Ascension Thursday

 

Rogation Days

 

There is a special Procession and Mass for the Rogation Days.  Before Mass begins the Litany of Saints is chanted during an outdoor procession around the church grounds and prayers of supplication offered to appease the wrath of God and avert the scourges of His justice.  The three days preceding Ascension Thursday are these special Rogation Days (Lesser Litanies).  The word "litany" means "supplication" and "rogare" means "to ask". 

Dom Gueranger talks about the Rogation Days in The Liturgical Year, Vol 8 on pp. 350-353.  In it he says: "After all, we are sinners, with much to regret and much to fear; we have to avert those scourges which are due to the crimes of mankind; we have, by humbling ourselves and invoking the intercession of the Mother of God and the Saints, to obtain the health of our bodies and the preservation of the fruits of the earth; we have to offer atonement to divine justice for our own and the world's pride, sinful indulgences and insubordination  Let us enter into ourselves, and humbly confess that our own share in exciting God's indignation is great; and our poor prayers, united with those of our holy Mother the Church, will obtain mercy for the guilty, and for ourselves who are of the number." 

The Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel

 

Today is the feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel on Mt. Gargano in 490.  It is an unofficial tradition that St. Michael was the Guardian Angel of St. Joseph, the head of the Holy Family.  He is also the special defender of the Pope.

St. Michael, pray for us! 

St. John before the Latin Gate

Today's feast commemorates the "martyrdom" of St. John the Apostle in Rome by being boiled in oil.  Only he did not die!  He was exiled to the Island of Patmos. 

St John the Apostle, pray for us! 

 

The Finding of the True Cross

The feast outranked the 4th Sunday after Easter in the pre-1955 Calendar; however the Sunday would have been commemorated and the Proper Last Gospel read.  The finding of the True Cross by St. Helena was an extremely important discovery for the Church.  This most precious relic was found and brought back to Rome.  In the search for it, three crosses were dug up on Mount Calvary.  Numerous miracles occurred when only one was touched.  That is how they knew it was Our Lord's cross upon which He wrought our Salvation. 

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, 

because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world!

 

May 1 -- Traditional Feast of the Apostles, Sts. Philip and James

 

In 1956, the Liturgical Calendar had a major overhaul.  We have already talked about the changes from Christmas to Pentecost with the removal of most Octaves and the demotion of the great feast of Epiphany.  The 2^nd most tragic change is in the 1^st week of May.  The “needless repetition” of feasts caused three feasts to be eliminated.   The great Easter Solemnity of St. Joseph on the 3rd Wednesday after Easter, which also had a Common Octave, was eliminated and the new feast of St. Joseph the Worker was placed on May 1 to contrast with the Communist May-day celebrations thereby displacing the Apostles Saints Philip and James.  They were moved to May 11 which was the 1st open day.  Antiquity meant nothing to these reformers.  Instead they replaced them with feria days.  Unbelievable!

	Pre-1955	1962
May 1	Sts. Philip and James	St. Joseph the Worker
May 2	St Athanasius	St Athanasius
May 3	Finding of the True Cross	Feria
May 4	St. Monica	St. Monica
May 5	Pope St. Pius V	Pope St. Pius V
May 6	St. John before the Latin Gate	Feria
May 7	St. Stanislaus	St. Stanislaus
May 8	Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel	Feria

May 1---Sts. Philip and James’ feast had been on May 1 since the 6^th century!

May 3  The Finding of the True Cross is a joyful feast to remember the elderly St. Helena travelling to the Holy Land to find this most precious relic. 

May 6—St John before the Latin Gate commemorates his “martyrdom” by being boiled in oil in Rome.  He did not die and was exiled to the Island of Patmos.

 May 8---The Apparition of St Michael the Archangel took place on Mount Gargano in 490.  We cannot honor him too much as he is the chief defender of the Church!  

Month of May -- Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary

The month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  

The most beautiful month for our Blessed Mother!

Ideas to celebrated the 31 Days of May: 

Crown all statues of  Our Lady in your home 

Make a May altar for a special statue of picture

Place flowers from your garden in front of a statue or picture

Organize a May-crowning at your parish or your home 

Have a Marian Tea Party focusing on the Titles of Our Lady

Pray the Rosary daily 

Pray one decade of the Rosary daily with small children

Sing or pray the Regina Caeli 3x a day 

Learn the Regina Caeli in Latin

Print out 31 different pictures of Our Lady; 

each day choose one to place in a prominent place, such as a mantlepiece or home altar.

Pray the Litany of Loreto 

Learn the chant to the Litany of Loreto

Sing Marian hymns:

Tis the Month of Our Mother 

Bring Flowers of the Rarest 

On This Day, O Beautiful Mother

Immaculate Mary 

Hail Holy Queen 

Daily, Daily Sing to Mary 

Mother Dearest, Mother Fairest 

Hail Queen of Heaven

Ave Maria, O Maiden, O Mother

O Queen of the Holy Rosary  

Learn new Marian hymns in Latin: 

Tota Pulchra Es 

Ave Maris Stella 

Ave Maria

Sub Tuum Praesidium 

Salve Mater 

Spiritual Reading on Our Lady: 

At the Foot of the Cross by Father Faber 

The Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda

True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary by St. Louis de Montfort 

The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort 

 

Octave Day of St. Joseph

 

Today is the Octave Day of the Easter Solemnity of St. Joseph, 

Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Patron of the Universal Church. 

Prayer to St. Joseph for a Happy Death

O Glorious St. Joseph, behold I choose thee today for my special patron in life and at the hour of my death. Preserve and increase in me the spirit of prayer and fervor in the service of God. Remove far from me every kind of sin; obtain for me that my death may not come upon me unawares, but that I may have time to confess my sins sacramentally and to bewail them with a most perfect understanding and a most sincere and perfect contrition, in order that I may breathe forth my soul into the hands of Jesus and Mary.  Amen

Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Patron of the Universal Church

Today is the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Patron of the Universal Church.  It falls on the Wednesday after the 2nd Sunday of Easter (or the 3rd Wednesday after Easter).  It also has a Common Octave!  The propers for this feast are the same as the Votive Mass of St. Joseph, so it is still in your hand missal.  If you are lucky enough to have a Father Lasance Missal, it is listed at the end of the April feasts.

 This feast was suppressed in 1955 and a new Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1 was established.  This new feast displaced the feast of the Apostles Sts. Philip and James which had been on May 1 since the 6th century.  (More on that in a later post.)

Since this is a moveable feast based on when Easter falls, it can be easy to forget because it is not listed on most traditional calendars.  Wednesday is the day of the week that is dedicated to St. Joseph.  Tradition tells us that he died on a Wednesday in the arms of Jesus and Mary.  This is why he is the Patron of a Happy Death. 

Last year the Papal Conclave began on Wednesday, May 7 which just happened to be this Solemnity of St. Joseph!  The next day (May 8) in the pre-1955 calendar was the feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel.  This was the day that Pope Leo XIV was elected!  There is an unofficial tradition that St. Michael is St. Joseph's Guardian Angel which makes this election even more comforting.  Pray to St. Joseph and St. Michael that Pope Leo will be the pope who will restore the TLM and the traditional Sacraments.  

St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Patron of the Universal Church, pray for us! 

 

Easter Sunday

 

Christus Resurrexit, Alleluia!!

Symbolism of the Easter Vigil

 

Holy Saturday Easter Vigil

(from Dom Gueranger’s The Liturgical Year)

 

Blessing of the New Fire---‘I AM the Light of the World”  --represents Our Lord

                Spark from the flint represents Our Lord rising from the sepulcher through the stone

rolled in front

                Lights out in Church---shows abrogation of the Old Law which ended with the

Temple veil torn

New fire represents the teaching of the New Law where Our Lord fulfilled all the

figures of the Old Covenant

 

Blessing of the 5 grains of incense---- represent the perfumes prepared by St Mary Magdalene for embalming

 

New light brought into the church----Lumen Christi 3 times to proclaim the Holy Trinity (Triple Candle)

 

Pascal Candle---unlighted represents pillar of cloud which hid Israelites (OT) and Our Lord in the tomb (NT)

                Lighted---pillar of fire which guided the people (OT) and Our Lord risen from the dead (NT)

 

Exultet---Joys of this glorious night

 

Incense---5 grains in the pascal candle in the form of a cross to represent His 5 wounds

                Once lit the pascal candle signifies the instant of His Resurrection

 

Lights of church are lit from the new fire---to signify that His Resurrection was made known gradually and that having opened the way, after passing through the tomb, we shall enter everlasting life.

 

The Prophecies---12 in all

 

Blessing of the Font---Sicut Cervus---stag represents the catechumens

                Priest divides the water in the form of the cross—to signify that it is by the cross that

the water receives Its power to regenerate souls

                Sprinkles the blessed water to 4 directions to show all parts of world received the

preaching of Baptism

 

Dip Pascal Candle in water---Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River when water received its future promise of Baptism and now receives its reality

                Before taking out a 3^rd time, priest breathes on water in Greek letter for Spirit

Oil of Catechumens and Holy Chrism added to water shows the superabundant

grace of Baptism

 

Baptism of Catechumens---“Resurrection” from sin to justification

Confirmation (by a bishop)---will make them perfect Christians

 

Litany of Saints---All invocations are doubled.

Priest prostrates before the altar on a cushion and leaves at Peccatores to prepare

for Mass

 

Mass begins----Kyrie---(no Introit, Offertory or Communion propers)

Gloria----bells rung, all lights come on and statues uncovered

 

Solemn return of the “Alleluia” with special chant 3x before the Gospel

At this moment all mournfulness is at an end.  One feels that God has accepted the

expiatory works of our Lent; and that, by the merits of His Son now risen from

the grave, He pardons our earth, since He permits us to hear once more the song of heaven.

 

Tract---Jesus has risen from the tomb, but has not shown Himself to all yet---only Mary Magdalene and the women

 

NO Creed---saved for 2^nd Mass---shows the hours which elapsed before the apostles, who were to preach to the world the mystery of the Resurrection, had honored it by their faith.

 

Easter Vigil

 

EASTER VIGIL

This is the greatest tragedy in the Holy Week changes.  So much symbolism was destroyed.  The order of things was changed, the Litany of the Saints divided into two parts and the creation of the vernacular Baptismal Promises facing the people.

Order of the pre-1955 Easter Vigil :

1)      Blessing of the New Fire and Incense outside

2)      Triple Candle representing the Holy Trinity is lit from the blessed fire---one candle each time Lumen Christi (3x) is sung while entering the church

a.      The dark church symbolizes the tomb of the buried Jesus

b.     The Pascal Candle which represents Christ is set up on the Gospel side near the ambo before the Vigil begins

c.      Symbolism:  The dead body of Jesus awaits in the dark tomb

                                                              i.      The Triple Candle was done away with in the 1962

                                                            ii.      The procession into church is done with the Pascal Candle in the 1962

                                                          iii.      All the above symbolism is lost

3)      Singing of the Exultet

a.      Incense is placed in Pascal Candle at the appropriate time of the prayer

b.     Pascal Candle is lit from Triple Candle at the appropriate time of the prayer

                                                              i.       Symbolism--this signifies the moment of His Resurrection

4)      The Prophecies --- 12 are chanted (4 in 1962; NO back to 8)

a.      Creation                            Genesis 1

b.     The Deluge                       Genesis 5

c.      Sacrifice of Isaac             Genesis 22

d.     Crossing the Red Sea       Exodus 14

e.      Isaias 55

f.        Baruch 3

g.      Ezechiel 37

h.      Isaias 4

i.        Passover Lamb               Exodus 12

j.        Jonas 3

k.      Deuteronomy 31

l.        Daniel 3

5)      Blessing of the Baptismal Font and Baptism of Catechumens

a.      Procession to the Baptistry with the Pascal Candle while singing Sicut Cervus

b.     Blessing the Font with the Oil of Catechumens and Chrism

c.      Baptism of any catechumens

                                                              i.      None of this is done in the sanctuary “facing the people”, but in the baptistry

                                                            ii.      Sicut Cervus is sung before the blessing of the font, etc, NOT after

                                                          iii.      Symbolism:  the yearning of the catechumens for baptism

6)      Litany of Saints---The priest and sacred ministers prostrate before the altar

a.      The Litany is doubled---all invocations are repeated with 2 cantors/choirs

b.     Priests leave at Peccatores . . . in order to vest for Mass

                                                              i.      The servers decorate the altar with flowers

                                                            ii.      Light candles for Mass

7)      Mass---all the omissions of the Easter Vigil are the same in both pre-1955 and 1962

a.     Priest begins with Prayers at Foot of the Altar and Confiteor

b.     No Introit

c.      Kyrie

d.     Gloria---bells rung and organ played throughout; statues uncovered  

e.      Alleluia--- special chant 3x

f.        Gradual and Tract

g.      Gospel

h.      No Credo---(the Apostles did not believe yet)

i.        No Offertory Antiphon

j.        No Agnus Dei

k.      No Communion Antiphon

l.        Short form of Vespers:  Psalm 116 and Magnificat

m.   Ite, Missa Est, Alleluia, Alleluia!

n.     Last Gospel is read

 

Good Friday

 

GOOD FRIDAY 

The Good Friday Liturgy is called the Mass of the Presanctified and consists of 4 parts:  Lessons and the Passion, Great Intercessions, Veneration of the Cross and Communion.   The candles on the altar are of unbleached beeswax in simple candlesticks.  The only times these candles are used are in Requiem Masses.  They denote death and mourning.  This is what greets you when you enter the church. 

1.      Lessons and the reading of the Passion

a.      Priest enters in black chasuble which he wears until the unveiling of the cross

b.     Lessons are read from the Epistle side

c.      Reading of the Gospel is distinct from the Passion

d.     Passion and Gospel are read from the Gospel side

                                                              i.      Incense after the Passion and before Gospel

                                                            ii.      Chant tone changes when singing the Gospel

2.      Great Intercessions:

a.      Chanted on the Epistle side

b.      In the prayer for the Jews, we do not genuflect. 

                                                              i.      This is because they mocked Our Lord by genuflecting to Him in His Passion

3.      Veneration of the Cross:  The entire liturgy is focused on the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

a.      Celebrant takes off his chasuble and only has black stole crossed over the surplice

b.     The veiled crucifix on the altar since last evening has been waiting for this moment of unveiling----actually the whole 2 weeks of Passiontide.

c.      Once unveiled, all other crucifixes in the church are uncovered.

d.     “Creeping to the Cross”---Everyone takes off their shoes and makes 3 genuflections before venerating the cross---not just the priests and altar boys.

e.      The crucifix is placed on a cushion on the floor.  In venerating it, you must kneel and bow all the way down to the floor.  (This is an incredibly moving experience for one who has never done this before!)

4.      Communion: 

a.      Celebrant puts the black chasuble back on

b.     A full triumphal procession with Thurifer, Crucifer, Acolytes and Sacred Ministers moves from the Altar of Repose to the Main Altar while singing the hymn Vexilla Regis to bring the Blessed Sacrament back to the main altar.

c.      Only the priest receives holy communion.  There is only one host in the chalice from last evening.

d.     Once the host is consumed, the entire church is filled with emptiness for Our Lord is truly gone and the tabernacle is empty.

e.      Good Friday ends very quietly.

Holy Thursday

 

HOLY THURSDAY

Relatively speaking, not too much was done to Holy Thursday. 

The Washing of the Feet is a separate ceremony AFTER Mass.  Usually it is carried out in another room outside of church.  (It is not in the middle of Mass as in the 1962). 

The hosts for holy communion do not have to be consecrated at the Holy Thursday Mass as required in the 1962.

There are two hosts consecrated on this day. 

Before the ablutions, the 2^nd host is placed in a chalice, covered with a white veil which is tied with a white ribbon around the stem of the chalice.  This is carried in procession to the altar of repose.  (Unlike using a ciborium with multiple hosts in the 1962.)

At the stripping of the altars, the covered crucifix with the six High Mass candles remain on the altar.  It is ready to be unveiled on Good Friday.  Everything else is taken out. 

 During the stripping of the altars, Psalm 21 and its Antiphon is recited in a monotone.  It is not sung.  All is sorrow and mourning in the church.

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, 

All Praise and All Thanksgiving, Be Every Moment Thine!

Spy Wednesday

 

Today the Passion account of St. Luke is read.   The connection to the Last Supper and the Institution of the Holy Eucharist is omitted in the 1962.

The text is Luke 22: 1-71; 23: 1-53

The Gospel is separate from the Passion.  It is Luke 23: 50-53.

Holy Tuesday

 

Today the Passion account of St. Mark is read.   The connection to the Last Supper and the Institution of the Holy Eucharist is omitted in the 1962.

The text is Mark 14:1-72; 15:1-46

The Gospel is separate from the Passion.  It is Mark 15: 42-46.

Palm Sunday

Pre-1955 Holy Week

The 1962 Missal was the beginning transition into the Novus Ordo.  The reformers began small, but rapidly picked up the pace.  It all began with the changes to Holy Week in 1955.  Palm Sunday and the Easter Vigil suffered the greatest damage, but Holy Thursday and Good Friday were significantly affected too.  

PALM SUNDAY

 The ceremony for the Blessing of the Palms was much longer and more solemn.  On Candlemas and Ash Wednesday, there was the blessing ceremony of candles or ashes before Mass.  In both, there are 4 or 5 blessings that the priest gives before distributing them to the people.  In the reformed Palm Sunday, the blessings are reduced from 6 to only one!

Here is the ancient ceremony:

 Antiphon:  Hosanna Filio David

Collect

Epistle

Responsory

Gospel

Blessing #1

Preface and Sanctus

Blessings #2-6

Sprinkling and Incensing of Palms

Distribution of Palms

Final Prayer

Procession outside of church

Singing Gloria, Laus et Honor at the closed church door

Re-entry into the church while singing Ingrediente

Then Mass begins!

There are some interesting things to note in this.  First it is a very solemn ceremony.  Secondly this takes place at the main altar inside church, not outside at a designated location.  It also shows continuity between the 3 major blessings of the Church in the Candles, Ashes and Palms, including the color of Violet for all three Blessings.  (Not Red as in the new Palm Sunday).  Note that the Gospel is read BEFORE the palms are blessed and distributed. (This will be important later in the reading of the Passion at Mass.)

The Procession is the most beautiful and symbolic part of all.  Since the Blessing was in the church, the procession leaves the church and goes around the church grounds while several Antiphons are chanted.  When it returns to the church, the doors are closed and no one can enter.  From inside two cantors begin singing “Gloria, Laus et Honor”.  The people outside sing the chorus after each verse.  Once the hymn is finished, the priest (or deacon) knocks on the door with the processional cross.  The door is immediately opened and all enter the church.  The symbolism is beautiful!  The cantors inside represent the angels in heaven.  The closed doors show that after Original Sin, the gates of heaven were closed.  It was only through the death of Our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross that heaven was reopened to us.  Now why would anyone want to remove this precious symbolism from Palm Sunday? 

The Mass of Palm Sunday is basically the same except for:

1)      The Asperges Me is still done before the Blessing of the Palms

2)      The prayers at the Foot of the Altar are still prayed, except the Psalm Judica Me

3)      There is the Passion AND Gospel

4)      The Last Gospel is read.

Reading of the Passion

1)      Remember that the palms were not blessed until after the Gospel earlier.  We are to hold our palms during the Passion. 

2)      Dom Gueranger says in TLY, “in order that we may show both heaven and earth that we are not scandalized, as were the disciples, at the sight of His apparent weakness and the triumph of His enemies, we hold in our hands the palms, wherewith we have been proclaiming Him as our King.”

3)      All the Passion accounts are shortened in the reformed Holy Week.  The connection to the Last Supper is removed.   This includes Holy Tuesday and Spy Wednesday.

4)      Today for Palm Sunday it should be Matthew 26:1-75; 27:1-66.

5)      The Passion concludes with a Gospel

6)      At Mt 27:62-66, the Missal is incensed and the tone of chant changes to the Gospel tone. 

 If you are lucky enough to have a Father Lasance or older St Andrew Missal (before 1955), you can read through the ancient Holy Week.  And of course, Dom Gueranger's The Liturgical Year has it all, along with his eloquent commentary. 

To read through the prayers of the pre-1955 Palm Sunday, you can go here:

www.pre1955holyweek.com/_files/ugd/01/15a_eb53c0d433f5464689e3b90e5d9a69a2.pdf  

Pope St. Gregory the Great

 

Not only was St. Gregory the Great a pope, he is also a Doctor of the Church.  If his feast is celebrated rather than the Lenten feria, there would be a Credo. 

Pope St. Gregory the Great, pray for us!