Featuring joyful lovesongs to Jesus and Mary from Loutna Česká (The Czech Lute), a masterpiece from 1653 by Adam Václav Michna, along with 17th-century Italian works by Legrenzi, Agostini and others.

Marisa Karchin and Elizabeth Weaver, sopranos

Lydia Becker and Ryan Cheng, baroque violins

Nathan Francisco, baroque cello

Amanda Beranek, triple harp

Charles Weaver, theorbo

Dr. Charles Weaver, music director at Regina Pacis Academy and St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk, will present a lecture on St. Hildegard. The lecture will be preceded by a demonstration class in Gregorian chant with the Regina Pacis middle school schola. The class will begin at 1:15 pm and the lecture at 2 pm.

RSVP: Please call the school if you plan to attend: (203) 642-4501.

Beginning Sunday, February 8th, Father John Perricone will begin celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass at Holy Trinity, 34 Maple Avenue in Hackensack on Sundays at 12:30 PM. He will also celebrate a Latin Mass at Holy Trinity for the Feast of the Presentation, February 2, 2026,  at 7:00 PM.

The last regularly scheduled Mass that Fr. Perricone will be celebrating at Our Lady of Sorrows in Jersey City will be on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 9 am. There will be a festive convivium honoring Fr. Perricone after the Mass.

After this Mass,  the Latin Mass Community of Jersey City will continue at the same place and the same time–Our Lady of Sorrows at 9 am. There will be  with a rotation of priests as had been the case before Fr. Perricone became the principal priest. Music will continue to be provided by Cantantes in Cordibus under the direction of Simone Ferraresi. 

Yesterday, Regina Pacis Academy had a beautiful Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Epiphany for the school community at St. Mary’s Church in Norwalk.

Distribution of the Epiphany chalk.

The following churches will offer Traditional Masses on Tuesday January 6th for the Feast of the Epiphany. We also include churches that will be blessing Epiphany water on the Eve of Epiphany, Jan. 5.

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 10 am Missa Cantata, followed by blessing of the chalk; 12:10 pm Low Mass.

Georgetown Oratory of the Sacred Heart, Redding, 6 pm

St. Roch Church, Greenwich, Jan 5 at 6:30 pm, blessing of Epiphany water

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, Jan 5, Solemn First Vespers of the Epiphany at 6:00 p.m.,
followed by blessing Epiphany water {bring your empty container to fill from the large receptacle}; Jan. 6, Solemn Mass at 6:00 p.m., followed by reception

St. Patrick Oratory, Waterbury, Jan 5: Following Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, prior to the 6pm Mass, Epiphany water will be blessed. Epiphany Water will be made available after this time along with blessed chalk for you to  use to bless your homes in the new year of grace; Jan. 6, 8 am low Mass.

New York

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Harlem, New York, 7 pm

St. Josaphat Oratory, Bayside, Queens, 7 pm High Mass

St. Rocco, Glen Cove, Long Island, 6:45 pm blessing of Epiphany water followed by a Missa Cantata. You are invited to bring containers of water to be blessed.

St. Margaret of Cortona, Riverside, Bronx, Jan. 5: 6 pm Vigil of Epiphany blessing of Epiphany water (please bring your own water); Jan. 6 Solemn Mass 6 pm.

St. Paul the Apostle, Yonkers, 12 noon

St. Mary and St. Andrew, Ellenville, 7 pm High Mass

Holy Trinity, Poughkeepsie NY at 6 pm

New Jersey

Our Lady of Sorrows, Jersey City, 8 pm

Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, Pequannock, Jan 5, 5 pm blessing of Epiphany water, Jan. 6, 7 am, 9 am, 7 pm

St. Anthony of Padua Oratory, West Orange, Jan. 5, Vigil of Epiphany, Low
Mass at 9:00 AM. Blessing of Water, Chalk and Incense will follow the Mass; Jan. 6, 9 am low Mass; 7 pm high Mass

St. Mary of Mt. Virgin, 190 Sandford St., New Brunswick, Missa Cantata, 7 pm, Epiphany chalk and water to be distributed after Mass.

St. John the Baptist, Allentown, 6:45 chalking of the church doors; 7 pm Solemn Mass featuring Missa Papae Marcelli by Palestrina; Epiphany water and blessed chalk will be distributed after Mass; diner recpetion to follow in church hall.

Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, 7 pm

St. John Vianney, 420 Inman Ave., Colonia, Jan. 5, 7 pm, blessing of Epiphany water. Please bring your own on gallon bottles of water for blessing.

Charles-Gaffiot, Jacques, “In the Earthly City of Emmanuel: the Liturgy of Heaven Dwells among Mankind” in Salomon, Xavier F., Charles-Gaffiot, Jacques, and Constensoux, Benoit, To the Holy Sepulcher:Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum (The Frick Collection, New York and D.Giles Limited 2025)

Is it not remarkable? A catalog for the exhibition of liturgical treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum in Jerusalem is published by a secular institution, the Frick Collection. Yet it contains in an essay of some 17 pages, one of the most succinct and theologically rich explanations of the Roman Catholic Mass I have ever encountered. Perhaps this clarity and honesty are attributable to the secular nature of the hosting institution, which needs to explain to visitors what the exhibits were used for and what their meaning was to their donors and creators. Assuming that the average visitor knows nothing about such matters – a good assumption –  the Frick museum has to provide a basic introduction to the subject. And it has little incentive to advance modernist and secularist agendas. 

The author, Jacques Charles-Gaffiot,  bases his analysis almost entirely on the Traditional Latin Mass. Indeed, he emphasizes the continuity of the Tradition embodied by this Mass from early Christianity to the splendid liturgical celebrations at the court of Louis XIV (contemporaneous with the creation of many of the exhibits that can be seen in this show) to the clandestine liturgies of Fr. Maximilian Kolbe at Auschwitz. The author’s analysis of the Mass as primarily a sacrificial act is eminently Catholic. The same is true of his equation of the Mass with the heavenly liturgy. Throughout his essay Charles-Gaffiot develops the symbolic meaning of the Mass and of the sacred objects used therein and on display in this exhibition. As he writes:

The pieces of gold and silver assembled in the exhibition this book accompanies find the understanding and legitimization of their existence in liturgy, particularly in Catholic liturgy. The decorators and goldsmiths who designed these pieces and gave them shape adhered to canons that were profoundly and widely understood in their day, allowing and facilitating their use during specific religious ceremonies, which were also painstakingly established. (p. 97)

Charles-Gaffiot describes in great detail the parallels between the Mass and Jewish rituals. For the Church had always seen Christian worship as the fulfillment and completion of the worship of God set out the Old Testament. Then, especially regarding liturgical dress, there came influences from pagan Rome (or example wearing of the stole or the adoption of the basilica by the earliest churches.) 

This passage is a good example of the author’s approach:

Since the seventh century, a crucifix has been placed on top of the altar indicating that with each celebration of mass the place becomes the new Calvary, where Christ sacrifices himself. Moreover, the lighting on or around the altar conveys a particular symbolism. During Mass, at least one candle must be lit on each side of the altar:  the one to the left of the crucifix represents the holy figures of the Old Law; the one to the right those of the New. They also symbolize the two cherubim placed on the Ark of the Covenant (the seat) as well as the two seraphim that Isaiah heard singing three times to honor the Thrice Holy God. During solemn Masses, the six candles on the altar are lit; a seventh is added behind the crucifix on the occasion of a pontifical Mass. These lights recall not only the seven-branched candlestick but also the seven golden lampstands placed before the throne of God as described in the Apocalypse.(pp.100-01)

This essay alone is well worth the substantial ($89) price of the catalogue! The exhibition only lasts untl January 5, 2026. I have written a review: The Legacy of Christendom.

(Above and below) Canterbury Cathedral, the site of Becket’s martyrdom (and the goal of Medeieval pilgrimages)

(Below) The place of the martyrdom.

(Below) A side chapel in the cathedral.

This Thursday, January 1, is the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord and the Octave of Christmas. It is a holy day of obligation. The following churches in the area will offer the Traditional Mass.

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, 8 am; 7 pm

Georgetown Oratory of the Sacred Heart, Redding, 12 noon

Sts. Cyril and Methodius Oratory, 8:30 am Low Mass, 10:15 am High Mass

St. Patrick Oratory, Waterbury, 10 am low Mass; 12 noon high Mass

St. Martha Church, Enfield, 9 am

St. Michael Church, Pawcatuck, 10 am High Mass

New York

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, New York, 10:30 am

Our Lady of Refuge, Bronx, 1 pm

St. Josaphat Oratory, Bayside, Queens, 9:30 am

St. Rocco, Glen Cove, Long Island, 11:30 am Missa Cantata

St. Matthew Church, Dix Hills, Long Island, 10:30 am

St. Paul the Apostle, Yonkers, 1:30 pm

Annunciation Church, Crestwood, 2 pm

St. Mary and St. Andrew, Ellenville, Dec. 31, 11:30 pm, Midnight High Latin Mass; Jan 1., 11:30 am

St. Joseph Church, Middletown, 10:15 am

Sacred Heart Church, Esopus, NY, 11:30 am

Holy Trinity, Poughkeepsie, 7 pm

New Jersey

Our Lady of Sorrows, Jersey City, 9 am

Our Lady of Victories, Harrington Park, Dec. 31 Vigil Mass, 6 pm

Our Lady of Fatima Church, Pequannock, NJ, 7 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1:30 pm, 5 pm

St. Anthony of Padua Oratory, West Orange, 9 am low Mass; 11 am high Mass

Blessed Sacrament, Raritan, 10:30 am

St. John the Baptist, Allentown, NJ, 11 am