Commemorating the Great War

I saw in yesterday's Sunday Times a report about discussions in Whitehall about events overthe coming years to commemorate the Great War. The planning committee were reported as anxious to avoid opening old wounds and to play down any note of triumphalism. That seems right to me. Given that the centenary is approaching and given the number of lives lost and blighted by the War it is, of course, appropriate to recall those terrible losses. I do rather worry that some may try to appropriate such solemn anniversaries to a modern agenda regarding Europe.

What worries me more is that commemoration here will begin with the British entry into the War on August 4th. That was not the beginningof the conflict, nor even the Austrian shelling of Belgrade on July 28th. The crisis began with the Sarajevo assassinations on June 28th. Now whatever the blindness of politicians, the influence and impact of the military industrial complex, and the draft plans of military men it should be remembered that the whole crisis was triggered off by an attack on the traditional order by the forces of violence and revolution in the person of Princip. War may well have been a real danger in 1914, but it was not inevitable. Even after the deaths of the Archduke and his wife it might have been possible to prevent or contain the conflict. The tragedy of 1914 is that it was not - and that fact is what really needs commemorating next year.

 

Serving Mass at Carshalton

Yesterday afternoon I travelled with my friend David Forster up to Carshalton to serve a Mass in the Extraordinary Form at the church of Holy Cross. We did a similar trip in November, and, as I posted recently, a monthly Mass in this Form has now been arranged at the church.

The attendance was larger than last time, and the congregation had in some cases travelled a fair distance to get there. The celebrant was Canon Peter Newby, of St Mary Moorfields in London, and formerly Catholic Chaplain to Oxford University.

David and I, together with a parishioner from Holy Cross, made up the serving team, with me doing my fairly usual performance as thurifer. We hope to hold a servers training session before the Mass on February 10th as there are men interested in assisting. 

Matthew Schellhorn, the local LMS representitive, brought his schola, Cantus Magnus, who provided an excellent polyphonic setting for the Mass by Orlando Lassus - the acoustic worked very well in the church. 

Afterwards there was an opportunity to meet up with friends and acquaintances and make plans for the future. Over tea and biscuits the intriguing idea was expressed that for many seminarians of the early 1980s the television production of Brideshead Revisited in 1981-82 was important in giving them a vision of Catholicism before the liturgical and presentational changes occurred, and making them more aware of traditional thought and practice . Given the generational shift and the advent of Pope John Paul II in 1978 I can see there may be something in the argument. If such is the case then I am sure Evelyn Waugh would be pleased.

After that we had time for a visit to a nearby pub with a friend before driving back for supper in Oxford. Quite a long session, especially for David with the driving, but well worthwhile.

 

St Augustine Sodality

A friend has drawn my attention to this new initiative from the Latin Mass Society, which I shall sign up to - I am copying the LMS website piece about it:

THE LMS SODALITY OF ST AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO

"...pro se orare necessitas cogit, pro altero autem, caritas fraternitatis hortatur. Dulcior autem ante Deum est oratio, non quam necessitas transmittit, sed quam caritas fraternitatis commendat."
"Necessity makes us pray for ourselves, fraternal charity urges us to pray for others. But sweeter before God is prayer which is not sent from necessity, but commended by fraternal charity."
Summa Theologica II, Q88 a.7 c. (St Thomas Aquinas)

Introduction
The purpose of the Sodality is to unite the prayers of members for the conversion of those dear to them. There can be few Catholics today who do not have family members or close friends who have either lapsed from the practice of the Faith, or never had it; it is a particular source of grief when parents see children and grandchildren living without the support of the Sacraments. We take heart from the example of St Augustine, converted at last by the prayers and tears of his mother St Monica, and wish to demonstrate our fellowship with others in the same position, by praying not only for our own dear ones, but for those of others who will do the same for ours.
Duties of Sodality Members
Sodality members undertake to say every day the prayer Pro devotis amicis, taken from the Roman Missal, for the Sodality’s intention; members who are priests undertake to say one Mass a month for this intention. The intention is the conversion or return to the Faith of family and friends of Sodality members. The intended beneficiaries of our prayers are not listed, except in the hearts of Sodality members. The Latin Mass Society, to which the Sodality is affiliated, will arrange and announce in advance at least one public, Traditional Sung (or Solemn) Mass for the Sodality’s intentions a year. Please note that the undertaking, by members, to pray for the conversion of others does not bind under pain of sin.

 

Additional ways in which Sodality Members can help the Apostolate
Sodality members, both lay and clerical, may add other Masses, prayers, and devotions, for the Sodality’s intention, and are encouraged to do so. In particular, members will be asked annually if they wish to make a contribution to the costs of the Sodality’s public Mass or Masses, and whether they would like to make a Mass offering for an additional Mass or Masses to be said for the Sodality’s intention, which the Latin Mass Society will arrange, to be celebrated according to the Extraordinary Form. (The customary Mass Offering is £10.)
You can make an offering towards an annual Mass or towards an additional Mass at the bottom of this page.
Joining the Sodality
Membership of the Sodality is free and open to all; members sign up by email. Please provide your name, address, email address, and phone number. (It would help us if you would inform us of any
change in your contact details so that we can continue to inform you about Masses offered for the intentions of the Sodality.)

The Sodality Prayer
Pro devotis amicis (which may be said in Latin or any other language):

Deus, qui caritátis dona per grátiam Sancti Spíritus tuórum fidélium córdibus infudísti : da fámulis et famulábus tuis, pro quibus tuam deprecámur cleméntiam, salútem mentis et córporis ; ut te tota virtúte díligant, et quæ tibi plácita sunt, tota dilectióne perfíciant. Per Dóminum nostrum Iesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte eiúsdem Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia saecula sæculórum. Amen.

O God, who, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, hast poured the gifts of charity in the hearts of thy faithful, grant to thy servants and handmaids, for whom we entreat thy mercy, health of mind and body; that they may love thee with all their strength and, by perfect love, may do what is pleasing to thee. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth in the unity of the same Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Masses for the intention of the Sodality should include, when possible, the Commemoration ‘Pro Devotis Amicis’ (Collect, Secret and Postcommunion) found in the Roman Missal. Adding such a Commemoration is possible in the 1962 Missal on Fourth Class Feasts at Low Mass, where no more than one Commemoration is demanded by the Ordo.

Showing US Seminarians round Newman's Oxford

Yesterday, for the third year running, I gave a tour of Newman's Oxford to seminarians from the St Paul's Seminary School of Divinity. The visit of twenty or so of them, led by their tutor, Fr Tom Margevicius, on a visit to London, Oxford and Birmingham to learn about Bl. John Henry and his thought has become an annual fixture, and is always a pleasant occasion at the beginning of a new year.

The tour is based around visiting Newman's two colleges,Trinity and Oriel, as well as his parish church of St Mary the Virgin. It is also an opportunity to saying something about Oxford life both in the early nineteenth century and today.

Despite the fading light of afternoon we managed to get round both colleges, their halls and chapels, including the Newman Oratory at Oriel. It also provides an opportunity to explain the thinking behind the Oxford Movement of 1833 and all it achieved.

After the tour we repaired to the Bear, which claims to date from 1242 as a hostelry, and boasts a unique collection of ties from institutions, clubs and societies for a pint and the opportunity to continue the discussion. I do not know if Newman frequented it at all - perhaps unlikely, but it is the Oriel pub.

The young men from St Paul are always good candidates for the priestly life and with a genuine willingness to learn about Newman and his life. I wish them and their colleagues well.

Epiphany

A Joyful Epiphany to you all

The Adoration of the Magi

Gentile da Fabriano c 1370- c.1427

The figure between the donkey and the third king has been identified as the artist. The figure with the hawk has been identified as Palla Strozzi, who commissioned the painting.

1423

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

Image: webhook.com

The Lost Prince

Yesterday I went up to London to meet a friend and go the see the National Portrait Gallery exhibition The Lost Prince about the life and death of Henry Prince of Wales. I posted about him in November 6th with Henry Prince of Wales on the 450th anniversary of his death.

Henry, Prince of Wales by Isaac Oliver, circa 1610-12

Miniature in the Royal Collection

Image:NPG/Observer

We began by looking at the Tudor and Stuart portraits in display in the permanent collection in the gallery. Shame to tell I had not visited the collection before, and it was a genuine delight to see pictures one knows so well from photographs in books in reality. What was especially impressive was their superb condition and lighting, as well as the presence of some less well known portraits or personalities.

The exhibition on Prince Henry was very well worth seeing, with portriats and artifacts from the Gallery, the Royal Collection, the Naval Museum at Geenwich and the British Library and other collections. 

In addition to portraits of the Prince, his immediate family, Danish relatives and his courtiers items on show included two of his suits of parade armour from the Royal Collection, some of his letters and exercise books, books presented to him, texts and illustrations for masques which celebrated the Prince and his part in national renewal and works of art he had collected. There were examples of the numerous memorial pieces in literatrure and music producedin the widepread grief at his death and the remains of his funeral effigy from Westminster Abbey. This was made to be dressed in the robes he had worn as Prince of Wales at his Investiture in 1610 - the splendidly illuminated Letters Patent showing the Prince receiving his symbols of rank from his father was also on display -  and suggests that he was of middling height rather than tall. Also in this section was the portrait commissioned by King Charles I as a memorial to his brother and copied from the miniature reproduced above which hung in the King's bedchamber at Whitehall thereafter. That, and a small volume of advice presented to the future King Charles II  on the eve of the Civil War advising him to model himself on his uncle, indicated the posthumous presence of the Prince at the Stuart court.

Departing with acopy of the handsome exhibition catalogue we went for a leisurely lunch at the Oxford and Cambridge Club in Pall Mall before an excursion into terra incognita for me as my friend went looking for computer cablesand such like in theTottenham Court Road. 

A thoroughly enjoyable and educationally informative day, and it is to be hoped that this exhibition helps to reinstate Prince Henry in the national historical conciousness and understanding.

Ordinariate Epiphany Carol Service - January 10

Advance notice of a forthcoming event from the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in the New Year:

A festival of carols and readings for the Epiphany of the Lord will be held on Thursday 10 January 2013 at the church of St Mary, Cadogan Street, London  (Nearest Tube station: Sloane Square) at 7pm. The celebration will mark the second anniversary of the establishment of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham and is being organised and hosted by the Friends of the Ordinariate.

Music at the service will be provided by the Schola Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, and readings will be taken from sacred scripture and the newly published Customary.

The Friends  are particularly pleased to welcome the Duke of Norfolk and a number of Catholic authors and journalists, who will read at the service. 

A special invitation is extended to those who are not members of the Ordinariate, but who wish to contribute to, and support, our life and mission in a particular way.

EF Masses at Carshalton 2013

Following on from the Mass in the Extraordinary Form at Carshalton last November about which I posted four more have been arranged for the coming months:

Sunday 13th January

Holy Family Jesus, Mary & Joseph

(I Sunday after Epiphany)

Canon Peter Newby of St Mary Moorfields will be the celebrant. 

Sunday 10th February

Quinquagesima Sunday

Sunday 10th March

IV Sunday in Lent (Laetare Sunday)

Sunday 14th April

II Sunday after Easter

All the Masses will be offered at Holy Cross, 46 North Street, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 2JD at 5.00pm.