For a schedule of traditional liturgies during Holy Week in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, go to Holy Week Schedule
(above: The reredos at Holy Redeemer Church, Manhattan)
24
Mar
(above) “Judah” by Francisco de Zurbarán.
A Haydn oratorio, a Bruckner symphony, the drawings of Michelangelo, baroque oratorios, a 16th century Aztec feather-work recreation of a Netherlands devotional print – these are objects and performances that you could have seen or heard in New York in just the last few months. But what do we know about the religious influences and the culture in which they arose? Certainly the local Catholic establishment is of no assistance in learning more ( even if it’s aware of these events in the first place). The secular authorities – the curators, the writers of program notes and the media – can, on occasion, be much more helpful in rediscovering these links. Yet their analysis all too often focusses on the personality of the artist, on narrow issues of history, technique or ideology or on the “general human.”
In this regard, I’d thought I’d mention a couple of small exhibitions at the Frick collection that a fan of “Catholic culture” might find interesting. In contrast to the crowded “blockbusters” found further north on Fifth Avenue, the exhibitions at the Frick generally show one or several selected paintings from places one would very likely never visit. For a hefty admission fee one can contemplate such works ideally displayed and in a peaceful environment.
(Above) “St Jerome” by Veronese.
Two exceptional works by Veronese have left Italy for the first time. They are from a rarely visited church in Murano. If you are like me, you may have visited this island’s tourist trap glass emporia but never ventured into the local churches or seen the art they contain. The subject of one painting is familiar – St. Jerome in the desert – that of the other less so(at least to me): St Agatha in prison visited by St Peter. The color is of course magnificent – and every detail isn’t just “decorative” but derives from the legend of these two saints. As the exhibition notes point out, it is testimony to the superabundance of creativity in late sixteenth century Venice that one of the the main artists of the period painted two such major works for a small chapel on an outlying island.
Also on display is a cycle of 17th century paintings of Jacob and his sons by Francisco de Zurbarán – reunited for the first time in ages. The artist has shows great familiarity with the e biblical texts describing the history and destiny of these brethren. Zurbarán has given each of them a distinctive identity with bizarre costumes and attributes. I frankly found these works less successful than many other works of this artist I have seen. I would guess that assistants had a large share in executing such a massive project. But what is indeed interesting is the subject matter. For, at that time, some were of the opinion that the American Indians were descendants of the lost tribes of Israel. Depictions of Jacob and his sons – perhaps this one too – were created for patrons in the New World. So let’s not laugh at the Mormons – others had strange ideas of pre-Colombian history several centuries before them!
Of course, if curators feel constrained in giving full credit to the Catholic Church, they are not so inhibited in repeating the platitudes of our currently reigning ideology. Based one one incident in the 18th century, the Zurbarán paintings – artwork commissioned in 17th century Spain – are “reimagined” as symbols of religious tolerance and diversity. That’s life….
For more on these exhibitions see HERE. You only have till tomorrow to see the Veronese paintings!
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Photos of the Missa Cantata for the Feast of St. Joseph at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Newark (From the Facebook page “At the Table with Tony)
Monsignor Joseph Ambrosio, Celebrant, with Clergy, Altar Servers, and Knights of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
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On Friday, March 23, the following churches will commemorate the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a traditional Mass:
St Mary Church, Greenwich, CT, Solemn Mass, 7:30 pm (stained glass window above from this church)
Most Precious Blood Church, Little Italy, New York (113 Baxter Street), Solemn Mass, 7:15 pm (see information below)
Holy Name of Jesus Church, Brooklyn, NY, Missa Cantata, 7 pm.
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Fr. George Rutler
Art As a Sermon
The Perspective of a Parish Priest
March 24, 7:30 PM
The Catholic Artists Society proudly presents author, EWTN Host, and pastor at the Church of St. Michael, the Rev. George Rutler, S.T.D. His talk is entitled “Art As a Sermon: The Perspective of a Parish Priest.”
The lecture takes place Saturday, March 24, 7:30 PM, at the Catholic Center at New York University (238 Thompson St., just south of Washington Square Park). A reception and sung Compline will follow.
Admission for Sustaining Members: FREE
Suggested donation for non-members: $10
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Here are excerpts from pastor Father Richard Cipolla’s bulletin announcement about Holy Week:
Next week begins the most important week in the Liturgical Year, the week we call Holy. It is these days that we recall in the deepest liturgical sense those events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ that bought us our salvation and give us hope of eternal life when we die.
St. Mary’s is the only church certainly in this Diocese that will offer the full Holy Week services in their Traditional form. St. Mary’s has been a pioneer in the effort to return to the Holy Week services in their fullness, and we have been the inspiration for other parishes throughout this country to do the same.
We begin with Palm Sunday: the blessing of the palms, the procession that recalls Christ’s entrance in Jerusalem, then the Mass, with the chanting of the Passion according to St. Matthew. The Masses of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week will be according to our normal schedule. The Traditional Mass at 7:30 am will have the Passions according to St. Mark and St. Luke instead of the Gospel reading. On Wednesday evening we begin the most solemn part of Holy Week with the moving service of Tenebrae, where we celebrate the Office of Matins for Holy Thursday at night. If you have never been to Tenebrae, I urge you to come. It is a moving and peaceful entrance to the Sacred Triduum.
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated at 7 pm on Thursday night. This Mass, with its glorious but subdued solemnity, celebrates the institution of the Mass and of the Priesthood. At the end of the Mass we process with the Blessed Sacrament to be used for Communion on Good Friday to the chapel. The Sacrament is placed in a special tabernacle amidst trees and flowers like the garden of Gethsemane. There will be an opportunity to “watch” with Christ and to adore Him all night until 8 o’clock in the morning. Deacon Steve will lead the bus to visit the 7 churches of Norwalk at 9 pm.
On Good Friday there will be opportunity for Stations of the Cross in both English and Spanish. The Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday will be at 3 p.m. This starkly beautiful service allows us to enter deeply into the Passion and Death of our Lord. That evening at 7 pm we will have our annual procession through the streets of Norwalk with the Cristo Muerto (the Dead Christ) and Our Lady of Sorrows. Bishop Caggiano will join us for this wonderfully moving observance that brings together the whole parish.
Last but not least is the Great Vigil of Easter. This is one of the oldest of all liturgical celebrations in the Church. The entrance into the dark church, the singing of the Exsultet, the prophecies, the blessing of the font with Baptisms, the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, and the triumphant First Mass of Easter—the culmination of what our faith is all about.
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