All Masses are Traditional Latin Masses unless otherwise indicated.

(The crown of the Austrian Empire)

(Mourning figure from the Habsburg crypt, Vienna. Charles, however, is not buried there but where he died in exile, Madeira)

On the Chartres Pilgrimage, 2012. The French point out: Charles of Habsburg-Lorraine)

The eighteenth ”Pilgrimage for the Restoration” concluded Sunday at the Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville. It was a chilly early autumn day in upstate New York – the overcast sky gray and somber.  Only now and then did patches of sunlight provide relief from the prevailing bleakness. This weather must have been challenging for those pilgrims who had made the three-day march.

Compared to its beginnings this pilgrimage has assumed an altogether smaller scale. Back in those earlier days most of the pilgrims – representing a broad spectrum of Catholic life, attached themselves on the final day to a small core group who had completed a lengthy trek through the upstate country. Several thousand people would assemble in the circular pilgrimage church. The ceremony, music and preaching were of a very high order. Whatever the weather, a warm and festive atmosphere prevailed.  That spirit continued after the final liturgy when the pilgrims joined together to picnic on the shrine grounds or in the shrine’s dining hall.

All that has changed. Thanks to a number of recent changes to the day of the week, timing and organization of the pilgrimage, a much reduced  – if more focused  – group now makes up the pilgrimage march. I would guess only 200 – 250 participated. The program of the concluding day of the pilgrimage has also been drastically simplified. There is no longer the initial assembly at the Kateri shrine in Fonda (even though she was recently canonized!). The pilgrimage is no longer concluded by a solemn high mass but by a Missa Cantata (advertised as ”solemn holy mass” in the program). That mass no longer takes place in the great pilgrimage church but in the old 1894 Martyrs shrine – and even there many more could have been squeezed in. Since the pilgrimage now ends on Sunday, there is no longer a final, beautiful and quiet low mass the day after. The homily this year focused on personal and Marian piety in contrast to the former wide-ranging sermons, dealing not just with the piety of the faithful Christian but also with the great issues of the day in the life of the Church and of the country – the social and liturgical dimension of Catholicism.  On September 22 of this year, due in part to the weather, the time of day (late in the afternoon) and the undoubted weariness of the pilgrims a more restrained mood prevailed.  I myself could not stay, but I doubt that given the lateness of the day (the mass concluded after 5:30) and the growing darkness that the announced “agape” of the pilgrims recreated the festive spirit of prior days. Looking at this year’s pilgrimage, an outside observer would get the impression of a small, perhaps exclusive devotional group  – not of a broad movement seeking the restoration of Church and society (as the Pilgrimage’s website still proclaims). Finally, apart from the pilgrimage, even the shrine itself seems to be a little worse for the wear – despite having a new saint.

The concluding mass of the pilgrimage no longer takes place in the huge main church of the shrine but in the 1894 martyr’s chapel (below). Of course the Victorian chapel has immensely greater “character” and appropriateness for the landscape compared to the circa 1930 circular monstrosity. It is, however, open to the elements.

And yet… the landscape surrounding the shrine is as magnificent as ever  – especially under the glowering Autumn sky. The sight of several hundred pilgrims who have undertaken such an arduous journey and have completed it in prayer and good order is heartening. The ceremony of the liturgy, if abbreviated, was complete and dignified. Especially the music was of a very high order ( I do not have the details of the two groups of performers; a group of nuns and novices sang the propers while a second mixed choir sang very impressively settings of the mass, hymns and motets.)

(above) Schola of nuns rehearsing.

(Above and below) A priest of the Institute of Christ, Sovereign King celebrated the mass. (Perhaps a reader can supply his name and that of the preacher of the homily).

A handful gathered in the face of the growing darkness and cold of Autumn – was this year’s pilgrimage perhaps a metaphor for the situation of the Traditionalist movement in the Church today? Has the earlier elan that prevailed even in the reign of John Paul II dissipated? But does not the continuing sacrifice of the few witness to the indestructible hope of restoration – regardless of the prevailing headwinds? Whatever the weather, to speak with Shelley: “if Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”

UPDATE:

— The celebrant of holy Mass Sunday was First-Chaplain, Canon Andreas Hellmann, of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.
— The priest who gave the sermon was Father James Doran, OMV, who is the Chaplain of the Company of St. René Goupil, an apostolate founded in 1998 to care for the needs of the pilgrims.
— The sisters who comprised one of the choirs Sunday are Franciscans of the Immaculata, from Bedford, Mass.
— The schola that sang polyphonic Sunday is the parish choir of St. Michael the Archangel in Scranton, directed by Mrs. Eileen Marie Hanisch.

(From the Pilgrimage Director, Mr. Greg Lloyd.)

Agnus Dei Council Knights of Columbus annual Communion Breakfast will be held on Sunday, October 13 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in East Harlem.

There will be a 10am sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form, followed by the Breakfast in the lower church hall.

Tickets in advance are $7 (children 12 and under free). The organizers would appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible so that they can prepare accordingly. NOTE: Tickets the day of the Breakfast will be $10. For  tickets, please contact Richard Janniello, (917) 680-5628, richard.janniello@rodale.com or James DeSilva (845)519-7636, jtmdesliva@gmail.com.

Family and friends are more than welcome.

Frenzy into Folly

A few days ago a visitor to St Paul the Apostle church on West 59th Street noticed a startling object in a side chapel dedicated to Our Lady: a mihrab!

It is accompanied by an explanatory text perhaps even stranger in a Catholic church:

“The intention of this work is to represent the Virgin Mary in the events of the Annunciation, conception and, specifically here, the moment of the birth of Jesus as it is understood in the Islamic tradition and depicted in the Qur’an. This piece is built to resemble a traditional Islamic prayer-niche known as a mihrab and it has been designed in the proportions of the sculpture of the Virgin Mary by Bela Lyon Pratt in the present Altar of the Annunciation. The script from the Qur’an can be translated as:

And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date palm. She said:
 “O! I wish that I had died before this, and was in oblivion, forgotten!” 
 -(Surah [of] Maryam, 19.23)
It is worth contemplating that if there are approximately 2.2 billion Christians and 1.6 billion Muslims in the world today, then there are more or less 4 billion human beings who live with an unalterable reverence for one woman, whose life story bears witness to the sacred mystery of creation, of which every human being, as a supposedly cognizant formation of matter, is a recipient: having once been in a state of nothingness, each of us has been rendered into Being. As God states in the Qur’an regarding the conception of Jesus (19.35), “When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is.”

But nearby we see this in the chapel of St. Agnes:

And further along we find an image of the dead Christ lying in repose on what seems to be an ichthyosaurus fossil.

Finally we understand that these are actually the relics – the holdovers – of an exhibition of last year: “Frenzy into Folly” – or maybe in part of even earlier exhibitions. Or perhaps they represent the first wave of the new exhibit coming on September 13, “All of the Above.” And as we will see the above “artworks’ are the least of the problems…

The website exitstrata.com devotes ample space to the “Frenzy into Folly” exhibit. There are brief videos of many of the artists explaining their work. James Vandenberg explains that:

Crosses is an attempt to take a very loaded symbol and reinterpret it through the process of painting. The cross as an icon has been used and manufactured for frenzied movements and ideological folly throughout human history. It can be a symbol of faith and love, intolerance and torture, mathematics and astronomy.

Keena Gonzalez opines that:

Through my images, which demonstrate the similarities between Catholicism and Islam, I hope to create a dialogue and a better understanding of how the two religions are not that different.

And from Tim Rusterholz:

Overwhelming frenzy is a pervasive theme within the walls of a Catholic Church. Notable examples lie in theatrical altarpieces and ceiling paintings of Baroque art. Master artists portrayed divinity by transcending human limits with stunning visuals of virtuosity and illusion. The history of Christian imagery rationalizes a divine vision while art challenges logic, producing a turbulent yet poetic depiction in spiritual and aesthetic opposition.

Now how did this exhibit in the “Space” of St. Paul’s come about? In an extensive discussion and set of interviews “Lynne” explains how it arose in cooperation with the Paulist fathers. In 2006 “Father Frank” had founded the collective: “Openings.” “Father Frank” claims a link with the spirituality of Isaac Hecker. According to Lynne:

Suffice it to say, both the history and contemporary workings of this open minded, nonjudgmental, humanitarian tradition, long overshadowed by Papal norms (which clearly was the cause of not a little consternation for this kind and open man) is worth more inquiry, which I encourage you to do if you’re intrigued.

And further:

And, crucially, for the first time in my life, I had a Christian priest acknowledge that the standard use of the word God was delimiting… not only that: that when human beings talk about and define God, that our spirituality becomes confined and domesticated, a situation worth avoiding with great care. Frank quoted from St. Anselm’s ontological argument, noting that when we use the word God as per modern Christianity, we are no longer talking about God at all. He uses the word “spirit,” and spoke with no judgment about all religions’ search for the same thing. He has no interest in conversion and his role is not that of a missionary by any means — with every fiber of his being, it is clear, here is someone who believes that there is a reason why, as he says, Dictators get rid of artists first: because they hold the key to truly understanding the ineffable.

Now admittedly much of this pretentious talk from priests, curators and artists seems faintly ludicrous – much like the dialogue in Roger Corman’s 1959 satire on artists A Bucket of Blood. But we have here on a miniature scale a serious phenomenon that has become a major issue in Europe: the intrusion of “contemporary art” into Christian sacred spaces. The presence of this art, which is often blasphemous, is justified as part of a search for a nebulous “sacred.” But the insertion of this art radically calls into question the surrounding space – which had been a church. Jean Clair and Aude de Kerros have described and critiqued the process. But, as in Europe, the Catholic clergy are the main enablers. As the Openings website states:

The Church of St Paul the Apostle has had one main goal since its inception – to combine the artistic ideals of the past with the American genius of the present day-

The new exhibit “All of the Above” starts September 13.

(Thanks to Dino Marcantonio for the tip.)

The Roman Forum
Church History Program
2013-2014 New York City

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam:
Sanctifying, Expanding & Defending the True Meaning of

Lecturer: John Rao, D. Phil., Oxford University
Associate Professor of History, St. John’s University

September 8—-1563: Christendom’s Jagged Boundaries
September 15– Strengthening the Bones of the Church
September 29—Always Ancient, But Always New: Liturgy & Catechesis
October 20——Seculars and Religious: Colleagues and Rivals
November 3—- Eastern and Roman
November 17—Magisterium and Methodology
November 24—Interior Castle
December 8—–The Second Shepherd’s Play; The Long Christmas Dinner
December 15 Artistic Stairways to Heaven
January 12—– To the Ends of the World
January 26—– An Unceasing Ottoman Threat
February 2—– The Elizabethan Settlement
February 16—-The Calvinist Tsunami: Bildersturm & the Lowlands
February 23—-The Calvinist Tsunami: Holy War in France
March 16——-Henry IV: All Quiet on the Western Front?
March 30——-Confessional States
April 13———From the Defenestration of Prague to the Restitution Edict
April 27———Antigone
May 4———– Regalism: From Philip II to The Venetian
Interdict
May 18———-Grace and Will: The Gathering Storm

All Sessions Meet on Sundays, at 2:30 P.M.
Wine & Cheese Reception. Entrance Fee at door of $15.00

University Parish Church of St. Joseph/371 Sixth Avenue
Church Hall Entrance on Washington Place, south of Waverly Place
A, B, C, D, E, F, V trains to West 4th Street Station
Wheelchair Accessible

Fr. Richard Futie (Photo credit: The Daily Voice)

We regret having to give a belated report of the death of Fr Richard Futie on August 25. His “Mass of Christian Burial” took place today at St. John’s in Stamford. Let me say a few words about Fr. Futie and the support he gave to the Latin mass.

It was Fr Futie who established at St. Mary’s Stamford an indult traditional mass in 2005. It was an impressive setting – St Mary’s is one of the two or so grandest churches in the Fairfield diocese. It is amazing to look back at those beginnings compared to the post-Summorum Pontificum era. That indult mass got off to a rocky start. There was confusion about the location of the mass( the first congregation found themselves in the basement) , some highly questionable liturgical decisions were made and the corps of servers could not be called professional. It looked like the mass would collapse – as has happened in a number of other cases. Yet the clergy and laity persevered. The mass moved into the main church and the difficulties with ceremony and organization were worked out. Thanks to Fr. Futie’s care for music, these were the first traditional masses in this region outside of those organized by the St Gregory Society in New Haven with anything resembling an adequate musical accompaniment. Fr. Futie did not merely enable others but celebrated the Latin mass himself. The culmination of these developments was the splendid solemn pontifical mass celebrated by bishop Cordileone in 2007. The bishop had preached a lenten retreat at St. Mary’s. To those who were present, it was an almost miraculous development from the beginnings of two years earlier.

(Above and below) The mass with bishop Cordileone in February 2007.

(Above) St. Mary’s, Stamford

Yet it was not to last. Fr Futie was transferred to an new parish that year, and the new management at St Mary’s had no use for the traditional liturgy and little desire to work with those who did. In fact, there are more than a few disquieting similarities to the change from Pope Benedict to Pope Francis this year. Since, under the indult regime, Traditional Catholics were subject to the arbitrary discretion of the local bishop, a parish priest or chaplain, the indult mass at St Mary’s quickly came to an inglorious end. Yet at this very time Summorum Pontificum was promulgated. A mass pursuant to SP was started at St. Mary’s, Norwalk – a church more historic than St.Mary’s, Stamford, if less grand and well-preserved. Some of the participants in the indult mass at St Mary’s Stamford found a new home there. And pursuant to SP, Traditional masses continued to be celebrated in Stamford at St. Gabriel’s and St. John’s. The present situation of Traditional mass in Fairfield county is a far cry from that of the last days of the indult. But we must look back in gratitude to Fr. Futie and those like him who helped to preserve the Traditional mass and to facilitate the beginnings of a liturgical renaissance in this part of Fairfield county.

This week St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk, CT will have its annual Triduum in honor of St. Monica to pray that fallen away Catholics will return to the fold: Sunday August 25 at 5:00 P.M., Monday at 6:20 P.M., and Tuesday at 7:00 P.M. The final night will begin with an extraordinary form Low Mass followed by the St. Monica prayers. The St. Monica Sodality has a Low Mass once a month on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 P.M. followed by the holy rosary to pray for family members and friends who have left the Catholic Church.

Friday, August 23, Evening Event Details:

7:30pm at Oxford University Press (198 Madison Ave. near 35th Street).

The Sleepy Hollow Schola Cantorum will participate in an evening of Sacred Music, following the conference on medieval mendicants.

The chant selections will be interspersed with short motets on the same texts sung by the weekday choir of nearby Holy Innocents:
Sequence: Lauda Sion
Adoro Te Devote
Pange Lingua
Verbum Supernum

CHRIST AMONG THE MEDIEVAL MENDICANTS

Friday August 23, 2013

8:30am-6:30pm FREE ADMISSION (suggested donation $8)

Please Register http://christ.eventbrite.com/

Room 9204 Graduate Center City University of New York 365 5th Avenue

Christ Among the Medieval Mendicants commemorates the 750th anniversary of the establishment of Corpus Christi as a universal feast day (1264) and the 750th anniversary of the Barcelona Disputation between Dominican Friar Paul Christian and Rabbi Moses Nachmanides (1263). 2013 is also (arguably) the 750th anniversary of St. Thomas Aquinas’ composing the Summa Contra Gentiles, as well as the Office and Hymns of Corpus Christi. His Dominican superior, St. Raymond of Peñafort, is said to have been the inspiration for both the SCG and Disputation. Various experts will present on Eucharist and Evangelization.

8:30 Registration/8:45 Welcome

9:00-10:00 Barbara Walters, PhD (CUNY, Kingsborough)

“The BNF 1143 Office for the Feast of Corpus Christi: Making the Implicit Explicit”

10:00-11:00 Rev. Joseph Koterski, SJ, STD, PhD (Fordham University)

“Expressing Theological Concepts in Popular Devotion: Skill in Aquinas’s Corpus Christi Hymns”

11:15-12:15 “The Disputation” (film featuring Christopher Lee)

12:15-1:15 lunch on your own

1:15-2:15 Robert Chazan, PhD (New York University)

“The New Christian Missionizing & the Mendicants”

2:15-3:15 Edmund Mazza, PhD (Azusa Pacific University)

“Not Everybody Loves Raymond: Dominicans & Jews, Sin & Tolerance”

3:30-4:30 Lori Pieper, PhD, OSF (Tau Cross Books and Media)

“Conversion, Dialogue, or Dhimmitude? St. Francis, the Sultan, & Relations with Islam”

The Morgan Library & Museum* 225 Madison Avenue (at 36th Street)

5:15-6:30 Roger Wieck (Curator, Medieval Collection)

“The Sacred Bleeding Host of Dijon”

“Illuminating Faith: The Eucharist in Medieval Life and Art” http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/exhibition.asp?id=73

*Free Admission for Registered Conference Participants. Open late. Refreshments available for purchase.

Note from the organizers: We conclude the day with sacred music sung by members of several scholae. Time and place TBD. 

Jean Madiran, perhaps the most esteemed leader of French Traditional Catholicism, died yesterday at 93 years of age. As is always the case in France, his ideas on things ecclesiastical were linked with strongly held political positions – he was an ancient disciple of Charles Maurras! Yet this is not weakness, but strength – the awareness of the political dimension of the faith, of the importance of not just Christianity, but Christendom.

His requiem will be celebrated Monday at the chapel of Notre-Dame des Armees in Versailles by the Abbot of Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux

(Thanks to  Le Forum Catholique)