The Manse
A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of a given religion, serving as both a home and a base for the occupant’s ministry. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as Manse, parsonage, presbytery, rectory, or vicarage. (In French: Le presbytère est l’habitation du curé catholique ou du pasteur protestant. Ce bâtiment est également appelé maison curiale).
A manse is a clergy house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist and other Christian traditions. Ultimately derived from the Latin mansus, “dwelling”, from manere, “to remain”, by the 16th century, the term meant both a dwelling and, in ecclesiastical contexts, the amount of land needed to support a single family.
Our Manse of the Right Revd. Marie and I are in an apartment with three bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room and a living room. Usually, the Chapel is in the living room, the main bedroom is our living room, and we use the other rooms for sleeping and an office. Due to Marie’s illness (Multiple Sclerosis (MS)), we had to adapt so that our living room is a mix of a living room and a Chapel. We needed space for a wheelchair, and now we also accommodate ambulance-paramedics who visit frequently throughout the year.
The Chapel consists of two parts: 1) the Altar, 2) the Shrine.
The Shrine or Sactuary is an all-glass shelving with mainly Holy Statues, pictures, rosaries, and souvenirs of our pilgrimages.
Until this year, I never elaborated on many artifacts at the Altar because, as a chaplain, I celebrate the eucharist or any other sacraments on location. Usually, I set up a table with tablecloths, candles, a Bible, and a communion set. As a caregiver to Marie, my external duty is limited to 26 hours a week, which includes household errands, medical visits, and car maintenance. So I needed to upgrade the Chapel’s Altar.
On Sunday, we have 6 people attending the service, but at other times, there are no parishioners. People think that I am still roaming from one place to another. Also, from time to time, you will see me worshiping in other churches, Catholic, of course, but also Anglican, Baptist, United Church or Wesleyan. That is part of the Chaplain’s role to be inter-denominational.
The Chapel walls contain icons, pictures, paintings and certifications. Lots of crucifixes, crosses, and the Last Suppers in metal, wood, plastic, and paper. Also, we have a lot of icons of Our Lady of Grace, our dedicated patron saint.