Tradition is for the Young - Photos by Allison Girone

It has been a busy month for Allison Girone, one of our favorite photographers, who has graciously shared with us her work from some recent events at a couple of different churches: two first Communion ceremonies, a Confirmation, a priest’s first Mass, and a May crowning. I never tire of saying that we should all take encouragement from seeing how many young people are not just participating in the Sacraments and ceremonies of the Church, but also working to make sure that they continue to be celebrated in the traditional rites. Feliciter!

First Communions at the Church of St Patrick in Wilmington, Delaware

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Abp Chaput Visits FSSP Parish

This past Sunday, His Excellency Charles Chaput, the Archbishop of Philadelphia, visited the FSSP parish of St Mary in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, which he established last year as a quasi-parish for those attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The Archbishop confirmed several members of the parish, and then attended the solemn Mass in choir. Our thanks once again to Mrs Allison Girone for sharing with us some of her photos of the event.

The famous Confirmation slap!

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Rogation Procession and May Devotions in Providence, Rhode Island

On May 29, the FSSP’s church in Providence, Rhode Island, and the Shrine of the Little Flower in nearby Nasonville, held a Rogation Procession at the shrine, starting and ending at the outdoor altar, at which Mass followed. During the procession, the Litany of the Saints was sung and the fields blessed. (Rhode Island, my home state, is the smallest in the Union, but definitely has a lot of beautiful green places, including this shrine, which was the very first in the world dedicated to St Thérèse of Lisieux. There are several different places for prayer on the grounds, including a Rosary walk, a garden of Saints, and representations of the Holy Stairs and the Tomb of Christ; it is open from sunrise until sunset during the spring, summer and fall months.)

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The Marvels of the Sacrament of Confirmation

As if responding to the surge of new life in nature and the resplendent outpouring of supernatural life in the celebration of the Easter mysteries, the season of Spring each year brings with it a rising tide of sacramental grace: first holy communions, confirmations, weddings, and priestly ordinations.

In the West, Confirmation is a sacrament about which many disputes have taken place in recent years, primarily about the proper order in which to give the “sacraments of initiation,” operating on the assumption (criticized by our Eastern brethren) that they are to be staggered over the course of childhood: baptism to begin the spiritual life, confirmation to strengthen it, and the Holy Eucharist to bring it to perfection; or baptism to start life, the Eucharist to nourish it, and confirmation to perfect it for public witness. The staggering of sacraments can be defended, as can both of the aforementioned orders.

However, entering into this debate is not the purpose of this article. Rather, I wish to suggest that our basic problem with “placing” Confirmation is a lack of understanding of the grandeur of the sacrament. We have many resources in the Fathers of the Church and the Schoolmen for reinvigorating our catechesis, preaching, and imagination. Here I shall simply present a number of points for meditation, drawing primarily on Sacred Scripture, to help us appreciate the depth of the mystery into which this great sacrament plunges us.

I. The Holy Spirit is at work from the very beginning of creation.

1. At the creation of the world, the Spirit hovered over the waters, the formless void (Gen. 1:2). This is our life before we know Christ, or before Christ comes into our lives: the human soul is in a state of chaos, a state of sin, until the Spirit brings grace to it and the orderliness of charity.

2. When God created Adam, He breathed into him the breath of life, and “he became a living being” (Gen. 2:7). Such is the Spirit to the Christian: the breath of our breath, the life of our life.

3. After the Flood, Noah sent out a dove. When it no longer returned, this was a sign that the world was now habitable (Gen. 8:8–12). The flood is a symbol of baptism and the dwelling of the dove on the newly washed land is like the indwelling of the Holy Spirit conferred in Confirmation on the baptized.

4. The Jewish feast of Pentecost memorialized the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai. It also became a harvest festival, when the first fruits were offered to God. The gift of the Spirit is the gift of the New Law, the law internal to us rather than external, the inward motivation to love God and neighbor. If we tend this implanted love, we will yield a rich harvest.

5. A prefiguration of Confirmation was found in the anointing of priests, such as Aaron (Ex. 28:41). David and Solomon were anointed with oil for kingship (1 Sam. 16:12, 1 Chr. 29:22). Prophets were full of the Holy Spirit (Ez. 37:14, 39:29, Mic. 3:8). Confirmation truly “confirms” that we are priests in union with Christ the High Priest, prophets in union with the Word made flesh, and kings in union with the Man of Sorrows who, with perfect self-mastery, persevered in justice to the end.

6. Oil was a symbol of joy and strength, health and cleansing (Ps. 23:5, 104:15). It was used by athletes before competition and after bathing, as well as for healing. It was often infused with aromatic herbs and spices. This is still the case: how many countless types of oils, lotions, and scents are sold today to people who want to look, feel, and smell their best? But what of our spiritual good looks, our spiritual vigor and odor? It’s time to take seriously again the old-fashioned idea of “the odor of sanctity.” For indeed, sin stinks to high heaven; St Catherine of Siena could not abide the spiritual stench of sinners. We need the holy oil of gladness and strength if we are to be preserved from corruption.

7. Throughout the Old Testament there were prophecies that a Messiah or Anointed One would come (Isa. 42:1, 61:1, Matt. 3:1). He would be full of the Holy Spirit and preach the gospel to the poor. Psalm 45:7 says that the Messiah would be anointed “above your fellows.” It was also prophesied that the Lord’s Spirit would come on all the people of Israel, which is what Moses had wished for (Num. 11:29, Joel 2:28–29). Confirmation conforms us to the Anointed One of God, lifting us above ourselves. When we act according to this grace, we can conquer our limitations.

8. We can also see a prefiguration of Pentecost and Confirmation in Elijah’s offering on Mt. Carmel (cf. 1 Kgs 18:38). After three barrels of water were poured on the sacrifice (reminiscent of the triune immersion or pouring in baptism), fire from heaven came and consumed it (the outpouring of the grace of the Holy Spirit).

9. In all these cases, we see that God wishes to dwell in His people as in a temple, He wishes to be the life of their souls. Unfortunately the sinfulness of the children of Adam continually throws up obstacles to this plan of adoption. Instead, the anointing seems to arise more as an extraordinary phenomenon (e.g., in certain prophets and kings) than as a regular aspect of the life of Israelites. The natural Son of God, the Anointed One par excellence, must come to make available to Israel and all mankind the grace of the Holy Spirit.

II. All prophecies and types are fulfilled in Christ: He is the Temple where the Holy Spirit dwells.

1. Christ was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). As “the Lord and Giver of Life” (Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed), the Holy Spirit is at work in the creation of Christ’s humanity, just as He is in the creation of the world. Moving over the unformed matter of the Virgin’s womb and fashioning from it the body of a man, separated from the chaos of sin, is the beginning of the New Creation.

2. At the Baptism of Christ (Luke 3:22), the Holy Spirit is seen descending on Him in the form of a dove. Contrary to bad preaching, Jesus does not “receive the Spirit” at this point; He has been anointed in His humanity from the first moment of His existence in the flesh. This is rather the external manifestation to John the Baptist—and to us as well—that Jesus is the Messiah. Through this “resting” of Holy Spirit, He is anointed as priest, prophet, and king, above any other: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 10:38).

3. Teaching at the synagogue, Christ reads the prophecy about the Messiah from Isaiah: “The Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor.” He then said: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:18–21).

4. On Easter Sunday, Christ appears to His apostles, and breathes on them, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20: 22). This reminds us of the breath of life put into Adam by God.

5. Fifty days after the Resurrection, on the feast of Pentecost, a mighty wind and tongues of flame signify the descent of the Spirit on the apostles (Acts 2:1–4). Once again, the breath of God takes weak material and puts order into it—the ordo caritatis, so that the disciples can love God above all and their neighbor’s salvation as their own. After this, they are no longer fearful, hidden indoors, but able and eager to preach the gospel to all, speaking in the tongues of every people. They are prepared to hand over their lives to death, for “love is strong as death” (cf. Song 8:6). This was the firstfruits of the Gospel preaching, for about 3,000 were added to their number (Acts 2:41). It also signifies that the Spirit is the New Law, and the Old Law is fulfilled and superseded (Rom. 8:2).

6. Later, the Apostles give the Holy Spirit through the “laying on of hands” (Acts 8:14–17). This is the Biblical “proof text” for Confirmation.

III. Through baptism, we are united with Christ; in Confirmation, the Spirit of Sonship, the Spirit of truth, comes to dwell in us in His fullness.

The sacrament of Confirmation completes baptismal graces and is a participation in Christ’s mission and anointing.

1. Just as the Apostles were called upon to “lay on hands,” so the bishop, successor to the Apostles, is the ordinary minister of Confirmation. Even when the bishop delegates authority to simple clergy to confer confirmation, they will be using oil consecrated by the bishop.

2. The graces conferred on us in the sacrament of Confirmation are the same graces that Christ has in His soul to the highest degree.
a. In Christ, divine filiation is natural. We are adopted “sons in the Son” and receive the fullness of the Spirit who cries out “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:14-17) in us.
b. Confirmation strengthens our union with Christ. The Holy Spirit teaches us all that Christ would have us know (cf. John 14:26).
c. Confirmation prepares us to preach and defend the faith, just as Christ and the Apostles preached (Matt. 10:20, Luke 12:12).
d. Through Confirmation, we receive an increase in the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit that the Prophet Isaiah prophesied would be poured out upon the Messiah: the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, fear of the Lord, and piety (Isa. 61:1–2).

3. Through Confirmation, God’s desire to make a permanent dwelling in His children is fulfilled (“the kingdom of heaven is within you,” Luke 17:21), and the prophecy of Joel is realized: “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh” (Joel 2:28).

Does this mean that Christians cannot be holy without Confirmation, or that Confirmation will automatically make Christians holy? The answer to both questions is no. We never deny God’s freedom to sanctify whom He will, as He will, outside of His usual ways; nor do we deny man’s freedom to resist the better way and squander the graces God gives him or would give him. Nevertheless, Confirmation is the regular path to spiritual maturity in Christ, the normal way He has established for achieving the full measure of Christian manhood. It is a great and guaranteed gift of access to the power and gifts of the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, capable of reproducing in our souls all of the effects attributed to the Spirit of God in the Old and New Testaments. In this way Confirmation is not a “rite of passage” but a bestowal of permanent Christ-likeness in our souls, which equips us to receive all that it demands.

Visit www.peterkwasniewski.com for events, articles, sacred music, and classics reprinted by Os Justi Press (e.g., Benson, Scheeben, Parsch, Guardini, Chaignon, Leen).

Pontifical Low Mass and Confirmations in Detroit

On Sunday, February 10th, His Excellency Donald Hanchon, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, celebrated the first Sunday Mass in the traditional rite in decades at Detroit’s Old St Mary’s Parish, followed by Confirmations, also in the old rite. The church hosts a regular High Mass each First Friday at 7:00 pm; on this occasion, the Oakland County Latin Mass Association was able to have the Mass here because its regular Sunday venue, the Chapel of the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills, was being used for another event that day. The archdiocese online newspaper The Detroit Catholic wrote a nice article about the Mass, quoting Mons. Ronal Brown, Judicial Vicar of the Detroit Archdiocese and chaplain of the OCLMA. “The Oakland County Latin Mass Association has only been in existence since 2013, started by laypeople who petitioned the archbishop and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to recognize the organization and have Masses. ... Most of the (regular) congregation at Sacred Heart is under 40 years of age. I’ve asked some of the younger people why they choose to worship in this form, and they tell me there is a deep reverence in the celebration. They said there is something comforting with the routine, the ritual.” Thanks to reader Alex Begin for bringing this to our attention, and photographer Paul Duda.

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No More Christian Bar Mitzvah!

The Proper Order of Baptism, Confirmation and Communion Restored in Manchester, New Hampshire

A friend recently alerted me to a diocesan newsletter sent out by His Excellency Peter Libasci, Bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire, in which he explains how he is initiating a three-year plan to reintroduce the historical order of the Rites of Initiation, Baptism, Confirmation and Communion. While this isn’t the only step necessary to a revival of the Faith, it is a hugely important one, in my opinion, one that helps to create the foundation for long term and beneficial impact on the formation of the faithful in his diocese. It is consistent with the way that the Catechism describes them. 

These three sacraments form a natural unity and each makes sense in relation to the other two which is consistent with the goal of Christian life, eternal salvation; in the traditional order, this becomes clearer and more understandable. In simple terms, and as best as I can understand it, Baptism is the dying of the old self, united to Christ on the cross; Confirmation is the descent of the Holy Spirit on the person as experienced by the Apostles at Pentecost; and the Eucharist imparts the resurrection of the new person united to the resurrection of Christ and the partaking of the divine nature.

Regarding the improvement of ongoing formation that might result from this, Bishop Libasci gives the example of the potential for the revitalization of youth ministry. One other occurs to me; to my knowledge there is no commonly accepted articulation of the basis of a schema for the art in churches of the Roman Rite. It seems to me that the visible communication of the truths of this triple sacrament should be a guiding principle for the art that is permanently in our churches. The very architecture of the church should be ordered to reveal these mysteries week on week, day on day, whenever anyone goes into the church building. Even if this were present in a church, if the order in which the sacraments are given to people is wrong, then the message conveyed by the visible aspects of the interior is at odds with what is actually happening. Confusion results.

Furthermore, in the ideal, it seems to me that the whole congregation should be engaged with the celebration of each of the rites of initiation, so that the idea that someone is coming into their community within the Body of Christ may be clearer to all. The fundamental truths of the Faith are imparted for everyone present through the harmony of art, architecture and liturgical action - not just the select few present on a quiet Saturday morning.

The Old and New testaments types that point to the Sacrament can be portrayed in pictorial arrangements that enable the congregation to engage with them at the appropriate time. For example, in a baptistery, there may be images of the crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites, the crossing of the Jordan led by Joshua, scenes of the Flood and Noah’s ark, as well as the Baptism of Christ; there are many other possibilities, of course.

This is how a participation in the liturgy might more powerfully evangelize and catechize, both prior to the rites of intitiation, and as a mystagogical catechesis to all on an ongoing basis.

My education in this comes through the books The Bible and the Liturgy and Baptismal Imagery in Early Christianity, in addition to the Catechism, (and now Bishop Libasci). I became aware of these books and this theme through Fr Sebastian Carnazzo's scripture and liturgy classes in Pontifex University's Masters in Sacred Arts.

Understanding of what is happening is not necessary in order for these Sacraments to be valid and effective. So, Confirmation is not a graduation ceremony that marks the completion of confirmation classes or a rite of passage for teenagers. In fact, this full three-fold initiation into the Church should be done as early as possible in life, as it opens up the person to grace and a spiritual maturity that is more likely to deepen and maintain his faith into adulthood, and keep people in churches after adolescence. The Catechism quotes St Thomas in this regard, explaining why people do not need to be aware of what they are going through in order to benefit from this triple sacrament. Salvation is as open to infants, the mentally handicapped and the uneducated as it is to the intelligent and educated:

Age of body does not determine age of soul. Even in childhood, man can attain spiritual maturity: as the book of Wisdom says: “For old age is not honored for length of time, or measured by number of years.” Many children, through the strength of the Holy Spirit they have received, have bravely fought for Christ even to the shedding of their blood.

Paradoxically, the ability to understand what they have been through and its importance in their lives at any subsequent point will be enhanced by this in those who receive it early and in the right order, as will the desire to do so.

Icon of the Baptism in the Jordan with the personifications of the Jordan and the Red Sea being driven back (cf Ps. 113)

Below is an image of Noah’s ark from the 12th-century Winchester Psalter.

EF Confirmations in Ireland and England

We have recently received photos of two different EF Confirmation ceremonies, one from Ireland and one from England. On Tuesday, November 3, His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation and offered Pontifical Benediction at St Kevin’s Church on Harrington Street in Dublin, Ireland, the home of the Latin Mass Chaplaincy of the Dublin Archdiocese. Photos courtesy of Mr John Briody; the complete set can be seen here on his flickr account.

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More Good News from Scotland

In addition to the pilgrimage which we reported on yesterday, here is some more good news from the church in Scotland. A regular reader writes to let us know of an ordination which took place on the feast of the Assumption at St Andrew’s Cathedral in the diocese of Dunkeld, followed by the First Mass of the newly ordained priest, Fr Ninian Doohan, at the church of the Immaculate Conception in Dundee. “One of the most beautiful ordinations in the Ordinary Form I have witnessed.” Our heartiest congratulations to Fr Doohan! And likewise, thanks to His Excellency Bishop Stephen Robson, the Ordinary of Dunkeld, for his support of the traditional liturgy in Scotland, as will be seen from the photos below.

I have not yet received permission to download and reproduce the photos from the website of the diocese, but you can see pictures of the ordination here, and those of the First Mass here.

The following Saturday, Fr Doohan celebrated a Solemn EF High Mass at the church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Glasgow.

On Sunday the 21st, Bishop Robson confirmed three children in the traditional rite, after which Fr Doohan celebrated a Solemn High Mass in the presence of a greater prelate. The assistant priest was Fr Anthony Mary and the deacon Fr Magdala Mary, both of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer, and the sub-deacon Fr Mark Morris. The High Mass vestments were donated by Una Voce Scotland to Father Ninian upon his ordination. (The following photographs courtesy of Mr Martin Gardner; click here to see the whole set.)

The famous Confirmation slap!

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Pontifical Vespers and Confirmations at the Fota Conference

The annual Fota Liturgical Conference in Cork, Ireland, is not only an important scholarly gathering, but includes a number of ceremonies celebrated at the highest level of our Catholic liturgical tradition. This year, on Saturday, July 9th, the conference’s keynote speaker, Cardinal Raymond Burke, was the celebrant of Pontifical Vespers for the eve of the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, after which he confirmed several young parishioners of the hosting church of Ss Peter and Paul. The wonderful Lassus Scholars, conducted by Dr Ite O’Donovan, sang the Gregorian chants for Saturday Vespers, and the Magnificat Septimi Toni of their patron musician, Orlando di Lassus. (Listen here on a previous post.) Our thanks to Mr John Briody for sharing these photos with us; the full set may be seen on his flickr account, along with those of a good many other liturgical events.

His Excellency Peter Elliot, Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne, Australia, who also spoke at the conference, and Mons. James O’Brien, one of the principal organizers, attend in choir.

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EF Confirmations in New York City and Copenhagen

Our thanks to readers from New York City and Copenhagen for sending in these pictures of Confirmations recently celebrated in their local churches in the Extraordinary Form.

On Saturday, June 18, the Church of the Holy Innocents in New York City was honored to welcome one of the auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of New York, the Most Rev. John O’Hara, for the celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation according to the traditional rites and ceremonies. The Veni Creator Spiritus was sung at the beginning, and Bishop O’Hara gave a wonderful exhortation to the candidates and those in attendance, mentioning how glad he was to be at Holy Innocents doing the Confirmations in the Old Rite. After the Confirmations, a solemn Te Deum was sung in thanksgiving for such a great occasion, followed by the recitation of the Rosary, and a Solemn Mass; Bishop O’Hara attended in choir and gave the homily, expressing his appreciation of the liturgy and the music (the Missa Quatuor vocum ad imitationem moduli ‘Exsultate Deo’ by François Cosset, c.1610-c.1664). Below are the photos taken by Mr. Arrys Ortanez.

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Photopost Follow-Up

As a follow-up to various photoposts, here are some photographs covering some of the recent liturgical seasons and events: Ascension, Corpus Christi and Sacred Heart, along with Confirmations and Ordinations.

St Mary’s Catholic Church - Salem, South Dakota

EF Confirmations and Missa Cantata on the feast of the Ascension

From the pastor, Fr Martin Lawrence: The bishop of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Most Reverend Paul Joseph Swain, came to the parish on the Feast of the Ascension to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form to twelve of the young people who attend the traditional Latin Mass every Sunday at noon. His Excellency stayed to attend the Mass in choir; this is the third time Bishop Swain has administered Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form. I began the process of renovating and restoring the church in 2008. Shortly after completion of the project, I began parish-wide catechesis on offering the Ordinary Form of the Mass ad orientem (since we have a lovely high altar, and the people fought to keep it in the 1960s.). After two years of catechesis, and offering the Ordinary Form at the high altar during Lent and on other Feasts, etc., I finally gave a date when the free-standing altar would be removed (All Saints Day 2011) and we would celebrate ad orientem all of the time. Needless to say, it worked; a year later, we started using the Communion Rail for weekday Masses! (Complete photogallery at the parish website.)

Collegiate Church of St Juste - Lyon, France (FSSP)

Corpus Christi Mass and Procession, with First Communions

The children who received first communion (about 20 of them) were also charged with strewing flowers before the Blessed Sacrament in the Procession. Note the form of the processional canopy, which has a solid frame that can be set on the ground. (More photos on the FSSP Lyon facebook page.)

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