Jumpin Juno! The most popular month for the solemnization of matrimony is still, after many millenia, the one named after the goddess of marriage, the original Bridezilla, the suffering spouse of jolly Jupiter himself, the aforementioned Juno. And crowning with laurels the termination of the month is the fabulous feast of the famed founders of the city of Rome. Romulus and Remus have long ago taken a back seat to the pious princes of the celestial Senate, Saints Peter and Paul.
So great is the dignity of this feast that in the Code of Canon Law (which, by the way, makes excellent bedtime reading) it is listed as one of the ten days, in addition to all Sundays of the year, wherein the Faithful by their assistance at the holy sacrifice of the Mass and abstaining from unnecessary servile duties are bound to sanctify. Within the prerogatives of the bishops of a nation assembled in conference is that of derogating the precept due to particular local circumstances such as the missionary status of said country. Anglophone Catholics should take happy heart though that Merry Old England, one time bastion of Henry’s schism and Bess’ persecution, has since the restoration of the hierarchy kept the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul as a holy day of obligation perhaps especially as a sign of filial devotion to the Pope of Rome.
Returning to the nuptial imagery with which this e-pistle began, mindful of the commission of her sweet Spouse, Holy Mother Church, the Mystical Bride of Christ, on this feast enriches her children with a gift from her divine dowry. To the Faithful who use objects of piety blessed by the Sovereign Pontiff, or any bishop, provided they also make a profession of faith according to any legitimate formula, a plenary indulgence (which is the remission before God of temporal punishment for sins whose guilt is already forgiven) is granted under the usual conditions. Of course this would be an excellent opportunity to review what exactly is meant by that phrase “usual conditions”. One must be baptized and not excommunicated, have the general intention to gain indulgences (cf. the Morning Offering), be in the state of grace (at least at the moment one finishes the work prescribed), be detached from venial sin, go to Holy Communion and Confession within eight days of the work, and on the day the work is performed recite some vocal prayers (a Credo, Pater, Ave and Gloria Patri suffice) for the intentions of the Holy Father which classic manuals of moral theology list as the exaltation of the Church, the extirpation of heresy, the propagation of the Faith, the conversion of sinners, and peace between Christian nations. This reminds one of the beloved British bridal rhyme “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe.” Of course the most famous pence of all is Peter’s Pence, the collection revived and formalized in 1871 by Pope Blessed Pius IX taken each year on the Sunday closest to 29 June, for the philanthropic purposes of the Successor of the Prince of the Apostles to which every member of the Faithful flock, following the elementary example of the Fisherman who paid the temple tax by catching a tasty tilapia that carried a coin in its mouth, should consciously contribute.
Since no solemnization of nuptials, be they celestial or terrestrial, would be complete without some cheery conviviality we turn one last time to the United Kingdom. “St. Peter’s Brewery is based at St. Peter South Elmham, near Bungay in Suffolk. The brewery itself was built in 1996 and is housed in an attractive range of traditional former agricultural buildings adjacent to St. Peter’s Hall. [Once upon a terrible time recusant reserve – ye esteemed Editor] Siting the brewery at St. Peter’s was ideal because of the excellent water quality from our own deep bore-hole. Locally malted barley is used, together with Kentish hops, to produce a range of classical English cask-conditioned ales. In addition the company produces a range of superb bottled beers.”
Which calls for an appropriately awe-inspired altiloquent toast: “Quo vadis?”
Mr. Screwtape
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