Extraordinary Form Mass on Dec. 6, 2013 at 9:00 AM at St. Sebastian Church, Middletown, CT.

(The church is located on Washington St. which is also Hwy 66)

Once upon a time there were two fellows of a traditionalist bent interested in pursuing the religious life. As their ecclesiastical outlook, as noted by certain institutional authorities, was in need of a certain amount of “dialogue” they cultivated a novel, yet ancient, model. They approached a young Dominican friar who wished to revitalize locally (and literally, considering the then-average age of the chapter) the Third Order. The three agreed to meet informally with the goal of initiating a new chapter of the pious fraternity which members would be on the path towards sacred orders. There were quite a few productive weekly sessions of this enterprise. At the end of one weekly meeting the Reverend Father advised that the following week he would not be able to keep the customary day because he was scheduled to celebrate (much to the chagrin of the young men) a “healing mass”. Without missing a beat, one of the two fellows who had been in a nasty bout a few days previous and had a nasty gash on his forehead to prove it, said: “Say, could you do something about this?”

Father Wilfredo Comellas remained a good friend to this little altar boy lo these many years since. His path to the altar took him from the Big Apple to the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was loaned out to a mission diocese in Louisiana, characteristically cheerful as a humble laborer in the vineyard of the Lord. He was called home to the embrace of the Blessed Trinity this past Sunday. He will be missed by those who had the honor to be his friend. And those who appreciated his wry sense of humor.

O Lord, we pray Thee that the soul of Thy Priest, Thy servant Wilfredo, which, while he abode in this world, Thou didst adorn with sacred gifts, may ever rejoice in a glorious seat in heaven. Amen.

Mr. Screwtape

Photo: Will Lew for The Wall Street Journal

From the article of the same name in The Wall Street Journal by Karen Johnson (Nov. 5, 2013):

“Inside the former Saint-Jude Church in Montreal, personal trainers mill about where priests once did and hot-stone massages have replaced baptisms.

In this city, a former Roman Catholic stronghold where Mark Twain once said you couldn’t throw a brick without breaking a church window, questions about what to do with all those churches have lingered for years.”

“The reincarnation of religious buildings has sparked concerns that the church has compounded its problems.

Amid plunging church attendance, the Catholic Diocese of Montreal said it has sold off about 50 churches and other religious buildings in the past 15 years. But about a year ago, the diocese issued a moratorium on further sales, in part because closing churches can lead to even lower attendance, as some congregants don’t move on to churches farther away. (Emphasis added – SC)

“The purpose of this moratorium is to see where we are now,” a diocese spokeswoman said.

“At Le Saint-Jude, owner Tony Attanasio said the health club’s “fully integrated concept” makes his space more than just a place to work out. He said he hopes his center becomes an extension of home for its members, and as integral to the neighborhood as the church once was. Le Saint-Jude includes an indoor garden and there are plans for a restaurant.

“It’s a good reflection of where Quebec is now,” Mr. Attanasio said. “Where the priests would say the Mass, we do massage.””

An eloquent commentary on the current state of the Church. With some practical considerations arising from the Montreal experience that those engaged in similar planning down here may not be taking into account….

FULL ARTICLE.

The timing is perfect. Just as the Society are preparing to visit Our Lady of Esperanza, Granda, the well known Spanish purveyor of ecclesiastical furnishings, informs us of the following in their newsletter (we reproduce the original text):

“We knew at Granda that the first item crafted by our workshop for the US was an elaborate sanctuary lamp. We had records that the lamp was made by Fr. Felix Granda, but with the Spanish Civil War in 1936-39, many documents were lost and we didn’t know were it was.

From some recently recovered documentation, we deducted that the lamp was sent to the Hispanic Society of America in New York, but after a personal visit there and an interview with the curator of the Museum, that possibility had to be ruled out.

From the interview, however, we learned that there was a church related to the museum and built by the Hispanic Society with the generous help of Mr. Archer M. Huntington. This fact motivated a renewed our search and the lamp was found.

The beautiful lamp that hangs from the sanctuary dome, its flickering flame sparkling day and night, symbolizes Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. This lamp was presented to Our Lady of Esperanza Church in 1912 by King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Alfonso personally commissioned Father Felix Granda, a noted priest and sculptor of that time to make an exact replica of the vessel created by the celebrated eighteenth century sculptor, Urquiza. The original hangs in the sanctuary of the Church of San Antonio de la Florida in Madrid, Spain.

In addition to its exquisite design, an interesting feature of this great masterpiece is its symbolism. The top of the lamp is in the form of a crown representing the Royal Family of Spain, from the crown hang three beautifully ornamented chains, which represent the Collar of the Spanish Order of the Golden Fleece.

At the base of the three chains there is a suspended round tray, adorned with fine detailed galleries on which we can repeatedly see the coat of arms of Spain, which is a lion and a castle between the Pillars of Hercules. Three golden cherubs hovering in graceful flight support the tray and its center and there are six-sided columns. On one of the column’s sides the coat of arms of King Alfonso is emblazoned, and on another there is an engraved dedication by the King.

The center column supports a golden sphere, the earth etched with a map of the world and a quotation from the Holy Scripture: “Lux orta est justo et rectis corde loetitia. Quandiu sum in in mundo lux sum mundi”. (Light is risen to the just, and joy to the right of heart. Psalm XCXl: II; As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. John 1:5). From the top of the sphere, flames burst forth and rise through a holder in which the vigil taper burns day and night before the Blessed Sacrament.”

SOURCE.

(Courtesy of Vincenza DiMauro)

Yesterday evening, in the church of St. Agnes a magnificent solemn Requiem mass was celebrated. The music included chant, Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, K. 626, and Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus, K. 618. It was a rare evening, not a concert or “musical event” but an inspiring spiritual experience. And the standing-room-only congregation demonstrated – once more – that where there is the union of prayer, Tradition and beauty, the people will come.

Acknowledgment and spécial thanks are owed to many:

The Reverend Myles P. Murphy, S.T.L., Pastor of the Church of Saint Agnes
The Reverend Leonard Villa, Celebrant and Homilist
The Reverend Richard Munkelt, Deacon
Mr. Stephen Pack, Subdeacon
Mr. Roberto Barrientos, Master of Ceremonies
The Schola Cantorum of Saint Agnes
Miss Elizabeth Bates, Miss Elizabeth Derham, Mr. Timothy Parsons, Mr. Matthew Marcucci, Mr. Matthew Grosfeld, Soloists
Mr. David Enlow, Organist
Mr. James D. Wetzel, Choirmaster
Mr. Donald Cherry – vestments and poster
Mr. James Morlino – sound recording

And, last but not least, the funding for the music was made possible by the generosity of the Catholic Artists Society, the New York Purgatorial Society – and our own Society of Saint Hugh of Cluny.

Standing room only!

(Above and Below) At the catafalque.

The Recessional.

For a fine set of photos from a different perspective, taken by Mr. Ed Casey, see HERE.

Fr. Greg Markey, pastor of St. Mary Church, Norwalk, will give a presentation on Sunday, November 10 at St. Mary’s Church, on the mystical meaning of the Mass. During the medieval period of the church, the ancient rite of the Mass was broken down by mystics and saints into small meditations of the passion of Christ. As Pope John Paul II noted at the end of his pontificate, one of the tragedies of the post-conciliar period is the loss in understanding that the Mass is a sacrifice. This evening reflection will help deepen our understanding of the greatest of mysteries. The evening will begin with adoration and holy rosary at 6:00 pm, followed by the presentation in Msgr. Hajus Hall at 6:45. All are welcome.

Throughout this week — following the Commemoration of All Souls on November 2nd — the weekday 6 PM Masses (EF) celebrated at the Church of the Holy Innocents will be Requiem Masses.

On Wednesday, November 6th, Fr. George Rutler, Administrator of the Church of the Holy Innocents, will celebrate the sung Requiem Mass.

On Friday, November 8th, Canon Jean-Marie Moreau will celebrate a Solemn Requiem Mass with Absolution.

From: Circus Gasser-Olympia.

Some of you may have seen the video of last year’s memorable “Circus Mass” from Switzerland on Rorate Caeli or elsewhere. If you feel bad to have missed it, don’t worry – it will be returning this December 15:

“Am Sonntag 15.Dezember 2013, um 10.00 h findet erneut eine Eucharistiefeier im Zelt des Weihnachtscircus GO (Gasser-Olympia) in Solothurn statt. Der auch als ‚Clown Gottes‘ bezeichnete und portraitierte Circus-Pfarrer Ernst Heller wird im grossen Chapiteau des Schweizer Traditionscircus GO (Gasser Olympia) zusammen mit dem Solothurner Stadtpfarrer Niklas Raggenbass eine festliche, aussergewöhnliche, lebensfrohe und doch ergreifende Messe zelebrieren.”

SOURCE.

Some images of the Requiem Mass yesterday at St. Gabriel, Stamford.

(Courtesy of Denis DeVito)

Photographs of the Requiem Mass at Holy Innocents, New York on Saturday, November 2nd.