Lent

The current Lenten Fast only dates back to 1966.  Prior to that, the Fast was much more intense.  It may surprise you to hear that Catholics fasted ALL 40 days of Lent.  In addition to that, they abstained from meat on all Fridays (as we do now), but also observed partial abstinence on all other days except Sunday.  This meant that meat was only eaten at the main meal of the day.  The other two smaller collations were meatless.  

Pope Benedict XIV said in 1741: “The observance of Lent is the very badge of the Christian warfare.  By it we prove ourselves not to be enemies of Christ.  By it we avert the scourges of divine justice. By it we gain strength against the princes of darkness, for it shields us with heavenly help. Should mankind grow remiss in their observance of Lent, it would be a detriment to God's glory, a disgrace to the Catholic religion, and a danger to Christian souls. Neither can it be doubted that such negligence would become the source of misery to the world, of public calamity, and of private woe.” 

Look at the world around us.  It is a mess.  A total hedonistic culture surrounds us.  Even the Church Herself is in crisis and Her numbers are rapidly decreasing, especially in certain countries like France who is the Eldest Daughter of the Church.  Pope Benedict XIV was right!  We must try to recapture what our forefathers did.  To go from 2 days of fasting to 40 would be difficult, but we can build up to it gradually.  One could add in another day or two of the week to fast, such as Wednesday (because that was the day when Our Lord was betrayed by Judas).  Or once Passiontide or Holy Week arrives, increase your fasting days.  Partial abstinence could easily be added to our meals.  By God’s grace we can reclaim this great tool to achieve self-discipline and ultimately sanctity.  “I can do all these things in Him Who strengtheneth me.”  Philippians 4:13.

During these 2 ½ weeks of Septuagesima, the Church has been preparing us for Lent.  Already at Mass, we have the violet vestments of penance and the Gloria and Alleluia have been taken away.  Once Lent begins, the organ is no longer played (except at Benediction) and there are no flowers on the altar.  All of these omissions show us the seriousness of this Liturgical Season as we focus on Our Lord’s Passion and Death and all that He suffered to redeem us.

There is one more omission in the pre-1955 that we no longer have.  The Ite, Missa Est at the end of Mass was also taken away and replaced by a simple Benedicamus Domino (Let us bless the Lord.)  This was a further penitential aspect to the Mass.  Anytime the priest wore violet, this was the ending of Mass.  Now we only hear it where there is a procession after Mass which is rare.

Candlemas - The Blessing of the Candles

The feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of my favorite feasts.  It is unlike any other of the Liturgical Year.  One of the key features of this feast is the Blessing of the Candles and the Procession.  Bring your candles to be blessed.  These candles are sacramentals and can be used especially during times of trouble, storms and when the Sacrament of Extreme Unction is being given.

The Blessing of the Candles is one of the three principle Blessings of the Liturgical Year.  The other two are the Blessing of Ashes and Palms on Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday.  There is a unique characteristic of the pre-1955 Blessings that is missing in the 1962 Missal.  The color for all three Blessings is violet.  This gives a continuity and uniformity between these major Blessings.  

In the 1962 Missal, each feast has its own color.  The connection between the three is completely gone.  White is for Candlemas, Violet for Ash Wednesday and Red for Palm Sunday.  

Violet is for penitential times and calling down God's mercy and grace upon us.  Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday already have violet since they are in Lent.  Candlemas is often in the Season of Septuagesima which also has the color of violet.  This continuity of color keeps us focused on the these great sacramentals and the extraordinary graces they give us is we use them.

The symbolism of the Procession around the church with lit candles is very beautiful, as the Light of Christ is to be spread throughout the world. The candles are lit again for the Gospel reading (Luke 2:22-32) recounting the Purification, and finally at the Consecration, as the Light joins us in the Real Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. The Preface of the Nativity right before the Canon is used for the last time of the year, again recalling the birth of Our Savior.

 

Septuagesima

 

Burying the Alleluia

 

It's that time of year again!  In the old calendar, we are moving into a new season in the Liturgical Year this Sunday, Feb 1.  It is Septuagesima Sunday and marks the next 2 1/2 weeks where we transition from the joy of Christmas to the penitential season of Lent.  For those of us who attend the Traditional Latin Mass and follow the traditional calendar, beginning this Sunday, the Gloria and Alleluia will no longer be said during Mass and the priest will wear violet as we prepare for Lent. 

 

Every year on the Saturday before Septuagesima Sunday, we decorate our Alleluias so that we can "bury" them before Sunday.  This Saturday, Jan 31 is the day to get them finished!  The final Alleluias are usually sung at Vespers. 

St John Chrysostom

 

As with all Doctors of the Church, the Credo is prayed at Mass in the pre-1955 Missal.

St. John Chrysostom, pray for us!

Espousal of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph

Although never on the Universal Calendar of the Church, this feast is a beautiful reminder of the marriage of Our Lady and St. Joseph.  It is celebrated by many religious orders who have a particular devotion to the Virgin Mary and/or St. Joseph.  It was also kept in many local places and dioceses. 

I highly recommend the book The Life and Glories of St. Joseph by Edward Healy Thompson, M. A. 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, save souls!

 

Chair of St. Peter at Rome and the Octave of Christian Unity

 

One of the hallmarks of the change in the calendar of 1960 was the getting rid of the “needless repetition” of feasts.  It was too much to have more than one feast per saint; therefore, one of them had to go.  Here are the ones that were axed:

Jan 2 –- Octave day of St. Stephen

Jan 3 -- Octave day of St. John

Jan 4 --- Octave day of the Holy Innocents

Jan 18 – Chair of St. Peter at Rome (merged with Chair of St. Peter in Antioch on Feb 22)

Jan 28 – Octave day of St. Agnes (commemorating when she appeared to her parents)

3^rd Wed after Easter --- Easter Solemnity of St. Joseph (the papal conclave began on this feast last year!)

May 3 – Finding of the Holy Cross

May 6 – St. John Before the Latin Gate (commemorating his “martyrdom” by being boiled in oil)

May 8 – Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel on Mt. Gargano (Pope Leo XIV was elected on this feast!)

August 17 – Octave day of St. Lawrence 

Today (Jan 18) is one of those feast days: the Chair of St. Peter at Rome.  This feast day was merged with the Chair of St. Peter in Antioch on Feb 22.  Since the feast of the Chair of St. Peter at Rome falls on a Sunday this year, it is the 2^nd Sunday after Epiphany which is the 3^rd Manifestation of the Divinity of Our Lord at the Wedding at Cana.  This feast does not trump the Sunday, but it would be commemorated.  There would also be the Proper Last Gospel of the feast with the Gospel account taken from Matthew 16.

This recently abolished feast has a beautiful history.  It was established in 1558 by Pope Paul IV when the Protestants were casting doubt on the fact that St. Peter travelled to Rome, lived and died there.  In the early 20^th century, as Anglicans converted to the Catholic Faith, many dedicated their lives to pray for true Christian Unity.  In 1909, it was decided to have an Octave for Christian Unity beginning on this feast day and ending on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on Jan 25 which is the Octave day. Think about the significance of this for a moment.  What IS true Christian Unity?  It is ONE flock with ONE shepherd.  We are praying for the conversion of all those who are outside the True Faith (i.e. Catholic Faith)!  The greatest convert was St. Paul.  It was through the prayers of St. Stephen as he was being stoned to death that brought about Saul’s magnificent conversion.  This is what we want for all men---their conversion to the Catholic Faith given to us by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We want them to have the fullness of Truth, not just partial truths.  There is no salvation outside of the Church.  It is a great charity to pray for the conversion of others that they may be saved.  (This in not to be confused with the false ecumenism of today).

 There is a very short prayer for each day of the Octave:

Ant. That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that Thou has sent me.

℣. I say to thee, that thou art Peter,
℟. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst say to Thine Apostles: peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, look not upon my sins, but upon the faith of Thy Church; and vouchsafe unto Her that peace and unity which is agreeable to Thy will: Who livest and reignest God forever and ever. Amen.

Daily Intention to be stated each day during the Octave:  

• 18 January: The union of all Christians in the one true Faith and in the Church
• 19 January: The return of separated Eastern Christians to communion with the Holy See
• 20 January: The reconciliation of Anglicans with the Holy See
• 21 January: The reconciliation of European Protestants with the Holy See
• 22 January: That American Christians become one in union with the Chair of Peter
• 23 January: The restoration of lapsed Catholics to the sacramental life of the Church
• 24 January: That the Jewish people come into their inheritance in Jesus Christ
• 25 January: The missionary extension of Christ’s kingdom throughout the world 

There is a plenary indulgence granted to those who pray the entire Octave---under the usual conditions.

St. Peter, pray for us!