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Hundreds to Attend Half-Mile Corpus Christi Procession
Saint Mary is one of few Chicago-area parishes to revive the ancient Roman Catholic tradition
Hundreds are expected to march in a traditional Eucharistic procession held by Saint Mary Parish on Sunday, June 18, in observance of the Roman Catholic Solemnity of Corpus Christi.
A seldom-seen practice in south-suburban Chicago, the procession will run a half-mile along 195th Street in Mokena, culminating at the old Saint Mary Church on Wolf Road, which dates to 1864.
The procession is part of Saint Mary Mokena’s ongoing efforts to reintroduce traditional Catholic practices into the everyday life of the parish. At the head of the procession will be the exposed Blessed Sacrament, accompanied by sacred music from four of the parish choirs: Adult, Chamber, St. Cecilia Schola and Children's Choir.
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“This solemn, time-honored procession, accompanied by our choirs' beautiful singing, will instill a magnificent, mystical experience in the participants and promises to be a unique event in the southwest suburbs," says Anna Pacek, Director of Sacred Music at Saint Mary Mokena.
Fr. Dindo Billote, pastor of Saint Mary Mokena, adds, “Honoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament as a parish is truly a beautiful experience, and this year, our First Communicants will be sprinkling rose petals before the monstrance.”
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Corpus Christi celebrates the Roman Catholic belief in the body and blood of Jesus Christ and His presence in the Eucharist. The Blessed Sacrament is displayed in a monstrance and covered by a canopy as it is carried in procession. Although observed worldwide, actual processions have become less common, especially in the United States.
"The feast of Corpus Christi is one time when our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is exposed not just to faithful Catholics, but to all the world," explains Simonetta Pacek, Associate Director of Sacred Music at Saint Mary Mokena.
“It’s a time when Catholics can show their love for Christ in the Real Presence by honoring Him in a very public way.”
The Corpus Christi procession will begin following the 11 AM Mass on Sunday, June 18 at Saint Mary Church in Mokena.
For more information, please visit http://www.stmarymokena.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/StMaryMokenaYoungAdults/
