Registration for the annual Women’s Retreat, which is scheduled for March 21-23, 2025 at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, L.I.,  is now open.  The Retreat Master is Fr. John Perricone and is sponsored by Agnus Dei Knights of Columbus Council.  130 women were in attendance last year. If you intend on coming, it is recommended that you reserve a spot sooner rather than later. Please contact Dan Marengo for more information and instructions on how to register. danmarengo@aol.com. Register by March 3.

Solemn vespers as celebrated yesterday at the “Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral.” (Fr. Enrique Salvo, Rector). Fr. Armando G. Alejandro, Jr. of the Ordinariate was the officiant. There were some very familiar names among the ministers and servers….

The music was an extraordinary selection of what might have been heard on a Marian feast in Mexico City in the 18th century. Mr. Jared Lamenzo led the schola and orchestra.

Join us for solemn Vespers with chamber orchestra at Old St. Patrick’s in New York City, celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe with music composed for the great cathedrals of Mexico, including works by Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla, Manuel de Sumaya, Ignacio de Jerusalem, and Santiago Billoni. The event also features Fr. David Michael Moses as guest preacher, and concludes with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Please note the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny is co-sponsoring these Vespers.

Once again last October, the Coetus Internationalis Summorum Pontificum assembled in Rome for its annual pilgrimage to Saint Peter’s Basilica. I want to add a few observations to what has already been reported. Our own photographic record can be found on this site. 1) The number of participants, primarily of the laity, happily continues to increase. Furthermore, a considerable number of clergy participate.  In this respect, it is nothing like the American “National Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage” in Washington on October 8 of this year, where no clergy were present. This year the Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage proceeded with relatively few glitches (aside from the unanticipated closure for restoration of the church of Santi Celso and Giuliano in front of which the pilgrims assemble on Saturday before setting out for St Peter’s.) 

As far as I could tell, the serving clerical bureaucracy of the Catholic Church in Rome remained totally absent  – except for one scowling ecclesiastic who stared at the procession as it passed him the street. In this very week, of course, the Synod on Synodality, the face of the official Catholic Church,  was reaching its (preliminary) end. Its recommendations would open the door to a whole world of potential further change.

 Paix Liturgique organized its customary conference prior to the start of the pilgrimage. Despite all the distressing developments,  the atmosphere was positive and enthusiastic, free from polemics and apocalyptic emotions,  Speakers from Spain, the UK and Nigeria told of their encounters with Catholic tradition. Indeed, in the first  two cases their acquaintanceship dates only from the last several years! In contrast,  John Rao,  well known to us here in New York,  took us back to the 1970s and the first stirrings of the traditionalist movement in the United States. Cardinal Gerhard Müller gave a most moving and impressive presentation. In conclusion, Christian Marquant, President of Paix Liturgique, spoke enthusiastically and eloquently of the present dramatic situation of traditionalists in the Church: “They have lost, but we have not yet won.”  Traditionalism remains alive and well, yet it remains the target of continuing official disdain and relentless persecution.

At the Paix Liturgique conference: Cardinal Gerhard Müller (above); Prof. John Rao (below).

As always, the Saturday procession to Saint Peter’s attracts great interest from bystanders  – some of whom even give signs of approval. Like last year, at the direction of Pope Francis,  the final act of the pilgrimage has been limited to a solemn procession to the main altar followed by benediction before the altar of St. Peter’s chair.  The ceremony and music were splendid; Cardinal Müller preached eloquently on the significance of the city of Rome, of the Christianized Greco-Roman culture it exemplifies and of the historic role of Saints Peter and Paul who are buried in this city:

If ancient Rome was the idea of peace among peoples under the rule of law, Christian Rome embodies the hope of universal unity of all peoples in the love of Christ

…

Do not, therefore, build the house of your life upon ideologies devised by men. But upon the rock of personal friendship with Christ in the divine virtues – faith hope and love – so that you may then be able to say with St. Paul: I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and delivered himself for me.” (Gal 2:2))

The concluding service of the pilgrimage – a Solemn Mass for the Feast of Christ the KIng – was held in the FSSP church of Santa Trinità. Its dimensions are grossly inadequate for a congregation of this magnitude – to secure a seat one has to arrive an hour or more earlier. That’s a trial especially for families with young children. Of course, at the same time in Rome other, far larger, churches stand virtually empty. That one of these could be made available to this pilgrimage – as opposed to the Anglicans or Copts –  is, at this moment, perhaps a fantasy under the current papal regime.  Despite the discomfort, the solemn mass, celebrated by bishop Eleganti, was exemplary.

So this year’s Roman pilgrimage makes one very clear statement to traditionalists: you are not alone. An increasing number of individuals and countries are joining this pilgrimage. And the pilgrims’ attitude is not embittered, but relaxed, confident, enthusiastic – and also composed and prayerful. Inspired by this commitment, I am “cautiously optimistic” for the fututre.

1. “Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage, Solemn Procession to St. Peter’s,” The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny (10/31/2024); “Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage in Rome: Solemn Vespers in the Pantheon,” The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny (10/29/2024)

On Saturday October 26, pilgrims to the Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage in Rome processed to St. Peter’s Basilica led by his Excellency Marian Eleganti, bishop emeritus of Chur, Switzerland.

Last weekend for the Feast of Christ the King, Catholics from around the world gathered in Rome for the Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage to demonstrate their devotion to the Traditional Liturgy of the Church.

On Friday Evening, October 25, Solemn Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary were celebrated in the Pantheon, Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs, in Rome. The celebrant was Bishop Marian Eleganti O.S.B., auxiliary bishop emeritus of Chur, Switzerland.

An Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (now through January 26, 2025)

This new exhibition covers artworks created in a relatively short time span – mostly between 1300 and 1350. It was a period when Siena advanced to share leadership in Italian art with Florence. Sienese art is more “conservative, ” preserving strong links with the Byzantine tradition. Yet, at the same time it displayed innovations that were points of departure for the future of Western art. Siena, as a major trading center, was well situated to foster the fruitful interaction of these influences. It maintained contact with Constantinople as well as with Rome. At the same time art from the Gothic world north of the Alps made its way to the city. The exhibition includes examples of works from these other traditions that influenced Siena. For example, there are samples of fabrics with elaborate designs – some imported from Asia – that are reproduced in the 14th century paintings.

Sienese art maintained many Byzantine artistic conventions – most notably, the gold background on most of the paintings. The lighting of this exhibition is very precise and subdued, yet it cannot capture the magic effect that candlelight one had on this art. In addition, the paintings continue to reflect traditional Byzantine compositions. Yet in no way could these works of Duccio, the Lorenzetti brothers, Simone Martini and others be confused with the Byzantine originals. Architectural frameworks with incipient three-dimensional effects appear. New compositions are developed, now more emotional, realistic and even monumental, now more elegant in the Gothic tradition. And finally there is a developing awareness among these artists of the desirability of capturing, not just a timeless image, but a specific moment in time. The visitor has the opportunity to study these paintings up close and to marvel at the glowing colors, the innumerable details and the extraordinarily refined brushstrokes. The contrast with the modern, cartoon-like “Eastern” art in favor in certain Catholic ecclesiastical circles – and among some of the Orthodox as well – could not be greater.

Sienese art is of course intensely religious. In this age of Christendom, the Church, the state and various private associations offered major commissions for public display. This exhibition includes one large altarpiece and some panels from Duccio’s incredibly complex Maesta for the high altar of Siena cathedral. Indeed, some of the multipanel artworks have been reunited here for the first time in ages.

Yet much of what we see are smaller scale works intended for private devotion. For in Siena, as elsewhere in 14th century Europe, there was a growing receptivity to individual devotion, to mysticism. Later, in the second half of that same century, was not Siena the home of one of the greatest mystics of all, Saint Catherine? But we must not exaggerate a contrast between public and private devotion. St. Catherine of Siena herself hardly lived withdrawn from the presssing issues of her day! She might have seen with her own eyes a number of the works currently on display in this exhibition.

All in all, this exhibition testifies to the power and refinement of Christian art in an age when Christendom itself was at the summit of its creative power. A creativity, that, in the case of Siena, was associated with respect for tradition. Sienese art demonstrates that cultivating tradition is no hindrance to originality and innovation.

Overview of the Exhibition

(Above) In the exhibition are public works commisioned for secular buildings and churches – one panel of an altarpiece for the Palazzo Pubblico (town hall) of Siena by Simone Martini (ca. 1326- 30) (Below) Yet a large part of the exhibits are smaller paintings intended for private devotion. Lippo Memmi, Virgin and Child with Saints and Angels ( ca. 1350).

On Saturday morning , the National Latin Mass Pilgrimage took place, with a 7-mile procession from St. Thomas More Cathedral, Arlington to St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington DC.

On Saturday, November 9, the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny will sponsor a lecture by the distnguished scholar Dr. Marie Meaney on:

The Beauty that Saves – Simone Weil on Beauty, the Supernatural and the Liturgy

Simone Weil is a towering figure of 20th century spirituality. She profundly influenced such literary figures as Cristina Campo, who, after 1965, organized the first petitions to preserve the traditional liturgy. We are looking forward to hearing about Weil’s insights on beauty and the liturgy!

The event will start at 3 PM and will include a reception. The location is the Stuart and Jill Chessman at 2 Tamarack Pl, Greenwich, CT 06831. We would appreciate if you would let us know if you are coming by emailing:

hughofcluny@gmail.com

Dr. Marie Meaney is a specialist on the French philosopher and mystic Simone Weil, on whom she has written two books. She holds graduate degrees in modern languages and philosophy from Oxford University and the IAP in Liechtenstein. She taught at the University of Villanova in Philadelphia before the birth of her daughter. Since then, she’s been an independent scholar, giving lectures, penning academic but also popular articles, working on a book on totalitarianism from the perspectives of Simone Weil and Hannah Arendt, and teaching courses, for example, at the International Theological Institute in Trumau, Austria. She’s also written a book on infertility, When Expecting doesn’t Happen: Turning Infertility into a Journey of Hope, that was published by Emmaus Press but has appeared in other languages as well ( French, German, Croatian, Hungarian, and Spanish).