Seminary Honors Our Lady with the Rorate Mass

The priests and seminarians of Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, being wholly devoted to Our Lady, gathered together on Saturday, December 13th, to celebrate the votive Mass of Our Lady, known by the first two Latin words of the Introit, “Rorate Caeli.”  In addition to Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary, many families and individuals of our apostolates travel an hour or more before dawn to attend this stunningly beautiful Mass. The interplay of light and darkness speak to the meaning of Advent and the coming birth of Christ, the Light of the world.

The beauty of the Mass flows from its opening, taken from Isaiah 45:8:

“Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum, aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.”

“Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Saviour.”

The Rorate Mass is lit only by candlelight. Because it is a votive Mass in Mary’s honor, white vestments are worn instead of Advent violet. In the dimly lit setting, priests and seminarians prepare to honor the Light of the world, Who is soon to be born, and offer praise to God for the gift of Our Lady. As the Mass proceeds and sunrise approaches, the church becomes progressively brighter, illumined by the sun as our Faith is illumined by Christ.

The readings and prayers of the Mass foretell the prophecy of the Virgin who would bear a Son called Emmanuel, and call on all to raise the gates of their hearts and their societies to let Christ the King enter; asking for the grace to receive eternal life by the merits of the Incarnation and saving Resurrection of Our Lord.

What follows are images from Our of Guadalupe Seminary, in Denton, Nebraska.

December 23, 2014