Priestly Ordinations, next Saturday

On Saturday, May 30, at 10.00am, the His Excellency Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz, will ordain the following men to the Priesthood at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ, Lincoln NE:

• Rev. Mr. Brian Austin, F.S.S.P.
• Rev. Mr. Matthew Goddard, F.S.S.P.
• Rev. Mr. Michael Stinson, F.S.S.P.

Please keep these men in your prayers as they ascend to the altar of Our Lord.

(H/T to Una Voce Carmel)

The IBP in Ireland

Fr. Yannick Vella, I.B.P., the Professor of Moral and Positive Theology of the Institute of the Good Shepherd's Seminary in Courtalain, France, visited Ireland a couple of months ago. It is understood to be the first visit of the member of the Institute to Ireland.

Founded on 8th September, 2006, by a decree of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, the Institute has grown rapidly from 5 founding members to more than 30 Priests and a similar number of Seminarians in only 3 years. The Institute has apostolates in several countries.

As well as its Seminary of St. Vincent de Paul in Courtalain, the Institute also has a House of Higher Studies in Rome. The Roman House of Studies is reported to have been described by Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos thus: "This project is one of the greatest of which I know! It extends beyond the interests of Institute of the Good Shepherd, as it is of immense value to all communities, but also for the whole Church."

Just over a week ago, on 28th February, four Seminarians of the Institute received Minor Orders in the Church of San Salvatore in Lauro in Rome at the hands of Archbishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

The Institute has also established a community of sisters known as the Little Sisters of the Good Shepherd based in Arrou, the next village to Courtalain.

Men's retreat, July

by Fr Tim Finigan

The monks of Saint Joseph de Clairval Abbey in Flavigny will be giving a a five-day (silent) retreat for men this July, following the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius.

The retreat will be from 26-31 July this year at Cold Ash, Berkshire in the United Kingdom. The monks of Clairval have a preference for Mass in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.

Here is a link to register an interest and get in contact to find out more details.

(reposted, with permission, from The Hermeneutic of Continuity)

Plenary Indulgence for the Year of Priests

According to a decree made public today and signed by Cardinal James Francis Stafford and Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, O.F.M. Conv., respectively penitentiary major and regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary, Benedict XVI will grant priests and faithful Plenary Indulgence for the occasion of the Year for Priests, which is due to run from 19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010 and has been called in honour of St. Jean Marie Vianney.

The period will begin with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus [June 19th], "a day of priestly sanctification", says the text, when the Pope will celebrate Vespers before the relics of the saint, brought to Rome for the occasion by the bishop of the French diocese of Belley-Ars. The Year will end in St. Peter's Square, in the presence of priests from all over the world "who will renew their faithfulness to Christ and their bonds of fraternity".

The means to obtain the Plenary Indulgence are as follows:

(a) All truly penitent priests who, on any day, devotedly pray Lauds or Vespers before the Blessed Sacrament exposed to public adoration or in the tabernacle, and ... offer themselves with a ready and generous heart for the celebration of the Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Penance, will be granted Plenary Indulgence, which they can also apply to their deceased confreres, if in accordance with current norms they take Sacramental Confession and the Eucharist and pray in accordance with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. Priests are furthermore granted Partial Indulgence, also applicable to deceased confreres, every time they devotedly recite the prayers duly approved to lead a saintly life and to carry out the duties entrusted to them.

(b) All truly penitent Christian faithful who, in church or oratory, devotedly attend Holy Mass and offer prayers to Jesus Christ, supreme and eternal Priest, for the priests of the Church, or perform any good work to sanctify and mould them to His Heart, are granted Plenary Indulgence, on the condition that they have expiated their sins through Sacramental Confession and prayed in accordance with the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. This may be done on the opening and closing days of the Year of Priests, on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. Jean Marie Vianney, on the first Thursday of the month, or on any other day established by the ordinaries of particular places for the good of the faithful.

The elderly, the sick and all those who for any legitimate reason are unable to leave their homes, may still obtain Plenary Indulgence if, with the soul completely removed from attachment to any form of sin and with the intention of observing, as soon as they can, the usual three conditions, "on the days concerned, they pray for the sanctification of priests and offer their sickness and suffering to God through Mary, Queen of the Apostles".

Partial Indulgence is offered to all faithful each time they pray five Our Father, Ave Maria and Gloria Patri, or any other duly approved prayer "in honour of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to ask that priests maintain purity and sanctity of life".

(image: Béthune's Christ the Priest, from Vultus Christi)

Roundup: Franciscans of the Immaculate Ordinations

On March 25th, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the B.V.M., Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, today celebrated Pontifical Mass in the usus antiquior and ordained five priests for the Franciscans of the Immaculate (FFI) in the church of St. Francis in Tarquinia (a small town in Latium).

Here is a roundup of web coverage:

• The New Liturgical Movement
• Rorate Caeli
• Video (Orbis Catholicus)
• Photos 1
• Photos 2
• Photos 3
• Photos 4
• Photos 5
• Photos 6
• Photos 7
• Photos 8
• Photos 9
• Photos 10
  

For more information about the Franciscans, see www.immacolata.com

upcoming Masses in Sweden, Finland, and Estonia

by Fr Tim Finigan

The website for the Finnish Apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter has announced that Father Benjamin Durham FSSP will visit Sweden, Finland, and Estonia during Passion Week leading to Palm Sunday. He is celebrating Mass, leading the Stations of the Cross and giving a one day retreat:-

Heliga Korsets församling, Eskilstuna, Sverige
Holy Cross parish, Eskilstuna, Sweden
Tue March 31
• 18.00 Holy Mass
• 19.00 Way of the Cross
Wed April 1
• 19.00 Holy Mass

Pyhän Olavin seurakunta, Jyväskylä, Suomi
Saint Olav’s parish, Jyväskylä, Finland
Thu April 2
• 17.15 Holy Mass

Pyhän ristin seurakunta, Tampere, Suomi
Holy Cross parish, Tampere, Finland
Fri April 3
• 18.00 Holy Mass

Pyhän Henrikin katedraali, Helsinki, Suomi
Saint Henry’s Cathedral, Helsinki, Finland
Sat April 4
• 15.00 Holy Mass

Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Tallinn, Estonia
Sun April 5 (Palm Sunday)
• 11.00-18.00 One-day retreat (more information shortly)
• 15.30 Holy Mass (with Palm Procession?)

The photo shows Fr Durham saying Mass in the Blessed Sacrament chapel of St Henry's Cathedral, Helsinki, on his last visit.

Franciscans of the Immaculate in England

The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate were founded in 1970 and the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate some years later. Both are now of Pontifical Right and belong to the First Order of Franciscans. Recently they have begun to move back towards the Usus Antiquior, or "extraordinary form" of the Roman rite.

Here are a selection of articles about this - the second includes practical ways in which you can help them at Lanherne in mid-Cornwall, UK:-

• NLM: Franciscans of the Immaculate predilect the Usus Antiquior
• NLM: More encouraging News from the Franciscans of the Immaculate - their House in Lanherne, England
• What Does the Prayer Really Say?: Brick by Brick in Cornwall
• Holy Smoke: Wonderful contemplative nuns bring traditional Latin worship back to Cornwall

Pilgrimage to Wigratzbad for Priestly Ordination of British deacon

Pilgrimage of UK group to Priestly ordination of Rev William Barker:
Wigratzbad, Bavaria, June 26-29, 2009

Message from Fr de Malleray FSSP:

Dear Friends,

For the first time since the ordination of Fr Brendan Gerard, FSSP in 2006, a British deacon formed by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter according to the Roman traditions of the Church is going to be ordained a priest in Europe. Rev William Barker, FSSP will be ordained a priest in Wigratzbad (Bavaria), the European international seminary of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter, on Saturday 27th June 2009, by His Exc. Bishop Athanasius Schneider, O.R.C., Auxiliary Bishop of Karaganda in Kazakhstan (Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith wrote the preface to Bishop Schneider’s book Dominus est on Holy Communion).

We intend to have a delegation of British faithful. A rough estimate of cost for 2 days and 2 nights is £170/person. Includes all transportation with direct Ryanair flight from London Stansted, and bed & breakfast accommodation.

Depart from London Stansted airport on Friday 26th June 2009 at 1.50pm. Arrival back at London Stansted on Sunday 28th June 2009 at 5.30pm (return flight £65.94, as of today)

Follow in the footsteps of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger who, on Easter Sunday 1990, visited the motherhouse and first international seminary of the FSSP and offered Holy Mass. With the FSSP (a priestly society of pontifical right now numbering 350 members worldwide; see www.fssp.org), come and pray with and for this future British FSSP priest.

~~*~~
If you are interested in this pilgrimage, please leave a comment here with contact details. (All comments are moderated for your privacy.)

Mariawald moves to Traditional Latin Mass

A reader of What Does the Prayer Really Say? reports:-

You might be interested in the fact that, starting next Monday, the Trappist abbey of Mariawald, Germany, will begin the transition to the usus antiquor. As can be seen here, daily Holy Mass in the "Tridentine Rite" is being announced. I do not know if this includes the Hours, too.

A day in the life of the Good Shepherd students in Rome

by Fr Tim Finigan

Thanks to NLM for this video of a day in the life of the students of the Institute of the Good Shepherd in Rome. There is much here with which to be impressed - the devout celebration of Lauds and Mass in the morning, the friendly engagement with the lay students at the University Santa Croce, the parish priest's sensible recognition that here are some chaps who can help him with parish catechesis, the community gathered for a festive meal (prepared with consummate ecological correctness from natural ingredients) and the sense of hope and joy in the priesthood. Hey! there are even some scenes featuring the house mascot "Gustave" the cat.


L'Institut du Bon Pasteur à Rome
by KTOTV (French language)

(reproduced with permission from The Hermeneutic of Continuity)

First Sunday Mass in the Usus Antiquior at Mariawald

Via NLM friend Martin Bürger of exsultet.net comes the following, very encouraging report about the first Sunday conventual Mass in the usus antiquior of the Trappists at Mariawald Abbey from the Aachener Zeitung, a local German newspaper (NLM translation; if you have missed the previous articles about Mariawald, click on the respective label below):

First Tridentine Mass in Mariawald Monastery
by Christoph Hahn

The change in Mariawald continues. For the first time in a long while a Sunday High Mass in the traditional form commun until 1969 took place again in the church above Heimbach. As already on a week day in December, this service also was celebrated by a guest of the Abbey.

But Abbot Joseph Vollberg, since 2005 the superior of the only Trappist Abbey in Germany, is confident of being able to take over this task in future. However, the 45-year-old religious said in an interview with the Dürener Zeitung: "I am still learning."

The overwhelming rush on Sunday, however, also testifies that the return [to the traditional liturgy and observances] of the monastery on the ridge of the Kermeter announced at the end of November 2008 has found grateful acceptance and support with many Catholics in the region.

A walk across the car park of Mariawald Abbey documented: Many faithful had set out already in the early morning from Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle), Cologne, Bonn and other cities and villages, in order to to be there in time for the start of the service by 10 clock.

The popularity with participants was surprisingly great even for the Trappists - so great that, in addition to the pews in the nave, the gallery, otherwise sealed to visitors, was opened.

With visible emotion the attendees followed the service in which abbot Josef Vollberg gave the sermon. The celebration of Mass in the traditional form he described as "wonderful reflection of our Catholic Faith."

Even if Latin were initially unintellegible to many faithful, the preacher advised his listeners to engage with it and thus develop a sense for the message behind the words.

Moreover, there were many forms and gestures which open up to the faithful an access to the meaning of the Eucharist according to the old rite which is not bound to language. Patience would be needed, the superior of Mariawald admitted - but the reward would be much greater than any trouble.

Then the abbot called the attention of his audience on a special feature of the Tridentine rite: The Communion is, in this form of Holy Mass, only received kneeling vy the faithful. But that was as good as natural for the attendees, among whom many young people and families with children. Even more: what still encounters much criticism, has long since found grateful and loving acceptance among the friends of Mariawald.

The author of the article, Christoph Hahn, has written in to tell us that a slightly expanded version of it has also been published in another newspaper (the Kölnische Rundschau). This article was accompanied by the following picture (click to enlarge). You can see the people crwoding the loft. In the picture to the bottom right is Abbot Vollberg giving the sermon.


(reproduced from The New Liturgical Movement)

Benedictines of Mary - investitute

On Tuesday, January 6, 2009, the Feast of the Epiphany, the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, a traditional community in the Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph (MO), had a novice make her first profession of vows and also had the investiture in the Benedictine Habit of four postulants. This happened at the Oratory of Old Saint Patrick in Kansas City, MO.

The Kansas Catholic blog has reproduced some photos from the Holy Mass (extraordinary form), celebrated by His Excellency Robert W. Finn, as well as the profession of Sister Grace of the Merciful Face of Jesus and the investiture of the four postulants:-

The Sisters' website is here, whilst one can view more photos at Kansas Catholic.