Preparation for Ascension Thursday Begins Monday!
Rogation Days: May 23 –May 25
“The traditional day of planting Jesus and your garden seeds in the earth is Good Friday. Typically by day forty you have seedlings who have "ascended" like Christ ascended into heaven on Ascension Thursday. The three days prior to Ascension Thursday are Rogation Days (Latin Rogare = "beseech"). On these days the priest blesses parishioners' fields and gardens. Rogationtide is the 6th Sunday of Eastertide and the M, T, & W following. Thursday that week is Ascension. Southern Gardens are a holdover from the English Garden and thus are perfect for picking this custom back up. God giveth the rain and bounty.” - Fr Gregory Tipon, St. Aelred, Athens, GA
As I am not yet ordained I cannot offer to come bless your field, however, I encourage you to keep the three rogation days by prayer and fasting, and perhaps blessing your garden with Holy Water. Such is a very fitting preparation for the Solemnity of the Ascension. -Josh
ALMIGHTY God, Lord of heaven and earth: we humbly pray that thy
gracious providence may give and preserve to our use the harvests
of the land and of the seas, and may prosper all who labour to
gather them; that we, who constantly receive good things from thy
hand, may always give thee thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, world without end. Amen.
-From the Collects for Rogation Days (Divine Worship, Daily Office)
Next Thursday: Don't Miss It:
We Celebrate the Ascension on Ascension Thursday
This is a Holy Day of Obligation for all Ordinariate members. In the Ordinariate it is not moved to Sunday but falls on the traditional day 40 days after Jesus's Resurrection. Since we will not have a priest for that day, you are invited to attend Divine Liturgy for the Ascension at 7pm on May 26 at St. Rafka, 1215 S Hwy 14, Greer, SC. Join us for an Ice Cream Social in the parish hall afterwards.
If you cannot attend at St. Rafka, you can fulfill this obligation by attending the any daily Mass on Ascension Thursday (note: Novus Ordo Masses will not be the liturgy for the Ascension, but will fulfill your obligation).
Novena to the Holy Spirit: The Apostles prayed for nine days after this (the first novena), and on the 10th day was, and is every year, is Pentecost, aka Whitsunday. Novena to the Holy Spirit
Mark Your Calendar for our Next Mass: Corpus Christi Sunday, June 19, 11:15 am Eucharistic Procession to Follow
Questions? Contact Joshua Johnson at wncord@gmail.com or 864-887-5771.