St Agnes

Today is the feast of St. Agnes virgin & martyr St. Agnes Eve & St. Agnes Day . I should like to commemorate her and the great church of St. Agnes in St. Paul, Minnesota Church and School of St. Agnes which celebrates its' patronal feast today. It was at St. Agnes Church in the twin cities where I first found a truly Catholic spiritual home. It was where I first witnessed and was a part of what would come to be called, "the hermeneutic of continuity". Whatever your position is regarding the Novus Ordo Missae and its' kalendar I think we can all agree that the work put forth by the great msgr richard j schuler (RIP) for "the hermeneutic of continuity" was a very great work. St. Agnes Church was a well watered oasis of sanity in those bleak years following the council when it seemed the whole church had lost its' way. I shall always be eternally grateful to Msgr. Schuler and to St Agnes Church for being there for me and countless others at a time when authentically Catholic places of worship & liturgy were few and far between. It was at St Agnes that I first took part in Benediction of Blessed Sacrament, it was where I first heard Gregorian Chant, it was where I first learned the words of the Pater Noster and it was where I first saw a housling cloth covered altar rail where the faithful kneel to receive the Blessed Sacrament.

I would urge anyone who is fortunate enough to live in the twin cities to visit St Agnes Church and for those who might be visiting to not miss attending Holy Mass there at 10 am on Sundays. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Msgr. Schuler. St. Agnes virgin & martyr pray for us!