The following comes from the Sacramento diocese website:
Bishop Jaime Soto and Father Richard Boyle, OSM, of the Order of Friar Servants of Mary, hold a monstrance that has been restored for use by parishioners of St. Joseph Parish in Rio Vista, where Father Boyle has served as parochial administrator since July 2014.
He will be leaving St. Joseph’s Oct. 31 to serve at The Grotto in Portland, Ore., a National Catholic Shrine dedicated to Mary, Our Sorrowful Mother, which is a ministry of the Servite Friars — Order of Friar Servants of Mary. The Grotto offers understanding, compassion, support and hope through a variety of ministries including counseling, education, spiritual direction and liturgical celebrations.
About 18 months ago, Father Boyle discovered a beautiful “Gothic monstrance” hidden away in long-term storage at the parish. ‘I immediately recognized its value — spiritually and historically,” he says. “Eventually, I found myself in a position to ‘offer’ it back to the parish for a full restoration project to return it to its ‘original glory,’ or as near as we could get it.”
The project was completed more than a month ago “and the result is truly magnificent,” Father Boyle notes. The monstrance is about 100 years old, 30 inches tall, 15 to 16 inches wide and displays a total of 11 silver-plated figures of saints and angels (each one in its own “niche”). The central figure of Christ the Good Shepherd stands directly above the “luna” or “lunette.”
The monstrance is underlying polished brass and gold-plated overlay. “It’s truly a work of art and devotion,” Father Boyle notes.
Does that monstrance have a luna with a host inside it? Looks like it. If the chamber were empty it should ordinarily be transparent, and the color of the wall in the background should be visible in the center circle.
Beautiful monstrance, though.
Beautiful! ever ancient, ever new.
WOW!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this find and restoration was indicative of a miraculous renewal of belief, love and devotion to the True Presence? How hungry God’s children are for this truth! May the Holy Spirit use this to pull all of us to a spiritual renewal of the true faith.
Majestically Beautiful! For The King of Kings. May He be forever Adored, Praised and Honored. I give Him my Thank You.
the stjosephriovista.org parish website has an appeal from fr richard to try to help get an adoration schedule going for a 3-hour period for starters. 2/3 filled as of my 10/15/2016 visit. later in the buletin is an adult learning class using ‘the gospel according to dog’ as a starting point, encouraging people to bring their dog to co-learn about the topic of the day.
Sounds like this little old Roman Catholic relic of a monstrance was banished to the attic when Vatican 2 ousted the old and in with the new! Probably hasn’t been used for 50 years. Since one seldom ever hears of Benediction these days, I wonder how many V2ites even know what a monstrance is used for. I wonder how many V2ites will suggest that it be sold and the proceeds be given to the poor. Before they do just remember what Our Lord said according to the Douay-Rheims + Challoner Holy Roman Catholic Bible – :John 12:8
“For the poor you have always with you; but me you have not always.”