We had a High Mass in Blackfen today to celebrate the full implementation of Summorum Pontificum. I was very upset when I realised that the Mass was going to be in the middle of the day: I didn't think that it would be a good idea to ask for an afternoon off school when we'd only just started......Imagine my delight when, on checking my timetable, I realised that this would be "Week B" (we have a two-week timetable) and on Friday of Week B I have a couple of free periods either side of lunch. Technically, one of the free periods is a "cover" - this means I could have to cover another absent teacher's lesson, so getting the opportunity to skip out of school wasn't a certainty: however, on the basis that if you don't ask, you don't get, I put in a request to be kept free. And I was hopeful: at this point in the year there aren't usually too many staff off sick.
So today I was able to attend the Mass. It was well attended, and I took a few little snaps with my dinky phone-camera.
Fr. Zuhlsdorf, the author of the blog "What does the Prayer Really Say?" preached the sermon. He pointed out that the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross was picked deliberately by the Holy Father for the implementation of Summorum Pontificum; and that we remove the mystery of the Cross from the celebration of Mass at our peril. He said a lot more, and as he appeared to have a recording device at the lectern, I'm hoping that a podcast will be available soon. (Ok, apparently not... technology is great, but only when it works. The text of his sermon is available HERE.)Unfortunately I had only been "let out" for the free periods and lunch. This meant that I had to get back to teach a Year 7 class, and couldn't stay for the reception. That was a bit of a wrench - the place was positively swarming with fellow bloggers... Fr. Tim, Fr. Zuhlsdorf, Fr. Nicholas Schofield, the Dúnadan, Fr. John Boyle, and non-blogging (but much blogged-about) priest, Fr. Richard Whinder; ...and I was delighted to be greeted by Londiniensis (he doesn't have a blog of his own, but comments occasionally.)
Hopefully there will be some more reports about the day. Watch this space.
UPDATE: The Dúnadan has posted his account of the Mass... he seems to have been first off the mark!
UPDATE 2: Fr. Zuhlsdorf has blogged about the High Mass, as has Fr. Nicholas.
10 comments:
Looks wonderful..
Wonderful! I so wish I could've been there.
Instead, I went to St Andrews, Ravelston, last night for a Sung Mass and solemn Te Deum. It was wonderful.
Looking at that photo at the end, I have not insignifcant hopes that by the end of my life all Masses (whichever 'form') will look that way.
Sounds like a true event! Glad you were able to attend.
Dear Mac, the delight was all mine. Pity you couldn't stay for the lunch - the parish ladies really put on a good show!
Why in heckers is Fr. Z. wearing his biretta at the sermon? [Am I right in thinking this pic was taken during the sermon?]
I saw this pic yesterday, and thought "that ain't right" - but not wanting to trust my 7 year old "mind's eye" I looked up the reference I had regards the ritual. It specifically said the priest would have his biretta off at the gospel. But didn't really say anything about during the sermon. I didn't remember a priest's head being covered then either. Couldn't get hold of my almost 78 year old priest friend [who said the Tridentine Mass for 10 years] until this today, and I asked him if he would have ever worn a biretta while reading the gospel or giving a sermon. He replied in the negative. Maybe Fr. Z. was afraid someone in the choir would sit on it.
;-D
Karen, Fr Tim wears his Biretta when preaching. It comes off for the Gospel (and the Canon), and is doffed at other times at the Holy Name of Jesus. The maniple comes off during the sermon...
I don't know the exact rubrics, but I'm pretty sure that Fr Z and Fr Tim do...
Weeeellllll....unless the custom was different in the UK. There were a few other things I noticed. There were quite a few stills at traditionalcatholic.org.uk The ceremonial book I have says the deacon incenses the clergy in the choir right after he incenses the celebrant and just before the subdeacon is incensed...did this happen? The it's odd the stills don't catch this if so. Did the cameraman take a break, or was the deacon napping?
They show the thurifer incensing the non clergymen in the choir just before he incenses the people.
And when clergy in choir are incensed, their birettas should be held in front of them. did that happen?
Your thurifer seems to be holding the disk a little low closer to his belt than on his chest as he does his throws, but again, maybe that's a little too persnickety. I LOVE his shamrock motif though.
BTW, interesting torches the torch bearers had.
Karen - yes, the clergy in choir were incensed first. Not everything is shown in the stills...
...the torches were just what we happened to have in the parish - they're usually used for outdoor processions!
ah! Those torches are WAY cool.
I love when parishes use their older stuff. And I'm as impressed as all getout that all three priests had great chasubles that matched, even the humeral veil for the subdeacon.
It's interesting how in the low mass, the celebrant carries the chalice in himself - but in the high mass they go through the extra ceremonies of having it brought from the credence table.
Fr. Tim managed to get the chasuble and dalmatics as a set a year or so ago - they are nineteenth century French (and the Lamb of God on the back is just sooooo intricately embroidered/appliqued...)
The humeral veil was something we had (I think) but the red cope appears to have been borrowed fairly recently (I act as assistant sacristan on occasion, and I haven't seen it before... but it's still in the sacristy, so maybe it's a "new" acquisition)
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