How did you get your name? Is there a special story?

 My real first name is not a saint name, but a favorite of my parents. Megan is my "baptismal" name, which also doubles as my middle name. Catherine is my confirmation name, for St. Catherine Laboure.


Who are your patron saint(s)?

St. Catherine Laboure, and St. Michael are my main two :)


Does your family do any devotions together?

Considering my family is mostly Catholic with a few Protestant members, 'together' is a relative term. Daily, we Catholics do the Rosary together, and all of us do Night Prayers together. Occasionally, we do the Divine Mercy chaplet, a novena or three, and other things.


Have you or anyone in your family dressed up as a saint? What was the best costume?

Yes, I have. I dressed up once as a Benedictine saint (at least that's what the habit was. It was super pretty and I wish I had a picture of it somewhere).

Have you been to the Easter Vigil? What is your favorite part? What about your favorite line of the Exultet?

YESSSSSSS. My favorite part is when the Pascal Candle leads into the church with the Lumen Christi antiphon.
(and I love all of the Exultet, obviously)


How many sacraments have you received? Are there any good stories about them?

I've received....four sacraments (Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confession and Confirmation). Ehh, unless you count my conversion story, not really.

What are your family traditions around...
Advent and Christmas?

Advent calendar, and Midnight Mass.

Lent, Holy Week and Easter?

Not really?

Godfamilies/confirmation sponsors?

Nope!


Favorite hymn?

Sicut Cervus by Palestrina.

Favorite saint quote?

"Pray, Hope and Don't Worry" by Padre Pio.

Favorite Bible verse?



Favorite sacrament?

Matrimony! I just went to my first Nuptial Mass the other day and it's so beautiful!

Favorite work of Catholic Fiction?

Paint Everything Blue by Lena Donellan. A tearjerker for sure, but it's SO GOOD.


Favorite work of Catholic nonfiction?

Modern Saints, Vol. 1 and Vol II by Ann Ball.


Favorite feast day(s)?

August 15, Feast of the Assumption. First Communion anniversary!


Favorite Marian Devotion?

Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Among others.


Favorite funny Catholic story?

Sooo, Lia and I went to a Fatima conference a few years ago, and there was this priest that was leading the Glorious Mysteries of the rosary.

We had reached the 4th mystery - the Assumption of Mary - and the priest was giving a little mediation at the beginning.

The one line that will stick in my mind forever was "There's no trace of the Blessed Virgin on earth...not even Her baby teeth."

*cue mental record scratch*

Immediately, Lia, her sister and I just all looked at each other like....


It just struck us so WEIRDLY, and we were all struggling not to laugh. It was great.

What order (or otherwise) runs your parish?

We're run by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), which is a Traditional confraternity of priests. Originally founded in Switzerland, they have a strong foothold in North America, especially in the United States. The US seminary is in Denton, NE.

What makes that order special?

They're an off-shoot of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), so they have a strong reverence for tradition. But they are in full communion with Rome, which settles a lot of scruples. I've noticed that the FSSP, at least when it comes to these controversial topics in the Church, is not vocally bashing the reforms. Instead, they concentrate on what should be done - virtue building, reverence, and other things like that. As much as I disagree very much with many of the reforms done by Vatican II, the constant battle does fatigue a person.


Tell us about your priests!

We have two priests at our parish.

Fr. E is our main chaplain, and he has been a priest for 8 years. He's cautious, hospitable, and is very highly competitive in sports events (really!). He's originally from Indiana and got three brothers who are in seminary right now. Has the unique talent of being sarcastic with a complete straight face. Also, he says Mass really fast, which is great for when you have other obligations on Sunday but terrible when you're trying to set up for a picnic afterwards.

Fr. K is our assistant chaplain, and he's been a priest for 1 year. He's got a detail-orientated mind, is enthusiastic, and also loves sports. He's originally from New Jersey. Is musically talented - has played Mozart's Ave Maria on the violin for a Mass. Has the makings of an excellent priest.


What is your favorite funny priest story?

After St. Joseph's Mass 2019, Fr. E. approached the pulpit to make an announcement about the St Joseph Table downstairs. Our choir director hadn't started his postlude yet - he was a little distracted congratulating his Children Choir members who sung for the Mass.

Fr. E was able to squeeze out "Excussss....." before the blasting notes of Widor's Toccata burst forth from the organ.
Father gave one contemptuous look (as the rest of us are struggling not to laugh) and then went to the back to waylay people and send them down to the basement.

For the record, when ribbed about it, our choir director was horrified and immediately apologized profusely.


Do you do any volunteering with your parish?

Oh yes! I actually do a lot (#OGtyrannyoftheinvolved)

Currently, I am secretary to the Young Adults Group (which is a huge blast), a member of the Immaculate Heart Sodality (which doesn't do that much, to my sorrow), and an unofficial member of the Picnic Committee (which, for some reason, is completely separate from the Hospitality Group).

I used to be a member of the church choir (which alas, I had to leave due to job concerns), and a member of the Junior Sodality.


What kind of music does your parish tend to do?

Being a traditional parish, we go for more of the classics, leaning towards English and French pieces. We do a lot of Anglican-style hymns, like "Oh God of Loveliness".

And of course, we have CHANT. And polyphony. Lots of polyphony. Palestrina, Victoria, etc.


What is the best homily you've ever heard at your parish?

Oh boy, there are too many to name!


What makes your parish special?

Our parish (community, actually) is made up of people that come from all over the Diocese, with all different backgrounds. We started from scratch about 15 years ago when the FSSP was invited in, and since then, it's been a sort of home base for traditional Catholicism in the diocese. We've hosted the TFP, a traditonal Carmelite ordination, and it's now big enough that we're on track to becoming a quasi-parish!


Does your parish have any special traditions?

We do try to have at least one picnic a year. I'm blanking on other traditions though.


Does your parish or order have any "rites within rites" (i.e. Dominicans have the Dominican rite)?

My home parish does not. Though, I do go to a Carmelite convent for Mass right now and sometimes there is a Traditional Carmelite Rite Mass said.



How many bishops have you had in your lifetime?

I know of three bishops, the first of which welcomed the FSSP to my diocese. Though, if we are to be strictly accurate, there was one more bishop in my lifetime before that one.

Have you ever met any of them?

I have greeted two of them, yes. The second one went a little better than the first, LOL.

What rite are you a part of?

Traditional Rite, 1962.

What makes that rite different/special?

Umm, I call it the rite that kinda straddles the tradition of antiquity but allows some of the innovations of the modern age. For example, some of the prayers were truncated and the rubrics were simplified...if I have my history correct. As I have not gone to a pre-1955 Mass, it's difficult for me to explain.

But, this rite draws many people to tradition, and it's the most common Traditional Rite that is around.

What is your favorite part of that rite?

The extra blessings that are in that rite. They use the old exorcisms on holy water and other objects, which are proving to be much more powerful than the New Rite exorcisms.

I tag:

Any of my Catholic followers!


Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine