Signaling the start of the summer season
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
The bright sun hovered above as surfers, beachgoers and enthusiasts gathered for the fourth annual Blessing of the Waves ceremony, held on the beach at Stella Maris Retreat Center, Harvey Cedars.
The tradition, this year on June 23, began with a Mass on the sand celebrated by Msgr. Kenard J. Tuzeneu, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Barnegat, and featured the customary blowing into a conch shell to signal the start of the summer season.
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When asked what it was like to celebrate Mass on the beach facing the dunes, Msgr. Tuzeneu’s reaction conveyed his enjoyment of the custom.
“It was cool,” he said, chuckling.
Launched in 2009, the event is organized to celebrate the gift of the seas, as well as the creatures that inhabit it and all those who love it.
And speaking of creatures, a set of dolphins paid tribute to the annual custom by treating guests with a “swim-by” during the Mass.
With the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop, the Mass drew everyone from youngsters in swim trunks to older communicants who shielded themselves from the sun with umbrellas. Far from a traditional setting for the consecration of the Eucharist, the altar was framed by surfboards and musical instruments, highlighting both human talent and passion.
Flanked by the American and Papal flags, the ceremony was rich with symbolism and tradition, despite its unorthodox setting.
And the casual attire of the Mass’s participants paid off when the ceremony and blessing concluded and congregants took time to enjoy the very elements they had gathered to celebrate. There was plenty of surfing, volleyball and, of course, relaxing in the beautiful sunshine.[[In-content Ad]]Related Stories
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The bright sun hovered above as surfers, beachgoers and enthusiasts gathered for the fourth annual Blessing of the Waves ceremony, held on the beach at Stella Maris Retreat Center, Harvey Cedars.
The tradition, this year on June 23, began with a Mass on the sand celebrated by Msgr. Kenard J. Tuzeneu, pastor of St. Mary Parish, Barnegat, and featured the customary blowing into a conch shell to signal the start of the summer season.
Click HERE to view a photo gallery for this story.
When asked what it was like to celebrate Mass on the beach facing the dunes, Msgr. Tuzeneu’s reaction conveyed his enjoyment of the custom.
“It was cool,” he said, chuckling.
Launched in 2009, the event is organized to celebrate the gift of the seas, as well as the creatures that inhabit it and all those who love it.
And speaking of creatures, a set of dolphins paid tribute to the annual custom by treating guests with a “swim-by” during the Mass.
With the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop, the Mass drew everyone from youngsters in swim trunks to older communicants who shielded themselves from the sun with umbrellas. Far from a traditional setting for the consecration of the Eucharist, the altar was framed by surfboards and musical instruments, highlighting both human talent and passion.
Flanked by the American and Papal flags, the ceremony was rich with symbolism and tradition, despite its unorthodox setting.
And the casual attire of the Mass’s participants paid off when the ceremony and blessing concluded and congregants took time to enjoy the very elements they had gathered to celebrate. There was plenty of surfing, volleyball and, of course, relaxing in the beautiful sunshine.[[In-content Ad]]