Vigil of St. John the Baptist in Kildare

St. Conleth's Association celebrated the vigil of the nativity of St. John the Baptist by making its annual pilgrimage to Monasterevin. St. John is almost unique in having a feast to mark his earthly birth. Only Jesus and Mary have such feasts celebrated in the Church's calendar.

It was lovely to see so many people for our second visit to Monasterevin. Thanks to the Parish Priest for such a warm welcome. The Church is very lovely. If you'd like to find out more about the history of the Church you can find some information on the report of last year's Mass. 

The Association gained several new members after Mass. As the celebrant was a Capuchin Priest, he blessed Scapulars of Saint Joseph after Mass and distributed them to those present. Many people did not seem aware of the history of the scapular, which can be found here. It was great to hear the positive feedback on the choir. It would be lovely to have some more singers if anybody else was thinking of getting involved.

The Confiteor (B) History

The history of making a confession at the altar in the Roman liturgy is of a late date. The ceremonial tract Ordo Romanus I contains no reference to a confession of sins, however by Ordo Romanus VI the pontiff “bowing down prays to God for forgiveness of his sins”. It is probable that the private prayers of preparation originally said in the sacristy, the apologiae, were later transferred to the altar.

CONFITEOR

The origin of the wording of the Confiteor can be traced to rites used originally in the sacrament of penance. Early penitentials (books of penances) give formulas that resemble the modern Confiteor. The Pentiential of Egbert (d. 766) Archbishop of York has the starting point of a Confiteor “Through my fault I have exceedingly in thought, speech and deed, sinned... I confess before God, almighty Creator of heaven and earth, before the altar of the saint, and the holy relics that are in this holy place, and before you, priest, that I have sinned exceedingly………”

The first record of the wording of a Confiteor occurring in the Mass is given in the ecclesiastical tract “Micrologus de ecclesiasticis observationibus” . It runs: I confess to God Almighty, these saints and all the saints and you, brothers, that I have sinned in thought, in speech, in deed, in pollution of mind and body. I beseech you, pray for me.

Both the Pentitential of Egbert and the Micrologus indicate that the invocation of saints seems to have originated due to the confession being made before their relics. This later evolved into a general invocation of all the saints and then of naming specific ones. The Confiteor continued to develop in the enumeration of sins, the persons confessed to and the persons invoked for their prayers - in the latter two categories, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the patron saint were the most likely choices. A missal of Augsburg in the 16th century gives an elaborate form mentioning sins in thought, speech, consent, sight, mouth, deed and omission and invoking saints Peter, Paul, Ullric (Udalric) Sebastian, Vitus, Mary Magdalene, Catherine, Barbara, and the patrons in the second half of the Confiteor.

The Third Council of Ravenna ordered that a version of the Confiteor identical to that of the Missal of St. Pius V be used; however, this form did not make its way into the Papal liturgy of Rome until later.

The Missal of Paul III gives a simple abbreviated version “I confess to Almighty God, Blessed Mary ever-Virgin, Blessed Peter and all the saints and you brethren, that I have sinned through my fault. I beseech you, pray for me.”

Another manuscript of a Curial Missal of the Vatican library gives a longer and more elaborate form “I confess to God Almighty and blessed Mary ever-Virgin and the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and all the saints, and you Father, I have gravely sinned through pride: against the law of my God: by thought: by speech: omission, consent, word and deed : through my fault, my fault, my most grevious fault. Therefore I beseech the most blessed and glorious Virgin Mary: and all saints (masc.) and saints (fem.): and you Father, to pray for me.”

Almost all these Confiteors were superseded by the Roman Confiteor that appeared in all missals from 1570 to 1970. Minute variations (addition of a patron) were conceded to certain religious orders and dioceses. Those places with liturgies older than 200 years at the time (1570) continued to use their own versions of the Confiteor.

MISEREATUR AND INDULGENTIAM

The Misereatur and Indulgentiam can be also traced to the Sacrament of Penance. Until 1970 when the rite was revised, they were prescribed in the Sacrament of Penance to be said by the priest before sacramental absolution was given. They could however, be omitted for a just cause.

In the Penitential of Egbert the Misereatur occurs as a benediction over the penitent, in a version extremely close to modern variants. “The almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins, deliver you from all evil, keep you in all good, and bring you to eternal life.” Micrologus gives an almost identical form differing in saying “confirm you in all good works” and ending “and likewise bring us (through) Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, toward life eternal” Similar wordings of the Egbert’s Misereatur can also be found in various mediaeval missals. The Sarum missal had “confirm and keep you…” while the 12th century liturgy at Cluny had “all good works” as did many French and German diocesan Uses. So also the Carmelite and the Dominican versions (see earlier post).

The Carthusian Misereatur showed an example of some mediaeval missals in adding “through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints”. In one mediaeval manuscript, this is greatly expanded as “Brothers and sisters, through the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the aid of the sign of the holy cross, through the intercession of the blessed and glorious ever-Virgin Mary, and the merits of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, Blessed Michael (the) archangel, blessed Martin, and all the saints (masc.) and saints (fem.) may the almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins and bring you (through) Jesus Christ, Son of God to eternal life.

In the liturgical books of the Roman Catholic Church, this elaborate formula only survived (with slight alterations) in the Misereatur used in the publication of indulgences. (see above) and the Urbi et Orbi blessing of the Pope.

The Indulgentiam does not show as much variation: a significant number of texts omit the word Indulgentiam (pardon) and begin instead with absolutionem (absolution). The Micrologus on the other hand has indulgentiam but omits absolutionem. Another common difference is the use of “the almighty Father, the compassionate and merciful God” instead of “the almighty and merciful God”

The most significant addition found in many mediaeval Uses is the invoking of assistance for an emended life and for the grace of the Holy Spirit. Thus the Sarum Use has “The almighty and merciful God grant you absolution and remission of your sins, space for true repentance and emendation of life, and the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit” This was also found in the Mozarabic texts (see previous post).

Another version of the Indulgentiam runs “The Almighty and merciful God grant you absolution and remission of all your sins, through confession, contrition, penance and through satisfaction and emendation of life.

Traces of both are preserved in the text of the Indulgentiam of Pope’s Urbi et Orbi blessing which runs “May the Almighty and merciful God grant you pardon, absolution and remission of all your sins, space for a true and fruitful repentance, an ever penitent heart and emendation of life, the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit, and final perseverance in good works

In all 3 prayers (the Confiteor, Misereatur and Indulgentiam) many variants have “all sins” instead of only “sins”. This wording was also present in the Roman Missal of 1570: however in later versions it was removed.

First published in October, 2007

The Confiteor (A) Wording

Over the summer I had signed up to Wikipedia to contribute to articles on the Mass and sacraments. Now I have more headaches that I can cope with, but I remebered that I still had a yet unposted article that I meant ot post there. It's not yet complete but I might as well post it here.
The Confiteor

The Confiteor is a Catholic prayer, named after the first word in Latin, Confiteor Deo (I confess to God) in which a confession of sin is made and the intercession of others including the saints, requested. It is usually followed by formulas of absolution, the Misereatur and in many cases the Indulgentiam. These formulae are only sacramentals and intercessory prayers, not to be confused with the absolution in the Catholic Sacrament of Penance.

WORDING:

The wording of the Confiteor familiar to most Catholics was that found in the Roman Missal:

Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, beátæ Maríæ semper Vírgini, beáto Michaéli Archángelo, beáto Joanni Baptístæ, sanctis Apóstolis Petro et Paulo, ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis, fratres (tibi, Pater), quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo et ópere: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem, beátum Michaélem Archángelum, beátum Joánnem Baptístam, sanctos Apóstolos Petrum et Paulum, omnes Sanctos, et vos, fratres (te, Pater), oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum.

Misereatur vestri [tui] [nostri] omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis vestris [tuis] [nostris], perducat vos [te][nos] ad vitam aeternam.

Indulgentiam, absolutionem et remissionem peccatorum nostrorum [vestorum], tribuat [vobis]nobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.

I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you, brethren (to you, Father), that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the saints, and you, brethren (you, Father), to pray for me to the Lord our God

May the Almighty God have mercy on you all [you][us], and having forgiven your [your] [our] sins, and bring you [you][us] to eternal life.

The Almighty and merciful Lord grant us [you] pardon, absolution and remission of our [your] sins.

In 1969, the Confiteor was revised in the new Ordo Missae (Order of the Mass) and subsequently appeared in 1970 in the new Roman Missal. The practice of reciting two Confiteors (see below: Usage) was removed as was one of the absolution formulae, the Indulgentiam

Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, et vobis, fratres, quia peccávi nimis cogitatióne, verbo, ópere, et omissióne: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa. Ideo precor beátam Maríam semper Vírginem, omnes angelos et sanctos et vos, fratres, oráre pro me ad Dóminum Deum nostrum.

Misereatur nostri omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis nostris, perducat nos ad vitam aeternam.

Literal translation:
I confess to almighty God, and to you, brothers, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, deed, and omission: through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, brothers, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

May the Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to eternal life.

ICEL (official English) version:
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and what I have failed to do. Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins and bring to everlasting life.

VARIATIONS

The wording of the Confiteor varied slightly in the liturgies of certain religious orders and dioceses of the Catholic Church. The variations differ in their extent: while some, such as the Benedictine, merely added the name of a patron to the wording of the Roman Missal, others differed in the specification of sin confessed.
The version of the Confiteor used by Benedictines added beato patri nostro Benedicto (our blessed father Benedict) and beatum patrem nostrum Benedictum after the invocation of Ss. Peter and Paul to the Roman confiteor. Likewise, the Franciscans added beato Patri nostro Francisco (our blessed father Francis) and beatum Patrem nostrum Franciscum, the Discalced Carmelites beato Eliae, beatae Teresiae (blessed Elijah, blessed Therese) and beatum Eliam, beatam Teresiam, the Servants of Mary (Servites): Septem beatis patribus nostris (our seven blessed fathers) and the Norbertines sanctis patribus Augustino et Norberto (holy fathers Augustine and Norbert. The Ambrosian liturgy added beatum Ambrosium Confessorem and beato Ambrosio Confessori (blessed Ambrose, Confessor)

Dominican:
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, et beatae Mariae semper virgine, et beato Dominico patri nostro, et omnibus sanctis, et vobis, fratres, quia peccavi nimis, cogitatione, locutione, opere et omissione, mea culpa; precor vos orare pro me

Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus et dimittat tibi omnia peccata tua: liberet te ab omni malo, salvet et confirmet te in omni opere bono, et perducat te ad vitam aeternam.

Absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, tribuat vobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.

I confess to Almighty God, and to blessed Mary ever Virgin, and to blessed Dominic, our father, and to all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, speech, deed and ommission, through my fault; I beseech you to pray for me

May the Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins: deliver you from all evil, save and confirm you in all good work, and lead you to life eternal.
The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins.

Carmelite:
Confiteor Deo omnipotenti, beatae Mariae semper Virgini, beato Patri nostro Eliae, omnibus Sanctis, et tibi, fratres, quia peccavi nimis cogitatione, locutione, opere, et omissione: mea culpa. Ideo precor beatam Mariam semper Virginem, beatum Patrem nostrum Eliam, omnes Sanctos, et te, fratres, orare pro me ad Dominum Jesum Christum.

Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus et dimittat tibi omnia peccata tua: liberet te ab omni malo, conservet et confirmet te in omni opere bono, et perducat te ad vitam aeternam.

Absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum, tribuat vobis omnipotens et misericors Dominus.

I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Elijah, our father, to all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, speech, deed and ommission, through my fault. Therefore, I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Elijah our father, all the saints, and you, brethren, to pray for me to the Lord Jesus Christ

May the Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins: deliver you from all evil, conserve and confirm you in all good work, and lead you to life eternal.

The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you absolution and remission of all your sins.
Carthusian: The Carthusian liturgy is notable for not having the second formula of the absolution, the Indulgentiam.

Confíteor Deo omnipoténti, et Beátæ Maríæ et ómnibus Sanctis, et vobis Fratres, quia peccávi nimis mea culpa per supérbiam, cogitatióne, locutióne, ópere et omissióne, precor vos oráte pro me.

Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus per intercession beatae Mariae et omnium Sanctorum et dimittat tibi omnia peccata tua et perducat te ad vitam aeternam.

I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary and all the saints, and to you, brethren, that I have sinned exceedingly through my fault in pride, thought, speech, deed and ommission. I beseech you to pray for me

May the Almighty God have mercy on you through the intercession of blessed Mary and all the saints, and forgive you all your sins: and lead you to life eternal.

Revised Carthusian:
In the Carthusian missal of 1981, the Confiteor is revised slightly though the Misereatur remains the same. There is also provided a Confiteor to be used when the priest celebrates Mass alone.

Confíteor Deo et vobis, fratres, quia peccávi nimis, mea culpa, per supérbiam, cogitatióne, locutióne,ópere et omissióne; precor beátam Maríam, omnes sanctos et vos, fratres,oráte pro me.

Confíteor Deo, quia peccávi nimis, mea culpa, per supérbiam, cogitatióne, locutióne, ópere et omissióne; precor te, o piíssima Dei Génetrix, et vos, omnes sancti, oráte pro me.

Misereátur mei omnípotens Deus per intercessiónem tuam, o piíssima Dei Génetrix, et vestram, omnes sancti, et dimíttat mihi ómnia peccáta mea et perdúcat ad vitam ætérnam.

I confess to Almighty God that I have sinned exceedingly through my fault in pride, thought, speech, deed and ommission. I beseech you, O most gracious Mother of God, and you, all the saints, to pray for me.

May the Almighty God have mercy on me through your intercession O most gracious Mother of God, and yours, all you saints, and forgive me all my sins: and lead me to life eternal.

Mozarabic:
The Mozarabic Confiteor was not native to the rite but was introduced into the liturgical books by Cardinal Ximenes who borrowed it from a local version of the Roman liturgy.

Confiteor omnipotenti Deo et beatæ Mariæ Virgini: et Sanctis Apostolis Petro et Paulo et omnibus Sanctis: et vobis fratres manifesto me graviter peccasse per superbiam: in lege Dei mei: cogitatione: locutione: opere et omissione: mea culpa: mea culpa: gravissima mea culpa. Ideo precor beatissimam Virginem Mariam: et omnes Sanctos et Sanctas: et vos fratres orare pro me.

Misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus: et dimissis omnibus peccatis vestris: perducat vos ad vitam eternam.

Indulgentiam absolutionem et remissionem omnium peccatorum vestrorum cum emendatione morum et vite: per gratiam Sancti Spiritus tribuat vobis misericors Dominus.

I confess to almighty God and blessed Mary the Virgin: and the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints: and to you brethren openly that I have gravely sinned through pride: against the law of my God: by thought: by speech: by deed and omission: my fault: my fault: my most grave fault. Therefore I beseech the most blessed Virgin Mary: and all saints (masc.) and saints (fem.): and you brethren to pray for me.

May the Almighty God have mercy on you, and forgive you all your sins: deliver you from all evil, save and confirm you in all good work, and lead you to life eternal.
The merciful Lord, through the grace of the holy Spirit, grant you pardon, absolution and remission of all your sins, with amendment of your ways and life.

The revised Mozarabic liturgy does not have a Confiteor among the public actions of the Mass.

Publication of indulgences:
In the publication of indulgences, the Confiteor and the Indulgentiam used is the same as the Roman. Missal: however the Misereatur is as follows

Precibus et meritis Beatæ Mariæ semper Virginis, Beati Michaëlis Archangeli, Beati Joannis Baptistæ, Sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, et omnium Sanctorum, misereatur vestri omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis vestris, perducat vos ad vitam æternam.

(Through the) prayers and merits of Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, Blessed Michael (the) archangel, Blessed John (the) Baptist, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, may the Almighty God have mercy on you, and having forgiven your sins, bring you to eternal life.

A separate version is used in the Urbi et Orbi blessing of the Pope.

First Published in October, 2007

Sodality Pilgrimage to Rome, Sept 2011, Day VI - Six and seven churches - done!

What a day! Starting out outside St. Maria Maggiore (picture 1) looking for another Vatican post box - an unsuccessful quest - we continued into the Basilica. This is an impressive church (picture 2) with lots of little chapels, one of them open for adoration. Building started in 432

A.D. after God had spoken to the Pope in a dream - in the dream it was snowing on one of the hills of Rome and God told him to build a church there and the city would be rid of the plague that had ravaged it. For this reason the church is also known as Mary of the Snows.

This, the last of the main basilicas, is also one of the seven pilgrim churches. For nearly 700 years this was the seat of the latin patriarch of Antioch - up until 1953 when the last one died and no new one was appointed.

Moving on outside the walls - to San Paolo fuori le Mura (St. Paul's Without the Walls) - the last of the Pilgrimage Churches - we prayed for the Pope's intentions and then went on looking around. This church (picture 3) is absolutely huge and built on the location where St. Paul was buried, his sarcophagus partially displayed in the crypt (picture 4 - and yes, that is a bit of yours truly in the bottom left hand corner there). The church was first built in 386 A.D. but burnt down in 1823 A.D. and has hence been reconstructed and only parts of the antique basilica remain.

In connections to this church is also a monastery which is, I'm sure, lovely to visit - despite repeated visits to the church I still haven't managed it - there is so much to see here! So after praying, visiting the crypt, carefully examining the wall with the Pope portraits and discussing which ones were sodalists and photographing a group of nuns when they were looking the other way we took a break in the cafeteria - a very good one, by the way, a great place to relax before going on to the next stop. In St. Paul's there's also a very nice gift shop where they sell, apart from the usual rosary beads and little statuettes, soaps, candy and oils (oh - and liqueur, too!) made by the monks.

After this visit it was time for what would end up being my

favourite part of the pilgrimage (even though San Sebastiano comes close, too). The church of St. Agnes without the walls (OK, I might be slightly biased my own name being Agnes...). Yes, it is a bit away from the city center - and a bit of a walk from the nearest bus stop - but just opening the doors to this masterpiece of a church made it all feel worth it. After entering the doors you need to the descend a long flight of stairs with beautifully ornamented walls and ceilings (picture 5).

The church that's on the site today was built in the 7th century but there's been a church here longer than that. It is in this church that two lambs are blessed by the Pope on St. Agnes' Feast Day (Jan 21 for those of you who don't keep track), their wool later woven into pallia - the ceremonial white neck-stoles sent to newly elevated Metropolitan archbishops, the church is also another place where you can visit the catacombs of Rome.

After this visit we could go home happy.

Mass for Christian Unity

This afternoon in St. Paul's Church, Arran Quay, Dublin 7, our annual Mass for Christian Unity (ad tollendam schisma) was celebrated in the Gregorian Rite.







St. Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, pray for us!

Mass for Christian Unity - St. Paul's, Arran Quay

Mass in the Gregorian Rite will be offered for Christian Unity, during the Octave for Christian Unity, at 12 noon on Saturday, 21st January, 2012, in St. Paul's Church, Arran Quay, Dublin 7.

St. Paul, Apostle of the Gentiles, pray for us!

Latin Mass in St. Paul's Church, Emo, Co. Laois

In the section of his Collections relating to the Parish of Emo (Vol. 2, p. 144 ff., Bishop Comerford refers to Coolbanagher, the site of the original Parish Church just a few hundred yards from Emo, where a protestant building now stands:

Coolbanagher is, however, chiefly famous as being the place where St. Aenguis, surnamed Cele De, or servant of God, conceived the idea of his celebrated religious Poem called from him the Felire Aenguis, or Festology of St. Aenguis. In the Introduction to this Poem we are informed that, when retiring from Disert-Enos, the Saint visited Coolbanagher, and that, one day, whilst engaged in prayer there, he noticed a certain grave, and the angels from heaven constantly descenting upon it and ascending from it. Aenguis asked the priest of the Church who it was that lay buried in the grave; the priest replied that it was a poor man who formerly had lived at the place. "What good did he do?" said Aenguis. "I saw no particular good by him," said the priest, "but that his customary practice was to recount and invoke the Saints of the world as far as he could remember them, at his going to bed and getting up, according to the custom of the old devotees." "Ah! my God," said Aenguis, "he who would make a metrical composition in praise of the Saints should doubtless have a high reward, when so much has been vouchsafed to the efforts of this old devotee." And Aenguis then commenced his poem on the spot. He subsequently continued it at Clonenagh and Tallaght. (O'Curry's Lectures, p. 365.)

It was in good company, therefore, that the members and friends of St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association made another pilgrimage to Emo, Co. Laois, today and, by the kindness of the Parish Priest, organised Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, which was a votive Mass in honour of Ss. Peter and Paul, in the Parish Church of St. Paul. Reports of the Masses for previous years can be found here, here and here.



Bishop Comerford also records:

The handsome parish church of Emo, the site of which was a gift from Lord Portarlington, was erected during the pastorate of the Very Rev. T. O'Connell, but chiefly through the zealous exertions of the Rev. William Hooney, then resident curate. The bell-tower was completed by the Rev. John Phelan, P.P. Fr. Hooney died, to the great grief of his many friends, on the 3rd of May, 1872, and was interred in his native parish of Suncroft. The Altar of the Sacred Heart at Emo, and another [now destroyed] under the same invocation, at Suncroft, have been erected to his memory.

All ye holy Saints of Ireland, pray for us!

Latin Mass in Emo

A Traditional Latin Mass will be celebrated in St. Paul's Church, Emo, Co. Laois, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, 27th August. This is the third such Mass in recent years. Reports of previous Masses can be found here and here.

A Latin Mass in Monasterevin

On Saturday 25th June more than forty people attended a Latin Mass which took place took place in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Monasterevin on the borders of Counties Kildare and Laois. This was the first time in almost fifty years Mass in the Gregorian Rite had been celebrated in this church. The Mass was offered for the repose of the soul of H.E. Fra' Fredrik Crichton-Stuart, the recently deceased former President of the International Federation "Una Voce" of which this organisation is a member.

The church was designed by William Hague and completed in 1880. The altar rails were originally made for the Church of Saint Stefano, Venice. They were then sold to Stephen Ram of Ramsfort, Gorey, Co. Wexford, who brought them to Ireland and placed them on his terrace. The family were slowly converted, one by one, to the Catholic Faith through the prayers of the nuns of the local Convent. Some notable conversions in County Wexford was the story of those conversions of the Rams of Ramsfort and the Cliffes of Bellvue, written by Father Francis Kirk, of the Oblates of St. Charles, who had been the Anglican Minister of Gorey and the first convert of the nuns' prayers. They were moved to the church in the 1870s.

Saint Evin, from whom the town derives its name, featured in an earlier post on this blog.

Mass in Monasterevin

For the first time in almost 50 years, Mass in the Gregorian Rite will be celebrated in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Monasterevin, Co. Kildare, at 9.30 a.m. on Saturday, 25th June, 2011. As previously announced, it will be offered for the respose of the soul of H.E. Fra' Fredrik Crichton-Stuart (1940-2011), the recently deceased former President of the International Federation "Una Voce".


Ss. Peter and Paul, pray for us!
St. Eimhin of Monasterevin, pray for us!

Masses in Laois

Mass in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois

Mass in the Gregorian Rite will be celebrated according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII (1962) in the Church of the Most Holy Rosary, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, at 12 noon on Saturday, 24th July, 2010, with the kind permission of the Very Reverend Parish Priest of Abbeyleix.


Further details are available from (and offers of assistance can be made to): pilgrimages@catholic.org

Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us!

Mass in Emo, Co. Laois

Mass in the Gregorian Rite will be celebrated according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII (1962) in the Church of St. Paul, Emo, Co. Laois, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, 28th August, 2010, with the kind permission of the Very Reverend Parish Priest of Emo and Portarlington. We will afterwards make a tour of Emo Court to coincide with National Heritage Week.

Reports of the previous Mass in St. Paul's are available here and here.

Further details are available from (and offers of assistance can be made to): pilgrimages@catholic.org

St. Paul, pray for us!

Mass @ St. Paul's

St. Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association organised a Mass this morning for Christian Unity Octave, or Week for Christian Unity, in St. Paul's Church, Arran Quay, the home of the Irish San Egidio Community. This was the second time that we had been to St. Paul's, the last being last January, during the Holy Year of Saint Paul.

This year the celebrant was Fr. James Larkin, P.P., who gave a magnificent sermon on Christian Unity that, he said, was not the work of human dispute resolution like the Labour Court or the result of a compromise on the essentials of the Faith, but was the work of the Holy Spirit, which was why we need to pray, especially during this Christian Unity Octave, for the unity of all who believe in Christ.

The soloist during the Mass was the magnificent Miss Máire Mullarkey, who was able to lead the congregation in singing the common of the Mass and traditional hymns, as well as singing the Mozart Ave Verum (k. 618) and Panis Angelicus from César Franck's famous Messe à trois voix. Miss Mullarkey is a well-known wedding singer among other professional singing engagements. We were all deeply moved by her singing.

A Tale of Two Towers

A view of Arran Quay from the West where the River Liffey flows

under Mellows Bridge with the Campanile of St. Paul's Church

and the Dome of the Four Courts Building on the skyline.

Two further pilgrimages for the Holy Year of Priests will be made on Saturday, 23rd January, to St. Paul's Church '@Smithfield' , Arran Quay, Dublin 7, for Mass in the Gregorian Rite at 11 a.m., and on Saturday, 1st May, to the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, for Mass in the Gregorian Rite at 11.30 a.m.

Last year, we had Mass in St. Paul's to mark the Holy Year of St. Paul during the Octave for Christian Unity and we are glad to have the permission of the Administrator of the Church to return again during the Octave.

The details of the pilgrimage to take place in March will be announced later.

The Mass on the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker will be the first celebrated there in the Gregorian Rite in more than 40 years. The funeral of Bishop Thomas Keogh in 1969 would have taken place before the publication of the Novus Ordo Missae but the Liturgy would have followed the reforms of 1965 and 1967.

The Campus of Carlow College with the Cathedral of the Assumption.

Pilgrimage to Vicarstown

In contrast to the glorious weather in Cill Mhuire last Sunday, the feast of St. Mark was what the Gael calls a 'fine soft day' with foreboding skies and drizzle that was seldom absent. However, the sight of the Rock of Dunamaise towering over the Laois countryside as we turned off the motorway for Vicarstown set the scene for a spiritual experience that was at once both distinctly Irish and thoroughly Roman. It recalls to mind the words of the Dicta of St. Patrick (and, come to that, the motto of the Irish Ecclesiastical Record): "...si quae difficiles quaestiones in hac insula oriantur ad Sedem Apostolicam referantur, ut Christiani ita ut Romani sitis..."

A very respectable congregation of 67 persons, mostly from the Parish and the surrounding Parishes, started arriving well before the start of Mass. A Carmelite Priest, Fr. Des Flanagan, O.Carm., who recently celebrated his 80th birthday was in fine voice. However, he was well matched in a very vocal congregation who not only joined in the responses but performed a variety of Latin and traditional vernacular hymns that - as some told me after Mass - they hadn't heard or sung in forty years. However, it all came rushing back to them this morning.

What had the young people - and there were a few - to say. Some children had been brought by their parents but one brave youngster said that he wished he could learn how to serve Mass. However, the 'lost generation' was well represented too. I met two young ladies from a few miles down the road who had their interest piqued by the promise of Gregorian Chant but were as fascinated by the Liturgy as by the Music. I must say that they also remarked on how many of their neighbours could sing Latin from memory. It struck me too. I think it must also have struck the two local Priests who were in the congregation.

Vicarstown is not the most central spot in which to have a Latin Mass. There really isn't even a village to speak of beside the Church. However, it is a beautiful and a blessed spot. The beauty of the place - and the beauty of the Church - were ably matched by the warmth of the people and the hospitality of the local Priest and sacristan. May God bless them and keep them safe in His protection!

It is also a place of mighty history and immense sanctity. Just to the south is the site of the Celtic Monastery of Killeshin, founded in A.D. 545 by St. Diarmuit, succeeded by St. Comgan of Thomond as abbot and followed, though not immediately, by St. Muirgein.

Just to the west of Vicarstown is the site of the famous Monastery of Clonenagh, the Monastery of St. Fintan and of St. Aengus the Culdee, the greatest Monastic site in Laois and one of the most important in the whole Island.

To the South-west is the site of the Monastery of Oughaval , founded by St Colman Mac Ua Laoighse, who was a disciple of St. Fintan.

This was the home of the Great Book of Leinster, known as the Lebor na Nuachongbála, or the Book of Oughaval.

Fr. Flanagan took the opportunity of the conjunction of Scripture-writers (a pilgrimage for the Holy Year of St. Paul on the feast of Saint Mark) to illustrate the different approaches of the Evangelist and the Epistlist but to emphasise that their message was identical - the Person of Christ. He noted that their destination in earthly terms was also the same, Rome. St. Peter, the mentor of St. Mark, and St. Paul are the twin pillars of the Church, set upon the foundation of Rome by Providence.

Fr. Flanagan also reminded people of the next Mass organised by St. Conleth's CHA, a Requiem Mass for Bishop Thomas Keogh (1884-1969) in the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Skeoghvosteen, Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny, on Saturday, 23rd May, at 12 noon. I was particularly impressed by his suggestion that anybody who was present who was from the Parish but who didn't attend Mass regularly should attend Mass in this Church or the Parish Church. I've heard that announced at every Mass organised by St. Conleth's CHA that I've attended. It's a nice touch. As one member of the St. Conleth's CHA Committee remarked to me afterwards, the Latin Mass should be a blessing to a Parish.

I must tell you about this hidden gem of Church architecture. It is an Irish country Church. There's no mistaking it for a continental Cathedral! It is simple, cruciform, with clear-glass windows between simple wooden tracery throwing an immense light upon the interior. The high altar is untouched, with its adoring Angels and original Crucifix and Candlesticks, as is the side Altar of the Blessed Virgin. There is also some fine stencelling (to which my shaky camerawork does not do justice) on the Sanctuary walls and even - rare to see preserved - a plasterwork paraclete on the Sanctuary roof. Likewise a rare survival in Kildare and Leighlin are the end quarters of the marble Altar rails. It has no tower but has an elevated iron bell stand in the grounds, typical of many Churches in the Diocese. This is a beautiful Church, made the more beautiful by the rarity of finding such beauty intact after long decades of renewal.