Below is the schedule:
Whilst the Extraordinary Form landscape in Wrexham diocese remains barren for Holy Week and Triduum, not that far away on the Wirral peninsula is the splendid Shrine Church of St Peter & Paul and St Philomena - the Dome of Home and this coming week a complete liturgical programme is available. Deo Gratias!
Below is the schedule:
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We carry palm branches as a tribute of unending joy, before Christ, victorious over death; also as a symbol of our wavering fickleness, betraying Christ unto His Death. Jesus is our “example;” let us never lose sight of the eternal joy of “sharing in His Resurrection” when with Him we now “suffer on a cross” (Prayer). In glorious language we read how the Son of God became the “slave” of man; how “He humbled himself” and is now our pledge “in the glory of God the Father” (Epistle).
As Christ adhered to the Father, without doubt so must we despite the seeming “prosperity of the sinner” (Gradual). The long Gospel enables us, as it were, to be eyewitnesses of Christ’s Passion and Death, revealing His Love “unto the end” on Calvary. This Sunday: The liturgy of this Sunday is divided as follows: (1) Blessing of Palms; (2) Distribution of Palms to clergy and people; (3) Reading of the Gospel account of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem; (4) Procession of clergy and people with blessed palms; (5) Holy Mass. A letter signed by 461 priests in England & Wales strongly affirms the teaching of the Catholic Church on the reception of Holy Communion by divorced and “remarried” persons.
The co-ordinator of the “Support for Marriage Letter” has issued the following press statement: Hundreds of Priests in England and Wales urge Vatican Synod to end confusion over Marriage and Sexuality. In a dramatic turn of events, nearly 500 priests from England and Wales have written a letter in defence of the ‘traditional teaching on marriage and human sexuality’ in anticipation of the forthcoming Vatican Synod on the family. This letter comes at a time when a growing number of Catholics are concerned that the gathering of Church leaders in Rome, scheduled for October 2015, will seek to re-think Gospel teaching on marriage, sexuality, repentance and grace. Some Cardinals, particularly from Germany, have suggested that Holy Communion could be received by those in second and non-marital unions, or that active homosexual relationships could receive some positive recognition. Despite the official channels of representation set up by the dioceses of England and Wales, a high proportion of the country’s priests felt the need to make their voices heard by an extra-ordinary open letter, which speaks of a climate ‘of moral confusion’ created by media coverage of the Synod and a lack of clarity from official church leaders in stating the settled teaching of the Catholic Church. The large number of signatories is surprising since the initiative came from increasingly concerned laity and is not officially supported by any ecclesiastical body. One priest, who asked to remain anonymous, said that there ‘has been a certain amount of pressure not to sign the letter and indeed a degree of intimidation from some senior churchmen’. Another priest, when asked why such a large number of priests are so keen to sign the letter, said, ‘It’s a matter of pastoral concern and fidelity to the Gospel. Mercy requires both love and truth. There’s a lot at stake. Not all priests would be comfortable expressing themselves in an open letter, but I’d be very worried if there were priests who disagreed with the sentiments it contains’. The letter calls for fidelity to Catholic teaching, and that practice should remain ‘inseparably in harmony’ with doctrine. The priests state that they remain committed to helping ‘those who struggle to follow the Gospel in an increasingly secular society’, but imply that those couples and families who have remained faithful are not being adequately supported or encouraged. There is a growing suspicion that the Synod will unleash division in the Church by attempting to re-shape Catholic teaching and practice to accommodate modern ways of living and thinking about relationships and sexuality. When asked whether this letter was reactionary or merely extreme traditionalism, one pastor responded, ‘Were Saints Thomas More and John Fisher obscurantist conservatives? No. They gave their lives in defence of the indissolubility of marriage. Catholics at the time of Henry VIII were willing to give up a thousand years of Catholic life and culture to defend the inconvenient but timeless truth. Now is our time to give witness’. Theologians, philosophers, canon lawyers, well-known educators and evangelists are amongst the priests who have signed this appeal. Their letter urges those who will be present at the Synod to defend doctrine and put an end to confusion. The letter and list of signatories can be read in full below: SIR – Following the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in Rome in October 2014 much confusion has arisen concerning Catholic moral teaching. In this situation we wish, as Catholic priests, to re-state our unwavering fidelity to the traditional doctrines regarding marriage and the true meaning of human sexuality, founded on the Word of God and taught by the Church’s Magisterium for two millennia. We commit ourselves anew to the task of presenting this teaching in all its fullness, while reaching out with the Lord’s compassion to those struggling to respond to the demands and challenges of the Gospel in an increasingly secular society. Furthermore we affirm the importance of upholding the Church’s traditional discipline regarding the reception of the sacraments, and that doctrine and practice remain firmly and inseparably in harmony. We urge all those who will participate in the second Synod in October 2015 to make a clear and firm proclamation of the Church’s unchanging moral teaching, so that confusion may be removed, and faith confirmed. Yours faithfully, Fr John Abberton, Fr Raymond Abuga MSP, Fr Benedict Bullem Abuo, Fr John Adikwu CM, Fr Richard Aladics, Fr Dominic Allain, Fr Hugh Allan OPraem, Monsignor John Allen, Fr Jim L Allen, Fr Blaise Amadi, Fr Moses Amune, Fr Thomas Amungwa, Fr David Annear, Fr Matt Anscombe, Fr Paul Antwi- Boasiako CSSP, Fr Gabriel Arnold OSB, Fr Thevakingsley Arulananthem OAR, Fr James Austin, Fr Francis Austin, Abbot Francis Baird OSB, Fr Gerard Balinnya, Fr John Barnes, Fr Kurt Barragan, Fr Lee Barrett, Fr Bernard Barrett, Fr Andrew Barrett, Fr Christopher Basden, Fr Jeremy Bath, Fr Antoine Baya OFM, Fr Michael Beattie SJ, Fr Miceal Beatty, Fr Lee Bennett, Fr Jerome Bertram CO, Fr Kazimierz Bidzinski, Fr Pawel Bielak, Fr Jonathan Bielawski, Fr Robert Billing, Fr Martin Birrell OSB, Fr Paul Blackburn, Fr Raymond Blake, Fr Terry Boyle, Fr Constant Botter SCJ, Fr Bede Rowe, Fr Bernard Boylan, Fr Cornelius Boyle, Fr Stephen Boyle, Fr James Bradley, Fr Jonathan Brandon, Fr Martin Breen, Fr John Brennan, Fr Neil Brett, Fr Charles Briggs, Fr Marcus Brisley, Abbot Cuthbert Brogan OSB, Fr Andrew Brown, Fr Stephen Brown, Fr Martin Budge, Fr Solomon Gidu Bulus, Fr Alan Burgess, Fr Paschal Burlinson OFMCap, Monsignor Andrew Burnham, Fr David Burns, Fr James Burns, Fr Peter Burns, Fr Gerard P Byrne, Fr John Cahill, Fr John Cairns, Fr Xavier Calduch, Fr Joe Calleja, Fr Victor Camilleri OFM, Fr Darren Carden, Fr Patrick Carroll, Fr Bernard Caszo MSFS, FrJohn Chandler, Abbot David Charlesworth OSB, Fr.William Charlton, Fr Neil Chatfield, Fr Gregory Chillman OSB, Fr David Chinnery, Fr Dominic Chukka, Fr Eddie Clare, Fr Basil Clark, Fr James Clark, Fr Peter Clarke, Fr Jose Claveria, Canon Joseph Clements, Fr Michael Clotheir OSB, Canon Matthew Coakley, Fr Anthony Cogliolo, Fr Christopher Colven, Fr Anthony Conlon, Fr Thomas Connolly, Fr Philip Conner, Fr Francis R Cookson, Fr John Cooper, Fr Robert Copsey SOLT, Fr John Corbyn, Fr Eamon Corduff, Fr Hugh Corrigan OAR, Fr James Cosker, Fr Francis Coveney, Fr Ross SJ Crichton, Fr Finton Crotty SSCC, Fr Edward Crouzet OSB, Fr C Crowther, Fr Michael Crumpton, Fr Anthony Cussen SMA, Fr Justin Daanaah, Fr James Daley MHM, Fr William Damah, Fr Michael D’Arcy-Walsh, Fr Jeremy Davies, Fr Philip de Freitas, Fr Armand de Malleray FSSP, Fr Timothy Dean, Fr Patrick Deegan, Fr Scott Deeley, Fr Richard Diala CM, Fr Paul Diaper, Fr Gary Dickson, Fr Charles Dilk CO, Fr Stephen Dingley, Fr Michael Docherty, Fr Charles Dornan, Fr Kevin Dow, Fr Jeffrey Downie, Fr Francis Doyle, Fr Marcin Drabik, Fr Gerry Drummond, Fr Tom Dubois, Fr John Duckett, Fr Richard Duffield CO, Fr Anthony Dukes, Fr Bruce Dutson, Fr Paul Dynan, Fr Philip Dyson, Fr James Earley, Fr Peter Edwards, Fr Robert Ehileme SMM, Fr Wilfrid Elkin, Fr Mark Elliot-Smith, Fr Joseph Etim, Fr Jude Eze, Fr Josaphat Ezenwa, Fr John Fairhurst SJ, Fr Ian Farrell, Fr Joseph Farrell, Fr Robert Farrell, Fr James Fasakin CSSp, Fr Prassad Fernando, Fr Christopher Findlay – Wilson, Fr Tim Finigan, Fr Kieran Fitzharris SVD, F. Gerald Flood, Fr John Fordham CO, Fr Andrew Forrest, Fr Thomas Forster, Fr Peter Fox, Fr William Fraser, Fr Patrick Gaffney CSSp, Fr Michael John Galbraith, Fr Andrew Gallagher, Fr Francis Gallagher, Fr Michael Gallagher, Fr Piotr Gardon SC, Fr John Gaul SCJ, Fr Guy de Gaynesford, Fr Vincent George CM, Fr Paul Gibbons, Fr Damien Gilhooley, Canon Leo Glancy, Fr Peter Glas, Fr Matthew Goddard FSSP, Fr Gonzalo Gonzales, Fr Maurice Gordon, Canon David Grant, Fr Brian Gray, Fr Andy Graydon, Fr Christopher Greaney, Fr John Greatbatch, Fr Julian Green, Fr Ian Grieves, Fr Nigel Griffin, Fr Philip J Griffin, Fr Tom Grufferty, Fr Jozef Gruszkiewicz, Fr Anton Guziel CO, Fr Bernard Hahesy, Fr Henryk Halman FDP, Fr John Hancock, Fr Neil Hannigan, Fr Francis Capener, Fr Stephen Hardaker, Fr Andrew Harding, Fr Benedict Hardy OSB, Fr David Hartley, Fr Raymond Hayne, Canon Brendan Healy, Fr Ian Hellyer, Fr John Hemer MHM, Fr Simon Henry, Fr Jonathan Hill, Fr Michael Ho-Huu-Nghia, Fr Marcus Holden, Fr Angelus Houle, Fr John Hunwicke, Fr Geoffrey Hurst, Fr David Hutton, Fr Patrick Hutton, Fr Raymond Hynes OFM, Fr Jude Iseorah SMM, Fr.Matthew Jakes, Fr Dylan James, Fr Slawomir Jedrych, Fr John Johnson, Fr Michael Jones, Fr Peter Jones, Fr Darryl Jordan, Fr Kevin Jordan, Fr Nicholas Kavanagh, Fr Brendan Kelly, Fr Daniel M Kelly, Fr John B Kelly, Fr Michael Kelly, Fr Peter Kelly, Fr Joseph Kendall, Fr Vincent Kennedy OFM, Fr John Kennedy, Fr Ian Ker, Fr Brendan Killeen, Fr Peter Kirkham, Monsignor David Kirkwood, Fr Krzysztof Kita, Fr Peter Knott SJ, Fr Vitalis Kondo, Fr Jaroslaw Konopko OFMCap, Fr Saji Matthew Koottakithayil MSFS, Fr Wojciech Kowalski SDS, Fr Douglas Lamb, Fr Michael Lang CO, Fr Julian Large CO, Fr John Laybourn, Fr Brian Leatherland, Fr.Paul Lester, Fr Nicholas Leviseur, Fr Jacob Lewis, Canon Michael Lewis, Fr Joseph Liang AA, Fr Gladstone Liddle, Fr Christopher Lindlar, Fr Denys Lloyd, Fr Laurie Locke, Canon Bernard Lordan, Fr Christopher Loughran, Fr Roy Lovatt, Fr Robbie Low, Fr Alexander Lucie Smith, Fr John Lungley, Canon Brendan MacCarthy, Canon John Angus MacDonald, Fr Stanislaus Maciuszek, Fr Hugh MacKenzie, Canon Peter Magee, Fr Brian O Mahony CSSP, Fr Kieran Mullarkey, Fr John Maloney, Fr Aleksander Marcharski, Fr Geoffrey Marlor, Fr Francis Marsden, Fr Bernard Marsh, Fr Terry Martin, Fr John Masshedar, Fr William Massie, Fr Michael Bateman, Fr Stephen Maughan, Fr Laurence Mayne, Fr Paul McAlinden, Fr James McAuley, Canon Anthony McBride, Monsignor Canon Kenneth McBride, Fr Ian McCarthy, Fr Derrick McCulloch, Fr John McCullough, Fr.David McDonald, Canon John McElroy, Fr John McFadden CSSP, Fr Terry McGarth MSFS, Fr Brian McGilloway, Fr Denis McGillycuddy, Fr Brendan McGuinness SDB, Fr Rupert McHardy CO, Canon Patrick McInally, Fr Bernard McInulty, Fr Michael McLaughlin, Fr William McMahon, Fr Martin McPake SVD, Fr Anthony Meredith SJ, Fr Stuart Meyer, Fr Nazarius Mgungwe, Fr Jan Milcz CSsR, Fr Philip Miller, Canon Paul Mitcheson, Fr Thomas Monaghan, Fr.Augustine Monaghan MHM, Monsignor Vaughan Morgan, Fr Richard Moroney, Fr Mark Morris, Fr Stephen Morrison OPraem, Fr Frederick Moss MHM, Fr Andrew Moss, Fr Deodat Msahala, Fr Clement M Mukuka, Fr Ted Mullen IC, Fr Ghislain B Mulumanzi, Fr John Mundackal, Fr Aidan Murray SDB, Monsignor Provost Cyril Murtagh, Fr Noel Bisibu N’Tungu, Fr Bijoy Chandra Nayak CMF, Fr James Neal, Fr Arthur Nearey, Fr Roger Nesbitt, Fr Peter Newsam, Fr Ponder Paulinus Ngilangwa SDS, Fr Guy Nicholls, Fr Aidan Nichols, Fr Julius Nkafu, Fr Peter Norris, Fr Bernardine Nsom, Canon Kevin O Connor, Fr Dominic O Conor, Fr Liam O Conor, Fr Patrick O Doherty, Fr Kevin O Donnell, Canon Vincent O Hara ODC, Fr Conleth O Hara CP, Fr Dominic O Hara, Fr Andrew O Sullivan, Fr Kevin O Toole, Fr Robert Ogbede CM, Fr Flavin Ohayerenwa CSSp, Fr Tobias Okoro, Fr Addison Opkeoh, Fr.Clement Orango MCCJ, Fr John Osman, Fr Arockia Mariadass Pagyasamy OCD, Fr Binu Palakapally IC, Fr David Palmer, Fr Fortunato Partisano, Fr John Pascoe, Fr Michael Patey, Fr Eoin Patten, Fr Sunny Paul, Fr Maurice Pearce, Fr Anthony Pellegrini, Fr Neil Peoples, Fr Leon Pereira OP, Fr David Phillips, Fr Terry Phipps, Fr.Andrew Pinsent, Fr Dawid Piot, Fr Anthony Plummer, Fr John Lawrence M. Polis FI, Fr Graham Preston, Fr James Preston, Fr Peter Preston SDS, Fr Robert Pytel, Fr Gerard Quinn, Fr Behruz Rafat, Fr N Ratu, Fr John Ravensdale, Fr David Rea, Monsignor Gordon Read, Monsignor Alex Rebello, Fr Charles Reddan SDS, Fr Alexander Redman, Fr Stephen Reynolds, Fr John Rice, Fr Graham Ricketts, Fr Jonathan Rollinson OSB, Fr George M Roth FI, Fr Andrew Rowlands, Canon Luiz Ruscillo, Fr Tadeusz Ruthowski, Fr Paschal Ryan, Fr Mario Sanderson, Fr John Saward, Fr Nicholas Schofield, Fr Alphege Stebbens OSB, Fr Francis Selman, Fr Jean Claude Selvini, Very Rev’d Fr Daniel Seward CO, Fr John Sharp, Fr Alexander Sherbrooke, Fr John Shewring, Fr Chris Silva, Fr William Simpson, Fr Bernard Sixtus, Fr Thomas Skeats OP, Fr Gerard Skinner, Fr John Smethurst, Fr Bernard Snelder MHM, Fr Pryemek Sobczak, Fr Edward Sopala, Fr Michael Spain OCD, Fr Roger Spencer, Fr.Simon Stamp, Fr Andrew Starkie, Fr Pawel Stebel, Fr Jeffrey Steel, Monsignor George Stokes, Fr Brian Storey, Monsignor Richard Stork, Fr Damian Sturdy OSB, Fr Shaun Swales, Fr Martin Sweeney MHM, Fr Mark Swires, Fr Roman Szczypa SDB, Fr Ryssard Taraszka, Fr Brian Taylor, Fr Christopher A Thomas, Fr Sean Thornton, Fr Matthew Thottathimyali, Fr Adrian Tomlinson, Fr Edward Tomlinson, Fr Dennis Touw, Fr Simon Treloar, Canon Harry Turner, Fr Andrew Undsworth, Fr John Vallomprayil SDS, Fr Edward van den Bergh CO, Fr Ian Vane, Fr Peter Vellacott, Fr Gregory Verissimo, Fr Mark Vickers, Fr Neil Vincent, Fr David Waller, Fr Gary Walsh, Fr John Walsh, Fr Joseph Walsh, Fr Patrick Walsh, Fr Victor Walter, Fr Edward Wanat SDS, Fr Peter Wareing CMF, Fr Ged Watkins, Fr Peter Wells, Fr Richard Whinder, Fr Henry Whisenant, Fr Joseph Whisstock, Fr.David J White, Fr Christopher Whitehouse, Fr William Wilby, Fr Bruno Witchalls, Fr Anthony Wood, Fr Jeffrey Woolnough, Fr William Wright OSB, Fr William R Young, Fr Lucjan Zaniewski OFMCap, Fr Richard Mary Zeng SDS, Fr Paul Zielinski, Fr Bartholomew Zubeveil CSSp The Crucifix over the main altar is veiled today. Think it over in amazement! Jesus is obliged to hide Himself when “humanity” ‘stones” ‘Divinity” (Gospel). The Jewish synagogue makes its final decision to ignore the miracles, the doctrine and the sinless of Christ, even though all these were prophesied in their own Old Testament. Due to stiff-necked pride and hard-hearted materialism, their part of the covenant had become a dead letter.
Jesus makes a terrifying analysis of them: “You are not of God.” In the Epistle St. Paul indicates how the High Priest of the Old Testament offered the blood sacrifices of victim goats , an offering which acknowledged that man deserves to be done away with for trying to do away with God by sinful rebellion. He now beholds the Altar of Calvary where Jesus, Eternal High Priest, sheds His Precious Blood to “cleanse our conscience” and “to serve the Living God.” Let us not “stone” Christ or cause Him to hide Himself. Today, Psalm Judica me and Gloria Patri after the Introit and Psalm at Lavabo are omitted. A Missa Cantata for Passion Sunday will take place at St Winefride's, Holywell today at 11.30am A Missa Cantata for the first Sunday in Passiontide
Passion Sunday will be celebrated at: St Winefride's Catholic Church Well Street Holywell Flinstshire CH8 7PL on Sunday 22nd March at 1130am All are very welcome (click postcode for map information) From the Vatican Information Service:
"Vatican City, 14 March 2015 – Yesterday, 13 March 2015, in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis declared the celebration of an extraordinary Holy year. The Jubilee announcement was made during the homily of the penitential celebration with which he opened the “24 Hours for the Lord” initiative. This “Jubilee of Mercy” will commence with the opening of the Holy Door in the Vatican Basilica on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, 8 December, and will conclude on November 20, 2016 with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. The papal Bull will be made public on Divine Mercy Sunday, 12 April, the Feast day instituted by St. John Paul II and celebrated on the Sunday after Easter." Hopefully 2016 will be a chance for us to reflect on the mercy as revealed in the Gospel, further revealed to St Faustina and explained in the teachings of Holy Mother Church and not a Kasperite version! Jesus then took the loaves and...distributed them to those reclining...as much as they wished” (Gospel). We all “wish” to be fed with joy, now and forever. The discipline of Lent may sadden our poor frail nature, and so the Church analyses the causes of true joy on this “Rejoice” or Laetare Sunday (Introit). The first cause of genuine “joy” is a sincere Easter Confession. It emancipates us from the slavery of sin. We now enjoy the “freedom” of Christ’s Gospel of love because we have been freed from the “bondage” of that fear which prevailed in the days before Christ (Epistle). The second source of genuine “joy” is a fruitful Easter Communion for which preparation and thanksgiving have been made. The soul’s instinctive hunger is satisfied by this personal communing with God. The Host and Chalice of the Blessed Sacrament are open to all men regardless of race or nationality. Humanity fed with Divinity is joyously united in a real social and mystical union. Men will then ideally work for one another in “a city which is compact together” (Communion Verse). How did the custom of rose coloured vestments become established in the Church? It goes back to the IV Century when the Roman Empress, wife of Constantine the Great, St. Helena, presented roses of pure gold to the heads of allied countries and important persons which were especially blessed by the Pope on this day. This became known as the Sunday of the Roses. Thus, the custom arose of wearing rose colored vestments was extended to the whole Church although the custom of giving golden roses died out. Today on the Wirral, not so many miles away, His Eminence Cardinal Burke celebrated Low Mass at the Dome of Home, New Brighton. It was a good attendance at Mass who witnessed a beautiful liturgy as one would expect from the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.
I brought two people up from Chester to the Mass. One has experienced the Traditional Mass a few times. The other is less known to me but wanted to join us. What I did know of her made me (wrongly) assume that 'the Latin Mass' would not be 'her cup of tea'. After Mass and enjoying the lovely social (well done to those who organised it), we drove down the M53 discussing the grace filled day as we headed home. It was then I realised that I had got her all wrong (mea culpa), I was so pleased to be proved wrong I thought I would blog what she said (see above). She is quite involved in her local parish, so I don't think she will be a regular at New Brighton. I have told her how she can access the Traditional Mass. But the fact remains. How many Catholics like this lady sit in their parishes, week in week out, perhaps not realising what they have been missing all these years! For me, it confirms that The Latin Mass Society still has a role today 50 years on from its foundation. Help us to promote the sacred liturgy. Join us here and/or become an Anniversary Supporter here. When Jesus cast out the devil, the dumb man spoke. However, some people muttered, “By Beelzebub, the prince of devils, He casts out devils.” (Gospel). In ancient times, on this day candidates were examined in preparation for Baptism on Holy Saturday. The first effect of Baptism is to free the soul from the power of the devil. The “house” of which Jesus speaks, is the human soul before His coming, degraded by idolatry, by sensuality, under the tyranny of the evil spirit.
Mary is a symbol of our Baptism for she gives birth to us as members of the Mystical Body of her Christ. Moreover, like her, “blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it” (Gospel). These baptismal duties of “death to sin” and “life in God” (Epistle) are meant to gladden, not to oppress the human heart (Offertory), intended by God for Divine possession (Communion Verse), safe from diabolical obsession. Although not commemorated in the 1962 rubrics of the Mass, today, is Feast of St. John of God, born in Portugal at end of XV Century, who reformed at age 40, sold all he owned and devoted himself to the sick and the poor, eventually founding an order now known as Brothers of St. John of God. He is Patron of those sick and those whowork in hospitals. His name is inscribed in the Litany of the Dying. A reminder that His Eminence, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke is in the Chester and Wirral next weekend.
At 7pm on Friday 6th March, the Cardinal, patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, will speak on 'Remaining in the truth of Christ on holy matrimony' at The Abbey Suite, Doubletree by Hilton Hotel (I still remember it as Hoole Hall!) Warrington Road, Chester, CH2 3PD. On Saturday, he addresses the SPUC Youth Conference at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Southport. Finally, on Sunday 8th March, he will celebrate Pontifical Low Mass with Motets at the Dome of Home, Ss Peter and Paul and St Philomena, Atherton Street, New Brighton. Mass will begin at 1030am and I understand some refreshments will follow Mass. The earliest life of St David dates from five centuries after his death, probably in 589. He became eminent as abbot and bishop at the site now known as St David’s, but formerly Mynyw, from which the present diocese of Menevia is named. He is credited with a monastic rule based on the example of the Eastern Fathers, and also with a Penitentiary. He was invited to preside at the synod of Llandewibrefi. Monks trained at his monastery evangelized South Wales and made foundations in Cornwall, Brittany and Ireland. St David is said to have sent a Mass rite to Ireland. At his death his contemporary St Kentigern, founder of St Asaph’s in North Wales, witnessed in vision his joyful entrance into the joy of his Lord. His holy relics have been found hidden in the fabric of St David’s Cathedral, where they are carefully preserved. He was canonized by Pope Callistus II in 1123. PRAYER TO ST DAVID
The First Meditation for the Second Sunday of Lent
Divine Intimacy, Father Gabriel of St Mary Magdalen, O.C.D. The soul of Jesus, personally united to the Eternal Word (cf., Jn 1.1), enjoyed the Beatific Vision, which has as its connatural effect the glorification of the body. But this effect was impeded by Jesus Himself, who during the years of His life on earth, wanted to resemble us as much as possible by appearing “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom 8.3). However, in order to confirm the faith of the Apostles who were shaken by the announcement of the Passion, Jesus permitted some rays from His blessed soul to shine forth for a few brief instants on Thabor, when the Apostles saw Him transfigured. The three were enraptured by it, and yet Jesus had revealed to them only one ray of His glory, for no human creature could have borne the complete vision here on earth. Glory is the fruit of grace: the grace possessed by Jesus in an infinite degree is reflected in an infinite glory transfiguring Him entirely. Something similar happens to us: grace will transform us from glory to glory (2 Cor 3.18), until one day it will bring us to the Beatific Vision of God in heaven. But while grace transfigures, sin, on the other hand, darkens and disfigures whoever becomes its victim. The Divine Master teaches His disciples in this way that it was impossible – for Him as well as for them – to reach the glory of the Transfiguration without passing through suffering. It was the same lesson that He would give later to the two disciples at Emmaus: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into His glory? (Lk 24.26). What has been disfigured by sin cannot regain its original supernatural beauty except by way of purifying suffering. |
Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Francisco: Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui facis mirabilia magna solus: praetende super famulos tuos, et super congregationes illis commissas, spiritum gratiae salutaris; et, ut in veritate tibi complaceant, perpetuum eis rorem tuae benedictionis infunde.
Any views expressed neither represent those of the Latin Mass Society or the Diocese of Wrexham.
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