Year two of implementing Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s pastoral letter is focused on deepening understanding of what happens at Mass and fostering a fuller participation in it, said Laura Haraldson, project manager in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office of Project Management.
“It’s actually an opportunity for us to bring both ourselves and (our) personal relationship with the Lord and recall the sacrifice that he has made for us once and for all, but also to bring actively our own petitions, our own gifts, our own charisms, and offer those to the Lord as well,” Haraldson told “Practicing Catholic” producer Rachael McCallum in an episode set to air at 9 p.m. Jan. 31 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
To help celebrate the year, the archdiocese has produced a Teaching Mass film series that walks viewers through what happens during a Mass. Haraldson said that in working on the project she was reminded that Mass is the fullness of prayer in the Catholic faith and an opportunity to enter into personal relationship with the Lord.
Father Ryan Glaser, parochial vicar of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, said it is important to remember that the Mass is more than just people spending an hour in church on Sunday.
“When the Church says this is the source and summit of the faith, it really shows that the Mass is that from which all of our Christian activity should flow,” Father Glaser said. “At the end of Mass, after Communion, we have a prayer always for the fruitful reception of what we’ve just celebrated, Christ’s paschal mystery. Then what does the deacon say? ‘Go, go, go, go.’ It’s important for us to remember that we’re nourished at Mass, so we can go out into the world to be that light of Christ in the world.”
Father Glaser said that one episode in particular, about preparing for Mass, can help Catholics.
“We enter Mass as individuals and we all have our own journeys through life,” Father Glaser said. “We all have our own ups and downs; we all have our own family situations, work situations. … How can you be more openly disposed to the fruits of the Mass even before you walk in the door? It’s recognizing that we are individuals on our individual journey of faith. However, the Mass is what unites us as the body of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, the people of God. We are called by God to join together and worship in this way.”
Haraldson said she was reminded through her faith journey that in the Mass “(w)e are united not just with those in the pews next to us, but all those who have come before.”
The entirety of heaven comes down in the Mass and creates the fullness of the body of Christ that can’t be seen, she said.
“I was so grateful to be able to go along to every single one of the 10 different parishes that we tapped into to help film this Teaching Mass (series) and experience the same Mass but in different communities,” Haraldson said. “And so that experience, that atmosphere is different and unique in each of those and it’s really beautiful and powerful for us to be able to do that in our archdiocese.”
To hear more from Haraldson and Father Glaser about the Teaching Mass archdiocesan film series, tune into “Practicing Catholic,” which repeats at 1 p.m. Feb. 1 and 2 p.m. Feb. 2.
The program also includes an interview with Zach Jansen, digital content producer for the archdiocese, on the themes of faith and spirituality in the comedy film “Groundhog Day,” and Bishop Kevin Kenney discusses ways in which Catholics can show their faith in secular spheres.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, “Practicing Catholic” can be heard after it has aired at archspm.org/faith-and-discipleship/practicing-catholic or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.
