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Photo credits: Fr Fergal MacEoinín OP
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Photo credits: Fr Fergal MacEoinín OP
Vestment Embroidery Work of the Dominican Nuns of Galway
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Photo credits: Fr Fergal MacEoinín OP
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Solemn Mass at Saint Louis Abbey, 1964
Speaking personally, I find it interesting to see photos or watch video from Masses being celebrated in the period around 1963-1967 given all that was occurring around that time. In particular I find it interesting to observe some of the trends of the later Liturgical Movement.
In that vein, here is a video which shows Mass celebrated at Saint Louis Abbey in 1964 by the then-president of Georgetown University, Fr. Edward B. Bunn, S.J. The deacon and subdeacon for the Mass were monks of the abbey, Fr. Timothy Horner, OSB and Fr. Nicholas Walford, OSB.
Some of our readers may recognize the fact that Saint Louis Abbey is that to which the Oratory of Ss. Gregory and Augustine is attached.
I am sure some of you may find it interesting for the same reasons.
The Mass begins at around the 17:00 minute mark.
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In that vein, here is a video which shows Mass celebrated at Saint Louis Abbey in 1964 by the then-president of Georgetown University, Fr. Edward B. Bunn, S.J. The deacon and subdeacon for the Mass were monks of the abbey, Fr. Timothy Horner, OSB and Fr. Nicholas Walford, OSB.
Some of our readers may recognize the fact that Saint Louis Abbey is that to which the Oratory of Ss. Gregory and Augustine is attached.
I am sure some of you may find it interesting for the same reasons.
The Mass begins at around the 17:00 minute mark.
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St Lawrence of Rome
Today is the great feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr, of whom Pope Damasus I wrote: "The blows of the executioner, flames, torments, chains, the faith of blessed Lawrence alone could conquer".
This beloved saint has been commemorated in art and song for centuries, often shown with the gridiron on which he was roasted to death. However, this 13th-century depiction from the apse of Santa Maria in Trastevere shows the saint resplendent in glory, tonsured, holding a processional cross and Evangeliarium, and richly-robed in a fine dalmatic.
May St Lawrence pray for us, and especially for the Church of Rome and all deacons.
This beloved saint has been commemorated in art and song for centuries, often shown with the gridiron on which he was roasted to death. However, this 13th-century depiction from the apse of Santa Maria in Trastevere shows the saint resplendent in glory, tonsured, holding a processional cross and Evangeliarium, and richly-robed in a fine dalmatic.
May St Lawrence pray for us, and especially for the Church of Rome and all deacons.
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Virgin Before Giving Birth, While Giving Birth and After Giving Birth
One of the tasks that those who are interested in cultural renewal have to face today is one of reawakening to the symbolism of the cosmos. This faculty can be stimulated, I believe, by incorporating a language of symbolism into art. I have written before of how when painting today, the artist has to decide on a case by case basis which symbols to revive and which to ignore (see Pelican Brief - Should We Aim to Revive All Christian Symbols of Sacred Art). A symbol must speak to those who are meant to see it and some symbols are so rooted in a culture that is bound to a different time and place that it is unlikely ever to communicate much to any nowadays but learned art historians.The symbols that seem most prevalent and useful are those that are based on scripture or tradition and furthermore speak naturally of what they are trying to convey. These are the ones that I tend to focus on. So while the halo represents the uncreated light of sanctity it is not an arbitrary symbol. It is as much a stylised representation of light emanating from the person.
In contrast colour symbolism is more arbitrary. In fact no strict colour code of symbolism for any of the liturgical traditions, including even iconography (perhaps surprisingly). That is not to say that artists have not chosen colours in order convey spiritual meanings, and temporary trends can develop when artists are influenced by others in their choice. However, it is very difficult to find any colour symbolism that is observed consistently either across different traditions or even within one.
Occasionally I am presented with a colour symbolism as though it is a strict rule. Usually, however, on digging more deeply I discover that over the ages all sorts of different colours have been used; or even where there is a conformity to a colour, the explanation of the symbolism differs, which causes me to wonder to wonder if these are not just explanations after the fact which are not rooted in tradition. The Church Fathers it seems are silent on such matters (although as ever, I am happy to told otherwise and directed to writings I haven't seen yet).
There is one symbol that I am inclined to employ even though I do not know why it has come to symbolise what it does. This is the placement of three stars on the garment of Our Lady that is used in icons - one on each shoulder of her outer robe and one on the forehead. Someone asked me recently what they meant and I knew that it represented perpetual virginity, but couldn't remember why. As was quickly pointed out to me, they correspond to the idea that Our Lady was a virgin before, during and after birth. However, I still have no idea why three stars are used to symbolise this. Our Lady is often associated with the North Star, the Star of the Sea, and so I wondered if it was somehow evoking this. As often happens to, the very next day, there was a reference to this in the liturgy. The reading for the Feast of Saints Anne and Joachim was from John of Damascus and in this he says to Our Lord's grandparents, that : 'By your pure and holy way of life you brought up that jewel of virginity, she who before giving birth was a virgin, who while giving birth was a virgin, and who after giving birth was ever a virgin; yes, she who was always unique, who was to cherish virginity in mind, in spirit and also in body.' So I'm unlikely to forget that again...except there is no direct connection with a star and perhaps taking our lead from St John of Damascus, the three stars might represent a 'cherished virginity' that encompasses the whole person - mind, spirit and body - as well as in perpetuity?
Can anyone help me here?
The reason that I am inclined to use this is that it does seem to be well established across all the differing iconographic traditions. And it is an important message to get across. Furthermore, I can't think of a more natural or appropriate way of symbolising this so that it would speak of it more eloquently or directly. So three stars for perpetual virginity it is.
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Archbishop Di Noia, OP in Cincinnati
Fr. Martin Fox over on his blog Bonfire of Vanities alerts us to the fact that the recently named Vice President for the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, Archbishop Augustine DiNoia, will be delivering a lecture this September at the Athenaeum’s Bartlett Pastoral Center in Cincinnati, Ohio:
By way of his blog, I see that The Catholic Beat also runs a piece on this story.
This is certainly a good opportunity for those in the area to hear and meet the Vice President of the Ecclesia Dei Commission.
[As a mildly humorous aside, I just realized my titling of this particular post has the ring to it of an old sitcom from the early 1980's. Perhaps some of you will know that to which I refer.]
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My friends and colleagues at Mount Saint Mary Seminary are doing some great things to launch the "Year of Faith."
One of them is a big "get": Archbishop J. Augustine DiNoia, OP, Vice President for the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei*, will deliver the annual Le Blond Lecture on Sept. 12, 2012 at 7:30 PM in the Athenaeum’s Bartlett Pastoral Center. The theme will be “What is the New Evangelization?”
By way of his blog, I see that The Catholic Beat also runs a piece on this story.
This is certainly a good opportunity for those in the area to hear and meet the Vice President of the Ecclesia Dei Commission.
[As a mildly humorous aside, I just realized my titling of this particular post has the ring to it of an old sitcom from the early 1980's. Perhaps some of you will know that to which I refer.]
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Simple English Propers, 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time
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Cardinal Burke on the OF and EF
Cardinal Burke, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, speaks with Raymond Arroyo about the revised English translations of the OF Missal as well as the usus antiquior:
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Other Modern: Murals in St. Anne's Anglican Church, Toronto
Students of art, and particularly Canadian students of art, will likely be familiar with the group of Canadian artists known simply as the Group of Seven.
The Group of Seven were a group of 20th century Canadian artists who became particularly well known for their paintings of Canadian scenes, in particular those inspired by the Canadian natural landscape.
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Red Maple, 1914, A.Y. Jackson
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Algoma Country, Lawren Harris
What the group was not known for was figurative religious art, and yet at St. Anne's Anglican Church in Toronto we find some rare examples of just that and I think it certainly qualifies for our Other Modern series.
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Here is what the parish website has to say about the murals:
First, here are the works by the members of the Group of Seven:
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The Adoration of the Magi, Franklin Carmichael
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The Transfiguration, J.E.H. MacDonald
Do also take a look at The Nativity by F.H. Varley.
Here are some of the additional works outside of those executed by members of the Group of Seven.
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For a general view of the church, see here and here.
Finally, separate from our considerations and certainly worth showing for reason of its beauty is a detail of the ceiling:
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Photo credits: St. Anne's Anglican Church![]()
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The Group of Seven were a group of 20th century Canadian artists who became particularly well known for their paintings of Canadian scenes, in particular those inspired by the Canadian natural landscape.
Red Maple, 1914, A.Y. Jackson
Algoma Country, Lawren Harris
What the group was not known for was figurative religious art, and yet at St. Anne's Anglican Church in Toronto we find some rare examples of just that and I think it certainly qualifies for our Other Modern series.
Here is what the parish website has to say about the murals:
The most impressive feature of the church is the series of mural paintings that decorate the dome and chancel. These works, considered integral components of the architectural character of the Church, were executed in 1923 by ten Toronto artists, including three members of the Group of Seven – J.E.H. MacDonald, F.H. Varley and Frank Carmichael. . Indeed, the church murals are the Group’s only know religious artworks. Reverend Skey was a patron of the arts and frequented the Toronto Arts and Letters Club. Among his friends, he counted J.E.H. MacDonald whom he commissioned to do the church’s decoration in the spring of 1923.
First, here are the works by the members of the Group of Seven:
The Adoration of the Magi, Franklin Carmichael
The Transfiguration, J.E.H. MacDonald
Do also take a look at The Nativity by F.H. Varley.
Here are some of the additional works outside of those executed by members of the Group of Seven.
For a general view of the church, see here and here.
Finally, separate from our considerations and certainly worth showing for reason of its beauty is a detail of the ceiling:
Photo credits: St. Anne's Anglican Church
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The Ordinariate and Walsingham
Fr. James Bradley, communications officer for the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, recently celebrated Mass in the Slipper Chapel at Walsingham on the Feast of St. Lawrence -- who happens to be the secondary patron of the same.
Those familiar with English Catholic history will of course know the importance of the Shrine of Walsingham.
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Those familiar with English Catholic history will of course know the importance of the Shrine of Walsingham.
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Diaconal Ordination at the Austrian Cistercian Abbey, Stift Heiligenkreuz
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Napa Institute Conference: Pontifical Mass, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone
Here is a full length video and some photos of the Solemn Pontifical Mass offered by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone as part of the Napa Institute Conferenc.
The Mass, which took place on July 29th, was offered in the Estate Cave of the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, California.
Here is a full length video of the Mass:
And here are some photos:
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The Mass, which took place on July 29th, was offered in the Estate Cave of the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, California.
Here is a full length video of the Mass:
And here are some photos:
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Virgil's Georgics and the Rule of St. Benedict?
There is an interesting intersection of themes over on Sancrucensis discussing the Rule of St. Benedict and the theorized influence of the Roman writer Virgil (most famously known for The Aeneid) on it.This might seem an obscure topic but I always find it of interest to consider the possible intersections of the classical and Christian worlds.
Virgil and St Benedict
by sancrucensis
labor omnia uicit improbus et duris – Geor. I,145-146
In Spe Salvi, no. 15 the Holy Father notes that Christian Monasticism inherited its teaching on the nobility of work from Judaism. That may be, but St Benedict’s doctrine of manual labor is also influenced by Virgil’s Georgics. At least that is what Theodor Haecker claims in his book Virgil: Father of the West:
The First Monks of the West had St Benedict as their spiritual father, but their worldly father was Virgil. They did not scruple to bring Virgil’s Georgics with them – along with the Holy Scriptures and the Rule. They set out for the North as sons of St Benedict to clear the “forests” of wild souls and to cultivate them for the reception of the word of God, and this they did through their orare through their prayer; but they also set out as sons of Virgil to clear the forests of the wild lands and to cultivate them for the reception of grain and vine, and this they achieved through their laborare, through work ‘in the sweat of their brow’ – a biblical expression which is still the best translation for the Virgilian labor improbus. They were Benedictines according the order of grace, Virgilians according the order of nature.
Through the magic of google books I find someone has made a close comparison of the Holy Rule with the Georgics...
Read the rest of the article...
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CBC on Gregorian Chant and the Gregorian Colloquium in Montreal
Back in May we told you about the Gregorian chant colloquium which was taking place in Montreal as part of the activities of the Gregorian Institute of Canada.
That colloquium will be taking place in the next few days from August 16-19, and the CBC (essentially the Canadian equivalent to the BBC) has picked up on this story, interviewing Jean-Pierre Noiseux, the organizer of the colloquium.
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Here is an excerpt from the interview:
Read the entire interview.![]()
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That colloquium will be taking place in the next few days from August 16-19, and the CBC (essentially the Canadian equivalent to the BBC) has picked up on this story, interviewing Jean-Pierre Noiseux, the organizer of the colloquium.
Here is an excerpt from the interview:
Q: Today we think of Gregorian chant as something relegated to the distant past. But is it?
A: Yes and no. Yes, if you consider only that it was created some 1,250 years ago, or that it was sung in the Roman Catholic church until the 1960s, and that its liturgical use has declined considerably since then. But no, if you consider that it is still a valid liturgical chant, and that it is still possible to hear chant today, whether in liturgy, in concert, on CD, on your iPod or the internet.
Q: What kind of people are attracted to Gregorian chant?
A: It would be much easier to identify what kind of people would not be attracted to Gregorian chant. Those who link chant exclusively to a recent historical period of the Catholic church they wish to deny in its entirety are surely among them. But it's clear to me that almost any open-minded person can be attracted, because it is great music that laid the foundation for the Western musical tradition.
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Q: To fully appreciate Gregorian chant, do you need to sing it?
A: Gregorian chant was created for liturgical purposes, and this includes performing as well as listening. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the best place to sing and listen to chant is within the liturgy. Because of that, I tend to find it more difficult to perform chant in concert. That doesn't mean Gregorian chant should not be performed in concert, but it does not naturally fit to this context...
Read the entire interview.
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The Gospel of the Assumption: A Medieval Allegory
Shortly after Pope Pius XII made the formal dogmatic definition of the Assumption in 1950, he promulgated a new Office and Mass for the feast. The Gospel of this Mass, Signum Magnum, is St. Luke 1, 41-50, the words of Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, to the Virgin at the time of the Visitation, and the first part of the Magnificat. Before the promulgation of this new Mass, the Gospel was that of Mary and Martha, Luke 10, 38-42.
This Gospel was received, like the feast of the Assumption itself, from the Byzantine tradition, in which it is read on various feasts of the Blessed Virgin, with two verses from the following chapter appended to it. (Luke 11, 27-28) In the traditional lectionary of the Roman Rite, these two verses are separated from the previous Gospel, and read on the Vigil of the Assumption.
The highly influential medieval liturgical commentator William Durandus explains allegorically why this Gospel is read on the Assumption:
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The Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin Mary, by Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci; from the Gradual of Santa Maria degli Angeli, ca. 1370, now in the British Library.![]()
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AT that time, Jesus entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha, received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord's feet, heard his word. But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? speak to her therefore, that she help me. And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art full of care, and art troubled about many things: But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.
This Gospel was received, like the feast of the Assumption itself, from the Byzantine tradition, in which it is read on various feasts of the Blessed Virgin, with two verses from the following chapter appended to it. (Luke 11, 27-28) In the traditional lectionary of the Roman Rite, these two verses are separated from the previous Gospel, and read on the Vigil of the Assumption.
AND it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. But He said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.
The highly influential medieval liturgical commentator William Durandus explains allegorically why this Gospel is read on the Assumption:
The Gospel is read about Martha and Mary, which at first sight appears to have no relevance, and yet it is indeed relevant, according to an allegory. For Jesus entered into a certain ‘small castle’, that is, into the Virgin Mary, who is called a castle since She is terrible to demons, and armed Herself well against the devil and against vices. But She is called ‘a small castle’ in the diminutive (castellum) because of her humility, and because of Her unique condition, since “neither before nor henceforth hath there been or shall be such another.” (quoting the 2nd antiphon of Lauds on Christmas day.) And Martha, that is, the active life, received Him. For She most diligently reared Her Child, and brought him into Egypt, and showed her goodness in the active life, by going to Elizabeth, and serving her, and just as She was (like) Martha in the active life, so also she was (like) Mary Magdalene in the contemplative life. Whence in another Gospel is read, “Mary kept all these words in her heart.” (Luke 2, 50) Now these two sisters signify the active life and the contemplative life, which were clearly in the Blessed Virgin Mary, and through them she exaltedly, honorably, and with great delight, received Christ in Herself. (Rationale Divinorum Officium, Book 7, chapter 24.)
The Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin Mary, by Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci; from the Gradual of Santa Maria degli Angeli, ca. 1370, now in the British Library.
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Calender for Lesser Known Dominican Blesseds
A question from a reader in Poland concerning the celebration of the "lesser" Dominican blesseds who were moved from the General Calendar of the Dominican Order to the local calendars of their provinces suggested this post. It concerns the 1962 calendar of the Traditional Dominican Rite.
Since the Dominican Calendar available for download on the left sidebar of Dominican Liturgy had nothing on these blesseds, I have added an addendum to that calendar listing the blesseds approved for use in the provinces in 1962, as well as those Dominicans beatified from 1962 to the present (the latter marked with *). The expanded calendar can now be downloaded at Dominican Liturgy.
Although these blesseds would normally be celebrated as "memorials" (an extra collect) only in their own provinces, nothing prohibits celebration of them in other provinces, if there is reason to do so. And, for cause, they might also be celebrated as feasts of the Third Class, at least in their own provinces. I might also add that if one of these blesseds has a tomb or shrine in one of our priories or churches, then, in that place, the blessed is celebrated as a feast of the Second Class. This is parallel to Dominican saints with feasts of the third (or second) class: in the place of the shrine or tomb, they rank as first class.
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Since the Dominican Calendar available for download on the left sidebar of Dominican Liturgy had nothing on these blesseds, I have added an addendum to that calendar listing the blesseds approved for use in the provinces in 1962, as well as those Dominicans beatified from 1962 to the present (the latter marked with *). The expanded calendar can now be downloaded at Dominican Liturgy.
Although these blesseds would normally be celebrated as "memorials" (an extra collect) only in their own provinces, nothing prohibits celebration of them in other provinces, if there is reason to do so. And, for cause, they might also be celebrated as feasts of the Third Class, at least in their own provinces. I might also add that if one of these blesseds has a tomb or shrine in one of our priories or churches, then, in that place, the blessed is celebrated as a feast of the Second Class. This is parallel to Dominican saints with feasts of the third (or second) class: in the place of the shrine or tomb, they rank as first class.
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Other Modern: Basilique Sainte-Thérèse de Lisieux, Normandy
A blog which I visit daily is Fr. Tim Finigan's the Hermeneutic of Continuity. So it was then that I was pleased to read the other day on his blog of his own interest in and appreciation for the Other Modern series that Matt Alderman and I have occasionally been approaching these past few years. I particularly appreciated his own position (which I certainly share) that while there was indeed a reactionary time when anything and everything modern was "in" and everything traditional out, now that the pendulum is swinging back and things traditional are once again more in favour (particularly amongst the younger generations) "an obvious danger for us today is to follow the pendulum blindly and decry anything that is modern." Well put.
But as delighted as I was to read all of these things, I was all the more delighted that Fr. Finigan further pointed us in the direction of yet another example of the Other Modern, the Basilique Sainte-Thérèse de Lisieux in Normandy, France. Let's take a look.
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The Cupola
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Finally, two further details:
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Thanks again to Fr. Finigan for drawing our attention to this simply splendid example of the Other Modern.
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But as delighted as I was to read all of these things, I was all the more delighted that Fr. Finigan further pointed us in the direction of yet another example of the Other Modern, the Basilique Sainte-Thérèse de Lisieux in Normandy, France. Let's take a look.
The Cupola
Finally, two further details:
Thanks again to Fr. Finigan for drawing our attention to this simply splendid example of the Other Modern.
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Help the Sisters at Lanherne
Some of our friends asked if we might publish this appeal related to the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate at Lanherne and we are certainly happy to do so.
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Images of the Sisters Life at Lanherne
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Would you be able to help the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate so that they can remain at Lanherne?
Eleven years ago, on 11th July 2001, the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate came to Lanherne to continue the life of prayer and penance which the Carmelite Sisters had fulfilled there so admirably since the year 1794. It was decided that the Monastery should be sold together with its Estate and the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate have been asked if they would like to purchase it. For that reason a charity called ‘Friends of Lanherne’ has been formed. One of its objectives is to purchase Lanherne Monastery so that it can continue to be kept as a special place of prayer, whilst at the same time allowing the sisters to remain there to continue their life of prayer and penance. However, as Franciscans, they are not allowed to own any properties, nor do they have the money to purchase it. Do you know anyone (or a group of people) who would be interested in helping to purchase the Monastery, whilst at the same time allowing the sisters to remain there to continue their life of prayer and penance?
Lanherne is such a special place and everyone who visits it says they find great peace and a facility to pray there. There is adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament every day of the week after the 7.30 a.m. Holy Mass (10 a.m. on Sundays), ending with Benediction each day. You may be interested to know that the Sanctuary light before the Blessed Sacrament has remained alight for hundreds of years. Lanherne used to be the Manor House of the Arundell family who rose to high positions in the country, only to be reduced to gradual impoverishment during the times of the Reformation, due to their love of the Catholic faith. Lanherne became a place of refuge for many priests during this time of persecution and there are said to be nine priest holes in which they hid from their persecutors. Tradition relates that one priest was hidden in one of these for eighteen months. St. Cuthbert Mayne often used to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass here (using the altar which is now in our small choir) and ministered to the Faithful here. He was martyred on 29th November 1577, for the simple reason that he was a Catholic priest. The Franciscans of the Immaculate are now the very privileged custodians of the first class relic of his skull which is kept in their choir, and which the people who attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sundays are able to venerate.
Just to tell you a little about the Institute of Franciscans of the Immaculate (friars and sisters). It was founded fairly recently by two Italian priests, Fr. Stefano M. Manelli and Fr. Gabriele Pellettieri, (both of whom are still alive) who were inspired by the life and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe. The distinctive characteristic of our Institute is the religious profession of the Marian Vow of Total Consecration to Our Lady and each of them desire to live their religious consecration under the protection and through the mediation of the Blessed Virgin Mary by means of this Vow. One very important thing in a world in which the number of religious vocations is dwindling rapidly, is that this Institute does have many vocations both for the friars and sisters and these are now coming from all parts of the world. There are communities in many countries and four Houses of Contemplation, one of which is Lanherne.
The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate
The contemplative community at Lanherne numbers eleven sisters at present. Some people may perhaps ask “but what do they do all day?” It is a very good question. Their principal duty is to support the Holy Father in his difficult mission and to pray for the Church and for the whole world, with the hope of bringing all humanity closer to the love of God; this occupies at least seven hours of community prayer each day. This means that all the sisters come together in the choir and there pray to Almighty God for so many needs of the world today. They have left the world, it is true, but the world is what they pray and sacrifice for, since there are many who are walking in darkness, especially in these days where there is so much indifference with regard to God. Some people go through their whole life without giving a thought to their Creator or questioning the meaning of their life. That is why there is so much unhappiness and dissatisfaction today - because people do not know that they were created to love and serve God in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in the next. The sisters have responded to the call of God and in sacrificing their lives, they hope to draw many others closer to Him.
The following will give you an idea as to how the Sisters spend their days:
At midnight they rise to praise the Lord by singing Matins and Lauds, the first two offices of the day. After this they rest again until 5.45 when they rise to praise Our Lord with the next two offices of Prime and Terce. There is also a period of meditation in preparation for Holy Mass at 7.30 am, celebrated in the Tridentine Rite. There is exposition of the Blessed Sacrament each day after Holy Mass and all the Sisters have turns of Adoration. This ends at 3.10 with benediction. Their whole day will be spent in prayer, meditation and work. The last time they come together each day in the choir is at 8.35 pm for Compline and lights out are at 9.30 pm. The Sisters have recreation once a week and this is usually on Sunday afternoon.
Each of the sisters also has her own daily duties to fulfill and there is quite a lot to keep them busy in a monastery the size of Lanherne. Apart from the usual domestic chores, one of the sisters is book-binding, another is busy growing vegetables: one sister translates a magazine aimed at the Contemplative Life from Italian into English each month, another prints and distributes it, one sister is the sacristan of the monastery and she prepares the choir and church for the various liturgical celebrations: each Saturday, another sister prepares the flowers for the Church and for the monastery itself. That is just to give you a vague idea of how the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate spend their days at Lanherne.
If you would like to make a donation, which can be gift aided, in order to help the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate so that Lanherne may always remain a place of prayer, please contact:
Friends of Lanherne, 69 Derwent Drive, Purley, Surrey, CR8 1ES and the email address is info@acharlton.f9.co.uk.
Images of the Sisters Life at Lanherne
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Monastic Private Masses
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Assumption at St. Benedict's, Richmond, Virginia
A number of our readers have sent in their Assumption day photos from their respective parishes. We shall do as we always do and try to show as many of these as we can. We begin today with St. Benedict's in Richmond, Virginia:
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(See more photos here)
In addition, a full length recording of the Mass has been made which you can view here:
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In celebration of the centenary year of Saint Benedict Parish in Richmond, Virginia the Reverend James F. Kauffmann, S.S.L., Pastor, along with the Reverend Robert Novokowsky, F.S.S.P., Pastor, and the Reverend Karl Marsolle, F.S.S.P., Parochial Vicar, Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Richmond, offered a Solemn High Mass in the usus antiquior on the Solemnity of the Assumption 2012 for over 600 congregants and visitors.
Accompanied by Mr. James A. Dorn, choirmaster/organist at Saint Benedict Church, the choir, under the direction of guest conductor Dr. Axel Theimer of Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, sang the Missa Brevis by Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967).
The Proper Chants were sung by the Schola from Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Mr. David Pedersen, choirmaster.
Additionally, the choir sang Ave Maria by Franz Biebl (1906 – 2001) and Ave Maris Stella by Edvard Grieg (1843-1907). Prelude music was performed by Saint Benedict trombone quartet.
(See more photos here)
In addition, a full length recording of the Mass has been made which you can view here:
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The Cosmos is Made for Man - How this Affects the Way We Paint It
The Office of Readings for July 30th, the Feast of St Peter Chrysologus contains the following passage from one of his sermons: 'Man, why do you have so low an opinion of yourself, when you are so precious to God?...Has not the household of the whole universe which you see been made for you? For you light is produced to dispel the surrounding darkness; for you the night is regulated; for you the day is measured out; for you the sky shines with the varied brilliance of sun, moon and stars; for you the earth is embroidered with flowers, groves and fruit; for you is created a beautiful, well-ordered and marvellous multitude of living things, in the air, in the fields, in the water, lest a gloomy wilderness upset the joy of the world.'He was writing in first half of the 5th century AD. This idea that the universe is made for man to see, and its corollary, that man is made to see it governs how we paint in the naturalistic artistic traditions. The stylistic elements of baroque naturalism are generated from an analysis of how we observe the natural world and how this manner of observation of the beauty of creation, leads us to give praise to the Creator. If the work of man, in this case a painting, participates in the beauty of the cosmos then it too will raise the hearts and souls of those who see it to God through its beauty. By incorporating traditional harmony and proportion into compositional design, the artist or architect is creating something that participates in this cosmic beauty, described numerically. Similarly, by painting in such a way that stimulates a response in the way we observe it, which is the same as our reaction to the natural world, it is likely to raise our hearts and minds to God just as the beauty of creation does.
These considerations are only relevant when we are considering the natural observation of the world we live in now. The baroque tradition is one of these as it seeks to portray fallen man, ie 'historical' man, in such a way that his potential for sanctity through cooperation with God's grace is emphasised. It aims to give us hope that transcends any evil and suffering. This does not apply to artistic traditions that are trying to communicate something different, such as the iconographic which seeks to communicate eschatological man, mankind in union with God partaking of the divine nature.
How do we observe the natural world? When we look at the world around us the eye roves around the scene before it. At any moment on only the central part of the vision is in focus and coloured - to an angle of vision of about 15 degrees. Peripheral vision is monochrome - reflecting only tonal information, no colour - and blurred. This is the nature of the image that is on the retina at any moment. But this is not what we see in our mind's eye. The memory supplies additional information to complete the scene. Usually the information is given to the memory by prior observation of different parts of the same scene. For example, if I am talking to somebody. I spend most of the time looking at the face, most particularly the eyes and eyebrows, because they communicate most information about what the person is thinking and feeling. Other than that I would make the occasional cursory glance up and down the person and unless something unusual particularly catches my attention, I focus first on the eyes, then the mouth and the gesture of the hands. All of these communicate thought. The soul is revealed through the body.
Similarly when I look at the broader scene I naturally focus on points that interest me and these will reflect, generally, the hierarchy of being. I look first and longest at any people, second at any man made objects, such as buildings, then at animals and finally at plants. Of course unusual sights will cause me to look at things longer - if I saw a two-headed sheep, then I would probably focus a lot of my attention on that.
How does the painter make use of this? He supplies key focal points of interest in the painting, harmoniously placed relative to each other and on these focal points he gives most detailed and coloured information. The rest he depletes of colour and softens the focus. In order to make sure that the eye is attracted to these key points the artist not only provides more detail, and more colour, but also will introduce into the composition something that will attract the eye immediately. Generally there will be a heightened and sharpened contrast between light and dark at the key points, and the brightest colour, perhaps a red to draw the eye.
When the focal points arranged by the artist correspond to those foci that we would have looked at preferentially when presented with a scene, because they conform to the hierarchy of being for example, then viewing the work is a delight. We are given most information in those aspects that we would be most naturally interested in anyway and we are barely aware that this is what is going on. The observation of the painting is so natural.
If the artist seeks to overturn our natural curiousity by painting, for example, a cigarette butt on the floor every bit as detailed as the person standing beside it (as a photorealist would do), then we feel overloaded with detail and information and it creates a tension as we observe the painting.
However, one would not want to give that this hierarchy of observation is a rigidly defined set of rules that allow no room for manouvre. The skilled artist understands how much leeway there is and will (through these devices of variation in focus, contrast and colour) deliberately pique our interest in things he wants us to notice by directing us to them prefentially; or conversly play down details that otherwise we might be more interested in.
The contrast between portraiture and sacred art demonstrates this point. In a portrait, the aim of the artist is to demonsrate the uniqueness of the person. By a strong emphasis on the face of the individual the artist not only communicates the thoughts and feeling of the person, thereby communicating the fact that this human person is body and soul; but also he communicates the unique characteristics of the person which for most of us are most striking in our faces. These unique characteristics are the things that differentiate us from all other humanity.
If the artist is portraying a saint or Christ, then the task is slightly different. Certainly the artist must represent the characteristics of the person that identify him as unique. But there is an important need also to emphasise those aspects of the person that can be emulated by us, these are the general characteristics of a good man - virtue, holiness and so on. This is why we look to the lives of the saints. For this reason, the baroque sacred artist, relative to a portrait painter, plays down the facial features. So very often the face will be wholly or partially in shadow, while the thoughts and feeling are communicated through the gesture and posture. The whole person is emphasised. When I was learning in Florence, my teacher Matthew James Collins made this point to me directly in contrasting the aims of portrait painting, which we studied each morning, with figure painting, which we studied in the afternoon. The figure, he told me, should have the light moving up and down its length - particularly on the broader masses such as the thighs and torso, as this emphasises the whole person and this is what the baroque tradition sought to do.
I have shown examples of portraits and paintings of saints to illustrate the point, but what the artist is doing in order to emphasise the general aspects of humanity is not always so obvious. The effect of failing to do it is more obvious. Rather than convincing us that this is the Virgin Mary or Christ, painting looks like painting of the girl or boy next door posing in costume.
This ability to partially abstract the painting in accordance with our natural way of observing, even more than a lack of technical painting skill, is in my opinion what distinguishes the masters of the past from so many atelier trained artists of today. This visual language was developed out of a Christian understanding of the relationship between the human person and the cosmos. While it is possible to consider simply it as a traditional form, without linking it to a Christian ethos, and still paint well (John Singer Sargent, for example, was not a man of faith, to my knowledge), any artist is going to increase his chances of doing so, I would suggest, if he understands and accepts the end to which all of this is directed and how these stylistic elements conform to that end.
The landscape above is by Rubens. All the paintings below are by Ribera: the Lamentation over the Dead Christ, St Andrew, the Martyrdom of St Andrew and St Peter. These should be contrasted with portraits by him that follow: the Drinker, Girl with Tambourine and Clubfooted Boy.
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