2011 Corpus Christi Mass, procession and Benediction at St. Mary parish, Norwalk, CT – with the participation of the massed musical resources of the parish.

The altars, reflecting a variety of customs and nationalities.

Pictures of the Solemn High Mass celebrated at St Gabriel Church in Stamford, CT for the Feast of Corpus Christi. The music for the Mass was Haydn’s Missa Brevis Sancti Joannes de Deo and the Gregorian Propers were sung by a schola of male voices. Following the Mass was an outdoor procession to the Chapel of St. Philip Neri followed by Benediction after returning to the church.

In the chapel.

Pictures forwarded by Fr. Cyprian LaPastina.

Completing our coverage of the Traditional services celebrated on Sunday, May 15,  we are pleased to show  pictures from the 25th Anniversary Jubilee Mass of the Saint Gregory Society, at Saint Stanislaus  Church, New Haven. The Solemn Pontifical Mass in honor of Saint Gregory the Great was celebrated by the Most Reverend James C. Timlin, Bishop Emeritus of Scranton, PA.

 Pictures courtesy of Douglas Turecek; more pictures of this event  at his site.

On Friday, May 20, David Hughes led the Student Schola of St. Mary’s parish, Norwalk, and the Schola of the Sisters of Life in a joint concert of sacred music. The venue was incomparable: St. Vincent Ferrer, the  most magnificent Catholic church in Manhattan. The student schola has attained almost professional competence under Mr Hugh’s direction – and the sisters were splendid as well. The music (primarily plainsong and polyphony) illustrated the Church’s liturgical year. Thus, a direct link was established between the music and the Traditional liturgy. But this is the purpose of this schola. The Student Schola may be heard next on Thursday, JUne 2 at 5:30 PM at St. Mary’s Norwalk at the Solemn High Mass for Ascension Thursday.

This concert also served as a fund-raising event for the Student Schola. They have been invited to sing at World Youth Day and need to finance that trip. So far they have raised about half the sum needed. For more information on this trip and how to help see the Schola’s  website.

Continuing our coverage of Sunday’s “events”, the Catholic Artists Society sponsored its first Solemn High Mass for Artists at Our Saviour’s Church on Park Avenue in New York. A capacity congregation, very proficient in singing the responses, filled the church. But that seems to be the rule for Solemn Masses at this parish. David Hughes and the schola of St. Mary’s Norwalk provided the music  – need we say that it was splendid? (Missa super Credidi Propter by Orlando di Lasso and works by Palestrina, Philips, Vaughan Williams, Bach and Messiaen)

Mr. Eddy Torribio was Master of Ceremonies.

The celebrant (and superlative preacher) was Fr. George Rutler. Father Michael Barone was the deacon and Fr. Joseph Koterski, SJ the subdeacon.

Kevin Collins, the leader of this evening’s exceedingly well organized proceedings, introduced the speaker, Fr. Koterski.

Fr. Koterski provided a much needed presentation on the Ignatian approach to the examination of conscience. The audience was enthusiastic.

As already noted, there always seems to be a full house for a Solemn mass at Our Saviour’s. But the Catholic Artists Society has succeeded in bringing most of them down to the lecture hall as well. It was heartening to see so many artists – and would-be artists – especially given the nonexistent Catholic presence in the arts in New York. Perhaps these artists have only been waiting for something like the Catholic Artists Society to come along to draw them all out of the woodwork. In any case, we will be hearing more from this Society in the near future…..

In attendance was artist Ken Woo, who painted all of the beautiful icons in this church. His Christ is in the apse (at top) and the angel on the arch over the sanctuary(above)

This Sunday was quite a day for the Tradition of the Church in the greater New York area.   From New Haven to Park Avenue there were extraordinary events demonstrating the breadth and depth of Traditionalism in this region. Summorum Pontificum has found wide acceptance here – Friday’s  “Instruction”  only serves to reinforce an already active scene.

We first turn to St. Mary’s, Norwalk.  A May crowning – but with magnifcent ceremony and music (provided mainly by the children’s choirs under the direction of David Hughes). It was an unforgettable experience – even if it had to take place indoors because of the inclement weather – and there was no “Bring flowers of the fairest..”

Some wonderful photographs sent in by Ed Casey of the Holy Saturday services at Holy Innocents parish, New York. Fr. John Zuhlsdorf was the principal celebrant.

The 9:30 Extraordinary Form Solemn Mass was no less beautiful than the Easter Vigil of the night before. The choir sang Claudio Monteverdi’s “Mass for Four Voices” accompanied by organ and trombone. On behalf of the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny, we wish you and your loved ones a blessed Eastertide.

Fr. Cipolla blesses the food for the coffee hour following the Mass.

Holy Saturday vigil in the Traditional rite – a further step in the contemporary Catholic adventure of the recovery of the Sacred. For four and one-half hours this unique liturgy, celebrated in its completeness, unfolded from the blessing of the new fire to the concluding double alleluia. What better illustration could there be of the attractive, in the truest sense educative power of tradition even – or especially – in this most demanding of liturgies? How could the nature of baptism be more clearly communicated than in the gestures and rituals of this evening? And in the chanted prophecies from the creation in Genesis to the three children in the fiery furnace we do not just listen to read texts but physically feel the vastness of the ages through which the chosen people clung to God’s promises.

The blessing of the New Fire.

Insertion of the grains of incense into the Paschal Candle and the blessing of the Paschal Candle.

Lumen Christi..

The Exsultet.

The chanting of the first Prophecy.

The chanting of the final Prophecy.

The blessing of the baptismal font.

Two Baptisms followed.

The incensing of the Paschal Candle.

Confirmation.

The Litany of the Saints.

The Mass.

The unveiling of the images.

First Communion.

Ite missa est, alleluia, alleluia.