Looking Back On 2019

Dear Parishioners,

Merry Christmas and blessed new year!  I hope this posting finds you well. It is at this time of the year that we look back on what God was doing in our midst.

As for me, this past year has been a continuous celebration of many glorious “firsts” in view of our new church building. We celebrated our first Christmas in the new church. I will never forget the beauty of the 35 ft. Christmas trees in the Sanctuary. They were breathtaking. We also celebrated our first Easter Vigil where we offered immersion baptisms in a fount worthy of the Sacrament. The Blessing of the Easter Fire went smoothly, for I no longer needed to use a megaphone, but rather just a wireless handheld microphone, and the outdoor speakers in the front of the church worked perfectly. In the Spring, we hosted Bishop Peter for the Vicariate Mass of Confirmation, and we were well suited to seat all who came. When Summer began to wind down, our “Trinity Windows” were raised up into their frames above our heads on the South side of our church. One word: Magnificent! All of these things have given us so many ways to give God the glory! I am still pinching myself. What do you remember? What about our church has spoken good news to you?

Finally, this year has also been one where we have said goodbye to some amazing people. We prayed them into eternity. While this may seem to be sad news, for me sadness is not the ultimate story. Indeed, these individuals, our beloved faithful, I have given me great hope in the Good News of life after death and the Resurrection of the body. Our faithful departed are people who have lived lives of Christian example which have inspired me and challenged me. Thank you, Lord, for their example of courage and faith! Who has died this year who has encouraged you and lifted you up? Maybe spend time praying for them and giving thanks for giving us their examples. We have been privileged to have lived in their lifetimes don’t you think? I certainly do. Praise God for them all!

Merry Christmas. And blessed New Year

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Stained Glass Windows

Dear Parishioners,

Stained Glass Windows

By the time you read this, I hope, our new “Trinity Windows” will have been installed. A big thank you needs to be offered to the family who generously donated to these windows. Also, I want to thank all the donors who gave to make the rest of the stained glass possible which we hope will be coning in March 2020. Here’s some things that are worth noting on the overall designs and then some particulars of the Trinity Windows.

The Windows In General

Almost all the windows will have a frame that looks like a set of pillars. The radius or round topped windows are intended to connect with the doors, niches for our statutes, the top of the pews, the vaulted ceiling, and even the arches on the front and side of the altar. This Romanesque style is intended to tie us into the ancient form that many churches from antiquity have used.  

All the windows will carry the same color scheme with hues of blue with red and gold as highlights and some grey inside the columns. Some of the larger windows will all carry a set of golden rays coming from above, spreading out below, imaging the light, grace, or power of God coming down upon that which is imaged in the window and finally upon the viewer. The background is a random tile-work of rectangular shapes with, again, hues of blue. We thought about having some green in the tiles, but renderings were not pleasing to the eye as the simple blue hues. With this basic framing and background tying all the windows together, each window could then be set off by the images in the center of each window. Generally, we avoided faces, with some obvious exceptions for Jesus, Sts. Joachim and Anne, angels, and children. The use of symbolism, we believed would also allow for more variations in interpretation when gazing upon the windows in prayer. When words are placed in the window, the letters are blue set in a rectangular black background. This makes the words easier to read.

The Trinity Windows

The general theme of the so-called, Trinity Windows, were easily discerned considering that there were three windows which match in space and size. In each window there are images communicating the theme while words coming from the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed, the Father and Son windows coming from the former while the Holy Spirit window draws from the latter. On the top of each Trinity window is a red and green symbol interlacing a trefoil and triangle. There are many ways to symbolize the Trinity, and this was discerned to be the most pleasing treatment for these windows.

The window, “The Father,” is imaged with a hand coming down from heaven. Clouds are a common theological tool to express the divine or heaven. The hand does not point, as in some renditions of this approach, but is mostly extended in a gesture of power and peace upon the world, imaged by the planet earth. We made sure that one could even see Grants Pass if the viewer were discerning enough (grin!). Behind the and are the rays of God which emirate from a red symbol for the Trinity found at the top of all three of these Trinity windows. Behind the rays are the cosmos images in the sun, the moon, and a curving purple wisp of a galaxy with start in and around it as it flows down the window.

“The Son” window carries images that allude to Christ’s Suffering, Death, and Resurrection. The tools of suffering and death are easily seen in the center with three nails (one for each hand and one for the feet) and the crown of thorns. The lily found just beneath harkens to Christ’s resurrection. The curve of the lily curves in order to match a similar movement in all three windows. The text in the window was taken by the third stanza of the Apostles Creed where we recognize and proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, the Father’s only Son, and our Lord.

“The Holy Spirit” window was the most difficult to plan and design, but the ned result, we hope you agree, is full of power and meaning. The text from the Nicene Creed was too short to render in the window, creating an artistic imbalance with the other two windows and simply did not say enough. So, we chose the text from the Apostles Creed which solved both concerns. Significant images are first the dove. The dove harkens to Matthew 3:16 and Luke 3:22 where the Holy Spirit, imaged as a dove, descends upon Jesus after his baptism.  Behind the head ofd the dove is the traditional symbol for the trinity. The olive branch shaped as a ring, symbolizes peace. This image is used throughout antiquity and can be found as the evidence that the storm of the flood had subsided when Noah sent out a dove which returned with an olive branch in its mouth (cf. Gen. 8:10-11). It was also Mt. Olive that Jesus where Jesus last moments with his disciples took place. Olives, once crushed exude oil which is used for food and healing. Jesus was also crushed and became our food in the Eucharist and healing through his Holy Spirit. The image of fire is multivalent. The Holy Spirit is spoken and seen as fire in several places in the Scriptures (Exodus 3:2, Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16-17, Acts 2:3-4, 2:41). The seven flames harken to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:1-2) that we believe are given to those who are baptized and confirmed. 

Art, Theology, and Spirituality

Stained glass as a form of art has a long tradition in the Catholic Church. It is not an expression of merely art, but also of theology and spirituality. Stained glass windows were intended to help teach the stories and truths of our faith.  When large numbers of people could not read, the stained glass windows helped the faithful know and share the faith. The action of stained glass upon the soul only happens when illuminated by a source. In the case of these Trinity windows, they will be lit by the most powerful light, the sun, which images the Son who is the light of the world (John 1:4). It is our hope that as you gaze upon these windows and the other windows to come, your heart, mind, and soul will be enlightened by the One who give us life and sustains you through times of darkness.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Good News in 2018

Dear Parishioners,

Each year, I encourage our staff to write a bulletin letter about what good news happened in this past year. Looking back and counting our blessings is a way to remind us that God is very much involved in our lives and our community.  So, please take some time to read the articles from our staff and pray for the ministries in which they have been participating.  Who knows, maybe God is calling you to join in the good news too.

The most significant moment in this year and possibly in the last several decades was the construction of our new church building. September 1st, Archbishop Sample, Bishop Peter, some 15 priests, 6 deacons, and some 820 laity gathered to bless our new church. It was one of the highlights of my priesthood thus far. How our community gathered together to help make it all happen is simply miraculous!  It serves as a testimony to God’s grace working in our midst. I can hardly wait to see how beautiful the church will be adorned on Christmas and how our first Catechumens will be baptized on Easter.

The new building is a perfect example of what the Church documents call, “Noble Simplicity.” It mixes the traditional with the modern. More good news is still coming in the form of new stained glass windows and Stations of the Cross. We are working hard to get our video system online so families can see what is going on from the Cry Room and Day Chapel. When baptisms occur, we will be able to watch it live on our new 16 ft. projection screen.

Our Lord inspired us to raise the needed funds and dedicate ourselves to the ongoing work of sharing what he has done in our midst. This new building, like an ark, I pray, will guide countless people toward their heavenly home where Christ dwells with his Father and the Holy Spirit. May God be praised and given the glory through our new church.

Have a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Liturgical Changes, Part 4, Altar Servers

Dear Parishioners,

Back in July, I wrote about some liturgical changes that effect our Readers when processing in with the Gospel Book at Mass. Changes that we are making are due to four things: A more thorough reading of the General Instructions to the Roman Missal (GIRM), the new Archdiocesan Liturgical Handbook (ALH), input by parishioners, and our present situation with the new church. So, let me offer some of the changes that you will be seeing or have already observed, as it relates to our Altar Servers.

Genuflecting and Bowing

At St. Anne, during the Introductory Rites, the procession will be lead by the two Altar Servers with lighted candles, between them a minister carrying the cross. Visually, they will be walking parallel to each other. This is only possible due to the width of the new center isle. This formation will be repeated at the Concluding Rites when the procession departs from the Altar. In the past, the Altar servers walked behind the cross and didn’t carry them again after the Gospel procession. We will be examining how these norms can be reflected at our mission churches. The Gospel procession will remain unchanged. When there are not enough Altar Servers in the procession, we will look to a Reader, Sacristan, or another minister to carry the cross. Adaptations must happen when we are short ministers. When the procession reaches the foot of the Sanctuary, either in the Introductory (cf. GIRM 274) or Concluding Rites (cf. GIRM 193), the group of ministers are to genuflect to the Tabernacle unless they are carrying an object (ex. cross, candles, incense) or who otherwise cannot genuflect, in which case they are to make a profound bow. Altar Servers, indeed all ministers, are not to genuflect during the celebration of Mass itself (GIRM 274) unless specifically prescribed (ex. the Priest genuflects three times during the Eucharistic Prayer). Instead, when they enter the Sanctuary, as their duties frequently require, they will bow to the Altar and then enter the Sanctuary to execute their prescribed ministry.

Bells & Incense

Upon the dedication of our new church, it was decided to re-introduce the use of bells at Mass. Altar Servers are to ring the bells at the elevation/showing of the species of bread and wine after they have been consecrated and transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. Bells are a sacramental of the Church. In general, the use of bells are optional, but are a long standing tradition in the Church (Introduced around 1100 and became common around the 13th cent.) that signals special moments in the liturgy. In this case, they alert and proclaim the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. They are also used on Holy Thursday and Easter Vigil Saturday at the Gloria.

implemented are the ringing of bells at the elevation/showing of the species of bread and wine after they have been consecrated and transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. Bells are a sacramental of the Church. The use of bells are optional, but are a long standing tradition in the Church (Introduced around 1100 and became common around the 13th cent.) that signals special moments in the liturgy. In this case, they alert and proclaim the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

The use of incense is a very ancient tradition, being mentioned 147 times in the Bible (NABre). It was placed on an altar accompanying the Ark of the Covenant (cf. Exodus 30:1-10), referenced as a sign of prayer in Psalm 141, placed in the Temple in Jerusalem, and imaged in golden bowls in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 5:8). It’s use today is a more controversial sacramental since many people find it difficult to breathe when incense is being used, and some have allergic reactions when it is merely present. These issues extend to the use of parishioners wearing perfume at Mass (this is why all liturgical ministers are not to wear cologne or perfume). Incense can be included in the Introductory Rites (procession, blessing the Altar), the Gospel Procession, the Preparation of the Gifts, and the Concluding Rites (procession). We will continue to use incense for our most special solemnities in the year (Christmas and Easter) and when requested at a Funeral Mass. Altar Servers who have shown exemplary service will typically be chosen at Thurifers (one carrying the Thurible and Boat needed for incense) for this particular. Finally, we are considering the idea of choosing a few of these same Altar Servers to be further trained-up to become a Master of Ceremony who can guide, lead, and teach junior Altar Servers during the Mass.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Keeping our Church Beautiful, Clean, and Focused

Dear Parishioners,

Well, we’ve had a few weeks and weekends under our belts and we continue to work on kinks throughout the building. In addition, we are pondering on processes and policies for good stewardship of the church. In this regard, we are being very mindful to keep the church clean and free of clutter.  We ask that folks do not bring old magazines, prayer books, pamphlets, religious sacramentals, or food items for the purpose of sharing them. Our old church narthexes quickly got cluttered up with all kinds of things which started to make it look like a swap meet or thrift store.

As far as sharing food or seasonal garden items are concerned, our school is considering creating a location outside in the front of the school building for people to share their home garden produce. That means, if such items are left anywhere else on the campus, they will likely be thrown away. If parishioners would like to have some items (ex. pamphlets, posters, free items to give away) put in the narthex of the church, please submit a written request to the office which will be reviewed by the staff for consideration.  If you feel called to help out in cleaning the church or any other part of our campus, please reach out to Stephen Voehl, our Business Manager who, among many other roles, manages the physical stewardship of our facilities. Our church is an amazing work of art. It is a building which has been inspiring people long before it was even completed. Let’s keep it that way.

The same goes for all parts of our campus. During demolition and construction, and the need to move to the Parish Center for Mass, we became much closer as a community. We also became more aware of the need for repair and upkeep of the Parish Center and other buildings. Please commit yourself to being mindful of the trash or other things that clutter up our facilities. If a ministry in which you are involved uses the kitchen and especially the stove/oven/grill/refrigerators, etc., please make sure that you leave things cleaner and better than how you found them. Clean up the floor and take out the trash accumulated after your meeting. Check the bathrooms to make sure trash isn’t about the floor and that the toilets are flushed. Report any issues to the office at your next opportunity if something is broken. Make sure to lock the doors of a facility if you are the last one’s. Communicate to another group that you are leaving and what doors are or need to be locked.

We must all commit ourselves to being stewards, tending the goods which God has given us.  An entitlement or attitude of assumption (that someone else will do what you should do) can very easily become sin. So, let us all take responsibility and be accountable to each other about our collective need to keep our buildings, facilities, grounds, indeed all the physical goods of our parish clean. When new people come to our church, the state of repair and cleanliness of the facilities speaks volumes. Let them see how much we love God and each other by taking good care of St. Anne Parish.

Let’s commit ourselves to good stewardship of the amazing gifts given to us by God. Let us keep our focus on the Eucharist and the sacramental life where we encounter and commune with Christ, the reason why our parish exists. May we and our campus demonstrate our mission that we are a “welcoming community, inspired by the Holy Spirit, we seek out to proclaim Christ’s loving mission.”

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The Patron Saint of Unconditional Love, St. Anne

Dear Parishioners,

In the process of honoring our past and building for the future, I went to visit Chris Hart, parishioner and local artisan also known as the “Saint Painter.”  We asked her if she would take our status and recondition for our new church. The progress is going very well. In the course of the process of stripping, cleaning, and preparing the statue, Chris wrote a moving blog entry about her specific experience with our St. Anne statue (possibly the oldest of all our statues) and her childhood memories which taught her about unconditional love. I found it quite personal, educational, and spiritually moving. With her permission, I include her story below.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The Patron Saint of Unconditional Love, St. Anne
by Chris Hart
thesaintpainter.blogspot.com

I was one of those children that did not look forward to kindergarten. Actually, I hated it. I disliked the first day, the second day and all the days that followed. I simply didn't understand why I needed to leave the quiet bliss of the outdoors and sit in a stuffy classroom. I much preferred going barefoot in warm powdery dust to wearing shoes on a waxed linoleum floor. I would rather pick wildflowers while exploring a creek bed than read a book about picking wildflowers while exploring a creek bed. I was easily brought to tears by Sister Martha's strict humorless teaching style. There was not one thing about going to school I liked. 

My mother would cheerfully drive me every morning as I begged her to let me stay home.  She would patiently walk me to the door promising to pick me up in the afternoon.  I was determined to never let her forget the anxiety and misery I felt. Finally, one especially exasperating morning she walked me into the church on our way to class. It was empty and dim with that familiar smell only a Catholic church seems to have.  She stood in front of a St. Anne statue and told me the story of St. Anne, explaining that she was Mary's mother and Jesus' Gramma.  

This particular statue was about 5 feet tall and depicts St. Anne teaching her young daughter, Mary to read.  My mother told me that Mary was born late in St. Anne's life just like I had been and St. Anne felt her daughter was a blessing, not an inconvenience just like my mother felt about me. She said St. Anne valued education over stuff just like she did. She explained that St. Anne wanted only the best for her daughter just like my own mother wanted for me. I looked at the statue for a long time. It had beautiful deep rich colors with shining Gold leaf accents. I was mesmerized by the faces and how their eyes reflected the same deep love I saw in my mother's eyes every time she looked at me. In that moment, I realized how much my mother loved me.   

This Mothers Day, almost 60 years later, I began the task of restoring a very old damaged St. Anne statue for a nearby Catholic church. It seemed like a good day to work in my studio since my mother has been gone almost 4 years and I still feel sad on this day. Even now I find new ways to miss her, remembering things I forgot to ask and forgetting she isn't here to call.  I held part of the statue in my lap and I patiently dissolved layer after layer of old paint, touched up by many well-intentioned people over the years.  As I carefully removed the different colors, parts of the original finish began to show through. As damaged as it was, I recognized something as a wash of tears came over me. I was working on the same statue my mother had introduced me to years ago. How masterfully my mother had used the story of another mother, St. Anne, to help me understand what is most important. Just like the layers of paint I was removing, she had peeled away the layers of excuses, showing me the meaning of unconditional love.

Thank You!

Dear Parishioners,

Merry Christmas and happy new year!  As I look back on 2017, I have much to be thankful for.

This year is one that has been dominated by our church building project, a project that has continued to amaze and inspire me. With the guidance of our Design Committee and Finance Committee, what was going to be a simple building with mostly reused items has now become a design of true noble simplicity and beauty. The capacity to make this happen is due to the faith and amazing generosity of parishioners and friends of St. Anne’s.  We set many goals that most of us doubted could become reality.  Yet, we now stand with over $4 million in pledges and donations. Some of our basic or simple ideas have blossomed into things we didn’t think were possible.  I am talking about the addition of a daily Mass chapel, bathrooms which meet code and ADA standards, a new statue of Mary which matches the St. Joseph statue, a new image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, beautiful doors throughout, new padded pews, a new altar and ambo, carpet and tile throughout the major parts of the building, confessionals, a children’s cry room, and… wait for it… stained glass windows!

Besides the financial and physical aspects of the building project, it is fair to say that most everyone involved have gotten to know more people in our parish. Having Mass in the Sky Room has brought us closer together. We have been more focused on that which is most important. For me, Mass and preaching have been so much more rich. Being so close to everyone at Mass has brought an intimacy that is akin to our mission churches. Sharing the Eucharist in our smaller space has brought a focus about the most important things and a detachment about those things that are less so.

I am thankful for all that God has been doing in our midst. It is beyond my full comprehension, but I am so glad to be part of this community at this time in our history. I pray that you and yours have experienced joy amidst the changes ongoing in our parish this year. Thank you for all you have and continue to do to make St. Anne Church what she is!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor