Accompanied by the Hon. Mr. D. Jose Guillermo Garcia Valdecasas, Rector of the Royal College, the Archbishop paid a visit to this institution and celebrated Mass in Hispano-Mozarabic Rite in the Chapel...

In his homily the head of the Hispano-Mozárabe rite said that this rite is "an alive, never dead, liturgy even in the midst of the difficulties to celebrate it and the ups and downs that we all know."

• Register now
• The Schedule for Colloquium XXII
• Register for the Little America Hotel
• Colloquium XXII Chant Course Descriptions
• Individuals and organizations interested in sponsoring the Colloquium with full page ad in the Colloquium packet, write programs@musicasacra.com.

• Extensive training in Gregorian chant under a diverse and world-class faculty,  with choices of a chant class for beginners, and intermediate and and  advanced chant classes;
• Morning and afternoon sessions all week with lectures and workshops  with the best of the best thinkers and doers in the world of Catholic  music;
• Optional choral experience with one of four large choirs singing  sacred music of the masters such as Palestrina, Vierne, Bruckner,  Victoria, Byrd, Tallis, Josquin, and many others;
• Daily liturgies with careful attention to officially prescribed musical settings;
• Experience in singing or just listening to Mass settings, motets, chants, and responses;
• Residency in a full service hotel;
• Two gala dinners with top lecturers and events;
• Training in English chant from newly published works;
• Training in vocal production and technique;
•  Conducting practicum;
• Training for Priests in the sung Mass;
• Pedagogy demonstrations;
• Composers’ Forum;
• Seminars on parish music management, integrating sung parts of the  liturgy, polyphonic repertoire for beginning and more established  choirs;
• All music, including prepared packets of chant and polyphony, as part of registration.

• Mary Jane Ballou, Cantorae St. Augustine
• Wilko Brouwers, Monterverdi Choir, the Netherlands
• Dr. Horst Buchholz, St. Louis Cathedral
• Charles Cole, Westminster Cathedral; Brompton Oratory
• Charles Culbreth, Chant Cafe
• Rudy de Vos, Oakland Cathedral
• Aristotle Esguerra, Cantemusdomino.net
• Dr. Paul Ford, St. John Seminary; Camarillo, CA
• Gregory Glenn, Cathedral of the Madeleine
• David J. Hughes, St. Mary, Norwalk, CT
• Dr. Ann Labounsky, Duquesne University
• Dr. Mee Ae Nam, Eastern Michigan University
• Kathleen Pluth, St. Louis Church, Alexandria, VA
• Dr. William Mahrt, CMAA President, Stanford University
• Dr.Jason McFarland, Assistant Editor, ICEL
• Jeffrey Morse, St Stephen, the First Martyr Church, Sacramento, California
• Arlene Oost-Zinner, CMAA Programs Director; St. Cecilia Schola
• Jeffrey Ostrowski, Corpus Christi Watershed
• Sister Marie Agatha Ozah, Ph.D., Duquesne University
• Rev. Robert Pasley, CMAA Chaplain; Pastor, MaterEccelsiae, Berlin, NJ
• Dr. Kurt Poterack, Christendom College
• Jonathan Ryan, Organist; Jordan Prize Winner
• Dr. Edward Schaefer, University of Florida
• Dr. Susan Treacy, Ave Maria University
• Jeffrey Tucker, Chant Cafe, CMAA Director of Publications
• Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth, Executive Director, ICEL
• Dr. Paul Weber, Franciscan University of Steubenville

Praying toward the East is handed down by the holy apostles, as is everything else. This is because the comprehensible sun of righteousness, Christ our God, appeared on earth in those regions of the East where the perceptible sun rises, as the prophet says: "Orient is his name" (Zech 6:12); and "Bow before the Lord, all the earth, who ascended to the heaven of heavens in the East" (cf Ps 67:34); and "Let us prostrate ourselves in the place where his feet stood" (cf Ps 67:34); and again, "The feet of the Lord shall stand upon the Mount of Olives in the East" (Zech 14:4). The prophets also speak thus because of our fervent hope of receiving again the paradise in Eden, as well as the brightness of the second coming of Christ our God, from the East.

The confessio below the high altar at Santa Maria in Trastevere
makes it impossible to say Mass from the assembly's side of the altar.

A contemporary view from the Via Nomentana.

Fifth Fota International Liturgy Conference

St. Colman’s Society for Catholic Liturgy is pleased to announce that its fifth Fota international liturgy conference will take place at the Clarion Hotel, Lapp’s Quay, Cork, 7-9 July 2012.

The theme of the conference is Celebrating the Eucharist: Sacrifice and Communion.

The Conference will be opened by His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura.

Professor D. Vincent Twomey will moderate the proceedings.

Among those who will deliver papers are: Professor Dr. Klaus Berger (Heidelberg); Dr. Mariusz Biliniewicz (Wroclaw and Dublin); Dr. Patrick Gorevan (Maynooth and the Maryvale Institute); Professor Dr. Manfred Hauke (Lugano); Dr. Daniel Jones (Detroit); Mons. Joseph Murphy (Rome); Professor Dr. Michael Stickelbroeck (Austria); Dr. Oliver Treanor (Maynooth); and Fr. Gerard Deighan (Dublin).

During the Conference, it is expected to launch the proceedings of the third Fota conference, Benedict XVI and beauty in sacred music, published by Four Courts Press, Dublin.

Registration forms and further details of the Conference may be obtained from the secretary at colman.liturgy@yahoo.co.uk or tel. (353) 214 813445, or Mrs. Declan Pender, Leeview, Rushbrooke, Cobh, Co. Cork.

'Gothic for Ever': A.W.N. Pugin, Lord Shrewsbury and the Rebuilding of Catholic England

Michael Fisher

ISBN 978-1-904965-36-7

A.W.N. Pugin (1812-1852) was the foremost propagandist of the nineteenth-century Gothic Revival, whose aim was the restoration of the ancient splendours of the Catholic Church. Turning this vision into reality required a wealthy and influential patron, and Pugin found one in John Talbot (1787-1852), sixteenth earl of Shrewsbury and England' s leading Catholic layman. Impressed by PuginÕs talent and enthusiasm, and by his devotion to the Church, Lord Shrewsbury provided Pugin with the means and the opportunities he needed, in and around his ancestral Staffordshire estate Ð Alton Towers. The Pugin/Shrewsbury partnership was arguably the most successful and creative of its kind in Victorian Britain, drawing the attention of scholars, artists and architects from all over the country and from overseas. The buildings themselves, and the close relationship between earl and architect, and their wider significance in the context of the Gothic and Catholic Revivals, are examined in detail in this book which has been published to mark the 200th anniversary of Pugin's birth.

'This remarkable and significant book is a major contribution to Pugin studies and a fitting contribution to the commemoration of the bicentenary of Pugin's birth in 2012.' - The Most Reverend Bernard Longley, M.A., S.T.L., Archbishop of Birmingham

'A remarkable insight into the dynamic relationship between A. W. N. Pugin and his patron John Talbot, the sixteenth earl of Shrewsbury, creators of Victorian Gothic.' - Paul Atterbury

'If you want to discover how great Pugin was, and how much the Church and the Gothic Revival owe to him, this is an essential study' - Anthony Symondson SJ

'This handsome book will add greatly to the pleasure of a visit to north Staffordshire' - Alexandra Wedgwood

Staffordshire-born Michael Fisher has had a lifelong interest in the work of Pugin in his home county. A history graduate of Leicester University and former Research Scholar at Keele, he is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. His publications include Pugin-land (2002), Hardman of Birmingham, Goldsmith and Glasspainter (2008), and Alton Towers: Past and Present (2009), and he has written articles for Country Life. He was an adviser to Time Team in their TV production of Pugin: God of Gothic (2006), and appeared in the programme. He is a member of the Fabric Committee of St Chad's Cathedral, Birmingham, and of the Alton Towers Heritage Committee. Ordained as an Anglican priest in 1979, he is based at the twelfth-century church of St Chad, Stafford.

For more than 35 years there have been in the Diocese of Chur two centres for faithful attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. There, pastoral care has been provided at a scale equivalent to many regular parishes, but without a corresponding regulation. The Bishop of Chur wants to end this unsatisfying long-time provisional arrangement and to establish canonical clarity. Therefore, on 22 February 2012 he has erected two Personal Parishes. The Personal Parish of Mary Immaculate in Oberarth is being erected for the faithful of the original cantons [NLM: i.e. Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden and Nidwalden], the Personal Parish of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Thalwil for the faithful of the canton Zurich.

Membership of a Personal Parish does not primarily depend on the place of residence, as with a normal parish, but on belonging to a group which is characterised by particularities of rite, language, or nationality. For instance, the Italian Mission in the cities of Zurich and Winterthur is likewise organised as a Personal Parish.

Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum" of 7 July 2007 provides for the bishop erecting Personal Parishes for faithful attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Such Personal Parishes have already been erected in various dioceses, e.g. in Rome, Blois, Straßburg, Quebec, Denver, Colorado Springs or Dallas.

In the Jubilee year 2000 the monks of Norcia breathed new life into the birthplace of St Benedict. Armed with only their faith and zeal they founded a monastic community which has been attracting men from all over the world to follow St. Benedict's ancient Rule. Many of their friends have long wanted an insight into the inner workings of their life and so they have produced this high quality up to date film which shows the monks as they go through the daily ora et labora. The title of the film, "Quaerere Deum", means to Seek God. This is the true calling of all monks, the first and most essential quality of an authentic monastic vocation, as laid out in the Rule of our Holy Father St. Benedict.

To be distinguished from the Passion veils is the large Lenten veil, which has stayed in use here and there in Sicily and Spain, at some places in Westphalia, as well as in the cathedral of Freiburg im Breisgau. It is a cloth which is hung up during Lent at the entrance to the choir. It is most often white or violet and remains until the Litany is sung on Holy Saturday. The Congregation of Rites has declared the use of this Lenten veil to be admissible on 11 May 1878 (decr. auth. n. 3448).

History

Whereas according to current Roman use Crosses and images are only veiled during Passiontide, in the Middle Ages the common thing was to cover them right at the start of Lent, be it from the Terce of the Monday after the first Sunday of Lent, be it – although less frequently – already from Ash Wednesday. Here and there the veiling was even done on Septuagesima. Moreover, not only Crosses and images were withdrawn from the view of the faihtful by means of veils, but also reliquaries and chandeliers, and even evangeliaries whose covers were ornamented with pictorial representations were sometimes veiled. […]

The custom of veiling Crosses and images during Lent is apparently not of Roman, but of Gallican origin. It was already known in Gaul in the 7th century, as we can see from St. Audoenus's († 683) biography of St. Eligius (II, 41). “Mos erat, ut diebus quadragesimae propter fulgorem auri vel nitorem gemmarum operiretur tumba (s. Eligii) velamine linteo urbane ornato holoserico”, [NLM: “It was custom that on the days of Lent the tomb (of St. Eligius) was covered with a linen veil finely ornamented in pure silk, because of the refulgence of the gold and the splendour of the gems.”] we read in the same. For Italy the custom is not attested until around the year 1000 […]. In the later Middle Ages the veiling of Crosses and images during Lent or at least Passiontide was universally common.

As material for the veils which covered Crosses, images, reliquaries etc. chiefly white linen was used in the Middle Ages. […] Coloured or painted veils for Crosses and images are encountered less commonly in the inventories. […]

The custom to hang up a veil in front of the altar during Lent is already attested in the “consuetudines” of Farfa, then soon after by Aelfric of Winchester and Lanfranc of Canterbury, and at the beginning of the 12th century by Honorius and Rupert of Deutz. Initially, it was probably only observed in cathedral, monastery and collegiate churches. In the later Middle Ages, however, we also find it in parish churches. It was perhaps least extended in Italy. In modern times, the Lenten veil fell more and more into disuse, and today it is, as said before, only rarely used. Furthermore, it mostly does not serve, as originally, to veil the altar and the priest; for this purpose it is normally not large enough any longer. Rather, it is now almost only an indication that Lent has begun.

The veil was ordinarily hung up after compline of the First Sunday of Lent and remained until after compline of the Wednesday of Holy Week. In parish churches it hung between nave and choir, and in collegiate and monastic churches between choir (presbytery) and altar. It was drawn back on Sundays, feasts of twelve or nine lessons, at funerals corpore praesente and on certain solemn occasions like e.g. holy orders, the vesting of novices and similar occasions. Only the veil of the high altar was drawn back then, however, not those of the side altars. For not infrequently, a Lenten veil was hung up in front of these, too. On ordinary days the veil was either not drawn back at all during Mass, or just for the Elevation, and here and there also between Gospel and Orate fratres. Practice in this respect was rather varied according to local custom.

As for the material, the Lenten veils, in Germany also called hunger veils, were mostly made of linen […], but there were also those made of silk. […] In the later Middle Ages, it was popular to embroider, paint or imprint the Lenten veils with scenes from sacred history, especially those of the Passion. […] The enormous Freiburg Lenten veil from the year 1612 already mentioned shows a large Crucifixion as its main image. Magnificent Lenten veils with a wealth of biblical scenes are also at Zittau and in Gurk cathedral. […]

Symbolism

The veiling of Crosses, images etc. during Lent and Passiontide was done because these times had the character of penance and grief, and therefore decoration in the church was deemed inappropriate. The veiling of the Crosses, moreover, may have its reason in the fact that until the 12th century the representations of the Crucifixus showed not so much the Passion of the Godman, but his Triumph on the Cross. Likewise, the great Lenten veil was doubtlessly introduced with regard to the character of grief and penance proper to Lent. The veiling of the Holy of Holies – i.e. the altar – meant in a way a partial exclusion from the cult, which was to remind clerics and laymen alike, in the time of penance, more manifestly of their sinfulness and to impel them to cultivate a truly penitent disposition.

Of course, over time other meanings were additionally attributed to some of these customs, which is easily understandable given the medieval predilection for mystical speculation. In the veiling of Crosses, images and other decoration of the church was thus symbolised the contumely, weakness and humiliation, which in the Passion of the Lord veiled, as it were, His Godhead and divine Power. The veil however, which was hung before the altar, was associated to a multiple symbolism. It was called a memory of the veil of the Old Testament, which dived the Holy of Holies from the Holy and was rent asunder at the death of the Lord. It was seen as an image of the starry heavens which separate material and spiritual world and veil from us the sight of the heavenly fatherland and the glorified Saviour. It was interpreted as the veil with which Moses covered his face, whose resplendence the people could not bear, or as the spiritual shell of the old service of the Law, which still enfolds the hearts of the Jews and prevents them from grasping the clear meaning of the Law. The taking away of the veil at Easter, then, was to signify that Christ now again stands before us in the unveiled splendour of His eternal glory, that He has opened up the heavens for us and taken away the blindness of the heart from us, which had made it impossible for us to understand the mystery of His Passion.

• In the Gospel of Luke chapter 22 we read that, during the Last Supper, a dispute arose amongst the disciples as to who was the greatest. Jesus replied to them ‘which is the greater, one who sits at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves’(Lk 22:27). Much in this painting depicts this dialogue. The Persian in the turban and the members of the confraternity in the red hats are disputing and Christ is portrayed as the one who is not sitting at table now but is among his disciples, serving. Look at the bending figure of Christ, beautifully depicting the reality of Christ the Servant.

• We can also see here an artistic depiction of the central truth of the Faith, that God condescended to be born and to live among us, that the divine Second Person of the Trinity took flesh for our sake In the General Directory for Catechesis the part on the Pedagogy of God opens with a quotation from Hosea, ‘I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them’ (Hos 11:4, in GDC 137). The bending figures of the apostles around Christ also emphasises this mystery. By contrast, the Persian in the turban stands erect, with his head and shoulders thrown back. The painting is also showing us the amazing truth that Christ only ever serves himself to us – ‘This is my Body’. The Church, in her Tradition, follows this truth without deviation, accepting that Christ gives his whole self to us.

• Christ, the one who serves, is portrayed as ‘greater’ by his stature and centrality in the picture. You can see that Christ is painted disproportionately larger in height than any other figure.

• Directly in front of Christ on the floor we can see the jug of water and basin. The Gospel of Lukes tell us that the disciples were to meet a man carrying a jar of water and to follow him into the house which he enters (Lk 22:10).

• John’s Gospel also links the Last Supper scene to water: ‘He rose from supper, laid aside his garments …poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet’ (Jn 13: 4-5). It seems that in this painting this may have already happened – look at the bare feet in the picture!

• John’s Gospel also speaks of Judas as the one with the money box, or bag (Jn 13:29), and we can see him in this painting clutching a moneybag in both hands, looking back into the room as he edges out of the open doorway into the night with dawn breaking already in the distance.

• Eleven reverent apostles remain, three kneeling on the right and eight on the left. One in white at the back, perhaps the young John, still holds a bottle as though he had been serving, too, with his other hand raised as he gazes adoringly at Christ.

• The one next to him is quite different. See how he seems to be staring intently at the disputants. He is holding a lighted candle, representing perhaps the light of faith, of truth, of Christ. He has seen the truth of Christ as the greater who has come among them as a servant and longs for the disputants to be enlightened by this same truth!