Today’s Mass, and especially the Epistle, offers us a splendid model of cooperation with grace. It is St. Paul, the Apostle, who in his humility calls himself “the least of the Apostles,” who says most sincerely: “By the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace in me hath not been void.” St. Paul realizes that, if he became an Apostle, instead of the persecutor which he had been, it was not because of his own merits, but solely by the grace of God; he attributes nothing to himself, but all to God. At the same time, he is conscious of his personal correspondence, the correspondence which is always the fruit of grace, but which also includes, as an indispensable element, our free adherence to it. Consequently, we must have an attitude of profound humility as the basis of our correspondence to grace that is, we must clearly realize that whatever good is in us is due only to God. This attitude of humility must be accompanied by a voluntary, continual assent of our will to God’s invitations. We cannot give this assent without the help of grace, and yet it depends on us; it is entirely in our hands. Therefore, like St. Paul, we can attribute nothing to our own merits, but should say with him, “By the grace of God, I am what I am.” Our willing adhesion to grace, however, will give us the right to add, “and His grace in me hath not been void.” But only steady, faithful, generous adhesion will give us that right.
The healing of the deaf-mute, as narrated in today's Gospel (Mark 7: 31 — 37) is a figure of baptismal grace. We, too, were once taken before Jesus in a condition similar to that of the poor man in Galilee. We were deaf and dumb in the life of the spirit, and Jesus, in the person of the priest, welcomed us lovingly at the baptismal font. The priest made the same gesture over us and said the same word, as did the divine Master in the Gospel "Ephpheta," "Be thou opened!" From that moment the hearing of our soul was opened to faith and our tongue was loosed to give praise to God. We were enabled to listen to the voice of faith — to the exterior voice of the teaching Church and to the interior voice of the Holy Spirit, urging us to do good; from that moment, we could open our lips in prayer in praise, adoration, and petition. But later the noise of the world deafened and distracted us; likewise, the tumult of our passions deadened our capacity to listen to the voice of God. Then, too, idle conversations about worldly things and great anxiety over various events in our life have left us unable to pray sincerely and earnestly. But Jesus wishes to renew the grace of our Baptism today and to repeat the all-powerful word "Ephpheta." How greatly we need Him to reopen our ears to His voice and to make us more attentive and sensitive to His call! "In the morning He wakeneth my ear that I may hear Him as a master; I do not resist, I have not gone back, "says Isaias (50: 4 — 5). This is the grace we must ask of Our Lord today, that we may not only hear His voice, but may follow it, without resistance. The more faithfully we follow it, the more sensitive we shall become to its slightest whisper. At the same time let us ask for the grace of always being ready to give praise to the Lord, to call upon His mercy, to ask His pardon humbly, accusing ourselves of our faults sincerely and with sorrow.Those who were present when Jesus performed this miracle wondered at it, saying, "He hath done all things well; He hath made both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak". Certainly, Jesus has done all things well; He has arranged everything in the best way possible for our sanctification. He has prepared for us all the graces we need, and not only in sufficient measure, but even superabundantly. Unfortunately, however, we do not always co-operate with His grace; many times pride, egoism, and all our other uncontrolled passions turn to evil what God has planned for our good. If we had accepted lovingly and with resignation that difficulty, that trial, or disappointment which God had permitted for the sole purpose of providing us with an opportunity to practice virtue, we should have made great progress; but by giving way to impatience, by protesting and complaining, we rather added to our failures and infidelities. We should co-operate with grace more readily and strive to maintain our soul in an attitude of open docility to all the invitations to virtue which God is continually sending us by means of the different circumstances of life.
Today’s Mass, and especially the Epistle, offers us a splendid model of cooperation with grace. It is St. Paul, the Apostle, who in his humility calls himself “the least of the Apostles,” who says most sincerely: “By the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace in me hath not been void.” St. Paul realizes that, if he became an Apostle, instead of the persecutor which he had been, it was not because of his own merits, but solely by the grace of God; he attributes nothing to himself, but all to God. At the same time, he is conscious of his personal correspondence, the correspondence which is always the fruit of grace, but which also includes, as an indispensable element, our free adherence to it. Consequently, we must have an attitude of profound humility as the basis of our correspondence to grace that is, we must clearly realize that whatever good is in us is due only to God. This attitude of humility must be accompanied by a voluntary, continual assent of our will to God’s invitations. We cannot give this assent without the help of grace, and yet it depends on us; it is entirely in our hands. Therefore, like St. Paul, we can attribute nothing to our own merits, but should say with him, “By the grace of God, I am what I am.” Our willing adhesion to grace, however, will give us the right to add, “and His grace in me hath not been void.” But only steady, faithful, generous adhesion will give us that right.
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It has been necessary to move the Morning Mass at Pantasaph this Friday to 9.30am, it was originally listed for 11.30am.
All other Mass times remain unchanged. 58 years ago during his ordination Mass, Father Jacques Hamel will have listened with great anticipation to the Litaniæ Sanctorum being sung in beautiful Gregorian Chant. In the Litaniæ we implore upon the Saints from our earthly place to pray for us. Well this evening, Father Hamel will surely be feasting with the Saints in the peace of the Eternal kingdom. May he rest in that Eternal peace.
Matthew 24:13
John Plessington was born at Dimples Hall, near Garstang, Lancashire in 1637, the son of Robert Plessington and Alice Rawstone, into a family at odds with the authorities for both their religious and political beliefs. Educated by Jesuits at Scarisbrick Hall, at Saint Omer’s in France, and then at the College of Saint Alban at Valladolid, Spain, he was ordained in Segovia on 25 March 1662. He returned to England in 1663 ministering to Catholics in the areas of Holywell and Cheshire, often hiding under the name William Scarisbrick. He was also tutor at Puddington Hall near Chester. Upon arrest in Chester during the Popish Plot scare caused by Titus Oates, he was imprisoned for two months, and then hanged, drawn and quartered for the crime of being a Catholic priest. His speech from the scaffold at Gallow’s Hill in Boughton, Cheshire was printed and distributed: He said: “I know it will be said that a priest ordayned by authority derived from the See of Rome is, by the Law of the Nation, to die as a Traytor, but if that be so what must become of all the Clergymen of the Church of England, for the first Church of England Bishops had their Ordination from those of the Church of Rome, or not at all, as appears by their own writers so that Ordination comes derivatively from those now living.” He was martyred in 1679. He was beatified in 1929 by Pope Pius XI, and canonised as one of the Forty Martyrs on 25 October 1970 by Pope Paul VI.
Of local interest is that St John had served at Holywell as Parish Priest, the location of our fourth Sunday Mass and additionally an annual LMS Pilgrimage. So, I thought it well worth publicising a Rosary Pilgrimage to the location of his martyrdom this coming Wednesday (27th July) - organised by the folk at Ss Peter & Paul and St Philomena (the Dome of Home) in New Brighton. Pilgrims will leave The Dome of Home at 12.30pm and will meet at St Francis Capuchin Friary, Chester at 1pm opposite the site where St John was tried. They will then follow the route he was dragged to his death for our Catholic faith and the Rosary will be said at the site of his execution, which is now known as Barrel Well Hill. For more information or if you would like a lift from the Dome of Home please telephone 07743235046. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered at St David’s, Franciscan Friary, Monastery Road, PANTASAPH, CH8 8PE for the X Sunday after Pentecost Sunday 24th July 2016 at 5.30pm [1] In the texts of today’s Mass, the liturgy sketches the features of the Christian soul in its fundamental lines. First St. Paul shows us in the Epistle a soul vivified by the Holy Spirit, who diffuses His gifts in it. The Apostle mentions charismatic gifts, that is, those special graces, such as the gift of tongues, of knowledge, of miracles, bestowed by the Holy Spirit with great generosity upon the primitive Church. Although these are very precious gifts, they are inferior to sanctifying grace and charity, which alone give super natural life to the soul. Whereas charismatic gifts may or may not accompany sanctifying grace, they neither increase nor decrease its intensity thereby. St. Thomas notes that while grace and charity sanctify the soul and unite it to God, these miraculous gifts, on the contrary, are ordered for the good of another and can subsist even in one who is not in the state of grace. St. Paul also - and in the same letter from which the passage in today’s Mass is taken — after enumerating all these extraordinary gifts, concludes with his famous words: “... all this, without charity, is nothing.” Charity is always the “central” virtue, the fundamental characteristic of the Christian soul, and is also the greatest gift the Holy Spirit can give us. If the divine Paraclete did not vivify our soul by charity and grace, no one, not even the most virtuous, could perform the slightest act of supernatural value. “No man can say the Lord Jesus but by the Holy Ghost,” the Apostle says. Just as a tree cannot bring forth fruit if it is deprived of its life - giving sap, so the soul which is not vivified by the Holy Spirit cannot perform acts of super natural value. Note once again the great importance of grace and charity; the smallest degree of them is worth more than all the extraordinary gifts which, although they can dispose souls to good, can neither infuse nor increase divine life in us.
[2] The Gospel presents us with another fundamental characteristic of the Christian soul: humility. Charity, it is true, is superior to it because it gives us divine life; yet, humility is of great importance because it is the virtue which clears the ground to make room for grace and charity. Jesus gives us a vivid and concrete example of this truth in today’s parable of the Pharisee and the publican. The Gospel tells us explicitly that Jesus was speaking to some who “trusted in themselves as just and despised others.” The Pharisee is the prototype, the perfect representative of this group. See him! how convinced of his justice, how puffed up by his own merits: I am neither a thief nor an adulterer, I fast and pay tithes. What more can one expect? But this proud man does not see that he lacks the greatest of all things, charity, so much so that he inveighs against others, accuses and condemns them: “I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican.” Having no charity for his neighbour, he cannot have charity toward God. In fact, having gone into the Temple to pray, he is in capable of making the least little act of love or adoration, and instead of praising God for His blessings, he does nothing but praise himself. This man is really unable to pray because he has no charity, and he cannot have any because he is full of pride. “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” Therefore, the Pharisee returns home condemned, not so much by God who always loves to show mercy, as by his own pride which impedes the work of mercy in him. The attitude of the publican is entirely different. He is a poor man who knows he has sinned, and he is aware of his moral wretchedness. He does not possess charity either, because sin is an obstacle to it, but he is humble, very humble, and he trusts in the mercy of God. “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” And God who loves to bend down to the humble, justifies him at that very moment; his humility has drawn down upon him the grace of the Most High. St. Augustine has said: “God prefers humility in things that are done badly, rather than pride in those which are done well!” We are not justified by our virtues and our good works, but by grace a n d charity , which the Holy Spirit diffuse sin our hearts, according as He wills,” yes, but always in proportion to our humility. Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, Divine Intimacy
As is usual, during the final week of July, we welcome both the St Catherine's Trust Summer School and the Latin Mass Society Latin Course to Pantasaph.
One of the benefits of having these events in the Diocese is that for the whole week, there will be Mass in the Traditional Roman Rite available at the Friary. The schedule is posted below:
Please do come along to Mass if you can, everyone is most welcome.
Additionally, Sung Compline takes place each evening. This is usually at about 9pm. On the 18th July 1988, the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter was founded by 12 priests in Switzerland. 28 years later and the Fraternity now numbers 415, including 275 priests and 140 seminarians.
Ad multos annos! This Sunday's Mass emphasises the theme that the great lesson of history is that men do not profit by its lessons.
The Epistle describes the history of the many evils that befell the ancient Jew after his rejection of the True God and his worship of the flesh. At the same time it comforts us that there is a distinction between temptation and sin, and that temptation is only the test of character, for "God is my helper" (Introit), Who will "save the humble people" (Offertory) that "hopeth in Him" (Communion). The Gospel depicts a pathetic picture of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. "If thou hadst known." It tells of the Jews" defilement of God's house, of their future destruction as a chosen race. We must learn from the Epistle which was "written for our correction." If our prayers deserve to be heard, we must learn to "ask only for those things pleasing to God" (Prayer). We must be Christians of lively faith and learn to see "His Name in the whole earth" (Gradual); praying Him to defend us from enemies that would destroy His Name on earth or His image in our soul. Finally, if we learn to "eat" His Flesh worthily now (Communion), we shall one day learn that His Judgments are sweet (Offertory). Today is Feast of St. Alexis C. of the IV Century who gave up a life of ease in the family home. Giving up all, St. Alexis, who practiced the most severe mortification, disguised himself and returned as a servant in the home of his Father, living under the porch. A church on the Aventine Way is dedicated to St. Alexis. Although St. Alexis is not commemorated under the 1962 rubrics of the Mass, pray to him for strength to give up a bit of the good life and make reparation for sin The LMS has appointed Tom Quinn as Managing Editor of Mass of Ages magazine. Based in London, Tom comes to his new role with many years’ experience behind him as an editor, photographer and writer. He has worked on magazines covering a variety of subjects, as well as contributing to mainstream newspapers. With this wealth of experience, and being a Catholic who has knowledge and enormous sympathy for traditional practices, he is suitably qualified to build on the very successful work done by Dylan Parry, our outgoing Managing Editor. Dylan leaves us to test a vocation to the Religious Life. The next edition of Mass of Ages, due out in August, will be his last and we take this opportunity to thank Dylan for his work in making Mass of Ages appeal to an ever-increasing readership and assure him of our prayers. Joseph Shaw, Chairman of the Latin Mass Society, said, 'The Society is very grateful to Dylan for his work on the magazine, and we assure him of our prayers for his novitiate. We are very fortunate to have found such an experienced and highly skilled replacement in Tom Quinn, and look forward to working with him.' Nice Je prie le Christ, Prêtre éternel, de leur donner en héritage la récompense éternelle en les accueillant dans la
gloire de son Royaume. There was question asked at the AGM last Saturday about the growth/availability of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. The gentleman posing the question wanted to know if availability of the Mass had, in the view of the committee, grown or remained static. I spoke with the same man at the lunch recess and expanded on the answer provided by the Chairman. I advocated a number of reasons that the Mass thrives in some places but really struggles in others. The Society makes every effort it can to make the Mass happen, either at a local level such as support for parish Masses each Sunday or by organising various pilgrimages with more elaborate liturgy and often with prelates of note celebrating. These larger events are often quite financially demanding and that is why I urge you to support the LMS either by joining or donating. Click on the buttons below to help us continue our work, Another way that the LMS can grow the Mass is by closing the gaps in our network of Local Representatives. We are currently carrying a number of vacancies and I would encourage anyone who feels they can help to get in touch.
The Latin Mass Society exists to promote the Church's traditional liturgy: the Extraordinary Form (EF) of Mass or Vetus Ordo. Our network of Reps are the backbone of our organisation, doing our work on the ground all over England and Wales. The Rep's task can take a range of forms according to local circumstances. At a minimum he or she keeps in touch with priests in the area who are saying the EF, keeps the LMS office informed each quarter of forthcoming Masses, writes a short report for our magazine Mass of Ages, and keeps local members informed of what is happening. The Rep should also be as available as possible to offer practical assistance to priests who want to start saying the EF, or to expand what they are doing in this respect. This may simply be a matter of putting the priest in touch with priests who can offer training or advice, or local servers and singers, referring him to the office for more specialised advice, and making available vestments and other items belonging to the LMS which are needed and are available. Where appropriate, many Reps organise regular or occasional EF Masses, particularly for pilgrimages to local shrines, occasional Masses in the Cathedral, and the like. If demands on a Rep increase it is possible to appoint an Assistant Rep and/or divide the area covered with another Rep. In all the Rep's work, he or she will have the practical, financial, and moral support of the Society via the main office, the Committee and Officers, other Reps, and the local members. The work of a local rep is sometimes frustrating, consumes a modest amount of time but is gives a great deal of satisfaction, becoming a representative is a very positive and active way in which you can make a difference in the promotion of the traditional rites of Holy Mother Church. You may never have done this kind of work before. What we are looking for are men and women who are committed to the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, who are comfortable talking to others who may not always share our enthusiasm for the Traditional Mass, who are determined and who have a sense of humour. If you are interested in volunteering for any of these positions, or if you would like more information, phone the LMS Office (020 7404 7284) and ask to speak to Stephen Moseling for an informal chat. You can email if you prefer or e-mail him. Vacancies for Local Representatives currently ...........
I was fortunate to be able to be in Florence last week for the ordination liturgies of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. 11 priests were ordained on Thursday by His Eminence Cardinal Burke. On Wednesday, diaconate ordinations numbered 7 deacons and 4 sub deacons. One of the newly ordained priests was Canon Cosme Montjean, the youngest brother of Canon Amaury Montjean, the rector of Ss Peter & Paul and St Philomena Church in New Brighton. The new Canon Montjean was our deacon at the Wrexham Pilgrimage last Summer. Following his ordination, the new Canon Montjean will be coming to England to offer First Masses in the ICKSP shrines. The details are as follows:- Saturday 30th July, 2016 at 10:30am: First Mass at St. Walburge's, Preston, PR2 2QE. Followed by First Blessings of a newly ordained priest and reception in the Presbytery. Sunday 31st July, 2016 at 10:30am: First Solemn High Mass at Ss Peter, Paul and Philomena, New Brighton, CH45 9LT, with music including Trumpet, Organ and Timpani. Social afterwards in the hall. At the Latin Mass Society Annual General Meeting, I was presented to those in attendance as the Society's new Honorary Secretary. I am somewhat humbled that my fellow committee members have a shared opinion that I am capable of undertaking the role. I succeed Mr. David Forster and I would place on record my thanks to David for his diligent undertaking of the function during his term of office. Dr. Joseph Shaw, by an earlier resolution of the LMS committee, will continue as Chairman. Eric Friar and Antonia Robinson joined the commitee. Stefano Mazzeo, having completed the maximum term of office permitted by the constitution, retired. I am quite sure that he will continue to place himself at the service of the Society both as representative at the Dome of Home and no doubt in other ways. Our guest speaker was Archbishop Thomas Gullickson, Apostolic Nunicio to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. He gave a most interesting talk which was received very well. My thanks to his Excellency for visiting us and I understand enjoying the post Vespers Fish and Chips on Friday evening! Belated but sincere congratulations to Father James Mawdsley who was ordained on the 2nd July.
He was one of five new FSSP priests being ordained at Heimenkirch, in Bavaria in the church of St. Margareta Church. There have been 13 FSSP ordinations this year with more to follow add this to the 11 men ordained in Florence for the ICKSP and we should fall to our knees in thanksgiving! |
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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