The Society of St Hugh of Cluny and the First Spanish Heritage Pilgrimge

Yesterday members of the Society, readers of this blog and parishioners of St Mary Norwalk – a small but select group – came to the north reaches of Manhattan island to celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Providence, patroness of Puerto Rico, and to explore the Spanish cultural heritage. And what better place to do that than at the Hispanic Society of America, which houses perhaps the most magnificent collection of Iberian art in North America?

The mass took place in the nearby parish of St Catherine of Genoa. It marked the return of the Traditional Mass to this altar after many decades of absence. St Catherine of Genoa (itself an unusual dedication) features unique stained glass skylights narrating the life of St. Catherine (above). The pastor of St Catherine was a most gracious host.

Reverend Mr. Steve Genovese served as deacon; Fr. Richard Cipolla was subdeacon. Mr David Hughes led the schola. A mass by Guerrero was sung. Mr Hughes had to improvise the chant for the propers – solo- since none have been provided for this recently instituted feast.

Fr. Greg Markey, pastor of St. Mary’s, Norwalk, preached in Spanish.

After the mass and a quick lunch, the “pilgrims” headed over to the nearby Hispanic Society. A docent of the museum gave us a very professional review of the museum, its history and collections – especially the unique room devoted to the depictions of life in the various Spanish regions by Joaquin Sorolla. Above, most appropriately, is the Holy Week procession in Seville.

The museum further contains a magnificent collection of Spanish religious art from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries, whether in stonework (above), in polychromed terra cotta ( immediately below) or in painting ( second image below)

The creator of the Hispanic Society Museum, Mr Huntington, also financed in 1912 the building of a Catholic parish, Our Lady of Esperanza, as an integral part of the museum complex. it appears, however, that the celebration of the Traditional Mass is not welcome here. (Above, a highly stylized representation of
St Theresa of Avila from the facade)