Monday, November 19, 2007

Paten medicine

In an aside in a comment at Sprawled Out, John Michlig reminisces.
(I speak from experiencing 12 years of Catholic schooling as well as a seven-year stint as alter boy for the prestigious 10am Sunday Mass at St. Mike’s. I’m also recognized as the only St. Mike’s alter boy to record TWO successful sacramental host "catches" on my platen during a single Eucharistic distribution.)

That's more orthodox bragging than the altar boys who, when friends were on the other side of the communion rail, would "accidentally" give them a paten chop to the Adam's apple.

P.S. If that was this St. Mike's, it succinctly illustrates trends in church archtecture.

5 comments:

  1. Yes, that's the very St. Mike's that I meant.

    And Sister Desideria would be appalled that I called it a "platen" and not a "paten."

    St. Mike's observed the newest trend in church architecture a few years back - - they tore down the old (VERY old) school building next door where I attended grades 1 through 8 and replaced it with a building connected to the church. It looks like a mega-mall now.

    I have a bunch of pictures I took of the old school inside and out before it was destroyed - I'll put 'em up on Flickr.

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  2. Platen for paten is doubly typographical! Sr. Desiderata would be proud.

    That "alter boy" however...

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  3. Nope - it was Sister Desideria, not Desiderata. She was the church organist, fearsome 1st grade teacher, and took care of the cassocks.

    You got me on "alter boy." Though - - I WAS entering puberty had the time...

    Here's some pictures of old St. Mike's:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnruexp/sets/72157603244528607/

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  4. Sr. Desideria wouldn't be as pleased as a Sr. Desiderata would be.

    Old St. Mike's contrasts to the comparatively temporary schools being built today.

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  5. ....umnnnh...did the budget expire before the new "church" was finished?

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