Announcement: Pro Missa Tridentina Annual Meeting, Bamberg, April 21, with Dom Josef Vollberg and Dr Kwasniewski

St Jakob Church

Pro Missa Tridentina, a group of Catholics in Germany dedicated to preserving and fostering the liturgical heritage of the Church, is pleased to announce its annual general meeting on April 21, 2018. Dom Josef Vollberg, abbot of Mariawald, will be the celebrant of the Pontifical High Mass. Dr. Peter Kwasniewski will be the featured speaker. Information below, in German and in English. All events are open to the public except for the lunch on Saturday, which requires registration with PMT.

Tagungsprogramm

Samstag, 21.4.2018
  9.30 Uhr  Ankleidung des Zelebranten in einer Seitenkapelle von St. Jakob (Jakobsplatz, 96049 Bamberg)
10.00 Uhr  Pontifikalamt, Zelebrant: Dom Josef Vollberg, Mariawald
12.15 Uhr  Mittagessen im „Scheiners am Dom“ (ca. 10 Min. zu Fuß von St. Jakob, Anmeldung erforderlich s.u.)
14.00 Uhr  Begrüßung im Spiegelsaal in der Harmonie am Schillerplatz (10-15 Min. zu Fuß vom „Scheiners“)
14.15 Uhr  Vortrag (auf Deutsch): „Im Herzen der heiligen Messe: Zwölf Glaubenswahrheiten im römischen Kanon“ von Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, Professor für Philosophie und Musik am Wyoming Catholic College (USA)
15.45 Uhr  Vereinssitzung
17.00 Uhr  Ende der Veranstaltung

Sonntag, 22.4.2018
  9.00 Uhr  Hochamt in St. Jakob

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Program

Saturday, April 21, 2018
  9.30 am  Clothing of the celebrant in a side chapel of St. Jakob church (Jakobsplatz, 96049 Bamberg)
10.00 am  Solemn Pontifical Mass, Celebrant: Dom Josef Vollberg, Mariawald
12.15 pm  Lunch at „Scheiners am Dom“ (ca. 10 min. walk from St. Jakob, registration required for lunch)
  2.00 pm  Welcome in the Mirror Hall of the Concerthall on Schillerplatz (10-15 min. walk from „Scheiners“)
  2.15 pm  Lecture (in German): "At the Heart of Catholic Worship: Twelve Truths of the Faith in the Roman Canon" by Dr Peter Kwasniewski, Professor of Philosophy and Music at Wyoming
  3.45 pm  PMT business meeting
  5.00 pm  End of the general meeting

Sunday, April 22, 2018
   9.00 am  High Mass, St. Jakob

For more information, visit here.

Cologne Liturgical Conference

As mentioned, the 14th Cologne Liturgical Conference took place from 24 to 27 August. Here is a report sent in to the NLM:

By Christoph Hahn

The Cologne Liturgical Conference is not quite what it seems - because it does not take place (anymore) in Cologne, but - after Bad Münstereifel and other places - in Herzogenrath [near Aachen, Germany]. And the joint event of Una Voce Germany, the initiative groups of Catholic laity and priests in the dioceses of Hamburg, Cologne and Aachen as well as the network of Catholic priests is not just a convention either: not only does it bring the participants up to date in the debate(s) in the traditional camp of the Catholic Church - it also creates a space for encounters between people, priests as well as laity, who often fight on isolated stations for the concerns of Tradition. What unites and sustains them is expressed by the theme of the meeting: "True – real – essential: The presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and the need for an adequate liturgical form".

Organizer Egmont Schulze Pellengahr, a science journalist from Tremsbüttel near Hamburg, was pleased in any case together with the local parish priest, Rev. Dr. Guido Rodheudt, by the participation of around 100 persons mainly from Germany, but also from the Netherlands. The programme of the meeting in Herzogenrath's Nell-Breuning-Haus did not disappoint the audience, who for the most part is enganged in parish pastoral care, in any way. Internationally renowned speakers contributed to the high level, like Rev. Dr. Alcuin Reid, who explained to his audience the way - that was the title of his lecture - "from rubrics to ars celebrandi", and Martin Reinecke, a student of Klaus Gamber, who in his lecture "Did Jesus create a rite? From the Last Supper to the Missa Romensis" formally described the time the Passion and the first early missals, but nevertheless actually surveyed the wide space between antiquity and modern times. At the beginning of the whole meeting, however, was the conveniat for the priests. Its heart: the recollectio of the Munich pastoral theologian Rev. Professor Dr. Andreas Wollbold on "Priestly life from the liturgy".

But it was not just the scientific highlights which adorned the conference. There also was time and space for the art of words, literature. Matthias Matussek, cultural editor of Der Spiegel, who presented his latest book "The Catholic Adventure" turned out to be a veritable magnet for the public and caused an influx of external interested parties, whose numbers eceeded by far the meeting room. Subtle, sophisticated accents were provided for by the matinee "The Cathedral in a nutshell - the Missal of Trent" by and with the writer Martin Mosebach. There was certainly no lack of literary wit at this convention. But its real strength is manifested in the spiritual depth of the presentations and those who gave them.

Among the most striking impressions of the participants were therefore the lectures of the two university theologians among the speakers: Rev. Professor Dr. Peter Hofmann (University of Augsburg) talked about the "Liturgical gesture – Its demands on theology and celebration" and thus, like the parish priest Rev. Dr. Rodheudt with his catechetical talk, turned to practical implementation. Hofmann's colleague, Rev. Professor Dr. Helmut Hoping, a Permanent Deacon, presented the Eucharist as "The gift of the Holy Presence". Father Bernward Deneke, vice rector of the Wigratzbad Seminary of the Fraternity of St. Peter, also stayed close to the reality of the church in his treatment of "liturgical witnesses to the Real Presence".

One of the great highlights of the conference was finally the almost private visit late in the evening to Aachen Cathedral - a spiritual pleasure with performances of the Schola Carolina, led by Dr. Michael Tunger, who had previously introduced the participants to the proprium. Cordiality in dealing with each other also contributed to the fact that many have already firmly marked down the next, the 15th Cologne Liturgical Conference from 16 to 19 August 2012 (www.liturgische-tagung.org), in their calendars.

Some impressions. Pontifical Mass of H.E. Czeslaw Kozon, Bishop of Copenhagen/Denmark:



Pontifical Mass of Dom Josef Vollberg OCSO, Abbot of the Trappist Monastery of Mariawald:




Dom Josef at the conference with writer Martin Mosebach:


Photos: Christoph Hahn/Dominus-Verlag

Mariawald Abbey Asks for Your Christmas Donation

If you are still wondering about where to make your Christmas donation, you may be interested in the following appeal by Dom Josef Vollberg, Abbot of Mariawald, the German Trappist Abbey which is in the process of returning to the Liturgy and the Observance in use in the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) until 1963/64 (read more about it here).

Dear Friends and Supporters of the Abbey of Mariawald,

to serve God in dignified simplicity by prayer and work - that is the center of monastic life in Mariawald.

The highest form of worship of God is the daily Holy Mass.

For the proper celebration of Mass Mariawald needs, after the grant of the papal privilege of the traditional liturgy, proper vestments, altar equipment and other furnishings.

This includes altar-cloths, candlesticks, altar crosses, missals and choir books.

Everything is to conform to a unified, worthy style in accordance with Cistercian simplicity.

Today we want to ask you to aid us in this. We monks of the Abbey of Mariawald are above all grateful for the sacrifice of your prayer.
And great is the gratitude for your material sacrifice that you are willing to make for this major concern.
We ask the Lord Whom we want to honour with your help, to send you every grace. Moreover, once a month a Mass is said in the intentions of all benefactors, and for the deceased benefactors a requiem will regularly be said.

May the Good Lord richly reward your generosity!

Yours
fr. Joseph M. Vollberg OCSO
Abbot of Mariawald

You can make a donation using the paypal button (labeled "Spenden") on the abbey's website.

Pontifical Mass for Centenary of Mariawald Abbey [Update]

As recently mentioned, Mariawald Abbey, the German Trappist abbey which last year had received the privilege conceded by the Holy Father of a complete return to the Liturgy and the Observance in use in the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) until 1963/64, yesterday celebrated the centenary of its erection as a Trappist abbey with a Pontifical Mass sung by the abbot, Dom Josef Vollberg. Our friend Martin Bürger at EXSVLTET has photos.

Terce before Mass (in the choir you will see, in addition to the monks of Mariawald, Trappists from Oelenberg, the mother abbey of Mariwald, the abbot of the Cistercian abbey of Himmerod, Benedictines from Maria Laach, Salvatorians from Steinfeld, as well as diocesan clergy and seminarians of Aachen [Aix-la-Chapelle] and the FSSP; Trappistines from the nearby abbey of Maria Frieden were present in the nave):


Prayers at the foot of the altar (the assistant priest was Fr Franz Karl Banauch FSSP):


Sermon:


Offertory:


Elevations:



Recessional:



UPDATE

Martin now also has videos. The Gospel:

The offertory:


The preface:

News from Mariawald

Mariawald Abbey, the German Trappist abbey which last year had received the privilege conceded by the Holy Father of a complete return to the Liturgy and the Observance in use in the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) until 1963/64, announces that this Wednesday 23 September took place the first clothing of a novice according to the old use:

Clothing of Brother Maria Dominicus

One of our three postulants was clothed on 23 September in the traditional rite "Ordo ad recipiendum Novitias".

For him, now begins the two-year novitiate, during which he shall grow more and more into the monastic life.

For the many graces of God, which the Mary the Mother of Sorrows deals out to us at this time, we are very grateful, and we feel confirmed on our path of Tradition, which our Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged us to pursue.

We continue to trust in the Divine assistance, and ask you for your zealous prayer for Brother M. Dominicus and for our other candidates and enquirers so that they may walk honestly and humbly towards the Lord.

The abbot and the monks of Mariawald

Mariawald presently celebrates the centenary of its erection as a Trappist abbey. The celebrations begin on Sunday and culminate on the anniversary proper, this coming Tuesday, Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, with a Pontifical Mass celebrated by the abbot, Dom Josef Vollberg.

Videos from Mariawald

You may remember that the German Trappist abbey of Mariawald, which last year had received the privilege conceded by the Holy Father of a complete return to the Liturgy and the Observance in use in the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) until 1963/64, had announced in March that in future all Masses would be celebrated according to the usus antiquior. Our good friend Martin Bürger of EXSVLTET now has two short videos of the conventual Mass last 4 August, Feast of St. Dominic.

Preface and Sanctus:



Pater noster and Pax:

News from Mariawald: All Masses in the Extraordinary Form

The German Trappist Abbey of Mariawald, which last November had received the privilege conceded by the Holy Father of a complete return to the Liturgy and the Observance in use in the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) until 1963/64 and has been gradually implementing this return since (see previous posts here), has announced that now all Masses will be celebrated according to the usus antqiuior. This includes the liturgies of Holy Week.

First Sunday Mass in the Usus Antiquior at Mariawald [Update]

Via NLM friend Martin Bürger of exsultet.net comes the following, very encouraging report about the first Sunday conventual Mass in the usus antiquior of the Trappists at Mariawald Abbey from the Aachener Zeitung, a local German newspaper (NLM translation; if you have missed the previous articles about Mariawald, click on the respective label below):

First Tridentine Mass in Mariawald Monastery

By Christoph Hahn

The change in Mariawald continues. For the first time in a long while a Sunday High Mass in the traditional form commun until 1969 took place again in the church above Heimbach. As already on a week day in December, this service also was celebrated by a guest of the Abbey.

But Abbot Joseph Vollberg, since 2005 the superior of the only Trappist Abbey in Germany, is confident of being able to take over this task in future. However, the 45-year-old religious said in an interview with the Dürener Zeitung: "I am still learning."

The overwhelming rush on Sunday, however, also testifies that the return [to the traditional liturgy and observances] of the monastery on the ridge of the Kermeter announced at the end of November 2008 has found grateful acceptance and support with many Catholics in the region.

A walk across the car park of Mariawald Abbey documented: Many faithful had set out already in the early morning from Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle), Cologne, Bonn and other cities and villages, in order to to be there in time for the start of the service by 10 clock.

The popularity with participants was surprisingly great even for the Trappists - so great that, in addition to the pews in the nave, the gallery, otherwise sealed to visitors, was opened.

With visible emotion the attendees followed the service in which abbot Josef Vollberg gave the sermon. The celebration of Mass in the traditional form he described as "wonderful reflection of our Catholic Faith."

Even if Latin were initially unintellegible to many faithful, the preacher advised his listeners to engage with it and thus develop a sense for the message behind the words.

Moreover, there were many forms and gestures which open up to the faithful an access to the meaning of the Eucharist according to the old rite which is not bound to language. Patience would be needed, the superior of Mariawald admitted - but the reward would be much greater than any trouble.

Then the abbot called the attention of his audience on a special feature of the Tridentine rite: The Communion is, in this form of Holy Mass, only received kneeling vy the faithful. But that was as good as natural for the attendees, among whom many young people and families with children. Even more: what still encounters much criticism, has long since found grateful and loving acceptance among the friends of Mariawald.

UPDATE

The author of the article, Christoph Hahn, has written in to tell us that a slightly expanded version of it has also been published in another newspaper (the Kölnische Rundschau). This article was accompanied by the following picture (click to enlarge). You can see the people crwoding the loft. In the picture to the bottom right is Abbot Vollberg giving the sermon.

First Conventual Mass in the Usus Antiquior at Mariawald

A month ago, the German Trappist Abbey of Mariawald was granted the privilege to return to the Liturgy and the Observance in use in the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) until 1963/64 (cf. NLM articles here and here). Now the Abbey reports that on 18 December, for the first time since the reforms, the conventual Mass was sung according to the usus antiquior in the Abbey church. The Mass was sung by Rev. Fr. Jehan de Belleville OSB of the Benedictines of the Immaculate in Villatalla, Italy (formerly of Le Barroux, France), who had been a guest of the convent for a few days - and, it may be assumed, instructed them about traditional monastic life. As the Trappists announce,

The next conventual Mass according to the Missal of our Sacred Order of the Cistercians of the Strict Observance will be celebrated in January.

A Manifesto For A Return To Monastic Tradition: Details From the German Trappists

After the very brief note from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei about the return of the German Trappist abbey of Mariawald to the Liturgy and the Observance in use in the Trappist Order until 1963/64 (cf. NLM report here), Mariawald Abbey itself has now issued a press release. This declaration, which is nothing less than a manifesto for a return to monastic tradition, I happily present to you here in an NLM translation:

The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has granted to the abbot of the Trappist abbey Mariawald (diocese of Aachen), Dom Josef Vollberg OCSO, according to his petition, the privilege to return with his abbey to the liturgy and observance in the Ancient Use of the Order which was in force up to the reforms in the wake of the Second Vatican Council.

This so-called "use of Monte Cistello" was approved during the time of the Council in the years 1963/1964 as a preliminary step of reform.

In a letter of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" of 21 November 2008 this papal privilege is granted to the Abbey. In it, reference is made to the personal decision of the Holy Father to accede in all respects to the privileges desired by the Trappist for a full return to the Ancient Use in liturgy and monastic life. This includes the return to the ancient liturgical tradition of the Order in the celebration of Mass and Divine Office as it was binding until the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council.

The project of reform in Mariawald and the petition of the Abbot concerning this can be regarded as a fruit of the efforts of Pope Benedict XVI for the renewal of the Church in the spirit of tradition.

As the various postconciliar reforms have not yielded for the monastery the expected flowering in liturgy and in the life of the Convent, now the return to tradition links to the centuries-old tradition of the Order. Through the return to the ancient Gregorian liturgy and the stricter use of the monastic form of life, Dom Josef promises himself new spiritual impulses, also regarding new vocations for the abbey.

Worldwide, it can be felt that monastic communities, which cultivate the preconciliar Latin liturgy, can boast of significant numbers of vocations. Especially in France, on the background of a traditional interpretation of the rule of St Benedict and the Gregorian liturgy in Mass and Divine Office, there are flourishing abbeys. In Germany it has previously not been possible for vocations to the monastic life of a traditional form to join a corresponding community. With the papal privilege in Germany, too, there is now for the first time the possibility for young men to live the ancient tradition of contemplative life in the august forms of the classical liturgy and in the strict observance of the rule of St Benedict.

Dom Josef sees himself confirmed in his decision by the Holy Father, whose generously formulated privilege of all desired forms of return to tradition also bespeaks his personal desire that in the rediscovery of the ancient liturgy and manner of life, a renewal of monastic life as a whole may be stimulated. Thus, the abbot is convinced, the personal and direct action of the Pope for the Mariawald Abbey corresponds to the "Project of Tradition", which the Holy Father has initiated in 2007 by his Motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum" for the liturgy.

Dom Josef finds himself and his abbey sustainably motivated by the Holy Father and his immediate and direct papal juridical act, to implement the tradition-oriented reform of the monastery with new spiritual vigour for the sake of its future. The Abbey assumes in this a pioneering role worldwide to renew the monastic life out of the spirit of tradition and to counteract the decline of monastic life, which especially some Trappist abbeys have had to experience in recent years.

In the field of economics, the monastery has in recent years already put an emphasis on its focus on organic agriculture. Now it is the spiritual content of contemplative life ehich is to receive new stimuli from the great tradition of the Order and its classical Latin liturgy.

Currently in Mariawald there are living ten monks, a novice and an oblate. The history of the abbey began with the founding of a Cistercian priory in the 15th Century. After an interruption of monastic life of more than sixty years through the turmoil of the French Revolution, the monastery, newly populated in the 19th Century by Trappists from Alsace, was raised to abbey on the Feast of St Michael in 1909.
On the background of this historic date, now the implementation of the full return of the abbey to the old tradition of contemplative life and to classical Gregorian liturgy is to be completed on the Centenary on 29 September 2009.


Marienwald, the 25th of November, 2008

Dom Josef Vollberg, O.C.S.O., abbot

May this be indeed be the beginning of a renewal of monastic life out of the spirit of tradition. Omnes sancti Monachi et Eremitæ, orate pro nobis!

Tremendous News: German Trappists Return to Usus Antiquior [update]

From the website of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei comes a very important announcement (NLM translation):

The Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei has, on November 21st, 2008, communicated to the Most Reverend Abbot Fr Josef Vollberg O.C.S.O. of the Abbey of Mariawald in Germany (diocese of Aachen) the privilege conceded by the Holy Father of a complete return to the Liturgy and the Observance in use in the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (Trappists) until 1963/64.

Fr Abbot Josef Vollberg himself had in fact presented to the Holy Father a plea to be allowed to return to the Liturgy and the Observance according to the "usus" of Monte Cistello (Rome 1964), approved by the Holy See.

This is quite momentous. As far as I am aware, this is the first such instance of a monastic community returning wholesale to the usus antiquior. Not only is this significant in and of itself - after all, they have 14 monks, almost as many as, for instance, the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer (the former Transalpine Redemptorists) - , but also in terms of a possible
inspiration for other monastic communities/orders to take this step, which is,
it bears reminding, expressly foreseen in the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum (Art. 3). Lastly, it is excellent that they revive their own rite, which is, if I'm not mistaken, essentially the Cistercian Rite.

To the left you can see the abbey church of Mariawald, to the right Abbot Vollberg with the Holy Father in June this year. The Abbey of Mariawald is the only Trappist monastery in Germany.