Msgr. Fellay has signed – there is the expectation that the division now will be resolved in the next few weeks.

From Andrea Tornielli THIS STORY.

From “Le Forum Catholique”

Deo Gratias!

Courtesy of Una Voce Newark

It may be presumptuous to compare a paint job with the building of Hagia Sophia. Yet the Basilica of St. John, Stamford (Msgr Stephen M.DiGiovanni, pastor) has accomplished a miracle of its own with the recently completed painting of the church. Thanks to the great efforts of this parish, we can now experience a complete Victorian church interior very much in accord with the doctrines of Pugin. And it is a wondrous sight! Not only is there a rich panoply of colors, but there is a clear order to this exuberance. The predominant greens and blues of the nave give way to the brighter gold, silver and red of the sanctuary. The entire interior is united by the gilt ribs and capitals of the vaults and columns.

Moreover, St. John’s has much more to offer than a magnificent color scheme – intact windows, altars, reliquaries, statues and woodwork combine to form a Victorian “total work of art.” Only one element is not fully present – the Traditional liturgy in all its richness. For it would seem elementary, having recreated with amazing fidelity the interior of this church in its 19th century glory, to proceed to the celebration of the fulness of the Extraordinary Form liturgy that inspired the creation of these works of art. Today, on Easter Sunday, a not insigniicant congregation at St. John’s attended a Traditional Low Mass – without music or servers. There is a magic to the “Murmer of the (low) Mass” (Sir Christopher Wren) that cannot be denied. Yet it would not seem too much to ask that for the main feast day of the year some music and at least one server could be provided….

Next to St. Patrick, the image of a Pope which seems to bear the features of John Paul II but holds a scroll with Pius IX’s decree proclaiming the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Strange – while parishes in Connecticut ( St. John; St. Mary, Norwalk)are painstakingly restoring the interiors of their historic churches, in the neighboring Archdiocese of New York churches having much greater artistic and historic value than these are falling into ruin or are “in play” for closure….

Sunday Easter Mass – the conclusion of Holy Week, 2012.

All services in the Extraordinary Form in Holy Week were fully attended.

The Blessing of the Festive Meal:

The celebration of the Easter Vigil at St. Mary’s Parish, Norwalk.

The Lighting of the New Fire:

Lumen Christi!

The Exsultet:

The Chanting of the Prophecies:

It being the post-1955 edition, there are regrettably only four.

The procession to the Baptismal Font:

The Blessing of the Baptismal Water:

Lighting the Candles:

The Asperges:

The Administration of Confirmation:

The Mass:

Visitors to this blog may recall our coverage of a recent evening of recollection  at St. Vincent de Paul Church, on West 23rd Street. We have also written about this churches legacy of history and art.  Now the New York Times has published an important article on this church and the plans of the Archdiocese for its demise:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/a-french-church-nears-its-end-but-not-without-a-contretemps/

In it we learn many valuable things.  Such as that the fate of a structure from the 1857 is not a concern of the New York Landmarks Preseervation Commission – at least if it is a Catholic church. That major repairs to this church have deliberately not been made by the Archdiocese – regardless of the availability of funds –  all supporting the argument that St. Vincent de Paul would be too costly to keep open ( those following these developments may recall similar tactics in the closure of Our Lady of Vilna, among others)   That, where money is involved,  Archdiocesan bureaucrats drop the folksy and caring demeanor of their boss – the language of Mr Zwilling is legalistic,  arrogant  and uncompromising.  Above all, that  a small number of dedicated parishioners by forming key alliances with media and influential parties ( in this case, the French government!) can keep the closing of their parish before the public eye. Can it be reversed? That has happened in the past – our prayers are with the parishioners of this church.  Undoubtedly their efforts will be aided by clerical faux pas such as engaging in a “tense encounter” with a parishioner while she was giving the New York Times reporter a tour of the church….

The altar prior to Veneration of the Holy Cross.

The services for Good Friday at St.Mary’s Church, Norwalk. A full congregation was in attendance – for the entire three hours.

The sacred ministers enter and prostrate themselves before the barren altar

The Reading of the Passion according to St. John:

The Passion was sung by three deacons of honor with polyphonic responses for the crowd in a setting by William Byrd.

Fr. Richard Cipolla was the principal celebrant and preached.

The Great Intercessions:

The Veneration of the Holy Cross:

The Procession of the Reserved Blessed Sacrament and Communion:

The Altar of Repose

A visual account of the Holy or Maundy Thursday Service at St. Mary’s Parish, Norwalk.

The Washing of the Feet:

The Mass:

The Procession to the Altar of Repose:

The Stripping of the Altars:

Window in St. Paul’s Church, 121 E. 117th St., New York

The following churches in the area have scheduled Traditional Masses and liturgies for Holy Week. Please let us know about any that are not included here and we will post the schedule.

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT
April 1, Palm Sunday: 9:30 Solemn Mass beginning with an outdoor procession
Missa O Rex gloriæ (Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, c.1525-1594), Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum Matthæum (polyphonic turba settings by Tomás Luis de Victoria, 1548-1611)

April 4, Spy Wednesday: 7 pm Low Mass, 8 pm Solemn Office of Tenebrae

April 5, Holy Thursday: 7 pm Solemn Mass of the Last Supper, followed by adoration until Midnight, 9 pm, Stripping of the Altars and visit to the seven churches of Norwalk
Missa Pange lingua (Josquin des Prez, c.1450-1521)

April 6, Good Friday: 3 pm, Lord’s Passion
Passio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi secundum Joannem (polyphonic turba settings by William Byrd, 1540-1623)

April 7, Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil at 8 pm, Solemn Mass
Mass for Five Voices (William Byrd, 1540-1623)

April 8,Easter Sunday, 9:30 am Solemn Mass
Missa Regina cæli (Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, c.1525-1594)

Basilica of St. John the Evangelist, Stamford, CT
Palm Sunday, 8:30 am
Easter Sunday, 8:30 am, Low Mass

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport
Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, 10:15.

St. Stanislaus Church, New Haven, CT
Palm Sunday: 2 pm, Blessing of Palms, Procession, and Solemn Mass
Missa Je suis Desheritee by Orlando di Lasso

Good Friday, 12 noon, Lessons and Collects, Chanting of the Passion, Veneration of the Cross, Mass of the Presanctified

Easter Sunday, 2 pm, Solemn Mass and Benediction
Missa Regina Caelis by Palestrina

Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, 74 West Main St, Waterbury CT
Easter Sunday, 6 pm

St. Margaret Church, Willow St, Waterbury CT
Easter Sunday, 10:30am

Immaculate Conception Church, Sleepy Hollow, NY
Palm Sunday, 3 pm, Blessing of Palms, Procession, Solemn High Mass and Luncheon Reception
Easter Sunday, 3pm, Missa Cantata

Church of the Holy Innocents, New York, NY

Palm Sunday – Solemn Mass at 10AM

Holy Monday – Mass at 6PM

Holy Tuesday – Mass at 6PM

Holy Wednesday – Sung Mass at 6PM

Holy Thursday – Solemn Mass at 7:30PM; all night vigil with Tenebræ at 11:30PM

Good Friday – Solemn Mass of the Pre-Sanctified at 3PM

Holy Saturday – Solemn Easter Vigil at 9:30pm
Easter Sunday – Mass at 10 am

Church of Our Saviour, New York, NY
Palm Sunday, 9 am
Easter Sunday, 9 am

Church Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New York, NY
Palm Sunday, 9 45 am
Easter Sunday, 10 am.

Our Lady of Peace Church, Brooklyn
Easter Sunday, 9:30 am

St. Matthew’s Church, Dix Hills Long Island
Palm Sunday, 9 am, High Mass
Easter Sunday, 9 am, High Mass

Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, Pequannock, NJ

The Sacred Triduum will be held at Holy Cross Church, 17 Van Duyne Avenue, Wayne, NJ
Holy Thursday, 6 pm, preceded by Confessions for one hour, followed by Adoration until Midnight
Good Friday, 3 pm, Mass of the Presanctified, preceded by Confessions for one hour
Holy Saturday, Easter Vigil, 10 pm, preceded by Confessions for one hour

Easter Sunday Masses will be held at Our Lady of Fatima Chapel
Easter Sunday, 7 am, 9 am, 11:00 Missa Cantata

St. Anthony of Padua Oratory, West Orange, NJ

Palm Sunday: 7:30 a.m. Low Mass, 10:00 a.m. High Mass, No 9 a.m or 11 a.m. Masses.
Each Holy Mass is preceded by Palm Blessing, distribution and a short procession.

Maundy Thursday: 8:00 a.m. Tenebrae, 6:00 p.m. Confessions
7:00 p.m. Solemn High Mass of the Institution of the Holy Eucharist including the Gospel of the Washing of Feet
8:30 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration at the Altar of Repose

Good Friday: 8:00 a.m. Tenebrae
2:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross & Confessions
3:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Passion & Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Holy Saturday: 8:00 a.m. Tenebrae, 8:00 p.m. Confessions
9:00 p.m. Easter Vigil Mass

Easter Sunday: 7:30 a.m. Low Mass, 9:00 a.m. Low Mass with Hymns, 11:00 a.m. High Mass

Holy Rosary Church, Jersey City, NJ

Palm Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Blessing of palms & Missa Cantata

Good Friday 4:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Passion & Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Easter Sunday 9:45 a.m. Solemn High Mass
Schubert’s Mass in G, Gregorian chant propers

Mater Ecclesiae, Berlin, NJ

Wednesday, April 4 (Spy Wednesday) – 7:30 PM Mass

Holy Thursday – April 5
9:00 AM – Tenebræ of Holy Thursday
7:30 PM – Mass of the Lord’s Supper and Procession to the Repository
Adoration at the Repository until 11:00 PM

Good Friday – April 6
9:00 AM – Tenebræ of Good Friday
3:00 PM – Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday

Holy Saturday – April 7
9:00 AM – Tenebræ of Holy Saturday
8:30 PM – The Easter Vigil

EASTER SUNDAY – April 8
8:30 AM – Low Mass; 11:00 AM – High Mass