23
Jan
18
Jan
The spring semester of St. Mary’s Youth Schola will begin on Thursday, January 25, 2024.
This program of musical and faith formation based on Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony meets on Thursday afternoons from 4–5:30 p.m. during the academic year. The schola sings for Masses at the parish 2–4 times per semester. The Youth Schola is open to ages 8 through 18; young men with changed or changing voices are welcome!
Find out more and register at stmarynorwalk.net/youth-schola-program.
16
Jan
From Cardinal Dolan:
As I hope you know, I like to keep you updated on significant developments concerning the Archdiocese of New York. Allow me to share some news concerning the location of our central offices in Manhattan. For over 50 years, the Terence Cardinal Cooke Catholic Building, located at 1011 First Avenue, has served as the central offices of the archdiocese. In addition, Saint John the Evangelist Church shares the building, as did Cathedral Girls High School prior to their move to a new location this past September. It has been apparent for several years, however, that “1011” no longer made sense as our home. The cost to maintain the physical structure, advances in technology which allow for more remote work, and a desire to be closer to the people we serve throughout the archdiocese, all led us to begin discussions on a possible move, in order to more effectively and efficiently utilize the resources of the archdiocese in service to our people. As a result, after broad consultation and careful research, a new location has been found at 488 Madison Avenue, next to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, that will house the central offices of the archdiocese. As you may know, the main offices of a diocese are required to be in the See city, that is the city where the diocesan cathedral is located. Not all offices, however, are required to be there, and many offices will move to other locations around the archdiocese, in most cases utilizing existing archdiocesan and parish property, allowing us to be good stewards of our resources. I am told that 488 Madison Avenue also has a history with the archdiocese, as it was at one time the location of a Catholic Charities orphanage, as well as the former home of Cathedral College Seminary. Its location adjacent to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is another “plus” in its favor. Although the move to the new location is not planned until sometime in 2025, we will use this intervening time to identify and finalize which offices will move to 488 Madison Avenue, and what locations will be used for other offices. There have been no decisions on what will happen with 1011 First Avenue, but I will do my best to keep you posted as we move closer to this historic move. With prayerful best wishes, I am,Faithfully in Christ, + Cardinal Timothy DolanTimothy Michael Cardinal DolanArchbishop of New York |
We reported on earlier planning regarding the Archdiocesan headquarters in 2017:
For more on the parish of St. John:
15
Jan
We received this message from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine in East Harlem, New York:
On Monday, January 22, 2024, the Universal Church celebrates the Solemnity and Feast of Saint Vincent Pallotti, Priest Confessor and founder of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, the Pallottine Fathers, Brothers and Sisters who have served at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine since its founding in 1884.
Please join us throughout the weekend as we celebrate Saint Vincent Pallotti and the 24th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood of Father Christopher Salvatori SAC!
A Plenary Indulgence is available under the usual conditions for those who assist at the Masses and Sacred Liturgical Rites on the Solemnity and Feast of Saint Vincent Pallotti.
Visit to a Church or Oratory of Religious on the Feast of the Holy Founder. A PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to those who piously visit a church or oratory of a religious order on the feastday of its canonized founder, and there recite one Our Father and the Creed.
Solemnity and Feast of Saint Vincent Pallotti
24th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood of Father Christopher Salvatori SAC
Sunday, January 21, 2024
4:30 PM Tridentine Traditional Latin Latin Solemn Vespers, Rosary and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
Monday, January 22, 2024
7:00 AM Tridentine Traditional Latin Low Mass; 7:45 AM Tridentine Traditional Latin Low Mass
3:00 PM Holy Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet
6:00 PM Confessions
7:00 PM Solemn Tridentine Traditional Latin Mass of Thanksgiving, Solemnity and Feast of Saint Vincent Pallotti and 24th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood of Father Christopher Salvatori SAC
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine, 448 East 116th Street NY, NY 10029
14
Jan
Just one week after its 38th anniversary, the St. Gregory Society offered its last Traditional Mass in New Haven today, permission having been withdrawn abruptly by the Archibishop of Hartford. The Solemn Votive Mass of St. Gregory the Great, patron of the Society, was assisted by a large choir which included the St. Gregory Society choir and the choirs of the Oratories of St. Patrick and Sts. Cyril and Methodius. The church was filled with friends and well-wishers. In his sermon, whose tone combined sadness with muted optimism, Fr. Cipolla expressed confidence that this last Mass only represented a hiatus.
“So now after this barrage of words that always fade into nothing, we proceed to the heart of the matter, where words do not merely change water into wine, but words effect an infinitely greater miracle, but not merely words or mere words or random words but the words of Him through whom the universe was created: Hoc est corpus meum.And there is nothing else to say. But much more to sing. And we will sing again.”
Father Cipolla’s full sermon here.
14
Jan
Sermon for the Second Sunday after Epiphany St Stanislaus New Haven Jan, 14 2024
“At a certain point the wine ran out, and Jesus’ mother told him, ‘They have no more wine.’ Jesus replied, ‘Woman, how does this concern of yours involve me? My hour has not yet come’. His mother instructed those waiting on table, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’” (John 2: 3-5)
The changing of water into wine, always the gospel for this Sunday, the third sign of the Epiphany: the adoration of Christ by the Wise Men, the Baptism of Christ, and the changing of water into wine. This is the first miracle of Jesus and the first of the seven signs in the gospel of John, the signs that point to who Jesus is, the signs that show forth his glory, in a hidden way, for his glory is only shown forth finally on the cross. This is a most homely miracle: no healing here, no miraculous feeding, no casting out of demons. It surely pales before the raising of Lazarus, the final sign before the glorification of the Passion and Resurrection. But it is such a wonderful miracle. It is purely gratuitous; it is overflowing with extra. The water changed into wine gives pleasure to the wedding guests; the choice wine was saved for last. And so much of it! Six jars of twenty-five gallons apiece.
But that is not the heart of this gospel. The heart of this gospel is the manifestation of Christ to his disciples. But close to this heart, beating simultaneously with it, is the meaning of Mary’s role in our redemption. The heart of this gospel is Jesus Christ; but the wedding feast at Cana is where the biblical foundations of devotion to Mary are found, those foundations that end as they must, as all devotions must, at the foot of the Cross. One of the fundamental differences between Catholicism and Protestantism is the role of Mary in faith and piety. Devotion to Mary is one of the constants of the Catholic faith, and it is this devotion that is the evidence of a living faith in Christ. The rejection in Protestantism of Mary’s role in Christian faith has had the result of a widespread loss of understanding of who Jesus is. For without Mary, the reality of Jesus Christ is compromised.
They have no more wine. Woman, how does this concern of yours involve me? My hour has not yet come. Does not this exchange between Jesus and his mother give us pause? His address to her: Woman. Not Mother: Woman. We can rush to point out that this was a polite form of address in Semitic culture. The problem here is the translation. There is no way to say this in English as it would have been said in Aramaic. But the meaning of the gospel does not ultimately depend on language and culture. The conversation between Jesus and his mother—and please note that John the Evangelist never calls Mary by her name: he always refers to her as the mother of Jesus—this conversation is important to Christian faith because of what it says about Mary and the therefore about Jesus, for Mary always points to Jesus.
Where do we begin in understanding this conversation? We begin with the Revelation of St. John, where the Woman—that is the term used—is that mysterious, symbolic figure who is a key figure in the drama of salvation. She is the Woman who gives birth to the male child and enters into conflict with the dragon serpent. The imagery here forces us back to the third chapter of Genesis, to the Fall, where enmity is place between the serpent and the woman, between the serpent’s seed and her seed. In Revelation the Woman in birth pangs brings forth a male child who is the Messiah and is taken up into heaven. The great dragon, identified as the ancient serpent of Genesis by Revelation, frustrated by the child’s ascension, turn against the Woman and her offspring. Tradition understands this Woman as the people of God, the new Israel. Tradition understands this Woman as the Church who continues on earth after the Ascension, persecuted but protecting her children. But the Tradition of the Church identifies this woman, the Woman, also as Mary, the mother of Jesus, the mother of the Messiah. For it is Mary who is the symbol of the Church in the deepest sense, Mary who is the mother of the Church, but above all, Mary who is the new Eve, who by her Yes overturns the bondage and death of Eve’s No.
This is the context is which we must understand the conversation between Mary and Jesus at the wedding feast at Cana. It is Mary, the mother of the Messiah, the new Eve, who utters the words: they have no wine. This is not only a fact; it is a request to perform a sign that will show the glory of God in the Savior of the world. But before Jesus performs this sign, he must make clear his refusal of Mary’s intervention—how does this concern of yours involve me? She cannot have any role in his ministry. His signs must reflect the absolute sovereignty of his Father, not any human or family agency. What he must do, he must do alone, he who was born not by blood, not be carnal desire, nor by man’s willing it, but by God. But it is the new Eve who makes this request. It is the handmaid of the Lord who makes this request. And so just as Eve’s request of Adam brought sin into the world, so Mary’s request is the occasion of Jesus’ epiphany to his disciples, the first manifestation of his glory. And this request is granted: the water is changed into wine. But Mary’s ministry, her role in the redemption, must wait, must wait until the glorification of her Son, the final manifestation, the final epiphany. It is only at the final battle between the Son and the serpent that is waged on the Cross: it is only the hour of passion, death, and resurrection and ascension. Here is Mary’s fundamental role, her ministry. It is as the Woman: Woman, behold your Son! Here is the final struggle of the Woman with the serpent. It is here that she is entrusted with offspring whom she must protect in the continuing struggle between Satan and the followers of the Messiah. Here at the foot of the cross is Mary, mother of the Church. Here Mary is our mother, our protector, we who are the offspring of the Church, we who have been born again at the font by water and the Holy Spirit. Here is our Lady of Perpetual Help, here is our succour, our light, our sweetness and our hope, here is the Mother of all Christians, enveloping us in her mantle, the mantle that warmed the hillside of Tepeyac so that roses bloomed in the winter.
So many words, too many words, all of this, so much breathing out into the void! But how else to say this which must be said? Much better to go to Chartres to see who Mary is in the stone of the vaulting that soars to heaven and in the windows filled with the deep blue and blood red glass that speak so eloquently of beauty, of the Woman, and the glory of her Son. Much better to go to Torcello to see the Byzantine mosaic in the apse of the cathedral and see in that severe gold and blue the steely courage of the Theotokos, the bearer of God. Much better to go to my grandmother’s parish church in Campagna to see the heartbreaking statue of the Madonna Addolorata, our Lady of Sorrows, her heart pierced by swords, lovingly dressed in her liturgical outfits, her fragile porcelain face marked by tears, and here understand the deep suffering love that is Mary’s love for her Son and for the Church. Much better to join in singing the solemn tone of the Salve Regina, for it is the act of singing this hymn that the deepest understanding takes place, that water into wine makes sense, that my life in Christ makes sense—that Love makes sense.
And yet—and yet—we cannot pretend that this is just another Second Sunday after Epiphany and just look forward to the next year when this Gospel is sung, the singing itself an echo of the very molecules of water that were in those large vats at the wedding feast, those molecules that were surprised in their ordinariness of a v-shaped molecule with a `108° angle with the oxygen at the top of the molecule by the sudden presence of ethanol molecules with their little chains and the phenolic compounds that come from the grapes whose complexity lies at the heart of the mystery of wine. You cannot reduce wine to its chemical components. For wine is after all a mystery, which both Jesus and his mother understood, as work of human hands that can never be reduced to its components but rather can only be understood in terms of the happiness of the bride and groom and the wedding guests at that wedding. The Mass of Catholic Tradition, whose growth lies hidden in history, cannot be analyzed by listing its parts or by examining it as if it were an historical document. Like wine, this Mass is an experience, not a text.
How wonderful that the setting of the Ordinary of this Mass today is William Byrd’s Mass for Three Voices, written by the Catholic Byrd during the Elizabethan persecutions. The liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer is marked by wonderful English. Just the Advent Collects, translated by Thomas Cranmer, are masterpieces of English and masterpieces of the attempt to translate Latin into any language. But yet, yet, this is manufactured beauty. It is not organic. It did not come from the womb of Catholic Tradition that gave birth not merely to Councils with their edicts, but also, and just as importantly, to Collects and the Canon of the Mass and just as important to that Gregorian chant that makes words come alive in a way that points in a visceral way to the heaven that lies at the heart of the Mass.
If I were to be elected Pope, which is possible but highly unlikely, I would canonize William Byrd for his courage in a time of persecution. But even more for his understanding of the intrinsic relation between music and the Mass, a relation that has had a rocky road for centuries after Byrd and Tallis and Palestrina and Vittoria and yes, even the great Bach , culminating in the tragedy of the 1960’s and 70’s.
So now after this barrage of words that always fade into nothing, we proceed to the heart of the matter, where words do not merely change water into wine, but words effect an infinitely greater miracle, but not merely words or mere words or random words but the words of Him through whom the universe was created: Hoc est corpus meum.And there is nothing else to say. But much more to sing. And we will sing again
11
Jan
By William Riccio
“A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”
Mark 6: 4-6
This quotation struck this writer immediately on December 31. On New Year’s Eve, just two minutes before Mass was to begin for the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas, the parish priest of St. Stanislaus Church, New Haven, CT, announced the Traditional Mass that had been celebrated since 1986, and weekly since 1990, was to be ended. The final date for celebrations was set for this weekend, January 14, 2024.
For 38 years, the St. Gregory Society of New Haven had sponsored the Masses, first at Sacred Heart Church, closed in 2009, and then at St. Stanislaus. The reason the above quotation struck me was the fact that while the work of the St. Gregory Society was known throughout the Northeastern United States, and, indeed, throughout the world through recordings and blog posts, the Archdiocese of Hartford forgot who we were, never acknowledged several attempts to invite its dignitaries to celebrations, and decided to consign our people to St. Patrick’s Church or some other place where the Traditional Mass was central.
While this writer might be seen as biased in his analysis, it is without a doubt a true statement that much of the growth of the Traditional Mass in New England, the Mid-Atlantic States and elsewhere began with SGS.
Founded in 1984 by Nicholas Renouf and Britt Wheeler (both choir directors) to petition for the Mass under St. John Paul II’s indult, Quattuor Abhinc Annos, the St. Gregory Society had its first Mass at Sacred Heart Church in New Haven, a Missa Cantata for the Feast of the Holy Family. At that time, Archbishop John F. Whealon allowed three Masses in the archdiocese, one in Hartford’s Our Lady of Sorrows Church, then the LaSallette Mother Church (turned over to the archdiocese only three weeks ago), New Haven, and Waterbury, each on the first, second and third Sundays of the month.
Preparing for our Mass, which was the second to begin after Our Lady of Sorrows, servers were trained, a choir was assembled, using professional singers from the many churches in New Haven. By the second anniversary, Auxiliary Bishop John Hackett presided at the Mass, and thanked the society for bringing back this rite of worship.
Two years later, Archbishop Whealon himself presided at a solemn Mass and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. This brought out more than 1000 people to Sacred Heart, and was a catalyst in the archbishop allowing weekly celebrations later that year.
Whealon became a friend of the Society, and gifted it his own Canon Pontificalis before he died. It has been used several times, all over the country.
That Mass was the springboard for many, who hoped to bring the Traditional Rite to their dioceses. Over the next two years the St. Gregory Society aided several groups asking for the Mass, including New York City and Boston, both of which had permission within a year.
The St. Gregory Society became known for its choir as the Schola Cantorum sang the major Renaissance masters, and its interpretation of chant was considered top notch. Over the next several years six CDs of various Masses were issued, and given critical acclaim in the secular press.
Michael Davies, author and future head of Una Voce became a friend of the Society, andtraveled to New Haven three times to speak at its anniversary celebrations, and to encourage the faithful in the goodness of the work. He was instrumental in having the Society’s recording of the Missa O Magnum Mysterium by Palestrina used as the Christmas meditation music on BBC broadcasts.
The Society aided in the training of priests and servers in New York City and Boston and alumni of the schola were instrumental in getting choirs assembled there. This writer did an all-day tutorial for priests at St. Agnes, NYC, teaching the clergy the finer points of the liturgy.
On February 22, 1992, the Society aided the visit of Alfons Maria Cardinal Stickler to St. Agnes in New York City for what was a watershed moment in the traditional movement. Cardinal Stickler celebrated the first pontifical Mass in New York since 1969.
That same year the schola and servers were asked to assist the inauguration of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter’s parish in St. Peter’s Cathedral, Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the presence of Bishop James Timlin.
This began a long relationship with the FSSP while it was headquartered in Scranton, with several FSSP clergy celebrating Mass in New Haven.
The schola was invited to Paterson, New Jersey to sing the Confirmation Mass of the FSSP parish there in the cathedral church, with Bishop Frank J. Rodimer celebrating.
Closer to home, priests of various dioceses, including Bridgeport, were trained by the Society and celebrated in New Haven. Twice, Auxiliary Bishop Peter Rosazza celebrated Mass at the Faldstool, bringing large crowds to Sacred Heart.
Alumni choristers were hired in various churches and brought there the music and style of the Society.
The Society continued its aid of other locales, helping in Springfield, Massachusetts, when it began a weekly celebration.
Just prior to the publication of Summorum Pontificum, the Society aided a Mass in Holy Rosary Church, Portland, Oregon, with Auxiliary Bishop Kenneth Steiner celebrating.
With the publication of Summorum Pontificum, the society helped train servers at St. Mary’s, Norwalk, Connecticut, while an alumni chorister, David Hughes, was the choir director.
Over the next several years, the traditional rites spread, more and more priests were trained by society members, both in singing and the rites.
Sacred Heart parish was closed in 2009, and the Society was invited by the Vincentian Fathers of St. Stanislaus Church to headquarter there.
In 2011 the 25th anniversary of the first Mass, Bishop Timlin celebrated Pontifical Mass. It was the last time a prelate visited the Society.
Attempts were made to have the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest come into New Haven, but the archdiocese rebuffed the attempt, only to do it years later in Waterbury.
With the change of archbishops, chancery personnel and time, the work of the Society was forgotten until Traditiones Custodes was promulgated. Then the paperwork that had to be done brought the forgotten group back into focus. Unaware of the group’s history, and at the request of the two pastors, the letter suppressing the Mass at St. Stanislaus came about.
What the future holds for the St. Gregory Society is unknown, but with Sunday’s Mass, a Votive of St. Gregory the Great, members alumni, and faithful aided by the work of the last 38 years will celebrate the contributions made to mainstream the Traditional Mass to the Universal Church. In that regard, the Society can consider itself a success.
10
Jan
Father Richard Cipolla, chaplain of our Society, released a statement concerning the cancellation of the Traditional Mass in New Haven. He encourages whomeover can make it to attend the final Mass, which is this Sunday at 2 pm at St. Stanislaus Church.
Dear Friends,
The recent announcement from the Archdiocese of Hartford that the Traditional
Mass is suppressed at St. Stanislaus in New Haven is a source for me of deep
sadness. The St. Gregory Society was founded 38 years ago to offer the
Traditional Mass, especially in the beauty and depth of the Solemn form, as a
positive response to St. John Paul II’s Indult allowing the use of the 1962 Missal.
Not only did the Society play an important role in the regular restoration of the
Traditional Mass but also brought back Beauty as an intrinsic and central element
of the celebration of Holy Mass. The Society of St. Gregory’s importance to me is
indeed great, for it was at my first celebration of the Traditional Roman Mass over
twenty years ago in Sacred Heart church in New Haven that I first understood the
transcendental power of the Mass and its deep relationship to the Beauty of the
person of Jesus Christ who is both Priest and Victim.
I am convinced that despite the foolish and painful attempts in this pontificate to
radically suppress the Mass of Catholic Tradition, Beauty is stronger than
ignorance and oppression. In a real way the parishes that have offered and still
offer that Traditional Mass are in debt to the St. Gregory Society for its leadership
beginning 38 years ago to the present time. I would ask that as many Catholics
who love the Traditional Roman Mass attend the “last” Traditional Mass in New
Haven at St. Stanislaus Church on Sunday 14 January at 2 p.m. For the laity to
show great support for the Traditional Mass is necessary at this time to counter the
forces of reaction within the Church that have deliberately forgotten that the Mass
is not self-worship but the worship of the transcendent God in the person of Jesus
Christ.
Oremus pro invicem.
Father Richard Gennaro Cipolla, Ph.D., D. Phil.(Oxon)