR is the place where the FATHER LISTENS to the voice of His people because we always speak to HIM in the Image and with the utterance of HIS SON.

THE ALTAR is the place where CALVARY is made present in every age and time.

THE ALTAR is the place where ALL HEARTS ARE UNITED IN CHRIST. This is why the ALTAR is CONSECRATED, SMEARED with SACRED CHRISM, the OIL OF CHRIST HIMSELF. Like the Patriarch Jacob himself in our first reading (Genesis 28:11-18), we BLESS THE ALTAR because we believe that this is truly the place that can and should be called “THE VERY GATEWAY TO GOD."

You can hear the entire homily and see the entire Liturgy if you go to our OLHOC YouTube channel or you can read it on our webpage, (click here). With a good sense of humor, the Cardinal began his homily by crying out in a loud voice: "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?" (The popular advertising Verizon commercial of some years ago). If you were asleep...this was truly a WAKE-UP CALL. For me, it was a reminder of the theme of one of my recent homilies that if we do not LISTEN attentively to the proclamation of the WORD OF GOD, if we are distracted, we may hear words but there is no connection in our hearts with GOD. On the other hand, we can be assured that GOD IS ALWAYS LISTENING: HE HEARS EVERY WORD OF OUR PRAYERS. As most of you know, my sense of humor is very limited. However, I could not resist at the end of the Mass when giving short final remarks to SHOUT: "CAN YOU HEAR ME? “, a wake-up call so that people would LISTEN...

Let us pray that this new altar will be a constant reminder of the central role of the ALTAR in the Liturgy of the MASS, a reminder that the Altar is both the ALTAR OF SACRIFICE (Our Lord Jesus Christ being sacrificed as Lamb of God to save us) and the TABLE OF COMMUNION (the Eucharistic Meal, the sharing of the REAL PRESENCE of the Body and Blood of Christ).

One in Christ,

Fr. Alain

Click here for more pictures and information
on the Dedication of the New Altar.