Oslo ordination

Staying with a Scandinavian theme my Norwegian friend Ole Martin Stamnestro has sent me on the internet an extensive album of photographs of his ordination as a Deacon in Oslo cathedral on January 6th. It looks to have been a splendid occasion which I regret I was not able to attend.

Here is one of the pictures he sent, showing Martin standing between the Bishop of Oslo and, I assume, his assistant bishop.

Diaconal Ordination at the Oxford Oratory

The Oxford Oratory website now has a set of pictures of the diaconal ordination of Br Nicholas Edmonds-Smith which took place last Friday.

The laying on of hands

The whole series can be viewed here.

The liturgy was impressive, the congregation large, the party afterwards enjoyable. A good step forwards for Br Nicholas, and for the Oratory and the community it serves. Please keep them all in your prayers.

The Diaconate

This evening Br Nicholas Edmonds-Smith C.O. will be ordained as a Deacon at the Oxford Oratory by Bishop William Kenney, titular Bishiop of Midica and assistant bishop in the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Not only is this an occasion upon which to pray for Br Nicholas and his future ministry, but also to reflect upon ministerial order.

The traditional seven stages of ordained ministry

Image: New Liturgical Movement

Back in January Fr Hunwicke posted a series of articles on the nature of the diaconate, and in particular emphasising that its real function is liturgical rather than, as has often been argued since Vatican II, designed as a welfare ministry. His five articles can be read here as follows Diaconia (1) , Diaconia (2) , Dicaconia (3) , Diaconia (4) and Diaconia (5) at Vatican II and later.

Please pary for Br. Nicholas and all others approaching diaconal ordination.

Cardinal Burke ordains at the Institute of Christ the King

The New Liturgical Movement has a post with illustrations of Cardinal Burke leading a pilgrimage to the heart of St Francis de Sales and a diaconal Ordination he celebrated for the Institute of Christ the King in January. You can view it here. From the post there are links to other photographs of both occasions.

Following on from my previous post about the new English translation of the Novus Ordo and its opponants it is so positive to look at the renewed tradition that Cardinal Burke and the Institute both represent and practice.

Almost twenty five years ago I recall looking at the famous photograph from the 1920s of an enthroned Cardinal Mercier of Malines (d.1926) in full pontifical vestments and being told by an Anglican religious that I would never see such a thing in my lifetime (nor, by implication, would anyone else ever do so). Yet here in 2011 is Cardinal Burke in a very similar pose:

Not only that but the whole liturgy was celebrated with the all traditional vestures for the Cardinal and his attendants, as is discussed in the comments on the post. Thus, for example, he wore the winter cappa magna, with the traditional galero, and wore the tunicle was well as the dalmatic under the chasuble. This is what I mean by liturgical renewal - restoring those things that are gone to decay, and making all things new in Christ.