Ad Multos Annos, Your Eminence!

Today is the first anniversary of the elevation of H.E. Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke's elevation 'to the purple' by Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI.

Gaudeamus Omnes!

The Month of the Holy Souls (4)

Do you see, my dear brethren, do you hear that tender mother, that devoted father, and all those relatives who helped and tended you? "My friends," they cry, "free us from these pains; you can do it." Consider then, my dear brethren: (a) the magnitude of these sufferings which the souls in Purgatory endure; and (b) the means which we have of mitigating them: our prayers, our good works, and, above all, the holy sacrifice of the Mass. I do not wish to stop at this stage to prove to you the existence of Purgatory. That would be a waste of time. No one among you has the slightest doubt on that score. The Church, to which Jesus Christ promised the guidance of the Holy Ghost and which, consequently, can neither be mistaken herself nor mislead us, teaches us about Purgatory in a very clear and positive manner. It is certain, very certain, that there is a place where the souls of the just complete the expiation of their sins before being admitted to the glory of Paradise, which is assured them. Yes, my dear brethren, and it is an article of faith: if we have not done penance proportionate to the greatness and enormity of our sins, even though forgiven in the holy tribunal of Penance, we shall be compelled to expiate them.... In Holy Scripture there are many texts which show clearly that although our sins may be forgiven, God still imposes on us the obligation to suffer in this world by temporal hardships or in the next by the flames of Purgatory. Look at what happened to Adam. Because he was repentant after committing his sin, God assured him that He had pardoned him, and yet He condemned him to do penance for nine hundred years, penance which surpasses anything that we can imagine. See again: David ordered, contrary to the wish of God, the census of his subjects, but, stricken with remorse of conscience, he saw his sin and, throwing himself upon the ground, begged the Lord to pardon him. God, touched by his repentance, forgave him indeed. But despite that, He sent Gad to tell David that he would have to choose between three scourges which He had prepared for him as punishment for his iniquity: the plague, war, or famine. David said: "It is better that I should fall into the hands of the Lord (for his mercies are many) than into the hands of men." He chose the pestilence, which lasted three days and killed seventy thousand of his subjects. If the Lord had not stayed the hand of the Angel, which was stretched out over the city, all Jerusalem would have been depopulated! David, seeing so many evils caused by his sin, begged the grace of God to punish him alone and to spare his people, who were innocent. See, too, the penance of Saint Mary Magdalen; perhaps that will soften your hearts a little. Alas, my dear brethren, what, then, will be the number of years which we shall have to suffer in Purgatory, we who have so many sins, we who, under the pretext that we have confessed them, do no penance and shed no tears?

St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, Sermon on Purgatory

"We must empty Purgatory." St. Pius of Petraclina, O.F.M.Cap.

St Elizabeth of Hungary and the Blue Church

Today, 19th November, is the feast day of St Elizabeth of Hungary. She is best known for her charitable work, caring for and giving alms to the poor.

St Elizabeth grew up in the castle in Bratislava (formerly Hungary). The daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary, the neice of St Hedwig, the great aunt of another St Elizabeth (Isabel) of Portugal she married to Ludwig IV of Thuringia.  During her marriage she regularly distributed alms to the poor and built a hospital the patients of which she visited daily.  Widowed young she devoted herself to good works dying at just 24.  She had a great devotion to St Francis.

St Elizabeth is the patron saint of bakers, countesses, deaths of children, the falsely accused, the homeless, nursing services, tertiaries, widows and young brides.  She is often depicted with alms, flowers, bread, a pitcher and the poor.



I recently visited the Church of St Elizabeth in Bratislava and was captivated by its unusual Hungarian Art Nouveau architecture. Situated a little out of the city's bustling centre in the old town, it is more generally referred to as the Blue Church.

It was built between 1906 and 1908 and designed by Odon Lechner, the most important art nouveau architect in Hungary.  He was influenced by a wide range of styles in particular Magyar and Turkic folk art and these influences are responsible the eastern like appearance of much of his work.


Whilst originally decorated in pastel colours, its distinctive blue came later.  It is decorated with mosaics, majolicas and has a blue glazed roof.  Over the door is a  mosaic of St Elizabeth.  The Church has a single nave.

Whilst it certainly is an interesting and unusual design when seen from a distance as one approaches one really begins to appreciate the attention to detail that has gone into this unusual building, one quite unlike any church I had seen before. For me it brought to mind the phrase, God is in the detail.  The pictures really cannot do it justice.

St Elizabeth pray for us.

Communiqué following the XXth General Assembly of the Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce. Rome, 5th/6th November 2011.

The Month of the Holy Souls (3)

8. “But I know not whither he has gone,” say you. Wherefore do you not know, tell me? For according as he lived well or otherwise, it is evident whither he will go. “Nay, on this very account I lament,” say you, “because he departed being a sinner. ”This is a mere pretext and excuse. For if this were the reason of your mourning for the departed, you ought to have formed and corrected him, when he was alive. The fact is thou dost every where look to what concerns yourself, not him.

But grant that he departed with sin upon him, even on this account one ought to rejoice, that he was stopped short in his sins and added not to his iniquity; and help him as far as possible, not by tears, but by prayers and supplications and alms and offerings. For not unmeaningly have these things been devised, nor do we in vain make mention of the departed in the course of the divine mysteries, and approach God in their behalf, beseeching the Lamb Who is before us, Who takes away the sin of the world—not in vain, but that some refreshment may thereby ensue to them. Not in vain does he that stands by the altar cry out when the tremendous mysteries are celebrated, “For all that have fallen asleep in Christ, and for those who perform commemorations in their behalf. ”For if there were no commemorations for them, these things would not have been spoken: since our service is not a mere stage show, God forbid! Yea, it is by the ordinance of the Spirit that these things are done.

Let us then give them aid and perform commemoration for them. For if the children of Job were purged by the sacrifice of their father, why do you doubt that when we too offer for the departed, some consolation arises to them? Since God is wont to grant the petitions of those who ask for others. And this Paul signified saying, “that in a manifold Person your gift towards us bestowed by many may be acknowledged with thanksgiving on your behalf.” 2 Corinthians 1:11 Let us not then be weary in giving aid to the departed, both by offering on their behalf and obtaining prayers for them: for the common Expiation of the world is even before us. Therefore with boldness do we then intreat for the whole world, and name their names with those of martyrs, of confessors, of priests. For in truth one body are we all, though some members are more glorious than others; and it is possible from every source to gather pardon for them, from our prayers, from our gifts in their behalf, from those whose names are named with theirs. Why therefore do you grieve? Why mourn, when it is in your power to gather so much pardon for the departed?

St. John Chrysostom, Sermon XLI on 1 Corinthians (xv, 46)

"We must empty Purgatory." St. Pius of Petraclina, O.F.M.Cap.

Annual General Meeting & Mass 2011

The Annual General Meeting of Saint Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association took place this evening preceded by a Votive Mass of the Holy Ghost celebrated in Cill Mhuire, Ballymany, Newbridge, Co. Kildare.

The Irish Constitution

In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, from Whom is all authority and to Whom, as our final end, all actions both of men and States must be referred,

We, the people of Éire,

Humbly acknowledging all our obligations to our Divine Lord, Jesus Christ, Who sustained our fathers through centuries of trial,

Gratefully remembering their heroic and unremitting struggle to regain the rightful independence of our Nation,

And seeking to promote the common good, with due observance of Prudence, Justice and Charity, so that the dignity and freedom of the individual may be assured, true social order attained, the unity of our country restored, and concord established with other nations,

Do hereby adopt, enact, and give to ourselves this Constitution.

Preamble to the Constitution of Ireland

Dochum Glóire Dé agus Onóra na hÉireann

FIUV 2011 Sunday Session

On Sunday the FIUV General Assembly held an open forum at which a number of outstanding speakers gave papers. The first was Fr. Joseph Valluari, FDP, who read a paper on the “private prayers” that the Priest says during Mass. He was followed by Don Stefano Carusi, IBP, who told the delegates about the spirit and progress of the Institute of the Good Shepherd. Dr. Helmut Ruckriegel, who was a founder member, gave a brief history of the UNA VOCE Federation. Then Right Rev. Dr. José-Apeles Santolaria de Puey y Cruells, JCD (ABD), HistL, SMOM, gave a very detailled paper on the value of Romanity in the Traditional movement and the Roman Rite as a factor of Civilization in the Western World. At this point Right Rev. Monsignor Valentín Miserachs, President of the Pontifical Institute for Sacred Music arrived and addressed the General Assembly on Sacred Music and the Centenary of the Pontifical Institute which was founded by St. Pius X in 1911. Fr. Kramer, FSSP, was followed by the concluding speaker, Canon Luzuy of the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest, who told the delegates about the progress of the Institute in Italy, UK and Ireland and also about the Sisters Adorers.

FIUV 2011 - Mass in Gesu e Maria

While most of the delegates attended Mass in the Church of Ssma. Trinita dei Pellegrini, some of the delegates attended the Latin Mass in the Church of Gesu e Maria on the Via del Corso near the Piazza del Populo, which is celebrated every Sunday at 10 a.m. under the auspices of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a Traditional Institute that have just acquired their first Church in the UK.

FIUV 2011 Saturday Session

The Saturday Session of the XXth General Assembly of the Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce was given over to internal matters such as the Presidential Address and the presentation of the 17 new Member Associations to the delegates. The new Council for 2011-2013 was also deemed elected. Leo Darroch was returned for a further turn by the acclaim of the meeting.

FIUV 2011 Lunch with Cardinal Burke

On Saturday just after the Mass in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of St. Peter's Basilica, and just before the Saturday Session of the General Assembly, Cardinal Burke joined the delegates for lunch. Unfortunately, due to his imminent departure for Amsterdam to celebrate Mass there, he was unable to attend the afternoon Session.

FIUV 2011 - Three Traditional Masses in St. Peter's Basilica

On Friday and Saturday we had the privilege to attend three Traditional Latin Masses in St. Peter's Basilica. They were a private Mass at the Altar of St. Gregory Nazianzen celebrated at 7 am on Friday, another private Mass celebrated this time at the Altar of St. Gregory the Great across the body of the great Basilica, at 7 am on Saturday, and the third was the historic Pontifical Low Mass celebrated by Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos for the delegates of the XXth FIUV General Assembly in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Monsignore Pablo Collino, Maestro Emeritus of the Julian Chapel Choir was in choir. In his sermon His Eminence paid tribute to the important work of the FIUV but said that our primary work was in trying to make the voice of the Holy Father heard on the question of the true value and liberty of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Low Mass (Friday)

Low Mass (Saturday)

Mass in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel (Saturday)