A Hymn for St Patrick's Day

From mediæval sources comes this hymn in honour of St Patrick:

1. Jesu, corona præsulum,
Conserva tuum populum,
Qui hodie Patricium
Vocas ad cæli solium. 

2. Vir sacer magni meriti
Affert lucrum dominici
Talenti sibi traditi
Auctum fructu multiplici. 

3. Sumpta Christi parabola
Propalat evangelica,
Per hunc facta christicola
Tota gaudet Hibernia. 

4. Hic est doctor benevolus,
Hibernorum apostolus,
Cui loca purgatoria
Ostendit Dei gratia. 

4A. Patricius episcopus
Oret pro nobis omnibus,
Ut deleantur protinus
Peccata quæ commisimus. 

4B. O Patrici, Præsul pie,
Nostræ custos familiæ,
Funde preces quotidie,
Pro nobis, Regi gloriæ. 

5. Præsta, beata Trinitas,
Concede, simplex Unitas,
Ut precibus Patricii
Hæredes simus gaudii. Amen.

And here is my bumbling attempt at a translation:

O Jesu thou the bishops’ crown,
Preserve thy people, (Lord, we pray,)
Who this day dost (holy) Patrick
Summon to the throne of heaven. 

(That) sacred man of great merit
Imparts the profit of the Lord's
Talents handed over to him
Enlarged by numerous fruit. 

He reveals evangelical
Selected parables of Christ,
By this made worshippers of Christ
All Ireland rejoices indeed. 

This doctor is benevolent,
The Apostle of the Irish,
To whom places of purgatory
By the grace of God he displays. 

May the (holy) bishop Patrick
Pray (and entreat) for all of us,
That destroyed immediately
Be the sins we have committed. 

O Patrick, thou pious Bishop,
Guardian of our family,
Pour forth thy prayers every day
For us, to the King of glory. 

Confer, O blessed Trinity,
Concede, O simple Unity,
That by the prayers of (Saint) Patrick
We may be the heirs of delight. Amen.

Thank you, St Patrick

It struck me on St Patrick's feast day that I really ought thank him, that truly noble Apostle of Ireland and Patron of Tasmania – since the prayers made to the Lord through his intercession (see side bar), that the Traditional Latin Mass, the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, be available in Tasmania, at least on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, have been answered: His Grace Archbishop Porteous appointed Fr Suresh as Chaplain to the Archdiocese of Hobart Latin Mass Community earlier this year, and we have had weekly EF Masses ever since the end of January, thanks to him and Fr Quinn.

First Friday EF Masses have begun; this week, those in Hobart can attend a sung 6 pm Mass for the Annunciation; and again this year, we will have Fr Mannes visiting from Sydney in order to celebrate the sacred rites of the Paschal Triduum. As if that were not enough, since March, on the first Sunday of each month, there is a Missa cantata in Launceston – Truly, my cup runneth over!

I discovered an old posting of mine from December 2012: how much has changed in so little time! And to my surprise, the prayer to St Patrick asking for Latin Masses in this State I found I put together back in October 2008, before I moved back to Tasmania from Western Australia (together with some rather verbose additions unused for years). (I also again thank Fr Hunwicke for assisting me with Latinizing part of it – and for suggesting the addition of "at least".) So it took only 6 years and a quarter for this prayer to be answered: Deo gratias et Patricio.

O Patrick, Hail!

Far away in Perth, W.A., my friends will be readying all for the official opening of the newly refurbished St Anne's Church in Belmont, as the new home of the Latin Mass community in that Archdiocese: fittingly, the solemnities will begin with the blessing of the church in the context of a Holy Hour, ending with Solemn Benediction, followed at once by Solemn High Mass!

I attended Mass earlier to-day, glad that thereby I truly was at the same Altar as my faraway friends, and was delighted to sing "O Patrick, hail", which happens to be my old school song.  (Yes, I know that it's double alleluia is entirely unlenten, but, well...)  Here are all the verses:

O Patrick, hail, who once the wand’ring race

Didst win to be God’s faithful resting-place,

And Ireland’s love to soothe his wounded face.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

*In dreams thou heard’st thy distant children cry

To bid thee, holy one of God, draw nigh,

Lest all the Gaelic clans but live to die.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Christ was thy sword, thy breastplate and thy shield,

And Christ the living strength that helped thee wield

A sacred spell o’er hill and lake and field.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Christ was thine eye, and Christ thine ear and tongue,

And Christ the peerless song thy brave lips sung,

And Christ thy challenge to the faithless flung.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

*O lonely strife no man can ever tell,

The years thou barest cross and staff and bell,

To war with all the powers and hate of hell.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

*Yet Ulster’s plain thou choosest for thine own,

Armagh thou madest be thy royal throne,

To holy Down thou lef’st thy burying-stone.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Yet comes a day to ease thy people’s pain,

Thy saints shall rise from glen and sea and plain,

When thou, with Christ, in glory come again.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

(*We omitted the 2nd, 5th and 6th stanzas, as more relevant to Ireland rather than to Australia.)

I sometimes wondered (see the first stanza) why St Patrick had a wounded face... till I realized that this alludes rather to the Face of Christ, wounded in His Passion.

The last verse, so eschatological, always brings a lump to my throat.

St Patrick, pray for us.

St Anne's at Last!

Wonderful news from Fr Rowe, my previous parish priest in Perth, Western Australia – the Latin Mass community is at last about to move into its new home, St Anne's Church in Belmont, on St Patrick's Day, next Wednesday.

At 5 pm, there will be a Holy Hour and Blessing of the church, with prayers for the future, followed by Solemn Benediction at 6.10 pm, then Solemn High Mass at 6.30 pm, with supper in the church hall afterwards.  It promises to be a grand occasion...

Having years back promised Father that I would come to the opening, I find that work and late notice of the event mean I cannot attend in person, but will hope to be there in spirit: I will hear Mass on St Patrick's Day, and know that, though at a different altar, we are all at the One heavenly Altar, where the Lamb once slain now lives for ever, surrounded and worshipped by St Patrick and all the heavenly host.

I attach the latest extraordinary bulletin from the W.A. Latin Mass Apostolate:

MARCH 2010 Extraordinary NOTICES

Month of  St Joseph

Latin Mass Apostolate

Mass can be followed in Latin/English/Italian Missals available for use at the door. 

Hymn books and purple Kyriales for sung Masses are available for use also.

SUNDAY     March   14    7.30am & 9.15am & 11.15am   4^th of Lent – Laetare                          all at ST JOHN’S PRO-CATHEDRAL, Victoria Ave, Perth 

Monday                                15     7.45am      Lenten Feria at St John's Pro-Cathedral

Tuesday                    16     7.45am      Lenten Feria at St John's Pro-Cathedral followed by Busy Bee at St Anne's Church, 11 Hehir St, Belmont to get it ready for opening on St Patrick's Day.  Busy Bee begins at 9.00am, if would like breakfast come at approximately 8.45am after Mass at St John's Pro-Cathedral or just turn up at 9.00am.

Wednesday                 17    St Patrick's Day – Opening of St Anne's Church.

5.00pm Holy Hour and Blessing of Church & to pray for the future. 

Solemn Benediction at 6.10pm followed by Solemn High Mass at 6.30pm. 

Afterwards supper in the Hall please bring a plate.

Thursday                          18   12.10pm          Lenten Feria – Mass at St John's Pro-Cathedral

Friday                          19    5.30pm         STATIONS OF THE CROSS then Mass – Lent Feria

            at St Anne's Church, Belmont.

Saturday                           20     9.00am          Lenten Feria at St Anne's Belmont.

SUNDAY   March 21    7.30am & 9.30am  Mass  at St  Anne's Belmont  

PASSION SUNDAY                     11.30am   Mass  at St John's  Pro-Cathedral                      

 

EASTER AND FUTURE MASS SCHEDULE OUT ON 21^st March 2010

 

CONFESSIONS: Heard before Mass on Sunday, weekday Masses and after if necessary.  Please make the effort to go to confession during the week so that those only able to make Sunday Mass can go then.

On Sundays please be there at least 10 minutes before Mass to go to confession otherwise may miss out.

 

SUNDAY MASS IN KELMSCOTT AT 2.00pm: Good Shepherd Church, 44 Streich Ave, Kelmscott 

 

MASS IN BUNBURY: St Thomas Church, Locke Street, Carey Park.

Sunday at 6.00pm:                       21 March 10                                 Sunday 4^th April 10

Monday:                                        22 March 10 (8.00am)           5^th April (9.00am)    

 

New email addresses: If you wish to receive a copy of the bulletin and notices by email, please email the following address: latinmassbulletinwa@iinet.net.au   Each month the notices will be emailed to you automatically.  If you wish to contact Fr about any other matter use the following email address: latinmasschaplaincywa@iinet.net.au    Please use this email for all matters.

 

ANY QUERIES PLEASE CONTACT FR MICHAEL ROWE: Ph/Fax: (08) 9444-9604

PO Box 337 NORTH PERTH  W.A.  6906

Email: latinmasschaplaincywa@iinet.net.au PLEASE TAKE THIS WITH YOU FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

St Patrick's Day

I have a confession to make: I haven't kept to my resolution of arising so very early as to catch Mass before work - hence, St Patrick's day has seemed strange to me, for I don't think I've missed his Mass these many years.  At least I've said the Day Hours so far; Vespers isn't far off; and it's been nice to have a full festal Office of the 1st class to keep.

I was careful to feast the day with meat at meals, and at the moment (having forgotten to buy some Guinness or Kilkenny), I'm drinking a Leffe blonde out of a Leffe glass, all to celebrate the great patriarchal saint of Ireland.  May he pray for us!

(Last year, I posted a copy of his proper Mass, as conceded to some dioceses; and I have also a fuller version of my prayer to St Patrick for the obtaining the Traditional Mass in Tasmania on all Sundays and Feasts.)

This is the proper Collect according to the Breviary and Missal:

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...

(God, Who didst deign to send blessed Patrick the Confessor and Bishop to preach to the nations Thy glory: by his merits and intercession concede, that, what Thou dost teach us is to be done, Thee being merciful, we may be able to fulfil.  Through...)

I like this prayer: for what was St Patrick sent by God? to preach to the nations His glory.  What ought we aspire to at this saint's deserving prayer? to have the power to do by God's mercy what God teaches us we ought carry out.  By what great agency was Patrick sent by God, and can we fulfil the commandments? Through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Onward Christian Soldiers

Since I will be returning to live and work in Tasmania at the end of this year, I feel I must play my part in gaining a weekly Sunday Latin Mass there in Hobart, where for well over a decade there has been Mass - nearly always a Missa cantata, sung by the schola I used to belong to - in the Extraordinary Form on the 1st Sunday of each month, firstly under Fr Jarrett (now Bishop of Lismore, N.S.W.) at his parish church of Sacred Heart, New Town, and latterly at St Canice, Lower Sandy Bay, with the generous assistance of Fr Gerald Quinn, C.P.  So far as I understand, there is certainly a "stable group" of at least 80 to 100 people who attend it; the Archdiocese has manpower problems, so to speak, with a lack of priests, but with the expanding FSSP apostolate in Australia one would think that the last State capital to be without a weekly Tridentine Mass could soon be delivered from that status.

"Work as if all depends on oneself, pray as if all depends on God" (St Ignatius Loyola): to this end, here is the prayer I have penned to St Patrick, Patron of the Archdiocese of Hobart, and to St Canice, whose church it is where the Mass is now held; the prayers may be said in their entirety, or the central prayer to God through the intercession of St Patrick (in larger type) may be used alone for more brevity:

Perpetual Prayer 

to St Patrick, Patron of the Archdiocese of Hobart, 

& St Canice

(for Obtaining Mass in the Extraordinary Form every Sunday)

Great Apostle of Ireland, Holy Pontiff, glorious Confessor, man of God, choice vessel of the Holy Ghost, blessed Patrick, thou venerable ambassador of God and indefatigable preacher of His Word: who by a prodigy of the Most High didst convert the Irish heathen from the darkness of paganism to the light of the Gospel, so confirming their hearts in holiness that down all the ages thy disciples have ever remained steadfast children of Rome, loyal to Christ's Church and His Vicar on earth despite every trial: be thou attentive to our humble prayer; win for us, most beloved Saint and Patron of our Isle also, a like grace to that of thy children of old; and as thou didst bring unto Ireland the True Faith, obtain for us of the Most Holy Trinity never to depart from it; and as thou didst by Divine power drive forth from Ireland all manner of venomous serpents, so now manifest unto us the Divine mercy, that our hearts may be turned to the Lord and delivered from all vice and corruption. By thine uncountable suffrages and merits, gain for us patience, resignation, charitable zeal, dauntless courage in adversity, and all virtues needful that we may save our souls; by thy potent intercession, beg the Lord to send us that which we implore, if it be for His honour and our salvation, and in the manner that He shall most benignly decide.

V/. Pray for us, blessed Patrick.

R/. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

Through the prayers of St Patrick, Thy Bishop and Confessor, we entreat Thy Divine Majesty, that Thou mayest permit us to worship and adore Thee according to the Traditional Latin Rite of the Holy Roman Church, on all Sundays and Holy Days:

May this clean oblation be acceptable unto Thee, O Lord of hosts, which, through the labours of blessed Patrick, from the rising to the setting of the sun, shall be offered unto Thy great Name among the nations, as Thou hast willed. Through Christ our Lord. R/. Amen. 

[Secret of the Mass of St Patrick*]

We thy poor clients turn likewise in trust and hope toward thee, good St Canice, thou man of virtue, eloquence and learning, wise in the ways of God, zealous preacher, holy priest, dauntless missionary, gracefilled abbot, devoted to the Gospel in word and deed, one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland: intercede for us, be our mediator with Christ, pray that our cause may be just and acceptable unto the Lord, that He may deign to give us our heart's desire – to worship and adore Him according to the liturgy of our fathers.

V/. Pray for us, blessed Canice.

R/. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.

God Almighty, Whose service is the highest and fullest joy: grant, we beseech Thee, that following the example of blessed Canice, and being subject to one another in the fear of Christ as obedient sons, we may freely and lovingly serve Thee in holiness and righteousness. Through the same Christ our Lord. R/. Amen.  

[Collect of St Canice†]

******

* 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 Christum Dominum nostrum. R/. Amen.

† Deus omnipotens, cujus servitus summa et plena felicitas: præsta, quæsumus; ut beati Canici imitatione, subjecti invicem in timore Christi quasi filii obedientiæ, libera tibi caritate in sanctitate et justitia serviamus. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. R/. Amen.

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…

Hail Glorious St Patrick

Rather bizarrely - but it is the Pro., after all - we obeyed the rubrics and the Ordo, and had St Patrick today (in Australia his day is a 1st class feast, and it was presumed that the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference had not legislated in respect of the TLM when arranging for the feast to be anticipated on Friday before Palm Sunday).

Poor lucky me! I had to sing the Mass alone (though the very small congregation present did join in Mass VIII, de Angelis, and Credo III), and so psalm-toned the propers. At Offertory I sang the Office hymn Iste confessor from the common, plus the Regina cæli, and at Communion the first half of Ad regias Agni dapes, which was all I could fit in before the postcommunion. We sang "Hail glorious St Patrick", that sentimental ballad, as a processional,



and ended with "Christ be with me" as recessional, after Fr's Ite missa est from Mass II.

Poor Fr Rowe! While I was praying Vespers and Office of Readings in thanksgiving after the Sacrifice, I saw him catching up on his Office in the sanctuary... With the Sacred Triduum, the Easter Octave, and then the Annunciation, St Joseph, and St Patrick, he's had to say Psalm 118 every day at the little hours for a fortnight straight, ever since the 20th of March up until and including today; and the last three days have been Offices of three nocturns, too. It makes one wonder how anyone got through the Office prior to 1912. (Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it was very holy and good, but long!)

Troy - one of the regular servers (all of whom tonight were adult men, BTW) - had us over to his home for Guinness, pizza et al. afterward: Fr, Aaron, Michael, etc., getting together with Troy and Narie and their young family, which was great. Talk was of the madness of sedevacantists, and of building a grand church, to be dedicated to St James the Moorslayer...

Eve of St Patrick

According to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, still charged with the care of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite since Good Pope Benedict's motu proprio, St Joseph's feast is to be moved to Saturday the 15th of March this year in both the new rite and the old; for utterly the same reason, it seems to me that St Patrick's Day - here in Australia as in Ireland, a feast of highest rank - should be observed by those following the 1962 Missal and Breviary on the same day as the vast majority of the faithful in these lands, which by decree of the relevant bishops' conferences has been moved in 2008 to Friday the 14th: to tomorrow, in other words.

(It goes without saying that this has been done because such solemnities are transferred out of Holy Week and Easter Week, and if the rubrics had been followed this would have entailed celebrating the Annunciation on Monday after Low Sunday, followed by St Joseph and St Patrick on the Tuesday and Wednesday. Personally, it seems to me more appropriate to fill Paschaltide with feasts, but it wasn't my decision!)

So, Traddie or not, tonight is St Patrick's Eve, and to celebrate my housemates and I had a meal together, washed down with some Guinness.

If I had thought of it, I'd have served some black pudding too...

...for on one fairly recent St Patrick's Day, the seminarians in Melbourne, including friends of mine, celebrated in a very Irish fashion, by eating a full Irish breakfast in the evening, with eggs, bacon, black pudding, and Guinness, and I very much agree with the idea!

Let us pray.

Thou didst drive out the serpent, that is, Satan, his devils, and the evil sins of pagan idolatry from Ireland, and by thy preaching win the heathen Irish for Christ, that it might be an isle of saints and scholars, of priests and holy virgins: St Patrick, pray for us.