Mass in Carlow Cathedral & First Blessing of a Newly Ordained Priest

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered in the Gregorian Rite using the Missal of 1962 in Carlow Cathedral on the morning of 19th May, 2012, by Canon Brieuc de La Brosse of the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest, and served by members of the Institute and St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association. The Choir of the Augustinian Church, John's Lane, Dublin, sang the Mass of St. John the Baptist, by Rev. J.E. Turner, O.S.B., and a number of polyphonic motets and vernacular hymns. After Mass, Canon de la Brosse gave his first blessing to the congregation and choir. It is the second time this year that a newly-ordained Priest has given his first blessing after a Mass organised by St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association. Accounts of previous Masses organised by St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association in Carlow Cathedral are given here and here.

Roman Pilgrimage Day 4

The third day of our pilgrimage started with mass in St. Agatha of the Goths; my personal favourite of the roman churches, situated just up the road from the convent where we're staying.

We then took the 117 bus to the Piazza dell' Popolo and walked down to Babington's Tea Rooms in the Piazza de Spagna where we stopped for tea. As we made our way back on foot we stopped at San Andrea della fratte and John told us a little bit about he history of the church and how it served as the setting of the conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne. We went from there to the Fontana di Trevi where it was time for me to make a third attempt at talking in front of Irish pilgrims.


After a lovely lunch we went to see the rooms of S. Luigi Gonzaga and S. Giovanni Berchmans in S. Ignazio then to the rooms of St. Ignazio himself in the Gesu and the day finished with the illumination of the statue of the saint that takes place in the Gesu every day at 17.30.

Roman Pilgrimage Day 3

This morning we had Mass in S. Dominico e Sisto celebrated by Canonico Luzuy of the ICRSP. We sang Mass IX and latin hymns; Veni Creator Spiritus, Jesu Dulcis Memoria, and Salve Regina.

After Mass we went to the general audience with il Papa - they had unfortunately not managed to get us anounced, but it was nice all the same. He talked about the importance of silence and the value of monks.

After lunch at Roberto's in the Borgo Pio we went for Gelati at the Old Bridge and then took the metro to Piazza della Republica and went from there to the Basilica of Mary and the Angels and Martyrs. We proceeded with a quick stop for coffee before exploring the Maria della Vittoria, where Donna O'Connor took the role of guide and gave an excellent presentation that attracted the attention of visitors outside our own little group.

After that we went to S. Susanna where we picked up the tickets for the general audience with the Pope the day before.

My own presentation of the Fontana dell'Acqua Felice was slightly ruined by the fact that it was covered with tarpaulins, being restored. The afternoon continued from there in the footsteps of Sixtus the Vth - whose sister donated a chapel to the church across the road - down the Quirinale with a quick visit to San Carlino and San Andrea dell' Quirinale, where we had Mass once during last year's pilgrimage above the body of S. Stanislaus.