Sunday 14 August 2005

Since today is Sunday, the liturgical celebration is either that of the 13th Sunday after Pentecost in the Roman Rite or the 20th Sunday per annum in the Pauline Rite. If it were not a Sunday, on the 14th of August the Pauline Rite celebrates the feast of St Maximilian Kolbe, O.F.M. Conv., who was martyred by the Nazis.

This is also the second Sunday of the month and in this Archdiocese the indult Mass is celebrated in the chapel of the Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart at their Santa Teresita Hospital in Duarte. I took these few pictures of the interior some months ago. I intended to take more but didn't realize I was at the end of the roll of film. The ones I did get are of more Carmelite interest:

This one is (presumably) a fresco of St Therese of the Child Jesus, patroness of the hospital; it appears to be painted on the plaster wall.




Two "portraits" of the founders of the Discalced Carmelite Order, Ss Teresa of Jesus and John of the Cross. They hang on either side of the fresco of St Therese in the chapel.







And finally, a relief carving representing St Joseph handing the boy Jesus a large bunch of grapes. Each of our indult chapels has a very pleasing representation of St Joseph, most of them unlike any other.



I would particularly like to get a picture of the statue of St Joseph in the St John Vianney Chapel in Los Angeles -- the indult location on the 4th and 5th Sundays of the month. It shows St Joseph holding the Child Jesus but instead of practically ignoring Him as in so many statues, His foster father appears to be whispering in His ear. Probably not considered Great Art by those who worry about such things. But I find it particularly affecting to see a representation of the actual intercession going on, as it were.

One day I'll bring the camera along so I can show you that statue. But it needs the right circumstances. There's little more annoying when you're trying to pray than someone with a camera treating a church as a tourist attraction. So you probably won't see it tomorrow or the next day.