Recta Ratio

The latest posts on topic over at Rorate Caeli (which, in case you haven't noticed, is THE "Go-To" source for this important matter) bring us, I think, pas tthe point of,
"Hope springs eternal in the human breast.
Man never is, but always 'to be' blessed."

Now we actually have confirmation by someone outside the traditionalist community (and Cardinal Castrillon de Hoyos, as head of Ecclesia Dei, is a de facto part of the community) that the motu proprio exists, and is on the way.

First, the Vatican's Secretary of State

And if that wasn't enough, the USCCB, no friend to the Latin Mass, by any means, through its news agency, confirms that the motu proprio is expected soon, and explains what this is all about.

I still doubt that we will see it during Holy Week. But a date shortly after Easter is not out of the question, I think.

Because of all the photos I have published this week for The Annunciation, for my bout of re-enacting nostalgia, and for the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady, the posts for this week extend down below the very extensive list of links on the right-hand side of the page, at least in Mozilla/Firefox. I have a hunch that Internet Explorer might push the links to the bottom of the page because fo the size of some of the images.

Two days!!!

I have reprinted Archbishop Burke's excellent teachings on the close connection between Lent and devotion to the Sacred Heart from his column for his diocesan newspaper for March over at Two Hearts Ablaze.

Part 1
Part 2
New Shrine To the Sacred Heart

Station Church: S. Giovanni a Porta Latina


Devotions for a Lenten Saturday holy hour:
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Seven Penitential Psalms
Prayer of St. Thomas More
Threnus Prayer of Saint Augustine
Stabat Mater Dolorosa
Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows
Sorrowful Mysteries

Three days.

Just one more weekend without real baseball. Let us hope that the season's outcome is commensurate with the level of anticipation felt by Red Sox fans!

Station Church: S. Stefano al Celio

Devotions for a Lenten Friday holy hour:

Dies Irae
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Seven Penitential Psalms
Prayer of St. Thomas More
Threnus Prayer of Saint Augustine
Devotions To the Holy Cross

Litany of the Seven Sorrows Of Our Blessed Lady
For private use only.

Lord, Have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, Have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Lord, Have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Mother of Sorrows, Pray for us.
Mother whose soul was pierced by the sword, Pray for us.
Mother who fled with Jesus into Egypt, etc.
Mother who sought Him sorrowing for three days,
Mother who saw Him scourged and crowned with thorns,
Mother who stood by Him while He hung upon the Cross,
Mother who received Him into thine arms when He was dead,
Mother who saw Him buried in the tomb,

O Mary, Queen of Martyrs, Save us by thy prayers.
O Mary, comfort of the sorrowful, Save us by thy prayers.
O Mary, help of the weak, etc.
O Mary, strength of the fearful,
O Mary, light of the despondent,
O Mary, nursing mother of the sick, O Mary, refuge of sinners,
Through the bitter Passion of thy Son,
Through the piercing anguish of thy heart,
Through thy heavy weight of woe,
Through thy sadness and desolation,
Through thy maternal pity,
Through thy perfect resignation,
Through thy meritorious prayers,
From immoderate sadness,
From a cowardly spirit,
From an impatient temper,
From fretfulness and discontent,
From sullenness and gloom,
From despair and unbelief,
From final impenitence,
We sinners, beseech thee, hear us.
Preserve us from sudden death, we beseech thee, hear us.
Teach us how to die, we beseech thee, hear us.
Succor us in our last agony, etc.
Guard us from the enemy,
Bring us to a happy end,
Gain for us the gift of perseverance,
Aid us before the Judgment Seat,
Mother of God,
Mother, most sorrowful,
Mother, most desolate,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

V. Succor us, O Blessed Virgin Mary,
R. In every time, and in every place.

Let Us Pray
O Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, grant, we beseech Thee, that Thy dear Mother Mary, whose soul the sword pierced in the hour of Thy Passion, may intercede for us, now, and in the hour of our death, through Thine Own merits, O Saviour of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest, God, world without end. R. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bridget of Sweden
Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy Heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that: every thought of my mind and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy Divine Son, Jesus; keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in Heaven and sing thy glories.

Most holy Virgin and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy Divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never ending joy at His triumph, obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the Sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Ave, Mater Dolorosa

Mother, hail, immersed in woes,
Thou the Martyrs' earliest rose,
Hear my cry, to thee I pray:

Grant that in death's agony,
Putting all my trust in thee,
I may win the just soul's peace.

By that sorrow, like a sword,
At the holy Simeon's word,
Piercing through thy heart and soul:

Grant that in death's agony, etc.

By that sorrow, whelming thee,
When to Egypt thou dost flee,
So to save thy holy Child:

Grant that in death's agony, etc.

By that sorrow, when in tears,
Seeking Jesus midst His peers,
Thou dost find Him once again:

Grant that in death's agony, etc.

By that sorrow, racking thee,
When thy Son's Cross thou dost see
Bowing Him beneath its weight:

Grant that in death's agony, etc.

By that sorrow, fixed in thee,
Whilst He hangs upon the tree,
Thou thyself a victim too:

Grant that in death's agony, etc.

By that sorrow, when thy breast
Now enfolds that body blest
Taken down from off the Cross:

Grant that in death's agony, etc.

By that sorrow, when the tomb
Takes Him from thee to its gloom,
Loving Mother, Virgin blest:

Grant that in death's agony, etc.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defense,
Be Thy Cross my victory.
Amen.

Litany of the Seven Sorrows

For private use only.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary,
Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God,
Pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, etc.
Mother crucified,
Mother sorrowful,
Mother tearful,
Mother afflicted,
Mother forsaken,
Mother desolate,
Mother bereft of thy Child,
Mother transfixed with the sword,
Mother consumed with grief,
Mother filled with anguish,
Mother crucified in heart,
Mother most sad,
Fountain of tears,
Abyss of suffering,
Mirror of patience,
Rock of constancy,
Anchor of confidence,
Refuge of the forsaken,
Shield of the oppressed,
Subduer of the unbelieving,
Comfort of the afflicted,
Medicine of the sick,
Strength of the weak,
Harbor of the wrecked,
Allayer of tempests,
Resource of mourners,
Terror of the treacherous,
Treasure of the faithful,
Eye of the Prophets,
Staff of the Apostles,
Crown of Martyrs,
Light of confessors,
Pearl of virgins,
Consolation of widows,
Joy of all Saints,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.

Look down upon us, deliver us, and save us from all trouble,
in the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Let Us Pray.
Imprint, O Lady, thy wounds upon my heart, that I may read therein sorrow and love
------ sorrow to endure every sorrow for thee, love to despise every love for thee. Amen.

Conclude with the Apostles Creed, Hail Holy Queen, and three Hail Marys,
in honor of the Most Holy Heart of Mary.

A Sinner's Prayer
by Saint Alphonsus Liguori

O my most sweet Mother, how shall I die, poor sinner that I am? Even now the thought of that important moment when I must expire, and appear before the judgment-seat of God, and the remembrance that I have myself so often written my condemnation by consenting to sin, makes me tremble. I am confounded, and fear much for my eternal salvation. O Mary, in the blood of Jesus, and in thy intercession, is all my hope. Thou art the Queen of Heaven, the mistress of the universe; in short, thou art the Mother of God. Thou art great, but thy greatness does not prevent, nay, even it inclines thee to greater compassion towards us in our miseries. Worldly friends when raised to dignity disdain to notice their former friends who may have fallen into distress. Thy noble and loving heart does not act thus, for the greater the miseries it beholds the greater are its efforts to relieve. Thou, when called upon, dost immediately assist; nay, more, thou dost anticipate our prayers by thy favors; thou consolest us in our afflictions; thou dissipatest the storms by which we are tossed about; thou overcomest all enemies; thou, in fine, never losest an occasion to promote our welfare. May that Divine hand which has united in thee such majesty and such tenderness, such greatness and so much love, be forever blessed! I thank my Lord for it, and congratulate myself in having so great an advantage; for truly in thy felicity do I place my own, and I consider thy lot as mine. O comfortress of the afflicted, console a poor creature who recommends himself to thee. The remorse of a conscience overburdened with sins fills me with affliction. I am in doubt as to whether I have sufficiently grieved for them. I see that all my actions are sullied and defective; Hell awaits my death in order to accuse me; the outraged justice of God demands satisfaction. My Mother, what will become of me? If thou dost not help me, I am lost. What sayest thou, wilt thou assist me? O compassionate Virgin, console me; obtain for me true sorrow for my sins; obtain for me strength to amend, and to be faithful to God during the rest of my life. And finally, when I am in the last agonies of death, O Mary, my hope, abandon me not; then, more than ever, help and encourage me, that I may not despair at the sight of my sins, which the evil one will then place before me. My Lady, forgive my temerity; come thyself to comfort me with thy presence in that last struggle. This favor thou hast granted to many, grant it also to me. If my boldness is great, thy goodness is greater; for it goes in search of the most miserable to console them. On this I rely. For thy eternal glory, let it be said that thou hast snatched a wretched creature from Hell, to which he was already condemned, and that thou hast led him to thy kingdom. Oh, yes. sweet Mother, I hope to have the consolation of remaining always at thy feet in heaven. thanking and blessing and loving thee eternally. O Mary, I shall expect thee at my last hour; deprive me not of this consolation. Fiat, fiat. Amen, amen.

Almost April in New England. Buds tentatively emerging on maple branches. Runners jogging about the roads in preparation for the Marathon. The Swan Pond being dredged of its winter accumulation of dead leaves and assorted debris. The Red Sox about to come north and play games that count.

But for me, April means something different. The blood rises, pretty spontaneously, and thoughts of donning an uncomfortable wool uniform and strapping on the sword set the pulse going after winter's long slumber. The joints, stiff from inactivity, want to be loosened on the road, the voice yearns to bellow commands again. Spring is in the air, and Patriots' Day is just over 2 weeks away.

Nottingham Ale

When Venus, the goddess of beauty and love,
Arose from the froth that swam on the sea
Minerva sprang out of the cranium of Jove,
A coy sullen dame as most authors agree.
But Bacchus, they tell us,
That prince of good fellows
Was Jupiter's son, pray attend to my tale.
For they who thus chatter
Mistake quite the matter
He sprang from a barrel of Nottingham Ale.

Nottinghm ale, boys, Nottingham Ale,
No liquor on earth is like Nottingham Ale.

Ye bishops and curates, priests, deacons, and vicars,
You say that devil made whiskey and gin.
But the Lord gave us barley to use in our liquors,
So the drinking of ale is surely no sin.
It dispels every vapour, saves pen, ink, and paper,
For when you've a mind in the pulpit to rail
'Twill open your throats,
You may preach without notes,
When inspired with a bumper of Nottingham Ale.

Ye doctors who more execution have done
With powder and potion and bollus and pill
Than hangman with halter or soldier with gun
Or miser with famine or lawyer with quill,
To dispatch us the quicker,
You forbid us malt liquor
Till our bodies consume and our faces grow pale.
Let him mind who you pleases,
What cures all disease is
A comforting glass of good Nottingham Ale!



The British Grenadiers

Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules,
Of Hector and Lysander, and some of Meltiades.
But of all the world's brave heros, there's none that can compare
With a tow row row row row
To the British grenadiers

Now none of these ancient heros ever saw a cannon ball
Or knew the force of powder to slay their foes withal,
But our brave boys do now them and banish all their fears
With a tow row row row row
To the British grenadiers

Whenever we are commanded to storm the palisades
Our leaders march with fusils and we with hand grenades
We hurl them from the glacis, about our enemies' ears
With a tow row row row row
To the British grenadiers

The God of War was pleased and great Bellona smiles
To see these noble heroes of our British Isles
And all the Gods celestial, descending from their spheres,
Beheld with adoration
The British grenadiers

Now let us crown a bumper and drink a health to those,
Who carry caps and pouches and wear the loup'ed
clothes
May they and their commanders live happy all their years
With a tow row row row row
To the British grenadiers





Fathom the Bowl
I'll fathom the bowl, I'll fathom the bowl
Give me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl

Come all you bold heroes, give an ear to my song
And well sing in the praise of good brandy and rum
There's a clear crystal fountain near England shall roll
Give me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl

From France we do get brandy, from Jamaica comes rum
Sweet oranges and apples from Portugal come
But stout and strong cider are England's control
Give me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl

My wife she do disturb me when I'm laid at my ease
She does as she likes and she says as she please
My wife, she's a devil, she's black as the coal
Give me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl

My father he do lie in the depths of the sea
With no stone at his head but what matters for he
There's a clear crystal fountain, near England shall roll
Give me the punch ladle, I'll fathom the bowl





Johnny Has Gone For a Soldier
Here I sit on Buttermilk Hill
Who can blame me, cryin' my fill
And ev'ry tear would turn a mill,
Johnny has gone for a soldier.

Me, oh my, I loved him so,
Broke my heart to see him go,
And only time will heal my woe,
Johnny has gone for a soldier.

I'll sell my rod, I'll sell my reel,
Likewise I'll sell my spinning wheel,
And buy my love a sword of steel,
Johnny has gone for a soldier.

I'll dye my dress, I'll dye it red,
And through the streets I'll beg for bread,
For the lad that I love from me has fled,
Johnny has gone for a soldier.



The 10th Regiment Song
(sung to the traditional air,
Corporal Casey)

On the third day in June of the year '67
The Tenth in three transports sailed out of Cork Haven,
All jovial and hearty like soldiers so valiant,
And Commodore Holmes was top and top-gallant.

Sing fal de ral la la, fal de ral lal de ral,
La trallal la, lal trallal lal de ra!
(Repeated after each verse)

The Tenth, jolly fellows, were Bassett and Vatass,
Fitzgerald, and Thompson, and Lecky, and Bathhurst,
Montgomery their chaplain, Thwaits, Edwards and Hely,
Crampton, Parsons, Shute, Shawe, Green and Kelly.

But of all jolly fellows, the first to be reckoned
Was Marmaduke Savage, of the Fifty-Second;
For he of the bottle was such a brisk shover,
That before they left land they were near half seas over.

Fitgerald was hearty, and Kelly was rosy,
And Thompson was rocky, and Vatass was boozy;
And all were as merry as ducks in a shower,
And thus they sailed on nine knots by the hour.

The sea ran so high, that not an old stager
Could come upon deck for three days, but the Major;
And he looked so round, as he sat with his wraps on,
That the sailors mistook him oft times for the capstan.

The Major commanded on board Caernarvon,
A ship twice as big as the town of Dungarvon,
Which carried their women, and baggage so weighty,
Of officers seventeen, and men three times eighty.

But such was the courage of fresh water sailors,
Next day they all look'd like a parcel of tailors;
And though the King's birth-day, the glass was neglected,
And Crampton and Parsons for once were dejected.

Now still the same sadness made each day as one day,
And only for prayer-day, the'd never known Sunday;
But Mongtomery, their chaplain, just like a good vicar,
Took care of their meat, and their souls, and their liquor.

But such was their loyalty, such was their boozing,
That in nine weeks, of wine they drank eighty-one dozen,
Of rum, shrub, and brandy, just fifty-six gallons,
And ninety-eight dozen of porter, to balance.

Now, quite out of wine, and almost provisions,
They came on Port Levis in doleful condition;
But the sight of Quebec soon with courage renewed them,
And the spirit of Wolfe, as they landed, reviewed them.




Over the Hills And Far Away
Our 'prentice Tom may now refuse
To wipe his scoundrel Master's Shoes,
For now he's free to sing and play
Over the Hills and far away.
Over the Hills and O'er the Main,
To Flanders, Portugal and Spain,
King George commands and we'll obey
Over the Hills and far away.

We all shall lead more happy lives
By getting rid of brats and wives
That scold and bawl both night and day -
Over the Hills and far away.
Over the Hills and O'er the Main,
To Flanders, Portugal and Spain,
King George commands and we'll obey
Over the Hills and far away.

Courage, boys, 'tis one to ten,
But we return all gentlemen
All gentlemen as well as they,
Over the hills and far away.
Over the Hills and O'er the Main,
To Flanders, Portugal and Spain,
King George commands and we'll obey
Over the Hills and far away.

Station Church: S. Apollinare in Campo Marzio

Devotions for a Lenten Thursday holy hour:
Dies Irae
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Seven Penitential Psalms
Prayer of St. Thomas More
Threnus Prayer of Saint Augustine
Devotion To the Holy Face

I reprint current Holy Trinity Latin Mass community member Rob Quagan's commentary on the enormous difficulties involved in making Mary Immaculate of Lourdes a suitable location for the Archdiocese's indult Mass.
Originally published at Save Holy Trinity Yahoo Group:

With yesterday's announcement to move Boston's Indult community this
brings us to the risk and the immense and costly task of preparation
that faces the Boston Indult in its new venue, Mary Immaculate of
Lourdes (MIL) in Newton Upper Falls, MA (a western suburb of Boston).

The present church building of MIL was dedicated by Cardinal
O'Connell on 24 November 1910. It was (is) an imposing edifice
situated on a hillside in Newton Upper Falls. It was rendered in an
Italian Romanesque brick style featuring a 135 foot campanile.
Originally the roof was in a red terracotta tile and has
unfortunately succumbed (long ago) to the utility of asphalt. The
front elevation can be best described as a portico reminiscent of a
Roman Temple with vertical proportions expressed by columns in the
Corinthian order that supports a limestone pediment having the
sculptural relief of figures that represent the apparitions of Our
Lady to Bernadette.. The focal point of the interior remains the High
Altar constructed of white Italian marble. Originally it was set
behind an altar rail of red Italian marble with bronze "corkscrew"
uprights and gates. The apse was lavishly painted with gilded
stenciling serving as a backdrop to the reredos, above which a half
dome contained three paintings of the Blessed Virgin: The
Annunciation on the left, The Assumption in the center, and The
Coronation on the right.

Unfortunately under the pastorate of Fr. Michael F. Doocey (1970-
1993) following the Second Vatican Council and the iconoclasm that
ensued the interior of Mary Immaculate was generally wreckovated. The
once beautiful sanctuary and nave has been generally white washed.
This includes a set of polychromed Via Crucis (Way of the Cross)
rendered white. The altar rail was destroyed save about eight feet at
the locations of the former Side Altars of St.Joseph and Our Lady.
Even these segments were relocated about six feet into the Nave. The
marble flooring of the Sanctuary has been obscured by ubiquitous
(Archdiocesan) red wall to wall carpet. A new and immovable
freestanding Altar was formed about six feet forward of the bottom
step of the old High Altar salvaged from the two existing rectangular
Side Altars oriented back to back to roughly form a square
proportion. The Holy Tabernacle of the old High Altar was
systematically plugged and removed to the location of the old St.
Joseph Side Altar where a "new" shelf was constructed and enhanced
with a marble relief of "The Last Supper" also removed from the lower
section (antependium) of the old High Altar. The remaining void from
the old High Altar was covered by blank slab of roughly matching
marble.

At least six rows of the original front pews, including the
front "blind" pew panels are missing or destroyed. This provides
space for God knows what (Liturgical dancing??) The same applies to
rear five or six rows I suspect were removed for "gathering space".
Great, let's encourage yapping in church.

My complaint? We (the Latin Mass community) will need to reverse the
destruction wrought over the last 35 years to even approximate the
Liturgical archtectonics of the sanctuary and nave that remain extant
at Holy Trinity (HT). At a very minimum we need a temporary altar
rail in the devastated Sanctuary of MIL. I am very concerned by the
existing sight lines and blind spots encumbered by the permanent
(immovable) placement of the existing freestanding altar,
particularly with the large Liturgical entourage typical of High and
Solemn High Masses. It is the intention of the new pastor, Fr.
Charles Higgins to use the old High Altar for he has already taken
the first step in restoring placement of the Tabernacle to the old
High Altar. Unfortunately, he is currently disinclined to move the
freestanding Altar since the parish will remain bi-ritual. I suggest
he either work on the design of a movable but dignified freestanding
Altar or celebrate all Masses here on in ad orientum. At this point,
true restoration of just the church sanctuary for a dignified
celebration of the Classical Roman Rite could cost several hundred
thousand dollars. This does not even begin to address the balance of
deferred maintenance throughout the balance of physical
infrastructure requiring significant masonry restoration and severely
corroded ornament iron work. The existing pipe organ, inoperative for
years with water damage and cracked bellows could easily cost tens of
thousands of dollars to restore.

His Eminence (or Fr. Mark O'Connell) fully expects us to invest our
Time, Talent and Tithe (as we did at HT) with absolutely no juridical
guarantee (structure) regarding permanent attachment to this parish.
IMHO, if we don't press this issue we could find ourselves in the
same dilemma we find ourselves today�parishioners of convenience,
which I liken to a common law marriage. As it stands, we are relying
on the abilities of a dear priest. If removed from the equation, we
may find ourselves roaming the diocese without a permanent home. This
move will be VERY costly to our community and is fraught with risk.

According to Fr. Mark O'Connell of the Archdiocesan Office of
Canonical Affairs, our last Mass at HT will be Low Sunday, 15 April
2007. As you may well expect, I am extremely upset at the Cardinal
and his delegation of the "dirty work" to Fr. O'Connell, who clearly
does not have a grasp of the impact of several significant pastoral
issues, let alone logistical issues that will fall squarely on our
shoulders. This plan remains short term solution since no juridical
protections have been proposed. I have great concern of the "at will"
nature of the plan that relies heavily on a singular priest. There
will be a significant requirement to minimally fund reversal
of "wreckovations" done to MIL in the 1970's by the former pastor of
MIL, not to mention a proper restoration and upkeep of much deferred
maintenance to the physical structure. I cite some of these existing
conditions I have observed below.

I do not think either the spokesman for the Archdiocesan Office of
Canonical Affairs nor the Cardinal have a grasp of the true task at
hand nor have diocesan resources been committed. I am not convinced
that their decision has had any link to a professional
Architectural/ Engineering review. If it has, it has not been shared
or communicated to myself or the Latin Mass community. Unfortunately,
this church is not directly served by public transit, the closest
light rail station, Eliot Station being nearly one mile away. There
are currently a good percentage of Holy Trinity parishioners
dependent on public transport, including many elderly. The burden
(cost and man power) for some para-transit would fall squarely on Fr.
Higgins of Mary Immaculate of Lourdes (MIL). To date zero planning
whether it be the purchase or lease of vans has occurred.

For more info on MIL:
http://members. aol.com/maryimmo flourdes/ hist/history. htm


One issue Rob doesn't raise, but I will. Aside from the fact that Father Higgins, who says a lovely Latin High Mass with great reverence is the new pastor, will the parish allow us to do the things he suggests (and I agree need to be done)? Are we just going to be able to walk in, and reverse 3 decades of modernization with the complete cooperation of the existing parish community. We were spoiled at Holy Trinity. The German "host" parish was tiny, and the active Latin Mass coummunity easily outnumbered it. They were very complacent about putting their Novus Ordo altar on wheels, and so on. Will the Mary Immaculate of Lourdes parish council allow us to do this, and be as docile? In numbers, they are not dwarfed by us, but roughly equal to us. Even if every single Latin Mass community member officially registers with the parish, it will be at best a 1:1 ratio. If it comes to a fight, can we win it?

Update:

Our Redemptorist Father reader has an association with Mary Immaculate of Lourdes, and is able to correct some misimpressions of Rob's regarding that parish's history:

You quote a post from the Yahoo group Save Holy Trinity concerning Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Church. This was the parish in which I was raised, going elsewhere a few years after Fr. Doocey's arrival. There are a few inaccuracies in the original post which I would like to clarify.

First, Fr. Doocey arrived sometime in 1974 or 1975 when our beloved Msgr. Reardon retired, under whom we were still using the 1964 missal when other parishes had changed to the 1970 missal.

Second, while the sanctuary, nave and stations were whitewashed, the stations were never polychromed. Rather they were gray, the background being an eggshell-blue color, and the lettering gold.

Third, the sanctuary has been carpeted since the church was built.

This is not to excuse what was done. I deplore it. It had been one of the most beautiful churches I had ever seen and it broke my heart to see the results of such misguided and unartistic butchery, though there are worse cases.

Additionally, the beautiful marble statues of the Sacred Heart and St. Joseph which graced the side alters were exiled to the parish cemetery. Gorgeous silk embroidered vestments were thrown away or worse, used to make stuffed angel dolls sold at the Christmas fair.

I wanted to pass this information on. If you think it should be posted, feel free to do so.

Please know that my prayers are with the Latin Mass community. I am awaiting with great hope the Holy Father's motu proprio. I strongly believe the Latin Mass is the answer to so many issues. I look forward to the day when the whole of the Roman church will pray together, "Introibo ad altare Dei,"

Yesterday was sunny in the early afternoon here in Boston, and pleasant, until about 4pm, when the winds came up, the clouds rolled in, and the temperature dropped. Last evening, for the first time, I saw that some buds were beginning to come out on the trees. Today, we have some sun, but cooler temperatures and a biting wind.

These conditions put me in mind of a Tommy Makem song that is 30 years old now.

THE RAMBLES OF SPRING

There's a piercing wintry breeze
Blowing through the budding trees
And I button up my coat to keep me warm
But the days are on the mend
And I'm on the road again
With my fiddle snuggled close beneath my arm

Chorus:
I've a fine, felt hat
And a strong pair of brogues
I have rosin in my pocket for my bow
O my fiddle strings are new
And I've learned a tune or two
So, I'm well prepared to ramble and must go

I'm as happy as a king
When I catch a breath of spring
And the grass is turning green as winter ends
And the geese are on the wing
And the thrushes start to sing
And I'm headed down the road to see my friends

Chorus

I have friends in every town
As I wander up and down
Making music at the markets and the fairs
Through the donkeys and the creels
And the farmers making deals
And the yellow headed tinkers selling wares

Chorus

Here's a health to one and all
To the big and to the small
To the rich and poor alike and foe and friends
And when I return again
May our foes have turned to friends
And may peace and joy be with you until then

Chorus
- Words and music by Tommy Makem
In Mar., 1977

Five Days.

And BC Hockey plays in the Frozen Four the next day.

Station Church: S. Marcello al Corso

Devotions for a Lenten Wednesday holy hour:

Dies Irae
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Seven Penitential Psalms & the prayers against the Seven Deadly Sins
Prayer of St. Thomas More
Threnus Prayer
Seven Prayers of St. Gregory

Six Days.

And I am happy to note that there will not be any unwholesome controversy this year (more unwholesome result than the controversy) over any conflict between Lenten austerity and Opening Day at Fenway. The Sox open on the road this year. Out of sight (and site) out of mind. And the home opener is safely two days after Easter, so if you attend, you can eat Fenway Franks until they are coming out your ears, pepperoni pizza, Italian Sausage, or anything else that strikes your fancy with the fullness of Easter joy!

Now if ony the hot dogs were Hummel Hot Dogs, not Fenway Franks.

Speaking of Lenten austerity and its ending, I know what one of the things I am going for in the first week after Easter is: a Gyros!

Station Church: S. Ciriaco (S. Maria in via Lata al Corso)

Devotions for a Lenten Tuesday holy hour:
Dies Irae
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Seven Penitential Psalms
Prayer of St. Thomas More
Threnus Prayer of Saint Augustine
Devotion of the Seven Last Words


If you are getting frustrated with Lenten deprivations, if going back to all the sacrifice after the break of St Patrick's Day, Laetare, Sunday, St. Joseph's Day and Lady Day seems harsh, take heart! If it seems as if Lent will never end (if this were Advent, it would be Christmas already!), if you are getting yourself to sleep by counting porterhouse steaks leaping over a fence, hang on. Spy Wednesday is just a week from tomorrow.

Seven days.

Well, the Archdiocese announced its vile scheme for smashing the vibrant Latin Mass/German community at Holy Trinity yesterday in the form of a "consultative meeting" with the parishioners. Some consultation. Send a company man to the parish so that the parishioners can say what they want to him. The Head Honcho, of course, doesn't deem it appropriate to attend, though his headquarters are only a few blocks away. Ignore everything the parishioners say in the meeting. Then a few months later, hold a second meeting, and announce the plans you had formed months ago, as if they were the product of a consultative process. Modern corporate methods infest the Church.

The last Latin Mass there will be April 15th. Then, beginning April 22nd, the indult Mass will move, as previously hinted, to Mary Immaculate of Lourdes in Newton Upper Falls. The Germans are invited to join the Cathedral parish, where they will be thrown a crumb in the form of a monthly Mass in a chapel. Though the Latin Mass community contributes the lion's share of the money to the parish (typical attendance on any given week is about 50 for the German/English Novus Ordo, and 200 for the Latin Mass, so you can see where the funds mostly come from), all the money will be following the German community to the Cathedral. As of yet, there is no date for actually closing the German community parish at Holy Trinity, but that will not be far off.

An appeal is planned, especially with regard to the finances. One hopes that a new ecclesiastical structure in Rome to protect the Latin Mass communities that already exist under Ecclesia Dei will be part of the motu proprio that the Holy Father is dithering over, and that it will be a white knight in gleaming armor to get this decision reversed, and keep Holy Trinity as the home of the traditional Mass in perpetuity.

Pray for the German/Latin community at Holy Trinity. We need it!

Office of Tenebrae at Holy Trinity, Spy Wednesday 2001

V. Ángelus Dómini nuntiávit Maríæ.
R. Et concépit de Spíritu Sancto.

V. Ave, Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
R. Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.
Amen.

V. Ecce ancílla Dómini.
R. Fiat mihi secúndum verbum tuum.

V. Ave, Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
R. Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.
Amen.

GENUFLECT
V. Et Verbum caro factum est.
R. Et habitávit in nobis.

V. Ave, Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
R. Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.
Amen.

V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei génetrix.
R. Ut digni efficiámur promissiónibus Christi.

Orémus.
Grátiam tuam, quæsumus,
Dómine, méntibus nostris infúnde;
ut qui, Ángelo nuntiánte,
Christi Fílii tui incarnatiónem cognóvimus,
per passiónem eius et crucem,
ad resurrectiónis glóriam perducámur.
Per eúndem Christum Dóminum nostrum.
Amen.

V. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto,
R. Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper et in sæcula sæculorum.
Amen.

Station Church: S. Crisogono in Trastevere

Devotions for a Lenten Monday holy hour:
Dies Irae
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Seven Penitential Psalms
Prayer of St. Thomas More
Threnus Prayer of Saint Augustine
Devotion of the Five Sacred Wounds

The custom of veiling sacred images during Lent is at least medieval. In most churches, at least from Passion Sunday (today) until the Easter Vigil, images of the Crucifix, statues of the Lord, Our Blessed Lady, and the saints, were covered with purple cloth.

To understand this, one must understand the significance these images had to the medieval laymen. Most were unlettered, and the array of images in the church were their visual catechism. You could see in the Doom, the Rood Loft (Calvary Group), the Pieta, the statues of St. Francis or Saint Peter, your heavenly patrons and friends. By veiling them in opaque cloth, you deprive the mind of the comfort of these heavenly companions. By doing so in purple, the liturgical color of Lent, you are making this deprivation an act of penance. Then, in the joy of Easter, they are restored to us, along with the Gloria, and the Alleluia, meat-eating, and the other things we have given up for Lent.

The squashing together of Passion Sunday and Palm Sunday and moving away from veiling images came after Vatican II. Veiling of images is not forbidden for churches or in the home. Nothing in the documents of Vatican II says you can't veil your sacred images, or that your parish church cannot. However, it became non-mandatory, like meatless Fridays. Some bishops are keen for it, most are utterly indifferent. A few moonbat leftists (the "Spirit of Vatican II"/Lavendar Mafia ones) are vehemently against it. See Qualification To This In the Update

I am not personally sure that this veiling was done in the home by Catholic families. Perhaps in some it was done. But there was no tradition of it being done in my family that I grew up aware of. I came across the custom in Ann Ball's Catholic Traditions In Cooking, about 10 years ago, and decided to put it into practice. Ball describes this as a Lenten custom, and more than implies that it was done at the start of Lent in the home. She recommends it for young Catholic families establishing their own distinctively Catholic family customs anew. And I think that is a good thing. Rebuilding a Catholic family set of rituals is necessary after the rubble and dust left by the "Spirit of Vatican II" crowd.

Ronald Hutton in The Rise and Fall Of Merry England: The Ritual Year 1400-1700 describes the custom as taking place at the start of Lent in pre-protestant rebellion England.

However, the norm as I have seen practiced in indult parishes (which, I am guessing reflects parish norms c. 1955-1965) is to veil the images starting today, Passion Sunday (or in the Novus Ordo mode, the 5th Sunday of Lent) not throughout Lent. It may be that the custom had been to veil the images throughout Lent, and there was a movement away from that in modern times, towards doing so only during Passiontide.

You can do whatever you want with the images in the home, provided they are shown no disrespect.

I have adopted the cutoms of veiling from late on the eve of Ash Wednesday on. It is not a small task, though, once the veils are measured and cut for each image, even a houseful of Sacred or Immaculate Heart prints, Divine Mercy images, Infant of Prague bud vases, and the Crucifix in every room can be decently veiled in a matter of a half hour. And they can be used from year to year, if carefully stored. I would like to say I have plush dark purple 100% cotton velvet for all my images. But instead I bought 5 yards of cheap purple polyester in Walmart. Someday...

Update:
A Redemptorist Father and reader has more to contribute on the veiling of images, and I don't doubt that he has figured out the true solution to the ambiguity I have observed regarding when images are veiled. Since he did not specify, I won't publish his name. Though I am very thankful for the information.

I'm writing in response to your post on veiling images.

....In the Roman Rite, since at least the time of the promulgation of the Missal of Pius V, the images have been veiled in violate before First Vespers of Passion Sunday in response to the line in that Sunday's gospel "Jesus went out and hid Himself." In other western rites, images were veiled, (and in some places the entire sanctuary) at varying times as you discovered in your reading. In England, which primarily used the rites of Sarum and York, the veiling was done before Matins of Ash Wednesday or Vespers of the First Sunday of Lent. Also, they did not use violate, but the "Lenten Array," an ash white color, sometimes with symbols of the Passion of our Lord embroidered in oxblood and black. The effect this had was shocking. The Medieval churches, built of stone and white-washed on the interior were, after the veiling, entirely monochromatic, thus enabling both saint and sinner to reflect on the death of the soul brought on by sin and the saving power of the Passion and Cross. Also, it is not hard to imagine the great joy that must have been felt when after a long Lent of fasting (not only from food but from beauty, revelry, etc.) they entered the church on Easter morning to find the veils gone and the entire building decked out in the glory of the Resurrection.

How well Mother Church understands that we are people who learn on many different levels. She teaches us in so many ways. Unfortunately the so-called "liturgists" have deprived us of so much of the richness, beauty and wisdom of the Roman Rite and other ancient western rites on the deliberate misquoting and mistranslating of the documents of Vatican II. The Missal of Paul VI calls for the images to be veiled. This is ignored in most places. In the USA the bishops have gone one better. They have forbidden it. Parce nobis, Domine!....

Eight days.

Station Church: St. Peter in the Vatican

Devotions for a Lenten Sunday holy hour:
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Seven Penitential Psalms
Prayer of St. Thomas More
Psalter of St. Jerome
Threnus Prayer of St. Augustine

Veiled image of Our Blessed Lady

From The Liturgical Year, by Abbot Prosper Gueranger, O.S.B.

The holy Church begins her night Office of this Sunday with these impressive words of the royal prophet. Formerly, the faithful considered it their duty to assist at the night Office, at least on Sundays and feasts; they would have grieved to lose the grand teachings given by the liturgy. Such fervour has long since died out; the assiduity at the Offices of the Church, which was the joy of our Catholic forefathers, has now become a thing of the past; and even in countries which have not apostatized from the faith, the clergy have ceased to celebrate publicly Offices at which no one assisted. Excepting in cathedral churches and in monasteries, the grand harmonious system of the divine praise has been abandoned, and the marvellous power of the liturgy has no longer its full influence upon the faithful.

This is our reason for drawing the attention of our readers to certain beauties of the Divine Office, which would otherwise be totally ignored. Thus, what can be more impressive than this solemn Invitatory of to-day's Matins, which the Church takes from one of the psalms, and which she repeats on every feria between this and Maundy Thursday? She says: To-day, if ye shall hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts! The sweet voice of your suffering Jesus now speaks to you, poor sinners! be not your own enemies by indifference and hardness of heart. The Son of God is about to give you the last and greatest proof of the love that brought Him down from heaven; His death is nigh at hand: men are preparing the wood for the immolation of the new Isaac: enter into yourselves, and let not your hearts, after being touched with grace, return to their former obduracy; for nothing could be more dangerous. The great anniversaries we are to celebrate have a renovating power for those souls that faithfully correspond with the grace which is offered them; but they increase insensibility in those who let them pass without working their conversion. To-day, therefore, if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts!

During the preceding four weeks, we have noticed how the malice of Jesus' enemies has been gradually increasing. His very presence irritates them; and it is evident that any little circumstance will suffice to bring the deep and long-nurtured hatred to a head. The kind and gentle manners of Jesus are drawing to Him all hearts that are simple and upright; at the same time, the humble life He leads, and the stern purity of His doctrines, are perpetual sources of vexation and anger, both to the proud Jew that looks forward to the Messias being a mighty conqueror, and to the pharisee, who corrupts the Law of God, that he may make it the instrument of his own base passions. Still, Jesus goes on working miracles; His discourses are more than ever energetic; His prophecies foretell the fall of Jerusalem, and such a destruction of its famous temple, that not a stone is to be left on a stone. The doctors of the Law should, at least, reflect upon what they hear; they should examine these wonderful works, which render such strong testimony in favour of the Son of David; and they should consult those divine prophecies which, up to the present time, have been so literally fulfilled in His person. Alas! they themselves are about to carry them out to the very last iota. There is not a single outrage or suffering foretold by David and Isaias, as having to be put upon the Messias, which these blind men are not scheming to verify.

In them, therefore, was fulfilled that terrible saying: 'He that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.'1 The Synagogue is nigh to a curse. Obstinate in her error, she refuses to see or to hear; she has deliberately perverted her judgment: she has extinguished within herself the light of the holy Spirit; she will go deeper and deeper into evil, and at length fall into the abyss. This same lamentable conduct is but too often witnessed nowadays in those sinners, who, by habitual resistance to the light, end by finding their happiness in sin. Neither should it surprise us, that we find in people of our own generation a resemblance to the murderers of our Jesus: the history of His Passion will reveal to us many sad secrets of the human heart and its perverse inclinations; for what happened in Jerusalem, happens also in every sinner's heart. His heart, according to the saying of St. Paul, is a Calvary, where Jesus is crucified. There is the same ingratitude, the same blindness, the same wild madness, with this difference: that the sinner who is enlightened by faith, knows Him whom he crucifies; whereas the Jews, as the same apostle tells us, knew not the Lord of glory,2 Whilst, therefore, we listen to the Gospel, which relates the history of the Passion, let us turn the indignation which we feel for the Jews against ourselves and our own sins; let us weep over the sufferings of our Victim, for our sins caused Him to suffer and die.

Everything around us urges us to mourn. The images of the saints, the very crucifix on our altar, are veiled from our sight. The Church is oppressed with grief. During the first four weeks of Lent, she compassionated her Jesus fasting in the desert; His coming sufferings and crucifixion and death are what now fill her with anguish. We read in to-day's Gospel, that the Jews threaten to stone the Son of God as a blasphemer: but His hour is not yet come. He is obliged to flee and hide Himself. It is to express this deep humiliation, that the Church veils the cross. A God hiding Himself, that He may evade the anger of men---what a mystery! Is it weakness? Is it, that He fears death? No; we shall soon see Him going out to meet His enemies: but at present He hides Himself from them, because all that had been prophesied regarding Him has not been fulfilled. Besides, His death is not to be by stoning: He is to die upon a cross, the tree of malediction, which, from that time forward, is to be the tree of life. Let us humble ourselves, as we see the Creator of heaven and earth thus obliged to hide Himself from men, who are bent on His destruction! Let us go back, in thought, to the sad day of the first sin, when Adam and Eve hid themselves because a guilty conscience told them they were naked. Jesus has come to assure us of our being pardoned, and lo! He hides Himself, not because He is naked---He that is to the saints the garb of holiness and immortality ---but because He made Himself weak, that He might make us strong. Our first parents sought to hide themselves from the sight of God; Jesus hides Himself from the eye of men. But it will not be thus for ever. The day will come when sinners, from whose anger He now flees, will pray to the mountains to fall on them and shield them from His gaze; but their prayer will not be granted, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, with much power and majesty.

This Sunday is called Passion Sunday, because the Church begins, on this day, to make the sufferings of our Redeemer her chief thought. It is called also, Judica, from the first word of the Introit of the Mass; and again Neomania, that is, the Sunday of the new (or the Easter) moon, because it always falls after the new moon which regulates the feast of Easter.

In the Greek Church, this Sunday goes under the simple name of the fifth Sunday of the holy fasts.

Fish Eaters On Passiontide