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Daniel Mitsui, Stations of the Cross

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In Daniel Mitsui's latest newsletter, he informs us that he is working on a set of the Stations of the Cross, inked on goatskin parchment with gold leaf, measuring 5" x 7". Here are the four he has completed so far:








One More From Japan: Tokyo

Compendium of the 1961 Revision of the Pontificale Romanum - Part 5.3: The Reconciliation of a Cemetery (1595 & 1961)

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The Pontifical of 1595 also provides for the reconciliation of a violated cemetery by itself, without the need to reconcile a church; this ceremony is much simpler than the reconciliation of a church alone, or that of a church and cemetery together. The bishop wears a white cope and simple miter; a faldstool is set up on a carpet in the middle of the cemetery. The Litany of the Saints is sung, while the bishop kneels at the faldstool; after the invocation, “That Thou may deign to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed”, the bishop rises and sings the following invocations, making the sign of the Cross over the cemetery at the places marked.
That Thou may deign to recon + cile this cemetery. R. We ask Thee, hear us.
That Thou may deign to recon + cile and sancti + fy this cemetery. R. We ask Thee, hear us.
That Thou may deign to recon + cile, sancti + fy and conse + crate this altar and cemetery. R. We ask Thee, hear us.
The cantors finish the Litany, after which the bishop blesses water according to the usual formula of the Rituale Romanum. He then intones the antiphon, “Thou shalt sprinkle me, o Lord, with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.” The choir continues it, and then sings Psalm 50 Miserere from which it is taken, without Gloria Patri at the end, and repeats the antiphon.

Meanwhile, the bishop sprinkles holy water throughout the cemetery, especially in the place where the act of profanation took place, going clockwise around it. Returning to the faldstool, he then says with the major ministers “Let us pray. Let us kneel. Arise,” and the following prayer, also used when a cemetery is to be reconciled together with a church. (The parts enclosed in red parentheses are omitted in the 1961 revision.)
Kindly Lord, who didst will that the potter’s field be bought as a burying place for strangers; we ask, deign Thou to remember this Thy most clement mystery. (For Thou, o Lord, art our maker, Thou the field of our rest, Thou art the price of this field; Thou gavest also and did receive; Thou didst grant us to rest of the price and in the price of Thy life-giving blood.) Therefore, o Lord, who art the most clement forgiver of our offenses, (a most patient judge, most abundant above all things in the mercy of Thy judgment, that hidest the judgment of Thy just severity behind the mercy of Thy holy redemption,) be present to harken to and effect our reconciliation; and of Thy kindness, purify and reconcile this cemetery, the resting place of Thy pilgrims who await the sojourning in the heavenly fatherland; and forbearing condemnation, raise and glorify the bodies of those who are or will be buried here from the power and compassion of Thy resurrection, to the glory of incorruption. Who art to come to judge the living and the dead, and the world in fire. R. Amen.
The bishop then imparts a solemn blessing; there is no Mass to follow.

In the 1961 revision of the Pontifical, the color of the vestments worn by the bishop and major ministers is changed from white to violet. The bishop wears the mitre called “auryphrigiata” in Latin, the less ornate kind used in Advent and Lent, rather than the simple mitre with no ornamentation. Holy water is blessed before the ceremony, not within it. A faldstool is placed in the middle of the cemetery for no reason at all, since it is not used. The rubrics presume a large cross is set up in the middle of the cemetery; if there is none, the faldstool is placed at the back of the cemetery.

The ceremony begins with “Deus in adjutorium” and “Gloria Patri”, like the hours of the Divine Office, but without Alleluia. The Litany of the Saints is suppressed, and with it, the special invocations sung by the bishop. The bishop then sprinkles holy water throughout the cemetery, starting behind the cross, and going to his right, and then from the cross to the gate, and then from the left side to the right, passing in front of the cross. The rubrics no longer specify that the bishop sprinkles the water especially on the specific place where the violation of the cemetery took place.

As he does this, the choir sings the antiphon “Thou shalt sprinkle me, o Lord, with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow,” and repeats it after every two verses of Psalm 50 Miserere, from which it is taken; at the end, Gloria Patri is not said. The antiphon is no longer intoned by the bishop; the rubric specifies that the whole psalm is to be said.

On returning to the faldstool, the bishop turns to face the cemetery (and hence also the people present) says “Dominus vobiscum. Oremus.”, and the prayer “Kindly Lord” noted above; the words enclosed in red parentheses are omitted. The conclusion of the prayer is changed to “Who livest and reignest for ever and ever.” The ceremony concludes with “Dominus vobiscum” and “Benedicamus Domino.”

A new rubric provides for the celebration of a Mass; this rubric is identical to that at the end of the reconciliation of a church. The prayers added to the Mass are the same.

A correction: in the previous post in this series, I erroneously stated that in 1961 revision, a word had been changed (from “dedicate” to “purify”) in one of the prayers in the reconciliation of a church. In point of fact, there was no change; the edition of the 1595 Pontifical which I consulted for the preparation of this series (H. Dessain, 1855) erroneously prints “dedicate” at this point, the word which is used when the same prayer is said during the dedication of a church. The same erroneous reading of the Dessain edition was noted in the description of the ceremony in part 5.1; both posts have been emended accordingly.

Monreale Welcomes New Archbishop

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There are some ecclesiastical structures which you often see for reason of their beauty and history, but sadly seldom get to see within a liturgical context. One of those is the the basilica of Monreale in Sicily, which has to be one of the most stunning examples of its kind anywhere.

Recently, the diocese of Monreale welcome its new archbishop to the cathedral, Mgr. Michele Pennisi. Here are a few photos.














Photo source: www.monrealenews.it

Aquinas, Augustine, Benedict and Corbon on Seven and Eight in the Psalms and the Liturgy; and the Helical Passage of Time

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In his book the Wellspring of Worship, Jean Corbon talks about the significance of the numbers seven and eight in the liturgy. In the Old Testament, seven is the number that signifies God’s covenant and so time is ordered according to it with seven days in a week. The book of Genesis describes the institution of this, of course, in the Creation story; and the symbolism is reinforced with the appearance of the seven-colour rainbow in the sky when Noah is saved and the covenant with all the earth is reinstituted. Eight is the number of new covenant ushered in with the incarnation, life,death and resurrection of Christ. So the eighth day is Sunday, which is simultaneously the first day of the next week and the last, the eighth of the previous one. The transition of the old to the new is symbolized by the operation of adding one to seven.

This idea creates a picture of a progression that is helical, rather than linear. As each day moves forward in time, we can imagine a vector shift that is forward and upward and turns an angle, so that by the time eight days have progressed, a full circle has been turned and the eighth is directly above the first. We have traced out seven days of the week, and then the significant addition of another day takes us to another Sunday, sitting vertically above the previous Sunday which is a pitch of the thread beneath it. So although it has the same name, Sunday, it is a new Sunday and marks simultaneously the end of the last octave and the beginning of the next. This way by following the liturgical weekly cycle traces a holy spiral, upwards to heaven. All we have to do is participate in the liturgical life and we are transported along this path.

Corbon describes how in the context of the year Easter is at the centre of the year. At any point before, we are either in anticipation of it, and any point after, in celebration of it. To emphasize this there are eight consecutive eighth days in the Octave of Easter (and Christmas). It is in effect a week of Sundays. Prior to Easter there are seven weeks of Lent (although it is actually a couple of days short of a complete seven) and afterwards there are the 50 days of Pentecost. He describes how the 50 days are seven weeks of seven days, 49 days in all, that are brought to completion by the addition of an eighth eighth day at the end.

This pattern of seven being resolved finally in eight is present within the structure of each day also. Quoting Psalm 118 in Chapter 16 of his Rule, St Benedict establishes the eight traditional Offices (seven daytime and one night time) and their hours in the Divine Office: ' "Now that the sacred number of seven will be fulfilled by us if we perform the Offices of our service at the time of the Morning Office, of Prime, of Terce, of Sext, of None,of Vespers and of Compline, since it was of these day Hours that he said,"Seven times in the day I have rendered praise to You" (Ps. 118[119]:164). For as to the Night Office the same Prophet says,"In the middle of the night I arose to glorify You" (Ps. 118[119]:62). Let us therefore bring our tribute of praise to our Creator "for the judgments of His justice" at these times: the Morning Office, Prime, Terce,Sext, None,Vespers and Compline; and in the night let us arise to glorify Him.’

It occurs to me that one might think of the prayer of the Church, which is the prayer of Christ himself, ushering the world forward on a path of redemption through sacred time that is a triple helix. The tight daily helix spirals its way on the weekly helix, which in turn sits on a giant helix which rotates once in a year.

Speaking in a sermon for Low Sunday, which is reproduced in the Office of Readings for that day, eight days after Easter, Augustine tells us how the Octave was anticipated in Old Testament:‘This is the octave day of your new birth. Today is fulfilled in you the sign of faith that was prefigured in the Old Testament by the circumcision of the flesh on the eighth day after birth. When the Lord rose from the dead, he put off the mortality of the flesh; his risen body was still the same body, but it was no longer subject to death. By his resurrection he consecrated Sunday, or the Lord’s day. Though the third after his passion, this day is the eighth after the Sabbath, and thus also the first day of the week.’

The psalms, as we can see from the quotes of Benedict above, though placed in the Old Testament anticipate the New also. This should be no surprise. For as was recently pointed out to me, St Thomas Aquinas tells us in his commentary on the psalms that this is a special book that contains all the content of theology: 'The material is universal for while the particular books of the Canon of Scripture contain special materials, this book has the general material of Theology as a whole.' Then in referring to their special place in the liturgy where they are to be sung he says: 'This is what Dionysius [the Areopagite] says in Book 3 of the Celestial Hierarchy,the sacred scripture of the Divine Songs (Psalms) is intended to sing of all sacred and divine workings.'

This points to the psalms as a special source of wisdom, most especially in the context of the liturgy. Given that the purpose of education is to instill wisdom, one wonders why more educational institutions do not have the liturgy of the hours, as well as Mass offered daily (as traditional universities used to). I wrote about this value of psalms and the liturgy in education as a source of wisdom, here.

St Thomas goes on to explain in the same commentary that not only is the content containing all of theology but also the very structure of the book itself conforms to the symbolism of seven and eight: 'The first distinction is that there are one hundred and fifty psalms; this is a mystery, because this number is composed of 70 and 80. By 7, from which 70 is named, the course of this time is signified, which is carried out in seven days; by 8, from which 80 is named, the state of the future life.   For the number eight according to the Gloss concerns those who rise from the dead;and it signifies that in this book there is a treatment of those things that pertain to the course of the present life, and to future glory. Again, by seven the old testament is signified. The fathers of the old testament observed that which is seventh: they observed the seventh day, the seventh week, the seventh month, and the seventh year of the seventh decade, which is called the Jubilee. By eight the new testament is signified: we celebrate the eighth day, namely the Lord's Day, on account of the solemnity of the Lord's resurrection; and in this book are contained the mysteries of the old and new testament.’ (The Gloss is the glossa ordinaria, a standard biblical commentary based upon comments of the Fathers, predominantly Jerome, Augustine, Bede and Gregory.)

This 7:8 structure it seems is a ratio that signifies faithful anticipation and then fulfillment, we see it represented in the lenten/pentecostal relationship that Corbon describes and the Old/New Testament convenantal relationship that St Thomas describes.

As, this ratio of 7:8 when incorporated into the proportions of the structure of the book of psalms is appropriate to it and this lends a greater beauty to the book as a whole; due proportion being one of the essential attributes of beauty. We respond to this intuitively as we read it whether we are aware of it or not, and so the structure of it aids our understanding. Just as God offers wisdom through this book in a pattern appropriate to it, so we are made by Him so that we naturally desire to take it in when it is sliced up in this way; and we respond to the beauty of it. Furthermore, when this is presented in its appropriate context, in the liturgy, which itself conforms to these patterns, the power is multiplied many times over.

If we talk of octaves in casual conversation, most people will assume we are talking about music and of course we find that the beautiful patterns of harmony in music correspond to this also. The musical scale is seven notes, and the eighth is higher still, simultaneously the last note of the previous octave and the first of the next. What is extraordinary, I always feel, is the fact of this peculiarly human apprehension of this progression which hears this eighth note as one that is at a higher pitch, yet of the same quality – for example a high and low C (a musical representation of Easter Sunday and Low Sunday perhaps!).

How does this relate to design? Because number can be used to order man’s activity in time and space, potentially all human activity can be made to conform to this liturgical beauty. The symbolism of eight and seven is only one pair of examples that could govern it. So we could use eight sided geometric shapes to indicate this. Within music, harmonious relationships can be described numerically a different way by consideration of the relative lengths of pieces of string (or lengths of pitch pipe) that produce particular notes when plucked (or blown). To describe the interval of an octave you would have one string twice the length of another, so this means that the ratio 1:2 is another way of showing the harmony of an octave. You could have a picture, for example bounded by a rectangle, with one side twice the length of another. As many will know, the other fundamental music harmonies with the octave, the fourth and the fifth produce ratios of 3:4 and 2:3. So a simple design for a church with ratio 1:2:3 for the main structure of it, invokes this liturgical logic and is all the more beautiful for it. There are many more proportions in the tradition beside these, but all point to and are derived from this liturgical principle.

Man is made for liturgy, and it is liturgical man that is responding when we hear the beauty or the harmony in music or in the natural world, for these relationships echo the patterns of the liturgy and of heaven. The music to which the psalms are applied itself follows these patterns too through the intervals that it describes in the various modes. As we know St Augustine said that he who chants his prayers prays twice. In reality, I would say, it is even more than that: a common pattern of beauty runs through the structure of the liturgy (daily, weekly, seasonal and annual), the text of the psalms and the music to which they are applied, and ideally even the church building in which we sing them.

What might seem at first the ordinary act of chanting a psalm to its simple tone while marking the Hour, is in fact invoking a whole host of intertwining harmonious relationships. We hear only one note at a time; yet it speak to us of something that is dazzling in its beauty and complexity. The wonder of all of this is that God made us all so that we can grasp this effortlessly: each hears monophony and apprehends symphony.

Below: the musical harmonies appear in the design of Attingham House, in Shropshire. The design of the house is simple - a square box with a Palladian/faux Roman portico stuck onto the front. It's beauty is derived from the harmonious proportions in the stories going upwards, indicated by differing window size. They are two, four and six window panes high respectively, corresponding to the propotion 1:2:3. This is based upon the musical harmonies of the octave and perfect fifth respectively. This is not a sacred building, but it demonstrates how any house (it needn't be as large or grand as this) can be a subliminal signpost to the liturgy.

EF at University of Illinois

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I wanted to inform you that Father Archer of the Diocese of Peoria celebrated a Missa Cantata (sung high mass) on April 8, 2013 at 6:00PM at St. John's Chapel on campus. It was followed by a talk and Q&A in the Msgr. Swetland room. The Mass featured a full choir, torchbearers, and incense! The Mass setting was Missa Super Dixit Maria by Hassler.

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A group of students at the University of Illinois are forming a group to support the Extraordinary form. The group is called Una Voce Illini...

NLM Quiz no. 15: What Are These Vestments Being Used For?

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Why are these vestments arranged in this order and numbered as they are? What service are they being used for? Please give your answer in the combox, along with any details you think pertinent to it. As always, to keep it more interesting, please leave your answer before reading the other comments. The answer will be posted on Monday.

Liturgical Notes from Rome

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By way of Acción Litúrgica I came across these photos of the first pontifical Mass (OF) of Mgr. Ettore Balestrero, the recently appointed papal nuncio in Colombia from what I gather. I was particularly pleased to see that the Benedictine arrangement endures (and in 'classical' form). Very good as well to see the continued use of the pontifical dalmatic. The Mass took place in Santa Maria Maggiore.






A full set of photos may be seen on L'Osservatore Romano.

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From the same source, an OF Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on the feast of St. Pius V.


Photo © L'Osservatore Romano




An Interview on the Propers of the Mass

EF Mass, Loyola University, Chicago

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One of our readers sends in photos of a recent EF Mass celebrated at Loyola University Chicago this past Saturday, May 4th in the Ignatius House Chapel of the Jesuit Residence. The celebrant was Fr. Robert John Araujo, S.J.















Compendium of the 1961 Revision of the Pontificale Romanum - Part 6: The Consecration of a Chalice and Paten (1595 & 1961)

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After the blessings and dedication of sacred places such as churches and cemeteries, the Pontifical places the blessing of objects used for divine worship, beginning with the chalice and the paten. The consecration of each of the two consists of an exhortation addressed by the bishop to those present, a prayer addressed to God, and a second prayer said while he anoints the object with chrism. There follows a concluding prayer for the two together, after which they are sprinkled with holy water. Illustrations of the various editions of the Pontifical (both pre- and post-Clementine) show the bishop vested in cope, stole and mitre; the actual rubric of the Pontifical itself, however, mandates only the stole and mitre, and does not mention the cope, stating furthermore that “whenever he performs the proper offices of a bishop, he should be dressed in pontifical, not priestly vestments.” The mitre is removed when he says the prayers, but left on when he addresses those present and when he anoints or sprinkles the objects. At each cross in red in the text of these prayers, he makes the sign of the Cross over them with his hand. The bishop beings with the versicle “Adjutorium nostrum” and this exhortation.
Let us pray, dearest brethren, that the blessing of divine grace may consecrate and sanctify this paten, that there may be broken upon it the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who bore the suffering of the Cross for the salvation of us all.
He then says “The Lord be with you. Let us pray.” and the following prayer.
Almighty and everlasting God, who didst institute the sacrifices of the Law, and among them, did command that wheat flour sprinkled (i.e. with oil; see Exodus 29,2) be brought on dishes (“in patenis”) of gold and silver to Thy altar, deign Thou to bless + , sancti+fy and conse+crate this paten, for the administration of the Eucharist of Jesus Christ Thy Son, who for our salvation and that of all men chose to be sacrificed to Thee, God the Father, on the gibbet of the Cross; and with Thee liveth and reigneth etc. (long conclusion)
The bishop makes a cross over the paten with the Holy Chrism, which he then spreads over the whole of its surface with his thumb, saying:
Deign Thou, Lord God, to conse+crate and sancti+fy this paten through this anointing, and our bless+ing , in Christ Jesus our Lord, who with Thee etc. (long conclusion)
He now addresses those present again:
Let us pray, dearest brethren, that our God and Lord may sanctify this chalice that is to be consecrated for the use of his ministry by the inspiration of heavenly grace, and add the fullness of divine favor to human consecration. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
The bishop then says “The Lord be with you. Let us pray.” and the following prayer.
Deign Thou, o Lord our God, to bless + this chalice, made for the use of Thy ministry by the holy devotion of Thy servants, and fill it with that sanctifi+cation with which Thou didst fill the sacred Chalice of Thy servant Melchisedech, and may that which cannot be made worthy of Thy altars by art or by the nature of metal, become sanctified by Thy bless+ing. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.
The bishop makes a cross within the chalice with the Holy Chrism from one edge of the cup to another; he then spreads the Chrism throughout the cup with his thumb, saying:
Deign Thou, Lord God, to conse+crate and sancti+fy this chalice through this anointing, and our bless+ing , in Christ Jesus our Lord, who with Thee etc. (long conclusion)
It should be noted that this formula here used for the paten and chalice is the same used at the anointing of the priest’s hands at ordination, “Deign Thou, Lord God, to consecrate and sanctify these hands through this anointing, and our bless+ing.” He then says “The Lord be with you. Let us pray.” and the following prayer.
Almighty and everlasting God, pour forth, we ask Thee, by our hands the richness of Thy blessing, that through our bless+ing this vessel and paten may be sanctified, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit become a new sepulcher for the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Through the same our Lord etc. (long conclusion)
The bishop sprinkles them both with holy water; a priest then cleans them by wiping the oil off with bread, which is then burnt, or put in the sacrarium of the church.

The blessing of a paten and chalice; illustration from a 1595 edition of the Pontifical. (Permission to use this image has been very kindly granted by the Pitts Theological Library, Candler School of Theology at Emory University.)
In the 1961 revision, provision is made to bless several patens and chalices at once; the plural forms of “paten” and “chalice” are added to the prayers in parentheses after the singular forms. The rubric direct that the bishop wear a rochet, rather than a cope, as well as the stole and mitre.

At the first prayer, (“Almighty and everlasting God, who didst institute the sacrifices of the Law…), the signs of the Cross are removed from the words “bless” and “consecrate”. The rubric no longer directs the bishop to spread the Chrism over the paten. The conclusion of the prayer is shortened.

At the second prayer, (“Deign Thou, Lord God, to consecrate and sanctify this paten…”) the signs of the Cross are removed from the words “consecrate” and “sanctify”; it ends with the short conclusion.

At the third prayer (“Deign Thou, o Lord our God, to bless this chalice…”) the signs of the Cross are removed from the words “sanctification” and “blessing”.The rubric no longer directs the bishop to spread the Chrism throughout the cup.

At the fourth prayer (“Deign Thou, o Lord our God, to consecrate and sanctify this chalice…”) the signs of the Cross are removed from the words “consecrate” and “sanctify”. It ends with the short conclusion.

The fifth prayer also ends with the short conclusion. The text of the prayers is not otherwise changed. Holy water is not used.

Baptism in High Medieval Italy

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It has been called to my attention that our friends over at the "Pray Tell" blog, posted a link to my "2013 Aquinas Lecture" at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley CA back in March.  There were a number of interesting and insightful comments by readers there.

As the topic of the Baptismal Liturgy would probably also interest our readers here, I provide here the link to it here: The Aquinas Lecture, 2013.

I am sure that after viewing it, a good number of readers will want to comment.

Photos of the Reception of the First Novice into the Oratory in Formation, Lewiston, Maine

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Here are some photos of Br Tyler Tracey's entrance into the Novitiate of the Fraternity of St Philip Neri at the Basilica of Ss Peter and Paul, Lewiston, Maine. This is an Oratory in Formation established just last August and Br Tyler is their first novice. This is an encouraging early development to say the least. There are three priests. I attended the ceremony which was last Friday afternoon and which was followed by Vespers and Benediction. I was especially glad to be able to make it as Br Tyler is a former student of Thomas More College of Liberal Arts and I know him well. I have additional personal reasons for wanting to support this new community and that is that the liturgy of the London Oratory was so influential in my conversion and my continued contact with both the London Oratory and the Birmingham Oratory has been so nourishing for my faith. Here are two churches where the liturgy can reduce me to tears...for the right reasons.

Mgr Caron, the superior of the community described proceedings as follows:

On Friday, May 3, at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston, Bro. Tyler Tracey was admitted as a member of the Fraternity of St. Philip Neri for the probationary period of one year in the course of a rite which was taken in part from the one prepared by Blessed John Henry Newman for the Birmingham Oratory. It begins with singing the hymn to the Holy Spirit, Veni Creator. The postulant is questioned as to his desire to live according to the Oratorian charism, and all pray for him using the Litany of St. Philip, composed by Blessed JH Newman. After publicly stating his intention to life according to the statutes of the Fraternity for the coming year, he is given the habit of the community. Each member of the community offers him a fraternal sign of peace, and all venerate the relic of our holy father St. Philip.

He joins the community for the celebration of Vespers and Benediction. It is the custom in the Oratory to sing Vespers publicly on feast days. May 3 is the feast of the Apostles Philip and James. St. Philip the Apostle was the patron of St. Philip Neri. St. Philip Neri retained devotion to his namesake the Apostle throughout his life. Vespers, or Evening Prayer, concluded with a brief period of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by Benediction.'

Congratulations to all! My prayers are with you.


Above: people starting to gather in the church early (yours truly closest to us on the rhs). The basilica was completed in the 1930s inspired by the French gothic. There is extensive and beautiful woodwork throughout the church. If I turned around from my position in the pew, the photo below shows the sight I would see.









San Cayetano, Guanajuato, Mexico

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I have generally avoided showing wedding photos here on NLM, but I'm happy to make an exception in this instance since we seldom are able to show liturgical photos from places such as Mexico. In this instance, the church of San Cayetano in Guanajuato, México. The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Jonathan Romanoski FSSP.









The Russian Orthodox Church... in Florence


Compendium of the 1961 Revision of the Pontificale Romanum - Part 7: The Blesssing of Vestments (1595 & 1961)

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The blessing of vestments begins with the versicle “Adjutorium nostrum”, followed by “Dominus vobiscum” and the following two prayers. At the crosses marked in the prayers, the bishop makes the sign of the cross over the vestments.
Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, Who through Thy servant Moses decreed that pontifical, priestly and levitical vestments be made, that (these orders) might fulfill their ministry in Thy sight, to the honor and glory of Thy name; be present in Thy mercy to our invocations, that Thou may deign through our humble service to puri+fy, bless+ and conse+crate these priestly garments with a great blessing, pouring forth Thy grace from above, that they may be suitable for divine worship and the sacred mysteries. And may Thy bishops, priests and levites, clothed in these sacred vestments, merit to be armed and defended from every influence and temptation of wicked spirits; grant them to serve and cleave to Thy mysteries rightly and worthily, and persevere in them in tranquility and devotion. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

Let us pray. O God, triumphant in unconquered might, creator and sanctifier of all things, heed our prayers, and deign with Thy own mouth to bless +, sancti+fy and conse+crate these garments of levitical, priestly and pontifical honor, in which Thy ministers shall delight, and make all those who use them fit (to serve) Thy mysteries, and pleasing as they serve Thee in them devoutly and praiseworthily. (long conclusion) R. Amen. 
The bishop then sprinkles them with holy water.

In the 1961 revision, the words “purify” and “consecrate” are removed from the first prayer; the second prayer is suppressed.

The Pontifical of Clement VIII also contains a special blessing to be used when one particular kind of vestment is blessed, which also begins with “Adjutorium nostrum” and “Dominus vobiscum”.

Let us pray. Almighty God, Who givest all good virtues, and plentifully pourest forth all blessings, we humbly pray Thee, that by our hands Thou may pour forth the wealth of Thy blessing, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, deign to bless+, sancti+fy and conse+crate this (or“these”  - name of the type of vestment) prepared for divine worship; and to all those who use it (or“them” ), kindly grant the grace of sanctification that cometh of Thy sacred mystery, that in Thy sight they may appear holy, and immaculate and blameless, and receive the help of Thy mercy. (long conclusion)


The bishop then sprinkles them with holy water.

In the 1961 revision, the words “purify” and “consecrate” are removed from the prayer, which ends with the short conclusion. To the list of vestments which may be blessed are added “cope” and “humeral veil”, which are not mentioned in the 1595 Pontifical.

Pirque, Chile

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By way of Accion Liturgica came some rather nice images from the usus antiquior celebrated in Chile in Santa Rita, Pirque, within the diocese of San Bernardo. I thought that the altar arrangement was simple yet not minimalist, and the contrast of the rich red background with the gold tones and wood tones make for a rather appealing effect.

One could also as easily imagine the effectiveness of this arrangement within an OF context.







St Catherine’s Trust Family Retreat

An Intensive Summer School in Academic Drawing for Catholics - Useful Whatever Your Preferred Tradition

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Learn the Academic Method and Earn College Credit

Whatever your preferred style of art, I always feel, if you are an artist who seeks to create beautiful work you must learn to draw. Drawing is the core discipline, the musical scale, of visual art and if an artist cannot draw then any correspondence of his art to his original idea is just a rare and lucky accident. I am approached all the time by people who wish to learn to paint icons and usually my first piece of advice is to learn to draw as well as studying the tradition you are interested in.

The best training I know is the academic method which is a systematic method of training hand and eye that was developed by Masters such as Leonardo and Michelangelo. I did a summer school in Florence in this style and in just two weeks my drawing ability improved by orders of magnitude (and I thought I was pretty good at art before I went!). You will produce a drawing of a cast in charcoal - I did the cast drawing you see left at the same atelier in my first month of full-time study there. My icon painting teacher encouraged me to go and as a result the quality of my icon painting improved dramatically as well. If you don't like what I do now, all I can say is that you would have hated what I used to do before I studied in Florence!

Thomas More College of Liberal Arts has teamed up with the internationally known Ingbretson Studios, based in Manchester, NH to offer summer school. As well as the art instruction there is a program of lectures and museum visits that focus on an deeper understanding of the Western naturalistic tradition. At the end of the two week course I will give talks that place this in the context of a Catholic worldview.

Ingbretson Studios is run by Paul Ingbretson, who is one of the leading exponents of the academic style of painting around today and a Master of the Boston School (the father of the Boston School is the great American artist John Singer Sargent). One of his star former pupils is Henry Wingate, who residents of Front Royal, Virginia will know well and whose work I have featured in the past (it is his portrait that is in the poster below; I have also posted his Sacred Heart). Within 15 minutes of the TMC campus, Paul's workshop has become a little epicentre of Catholic naturalistic artists. I know of four serious students at least who have begun long term study there as a result of recommendations from myself or Henry. Thomas More College students also go there for a weekly evening class during the semester.

For information on the summer school, go to the Thomas More College website here. For insight into what Masters in this style can produce today look at the work of Henry Wingate, here (I have also posted his Sacred Heart below); or one of my teachers in Florence at the Cecil Studios Matt Collins, who comes out of the same Boston line. His Christ Carrying the Cross is below.



Abbot Zielinski on the CDW Office of Art and Architecture

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Benedictine Abbot Michael Zielinski discusses his role as head of the office of art and architecture at the Vatican's liturgical office.

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