Sunday, June 21, 2009

Solemn Pontifical Mass and Other Important Liturgical Events in New York

I was sent some excellent photos of the pontifical mass by Bishop Rifan at St. Jean Baptiste in Manhattan this last Friday for the feast of the Sacred Heart, as part of a conference on devotion to the Sacred Heart. As many of my friends in Manhattan were involved in some way in planning, serving at or at least attending this event, and St. Jean Baptiste a familiar haunt of mine, these photos are quite thrilling for me, even if perhaps they also bring up in me a pang of nostalgia for my (not-so-distant) days in the Big Apple.

The event appears to have been quite a success, and copious footage of the mass can now be found online, including this video of the entrance procession, featuring some stellar organ-playing, as well. This is courtesy of the website of the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart. More photos can be seen via the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny. I post some samples below.









Our vestment enthusiasts will be interested to note that the set used were from the sacristy of St. Jean Baptiste, while the vimpae belong to the Confraternity of the Sacred Heart and are the work of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles.

Fr. Zulhsdorf was also there and his website includes a number of other handsome photos, as well as some coverage of the mass in the Rite of Braga (!) said this Saturday as another part of this weekend's liturgical events at Our Saviour's, my former parish in New York, which also appears to have been quite well-attended.



To round out the weekend's events, Bishop Rifan celebrated Pontifical Vespers at the Faldstool at St. Mary's in Norwalk, Connecticut, another exemplary parish whose liturgies have been featured here in the past. More coverage of this can be found, once again, via the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny, with a schola directed by the inimitable David Hughes.





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In other news, around seventy youths, and, I am told, one adult, were confirmed today with great pomp using the Traditional Form by Bishop Callahan, the administrator of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, at St. Stanislaus Parish and Oratory in Milwaukee, followed by a Sung Mass by Canon Olivier Meney, ICRSP, the rector, where the bishop attended in choro. All the niceties of ritual were observed--the hand-candle, the attendants in cassock and ferraiolo--and the choir sung unaccompanied, and also to the accompaniment of the organ and a violin. Faithful attached to the Extraordinary Form were in attendance from around the state from as far away as Wausau.

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