The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was observed this evening at St. Mary’s Church Norwalk with an outdoor procession with mariachi band and a banquet.

Last Thursday evening, a Missa Cantata was celebrated in the chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz (the Filipino Apostolate of New York). The Reverend Dr. Joseph G. Mugabe (Director of the Filipino apostolate of he Archdiocese of New York) was celebrant and homilist. Mr. Lorenzo Tinio was the Master of Ceremonies. They were assisted by the community of San Lorenzo Chapel and volunteers. I’d like to add that the Society of St Hugh of Cluny was sponsor of this liturgy…

The Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz on Broome Street – originally the Church of the Most Holy Crucifix, it was built for an Italian congregation in 1925-26.  No more than a small chapel, it supposedly seats only 250 – even fitting in that number would seem to me a great stretch! Reminders of the original Italian congregation are the polychrome statues displayed around the chapel. The parish of Most Holy Crucifix closed in 2005 and the Filipino Apostolate of the Archdiocese moved there in that year. 1)   Such a  strange quirk of fate: this exceedingly modest chapel has survived while so many New York parishes so much more significant for their history and art have closed…..

(Above and below) Statues presumably inherited from the original parish church are joined by new works related to the Filipino apostolate – including statues of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, above.

The modest but enthusiastic congregation posed afterwards. We hope this will be only the first of many masses in the extraordinary form!

1) Wikipedia entry on the chapel

LECTURE ON “THE YEAR OF MERCY & THE TRADITIONAL CATHOLIC”: On Saturday, December 12th, 2015, after the Solemn Mass at 1:00 PM for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Fr. Joseph E. Pilsner, CSB, Ph. D. (Oxon), will give a Lecture on “The Year of Mercy and the Traditional Catholic.” Fr. Pilsner is an Associate Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas. This Lecture is being sponsored by the Regina Coeli Council of the Knights of Columbus that meets at the Church of the Holy Innocents.

Light refreshments will be served.

The following report is by Eddy Toribio. The photos are thanks to Mr. Anthony Dacosta and Ms. Cecilia Tan.

As we all know, there is something always going on at Holy Innocents (NYC) – the very active and vibrant parish that rarely sleeps!

This past Saturday, December 6th, 2015, as part (and conclusion) of the monthly first Friday all night vigil (with devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary), the parish had its first Rorate Mass in honor of Our Lady in candlelight (no electric lights were used at all).

The Mass was a Solemn Mass at 5 AM with beautiful Gregorian Chant and the help of a good number of servers for five in the morning! Additionally, and as always, the faithful and committed parishioners responded very positively. There were 95 people in attendance for this very beautiful traditional Mass – again, at five in the morning!

n.b. For residents of Connecticut and Westchester: You will have a chance to attend a Rorate Mass on December 19 at St. Mary Church, Greenwich at 6:30 am.

St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk, will have Solemn Vespers this evening at 5 pm followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The preacher will be Fr. Brian Gannon, pastor of St. Teresa Church, Trumbull.

The following churches will offer Traditional Masses on Tuesday December 8 for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT, 5:30 pm

St. Stanislaus Church, New Haven,CT,  5:30 pm

St. Anthony’s Church, Bronx, NY, Low Mass 10:00 am

Church of the Holy Innocents, Manhattan, NY,  8 am, 6 pm Solemn Mass

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, East Harlem,  Manhattan,  NY, Missa Cantata at 6:00 pm

Immaculate Conception Church, Sleepy Hollow, NY, 5 pm Low Mass

The stained glass window is in St. Andrew Church, Manhattan

There will be a Traditional Latin Sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite on
Thursday, December 10, 2015 7 P.M. at The Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz in Manhattan. This Mass will be celebrated by The Reverend Dr. Joseph G. Marabe JCD, Moderator and Director of San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel and the Filipino Apostolate of The Archdiocese of New York.