Canon Joel Estrada writes a blessing in chalk above the main doors at St. Patrick Parish and Oratory in Waterbury and over the rectory door on Jan. 6 for the Epiphany of the Lord. The numbers represent the year, with crosses in between. CMB is an abbreviation for Christus mansionem benedicat, Latin words that mean “May Christ bless this home.” They also signify the initials of the Three Wise Men – Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar – who visited the Christ child. Photos by Brother Kevin Kerscher, courtesy of Canon Joel Estrada
By Shelley Wolf
WATERBURY – Canon Joel Estrada, pastor of St. Patrick Parish and Oratory in Waterbury, is celebrating the Epiphany of the Lord throughout the month of January. Using chalk, incense and holy water, he blessed and inscribed the entrance to St. Patrick Church on Jan. 6, and now he is driving around the city to bless the outdoor entrances to parishioners’ homes.
The blessing of the homes ceremony is an ancient one that some say was introduced to the Roman Catholic Church in the sixth century. “It’s the richness of our faith,” Canon Estrada says.
The home blessings will be performed all outdoors, focusing on the exterior of the buildings. “We plan to bless only the outside of the doors and the homes due to the pandemic,” he adds.
“We bless chalk and we mark the homes for the year, 2021 for example, and we mark the inscription ‘May Christ bless this home,’ writing in symbols in Latin,” he explains. “The prayer is that in the beginning of each year, we ask that Christ the newborn king may bless this home. Then we sprinkle the house with exorcised holy water, according to the Latin rite. We incense the homes afterward to help us lift ourselves in prayer.”
Canon Estrada invites parishioners to sign up for the special blessing each year. He stops by weekdays and Saturdays throughout the month.
Depending on COVID restrictions, he says, he is planning to visit and bless homes of families during this time after Epiphany until the conclusion of the Christmas season on Feb. 2, which is the feast of the Candlemas, now known as the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. “It will probably be a challenge, maintaining social distancing, masking, and other sanitary procedures,” Canon Estrada says, “but I believe that this can be done.”
The day before the Epiphany called for plenty of preparation. On January 5, the eve of the Epiphany, the priest blessed the water, salt, chalk, gold, frankincense and myrrh that the parishioners brought. “We had a nice ceremony with that along with the very special exorcized Epiphany holy water that is blessed only on that day according to the older Roman ritual. It is made available to all who come during this time. We made extra,” he adds.
Canon Joel Estrada blesses the holy water, chalk, incense and other items to be used for the blessings, then blesses the crèche in the rectory. Photos by Brother Kevin Kerscher, courtesy of Canon Joel Estrada
The next day, on Jan. 6, Canon Estrada blessed the inside of the rectory, then climbed a ladder to inscribe the Epiphany blessing in chalk on the exterior doors of the rectory and church, with help from Brother Kevin Kerscher, who lives in the rectory.
The Epiphany of the Lord, typically celebrated on January 6 or on the prior Sunday, honors the day the Messiah was made known to the world through the arrival of the Three Magi from the East, who brought gifts to the Christ child.
“The feast of the Epiphany is the manifestation of God to all the people,” Canon Estrada says. “It’s like a second Christmas. Christmas is in the silence and the hearts of people; it’s really the birth of Christ. But the Epiphany is the manifestation of Christ to the whole world in the representation of the Three Kings who came and visited him.” And that’s a blessing he strives to extend.
Canon Estrada is a member of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. Canon is another term for some order priests. Canon Estrada also offers the Latin Mass at St. Patrick Parish and Oratory in Waterbury.