Anniversary Mass in St Carthage's, Lismore

Courtesy of a correspondent, I have received a devout photograph from St Carthage's Cathedral: an early morning pontifical Low Mass, marking the anniversary of the first Mass offered therein, just as its founder, Jeremiah Doyle, the first Bishop of Lismore, celebrated it on the morning of the 24th of June, 1907, which was the 30th anniversary of his own ordination as a priest:

The same Mass, at the same hour, at the same altar, in the same Roman Rite.

Of your charity, pray for the repose of the soul of Jeremiah Doyle, Bishop of Lismore: "a great priest, who in his life propped up the house and in his days fortified the temple" (Ecclus l, 1).

In Lismore for Corpus Christi

His Lordship (wearing a cope by reason of the Eucharistic Devotions after Mass).

It was a great joy to spend the weekend in Lismore, and while there to visit my former parish priest, now the Lord Bishop of that city.  Bp Jarrett was kind enough to let me serve his Mass on Saturday and Monday – on Sunday, of course, I went to St Carthage's Cathedral where he pontificated at Mass followed by Exposition, Procession, and Benediction.  

Obviously I couldn't take photographs during all that, but snapped this one hurriedly once the Sanctissimum was returned to the tabernacle and the altar party was turning to leave:

Some further images, taken once all the morning's rites and ceremonies were over (including the blessing of a new stone cross for the cathedral roof):

Throne and altar

The Lady Chapel

St Patrick's advice! 

"Be ye such Christians as to be also Romans"

The Wallace Window (left and right lights, featuring male and female Dominican saints) – I know this family; one brother is a Dominican priest, the other is a deacon and the chancellor of Lismore Diocese.  This window is a memorial to their late mother, Veronica: may she rest in peace.

St Carthage's Cathedral

(Note the scaffolding: restoration works began in 2009 and will conclude in 2012.)

Sicut Sagittæ in Manu Potentis

A recent snapshot of His Lordship Geoffrey Jarrett, Bishop of Lismore, N.S.W., and his seminarians. Isn't it interesting that Lismore (whose bishop was once my parish priest) has so many more vocations than Hobart? Gee, I wonder why... While all Tasmania has only 80% of the Catholic population of the diocese of Lismore, perhaps that isn't the only reason...

Sunday Latin Masses at the Carmel of Lismore

When I was based in Hobart in the nineties, my then P.P., Fr Jarrett, had a monthly Traditional Latin Mass, at which I sang (I also began my serving of the old Mass there too); this is the same one that, mutatis mutandis has continued - despite all the ill-will of the crotchety establishment in this unhappy Archdiocese: I recall someone at St Mary's Cathedral even took time, stupidly, to preach against it, whereupon some Cathedral parishioners decided to desert their angry pastor and come along to the Mass of the ages at Sacred Heart, glad to learn of its existence! - albeit now at the church of St Canice, ever since his departure in 2001 to become Bishop of Lismore in N.S.W.

I learn that the good Bishop, a true pastor (free of the tired seventies liberal straitjacket) has been again helping fulfil the just aspirations of some of his flock: a monthly Traditional Mass has begun at the Carmelite Monastery at Goonellabah (a southern suburb of Lismore), indeed has been held there for some time now, and will become a Missa cantata come Pentecost; already, numbers are up to seventy, with three dedicated servers. (Grafton, seat of the local Anglican bishopric, also has a Latin Mass from time to time with up to a hundred devotees, but a shortage of available dedicated clergy has so far prevented it becoming a regular fixture; like me in Tasmania, some of the Graftonians drive for an hour and more to go to Lismore for the Traditional Mass instead.)

When in Lismore for His Lordship's episcopal consecration, I visited the Carmel, being edified of course by the holy enclosure so strictly observed: they are of one mind and heart with their southern sisters here at the Launceston Carmel, having avoided the slipshod banalities that have seduced even some Carmels (such as that of Adelaide, which observes neither enclosure nor silence, and - surprise, surprise - has no vocations: when will the liberals learn? probably at death!).  They remain firm in adhering to what is tried and true, the primitive charism of St Teresa and St John of the Cross, rejecting the novelties of a transient age.

Since I was there, the sanctuary has been paved with marble, and a fitting predella installed upon which the altar has been raised as is right.  Of course, aside from the monthly Latin Mass, the nuns have daily Mass at 7am, plus a parish Mass on Sundays for the convenience of local residents. I recall the former Bishop of Lismore customarily said the daily Mass there himself, and it seems that the nuns have cultivated similarly good relations with his successor! After all, a convent of cloistered religious, praying and sacrificing for the world in general and priests in particular, is such a powerful supernatural aid in the spiritual warfare that any Bishop would rejoice to have a Carmel intercede with the Divine Majesty for the sanctification of himself, his priests, his seminarians, and all his people.

If you seek for salvation - I am all serious - solicit the prayers of Carmelite nuns.  

Their prayers work.

Singing, Serving, and Remembering

To-day was marked with many festivities.

For a start, Justin was again with us to lead the ad hoc mixed schola in the Gregorian Propers and Ordinary (Mass XII, Credo I), plus our hymns (processional: "On this day the first of days"; offertory: O esca viatorum; communion: Cælestis urbs Jerusalem; recessional: "Let all mortal flesh keep silence" - a rather odd assortment, frankly, but tuneful) and to play the organ, at our usual 9.15 am Missa Cantata.

Then - after visiting the visiting St Rita's Book-barrel, and buying at last a useful copy of Rossini's Proper of the Mass, plus that great religious comic book, Know your Mass - we went off for coffee with the usual suspects, before farewelling Justin, who was to fly back over East later in the day, to return on the 19th of December for Christmas, just when I leave the West permanently.

Michael and I then went over to St Michael the Archangel Chapel in Leederville for to serve at a wedding and nuptial Mass there at 1.30 pm, but not before stopping off at the International Beer Shop and enjoying a liquid lunch of Saison Regal...

The wedding went off well from the point of view of our M.C. Aaron and my fellow servers Michael, Michael, Michael and I, and Quartessence (reduced to Triessence by the absence overseas of a member), together with Andrew at the organ when not singing, acquitted themselves well with the Byrd Mass for 3 Voices, the Gregorian Propers, and sundry motets (Victoria's Ave Maria, of course; also someone's In te Domine speravi - odd choice for a wedding! - and an Adoro te).  As one is bound to say, the bride looked ravishing and the groom a lucky man: pray that they have a happy and blessed marriage.

After a cuppa with Fr afterward (since we didn't know the families, we of course didn't go to the reception), Mike and I visited our mate Rob, for a drop of Cascade beer from Tasmania, some chips, some good conversation, and a screening of Lord Clark's "Civilization" series (episode 1).

Having now come home, I feel rather unwell; I may have caught a cold, irritatingly enough.

Soon we'll end the day with Vespers of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica...

But, not to forget, to-day commemorates another important anniversary - my old parish priest back in Hobart, now bishop of Lismore, was received into the Church on this day in 1965: ad multos annos!

Oremus et pro Antistite Ecclesiæ Lismorensis Godefrido:

Stet et pascat in fortitudine tua, Domine, in sublimitate nominis tui.

Proper Mass of St Patrick

According to the Supplement for the dioceses of Australia in the 1962 Roman Missal, the following proper Mass of St Patrick was conceded to the dioceses of Bathurst, Lismore (where my former P.P. is now the good Bishop), and Maitland. The texts are quite beautiful and apposite, tho' I suspect they were first composed for use in Ireland itself:

Proper Mass of St Patrick

Introit (Gen. xii, 1-2a; Ps. 104:1)

Egredere de terra tua, et de cognatione tua, et de domo patris tui, et veni in terram quam monstrabo tibi; faciamque te in gentem magnam. (T.P. Alleluja, alleluja.) Ps. Confitemini Domino, et invocate nomen ejus: annuntiate inter gentes opera ejus. Gloria Patri…

Collect

Deus, qui ad prædicandam gentibus gloriam tuam, beatum Patricium Confessorem atque Pontificem mittere dignatus es: ejus meritis et intercessione concede; ut, quæ nobis agenda præcipis, te miserante adimplere possimus. Per…

Epistle (Romans x, 10-18)

Fratres: Corde enim creditur ad justitiam: ore autem confessio fit ad salutem. Dicit enim Scriptura: Omnis qui credit in illum non confundetur. Non enim est distinctio Judæi, et Græci: nam idem Dominus omnium, dives in omnes, qui invocant illum. Omnis enim, quicumque invocaverit nomen Domini, salvus erit. Quomodo ergo invocabunt, in quem non crediderunt? Aut quomodo credent ei, quem non audierunt? Quomodo autem audient sine prædicante? Quomodo vero prædicabunt, nisi mittantur? sicut scriptum est: Quam speciosi pedes evangelizantium pacem, evangelizantium bona! Sed non omnes obediunt Evangelio. Isaias enim dicit: Domine, quis credidit auditui nostro? Ergo fides ex auditu, auditus autem per verbum Christi. Sed dico: Numquid non audierunt? Et quidem in omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terræ verba eorum.

Gradual (Ps. 104:17,19)

Misit ante eos virum: in servum venumdatus est Joseph. V/. Donec veniret verbum ejus. Eloquium Domini inflammavit eum.

Alleluia (Ps 104:21) [Before Septuagesima]

Alleluja, alleluia. V/. Constituit eum dominum domus suæ: et principem omnis possessionis suæ. Alleluja.

Tract (Isaias xlii, 6-8) [After Septuagesima, in place of the Alleluia]

Ego Dominus vocavi te in justitia, et apprehendi manum tuam, et servavi te; et dedi te in fœdus populi, in lucem gentium. V/. Ut aperires oculos cæcorum, et educeres de conclusione vinctum, de domo carceris sedentes in tenebris. V/. Ego Dominus, hoc est nomen meum: gloriam meam alteri non dabo, et laudem meam sculptilibus.

Paschal Alleluia (Ps 104:21,24) [During Eastertide, in place of the Gradual and Alleluia]

Alleluja, alleluia. V/. Constituit eum dominum domus suæ: et principem omnis possessionis suæ. Alleluja. V/. Et auxit populum suum vehementer: et firmavit eum super inimicos ejus. Alleluja.


Gospel (St Luke x, 1-9)

In illo tempore: Designavit Dominus et alios septuaginta duos: et misit illos binos ante faciem suam in omnem civitatem et locum, quo erat ipse venturus. Et dicebat illis: Messis quidem multa, operarii autem pauci. Rogate ergo Dominum messis, ut mittat operarios in messem suam. Ite: ecce, ego mitto vos sicut agnos inter lupos. Nolite portare sacculum, neque peram, neque calceamenta; et neminem per viam salutaveritis. In quamcumque domum intraveritis, primum dicite: Pax huic domui: et si ibi fuerit filius pacis, requiescet super illum pax vestra: sin autem ad vos revertetur. In eadem autem domo manete, edentes, et bibentes quæ apud illos sunt: dignus est enim operarius mercede sua. Nolite transire de domo in domum. Et in quamcumque civitatem intraveritis, et susceperint vos, manducate quæ apponuntur vobis: et curate infirmos, qui in illa sunt, et dicite illis: Appropinquavit in vos regnum Dei.

Offertory (Gen. xv, 5)

Eduxit eum foras, et ait illi: Suspice cælum, et numera stellas, si potes. Et dixit ei: Sic erit semen tuum. (T.P. Alleluja.)

Secret (cf. Mal. i, 11)

Acceptabilis tibi sit, Domine exercituum; hæc oblatio munda: quam per beati Patricii labores ab ortu solis usque ad occasum magno Nomini tuo in gentibus offerri voluisti. Per…

Communion (Judith xv, 11b)

Manus Domini confortavit te, et ideo eris benedictus in æternum. (T.P. Alleluja.)

Postcommunion

Deus qui sacramentum corporis et sanguinis tui in caritatis pignus inter omnes populos instituisti, concede propitius: ut, quos divino mysterio consecrasti, iidem, beato Patricio intercedente, pacis et concordiæ vinculis in dies arctioribus conjungantur: Qui vivis…

Obœdientia et Pax

The Venerable Baronius, that faithful disciple of St Philip Neri, used always to kiss the foot of the statue of St Peter in the Vatican Basilica, in token of his entire submission to Christ's Vicar on earth, the Pope, saying as he did so, Obœdientia et pax ("Obedience and peace"). I invite all sons of the Church to do the same this day, the Feast of Peter's Chair.

Act of Faith

O my God, I believe in Thee, and in all that Thy Holy Church teacheth, for Thou hast said it, and Thy Word is true.

I also offer my congratulations to my former parish priest, the (now Most Reverend) Geoffrey Jarrett, who seven years ago today was consecrated Bishop of Lismore, N.S.W. - ad multos annos, Your Lordship!

A Firm Hand at the Rudder

When I lived in Hobart, I was fortunate to have as parish priest Fr Geoffrey Jarrett, now Bishop of Lismore in northern N.S.W. I see from his diocese's website that he's announced a Review of his Diocese to take place in 2009, and am gladdened as always by his firm grasp of the issues at hand, and his faithful indication of the right direction to take - always towards greater fidelity to Christ and His Church.

While it is only a subsidiary point, from my perspective I would like to highlight his warm commendation of the Liturgy of the Hours as the prayer for all the Church:

We should also be promoting among all members of the Church the prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, the liturgy of the whole Church prayed with the whole Church and [able to be] led by lay people whether Mass can be celebrated or not. It would be a wonderful thing and a fulfilment of the serious encouragement of the Church if, at a stated time every day in each parish, priest and people came together in the church to celebrate morning and evening prayer (Lauds and Vespers).