A historic Christmas for the Catholic Church in the Philippines was made possible through the efforts of Word Communicators Apostolate and Mr. George Balagtas when the Christmas Midnight Traditional Latin Mass (extraordinary form of the Roman Rite) at St. Jerome Emiliani and Sta. Susana Parish Church was aired live via the National Broadcasting Network (NBN4).
The Christmas Midnight Mass was envisioned to be a celebration with the participation of priests and servers from parishes that regularly celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass. The idea was inspired by an advice from his Excellency Bishop Camilo Gregorio, of the prelature of Batanes, that in the work of propagating of the Traditional Latin Mass in the country, everyone should unite and work together.
Preceding the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, people were treated to a mini concert by the Van De Steen Chorale headed by Mr. George Balagtas. To soften the impact on viewers who have not been exposed to the Traditional Latin Mass, in between the Christmas carols by the Van De Steen Chorale, introductory video clips were presented both to the televiewers and those who are present in the church. The catechesis on the TLM featured parish priests of key parishes who are regularly celebrating the TLM within the metropolis. The are:
- Monsignor Moises Andrade, STL – Summorum Pontificum and the Liturgy of Missale Romanum of 1962
- Rev. Father Michell Joe Zerrudo – The sense of the sacred, sense of mystery and Sacred Silence of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite
- Rev. Father Grato Germanetto CRS – the value and richness of the old liturgy and making it interesting and attractive to today’s generation.
Word Communicators Apostolate, Inc (WORDCOM), whose apostolate is evangelization through various media, looks forward to helping in the promotion of the Traditional Latin Mass as it evolved through the use of local resources enriched by the Hispanic culture and tradition which has influenced the celebration of the TLM in the Philippines since the discovery and colonization of the islands by Spain centuries ago.
The altar decorated with candelabras and altar cards containing texts that the priest would pray during the Mass. At the center is the chalice and paten containing the bread covered with the chalice veil. On the epistle side is the Missal.
The Entrance Procession
Prayers at the foot of the altar. Father Germanetto, CRS is flanked by two assistant servers acting as Masters Of Ceremonies.
After the Kyrie, one of the assistant servers leads the procession of a couple dressed as the Blessed Virgin Mary who is carrying the statue of the baby Jesus and with her St. Joseph.
The statue of the baby Jesus placed on the crib
The Gloria
The Proclamation of the Gospel: Father Germanetto, CRS being assisted by an assistant server with the thurifer and acolytes.
The faithful listening attentively while the Good News is being proclaimed.
Father Germanetto, CRS giving his homily.
The Van De Steen Chorale singing the offertory hymns.
The assistant server with the thurifer leading the procession of the torchbearers during the Sanctus
The elevation of the Sacred Body of our Lord Jesus Christ
The elevation of the chalice containing the Sacred Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
"Ecce Agnus Dei, Ecce qui tolit peccata mundi"
The communicants receiving our Lord by the tongue while kneeling as an act of love and adoration for our Lord. Father Germanetto and Monsignor Salomon of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines distributed the sacred hosts to the communicants.
After the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the statue of the baby Jesus was revered by the faithful.
1 comment:
It is wonderful to see the Tridentine Mass being celebrated once more in the Philippines. To see solemnity and reverence restored to the Mass is a joyful event.
Catholics everywhere have the right to a Liturgy done properly. Once we replaced Latin Gregorian chants/polyphony with banal-sounding pop music-type mass songs, the liturgical abuses crept in rather quickly, thus we have ear-splitting guitar/combo masses, ad-libbing/joking/talk-show types of priests at mass, an excess of EOM of communion, and "creative" liturgy.
Thank you for posting this. Some questions, though: First: Were the microphones really necessary? Was the acoustic of the church not enough? And second: Was it really necessary for the costumed couple to bring the Babe between the Kyrie and Gloria? Did it not interrupt the flow of the Mass? Just curious for I wasn't there.
I shall continue to pray for the successful implementation of the Summorum Pontificum in the Philippines. Thanks once again for this great post!
CRE
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