Friday 2 April 2010

Holy Thursday in Cork

The Easter Ceremonies were celebrated in the Gregorian Rite in Ss. Peter and Paul's Church, Cork City. Some images from Mass on Holy Thursday follow:

Introibo ad Altare Dei

Ab illo benedicaris, in cuius honore cremaberis

Nos autem gloriari opportet in cruce

Gloria in excelsis Deo


Dominus Vobiscum

Dominus sit in corde tuo et in labiis tuis

Exemplum enim dedi vobis

Et quemadmodum ego feci vobis ita et vos faciatis

Msgr. James O'Brien

Suscipe Sancte Pater Omnipotens

Per intercessionem beati Michaelis Archangeli

Per omnia saecula saeculorum...

...et elevatis oculis in caelum...

Haec quotiescumque feceritis in mei memoriam facietis

Reflecti vitalibus alimentis...

...plenum gratiae et veritatis...

Veneremur cernui!

Diviserunt sibi vestimenta mea

[Feel free to use these images but please credit this blog and give proper reference to the location and occasion - Convenor]

For many years, an elderly retired missionary Priest celebrated the Gregorian Rite daily at a very early hour in the Church of his congregation, the SMA, in Wilton, on the outskirts of Cork City. I well remember attending Mass in a darkened Church at 6.30 a.m. In the company of perhaps a dozen others who had been cute enough to discover the Mass in spite of the absolute ban on publicity. This elderly Priest, now deceased and for whom your prayers are requested, persevered despite increasing blindness to celebrate the Votive Mass of Our Lady, in season and out, as long as health permitted.

More recently, occasional Masses were organised in Ss. Peter and Paul's, growing to a monthly Mass since July, 2008, following Summorum Pontificum.

Fr. Patrick McCarthy, the Parish Priest of Saints Peter and Paul's, has been celebrating Mass in the Gregorian Rite weekly since October, 2009, with the permission of the Bishop of Cork and Ross. During this past Lent, Mass was celebrated daily in the Gregorian Rite.

During Holy Week, Tenebrae was celebrated each day of the Triduum and the full Easter Ceremonies were celebrated in the Church.

Ss. Peter and Paul's was also the scene of a Pontifical High Mass celebrated by H.E. George Cardinal Pell on 12th July, 2009. It coincided with the 150th anniversary of the commencement of building of the Church and was organised by St. Colman's Society for Catholic Liturgy to coincide with their annual conference held in Fota. It was the first public Pontifical High Mass (or even Gregorian Rite Mass) celebrated publicly in Ireland by a Cardinal since the introduction of the Novus Ordo.

St. Colman’s Society for Catholic Liturgy will hold its annual Solemn High Mass for the Holy Father’s intentions, on Easter Tuesday, 6th April, 2010, at Ss. Peter and Paul’s.

The foundation stone of the church was laid on 15th August, 1859, and the church was dedicated for worship on 29th June, 1866. It replaced an older church, built in 1786, which was entered from Carey's Lane and known as Carey's Lane Chapel. At that time Catholics were prohibited from building churches on main streets. This explains why the building is on such a narrow street when it is clearly worthy of a grander setting.

The prime mover in the building of SS Peter and Paul's was Archdeacon John Murphy. He was a member of the wealthy family of brewers (producers of Cork's famous Murphy's Stout) and had a most unusual early career for a future priest as he had worked for a time as a fur trader with the Hudson Bay Company in Canada.

The Church is Parish Church of most of the central part of Cork, the island between the two channels of the River Lee.

Missing, as is often the case with Irish Churches, is the spire planned for it, which was never built due to lack of funds and for fear that the extra weight might cause the structure to subside.

The irregular plan comprises five-bay side elevations with side aisles, apse to the east, and having gabled entrance front to the west, flanked by a four-stage tower to the north, and a pinnacle to the south. The pitched and hipped slate roofs are completed by cast-iron finials. The walls are of ashlar sandstone with ashlar limestone plinths, string courses, quoins, and dressings to openings. pointed arch window openings with stained glass windows set in carved limestone tracery. The timber match-board doors have wrought-iron strap hinges, set in pointed arch opening and having carved tympanum. Cast-iron railings set on limestone plinths and cast-iron gate to site.

There is some question over whether the Church was designed by E.W. Pugin, son of Augustus, or by Pugin's Irish partner, George Ashlin, but, at any rate, this church is particularly significant, as it is the earliest collaboration of the two, and in many ways acted as a template for subsequent church building in Ireland.

Located on a cramped site, this site is excellently utilised. The characteristic Cork materials, of ashlar sandstone with limestone dressings, add colour and textural variation to the site. The buildings in enhanced by the retention of many artistic features, such as the stained glass by Barnetts of Leith and Earley, the high altar which was designed by Ashlin and executed by Samuel Daly, as well as the carved confessionals and pulpit. The high altar was consecrated in August, 1874. In 1875 a new pulpit, again designed by Ashlin, and sanctuary stalls were added. The pulpit is of Russian oak with figures carved in high relief. High quality workmanship is evident throughout the construction and execution.

9 comments:

Brigit said...

Wonderful photographs of a beautiful church.

Brother Hyacinth TOP said...

Indeed, very lovely pictures of the TRUE MASS

Donnelly's Hollow said...

This is a fine church. The people of Cork are lucky to have it and they seem to appreciate it because it hasn't been wrecked like so many churches here.

Anonymous said...

The most impressive thing here is the unity of it all - unity of place and design with action and purpose. Very often the hermenutic of disunity and discontinuity disrupts our spiritual lives and our prayerfulness, especially at the Liturgy. Cork is blessed to have refocussed upon the transcendent made present and concrete.

Bagenal Harvey said...

Extremely impressive ceremonies. How I wish things were different in my local Parish.

Anonymous said...

Just magnificent!

An Auld Dubliner said...

How oft do my thoughts in their fancies take flight? Well done Cork! You're putting the best foot forward!

Anonymous said...

I agree with what people are saying here. Everything is so beautiful. Isnt this how it should be?

Anonymous said...

Why is there another Latin Mass in Cork City now? Is it that this Church is so full?