Conclusion

It is now clear that the Mount Alvernia Opening Mass is a ritual even though it is divergent to traditional Catholic Masses. Through the structure, location and participants, and symbols it has become evident that the Franciscan elements of this Opening Mass differentiates from other Masses and through these aspects it reflects the values of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.

Symbols of a Mass

One final aspect of a ritual is the symbols used. Most of the symbolism in this ritual is Catholic, however there are certain elements that are somewhat divergent due to the specific Franciscan elements. All Masses start with the entrance of the priest and Eucharistic ministers. One of the ministers carries in a Processional Cross. The cross is carried to the front of the place of gathering with the crucified Christ facing the altar. This is done to symbolise that Christians are followers of god. Even though the processional cross was carried in at the Opening Mass, it differs from the catholic processional cross. At Mount Alvernia College, the processional cross is the San Damiano cross as it is monumental in Saint Francis’ life. This particular cross was the one Saint Francis was praying to before God gave him the task of rebuilding the Church. The San Damiano Cross is admired by all Franciscans as it symbolises their mission from God. This mission for Franciscan is to follow God simplistically, just like Francis did. Furthermore, in the ritual of Mass, candles are lit as a symbol of God’s presence with us. However a specific candle was lit at this mass. The Mount Alvernia College candle was lit as a symbol of our community coming together with the presence of God and Saint Francis. On the candle is the school emblem, which consists of the coat of arms and the phrase “Deus Meus Et Omnia” (Which translates to “my God, my all”). The two arms in the coat of arms represent Jesus (right arm) and Saint Francis (left arm). Saint Francis’ arm is closest to the cross, symbolising his willingness to get the stigmata. Around the bottom of the candle is a ring of wattles. This distinct feature was added to the candle this year to signify it has been thirty-five years since Francis was declared the Patron Saint of Ecology. This candle is significant to our school as we are educated in the Franciscan tradition and this candle has common Franciscan elements on it. These Catholic symbols that have been made Franciscan are one reason why this ritual is divergent to a regular Catholic Mass.

Crucifix From S.Damiano / 12th C.. [Fine Art]. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. http://quest.eb.com/images/109_161123

Location and Participants of a Mass

Another element of ritual is the location and participants. In a traditional Catholic Mass, the common place of gathering is a church or chapel, whereas at Mount Alvernia College Opening Mass, the place of gathering was the San Damiano Centre. The San Damiano Centre is a weekly place of gathering for the college community. This centre’s name is significant to us as Franciscans because the Church of San Damiano is the church which Francis was called upon by God to rebuild. In addition, the participants are another important element in a Mass. At a Catholic Mass, a priest often leads the ritual for believers of God who have gathered as a community with their common link of Christ. At the Mount Alvernia Mass, the participants are similar to the regular Catholic Mass however; they share a different common link. In the Opening Mass the key participants were the Bishop, the FOTH community (Mount Alvernia College, Padua College and Saint Anthony’s) and friends and family from the community who all share a common link of Saint Francis. This is another key component of our Mass which is divergent to a Catholic Mass.

Divergent Elements Within the Structure of the Mass

In the Catholic ritual of Mass, a certain structure is followed and was applied Mount Alvernia’s Opening Mass. This structure is broken down into five sections which include: Leaving the ordinary, the build up, climax of ritual, winding down and the return to the ordinary. This order was followed in the Opening Mass; however some of the elements within this ritual are divergent to the Catholic Mass. All Masses commence with the Introductory Rites which occurs in the leaving the ordinary stage. To start this section of the mass, everyone stands to welcome the Priest and Eucharistic ministers. A hymn or psalm is sung whilst the Priest and Eucharistic ministers enter. The processional hymn for the Mount Alvernia Mass differed from a Catholic Mass as the hymn used was “The Canticle of the Sun”. “The Canticle of the Sun” was a poem originally written by Saint Francis which was later used to compose a song by Marty Haugen. In the song, it talks about different elements of nature and living. These elements include: the sun, moon and stars, wind, water, fire and earth. As Franciscans who live a simplistic lifestyle, it is extremely important to be thankful for these elements that are normally taken for granted, which is done through this song that gives praise for these elements and their purposes. Furthermore, this Mass has other elements that were particularly Franciscan. During the build up of the Mass, a Creed was recited by the community that had gathered. A Creed is a proclamation of faith and as a believer of a certain faith; it is a statement of what one believes, how they want to live and what they hope for in their lives. There are two common creeds often used for Catholic Masses. These two creeds are the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed, however for the Mount Alvernia Opening Mass, neither creed was used; the Franciscan Creed was used instead. As Franciscans, this creed states that as followers of both God and Saint Francis, we should incorporate both Catholic and Franciscan values into our everyday lives. This creed expresses values of Franciscans and reflects the values of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters. These two elements of the ritual are common elements of a Catholic Mass, however were made Franciscan for the Opening Mass.

Introduction to the Ritual of Mass

When using the term ‘ritual’ many people automatically think of religious activities performed based on cultural background; however this is not always the case. The word ritual is a broad term used in contemporary society, as it can range from something as small as a daily routine, to something as large as a festival. Some rituals are cultural, others are day-to-day and some are even social. The ritual of Mass is a religious ritual that is extremely important to the Catholic faith. At Mount Alvernia College, the Opening Mass portrayed the elements of a ritual; however it is divergent to other Catholic Masses due to its distinct Franciscan aspects within the structure, location and participants, and symbols. Through these Franciscan aspects the Mass reflects the values of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.