An Act of Witness to and Thanksgiving for the Catholic Tradition October 9, 2019, Corpus Christi Church, New York City

And, I rejoice to say, to one great mischief I have from the first opposed myself. For thirty, forty, fifty years I have resisted to the best of my powers the spirit of liberalism in religion. Never did Holy Church need champions against it more sorely than now, when, alas! it is an error overspreading, as a snare, the whole earth; and on this great occasion, when it is natural for one who is in my place to look out upon the world, and upon Holy Church as in it, and upon her future, it will not, I hope, be considered out of place, if I renew the protest against it which I have made so often.

Those words of Cardinal Newman from his Bigletto Speech when he received his red hat from Pope Leo XIII are remarkable to read today in a Church that has been infected with the Liberalism that Newman defined and fought against to a depth that Newman could not have imagined.  There is some irony in the fact that Pope Francis will officially canonize Newman on October 13.  We should presume that very few if at all of those who have embraced that Liberalism that Newman saw as a real danger to the Church in the future have actually read anything he wrote.  They may, in a cynical way, try to co-opt Newman by referring to his great work, The Development of Doctrine, as if it is a blueprint for destroying the Tradition that lies at the heart of the Catholic Church.  Some of those who are entrusted with Catholic Tradition at the highest levels today seem to have adopted the world of fake news  and fake facts in their drive to refashion the Catholic Faith in their own “liberal” image.  The fact (real fact) is that Newman gives them no comfort in what they are trying to do.  One hopes that they will not read the Bigletto Speech or The Development of Doctrine before the canonization ceremony.  If they should do so, they might call the whole thing off.

The Society of Saint Hugh of Cluny is sponsoring a Solemn Traditional Mass on October 9 at 7 p.m. at Corpus Christi Church in Manhattan adjacent to the Columbia University campus.  This is fitting in many ways.  First, one of Newman’s great works is The Idea of the University.  Secondly, October 9 is his feast day, set when he was made “Blessed”.  Most importantly, this Mass is being offered in Thanksgiving for the Canonization of this remarkable man of the Church on October 13 in Rome.

I urge strongly all of the readers of the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny website who live near New York City to come to this Mass as witnesses to the Truth for which John Henry Newman testified through his whole life.  The presence of both clergy and laity are important in this act of worship and witness.  Please spread the word to family and friends about this Mass.  Thanksgiving and witness is vital to the living Tradition of the Catholic Church.  

Father Richard Gennaro Cipolla

The Solemn Mass to celebrate the canonization of John Henry Newman has been moved to the Church of St. Catherine of Siena in New York City on Wednesday, October 9 at 7 p.m. The address is 411 E. 68th Street, at First Avenue.

The celebrant will be Fr. Richard Cipolla.

The music will be directed by David Hughes:

Ludford: Missa Inclina cor meum Deus
Philips: Salve Regina à 8
Hughes: Salve Fundator (text by J. Hunwicke)
Harris: Lead, Kindly Light
Terry: Praise to the Holiest in the Height

Rev. Mr. William Rock, FSSP will be ordained to the Holy Priesthood on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 538 Broadway, Providence, RI 02909 . The ordaining Bishop will be his Excellency Athanasius Schneider. 

First Blessings and a reception will follow.

More information, including lodging information, can be accessed here

If you plan to attend the Ordination Mass, please RSVP here  so that the organizers can prepare enough food for the reception. (Reservations are still being accepted in spite of the Oct 14 deadline)

First Mass information:

• Sunday, October 27, 2019 @ 10:00 a.m. : St. Mary’s Church, 538 Broadway, Providence, RI 02909
• Friday, November 15, 2019 @ 7:00 p.m.: St. Aloysius Church, 219 Bloomfield Ave, Caldwell, NJ 07006. First blessings and dessert reception to follow. If you plan on attending, please RVSP hereby November 1, 2019. 
• Sunday, November 17, 2019 @ 11:00 a.m.: Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, 32 W. Franklin Ave, Pequannock Township, NJ 07440

Beginning SUNDAY OCTOBER 6th 2019, the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite will be offered in Transfiguration Church, 64-25 Perry Ave, Maspeth, N.Y., at 11AM on the Sundays of October, November and December EXCEPT THE LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH (which is the Lithuanian Mass).

Beginning in January 2020, the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (the will be offered every Sunday at 12:30PM.

These photos were taken today at the Low Mass at Annunication Church in Yonkers (Crestwood section), Fr. Benedict Andersen OSB, celebrant. Fr. Andersen offers the Low Mass every Sunday at 11:15, Monday through Friday at 6:45 am, and Saturday at 9am. The Mass is in the lower church. Enter on the outside through a door around the corner on the right side.

For further information about this Mass, contact Father at tlm.crestwood@gmail.com

At Our Lady of Victories, Harrington Park NJ there is a Latin Low Mass every Sunday at 8:15 am