FIUV XXIst General Assembly - Views of St. Peter's

Venerable Nano Nagle

Venerable Nano Nagle (1718-1784)

Today Holy Mother Church honours all the Saints in Heaven. Yesterday Holy Mother Church honoured Nano Nagle by declaring her Heroic Virtue and bestowing upon her the title of Venerable. Irish hearts all over the world rejoice! Ven. Hanora 'Nano' Nagle, foundress of the Presentation Order, friend of the Poor, lady of the lamp, intercede for us before the throne of God.

Our New Bishop

The Holy See Press Office has announced that the Holy Father has appointed as Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin (Ireland) the Very Reverend Father Denis Nulty, of the clergy of the diocese of Meath, until now pastor of St. Mary's in Drogheda.

The Very Reverend Father Denis Nulty

Fr. Denis Nulty was born in Slane, Co. Meath, June 7, 1963. He completed his studies for the priesthood at the National Seminary of St. Patrick, Maynooth. Later, he received his Masters in Pastoral Theology and Management at All Hallows College in Dublin.

He as ordained a priest for the diocese of Meath on 12th June, 1988.

For ten years, he was Curate at the Cathedral Parish in Mullingar (1988-1998), at the same time being Chaplain to the Accord Centre and Spiritual Director at St. Finian's College. Since 1998 he has been Parish Priest of St. Mary's in Drogheda. In 2006, he also became Vicar Forane of the Eastern Deanery of Meath and President of the Council of Priests.

Oremus pro Antistite nostro Dionisio.  Stet et pascat in fortitudine tua, Domine, in sublimitate nominis tui.

Fifth Anniversary of Summorum Pontificum

On this day in 2007 Our Most Holy Father the Pope issued Summorum Pontificum of immortal memory.

Te Deum Laudamus!

Mass in Borris for the Pope's Birthday

For only the second year our Association had the blessing of an opportunity to celebrate the Birthday and Anniversary of the Election of the Pope by organising the celebration of Mass in the Extraordinary Form. Last year it was St. Andrew's Church, Bagenalstown. This year we had the privilege to be in another of the 'Churches that got away' the beautiful Church of the Sacred Heart, Borris, Co. Carlow. However, because of the way the Church was modified in recent decades the Mass had to be celebrated at the beautiful side Altar of Our Lady.

7th Anniversary of the Pope's Election

Today is the 7th Anniversary of the election of Our Most Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.



Sancte Pater, ad multos annos! Ad multos annos! Ad multos annos!

Urbi et Orbi Easter 2012

Ad Multos Annos, Holy Father!

Let us pray for Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, may the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

Blessing of Lambs for the Pallium

With exams around the corner, I rarely have time to blog, but I wanted to do this small post for St. Agnes day. St. Agnes incidentally is one of the few Memoriae in the calendar with an almost fully Proper Office for Lauds and Vespers and the privilege of the Sunday/Common psalms.

On the feast of St. Agnes, yearly, the lambs supplying wool for the pallium are blessed. But since I'm pressed for time, I'm not writing about that....

This is the pre-conciliar text for the blessing (anyone want to try their hand at translating it before next year?)

¶ Finita Missa statim Vicarius assistens vadit ad deponendum super credentiam Pluviale, Abbas vero accepta mitra, et facta cum ea debita Cruci reverentia, simul cum Diacono et Subdiacono accedit ad faldistorium, ubi sedit, depositis prius manipulis a Ministris, suumque dimittit, iterum Clerici ponunt super Altare duos Agnos, floribus in capite coronatos, cum pelvino in cornu Evangelii et Epistolæ: Cantores cantant antiphonam sequentem ( Stans, etc.) : In eodem tempore Abbas cum mitra imponit ter incensum in thuribulo de more illud benedicens ; expleta Antiphona mitratus accedit ad altare cum Ministris, et ante ipsum, mitra deposita, facta reverentia Cruci in medium ascendit, ubi manibus iunctis in tono feriali, sive cantu, has præces et orationes dicit.

¶ Postea accipit a Diacono aspersorium, et cum eo ter aspersit Agnum in cornu Evangelii in medio, a dextris, et a sinistris, et alterum in cornu Epistolæ pariter ter eodem modo, ac ter adolet incenso, quo aspersit. Deinde accepta mitra, et facta reverentia Cruci revertitur ad faldistorium ad deponenda paramenta.

Ant. Stans a dextris eius Agnus: nive candidior Christus sibi sponsam et martyrem consecravit.

V. Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Qui fecit coelum et terram.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

OREMUS. Omnipotens et misericors Deus qui per Moysen famulum tuum Pontificibus tabernaculos servientibus, indumenta instituisti: et per sanctos Apostolos tuos Sacerdotibus et Pontificibus Evangelicis vestimenta sacra providisti: effunde tuam sanctam Benedictionem super hos Agnos, de quorum vellere sacra Pallia pro Summis Pontificibus, Patriarchis, et Archiepiscopis conficienda sunt: ut qui eis utuntur una cum plebe sibi commissa per intercessionem B. V. et M. Agnetis (super cuius tumbam oramus) ad æternam benedictionem perducantur: Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

OREMUS. Deus qui infirma mundi eligis ut fortia quæque confundas; concede propitius ut qui Beatæ Agnetis Virginis et Martyris tuæ solemnia colimus eius apud te patrocinia sentiamus. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

First published in January, 2008

Urbi et Orbi Christmas 2011

The Immaculate Conception II - Grave Nimis

Continuing from the last post on the Immaculate Conception, the next in line was the bull Grave Nimis. The contention over the Immaculate Conception was very high - the Dominicans particularly, felt obligated to defend the common opinion that St. Thomas Aquinas had pronounced against it, and consequently, vigorously opposed it (something that continued persistently- even when introduced into their calendar, it was under the name "The Sanctification of the Blessed Virgin Mary". But that'll be covered later) Sixtus IV imposed one of the first of a series of "gag orders" by this bull:

WE bear a burden too onerous and painful, when unfavourable reports are brought to us regarding certain ecclesiastical persons. But in the excesses committed in preaching by those who are deputed to announce the word of God, we are the more provoked at it, in proportion as they remain with greater danger uncorrected, when the errors, which are impressed on the hearts of many by thus preaching publicly in a more diffused and damnable manner, cannot easily be done away with.

And truly, when the holy Roman Church solemnly publicly celebrates a festival concerning the conception of the undefiled and ever-Virgin Mary, and has ordained regarding this a special and peculiar office, some preachers of different orders, as we have heard, in their discourses to the people publicly have hitherto not blushed to affirm, through different states and lands, and cease not daily to preach, that all those who hold or assert, that the same glorious and immaculate mother of God was conceived without the stain of original sin, commit deadly sin, or that they are heretics; that those celebrating the office of the same immaculate conception, and hearing the discourses of those who affirm that she was conceived without such stain, sin grievously.

But not content with the aforesaid preachings, they have published books got up about these their assertions,from whose assertions and preachings no inconsiderable scandals have arisen in the minds of the faithful, and still greater are dreaded to arise every day.

We then, desiring to obviate such rash daring and perverse and scandalous assertions, which may thence arise in the Church of God, as far as is permitted us from on high, of our own proper motion, not at the instance of any petition presented to us on the point, but from our own mere deliberation and certain knowledge, reprobate and condemn by apostolic authority, by the tenor of these presents, such assertions of the same preachers, and of any other persons soever, who presume to affirm that those who believe or hold that the same mother of God was at her conception preserved from the stain of original sin, are for this reason polluted with the stain of any heresy, or committed mortal sin; or that when celebrating such office of the conception, or listening to such discourses, that they incur the guilt of any sin, as being false and erroneous, and utterly foreign from the truth;

And, moreover, in this respect, the aforesaid published books containing such assertion, and by the aforesaid motion, knowledge, and authority, we determine and ordain, that the preachers of the word of God, and any other persons soever, of what state, grade, order, or condition soever they may be, who in future shall presume, by rash daring, to affirm to the people, or in any other way soever, that such assertions, so disapproved and condemned by us, are true, or to read as true the aforesaid books, to hold or to keep them, after they have obtained the knowledge of these presents, incur by the very fact sentence of excommunication, from which they cannot obtain the benefit of absolution from any other person save from the Roman Pontiff, except at the very point of death.

Likewise, by a similar motion, knowledge, and authority, subjecting to the same penalty and censure those who shall presume to assert, holding a contrary opinion, viz. that the glorious Virgin Mary was conceived with original sin, incur the guilt of heresy, or deadly sin, when it was not yet decided by the Roman Church and the Apostolic See; any apostolic constitutions and ordinances soever to the contrary notwithstanding, to which, whether in common or separately, there may exist an indult from the Apostolic See, that they cannot be interdicted, suspended, or excommunicated by apostolic letters, not making full, express, and word for word mention of such indult.

And lest at any time they may be able to allege ignorance with regard to the foregoing, we desire that the requisite ordinaries of the places would deliver, in their discourses to the people, and cause to be published the present letters in the churches situate in their states, and in remarkable places of their dioceses, when a considerable multitude of the people has assembled for divine service. Moreover, because it would be difficult to convey the present letters to the individual places, wherein it might be expedient, we also will and decree, by the aforesaid authority, that a copy of the same letter, drawn up by the hand of a notary-public, and confirmed with the authentic seal of some ecclesiastical prelate, be observed everywhere, as the same original letter would be observed, if it were exhibited or shown.

Be it lawful, therefore, for no person soever to infringe this page of our reprobation, condemnation, statute, ordinance, will, and decree, or by rash attempt to contravene it. But if any one shall presume to attempt it, let him know that he will incur the indignation of Almighty God, and of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul.

Given at Rome, at Saint Peter's, in the year of the incarnation of our Lord 1483, the day before the nones of September, in the thirteenth year of our pontificate.

Fra' Fredrik Crichton-Stuart (1940-2011)

Fra' Fredrik (centre) with Dr. Helmut Ruckriegel (right) meeting Pope Benedict XVI in 2006

The news has reached us of the death this morning in Edinburgh, of Fra' Fredrik Crichton-Stuart, President Emeritus of the International Federation "Una Voce". Of your charity, pray for the repose of his soul.

Born on 6th September, 1940, the eldest son of Lord Rhidian and Lady Selina Crichton-Stuart, he was the grandson of John Crichton-Stuart, K.T., 4th Marquess of Bute, and Augusta, Lady Bute, née Bellingham, of the notable Louth family. The Hon. Fredrik Crichton-Stuart was educated at Ampleforth College. A qualified Chartered Accountant, throughout his life Fra' Fredrik involved himself in many works of charity and public benefit for many years.

His brief period as Executive President of the FIUV was the culmination of many years of effort in the cause of the Traditional Latin Liturgy. He first joined Una Voce Scotland in 1996, becoming secretary in 2000. In 2002, he became Councillor and Senior Vice-President of the FIUV, being elected President in 2005.

He was also a Knight of Justice of the Order of Malta (hence the "Fra'" for Frater or Brother). Having been a member of the Order since 1962, Delegate of Scotland and the Northern Marches, and first Chancellor of the restored Grand Priory of England, he was installed as the second Grand Prior of England since the Reformation in 2008, succeeding Fra' Matthew Festing, who had been elected Prince and Grand Master of the Order to succeed Fra' Andrew Bertie, a cousin of Fra' Fredrik. Through his various positions, he was able to give even greater service to Our Lords the Sick and Our Lords the Poor.

The forthcoming Mass in Monasterevin will be offered for the repose of his soul.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasail.

Urbi et Orbi Easter 2011

Conclusion, conclusion, conclusion

You know when I was doing my exams they told me that for the English essays, come hell or high water, the conclusion had to be proper. That was the one essential component to getting a good grade. So the Pope has released a new prayer for the Jews - sadly only for the Extraordinary Form. I reserve all opinions to myself about it except this one. Which imbecile underling didn't check the rubrics?

All the Good Friday prayers end with what is known as the "long conclusion" - Per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat, in unitate Spiritu Sancte, Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum - Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, unto all ages, world without end. Some "Per eundem Dominum..." - I hope you'll remember that post about the bishop who wrote to Rome over eundem (or in his case eumdem)

Back in the 'good old days' of reform (*cough) , the revisers decided to eliminate this long conclusion which has been attached to all the Collects, Secrets and Postcommunions due to Gallican influence and return to the simple Roman ending "Per Christum Dominum nostrum" - Through Christ our Lord - for the retitled Super oblata, the Postcommunion and many of the prayers, blessings and certain collects (like Good Friday) And looking at the new prayers for the Jews, what do my eyes behold but "Per Christum Dominum nostrum" instead of the long ending.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! Hope they correct this one! Unless maybe the Holy Father is hinting that he is going to change the OF prayer. Hmmmmmm.........

Casting my mind back I was just thinking about the changes to this oration on Good Friday. Incremental is the word I'm looking for. In 1948, it was allowed to translate "perfidi" with a little more leeway. This lead to a good many hand missals switching from "perfidious" to "unbelieving" or similar. This was re-enforced when Pius XII quite firmly explained its meaning later. Then in 1956, the words "Oremus. Flectamus Genua. Levate" was added in the new order of Holy Week and everyone knelt before the prayer for the Jews. In 1959, in a letter to the Cardinal Vicar of Rome, later communicated to the world's bishops, John XXIII excised "perfidi" from the prayer. In 1965, the prayer was retitled, the introduction was changed and the prayer itself was the one that would later be used in the 1970 Missal. As follows:

Pro Iudaeis Oremus et pro Iudaeis: ut Deus et Dominus noster faciem suam super eos illuminare dignetur; ut et ipsi agnoscant omnium Redemptorem, Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum. Oremus. Flectamus genua. Levate.Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui promissiones tuas Abrahae et semini eius contulisti: Ecclesiae tuae preces clementer exaudi; ut populus acquisitionis antiquae ad Redemptionis mereatur plenitudinem pervenire.

And then in 1970 the introduction was once again changed and the kneeling exhortations made according to local custom.

Oremus et pro Iudaeis, ut, ad quos prius locutus est Dominus Deus noster, eis tribuat in sui nominis amore et in sui foederis fidelitate proficere. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui promissiones, etc.

First published in February, 2008

Mass for the Pope's Birthday

This afternoon Mass was celebrated in the Gregorian Rite for the Pope's intentions on the occasion of his 84th birthday in St. Andrew's Church, Bagenalstown (Muine Bheag), Co. Carlow.

Bagenalstown is a town of about 2,500 souls, although it didn't see any noticable increase in population between 2002 and 2006. The town's motto is 'The Irrepressible Number,' which seems to be 65, the number of Bagneltonians who turned out today to celebrate the Pope's birthday with the members of St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association.

The body of the Church of St. Andrew c. 1817 is attributed to Thomas Cobden, the architect of Carlow Cathedral. The Church was renovated, with the addition of the steeple, and was rededicated on 9th October, 1893. Dr. Shennan, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore (r.1892-1915), preached the sermon on the occasion in the presence of Dr. Lynch, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin (r. 1888-1896). The porches were added in 1917, and the Sodality Chapel was added for the Marian Year, 1954.

The Sanctuary extension is the work of William Hague (1836-1899), the Diocese's most prolific architect, who had already completed Churches at Clane (1876-1884), Monasterevin (1880), Rathvilly (1883-1887), White Abbey, Kildare (1884-1889), Rathanna (1885), Rathoe (1885-1889), The Hollow (1887), and commenced at Abbeyleix (1892-1895) before working on the Sanctuary of St. Andrew's, Bagenalstown (1893) for Very Revd. Fr. Edward Burke, P.P., who had been a Professor in Carlow College when Hague had built a new wing (1879) and a College Chapel (1885-88)(now a library!) After Bagenalstown, Hague went on to build the Parish Church at Stradbally (1893-96). He had submitted designs for additions to the Parish Churches of Kildare Town and Newbridge. Certainly Kildare had reason to wish they had accepted his design, as the proposal that was accepted included a statue that fell upon and killed the Parish Priest, Dr. Kavanagh, who had rejected Hague's design as too expensive.







Walter Bagenal (1670-1745) of nearby Dunleckney House laid out the town in an attempt to establish a profitable trade route through his land based upon the River Barrow. It is laid out on a grid pattern lying upon the River Barrow in imitation, it is said, of Versailles. However, the only evidence of the 'New Versailles' planned is the fine old Courthouse overlooking the river that is built in the form of a small classical temple modelled on the Parthenon in Athens. Bagenal had been able to regain the family estates from the Crown by perverting to the Church of Ireland. He was the father of the famous rake Beauchamp Bagenal. References to 'the Lord Bagenal' appear to have arisen from the 'lordly bearing' of Beauchamp. There was never a title in the family.

Walter's father, Colonel Dudley Bagenal (1638-1712) had his Carlow estates, lost previously under the Cromwellian regime, restored by King Charles I. He fought in the Battle of the Boyne as a Colonel of an Infantry Regiment, was declared a traitor by William of Orange and his estates were again forfeit. He was Gentleman Usher to King James II at the Stuart Court in Exile at St. Germains.

Walter's grandfather, and namesake Colonel Walter Bagenal (1614-1652) was executed by Cromwellian troops. He had been Governor of County Carlow in 1641 and Colonel in the Leinster Army of Catholic Confederacy. Walter the elder was the son of George Bagenal (d. 1625), who built Dunleckney House, and Lady Joane Butler, daughter of James Butler, 11th Earl of Ormonde and 4th Earl of Ossory (1569-1632). One of the famous Butlers of Kilcash, James was known as James of the Beads for his great devotion to the Rosary and the Catholic Faith. We spent many years imprisoned in the Fleet Prison in London for opposing James I's disposition of the Butler estates to a cousin who had married one of his Protestant favourites.

George's father, Dudley (d. 1587), who was the grandfather of Walter the elder and the great-great grandfather of Walter the younger (who laid out and built Bagenalstown) was the first of the Bagenal family to come to Carlow and was engaged in a long-running feud with the Kavanaghs of Borris, who were original owners of the lands. Dudley's father, Sir Nicholas Bagenal (c. 1590), was an English adventurer from Newcastle upon Lyme who fled England after killing a man in a brawl in 1539 to became a mercenary for the O'Neills of Ulster. He was pardoned by Henry VIII, who granted him lands in Newry, Co. Down, and created him Marshal-General of the Army in Ireland from 1550 to 1553, a post he held again under both Mary I and Elizabeth.

Masses for the Holy Father

After three years of trying, we have at long last been given permission to organise a Mass for the Birthday (16th) and Anniversary of the Election (19th) of Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. The Mass will be celebrated in the Gregorian Rite on Saturday, 16th April, at 2 p.m. in St. Andrew's Church, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow.


St. Colman's Society for Catholic Liturgy asks us to inform you that its annual Solemn High Mass in Latin for the intentions of Pope Benedict XVI will be celebrated at Sts Peter and Paul’s church, Cork City, on Easter Monday 25 April 2011 at 12.30 pm. The members of the Society are encourage to attend and to pray for the Holy Father as he begins the seventh year of his Pontificate. The music for the Mass will be provided by the Lassus Scholars, Dublin, under the direction of Miss Ite O’Donovan. All are welcome to participate at this liturgical celebration. Enquiries to the Society’s secretary at colman.liturgy@yahoo.co.uk or at tel. 021 4813445

Ad Multos Annos, Sancte Pater!

Masses in Carlow

Interior of St. Andrew's Church, Bagenalstown c. 1914 (NLI)

On Saturday, 16th April, at 2 p.m. there will be Mass in the Gregorian Rite celebrated in St. Andrew's Church, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow, to honour the birthday of Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and the sixth anniversary of his Election.

Interior of Carlow Cathedral c. 1910

On Saturday, 21st May, at 11.30 a.m. there will be Mass in the Gregorian Rite celebrated in Carlow Cathedral to honour Our Lady's Month and the feast of St. Conleth of Kildare (3rd May).