For a schedule of traditional liturgies for holy week in our area see
Holy Week Schedule

On Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30 PM, The Society of St Hugh of  Cluny will be sponsoring lectures by Martin Mosebach and Prof. Luc Perrin at the church of Holy Innocents, New York. The evening will begin with the celebration of a Solemn High Mass at the church at 6:00 PM.

The previous evening, May 11, Mr Mosebach, sponsored by the New York Goethe Institut, will be reading from What was Before, the first of his novels to be completely translated into English.

We are grateful to be able once again to welcome these leading intellectuals to our city and region. We also thank in advance the pastor, Fr. Villa,  and the community of Holy Innocents for hosting the May 12 lectures.

Further details of both events will be provided in a subsequent post.

On Saturday, March 14, Bishop Edward Scharfenberger of Albany celebrated mass in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany. This is his first “Latin Mass” as bishop. Previous to his appointment, the bishop was the pastor of a parish where the Traditional Mass had been celebrated.

Photos courtesy of Mr. Arrys Ortanez:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/114411987331747554442/albums/6126245951154848113

These notes from David Hughes, choirmaster of St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk:

Tomorrow, March 15th is Laetare Sunday, when the liturgical rigors of Lent are relaxed ever so slightly, flowers appear, and the solo organ reappears briefly. The St. Mary’s Schola Cantorum will sing John Sheppard’s festive and masterful Missa Cantate at the 9:30 Solemn Mass, coupled with organ voluntaries of Bach (An Wasserflüssen Babylon and partitas on Ach, was soll ich Sünder machen?).

That same Sunday afternoon, March 15th, the St. Cecilia Society is pleased to present its second concert of the spring season. Flautist Sharon Levin and oboist Gerard Reuter join forces to bring to life some very fine repertoire by, among others, Telemann and Marcello. I had the pleasure of rehearsing with Sharon and Gerry both last week and this, and their musicianship is breathtakingly good. We’re really excited to be giving this concert, and sincerely hope that you will be able to join us! The concert is at 4:00, and a festive reception will follow. Information about the repertoire and the artists is available at stmarynorwalk.net/recitals.

Thursday, March 19th, is St. Joseph’s Day. This feast of the patron of the universal Church is a busy one at St. Mary’s. At 12:10 p.m., the students of Regina Pacis Academy will sing Mass (Novus Ordo), including English propers and the complete Latin Missa Dominator Deus (Mass XV). At 5:30 p.m., the students of the St. Cecilia and St. Gregory Scholas will once again join forces to sing Vespers for the feast. Then, at 7:00 p.m., the St. Cecilia Student Schola joins the St. Mary’s Schola Cantorum (the professional ensemble) to sing Solemn Mass. The ordinary is Padilla’s charming Missa Ego flos campi for double choir (the professionals sing choir 1, and the students choir 2), coupled with Palestrina’s motet Veritas mea and the plainsong hymn Te Joseph celebrant.

On Passion Sunday, March 22nd, the St. Mary’s Schola Cantorum sings Cristóbal de Morales’ dark and plangent Missa Aspice Domine (based on the motet “Regard, O Lord, how desolate lies the city”). On this first day of Passiontide, we will also sing Byrd’s mysterious and heartfelt piece Infelix ego, which sets the text that begins the Meditation on the Miserere which Girolamo Savonarola (!) wrote shortly before his death.

To celebrate Annunciation Day, Solemn Mass will be offered at 7:00 p.m. A number of volunteer men from the parish, and several seminarians from St. John Fisher in Stamford, will join the Schola Cantorum to sing the Missa Salve Regina by the twentieth-century French composer Jean Langlais. The St. Cecilia Student Schola will sing the propers, as well as Peter Philips’ Ave Maria and Victoria’s Ave Regina caelorum for double choir. This Mass should be especially beautiful, and, we hope, a worthy celebration in this parish church dedicated to Our Lady.

The students of Regina Pacis Academy sing the office of None approximately once a month. They will continue do so on the Thursday of Passion Week, March 26th, at 3:00 p.m.

On the 9:30 Solemn Mass on Palm Sunday, March 29th, many of the choirs of the parish (St. Mary’s Schola Cantorum, the St. Mary’s Choir, the Coro Hispano, the St. Cecilia Student Schola, the St. Gregory Student Schola, and the St. John the Baptist Choristers) join to sing Hosanna filio David! at Our Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The combined choirs will sing motets of Palestrina, Jachet de Berchem, and the plainsong propers. The Schola Cantorum will render the rarely-performed Missa Videte manus meas of Hugh Aston (an English composer of the early to mid-sixteenth century), polyphonic turba responses from the Eton Choirbook, and (continuing the English theme) the Miserere of George Malcolm (master of music at Westminster Cathedral in the 1950s).
As always, the complete music lists for all Masses at St. Mary’s are available at stmarynorwalk.net/music. Stay tuned for an update on the services of Holy Week!

The following churches are planning traditional Masses on upcoming feast days:

St. Joseph Day, Thursday, March 19

St. Mary Church, Greenwich, CT, 7:30 pm. The traditional blessing of pastries will follow mass.

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT, Solemn Mass, 7 pm

Passion Sunday, March 22

Holy Name of Jesus Church, Brooklyn, Missa Cantata, 5 pm

St. Theresa Church, Trumbull, CT, Missa Cantata, 2:30 pm, Fr. Shawn Cutler celebrant, reception to follow in the gym.

The Feast of the Annunciation, Wednesday, March 25

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT, Solemn Mass 7 pm.

These events may be of interest to our readers:

Saturday, March 14, 7:30 pm, Catholic Artists Art of the Beautiful Series: His Excellency Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, NE will be the final speaker. Bishop Conley will address Beauty, Culture, and the New Evangelization. The Catholic Center at NYU, 238 Thompson Street, Manhattan. Sponsored by the Catholic Artists Society. For more information see https://sthughofcluny.org/2015/02/the-art-of-the-beautiful-bishop-conley-to-speak.html

n.b.  Bishop Conley will be offering the 11:00 Extraordinary Form Mass at St. Agnes Church, Manhattan on Sunday, March 15 at 11 am.

Sunday, March 15 at 4 pm at St. Mary Church, Norwalk, flutist Sharon Levin will perform with oboist Gerard Reuter and David Hughes at the piano in a concert of Telemann, Marcello, Quantz, Corrette and Gaubert. Admission is $15, $10 for students. A festive reception will follow the recital.  Information

Wednesday, March 18, 6:30 pm: Father Joseph Koterski, S.J. will offer the Catholic Artists Society Lenten recollection at the Church of the Holy Trinity on Manhattan’s upper west side. A reception will follow. All welcome! The church address is 213 West 82nd Street, between Amsterdam and Broadway.

Friday, March 20, 8:30 am to 6:00 pm: The Monuments Conservancy will present its 25th Annual Symposium at the New York Marriott East Side, 525 Lexington Avenue, to discuss the life and legacy of architect Patrick Charles Keely. OPEN FREE TO PUBLIC. TO RESERVE A SEAT CALL 212-764-5645 x10 OR E-MAIL SYMPOSIUM@NATIONALSCULPTURE.ORG. more Information: https://sthughofcluny.org/2015/02/symposium-on-patrick-charles-keely.html

Traditional first Saturday devotions to the crowned Madonna, this Saturday March 7, 2015 and every first Saturday at 9AM, at NYC’s papal designated Marian shrine, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 448 East 116st. NY, NY 10029.

Extraordinary Rite Sung Tridentine Mass

Prayers for the canonization of Pierre Toussaint for the Haitian Community

Mt. Carmel devotions, adoration and benediction

Street Parking Available, Enclosed Parking at Costco Complex, #6 train to 116th St. M15 limited Bus on First Ave brings you to 116 Street, a block from the church, in minutes

The following parish lenten missions may be of interest to our readers:

St. Mary Church, Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, CT, Monday, March 9 to Wednesday, March 11 at 7:30pm.  Given by Father John Perricone. Fr. Perricone is professor of Philosophy at St. Francis College in Brooklyn.

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT, March 8 -11 – 7:30 P.M., Fr. Wolfgang Seitz ORC, On the Work of Angels. Sunday, March 8: The Angels and the Human Family; Mon. March 9: The Cross-Sign of God’s Love and Christian Way of Life; Tues. March 10: The Role of the Angels in Our Spiritual Life; Wed. March 11: Consecration to the Sacred Heart, Mary and the Angels.

March 1
Second Sunday of Lent

Fr. Markey’s Homily for this Sunday about his departure from St. Mary Church:

On this second Sunday of Lent, Mother Church always places before us the fourth Luminous mystery of the Holy Rosary for our reflection, the Transfiguration of Our Blessed Lord on Mount Tabor. There is the great wonder of seeing Our Blessed Lord miraculously transfigured before the eyes of Sts. Peter, James and John, but also the message about the coming passion later in Lent. Ultimately, there is the certain hope of the resurrection. This weekend I have some important news to share about some changes here at St. Mary Church.

Last fall, Bishop Caggiano spoke to me about the possibility of returning to school to obtain an advanced degree in philosophy, with the intent to teach philosophy to our seminarians upon my return. In early January, the Bishop met with me and asked that I begin these studies in the fall of 2015.

While I am grateful for the appointment from Bishop Caggiano, I am at the same time filled with sadness because I will have to say good-bye to the beloved families of St. Mary Church, reflecting on the many joys and sorrows that we have shared through the past 11 years. However, each of you and your families will always be remembered in my thoughts and prayers.

After a number of recent meetings with the bishop, I asked the bishop if it would be possible to take a sabbatical prior to entering into studies. This would be an opportunity to spend time with my parents and to attend to some personal issues in my life. Bishop Caggiano has agreed. My scheduled time for departure will be in April and my last Sunday here will be April 12, Divine Mercy Sunday (Low Sunday).
I am sure one of the first questions that comes to mind is, “Who will take over as the new pastor?” Bishop Caggiano has asked me to announce that he has assigned Fr. Cipolla to be the new pastor of St. Mary Church. Of course we know Fr. Cipolla brings many gifts and many years of experience to this position. It also maintains continuity with much of the work we have been doing these past 11 years.

As we move forward, I ask for your prayers and support. You can be assured of my prayers as well. Thank you for the love and support you have shown me during this time. The many good works that we accomplished working together along with your kindness is something I will always cherish in my life. I also ask you to pray and support Fr. Cipolla, Fr. Check, and Deacon Steve during this time of transition.

After Mass I will be available to talk more with you. Let us entrust this time of transition into the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that she would guide us on the path of peace and hope.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Greg J. Markey

His Excellency Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, NE will be the final speaker in this year’s Art of the Beautiful series. Bishop Conley will address Beauty, Culture, and the New Evangelization on Saturday, 14th March at 7.30pm.

Audio of Father Bruno M. Shah, OP’s February 14th lecture – Film, the Aesthetics of Death, and the Culture of Life – is now online at the CAS Soundcloud page, here.