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)

The Month of the Holy Souls (2)

Whether there be any fire of purgatory in the next world.

GREGORY. Our Lord saith in the Gospel: Walk whiles you have the light:61 and by his Prophet he saith: In time accepted have I heard thee, and in the day of salvation have I holpen thee: which the Apostle St. Paul expounding, saith: Behold, now is the time acceptable; behold, now the day of salvation. Solomon, likewise, saith: Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, work it instantly: for neither work, nor reason, nor knowledge, nor wisdom shall be in hell, whither thou dost hasten. David also saith: Because his mercy is for ever. By which sayings it is plain, that in such state as a man departeth out of this life, in the same he is presented in judgment before God. But yet we must believe that before the day of judgment there is a Purgatory fire for certain small sins: because our Saviour saith, that he which speaketh blasphemy against the holy Ghost, that it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.66 Out of which sentence we learn, that some sins are forgiven in this world, and some other may be pardoned in the next: for that which is denied concerning one sin, is consequently understood to be granted touching some other. But yet this, as I said, we have not to believe but only concerning little and very small sins, as, for example, daily idle talk, immoderate laughter, negligence in the care of our family (which kind of offences scarce can they avoid, that know in what sort sin is to be shunned), ignorant errors in matters of no great weight: all which sins be punished after death, if men procured not pardon and remission for them in their lifetime: for when St. Paul saith, that Christ is the foundation: and by and by addeth: And if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: the work of every one, of what kind it is, the fire shall try. If any man's work abide which he built thereupon, he shall receive reward; if any mans work burn, he shall suffer detriment, but himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. For although these words may be understood of the fire of tribulation, which men suffer in this world: yet if any will interpret them of the fire of Purgatory, which |234 shall be in the next life: then must he carefully consider, that the Apostle said not that he may be saved by fire, that buildeth upon this foundation iron, brass, or lead, that is, the greater sort of sins, and therefore more hard, and consequently not remissible in that place: but wood, hay, stubble, that is, little and very light sins, which the fire doth easily consume. Yet we have here further to consider, that none can be there purged, no, not for the least sins that be, unless in his lifetime he deserved by virtuous works to find such favour in that place.

St. Gregory the Great
Dialogues, Book IV, Chapter xxxix

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

The Month of the Holy Souls (1)

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

St. Pius X - Part VIII

On this day one hundred years ago, St. Pius X issued his Apostolic Constitution Divino Afflatu on the reform of the Roman Breviary.

Sancte Pie Decime, Gloriose Patrone, ora pro nobis!