Whit Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

While the pilgrim host approached Chartres, I spent the morning very quietly, before finally rejoining their column, and sharing with them all in the High Mass in presence of the Bishop of Chartres. As is the ancient French custom (introduced by one of the kings - was it Louis XII?) the choir, as at Notre Dame de Paris, sang O salutaris Hostia after the Consecration. 

(An excellent custom, which, when one thinks about it, sums up with admirable concision the purpose of the Eucharistic Sacrifice and Sacrament.)

After freshening up (kneeling on gravel outside the Cathedral in the afternoon sun, and then, after the two hours of Mass, gong to retrieve everyone's luggage, was tiring), we Australians (nearly sll of whom had been privileged to attend the Mass indide the Cathedral) enjoyed dinner with the English pilgrims; and through a mutual friend I made the acquaintance of Jamie Bogle - who it transpires knows many of my friends back in Melbourne.

On Tuesday morning, we Australians and English had our own High Mass in the crypt at the altar of Notre Dame sous terre (Our Lady under the earth), and then many of us whiled away the rest of the afternoon eating and chatting at the Cafe Serpente. God willing, in three or five years when next there's an Australian Chapter I'll have another go at this great pilgrimage, now I have a rather more realistic idea of all it entails.

(Next time, for example, I will actually make sure I bring such essentials as: a hat, shorts, clean t-shirts and the like, not to mention suitable shoes and a bar of soap!)

Departing Chartres for Paris was a bit sad, especially once I left all my fellow pilgrims and had to drag my baggage through the busy Metro to my new hotel (I should have booked to return to the first one, in the Latin Quarter - instead, I'm in the 10th Arrondisement, with no air con!).

To-day, Wednesday, I walked a good twenty five minutes each way to the nearest Latin Mass in the morning - a somewhat odd one, since the priest said certain parts of the Canon aloud: the proper parts of the Communicantes and Hanc igitur, the very Words of Consecration, and "omnis honor et gloria"! As is common in France, and of course nowadays allowed, he read the readings in French alone. I was planning to look about to-day, but I'm exhausted, and about to have a nap.

Whit Monday Update

(I'm struggling with a French keyboard layout thqt seems to have put some letters in the wrong places - above all, swapping 'q' with 'a', but also ',' with 'm', and 'z' with 'w'; so I won't write much...)

To cut a long story short, I arrived in Chqrtres yester-day, Sunday, hqving been so exhausted by the first 40 km all-day hike on the pilgrimage on Saturday that I decided to give it up as beyond my ability; for the pace was such that I was always falling behind, the heat such that I was dripping with sweat and felt my head ache, and my pack was weighing me down so much that, were it not for another who helped me by carrying it for some hours after lunch, I couldn't have done even whqt I did.  As it was, I didn't walk the final one and a half hour stretch up the Hill of Deqth, where a great cross marks where a pilgrim died en route not very many years ago! 

Therefore, after a short sleep at the bivouac (for the scouts didn't stop singing till eleven o'clock, and the loudspeakers woke us at five a.m. with Rameau and other French Baroque music), while the other 15,000 pilgrims marched off singing, 'bright as an army in battle array', banners flying, flags and crosses held high - their departure began at 6:10 am and the last left at 7:30 am - I was kindly given a lift to the nearest train station because, as best I could say in my appalling French, "Je suis tres fatigué". Getting to Chartres several changes of train later, I booked in at the hotel a day early and slept for five hours, before waking up, and then going back to bed for a further eight: "tres fatigué" indeed.

As usual; St Philip Neri thus most evidently arranged special jokes and humiliations for me on his feast, Saturday the 26th, for he thus assists his clients to destroy their pride (so humble himself, he would hqve been delighted that the liturgy was instead that of the Vigil of Pentecost, he being infinitely devoted to and enraptured by the Holy Ghost); but also obtained for me many graces withal, such as serving Fr Rowe's private Masses at about 5:30 am on Saturday morning at a side altar at Notre-Dame de Paris, and again yester-day, Sunday morning, at the same hour, in a tent in a field somewhere in the Ile-de-France, with eleven other priests around us at temporary altars, Low Masses going on without interruption - one priest entering to begin as soon as another finished and left!  It made kneeling on the wet grass quite special, an amazing way to celebrate Pentecost: for it is now 25 years since I entered the Church on this feast, made a Catholic Christian by Baptism, Confirmation and Communion.

If I can hobble out to meet the incoming column of triumphant pilgrims after noon, and join with the other Australians in the grand Mass at Notre-Dame de Chartres, then all will be well indeed.  Our Lady of Chartres, pray for us.

Novena to St Philip Neri: 9th Day

Of your charity, complete this day a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

Novena to St Philip Neri: 8th Day

Of your charity, continue this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

1962 EF Mass

The Immaculate Friars have, in the last few years, gone over to the Extraordinary Form of Mass, but strictly 1962; and this, combined with their recent move to it (last time I was in Florence, their Masses were in Italian, but ad orientem), and some local curiosities, made attending their Mass devout but ever so slightly distracting.

For a start, one of their sisters played the organ very nicely before Mass - however this was to accompany another dear sister, who is perhaps not well suited to singing solo: and this well-meaning duet recurred at the offertory, after communion (when I recognized Ubi caritas "in a most unfortunate disguise") and after the end of Mass.  It would have been far preferable to just have the organ, as was in fact done during most of the Canon - including at the Elevations, when really it should have fallen silent; of course, this was doubtless done out of pure good will.

This Low Mass avec voix seule et orgue was a dialogue Mass, and one in which the congregation even said the whole of the Gloria in excelsis, Sanctus and Agnus Dei with the priest - which is allowable, of course, being one of the envisioned grades of dialogue Mass, but unusual.  At least the Lord's Prayer was reserved to the celebrant until the usual response.

Most notably, it was a Low Mass in which the very late pre-conciliar rubrics about when to sit, stand and kneel were observed (as hardly ever happens in Australia and elsewhere I've been - when I was younger and even more foolish I insisted on following those rules of posture once or twice when no one else did, until pity was taken on my idiocy and I was disabused of that particular type of pedantry): so we all stood when the priest went up to the altar, just as if it were a High Mass, and did likewise at the Preface, Pater noster and Postcommunion. There was also some cross-contamination from the Ordinary Form, for the congregation didn't kneel till after the Sanctus and Agnus Dei, whereas from all I recall in the traditional Mass one kneels before both.

The server came down to the lectern and read the Epistle in Italian (the priest remained at the altar, and I assume he read it in Latin); later, after the celebrant read the Gospel in Latin at the altar, he then removed his maniple and came down to the lectern to read it again in Italian, before giving a fervent and lengthy sermon (he seemed to be rather in favour of our supernatural elevation by the power of the Holy Ghost, as a Catholic ought be).

Finally, the celebrant, being a very short fellow, and offering Mass at a grand and elaborate altar with a very high mensa and an even higher tabernacle, needed the assistance of the server at Communion - the latter brought to the altar a large box for him to stand on, so he could retrieve the ciborium!  The Lord moveth in wondrous wise indeed at Ognissanti in Firenze.

Mass, by the way, was in red vestments, and one of the friars helped me by telling me it was the Common of Martyrs in Paschaltide that was being used, but I didn't find out what saint or saints was being commemorated - perhaps a local feast?

Low Mass with sermon took 50 minutes: it didn't seem at all slowly celebrated, so the sermon must have been lengthy indeed.

Firenze

I like Florence; and thanks to the Immaculate Franciscans at Ognissanti (20 minutes' walk from my hotel) I can attend EF Mass daily.

Assisi was marvelous and moving beyond words: beholding the frescoes of the life of St Francis in the upper basilica, I cried. "Not all tears are a sadness."

However, regarding more down-to-earth matters, the cobblestones of Italy have destroyed another pair of shoes, as happens each time I come here. I suppose one can buy shoes in Florence...

Novena to St Philip Neri: 7th Day

Of your charity, continue this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

Seraphic Father Francis

To be at the tomb of St Francis! To pray for all, to pray for my parish and priest, and so many others, to pray for myself, a sinner. To join the many friars for Vespers at the tomb (well done in the modern form in Italian with a bit of Latin). -- I have done what I came here to Assisi to do.

Seraphic Father Francis and Apostolic Father Dominic: they taught us Thy law, O Lord!

Novena to St Philip Neri: 6th Day

Of your charity, continue this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

Novena to St Philip Neri: 5th Day

Of your charity, continue this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

Viva Roma

So far today: I got up at 6:20am, feeling perfectly good after 8 hours' sleep.  I must say though, 36 hours from leaving home after work on Friday to getting to the hotel yesterday evening was rough - every time I passed by the business class seats on the plane I felt so jealous!

The reason I stay where I do in Rome is that my hotel is very close to St Peter's, so, having arisen early, I was there at 7 am as they unlocked the doors, and went to Mass (lots of these going on at different altars): I'd wanted to see if I could find Fr Withoos, a priest I know, saying Mass (I know he usually does so there on weekdays before he starts work) but I didn't see him.  Anyway (I'm typing slowly because this Italian keyboard has some symbols in different places to English ones), it was good to go to early Mass - a lone priest, offering Low Mass of the Sunday after Ascension, with myself and another person as his congregation; at an adjoining altar, a modern Mass was on offer, but we layfolk voted with our feet - then off to kneel near three other altars (each with Mass going on) while I said Lauds in thanksgiving (as the name suggests!).

After returning to the hotel for breakfast, I eventually walked over to Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, not far away on the other side of the Tiber: High Mass there was great - it was of the Ascension itself, because in Italy the feast is transferred to the Sunday (but not in the Vatican itself): wonderful music (choir and organ), and I even understood most of the sermon in Italian.

As well as the three priests at the altar (two acting as deacon and subdeacon respectively), there were three more in choir, a seventh hearing confessions, and at least three if not four or five other priests in the congregation that I noticed... I know that Rome is crawling with priests and bishops (just as in mediaeval times, about half of the latter are in Rome at any one time, 'tis alleged), but really!  Oh, and the priest who subdeaconed was just finishing a "low" Divine Liturgy in Ukrainian, I think, as I arrived at church.

Mass ended, I scouted around the local area and came across the church where St Vincent Pallotti reposes incorrupt beneath the principal altar - I once read a book about him, which was very edifying, and he's connected to W.A. because he gave the monks of New Norcia a picture of Our Lady which is credited with saving them from a bushfire by a miracle; it's the 50th anniversary of his canonization by good Pope John, and there is a year of jubilee being celebrated in his honour, with plenary indulgence on offer (lucky me) for those who visit his resting place granted by the Pope.

I think I'll visit St Philip Neri soon, and head back to SSma Trinità for Vespers and Benediction before dinner with a friend from the NAC...

Novena to St Philip Neri: 4th Day

Of your charity, continue this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

Novena to St Philip Neri: 3rd Day

Of your charity, continue this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

At Tullamarine

I'm whiling away time till my flight to Rome via Kuala Lumpur and Dubai departs in the early hours.  (Later on, I think to do a Cardinal Richelieu and read Friday and Saturday's Offices back-to-back.) Then, finally, I'll land at Rome's airport on Saturday evening, Italian time.  Sunday should bring High Mass at Santissima Trinita dei Pellegrini...

I like travelling, but do wish that Concorde had indeed heralded the age of supersonic mass transit rather than being a technological dead-end: twenty-plus hours is a long time to spend flying.

Of your charity, pray for all who fly, that they (and I) travel safe.

Novena to St Philip Neri: 2nd Day

Of your charity, continue this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

Novena to St Philip Neri: 1st Day

Of your charity, begin this day to pray a Novena to St Philip Neri, having the special intention of begging ordination graces for John Hunwicke of the English Ordinariate, to be deaconed on St Philip's Day.  Consult my post of yester-year for some suitable prayers...

The Once and Future Father

Fr John Hunwicke – as out of respect I have not ceased to address him, in regard to his renowned wisdom as a spiritual elder, disseminated via his far-famed blog of old – having come into full communion with the Holy Father last year on Wednesday of Holy Week, as part of the English Ordinariate, and having endured a bitter test by having his ordination deferred for a year (owing to the machinations of certain... persons), is – rejoice! – to be deaconed on the 26th of May, the feast of good St Philip Neri (whose sons the Oratorians have, I trust, been faithful supports to Fr H.); and one hopes in Christ that He will have very soon thereafter "a wise and faithful priest, who in his days pleased God" standing at the altar to sacrifice in the beauty of holiness.

May I invite one and all to join in a Novena to St Philip Neri this year, with the special intention of praying a double portion of grace for this faithful man?

While on the 26th I'll be in Europe – hurrah! – I'll be in France, not England, and walking the pilgrim way to Chartres from Paris; together with prayers for Fr H., I also plan to ask graces for another cleric, himself resident in France, recommending them to Our Lady (and of course, begging her to cast a pitying eye on me a sinner, on all those near and dear to me, and on all poor sinners).

The Novena to St Philip begins, of course, this Thursday the 17th of May: I will post daily texts for it.

Oremus.

Australian Ordinariate At Last! - 15th June 2012

The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross, under the patronage of St Augustine of Canterbury, for incoming "groups of Anglicans" here in Australia, is to be established on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Friday the 15th of June 2012.  Deo gratias!

The Ordinary is still to be announced.

Herewith, the media release from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference:

Personal Ordinariate to be established in Australia on 15 June 

Media Release 

11 May, 2012

The President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Denis Hart, announced today that Pope Benedict XVI intends to announce the establishment in Australia of a Personal Ordinariate for Former Anglicans to commence on 15th June 2012.

A Personal Ordinariate is a church structure for particular groups of people who wish to enter into communion with the Catholic Church.

In 2009 Pope Benedict announced special arrangements to cater for groups of Anglicans who wished to join the Catholic Church. This provision allows them to maintain some of the traditions of prayer and worship of Anglicanism.

Personal Ordinariates have already been established in the United Kingdom (2011) and the United States of America (2012).

The Australian Bishops have already put in place procedures to enable clergy and lay church members to join the Catholic Church through the Ordinariate.

Archbishop Hart hopes that there will be a warm welcome to those wishing to enter the Catholic Church through the Ordinariate.

“I am confident that those former Anglicans who have made a journey in faith that has led them to the Catholic Church will find a ready welcome”, he said.

This new community will have the status of a diocese and will be known as the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross under the patronage of St Augustine of Canterbury.

Work and Holidays

Work has been busy of late – including late nights and Saturdays – and I am also finalizing details of my upcoming European holiday; hence the lack of recent posts.  When I next have something worthwhile to say, I may then write something...