An interesting report from Germany: because of unusually cold weather the holy water of Cologne Cathedral has frozen. The cathedral is unheated except for one chapel….

Thanks to katholisch.de:

http://www.katholisch.de/Nachricht.aspx?NId=100

On Sunday, February 1, an anticipated Candlemas liturgy will be celebrated at St. Mary’s, Norwalk, including the blessing of candles, procession through the church, and Solemn Mass. This is one of the oldest rites of the Church, both in East and West, and is rarely celebrated in the solemn form. The setting of the Mass will be Byrd for five voices. There also will be Motets by Messaien and Bruckner and all the proper chants. Before the Mass there will be an organ recital (Alain and Bach, plus a Bach cantata sung by Josh Copeland). The organ recital will begin at 3 PM, the Mass at 3:30 PM.

This Mass will also be the joyous commemoration of the 25th anniversary of Fr. Cipolla’s ordination to the priesthood. I hope that many of you can attend! Let me take the occasion to thank Father Cipolla – our chaplain – for all the good he has done for our Society and St. Mary’s.

A message from Fr. Greg Markey, the pastor of St. Mary’s Norwalk:

The beginning of each year is often a time of “New Year Resolutions”. Over the next few weeks in this Pastor’s Column I would like to suggest some “New Year Resolutions” having to do with our Catholic Faith. My first suggestion is during 2009 start exercising the option of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue in Mass. Let me explain why.
This past summer Catholics were horrified when a professor at the University of Minnesota willfully desecrated the Eucharist. On the internet Professor Paul Zachary Myers invited anyone to obtain for him a consecrated Host from a Catholic Church so that he could desecrate It. Another man read about the request and took a Host from the London Oratory, videotaping Himself taking It from the Mass. He then sent the Host to Professor Myers and posted the video on the internet. Professor Myer then proceeded to drive a rusty nail through the Host in order to show the “absurdity” of the Catholic belief in the True Presence, and posted photos of the event on his website. Unfortunately the event set off a series of copycat crimes, and these desecrations are all over the internet.
What can be behind so much hatred? Even a child understands that it is not right to mock what others hold to be sacred. I have offered Mass in reparation for this sacrilege, and I know that many good Catholics have also done forms of prayer and penance in order to console the wounded heart of Our Lord.
Do you remember last year here at St. Mary’s when we found a Host under one of the pews in the church? I know from other priests that this happens every once in a while in other parishes as well. These incidents remind us that it would certainly be more difficult for people to take the Host improperly if everyone were receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. As the Catholic Church teaches, “If there is a risk of profanation, then Holy Communion should not be given in the hand to the faithful” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, 92).
Many people born prior to the Second Vatican Council will remember when everyone received Holy Communion on the tongue and kneeling. This has been the long held practice for thousands of years (although during certain periods of the early Church it did allow Communion in the hand). While many think that it was Vatican II that called for this change, it is important to note: Vatican II never called for Communion in the hand. Communion in the hand was the result of disobedience which forced the hand of the Church (no pun intended!).
After the Second Vatican Council some dioceses in the world started to make their own rules about receiving the Communion in the hand, disobeying the laws of the universal Church. Witnessing this practice without approval, the Vatican stated that it feared that this disobedience would lead to “…both the possibility of a lessening of reverence toward the august sacrament of the altar, its profanation, and the watering down of the true doctrine of the Eucharist” (Memoriale Domini).
Therefore in 1968 Pope Paul VI graciously sent out a questionnaire to all the bishops of the world asking if there should be a prudent change in the Church’s practice on how Communion would be distributed. The poll numbers came back overwhelming against Communion in the hand. Hence the Vatican concluded: “The answers given show that by far the greater number of bishops think that the discipline currently in force should not be changed. And if it were to be changed, it would be an offense to the sensibilities and spiritual outlook of these bishops and a great many of the faithful” (Memoriale Domini).
Nonetheless the disobedience continued and some of these dioceses petitioned Rome to officially permit Communion in the hand. A year later, in 1969, Pope Paul VI gave an indult to the French bishops permitting each bishop to decide the question in his own diocese (En réponse a la Demande). An indult is a special permission for a particular situation, rather than a universal norm. Nonetheless eventually the majority of dioceses in the world took advantage of the indult and simply permitted the practice.
Why did the Pope allow it? Perhaps it can be best summed up by the words of Our Lord about why divorce was allowed in the Old Testament: “For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives” (Matthew 19:8). Their disobedience had reached such a point that it would have been difficult to have them return to the traditional practice.
Nonetheless some countries like Sri Lanka did not use the indult, and maintained the long held tradition of receiving only on the tongue. Recently there have also been dioceses around the world such San Luis, Argentina and Lima, Peru that have returned to the traditional practice and no longer permit Communion in the hand. This is an option fully supported by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.
Furthermore, if one does receive Communion on the hand, there is always the danger that particles may be remain in the hand. The Council of Trent infallibly teaches that Our Blessed Lord is truly present even in the particles as well: “If anyone denies that in the venerable sacrament of the Eucharist the whole Christ is contained under each form and under every part of each form when separated, let him be anathema” (Chapter VIII, Canon 3). For this reason the priest always purifies his hands of particles at the end of Mass, and uses a corporal (a small white cloth meant to catch the corpus, or body, of Our Lord).
Finally another major event occurred this past year when Pope Benedict XVI asked that from now on, all who receive Holy Communion from him must receive It on the tongue and kneeling. I am sure that by insisting on this ancient practice the Pope is trying to foster a deeper respect for the Eucharist as well.
When Rome did give the indult to the French bishops in 1969 it stated, “The new manner of giving Communion must not be imposed in a way that would exclude the traditional practice.” Therefore Communion is on the tongue is still the common practice for the universal Church. While both practices are permitted in the diocese of Bridgeport, I encourage parishioners to give prayerful consideration to following Pope Benedict XVI’s lead by receiving Holy Communion on the tongue in the new year.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. Greg J. Markey
Pastor

Three miracles are commemorated on this day: The Adoration of the Magi; the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan; and the Wedding Feast at Cana.

A traditional Missa Cantata will be celebrated at St. Cecilia’s Church, North Henry and Herbert St., Brooklyn, for the Feast of the Epiphany on Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 at 6:30pm. There will be a procession and veneration of the Child Jesus at the end of the Mass. The Celebrant of the Mass will be the Rev. Father Carlos Viego. Church website

There will be a sung Mass at 7:30 PM, Tuesday, January 6 at St Eugene Church, Yonkers, 707 Tuckahoe Road (corner of Tuckahoe Road and Central Park Ave).

Low Mass at 5:30 PM, Tuesday, January 6th at Holy Rosary Church, Jersey City, NJ.

Mass at 7:00 PM, Tuesday, January 6th at St. Anthony of Padua chapel, West Orange, NJ.

These are the only Traditional Masses we have confirmed for the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6th celebration).

Photos are of the magnificent windows in the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, 173 East 3rd St. NY.

The church is filling up….

At St Mary’s, Norwalk, a Solemn High Traditional midnight mass was celebrated before a nearly full church. Not a few seemed unfamiliar with the traditional liturgy, the midnight service or even the Catholic mass in any form – yet only one or two left before the conclusion of the lengthy service. Later at 9:30 AM, a congregation not that much smaller than usual attended a second Solemn High Mass (the 3rd Christmas mass). Could there be better evidence of the rapid acceptance of the Traditional liturgy in parish life since Summorum Pontificum?

Connecticut

St. Mary Church, Norwalk, Dec. 31, 7:00 pm; Jan. 1, Solemn Mass, 5:30 pm. On Dec. 31, 6:00 pm to 12 Midnight, Adoration and Benediction, followed by a reception in the church hall.

Sacred Heart Church, New Haven, Missa Cantata, 12 noon.

St. Bridget of Kildare Church, Moodus, Missa Cantata, 9 am.

St. Mary Church, 544 Main St., New Britain, 12 noon.

St. Martha Church, 214 Brainard Rd., Enfield, 12 noon. (St. Martha’s has a Traditional Mass every Sunday at 1:30 pm)

New York

Immaculate Conception Church, Sleepy Hollow, NY, low Mass 3:00 pm.

St. Agnes Church, 143 E. 43rd St., Manhattan, 11 am.

Holy Innocents Church, 137 West 37th St., Manhattan, 1 PM.

St. John’s Chapel at St. Johns Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens (80th St. and Metropolitan Ave.) at 9:00 AM Sung Mass

St. Matthew Church, 35 N. Service Rd, Dix Hills, Missa Cantata, 10:30 am.

New Jersey

St. Anthony of Padua Chapel, 1360 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, 9 am, 11 am, 7 pm.

Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, 32 West Franklin Avenue, Pequannock, NJ, 7,9 and 11 AM and 5:00 PM

Also of interest: First Friday Traditional Latin Mass in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, January 2,6:30 pm, presented by the Oratory of the Sacred Heart, Church of the Guardian Angel, 193 Tenth Avenue at 21st Street, Manhattan C, E trains to 23rd Street Station, M23 Bus to 10th Avenue, For more information: (917) 535-2054,

Photo: Brother Lawrence OP

St. Mary’s Church, Norwalk, CT will offer a Solemn Christmas Midnight Mass (according to the Extraordinary Form). Certainly this Mass has not been offered in this area for many years. It will be worth making special plans or traveling a distance to attend. Carols will begin at 11:30 followed by the Solemn Mass at Midnight. The St. Mary Schola Cantorum, led by David Hughes, will sing Victoria’s Missa O Magnum Mysterium.
Spread the word about this very special Christmas Mass and plan to attend.

directions to St. Mary’s: http://www.stmarynorwalk.net/

Here is a list of Traditional Masses being offered in this area on Christmas. We depend on our readers to help make this list complete. We would also welcome pictures from these Masses.

UPDATE: Obviously there has been a significant growth in the NY region in the number of Traditional masses celebrated on Christmas (around 16) compared to last year(10). And many of these are solemn high masses or high masses. I also suspect that a Traditional Christmas mass is being offered at some of the 20 or so other locations in this area where a Sunday (or at least regular)Traditional mass is celebrated. We would welcome pictures from any of these liturgies!

Connecticut

St. Mary’s, Norwalk, also has scheduled a Mass in the Extraordinary Form for Christmas Day at 9:30 featuring Palestrina’s Missa Dies Sanctificatus.

Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Bridgeport, 10:15 am.

Sacred Heart Church, New Haven, 8 am.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Friary, Griswold, CT, Christmas Eve, 10 pm. Also Christmas Day at 9:30 AM. directions

St. Bridget of Kildare, Moodus, Missa Cantata, 10:30 am.

St. Mary Church, New Britain, 12 noon.

New York

Immaculate Conception Church, Sleepy Hollow, Missa Cantata, Puer Natus Est, 3 pm.

Church of Our Saviour, 59 Park Ave., Manhattan, 10 am. Beginning of Jan. 4 Our Saviour will offer a Missa Cantata every Sunday at 9 am.

St. Agnes Church, 143 East 43rd St., Manhattan, Missa Cantata 11 am.

Our Lady of Peace Church, 522 Carroll Street, Brooklyn, 11 AM. This church has a Traditional Mass every Sunday at 9:30 am.

St. John’s Chapel at St. Johns Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens (80th St. and Metropolitan Ave.) at 9:00 AM on Christmas Day.

St. Matthews, Dix Hills, Missa Cantata, 9:00 AM. Gregorian propers from the Mass of Christmas Day, Missa de angelis ordinary.

ST. Ladislaus, Hempstead, Low Mass, 9:00 AM (subject to confirmation)

New Jersey

Holy Rosary Church, 344 Sixth St., Jersey City, Missa Cantata 10:00 a.m. Missa in Honore Sanctae Mariae Visitationis Pauperum by Somma.

Our Lady of Fatima Chapel, 32 West Franklin Avenue, Pequannock, Christmas Eve Carols 11:00 PM, Mass at Midnight (Sung), Christmas Day 7, 9 and 11 AM. The 11 AM is a Solemn High Mass.

St. Anthony of Padua Chapel, 1360 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, Christmas Eve High Mass, 11 PM; Christmas Day 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM (High Mass).

Rose for the third Sunday of Advent; violet for the second and first – here are some images of the liturgical colors of this season at St. Mary’s Norwalk. Our society has made these two magnificent solemn sets available thanks to some benefactors.

N.B. If anyone would be interested in supporting this kind of liturgical endeavor, we are still looking to acquire complete black, white and gold sets. Send us a message and we can explain what is still needed.

UPDATE: Upon further research, we do not need a gold solemn set and we have found a donor for a white set. That leaves the black set on our (and St. Mary’s) wish list…

Amid the Victorian Gothic splendor of the Church of the Holy Innocents – located in an area that for decades has been the summit of all that is vile and ugly – an inspiring Missa Cantata for the feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Processional Float at St. Mary’s, Norwalk