Corpus Christi procession and priesthood anniversary
Published 5:16 pm Thursday, June 23, 2022
The procession winds its way over the sawdust “Carpet.”
Fr. Paul Vassal and Bishop Bernard Fellay ceremonially prepare for the procession with the Body of Christ.
Bishop Bernard Fellay poses for a memorable photo with the Seminary professors and visiting priests.
Nick Madrid and helpers place the last handfuls of sawdust on the 70 foot sawdust carpet.
Nick Madrid and Christopher “C.J.” Estrada put the finishing touches to the Episcopal crest of Bishop Bernard Fellay, made entirely out of sawdust.
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On Thursday, June 16, St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary celebrated the fortieth anniversary of the priesthood of their resident bishop, Monseigneur Bernard Fellay, in conjunction with the annual Corpus Christi procession.
The day known as Corpus Christi, Latin for “the body of Christ”, is set aside every year by the Roman Catholic Church to commemorate and make thanksgiving for Jesus’ presence with us in the Holy Eucharist. Catholics believe that when Jesus said “this is my body” and “this is the chalice of my blood” over the bread and wine of the last supper, His words, through His divine power, actually made that happen, though in a hidden way that cannot be seen by the eyes. The power of working this miracle, by which Christ fulfills His promise to remain with us until the end of time, has been passed to the Apostles by Jesus Himself since He said to them, “do this in commemoration of me.” The Apostles, the first bishops of the church, have passed this power to their successors, bishops and priests, down through the ages until our own time. Thus this day, is a very important one for the Seminary, whose main purpose is to train young men to be Catholic priests.
To help make the Corpus Christi procession a special occasion the Seminarians and Brothers use a very unique art form. Using sawdust dyed with food coloring, they create an immense and colorful one-use “carpet” on the route over which the procession with the body of Christ will travel. The colorful murals, filled with symbolism, are reminiscent of the cloaks that the crowd spread upon the road for the passing of the Lord on Palm Sunday.
Several hundred people were present for the solemn high Mass and procession. The anniversary celebration was memorable for all. You can view it all on the Seminary’s youtube channel: “Pontifical High Mass – Corpus Christi – 06/16/22 – St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary.”
