Masses Celebrated Before a Relic of St John-Marie Vianney

Earlier this month, St Mary’s Church in Greenwich, Connecticut, received the relic of the incorruptible heart of St Jean-Marie Vianney, the Patron Saint of parish priests, for a three day visit. On May 3rd, after the relic had been formally received and set before the altar of the church, His Excellency Frank Caggiano, Bishop of Bridgeport, celebrated a Votive Mass for Vocations with the seminarians of the diocese, with music of Vaughn Williams, Holst, Victoria and Palestrina, sung by the parish choir under the direction of Marjorie Donalds.

The following day, a Solemn EF Mass was celebrated by Fr Cyprian La Pastina, pastor of St Mary’s and spritual director of St John Fisher Seminary. The choir directed by Mr Charles Weaver sang the Gregorian propers and Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcelli, as well as motets by Lassus, Gabrieli, Victoria and Aichinger. Fr George Rutler, pastor of St Michael’s Church in New York City and author of a book about St Jean-Marie, “The Curé of Ars Today,” preached the sermon. Our thanks to Fr La Pastina for sending in these photos.