At the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist in Stamford, CT.
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12 Feb
2024
3 Feb
2024
Pontifical Vespers for Candlemas at Old Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York – a magnificent liturgical and musical presentation that took place on Friday evening. It was co-sponsored by the Society of Saint Hugh of Cluny. The music, in addition to chant, was by Italian composers of the first half of the eighteenth century – especially Vivaldi. In particular, his Dixit Dominus (one of several settings of this text that Vivaldi composed) was a revelation in its expressiveness. We should be grateful to the otherwise disastrous liturgical developments of the last 60 years, which, by freeing us from the misguided strictures of Pius X against women singers and orchestral instruments, have enabled us to hear once again this music in its proper liturgical context.
29 Jan
2024
On Wednesday, January 31, a Mass will be celebrated on the feast day of Blessed Maria Cristina of Savoy – Queen of the Two Sicilies. The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George (of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies) is of course a sponsor. But Fr. John Hunwicke has pointed out her connections with the house of Stuart and the Jacobite succession. A point of particular interest to me given my name!
From Fr. John Hunwicke’s Mutual Enrichment: Saintly Stuarts, from Blesssed Charles to Blessed Maria Christina
By a chance, January 31 is the memorial, optionally, in Naples, of one of blessed Charles’ descendants who was beatified on January 25 2014 in the Basilica of S Clare in Naples by Crescenzio Sepe, Cardinal Archbishop of Naples. Blessed Queen Maria Christina of Savoy was the daughter of Victor Emmanuel (de jure King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, 1819-1824) and sister of Maria Beatrice (de jure Queen Mary III and II of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, 1824-1840). Blessed Maria Christina was married to Ferdinand II, King of the Two Sicilies, and mother of Francis, last King of the Two Sicilies before the Piedmontese usurpation. Her Eulogy describes her as ‘a prudent counsellor of the King and a true Mother of the poor and needy’. She was also a woman of great modesty, who by her influence prevented the use of the Death Penalty. She died in childbed when she was only twenty four. Here is her Collect, discovered by Fr Andrew Starkie, a learned priest of the Ordinariate.
Deus, qui in figura huius mundi beatam Mariam Christinam prudenti ardentique caritate decorasti et artificem in augmento Regni tui effecisti: tribue nobis, eius exemplo et intercessione; ut de vero amoris tui thesauro benefacientes accipere valeamus. Per.
(O God, which in the figure of this passing world [I Cor 7:31] didst adorn [Isa 61:10] Blessed Maria Christina with a wise and burning charity, and didst make her a worker in the increase of thy Kingdom: grant to us, by her example and intercession; that by doing right [I Pet 2:15] we may be able to receive of the very treasure of thy love. Through. (This rendering takes account of the Italian version, which is not exactly the same as the Latin, and of the Italian Commentary which accompanied the texts.)
The banquet which followed the Beatification, hosted by the de jure King of the Two Sicilies, was, by all accounts, a very ancien regime occasion … Golden Fleeces wall to wall … I bet the Holy Father would have loved to have been invited … I wonder how many of the descendants of blessed King Charles, through his prayers, are within the Church’s catalogus Sanctorum et Beatorum.
28 Jan
2024
Today is the 40th anniversary of Fr. Richard Cipolla’s ordination to the priesthood. Deo gratias agimus! He celebrated Solemn Mass at St. Mary Church, Norwalk.
18 Jan
2024
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.
9 Jan
2024
7 Jan
2024
7 Jan
2024
20 Dec
2023
29 Nov
2023