Tuesday 25 December 2012

Happy Christmas 2012

A very Happy Christmas to all readers: Puer natus est nobis.

Thursday 26 April 2012

The Heraldry of Sacred Music by Duane L.C.M. Galles



 Heraldic artwork and images courtesy Marco Foppoli

Our Catholic faith neglects nothing. 

And the visual beauty and communication of the art and science of heraldry is no exception.

So, here's something intriguing: a series of 4 articles on "the Heraldry of Sacred Music" by Duane LCM Galles.

We are very pleased to re-direct readers to this series of articles published in the Document Library of EWTN.

Part 1 here

Part 2 here

Part 3 here

Part 4 here

The Heraldry accompanying this post is by the magnificent Marco Foppoli the Italian heraldic artist whose reputation is growing enormously.  And justifiably so.  Any of you out there considering Heralidic art or heraldic design should consider his services.

We point out that the second coat of arms above is that of none other than Fra' Richard Divall AO, OBE, the Melbourne-based Australian Knight of Justice in the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (the Order of Malta).  As a Knight of Justice, he is a Professed Religious and, heraldically speaking, as a religiou he foregoes the helm and crest to which he is entitled retains his shield (the real "coat of arms") and surrounds it with a rosary (note the cross used is the Maltese Cross of the Order).

Wednesday 25 April 2012

New Reform of the Reform Mass at St Aloysius Caulfield

News comes to us that from 12 May, St Aloysius in Caulfield will offer a SaturdayVigil Mass each Saturday at 6pm to be celebrated in a Reform of the Reform style.  This fulfils the Sunday Obligation.

The special Reform of the Reform website says:

The promulgation of the new translation of the Roman Missal of 1970, invites us to reflect further on the "hermeneutic of continuity" articulated by Pope Benedict XVI, and the importance of this being demonstrated consistently in the celebration of the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite.


Beginning Saturday 12th May (at 6 pm), in response to the requests of the Faithful, a weekly Vigil Mass in the Ordinary Form will be offered at St Aloysius' Church which will aim to exemplify "sacredness in continuity".

The Mass will be celebrated in English, "ad orientem" at the High Altar, with both the Propers of the day and the Ordinary being sung. Communicants are invited to kneel at the Altar rails to receive Our Lord on the tongue 'under both kinds' by intinction. Books will be provided containing all the readings, Mass Ordinary and Propers, and music including hymns.

The inaugural Mass, at 6 pm on Saturday 12th May, will be offered for the intentions of Pope Benedict XVI.


We commend the good Fathers in their initiative in responding to the requests of the Faithful. 

This initiative has received some comment over on David Schutz's blog

We posted the following comment today in response to the question whether Glorificamus has been involved:

"Joshua / Oliver

No, The Glorificamus Society has not been involved in sponsoring this initiative.


However, we heartily support this initiative: anything which helps to promote the sense of the sacred, the transcendent and offering of Holy Mass in continuity with tradition should be warmly supported and welcomed by all. The Holy Father is clear in what he wants and why it’s good for the Church.

The good Fathers at St Aloysius are doing magnificent work for those who wish to worship in the Extraordinary Form.

This new initiative seems to us to offer something important to the Archdiocese in exemplifying the offering Holy Mass in the vernacular using options that are in continuity with tradition, especially:

- the use of Ad Orientem is the key intiative; would that more parishes actually adopt it for at least some Masses and at the High Altar (where there is still one or if there isn’t one, install one)

- the singing of the Propers: the key musical step is the recovery of Gregorian Chant propers, the real way to sing the Catholic Mass

- we presume the singing of the Ordinary is also Gregorian and hopefully allow for the recover the People’s Chant, something denied to most congregations around Australia

- kneeling to receive Holy Communion on the tongue: a key expression of our faith in our Eucharistic Lord.

All good. Let’s get behind it and show our support. Clearly, the Fathers are responding to the requests of the faithful in a generous fashion. May God bless them.

As far as the Masses which Glorificamus has organised, all the above elements have been employed. A notable difference was that the Masses were sung by the Celebrant, people and the lectors in Latin (with the exception of the Prayers of the Faithful).
One can hardly do other than encourage St Aloysius in offering Mass in the way they have chosen: in the context of a parish that offers every Mass in Latin this sounds like a very good way to offer someting attractive to those seeking a reverent Mass in English. We hope it prospers and other parishes learn how to do it too.

The Holy Father was clear that we all have much to learn from the older form of the Mass when it comes to celebrating the newer form well. Perhaps priests from other parishes might attend to see how it’s done and parishioners from other parishes attend and go back to your parishes and ask Father to follow St Aloysius’ example."

Saturday 7 April 2012

He Has Risen: Easter 2012

RESURREXI, et adhuc tecum sum, allelúia: posuísti super me manum tuam, allelúia: mirábilis facta est sciéntia tua, allelúia, allelúia. Ps. 138. 1- 2. Dómine, probásti me, et cognovísti me: tu cognovísti sessiónem meam et resurrectiónem meam. V. Gloria Patri.

I arose and am still with Thee, alleluia: Thou hast laid Thine hand upon me, alleluia: Thy knowledge is become wonderful, alleluia, alleluia. Ps. Lord, Thou has searched me and known Me: Thou knowest my sitting down and my rising up. V. Glory be to the Father...

Friday 24 February 2012

No Extraordinary Form Mass at St Patrick's Cathderal for 2 weeks; resumes Wednesday 14 March at 5.30pm

Please note that there will be no EF Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral either this Wednesday (29th February), or the following week (7th March).

The Cathedral Mass will resume on 14th March at the usual time of 5.30pm.  Entry to the Cathderal is via the door at the Right Transcept and parking available in the Lansdowne Street Carpark.