On the occasion of the feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel, Solemn Vespers in the traditional form were celebrated at the church of St. Margaret of Cortona in Riverdale, the Bronx, New York City. Cardinal Ernest Simoni assisted.

On 24 December 1963, (Ernest Simoni) was imprisoned by the Communist authorities after offering a Mass for the repose of assassinated US President John F. Kennedy. Simoni was tortured and even offered marriage to leave his faith.^[3] He was sentenced to death by firing squad, but ultimately spent 28 years at penal labour after his sentence was converted into a prison term: 18 years working in various mines, followed by a decade in Shkodër‘s sewage canals. ( “Ernest Simoni,” wikipedia.org (accessed 9/29/2026))

St. Margaret of Cortona church, circa 1965, is a time capsule of late “Cardinal Spellman-style.” (note the presence of a modernistic altar rail). Fr. Sean Connolly, the pastor of St. Margaret’s, assures us the parish is now engaged on a thorough restoration of this church.

(Above) Fr. Sean Connolly, pastor of St Margaret of Cortona, served as assistant priest.

(Above) Charles Weaver led the schola.

(Above and below) Fr. Joseph Falciano, FSSP, was the celebrant. Kai Breskin was the Master of Ceremonies.

Afterwards, Cardinal Simoni met a large and enthusiastic gathering of the faithful in the parish hall. Many were his fellow countrymen.

Congratulations are due to the parish of St. Margaret of Cortona and Fr. Sean Connolly for making possible such a splendid liturgy!

PS: From the printed program: “The Church of St. Margaret of Cortona is also exceptionally grateful to the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny for sponsoring this event and assisting with the planning and preparation required.”

Yesterday was the final day of the 31st annual Pilgrimage for the Restoration at the Shrine of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York. It was a very wet weekend, yet the pilgrims persevered. Perhaps this was emblematic for the history of this pilgrimage as well. Who could have foreseen 31 years ago the many twists and turns this pilgrimage has had to live through? 

When I first encountered it, the pilgrimage was an exuberant, spontaneous gathering of enthusiasts for restoring the traditional mass and the culture of “Christendom” – however that could be achieved. Later, it became a more organized, multi-day event. At several points in the course of its existence, it seemed that the Pilgrimage for the Restoration might be on its last legs. By 2013 it had declined in numbers to some 250 participants. The relationship with ecclesiastical authorities  (up to 2015, the Jesuit order) had its ups and downs; by 2013 the concluding Mass of the pilgrimage had been excluded from the great shrine of the North American martyrs. In 2020 and 2021 COVID restrictions meant the pilgrimage could not take place in New York State at all and a replacement pilgrimage had to be organized in Pennsylvania. There were changes in the administration and ownership of the shrine itself, which at one point looked like it might close. Yet through it all, the pilgrimage survived and even seems to have regained momentum the last few years. Does it not resemble in this regard its role model, the Chartres Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Christendom?

I am pleased to report that the Pilgrimage for the Restoration appears to be in excellent health. The pilgrims themselves, of course. had braved the elements to testify to their beliefs by their presence. It was overwhelmingly a younger crowd. I would guess that there may have been 1000 or more pilgrims  – a number I have not seen since before 2003. Logistics seemed very well organized. The Mass itself was beautiful; in particular the schola of the pilgrimage has achieved a high level of proficiency. Its singing established a consistently reverent and serene ambiance throughout the Mass.  And a bishop was sitting in choir….

(Above) Preaching fom the “stockade” surrounding the high altar – and above the altar at which this Mass was celebrated.

(Above) The schola.

The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny is honored to sponsor Solemn First Vespers for the Feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel at St. Margaret of Cortona Church in the Bronx, with His Eminence Ernst Cardinal Simoni.

A reception will follow in the gymnasium with an opportunity to greet the Cardinal.

Schedule of the Pilgrimage

Ad Petri Sedem,

Rome, October 23 to 25, 2026

Friday October 23, 2026

6/30 p.m.: Pontifical vespers in the Basilica of Santa Maria ad Martyres (Pantheon) presided over by Bishop Athanasius Schneider

Saturday, October 24, 2026 

· 10:00 a.m.: Rosary before the Basilica of Santi Celso e Giuliano

· 11:00 a.m.: Departure of the procession towards Saint Peter’s Basilica

· 12:00 a.m.: Arrival in Saint Peter’s Square/Checkpoints/and entry into Saint Peter’s Basilica

· 13:00 p.m.: Time of prayer in St. Peter’s Basilica

· 15:00 p.m.: Mass at the high altar of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, celebrated by Bishop Athanasius Schneider.

Sunday October 25, 2026

08:30 a.m.: Mass of thanksgiving of Christ the King in the Basilica of San Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini celebrated by Canon Antoine Landais

11:00 a.m.: Solemn closing Mass of Christ the King at the Trinita dei pellegrini

16:00 p.m.: Mass of thanksgiving of Christ the King in the church of Sant’Anna in Laterano celebrated by Msgr. Marco Agostini

11th Pax Liturgica Gathering

(You must register to participate in this event)

The 11th meeting will be held Friday October 23, 2026 at the Patristic Institute Augustinianum, located opposite the Holy Office, on the edge of St Peter’s Square (via Paolo VI, 25).

Program

09h30 : Reception of the participants

10h00 : Rubén Peretó Rivas, Director of the International Center for Liturgical Studies

Introduction to the Meeting

Father Claude Barthe, Chaplain of the Coetus Internationalis Summorum Pontificum

Welcome to the participants

10h30 : Sebastian Ostritsch (Stuttgart)

11h15 : Pause

11h30 : Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera (Madrid)

12h20 : Diane Montagna (Rome)

13h10 : Lunch

14h30 : Jean-Pierre Maugendre (Paris)

15h20 : Jorge O’Reilly (Bueno Aires)

16h00 : Pause

16h15 : Christian Marquant, President of Paix Liturgique

Conclusion

17h00 : End of the activities at the Augustinianum.

To register for this meeting : https://bit.ly/4aEoHwE

The Roman Forum 

35th Annual New York City Church History Program

2026-2027

The Perennial Esoteric Tradition, Judaism, and Catholicism

Lecturer: Dr. John C. Rao

 (D.Phil. Oxford, Chairman of the Roman Forum) 

September 26:  Esotericism, Gnosticism, and Judaism at the Beginning of  Christianity

October 10:         The Destruction of the Second Temple, Rabbinic Judaism, and Christianity

November 21:     Talmudic Judaism

December 12:      The Kabbalah 

January 23:         The Kabbalah & the Christian World Through the “Reuchlin War”

February 27:        The Lurianic Kabbalah and the Politicization of its Message

March 13:               Enlightenment Esotericism, Judaism, and Christianity

April 3:                   Christian Zionism

May 8:                     Current Dangers to the Faith from the Perennial Esoteric Tradition

All Sessions Meet on Saturdays, at 2:30 P.M.

Wine & Cheese Reception. Entrance Fee at door of $15.00

Shrine and Parish Church of Holy Innocents
128 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018