Blog Archives - THE LATIN MASS SOCIETY IN WREXHAM

Benedícta sit sancta Trínitas atque indivísa

30/5/2015

Blesssed be the Holy Trinity and undivided Unity: we will give glory to Him, because He has shown His mercy to us! (Introit [Tob 12:6] Trinity Sunday)

The Most Adorable Trinity! "All things" good in nature or grace flow fromand return to the Trinity; "from Him," God the Father, our Creator; "by Him," God the Son, our Redeemer; "in Him," God the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier (Epistle).

At our Baptism the entire Trinity takes possession of our entire being (Gospel); hence our lifelong necessity of practical true faith in the presence of the Trinity in our souls, as our defense against "all misfortunes" (Prayer); the necessity of being ever conscious in our prayers that we are the adopted "sons of the Father," "co-heirs with Christ," and "temples of the Holy Ghost"; the necessity of shunning mortal sin, which automatically exiles the Trinity from our souls.

The offering of the Mass to the Trinity (Introit, Offertory) makes the offering of our lives (Secret, Communion) acceptable and pleasing. This offering of the Mass and of ourselves brings Divine help to body and soul (Postcommunion).

NOTES ON THE HOLY TRINITY:

The dogma of the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost is contained throughout the liturgy. Sunday is the special day of the Trinity. God the Father created the world on the first day of the week. God the Son rose from the dead on a Sunday morning. The Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday.

Since 1334 the feast day has replaced the proper Mass of the I Sunday After Pentecost. It was formerly used as the Mass for the ordinations of priests on the evening of the Ember Saturday which was formerly done as a vigil. The displaced Mass is said on days having no feasts, if any, during the coming week, but sadly is otherwise is almost forgotten but should be heard on Tuesday and Wednesday as these are 'Feria' days in 2015.

Ireland ‘defied God’ by voting for gay ‘marriage’: Cardinal Burke

28/5/2015

From Life Site ....

Cardinal Raymond Burke lamented how formerly Catholic Ireland has gone further than the pagans in the pre-Christian days of old and “defied God” by calling homosexual behavior “marriage” in the referendum last week.

“I mean, this is a defiance of God. It’s just incredible. Pagans may have tolerated homosexual behaviours, they never dared to say this was marriage,” he told the Newman Society, Oxford University’s Catholic organization, in an address Wednesday about the intellectual heritage of Pope Benedict XVI. The Tablet, Britain’s liberal Catholic newspaper, reported his remarks.

On Friday, 1.2 million Irish people voted to amend the country’s constitution to say: “Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex.” A little over 734,000 people voted against the proposal.

Burke said that he could not understand “any nation redefining marriage.”

The cardinal also emphasized the important role that parents play in protecting their children in a culture increasingly hostile to God’s laws. “The culture is thoroughly corrupted, if I may say so, and the children are being exposed to this, especially through the internet,” he said. One practical piece of advice that he offered families was to put computers in public areas to prevent children from “imbib[ing] this poison that’s out there.”

During the same Oxford visit, but during a homily at a Mass the day before, Burke called marriage between a man and woman a “fundamental truth” that has been “ignored, defied, and violated.”

Burke warned during the homily of the dangers of “various ideological currents” and of “human deception and trickery which strives to lead us into error.”

Pentecost

23/5/2015

By the descent of the Holy Ghost the Christian Church is born today. As a little group making its first public appearance (Epistle) amongst circumstances more fully described in the Acts of the Apostles, all were preparing “in prayer” with Mary.

Secondly, they were “all of one mind” under the leadership of Peter, thereby indicating the true marks of the Christian Church: Holiness in Jesus through Mary; unity, catholicity, apostolicity through reverence for the Pope, successor of Peter and Vicar of Christ. The Gospel reveals how “We,” the Trinity, “will come” to the individual soul.

The Omnipotence of God the Father is made manifest in our creation. The Wisdom of God the Son is made manifest in our redemption. The Love of God the Spirit is made manifest in our sanctification. In the Offertory we ask God to confirm this work done in our soul on the day of our Baptism and Confirmation. We pray also to “relish” things of the Spirit (Prayer) and to benefit by His “consolation’ in the struggle of Church and soul against the “spirit” or the “prince of this world.”

Mass for Pentecost Sunday

19/5/2015

Sunday after the Ascension

16/5/2015

This Sunday's Mass recalls the First Novena, commanded by Christ Himself from the Ascension to Pentecost in preparation for the coming of the Holy Ghost, Who was to give birth to the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, with Mother Mary present. The Introit presents the Apostles' Novena prayer and ours too. The Gospel describes how to be such a witness, interiorly to "watch in prayers," exteriorly by "mutual charity among yourselves."

In the Prayer we plead for grace to be "sincere" witnesses not in words but works. For this we offer this sacrifice (Secret) to cleanse us of past disloyalties and strengthen us for future testimony.

Though not commemorated in the 1960 rubrics, this Sunday is Feast of St. Paschal Baylon C., born in Spain, who had a special power to control evil spirits. Perhaps St. Paschal is working overtime these days! St. Paschal - pray for us!

The season of Ascension is very short. In the Office, the Versicle of the Nocturn varies with the day. Masses with no particular Preface use that of Ascension. Readings emphasize the Ascension Season. Sadly, the Octave of Ascension was abolished prior to changes of 1960, but it still lives on via popular devotion in the Novena to the Holy Ghost.

The Confiteor

15/5/2015

Holy Church here makes use of the formula of confession, which she has drawn up; it probably dates from the 8th century. We are not allowed to make the slightest change in the words. It has this prerogative, in common with all the other Sacramentals, that its recitation produces the forgiveness of venial sins, provided we be contrite for them. Thus it is, that God, in His Infinite Goodness, has provided us with other means, over and above the Sacrament of Penance, whereby we may be cleansed from our venial sins: He, for this end, inspired His Church to give us her Sacramentals.

The Priest, as we were saying, begins the Confession; and, first of all, he accuses himself to God. But, he is not satisfied with that; he as good as says: "I not only desire to confess my sins to God, but to all the Saints; in order that they may join their prayers with mine, and obtain pardon for me." Therefore, he immediately adds: "I confess to the Blessed Mary ever Virgin." Not that he has ever committed any offence against this holy Mother; but he has sinned in her sight; and the very thought of it urges him to make his sins known to Her also. He does the same to the glorious St. Michael, the great Archangel, who is appointed to watch over our souls, especially at the hour of death. In like manner, he confesses to St. John the Baptist, who was so dear to our Lord, and was His precursor. Lastly, he desires to own his sins to Saints Peter and Paul, the two Princes of the Apostles. Certain Religious Orders have permission to add the name of their Patriarch or Founder. Thus, the Benedictines insert the name of St. Benedict; the Dominicans, St Dominic; the Franciscans, St. Francis.

After mentioning these and all the Saints, he would have even the Faithful, who are present, know that he is a sinner; and he therefore says to them: And to you, Brethren! because, as he is now humbling himself on account of his sins, he not only accuses himself before those who are glorified in God, but moreover, before those his fellow-mortals who are there visibly present, near the sanctuary. And not satisfied with declaring himself to be a sinner, he adds in what way he has sinned; and confesses, that it is by all the three ways wherein men commit sin, namely, by thought, word, and deed: cogitatione, verba, et opere. Then wishing to express that he has thus sinned and through his own free will, he utters these words: Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. And, that he may, like the publican of the Gospel, outwardly testify his inward repentance, he thrice strikes his breast, whilst saying those words.

Conscious of the need he has of pardon, he once more turns towards Mary and all the Saints, as likewise to the Faithful who are present, begging that they will all pray for him. In reference to this formula of Confession, which has been established by our holy Mother the Church, it may be well to remind our readers that it would, of itself, suffice for one who was in danger of death, and unable to make a more explicit Confession.

The Ministers answer the Priest by wishing him the grace of God's mercy; they express their wish under the form of prayer, during which he, the Priest, remains bowed down, and answers: Amen. But, the Ministers themselves stand in need of God's pardon; and, therefore, they repeat the same formula as the Priest, for the confession of their sins; only, instead of saying: Et vobis, fratres, and to you, Brethren, they address the Priest, and call him Father: Et tibi, Pater.

It is never allowable to change anything which Holy Church has prescribed for the celebration of the Mass. Hence, in the Confiteor, the Ministers must always use the simple words: Et tibi, Pater, Et te, Pater, they must add no further title, not even were they serving the Pope's Mass.

As soon as the Ministers have finished the Confession formula, the Priest says the same prayer for them, as they had previously made for him; and they, also, respond to it by an Amen. A sort of blessing then follows: Indulgentiam ... whereby the Priest asks, both for himself and his brethren, pardon and forgiveness of their sins; he makes the sign of the Cross, and uses the word nobis and not vobis, for he puts himself on an equality with his Ministers, and takes his share in the prayer that is said for all.

The above excerpt, on the Confiteor, is taken from Explanation of the Prayers and Ceremonies of Holy Mass by Dom Prosper Gueranger, Abbot of Solesmes, France, from 1837 until his death in 1875. He wrote extensively on spiritual matters, especially the Mass, and is credited with the revival of the Benedictine Order and the restoration of the Mass in France following the upheaval wrought by the French Revolution.

In Search of Christendom – The Chartres Pilgrimage

10/5/2015

Stefano Mazzeo, a committee member of the Latin Mass Society and our recently appointed local representative for the Wirral is also a television producer, crafting quality Catholic programmes for the Eternal World Television Network [EWTN].

Over the past few years, Stefano and his production partners have made a number of programmes giving clarity to The Crusades and to Catholicism in Wales (Wales – The Golden Thread of Faith). He calls these most informative documentaries, The Christendom Project.

All have a modest pinch of Traditionalism in their production values and the finished article is always, in my humble opinion, free from any questionable diversion from True (yes, with a capital T!) Catholic teaching and understanding.

The latest in the series is a 30 minute documentary entitled In Search of Christendom – The Chartres Pilgrimage.

Of course, you will be aware that the Pilgrimage, which originated in the 12th century, takes place every year in France. A three-day walk from Notre-Dame de Paris to Notre-Dame de Chartres, approximately 70 miles south west of the French capital.

It starts early on the Saturday morning before Pentecost Sunday when thousands of Catholics gather at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris for a Traditional Latin Mass.

Pilgrims are grouped into 20-60 people who are referred to as ‘chapters’, each with at least one Chaplain. The walk starts through the streets of Paris, and then into the countryside. The variable terrain is challenging, but with the help of God, the demanding walk offers the rewards of many graces.

In Search of Christendom – The Chartres Pilgrimage clearly shows that it is young people, committed to their faith and further more to its manifestation in the Traditional form, who make up the many who journey from all over Europe, some as far afield as the USA and the Middle East to take part.

Sadly, in these days of a highly secularized Western Europe, many young people have either failed to find the Gospel or have turned their back on their faith.

In Search of Christendom – The Chartres Pilgrimage provides clear evidence that there is great hope. Through the interviews conducted with some of those making the pilgrimage, it will become apparent to the viewer, that there are still many young people who cherish their faith and crave orthodox Catholic values.

Full UK broadcast dates and times are Sunday 24th May at 3.30pm and Monday 25th May at 2am, 8.20am and 9pm.

V Sunday after Easter

9/5/2015

This Sunday's Mass introduces the theme of Petition.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week are known as Rogation, or Petition Days, asking Christ's blessing upon Springtime planting, in the fields and in our souls, before He ascends into Heaven that he might become our advocate with the Father.

In the Gospel Jesus shows the necessity of prayer, how we should pray "in His Name," yet as we pray we should ask only for those things that keep us on the Christian road where Jesus points to His and our sign post, "I go to the Father."

The Epistle warns us against the dangerous detour of false prayer since man's religion is vain unless he be a "doer" and not a "hearer" only. "Religion clean and undefiled" is the interior life of keeping "unspotted" and the social life of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy to all "in their tribulation."

Although not commemorated in the Mass due to the Sunday precedence, today, is feast of St. Antoninus, a Dominican, later Archbishop of Florence, known for his sanctity and priestly zeal. He passed away in 1459.

IV Sunday after Easter

3/5/2015

In this Mass is set forth the theme of "justice," interior and social.

Notice its frequent mention in the principal parts. For the realisation of this "justice" (Gospel), Jesus tells us it is necessary for the Divine Spirit to enter into human affairs against "the prince of this world" to "convince it of justice."

Hence, the Introit bids us sing a "new" canticle for God "hath revealed His 'justice'." The Prayer evidently referring to social justice, makes us realize that only God can "make all of one will."

The Epistle and Offertory extol the gifts of interior justice that come from the Father.

One verse of the Gospel intimates how grieved was Jesus when none asked Him, "Whither goest Thou?" The world cares not, but it is essential that he go and ask the Spirit to come for the sake of

"justice." Otherwise, we shall be left to the fate of our own injustice.

Until the changes of 1960, May 3rd was also associated with the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross, the Feast which commemorated the recovery of the Holy Cross by Heraclius following his defeat of the Persians in 628. Somehow, the Feast was turned around and came to commemorate the Finding of the Holy Cross by St. Helena, Mother of Emperor Constantine.

At beginning of the II Century, Emperor Hadrian had Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre covered over and erected statues of Jupiter and a Temple of Venus. St. Helena excavated the area and found the Holy Cross. Emperor Constantine built Basilica on Calvary and at the Holy Sepulchre, both of which were consecrated in 325. St. Alexander I P., Eventius and Theodulus Mm. and St. Juvenal E. C. are commemorated in the Mass.

Pope Alexander’s name is inscribed in the Canon and was Holy Father from 110 to 119. SS Eventius and Theodulus were Roman martyrs of the same period. St. Juvenal was Bishop of Narni who died in 377.

LMS makes donation to Holywell window restoration

2/5/2015

The Latin Mass Society has held Masses at St Winefride's, Holywell for some considerable time.

The monthly Sung Mass, these days said by Father Doyle, was commenced back in the days when the late Edmund Waddlelove was the Local Representative, probably 20 years ago.

30 years ago and Edmund was also instrumental in the organisation of the annual pilgrimage each July. This year it is on the 5th July and details can be seen below.

Therefore, the Society has a long association with this special place, the location of the only Shrine in the England and Wales not to be destroyed in the reformation years.

Thanks to kind permission of the Parish Priest, Father Akkara of the Society of Divine Vocations, this tradition continues and we are welcomed each month and we pray it continues as the Society is very fond of Holywell and the Catholic heritage associated with the town.

So, with that fondness in mind, we were very sad to learn that just prior to Easter, the stain glass window depicting St Patrick had become very unstable and began to collapse out of its frame. The window was made safe but it is the aim of the parish to make a full repair.

I understand that the work will cost £14,000 and in these days of shrinking Mass numbers and the knock on effect on the offertory plate, there is no ready availability of such funds and so the parish is working hard to raise the money.

It is right and proper that the LMS make a donation to this special church and therefore I am delighted to confirm that we have made such a donation of £500 towards the restoration fund.

Please God, we certainly hope that this beautiful window, in this special church can once again delight worshippers and pilgrims as they delight in wonders of Holywell and St Winefride's.

[Update: The actual window, which has collapsed has been repaired and is ready to be re-installed, this of course doesn't mean all the money has been raised!]