TLM Photos from the National Shrine of our Lady of Fatima, Valenzuela City

From Dennis Raymond Maturan's Blog:

Msgr. Moises Andrade during the Octave Within Christmas 2007 elevating the Body of our Lord

Fr. Joseph Skelton elevating the Body of our Lord.

TLM in Mandurriao, Iloilo City, Archdiocese of Jaro

Updated:

A reader has sent us a link about the usus antiquior to be celebrated in the Parish of the Espousal of Our Lady in Mandurriao, Iloilo City in the Archdiocese of Jaro.

From http://www.thenewstoday.info

A solemn high mass in Latin will highlight the fiesta of Mandurriao parish on January 23, 2008. Rev. Fr. Esperidion Celis, parish priest of Mandurriao, said he wrote Pope Benedict XVI to seek his blessing of the significant religious undertaking.

Celis said the idea of holding the solemn high mass in Latin is in support of the Holy Father's decision to bring back and give wider use of the Latin mass according to the 1962 Rite approved by the Papal Moto Proprio "Summorum Pontificum."

Celis said it would be the first time since the 1960s that the Latin mass will be conducted in the Archdiocese of Jaro and even in the entire country. [He could mean that it will be the first time since the 1960s a Latin Mass in Jaro will be offered and celebrated freely by priests without any permissions or indults needed due to the clarification of the Vicar of Christ. After all, Summorum Pontificum is really intended for priests.]

The Latin mass will be held after the 2:00 p.m. procession around the plaza on January 23.

The mass, which will be officiated by Msgr. Juanito Tuvilla, will have a Gregorian Chant and traditional Christian hymns like Mozart's "Ave Verum" and Franck's "Panis Angelicus", as well as a polyphonic rendition of the "Messe Solenelle de Ste. Cecile" by Charles Francois Gounod.

Celis said they have invited parishioners from as far as the province of Capiz and Antique to witness the holding of the Latin mass. They have also invited students of Catholic schools in the city to attend the celebration to give them the chance to experience the 1962 Rite in Latin.

Thanks to Condotiere for this wonderful news.

For the benefit of our readers who are clueless regarding the existence of the Tridentine Mass in the Philippines from the 1970's until prior to Summorum Pontificum, there were Tridentine Masses in Manila in the 1990s through an indult granted by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin from where the Cubao TLM community came from. From the year 2000 onwards, besides the Cubao TLM, there had been TLMs also in Jaro, Bacolod and Cavite, thanks to Ecclesia Dei.

There is now a daily Tridentine Mass in Cubao and regular (at least every Sunday but I still need to verify if they have daily) Tridentine Masses in Valenzuela and Dauis, Bohol and there are privately celebrated Tridentine Masses across the country thanks to Summorum Pontificum.

Photo of the Parish of the Espousal of Our Lady from iloiloonline.blogspot.com

Relics of the Little Flower and TLM at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Cubao

This Friday, 25th of January, the pilgrim relics of the Little Flower, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, will be visiting the Diocese of Cubao. She will arrive at 8 am at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, the seat of the bishop of Cubao, where she will be welcomed by Father Michell Joe Zerrudo.

The next day, Saturday at 4 AM, a dawn Mass, according to the Missal of Blessed Pope John XXIII, the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, will be offered in honor of this great saint and doctor of the Church.

Update: Among the clergy who will be present to welcome her are the Vicar General of the Diocese of Cubao, Msgr. Antonio Mortillero, Most Rev. Raul Martirez, DD, Bishop-Emeritus of San Jose, Antique and Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo. Thanks to Francis for the update.

photo of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral from dioceseofcubao.org

Summorum Pontificum Contact Database

Update:

I have noticed several visitors coming from within and without Metro Manila particularly from the province of Bicol. I encourage everyone to please register at the Motu Proprio Contact Database and please indicate from which city or town you are from so that you can also be contacted by interested parties from within your respective localities.

Hint: Select PHL for the Country, enter your City and choose the appropriate abbreviated province name from "State."

Example:

Country: PHL
City: Naga
State: BIL (This is the closest in terms of abbreviation in the list to Bicol)

Support Summorum Pontificum in the Philippines. If not yet registered, please register at Lumen Gentleman Catholic Studies.

Motu Proprio Contacts Database

Thank you for being Priests

I would like to take this opportunity to show my gratitude and deep respect to the following people:

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, His Eminence Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, His Eminence Tarcisio Cardinal Bertone, His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze, His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, His Eminence José Tomás Cardinal Sánchez, His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Most Rev. Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige, Most Rev. Honesto Ongtioco, Most Rev. Orlando Tria-Tirona, Most Rev. Paciano B. Aniceto, Most Rev. Precioso Cantillas, Most Rev. Oscar Cruz, Msgr. Guido Marini, Fr Eli Cruz SDB, Fr Patrick Villasanta SDB, Fr. Cesar Dizon SDB, Fr. Marvin Felipe SDB, Father Bob Zarate SDB, Fr. John Cabrido SDB, Fr. Ritchie Santos SDB, Fr. Miguel Solaroli SDB, Fr Mariano Agruda III OCD, Fr Arnie Boehme OCD, Fr. Ernie Montuerto OCD, Fr. Iking Fuentes OCD, Father Paul OCD, Fr. Nolan Que, Fr. Abe Arganiosa CRS, Fr. Carlos Estrada, Fr. Joseph Skelton, Fr. Jose Francisco Syquia, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, Fr. Josef Bisig FSSP, Fr. John Berg FSSP, Fr. Calvin Goodwin FSSP, Fr. Joseph Lee FSSP, Fr. Chad Ripperger FSSP, Fr. John Trigilio, Fr. Levis, Fr. John Corapi, Fr. Martin Fox, Rev. Fr. Gerardo Tapiador SSL, Fr. Edgardo Arellano, Fr. Benedict Groeschel CFR, Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo, Msgr. Michael Schmitz ICR, Msgr. Esteban Lo LRMS and Msgr. Moises Andrade.


Thank you for being priests!

"Necessary Conversation" About Ideologized Liturgy by Fr. Rob Johansen

This is a cross-post on a piece I originally found in the New Liturgical Movement about an analysis written by Father Rob Johansen on Thrown Back regarding the reactions made by people to a thought-provoking question asked by Amy Welborn in her blog:

In a charitable, clear manner, explain what you see here. What gratifies you about the action in the photograph. What bothers you. Those who see it as beautiful, explain why and its deeper relation to your Catholic faith. Those who are bothered by it or mystified by it, explain why.

I would like to share the photo from Amy Welborn and Fr. Rob Johansen's piece to the Filipino audience:

"Necessary Conversation" About Ideologized Liturgy
by Fr. Rob Johansen

The other day Amy Welborn posted a thought-provoking question involving this picture, depicting either a Mass of the Extraordinary Form or a Novus Ordo Mass celebrated Ad Orientem:

Amy asked people for their reactions to the photo, and the reactions were themselves thought-provoking and revealing. What they seem to reveal is something I have noticed before in many of the negative reactions to Pope Benedict's Motu Proprio and to the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, otherwise known as the "Tridentine" rite. What is apparent to me is that many of the objections are ideological rather than theological or spiritual. Here are a list of some of the words and phrases used in the negative reactions to the photo, or other objections and complaints about Summorum Pontificum and/or the Extraordinary Form that have appeared in the media since last July:

"too complicated"
"put off by all males in the sanctuary"
"a period piece…"
“stuffy,”
“elitist”
“inaccessible”
“extreme"
“antiquated”
"medieval trappings"
"nostalgia"
"hierarchical"
"staged"
"Latin is a dead language"
"the priest has his back to us"
"a step backward"
"exclusionary"
"sexist"
"liturgy should be simple"
"clericalist"
"passive"

These words and phrases, and others similar to these, characterize much of the opposition to and complaints about Summorum Pontificum and the resurgence of the Extraordinary Form. And what is remarkable is that none of these words and phrases are, properly speaking, either theological or liturgical. Rather, they are ideological. And they illustrate that the post-conciliar liturgy, at least in the United States, has been invested with a rather heavy ideological burden.

I think that the ideologies represented by these terms can be roughly divided into three categories. They are:

(a) Egalitarianism or Democratism
(b) The Ideology of "Progress"
(c) The Ideology of "Authenticity"

The first ideology, egalitarianism, can be seen in such terms as "stuffy", “elitist”, "hierarchical", "the priest has his back to us", and "clericalist". Egalitarianism, of course, is the ideology that seeks to level all differences and distinctions, and asserts radical equality. The problem is that Catholic liturgy is intrinsically "unequal". Liturgy is about we humans, who are not God, worshipping God, who is God. Sorry to belabor something that should seem obvious, but, unfortunately, many have worked for the last 30 years to obscure that obvious fact. Catholic Liturgy is intrinsically hierarchical: In it God comes to us in an act of condescension, witnessed by the angels and saints who are quite literally above and beyond us, through the ministry of a priest who is at the time of the Eucharistic Sacrifice alter Christus. One commenter at Amy's asserted that at Mass we "no longer have an alter Christus". If that's the case, then we no longer have a Mass or Eucharistic Sacrifice; we have something else. Fortunately, the commenter's assertion is wrong: Both Vatican II's Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) and on the Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) make clear that the priest offers the Eucharistic Sacrifice "in the person of Christ" (in persona Christi) and that his priesthood differs from the common priesthood of the faithful "in essence and not merely in degree". In other words, the priestly essence and action in the liturgy is hierarchical. To complain that the Mass is "hierarchical" is to complain of a tautology.

But there has been a great effort to downplay and even eliminate the hierarchical nature of the liturgy in recent decades. There has been an attempt to "horizontalize" the liturgy: hence all the 70's and 80's talk of the liturgy being a "celebration of community". The mindset created by such rhetoric can be seen in the complaints that in the EF, or the Novus Ordo celebrated ad orientem, the priest has his "back to the people". Of course, the assumption inherent in that complaint is that priest "should" be facing us, that is paying attention to us. Nowadays, when some people see a celebration ad orientem, they are "put off". I submit that this is because they have been subtly led to think that the liturgy is "about" us. A posture in in no way mandated by either the liturgical teaching of Vatican II or any post-conciliar document has been invested with an ideological meaning (itself nowhere taught by the Council), and has deformed the liturgical sensibilities of many of the faithful. Our expectations of the liturgy have been formed not by authentic Catholic theology and piety, but by the ideologically constructed categories of the prevailing culture.

The second category of terms can be classified as belonging to the ideology of "Progress". This ideology can be seen in such words and phrases as "a period piece…", “antiquated”, "medieval trappings", "nostalgia", and "a step backward". The ideology of Progress asserts or implies that we now necessarily know more and understand things better than our forebears, and that what is past is necessarily inferior to what is present. The phrase "the past has nothing to teach us" could well summarize this ideology. In the Church, this ideology has driven the "hermeneutic of discontinuity", which operates from the assumption that the Pre-Conciliar Church and Faith are different from the Post-Conciliar Church and Faith. But, of course, as C.S. Lewis pointed out in his essay on "The Myth of Progress", this point of view is absurd on its face. What is true yesterday will be true tomorrow. The time of day has nothing to do with it. Or, as Pope Benedict put it, "what earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too...". The fact that something is old does not mean that it is therefore meaningless or irrelevant. It merely means that it is old.

Finally, the third category of negative terms falls under the heading of offenses against the ideology of "Authenticity" or simplicity. This ideology consists in the atittude that what is most "authentic" or meaningful is that which is simple. This ideology can be seen in words or phrases such as "too complicated", “inaccessible”, "staged", and ""liturgy should be simple". I have heard this attitude expressed in the assertion "surely God meant religion to be simple". Well, just why should we think that? The universe that God made is certainly not simple. I don't hear people complaining "astrophysics should be simple." Well, astrophysics is one way of approaching an understanding of a complex reality, and religion is a different way. Why one should be any simpler than another is in no way obvious. And why the worship (liturgy) of our religion, which puts us into contact with the ultimate Reality, should be "simple", is also in no way obvious.

It seems to me that, at worst, this desire for "simplicity" is but one step removed from indifferentism. For the indifferentist usually wants, in the name of "simplicity", to put aside all those complex doctrines and teachings, and get down to a common "core" which we all can agree on. "We really all believe the same thing", is the claim. Well, we don't. And that which is fully and distinctively Catholic is expressed in a celebration of the liturgy of the Extraordinary Form, or in the Novus Ordo when it is celebrated in manner which is in continuity with the full liturgical Tradition of the Church. It seems to me that, at bottom, at least some of the complaints about "simplicity" are in fact veiled complaints or difficulties about what is in fact authentically Catholic.

And the complaint that the liturgy is "inaccessible" seems to me especially to miss the point. We are talking about approaching the infinite and ineffable Mystery of God. That is inherently "inaccessible". Not "incomprehensible", to reiterate a point made by Frank Sheed. But does anyone really expect that God coming among us and uniting us to Himself, and giving us His very self as food and drink, should somehow be "accessible"? The liturgy is mystagogical: that is, it leads us into a Mystery. We can penetrate that mystery more fully, and come to know it more deeply, but it will never be "accessible" this side of Heaven. To want a liturgy that is "accessible" seems to me to want to put God into a box of our own making; to create a comfortable, tame, suburbanized God that doesn't challenge, doesn't make us uncomfortable. And come to think of it, doesn't that explain much of our parish liturgies over the past 30 years: tame, comfortable, suburbanized?

At best, the complaint that the EF is "too complicated" reveals a taste. And, as the saying goes, "de gustibus non disputandis". If your taste is for simple liturgies, that's fine. At many parishes the early Sunday Mass is the "simple" one: minimal music, quiet, etc. I like such liturgies myself on occasion. But recognize that it's a taste, and don't try to absolutize it into a liturgical principle. Let's be honest, though, is there really anything "simple" about many parish Masses, which involve a "cast of thousands" of Extraordinary Ministers, Lectors, Commentators, a "music ministry" group with all manner of keyboards, guitars, mixers, electronic equipment, etc.? If you prefer a Mass like that, your complaint isn't really about simplicity, it's about something else.

Though unintended by the Council fathers, and, I will presume, the Consilium that assembled the Novus Ordo liturgy, the post-conciliar liturgy has been invested with a great deal meaning and import that has little to do with the Catholic Faith and very much to do with certain ideological trends in American culture. And those ideologies are in large part antithetical to the Catholic faith. That has led to the phenomenon we witness today in many parts of the Church: the liturgy has been put to work against itself. And we will only have true progress (progress that is, toward holiness and deeper union with Christ) and reform when we recognize the ideological burden placed on the Novus Ordo liturgy and remove it.

Filipino Bloggers on the significance of the Pope's Mass

Filipino bloggers took notice and wrote about the significance of the Holy Mass celebrated by his holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

Joseph Madrinan's Coeur Mondial posted Catholic Thought: The Mass at it should be: the Pope sitting on his throne; people intent in prayer, ad orientem and reverence to our Lord.

Dr. Herbert in Filipino Traditional Catholic writes "A Remarkable Turn Around."

The significance of Pope Benedict XVI's Ad Orientem Mass

Today we witnessed the reorientation of the Mass in the pontificate of Benedict XVI. The Vicar of Christ, during the most sacred part of the Holy Mass, and the entire congregation, "turned towards the Lord," and faced not each other.

It is the most significant step in reorienting the ordinary liturgy, that by this reorientation, our minds, our hearts and our souls will be reoriented back to Christ as we, His faithful together with the priest celebrant, fix our gaze upon Him who suffered and died for us.

Pope Benedict's signal to all Catholics (cardinals, bishops, priests, canon lawyers, liturgists, and the laity) is clear: Celebrating the Mass ad orientem or versus Deum per Iesum Christum (using the Missal of Pope Paul VI and in this case, facing the "liturgical east" or the symbolic east of the liturgy) was never abolished and the Holy Mass can be celebrated as such even with a congregation (men, women, and yes even children!), and that it was perfectly normal for catholics of the Roman Rite of the Church to worship and celebrate Mass oriented in such a way that it had celebrated Mass for centuries (at least before Vatican II for most catholics and even now through the extraordinary form). The language being in Italian also has a significant meaning: it means that celebrating the Mass in such manner, facing the liturgical east, can be done in local churches of the Roman Rite, the church in the Philippines included!

As the Pope, the Supreme Pontiff, mended and created a bridge between the old and the new through his Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum given motu proprio we are to see more development in the ordinary liturgy: organic reorientation of the ordinary form. The ordinary form of the Roman Rite will soon be absorbed by the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, reform of the reform fully achieved, spearheaded by no less than the current Vicar of Christ, Pope Benedict XVI.

Above photos from Hallowed Ground

Above photo from NLM

Older Post:
Summorum Pontificum and the Hermeneutic of Continuity

Pope will celebrate Holy Mass today Ad Orientem

From Fr. Z's "What Does the Prayer Really Say" blog, the Pope will be celebrating Holy Mass today ad orientem using the main altar of the Sistine Chapel during which he will baptize 13 children.

Full story from Fr. Z.

The Pope celebrating Holy Mass ad orientem using the main altar of the Sistine Chapel means that he is celebrating Holy Mass facing towards God or versus Deum per Iesum Christum instead of the people or versus populum. In simplest terms, the Pope and all the people assisting (the entire congregation) at Holy Mass will be facing towards one direction literally.

PLDM Solemnity of the Epiphany

Photos from the Solemnity of the Epiphany Mass according to the Missal of Blessed Pope John XXIII at the Parish of the Lord of the Divine Mercy, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, Philippines celebrated by Father Michell Joe "Jojo" Zerrudo.

Entrance Procession


Entrance Procession (viewed from above)

Asperges (Blessing)


Reading of the Epistle


Incensing before the Gospel


Incensing during the offertory


Elevation of the Sacred Body of our Lord


Elevation of the Precious Blood of our Lord


Minor Elevation


Celebrant's Communion


Communion of the Faithful

After the Holy Mass, Father Jojo blessed the chalk brought by the community. It also has become a tradition for the community every Sunday to have their religious items and bottles of water
blessed.

Father Jojo blessing the chalks

Father Zerrudo's Private Masses

The private Masses (low Mass) of Father Zerrudo according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII is slowly taking a more regular schedule. This week, it will be at 8:00 am. For those who happen to be near the vicinity of the Parish of the Lord of the Divine Mercy in Sikatuna Village, you may attend the private Mass.

Apologetics Roundtable

An apologetics roundtable will be inaugurated at the Parish of the Lord of the Divine Mercy on Saturday, 12th of January at 4pm, by Carlos Antonio Palad of the Defensores Fidei Foundation.

The primary audience are the traditional catholic community who regularly attends the traditional mass at PLDM but the parishioners and Yahoo group members of Apologia, Pinoy Defensor Fidei, Katoliko and Katekista are also invited to attend.

Rev. Fr. Abraham P. Arganiosa, CRS prepares for Tridentine Mass

Rev. Father Abraham P. Arganiosa, CRS, from Sorsogon City, Province of Bicol, is preparing himself to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass according to the Missal of Blessed Pope John XXIII.

Father Abe says "...like you I am also in-loved with the Tridentine Mass because I see it as an immortal treasure of the liturgical heritage of the Church. Now that the Summorum Pontificum had given permission to priests to say the Tridentine Mass of Pope John XXIII [1962] and has commanded priests to accept requests for it I am still preparing myself for such a service."

Father Abe continues "If there are no priest in Bicol that celebrate it then count me in. As long as there is a request I will celebrate it with love out of OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMAND OF THE VICAR OF CHRIST."

Father Abe believes that it is the will of the Lord for him to celebrate Mass in the extraordinary form and is very eager to worship Him in the said manner. He is requesting that he be given at least a month to be thoroughly ready to celebrate using the extraordinary form as he still needs to prepare to celebrate the Mass with the solemnity and grace it deserves.

Deo Gratias!

Rev. Fr. Abe P. Arganiosa, CRS is the College Chaplain of Aemilianum College, Inc. in Sorsogon City. He hosts a local television program "The Splendor of the Church," and is an associate member of the Defensores Fidei Foundation.

A full transcript of the post from Father Abe's blog can be found in his blog, The Splendor of the Church.

URGENT APPEAL to help locate a missing child

I received this from Mr. Henry Siy of Defensores Fidei Foundation through email:

A faculty member of the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging (PCCI), Mr. HENRY LOPEZ, has sent an appeal for help in locating his daughter ANGELICA, missing since December 29, 2007 What a way to start the New Year for her family. In case you sight the child, please relay the information to Mr. Lopez via the contact information provided below: Let us pray that she is safe and found soon unharmed. Thank you. -

1962 Missal Summorum Pontificum Edition (Baronius Press) at Totus Bookstore

The Roman Missal of 1962 (Summorum Pontificum Edition) from Baronius Press will be made available at Totus Bookstore. The Missal is order basis at the moment.

For orders and reservations:

Totus Bookstore & Publishing House
2nd Floor Red Ribbon Building
Conneticut cor. Missouri Sts., Greenhills,

San Juan, Philippines

Email: info@totusbookstore.com
Tel.: 723-4326

PLDM Sikatuna Tridentine Mass Videos

The following videos taken during the New Year's Solemn Missa Cantata are courtesy of Armand and Kuya Dennis.

Incensing the altar (Source)...


The Roman Canon (Source)...

Summorum Pontificum and Hermeneutic of Continuity

Disclaimer: I am not an expert, nor do i have credentials to make a scholarly opinion, I just would like to share my views.

The Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum given motu proprio generated mixed reactions from the faithful, some welcomed the motu proprio with great joy while others dismissed it as something unimportant or irrelevant. I see that the opposition to the Missal of Blessed Pope John XXIII will be in existence for many years in much the same way as those who are opposed to the Missal of Pope Paul VI no matter how it is celebrated, may it be in line with tradition or not.

In present Vatican celebrations (with the new Master of Ceremonies, Fr. Guido Marini), we can see a glimpse of what is to come, little by little, slowly but surely...the normative liturgy being celebrated in much the same way as the extraordinary liturgy is celebrated. Those things that makes the extraordinary liturgy beautiful and spiritually edifying carried over to the normative liturgy. After all, this is the dream and vision of the current Vicar of Christ: hermeneutic of continuity.

I see that (again just from my own point of view) the position of the Supreme Pontiff is mainly focused on the deformations of the normative liturgy as it is currently celebrated and he wishes us, all Roman Catholics, to learn and grow through the extraordinary form since he said that liturgy should not be frozen in time but should be allowed to grow. I believe that this is one of the many reasons why the extraordinary form should be generously celebrated all over the world. It is just logical: how can we learn from it if we do not practice or experience it.

In this way we will see the normative liturgy sprouting forth from the extraordinary liturgy. The normative will no longer be described as fabricated but truly a continuity of the extraordinary.

Within the context of the Mass, Catholics with traditional views will see it as the new edition of the Roman Missal of Pope St. Pius V, while ordinary Catholics will see it as a new edition of the Mass of Pope Paul VI celebrated with traditional elements.

Document clarifying the terms of Summorum Pontificum: Soon

Vatican, Dec. 31, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The Vatican will soon issue a new document clarifying the terms of Summum Pontificum, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone (bio - news) has revealed.

Confirming reports that have circulated around Rome in recent weeks, the Vatican Secretary of State told the Italian weekly Famiglia Cristiana that the Ecclesia Dei commission will issue instructions to "clarify the criteria for the application of the motu proprio" in which Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) broadened access to the traditional Latin Mass.

Cardinal Bertone said that the new document was needed because there have been some "confused reactions" to the motu proprio. In fact some Vatican officials-- most notably Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, the secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship-- have energetically criticized bishops who have failed to accept the papal directive.

Cardinal Bertone took a more conciliatory approach to the disputes that have arisen in the aftermath of the Pope's move to restore the traditional Mass. The Italian prelate told Famiglia Cristiana that had been widely misinterpreted, and the new instruction from the Ecclesia Dei commission would attempt to clear up misconceptions.

"Some people have charged that the Pope was rejecting the Council's [Vatican II] teaching," Cardinal Bertone told the Italian magazine, emphasizing that this interpretation is completely unfounded. At the same time, he also dismissed the theory that Pope Benedict hopes to replace the Novus Ordo Mass, making the "extraordinary form" the single liturgical usage of the future. That is equally inaccurate, the cardinal said.

Cardinal Bertone did not indicate when the new liturgical directive would appear. Some Vatican-watchers believe that the instruction from Ecclesia Dei will appear within a matter of days; others have said that it could be several weeks before it is published.

Enhancements in the Celebration of the Extraordinary Form in PLDM

Mr. Carlos Palad has very well articulated the enhancements in the celebration of the extraordinary form in the Lord of the Divine Mercy Parish Church:

As of late, the splendor and beauty of the Sunday and Feast-Day Masses at the Lord of Divine Mercy Parish have been greatly enhanced thanks to the following:

1) A new cantor who sings the Gregorian chant -- melismas and long "a"s and "o"s and all -- of the propers of the Mass (Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory and Communion) instead of the recitative that had been previously employed. (Yes, we finally have real Gregorian chant! And in this coming year, the TLM community is committed to finally form a choir or "schola" to sing Gregorian chant.)

2) The Christmas and January 1 Masses where celebrated with all the works -- incense, master of ceremonies, torchbearers, etc. The Tridentine form of incensing the altar -- with its multiple genuflections by the priest and servers -- is really so beautiful. (No, it is not the same as in the Novus Ordo. Not that I'm attacking the Novus Ordo, which I also respect and which I attend on weekdays, but you have to see the way it's done in the TLM to know what incensing really looks like.) Hopefully, January 6 will be celebrated with the same intensity and solemnity.

I would like to add here that Fr. Jojo Zerrudo's sermons are really outstanding, and deserve to be podcasted. If you want to go to a Mass where the priest really delves deep into the Biblical readings and their doctrinal and moral meanings, go to Lord of Divine Mercy. Fr. Zerrudo shows that priests don't have to crack jokes (although he is funny at times) or try to be "relevant" in order to communicate the meaning of the Word of God to the congregation. (By the way, his sermons are long -- 30 minutes -- but very substantial, and the congregation doesn't fall asleep).

(...)

So, if you would like to see liturgy the way it was done in the old days, sung to traditional chant -- please do come on January 6!!!

January 6 is the Solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord: Missa 'Ecce Advenit'

New Blogger Layout

I am currently migrating to a new Blogger layout. Kindly bare with me.

Romanism during the Vespers

Missa Puer Natus Est

Yesterday was a special day for the Parish of the Lord of the Divine Mercy Traditional Latin Mass community with Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo. It was the first time the community celebrated Christmas with a Missa Cantata with incense, a master of ceremonies and torchbearers.


A very solemn and beautiful Mass offered to the Christ child on the Feast of His Nativity. Beautiful! Deo Gratias!

Visitors

The people who visited this blog are from:

Manila
San Pedro, Laguna
Cavite, Cavite City
Tagbilaran
Manila
Ocana, Cebu
Makati, Rizal
Balangbalang, Agusan del Norte
Tagbilaran
Makati, Rizal
Tagbilaran
Leavenworth, Kansas
Makati, Rizal
Makati, Rizal
Pasig, Pampanga
Rowland Heights, California
Sulucan, Bulacan
Makati, Rizal
Quezon, Nueva Ecija
Makati, Rizal

Et Homo Factus Est

For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

May Christ be born in our hearts. A Blessed Christmas to everyone!

more photos from hallowedground

Latin Mass (Missal of Pope Paul VI) at St. Jerome Parish, Alabang

This came from email:

Hello,
There will be a Latin Mass celebrated at St. Jerome Emiliani Parish in Alabang, beside Alabang Town Center, 11pm on Christmas Eve. Nope, it's not what you think it is. It's just a Novus Ordo Missae celebrated in Latin. The parist priest Fr. Grato Germaretto, an Italian priest told me that it is a "Missa Cantata" with Gregorian chants (of course it is). He also told me that his parish has been observing the tradition of celebrating (Novus Ordo) Mass on Christmas Eve, in Latin for the past 5 years. I asked him whether he would consider celebrating Latin Mass in the Tridentine Rite after all the Holy Father's Summorum Pontificum is in full-implementation, he replied, "maybe next year".

I happened to notice that there is a significant clamor for the Tridentine Mass here in the Diocese of Parañaque. Even some Misa de Gallos, as reported by friends, were celebrated in semi-Latin Novus Ordo Masses, in “Missa Cantata” with Gregorian chants using traditional melodies. In the Presentation of the Child Jesus Parish (inside BF Homes), the officers there told me that there were a lot of parishioners requesting for the said mass. My girlfriend who attends a Simbang Gabi 4 am Mass, told me that at one time she woke-up realizing the Gloria being sung the way it is sang in Divine Mercy Church, plus the Credo, Pater Noster, and the Agnus Dei, all in Latin. It maybe understandable that Novus Ordo Churches are easing the transition and the implementation of Tradition, let us just hope that it wouldn't take a year(s) long, at least here in my Diocese. Let us continue the restoration of Sacred Tradition back into the Novus Ordo Churches.

Instavrare Omnia In Christo,
Armand

Pre-Vatican II Tridentine Mass in Cebu

I found this photo in Skyscrapercity forum of a Tridentine Mass (Low Requiem Mass) taken before Vatican II. The photo was from John Ada and posted by arnold_carl . It's amazing to find discussions of the Traditional Mass in such an unusual place.



Carlos Palad made some very good observation that helped determine that the above picture was definetely pre-Vatican II:

The picture is definitely pre-Vatican II.

Looking at it, I can pick out the following details which help me date this picture:

1) There is no free-standing altar. Only the ad orientem high altar occupies the sanctuary

2) The communion rail is covered with an elaborate houseling cloth, which was obligatory in the Mass until made optional by Bl. John XXIII in 1961

3) The pulpit midway down the church is still in use, and is apparently decorated with fine fabrics

3) ALL the women are wearing veils, and the veils are predominantly black, which is really the tradition (only unmarried young women wore white veils; black veils are for the married and widowed)

4) The catafalque in the middle of the church is very tall and elaborate, something not often seen even in contemporary traditionalist liturgies. The candles around it are also very tall.

Kuya Dennis helped identify it as a Low Requiem Mass while Armand sent us photos on how the church looks today:

2nd Sunday of Advent (PLDM)

These are another set of pictures taken from the Parish of the Lord of the Divine Mercy in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines during the 2nd Sunday of Advent Traditional Latin Mass.

Who says the youth wouldn't like Latin or the Traditional Mass?

Venite Adoremus

Philippine Romanism

Photos taken from the First Sunday of Advent Mass according to the Missal of Blessed Pope John XXIII, Parish of the Lord of the Divine Mercy, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City.