Being a proxy godfather - again

Yesterday I attended the baptism of Eleanor, the second daughter of a couple who are long standing friends from my days at Pusey House and who like me have entered into full peace and communion with Rome. Eleanor was born just before Christmas. Owen and Emily invited me to join them on this happy occasion which followed on from the Morning Mass at SS Gregory and Augustine here in Oxford, the church in which they were married.

The baptism was conducted by Fr John Saward, who conducted their wedding and also baptised their elder daughter. The rite was that of the Extraordinary Form, with its series of exorcisms and associated prayers, and was preceded by Emily's churching at the door and High Altar of the church.

When their elder daughter was baptised I was assigned the role of proxy godfather, the actual godfather being unable to be present as he was out of the country. Yesterday I found myself being tapped on the arm and asked once more to be the proxy as the godfather on this occasion was unable to attend due to his car having broken down the day before. So once more unto the font I went...

The traditional liturgical form of the rite of baptism emphasises to those who are cognisant of what is going on the seriousness of being redeemed from Original Sin and the significance of what is happening. The stress in the responses made on the child's behalf by the godparents is very much of a personal desire for baptism - and  all it entails - rather than on rearing the child within a particular tradition - that is assumed. This I assume reflects the antiquity of the rite, when catacumens were of years of discretion.  A baptism in the traditional form is a very thorough process - nothing gets left out.

Following the ceremonies at the church door with exorcisms and salt and the signing with the cross, the oil of the catacumenate, the actual baptism and the Chrismation we proceeded to the Lady Altar, with Eleanor carried by her godmother Alex Lloyd and me bearing the baptismal candle, where the newly baptised infant was, as is the custom at SS Gregory and Augustine, consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady.

By a happy chance of coincidence in the congregation at Mass beforehand and then invited to the baptism, was the former Anglican clergyman, recently reconciled to the Catholic Church, who had baptised Owen as a schoolboy here in Oxford and prepared him for confirmation as an Anglican.

Afterwards I was one of those at a most enjoyable lunch party to celebrate the baptism with grandparents and other family members, and an occasion to toast the by now very sleepy centre of attention in her pram. 

Please pray for Eleanor Clare Olwen Curry, for Owen and Emily and their other daughter Alice, and for their families.

An Extraordinary baptism

On Saturday afternoon I had the pleasure of attending the baptism of Alice Curry, the daughter of my friends Owen and Emily Curry. We all met originally in our Pusey House days, a time which was fruitful for forging lasting friendships. Owen and Emily married in 2011 at SS Gregory and Augustine here in Oxford and according to the Extraordinary Form. It was therefore to that church, and to the Extraordianry Form, and to Fr Saward who conducted their wedding service that they returned for the baptism of their daughter.

Beforehand I met up with another old friend who was here for the occasion and we had a very enjoyable lunch together before travelling up the Woodstock Road to the church.

I was called upon to act as the proxy for the godfather, Fr Martin Stamnestro, who was unable to make the journey from his parish in his native Norway. So it fell to me and to the godmother, Kate Miller, to make the latin renunciations and affirmations the rite required. The older rite does make it very clear that the infant is being well and truly exorcised of Original Sin - and as Mgr Knox used to say, the Devil understand latin.

During the ceremony there was a sudden realisation that the re was no white garment to place on young Alice, and in a moment of inspiration the veil was brought from the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in the Lady Chapel to act as a baptismal covering. We then processed, as planned, to that altar, with Kate carrying Alice and myself bearing the baptismal candle, to place Alice upon the altar and consecrate her to Our Lady. I suspect the use of the Virgin's veil may now become part of the Use of SS Gregory and Augustine...

Our Lady keeps a prayerful eye over Alice who is held in her mother's arms, and with her father on the left. Between them is Kate Miller the godmother, and I am standing behind Fr Saward.

Image: Br Andrew Wagstaff C.O.on Flickr

Afterwards most of use made our way to Owen's mother's house for tea in the garden and the drinking of Alice's health, and a general catching up of news and ideas between old friends.

A very happy and enjoyable afternoon, and at its heart the sacramental regeneration of a new Catholic.

More on the Nuptial Mass

My good friend the Last Knight has posted on his blog The Noise of the Crusade some reflections of his own about the wedding at which we were both servers last Saturday. You can read his piece at Pro sponsis. The wedding is also featured on the  Oxford LMS blog.

Nuptial High Mass

Yesterday I was a server at the wedding of two friends Owen Curry and Emily Shaw.

I have known Owen and Emily for a decade, meeting them at Pusey House, and like me they are converts to Catholicism, being received in 2007 and 2008 respectively. For their wedding they returned to SS Gregory and Augustine in Oxford where Emily was received into the Church.

In his speech at the reception afterwards Owen described the service as a simple, Bible-based one. Well, you could say that, but it has attracted the attention of the bloggers, being a High Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

The deacon at the Mass, Br Lawrence Lew OP, has posted this illustrated account on the New Liturgical Movement, with links to the other pictures taken by that other indefatigible photographer of things liturgical, James Bradley.

The sanctuary party provided the opportunity for a reunion of former Puseyites who have in recent years crossed the Tiber and all of us very keen on the use of the Extraordinary Form for Mass. So there were three former sacristans of Pusey in the sanctuary, and also two former Anglican clergy amongst the servers. In the photograph above I can be seen wielding the thurible. We had virtually all served together in the past which helped us through the complexities of entrances, exits and positioning ourselves in the right place at the right time in what is a small church. The fact that it all went smoothly also proved the point that it is worth rehearsing as we had for such liturgical occasions.

It was a beautiful and prayerful liturgy and provided, together with Fr Jerome Bertram C.O.'s impressive sermon, a very dignified and sacred beginning to Owen and Emily's married life. Please keep them in your prayers.