These photos are courtesy of Fr. Cyprian La Pastina.

Holy Thursday: The Altar of Repose

Easter Sunday

Photos courtesy of Mr. Arrys Ortanez.  More photos of this Mass can be found on http://traditionalcatholicism83.blogspot.com/2014/04/holy-saturday-easter-vigil-2014-holy.html

Let us return to the reality of the “Church of today” after the great joys of Easter. We learn in the New York Times of one more Catholic high school closing its doors – this time Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School in Brooklyn:

A Catholic High School Abruptly Loses Its Fight to Stay Open

As the NYT puts it: “the school had fallen into a familiar category: a New York City Catholic School that couldn’t.” “But enrollment has plummeted to 499 this year from 1347 in 2006, just as the neighborhood was blossoming with condominiums and renovated row houses to house young professionals.” All this just in the pontificates of Benedict and Francis. It is claimed that Bishop Ford High School could not survive competition from improving public schools and charter schools (there seemingly being no other reason to attend a Catholic school instead of these). And, as is so often the case, there are allegations of impropriety in the years leading up to the school’s demise.

Earlier this year, in Manhattan:

Mother Cabrini High School To Close Its Doors After 115 Years

School announcement.

“Vidi Aquam…”

The schola of St. Mary’s performing plainchant (above) and polyphony (below). This Holy Week exhibited the extraordinary depth and variety of the music program of St. Mary’s – all under the direction of Mr. David Hughes. In addition to the professional schola (the St Cecilia Society),  the parish adult choir,  the children’s schola, the clergy, other ministers and congregation  also participated. The music included chant, polyphony (here, on Easter Sunday, the Missa Pascale of La Rue), early baroque, later works by Vierne and Durufle as well as original compositions by Mr. Hughes. I perhaps do not need to mention in regard to this parish that all ceremonies were liturgically complete and correct. It is an amazing accomplishment for a diocesan parish church without a significant musical endowment and, for that matter, one that vastly exceeds the musical level prevailing at most Catholic churches in the now faintly remembered “pre-conciliar” age.

The Paschal Fire

The Exsultet

The Prophecies are sung      

The blessing of the font

The catechumens are baptized

The Confirmations  

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass begins

As the Gloria is sung, statues are uncovered and the church fully lit.

Proclamation of the Gospel  

The Canon

The altar is incensed during the Office of Lauds

We wish you a blessed Easter

This window appears in St. Columba Church, Manhattan

The complete plainsong office of Matins and Lauds for Holy Thursday, sung at St. Mary’s Church on Wednesday, April 16.

Only one week before Easter is left to make your confession.

(Street in the old town of Geneva, Switzerland)