Mass for the Final Sunday after Pentecost will be celebrated by Canon Brendan Hoban (V.G. Emeritus - Diocese of Shrewsbury) at St Winefride's, Well Street, Holywell at 1130am on Sunday 26th November. The Sunday Mass brings us to the end of the Church year of public worship.
Hence, the general theme appropriately refers to the end of the world. In preparation for our final judgment, we beseech God to arouse “our wills” for “divine service” (Prayer), to be on our guard, awake and active, lest our faith sleep or be merely sentimental. The Epistle, therefore, begs us to be filled with a “knowledge of God,” to be “fruitful in every good work,” to recognize our duty and privilege to work with and for one another in true Christian community, which is the Communion of “saints,” all for the sake of Him Who shed “His Blood.” Lest “His Love” fail to inspire us, the Gospel fills us with sentiments of holy fear, as we consider the destruction of the Jerusalem's of this world, the end of all time, and the beginning of eternity; as we consider further the necessity of fleeing to the “mountains” of God from the Judea of “false Christs” and false leaders, who sometimes are so clever as “to deceive even the elect,” enslaving, misleading, corrupting their minds, especially in the modern world via the press, internet and television. Today, we may well implore God through our Sacrifice to turn “our hearts” to Him (Secret) and to heal through our Sacrament what “is diseased in our hearts” (Postcommunion). The 26th November is the Feast of St. Sylvester Abbot, Benedictine, who died in 1267 at age 90 and who founded the Sylvestrine Branch. Commemorated in the Mass of the Saint is St. Peter of Alexandria E. M. beheaded for the Faith in 311, a model of charity and mercy toward sinners. Although not commemorated in the 1962 Missal, pray to the Saints for their help to be pleasing to Our Lord! The next first Saturday Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary, Buckley due to have taken place on Saturday 2nd December has been cancelled as Canon Doyle is not available to celebrate.
The next Mass at Buckley will be on the feast of the Epiphany, Saturday 6th January. Our apologies for any inconvience caused. LMS Chairman, Dr Joseph Shaw has authored another Position Paper for the International Federation Una Voce.
This is the 31st paper and is on the Extraordinary Form and the New Age. Dr. Shaw writes 'The diverse phenomenon popularly known as the ‘New Age’ has become not only a major alternative to ‘organised religion’ for its serious adherents, but in its vaguer and more popular manifestations has, in educated circles in the English-speaking world, an almost ubiquitous influence. Pope St John Paul II described the New Age movement as ‘pseudo–religious’; the purpose of this Paper is to explore the ways in which the Extraordinary Form can play its part in a Catholic response to it.' Read the paper here. All 31 papers in one PDF file can be downloaded here. Because of the annually varying date of Easter, the number of Sundays after Pentecost varies as well, since that season must end with the beginning of Advent. As a result, there can be Sundays like today, late in the season, which take most of their mass texts from the Sundays which were omitted early in the year from the season of Epiphany, due to an early Lent and Easter. This Sunday, the texts are from the Sixth Sunday after Epiphany.
“God,” says Saint Paul in the night office for this Sunday, “hath spoken to us by His Son, Whom He hath appointed heir of all things ... Who being the brightness of His glory and the figure of His substance and upholding all things by the word of His power, making purgation of sins sitteth on the right hand of the Majesty on High ... To which of the angels hath He said at any time: Thou art My Son, today have I begotten Thee! ... And again, when He bringeth the First begotten into the world He saith: And let all the angels of God adore Him” (First Nocturn). Saint Athanasius remarks that the Apostle affirms the superiority of Christ to the angels, by way of showing the difference between the nature of the Son and that of His creatures (Second Nocturn). Similarly the Mass for today brings out the Divinity of Our Blessed Lord. He is God because He utters things hidden in God and unknown to the world (Gospel). His word, compared by Him to a tiny seed cast into the field of the world, and to a little leaven in the lump, is divine because it calms our passions and brings forth in our hearts those marvels of faith, hope, and charity of which we read in the Epistle. Of the Church, stirred to greater effort by Our Lord’s words, we have an excellent figure in the three measures of meal, the whole of which was leavened by the expanding force of the yeast (Gospel), and in the mustard tree, the largest of its kind, where the birds of the air gladly come for shelter. We must constantly meditate on Our Lord’s doctrine, that like leaven it may pervade and transform our hearts, and like the mustard tree may spread abroad its fruits of holiness in those of our neighbour. Epistle Commentary The Church continues reading Saint Paul’s Epistles, as during the whole time after the Epiphany, this Epistle to the Thessalonians being full of the thought of Christ’s Second Coming. Having appeared in lowliness He will return in glory. The Apostle congratulates his readers on their unshaken hope in Him Who at the Day of Judgment is to deliver them from the divine wrath. Let them, let us with confidence, await the Son of God Who will give to each one according to his works. Gospel Commentary May God’s Kingdom, to which Christ its King has called us, be extended even more and more. “The man who sows,” says Saint Jerome, “is understood by most to be Our Redeemer because He sows in the hearts of believers. The preaching of the Gospel is the humblest of all arts, since it has for its message a Man-God, a Christ Who died, and the scandal of the Cross. If we compare such teaching with the doctrine and writings of philosophers, with the brilliance of their eloquence and the able composition of their discourse, we shall see how the good grain of the Gospel is the least, as compared with all other seeds. Yet these, when they spring up show no vigor or power of resistance, while on the other hand, we see the Gospels, although hardly sown either in the heart of a believer or in the world at large, growing like a tree so that the birds of the airs (by which must be understood the souls of believers or powers of the world pressed into the service of God) come to dwell among its branches (Third Nocturn). I am experiencing a few issues with my Twitter account. It would appear I have been hacked!
Please be assured that tweets from my account may not be from me although I've changed the password and things should revert to normal. In the meantime, hackers be advised you are not clever! As we approach the end of the liturgical year, the Church now discusses the only conditions under which Jesus bestows human peace and Divine Life.
After all, have not His words and life shown him to be a God, not "of affliction," but "of peace?" Has he not brought us "back" to His own "blessed Land" from our own "captivity" (Introit) in which "through our weakness, we become entangled" (Prayer)? Have we not become "enemies of the Cross," bringing about our own "destruction," as the Epistle describes it? The Epistle advises, however, that we first of all "stand fast in the Lord" and "be of one mind in the Lord" with one another in order that He might "reform the body of our lowness" in personal and public life and be delivered from the "depths" (Gradual). Christ will turn around to help us anywhere on the road of life if we only touch "the hem of His garment" in faith. But if we surround ourselves with a multitude of creatures and created things who laugh their Creator to scorn, "making a tumult," He will only come in when we put them out (Gospel). Hence, when we "pray" (Communion), our chief petition should be for an "increase of our service" to God (Secret), and to "overcome human dangers" so as to share in the "Divine" life. Had the 13th November fallen on a day other than Sunday, the staunch defender of the Faith, Pope St. Martin I, who condemned Monotheism through a council, would have been honoured. The heresy which taught that Christ had only one nature, the Divine, had affected the emperor and Martin was arrested and exiled. Due to his ill treatment, Martin died for the True Catholic Faith and is considered a martyr. In the 1962 Missal, no commemoration of the Saint is made at the Sunday Mass. Yet, we for our own part can pray to St. Martin for strength to overcome heresy! On the second Sunday of November falls Remembrance Sunday. One Requiem Mass may be celebrated for those who died in the Two World Wars. The Mass said is that ‘of the Anniversary’. A Requiem Low Mass will be celebrated at St Francis of Assisi Church, Llay Chain, near Wrexham, LL12 0NT at 12.30pm. The Latin Mass Society has long had a connection with Franciscan Retreat Centre at Pantasaph.
The Residential Latin Course and the St Catherine's Trust Summer School have used it as a successful base for many years. So it was with a great deal of sadness that I learned of its closure effective from the 16th December. Rumour on its future had been circulating for many months but the inevitable has now become the reality. The Capuchin Friars have reduced in great number and coupled with the costs involved they (with much recourse ot prayer I'm certain) have decided that the time has arrived to close. A sad day for many concerned and for church in North Wales. Ironically, the final retreat is a Traditional Retreat to be preached by Fr. Armand de Malleray, FSSP on 'The Glorious Sacrament of Marriage'. Full details can be read here. The Holy Mass for this Sunday bids us prepare for the Final Judgment, "the day of Jesus Christ" being mentioned twice in the Epistle.
Despite the "bonds" of St. Paul's imprisonment at Rome in defense of the Gospel, he would have us "partake of his joy." Hence, the Last Judgment should not terrify us since "charity" for God and neighbour will "abound more and more" in an increased "knowledge" of God and "fill us with the fruit of justice," making it easier to serve "without offense." This same charity for God and neighbour as our preparation for the final questioning, is shown forth in the reply of Jesus to the tricky questions of the Pharisees (Gospel). "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" by social justice, "and to God the things that are God's" by interior charity. The Introit is our cry "from the depths" for forgiveness of our failure to prepare. The Gradual praises the exercise of charity, while the Offertory is a plea for Divine Direction. As a final preparation, we must always pray (Prayer), offer sacrifice in penance for sin (Secret) and receive increases of Divine Life in the Sacrament (Postcommunion) Friday (3rd November) is the feast of St Winefride, Virgin Martyr celebrated across Wales (Cl III) and in Shrewsbury (Cl II).
You can read more about her here. When will I go into eternity? Where and how will it happen?
The exact time is hidden from me. But, on the scale of eternity it will be soon. My last Holy Communion will come soon. The years have sped on. The Easter Communions, the First Friday Communions have strengthened my union with Jesus, have brought sanctifying grace to me. A closer relationship with Our Lord has resulted. I have tried to grow more and more into His Likeness by my reception. Yet, no matter how many Communions I will receive until the last, I count on receiving the last Communion to prepare me for the end. Perhaps I should prepare my confessions more carefully. Later I may not be able to con-fess. I may be ill and weak. Or, death might come through an road accident, a fire, without a moment's notice. It is better to make things secure now while I am able. I will then approach each confession as my last from now on. I want contrition for my sins. I must be strong, yet humble and trust in God completely and depend upon His Mercy. Reflection on the crucifix is important. It may awake the sorrow that is in my heart for my many sins. At the hour of death Jesus rewards the habits of life. He will come to me and help my weak-ness at my last confession. He will help me attain the sorrow that will purify my heart and soul. Dear Lord, I ask Thee for Thy Mercy. Lessen my dread of death, my sorrow at leaving friends and family, of coming before the Throne of God to make an accounting. Let me receive Extreme Unction to strengthen me at the hour of death. I put my trust in the prayers of Thy Holy Church at the hour of death as she prays that by the holy anointing and by Thy tender mercy my soul will be roused to response of sorrow for sin. Let me taste the Holy Viaticum before I go into eternity. Today, I will rehearse for the final time the reception of Thy Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist after receiving Penance. I most firmly believe that in the Sacrament I will receive the only begotten Son of God. I want to live and die in this faith. I want to increase my faith. T Today, as I receive, I give Thee the most loving of welcomes. Give me for my last Commun-ion such faith and fervent desire that my soul may be roused from the apathy and lukewarmness which has characterised my poor miserable existence here on earth. |
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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