NOTICE - 13 OCTOBER - FEAST OF BLESSED GERARD - INSTALLATION OF NEW GRAND PRIOR

An important event will take place on 13th October when the 57th Grand Prior of England, Ian Scott of Ardross, will make his vows of office during solemn Mass in the 12th century crypt chapel of the former Priory Church of St John of Jerusalem, Clerkenwell, now the seat of the Venerable Order of St John. The last such ceremony took place in 1558 in the reign of Queen Mary I, when Thomas Tresham, the last Grand Prior of the Order before the Reformation, was installed in the Priory Church. We are grateful to the Venerable Order for permitting the use of the Crypt and other facilities.

As this is the feast day of our blessed founder Gerard, the relic of his jawbone, brought to England by Sir George Bowyer in 1830, one of the great treasures of the Order of Malta in England, will be venerated and used to give the final blessing, the first visit of the relics to this historic church, making the occasion a double celebration.

All members of the Order, Companions and members of the OMV are cordially invited to attend.

The mass will begin at 7pm; members of the Order intending to robe should arrive at 6.30pm.

The ceremony will be followed by a drinks reception in the Museum annexe, and if fine, in the priory garden.

Names of those who wish to attend should be given to Caroline de la Force by Thursday 6th October, by email if possible to basmom@btconnect.com or to telephone number 020 7286 1414.  The address of the church is Saint John's Square (to the north of Clerkenwell Road) EC1M 4DA. The nearest tube station is Farringdon.

Saint John the Baptist, pray for him

Blessed Gerard, pray for him

Blessed Adrian Fortescue, pray for him

NOTICE - REQUIEM MASS FOR FRA' FREDRIK IN PARIS

The late Grand Prior with Fra' Matthew Festing carry out
hospitaller work for the pilgrims of Notre-Dame-de-Philerme
on the Chartres pilgrimage in 2001

We have been sent the following notice from France, about a Requiem Mass for the late Grand Prior organised by those responsible for the Order's pilgrim chapter on the Chartres Pilgrimage. Should anyone be travelling through or near Paris on that day they are warmly encouraged to attend.  We are very grateful to our French friends for this very generous act of charity.

Chers amis et pèlerins de Notre-Dame de Philerme,

Le 14 juin dernier, au lendemain de l'arrivée de notre chapitre sur le parvis de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres, un ancien pèlerin du chapitre a été rappelé à Dieu.

S.E. Fra' Fredrik CRICHTON-STUART, chevalier Grand-Croix de Justice de l'Ordre de Malte, Grand Prieur d'Angleterre de l'Ordre. Il était aussi un fidèle pèlerin sur la route de Chartres au sein de notre chapitre et certains d'entre nous ont marché avec lui.
 

En sa mémoire : 

Nous vous invitons à la messe de requiem qui sera célébrée selon la forme extraordinaire du rite romain par Monsieur l'abbé Guilhem LECOCQ, f.s.s.p., ancien aumônier général de Notre-Dame de Chrétienté, 

à la mémoire de Fra' Fredrik CRICHTON-STUART, 

le lundi 17 octobre prochain à 20 heures  

en l'église Sainte-Elisabeth de Hongrie.

195 rue du Temple 75003 PARIS (accès par la petite porte à gauche de la façade de l’église). 

En union de prières.

TUITIO FIDEI - POPE BENEDICT XVI

Photo copyright Osservatore Romano.

On arrival is Germany today, the Holy Father has expressed words on relativism which fit pefectly with the charism of the Order of Malta, in our duty to others in respect both of promoting the Faith and our Hospitaller work.

In human coexistence, freedom is impossible without solidarity. What I do at the expense of others is not freedom but a culpable way of acting which is harmful to others and also to myself. I can truly develop as a free person only by using my powers also for the welfare of others. This holds true not only in private matters but also for society as a whole.

Benedict XVI 

THE SACRED LITURGY - A SACRED POEM - Tuitio Fidei by a Blessed of the Order

Cardinal Schuster, wearing the ornaments to the
alb used in the Ambrosian rite, 
which is in fact now attached to the cincture.

The following text is an article written by Blessed Ildefonso Cardinal Schuster OSB, Blessed of the Order of Malta, who was Archbishop of Milan in the 1920's, a most learned scholar of liturgy.

The Sacred Liturgy in its widest meaning, has as its object, the religious and supernatural culture of Christianity in its various sacramentary, euchological, ritualistic, literary and artistic manifestations, embracing thus, as in a vast synthesis, all that which is most sublime which has been created in the world, in order to grasp and express the indescribable and the Divine. Nor is that all.

As children of the Catholic Church and heirs of the dogmatic revelation made to the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets of Israel, our religious culture not only pre-exists, in its fundamental elements, the very coming of the Son of God to the world, but it is present many centuries prior to the most ancient cultures which record history, establishing itself, for that reason, to be respected and venerated by the learned. Moreover, it is not possible to speak of a purely natural and human origin, both because the dogmatic element of Christianity originates from direct and positive Divine Revelation and also because the life and activity itself of the Church are derived from the Spirit of Jesus Who lives in Her.

Therefore we are speaking of a sacred poem, to which Heaven and earth have truly placed their hand, and in which humanity, redeemed in the Blood of the Spotless Lamb, on the wings of the spirit, soars on high, thrusting itself up to the throne of God. This is something more than a simple elevation; since the Sacred Liturgy does not only express that which is ineffable and Divine, but through the Sacraments and its euchological formulae, produces it, so to say, and fulfills it in the souls of the Faithful to whom it communicates the grace of Redemption. One may also say that the very source of the holiness of the Church is wholly comprised in Her Liturgy, so that without the Divine Sacraments, the Passion of the Saviour, in the present economy instituted by God, would not have any efficacy for us, due to the lack of instruments able to transmit its treasures to us.

The sphere of the Liturgy is unsurpassed by that of any other science, since it embraces the first origins of humanity, its essential relations with the Creator, the Redemption, the Sacraments, Grace, Christian eschatology, in other words, all that there is which is most sublime, most aesthetically perfect, most necessary and important to the world.

As for science, the Sacred Liturgy has its canons, its laws, its subdivisions, the same as all other sciences and particularly of positive theology, which is similar both in its method and its aim. One of its purposes, in fact, is the systematic study of Christian worship, distinguishing and classifying the various liturgical formulae according to the basic structure characteristic of each family, ordering them by date of compilation and instituting examinations and comparisons between the various forms, with a view to tracing elements of common origin in them.

It is only thus that apparently irreducible liturgies, such as the Roman, the Gallican and Hispanic liturgies can be traced to a common source. If such were not the case, it would be difficult to see how the unity of the Symbol of Faith (The Creed) failed to lead(as an immediate consequence of its unity) to primitive unity in its liturgical expression. Instead, recent studies and detailed and patient investigation have uncovered in all the liturgies, even the most dissimilar, a common substratum.

At times an identical concept is expressed using quite different ritual formulae and language. Nevertheless, it can now no longer be doubted that eastern and western liturgies all derive from an identical, very ancient form, which provides a foundation for Catholic unity in ecclesiastical worship.

[From: De vita Contemplativa, Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, Italy - Contributor and translator: Francesca Romana.]

Our heartfelt gratitude to Rorate Caeli blog for first posting this wonderful paper. UPDATE. Rorate Caeli are seemingly continuing a series of papers on the Liturgy, today 'The Sacred Liturgy and Mary Most Holy' has been posted, so we encourage our readers to visit that site.

DOWNLOADS WORKING AGAIN...

We are glad to report that following a technological hiatus over a period of a few months, the 'Downloads' section is now up and working again, thanks to the kindness of a Companion of the Order. It may be accessed through the sidebar, as shown in the image above.

There you will find the Ordo for the current year's liturgical celebrations for the Order of Malta, the Order prayer, and other files for download in PDF format.  These will open in most web-browsers, and may be saved to your computer and opened in Acrobat or other suitable document-reader software.

Informative documents will be uploaded there from time to time, it will also permit the downloading of homilies and other papers posted on this site.

ABSTINENCE FROM MEAT ON FRIDAY - FROM TODAY

Today, the Bishops of England and Wales have determined that in future we must refrain from eating meat or flesh products on Friday as a necessary part of our weekly penitence.

They have provided a very instructive 'Question and Answer' document, in the format of a simple catechism, which may be downloaded here.

This obligation carries the same moral force as the Sunday Mass obligation and other disciplines of the Church, and applies to all those between their 15th and 60th birthdays.

We should also bearing in mind when preparing food for other people that we have a duty to avoid tempting them into breaking their obligation.

As an amusing aside, we have noticed that many of the more popular Catholic websites and blogs have pages of suggestions for meatless recipes, so there will be culinary as well as spiritual benefits to observing this discipline. We shall not be posting any here.

THE SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - ROSARY REQUEST

Altarpiece of the Seven Dolours in the Royal Abbey of Brou,
near Bourg-en-Bresse, early 17th Century

On this Feast we would earnestly ask all our readers to offer a Holy Rosary for unity within the Church, in accordance with the will of the Holy Father, and especially for the present initiatives for reconciliation of the Society of Saint Pius X, but also for the numerous other divisions within the Church and her organisations.

Holy Mass will be offered by Fr Dominic Robinson SJ at 6.45 this evening at Spanish Place for this intention, as also for the weekly intentions of the Order of Malta and St John's Hospice.

At the cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful mother weeping,
close to Jesus at the last,
Through her soul, of joy bereavèd,
bowed with anguish, deeply grievèd,
now at length the sword hath passed.

(Sequence of the Mass for the Feast)

14th SEPTEMBER - EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

O CRUX AVE, SPEC UNICA

THURSDAY MASSES - LEARNING THE NEW ENGLISH TEXTS AND MUSIC

from The Roman Missal Copyright ICEL 2010

To assist in learning the texts of the new English translations of Mass, the Thursday 6.45pm Masses in the Lady Chapel at Spanish Place, from now until the first Sunday of Advent, will be celebrated in English.

In order to promote the sung form of Mass, as expressly encouraged by our Holy Father Pope Benedict and the English Bishops, the Masses will be sung as often as numbers attending allow.

Booklets with all the texts and music contained in the new Missal have been specially prepared.

This project was begun at the instigation of Fra' Freddy, the late Grand Prior, who would have encouraged you all to come along to these Masses, not only for the opportunity they afford member of the Order, Companions and friends to attend Mass regularly together, but also to learn the new texts.

Fr Dominic Robinson SJ will be celebrant this first week, 15th September. Thereafter our Chaplain Father David Irwin will preside.

ARCHBISHOP NICHOLS - FREEMAN OF LONDON

Our congratulations to His Grace the Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Reverend Monsignor Vincent Nichols, who received the Freedom of the City of London at the Guildhall last Wednesday. His Grace was proposed by the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London Alderman Michael Bear, and Miss Catherine McGuiness, Common Councilman.

Ad multos annos.

THE GRAND MASTER ON RADIO

His Most Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master, Fra' Matthew Festing, has given an interview to "The Catholic Café", the evangelising internet radio station of the Order of Malta Federal Association, USA.

He covers subjects ranging from the history and nature of the Order's sovereignty to the work of Tuitio Fidei and the religious life, the rule of Blessed Raymond du Puy, and the relevance of Hospitaller work to the religious vocation of the knight.

The interview was recorded in Lourdes earlier this year, and lasts about half an hour.

The interview may be heard by clicking HERE.

MALTA DAY - WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL

The statue of Il Bambina carried into the Cathedral piazza after Mass.

Our congratulations to the people of the island of Malta, and to the Maltese community in Britain, who yesterday celebrated their second national day after Independence Day, called Malta Day, kept on the Saturday nearest to Our Lady's Birthday. It is also called Victory Day, as they share with the Order the joy of the lifting of the siege in 1565.  They also celebrate this day the lifting of the second great siege in 1942, equally attributed to Our Lady's intercession.

Mass was celebrated in Westminster Cathedral by Monsignor Carmello Scerri, delegate of the Archbishop of Malta, assisted among others by our chaplain Father David Irwin, who is also Diocesan chaplain for foreign missions, in the presence of the President of Malta, His Excellency Dr George Abela, and Mrs Abela, and His Excellency Joseph Zammit Tabona, High Commissioner, and many local dignitaries.  The music was provided by the Saint Paul's Choral Society of Malta who are on a concert tour of London. Some twenty knights and dames of the Order were present in choir.

The Mass was followed by a procession through the streets of Westminster to The Sacred Heart Horseferry Road of Il Bambina - the Child Mary - to celebrate our Lady of Victories, accompanied by the St Sebastian's Wokingham Brass Band, and firework displays at the beginning and end of the procession.

In the evening the High Commissioner hosted a Reception at the new and very luxurious Corinthia Hotel in Northumberland Avenue, to which members of the Order were most graciously invited.

Photo thanks to Catholic-LOVEvolution.blog

REPORT AND HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF PHILERMO

The vestments bearing the arms of the late Grand Prior, Fra' Fredrik Crichton-Stuart,
which were worn for the first time at this Mass. They were the presented to him just before his death
 by Monsieur Arthur van der Straeten. They were made in Lyons.

THE FEAST was kept with splendour in the Conventual Church, in the presence, for the first time, of the Grand Prior elect, Ian Scott of Ardross, with the propers of the Mass sung to the setting from Byrd's Gradualia, and the Gloria and Incarnatus from Mozart's Coronation Mass. The President of BASMOM, HE Mr Charles Weld was also present. During the solemn censing of the Icon of Our Lady of Philermo, the antiphon Inviolata was sung to chant, following the ancient practice of the Knights in Malta, where it was sung at the end of every Conventual Mass on Sundays and major feasts.  

Our Lady of Philermo, pray for us.

Monsignor ANTONY CONLON, Chaplain of the Grand Priory of England, delivered the homily at the Victory Mass in the Conventual Church. The text is given below, click "read more" for the full text.

Nature has endowed the sea-harbour around Malta with contours and depth that make it one of the best naturally-sheltered inlets in the world. The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V may not have known this when he decided to grant the island to the Knights of Malta in 1527 but he must have been aware of its strategic position, close to Sicily and Africa and at the eastern end of the Mediterranean. What he did expect – and he was to be proved right – was that the new defenders would be tenacious, courageous and resourceful in its defence. Above all these virtues they would also demonstrate an unshakeable attachment to the ancient faith, at that time being assailed across parts of Europe by new and variously subjective religious theories. Unable to undertake the task of defence of the extremities of the Mediterranean because of hostilities against his own dominions from the French King and the German Protestant princes, the Emperor saw the Knights as the only possible reliable and consistent means of resistance to the Ottoman ambitions to encircle Europe from the east. In many respects the island was a most inhospitable outpost with poor cultivation prospects and uncertain sources of fresh water. Yet, due to the determination and character and ability of its Grand Masters, the Order transformed this mostly barren, almost treeless outcrop of islands into an almost impregnable fortress for the defence Christian Europe that survived assault for nearly 300 years. That was not necessarily the outcome anticipated by the Order when it first arrived in Malta. Already in his 70’s when he took possession of the new territory, the then Grand Master de L’Isle Adam, considered the move temporary and in his remaining few years in office he longed always to return to Rhodes, whose loss he never considered permanent although it tuned out to be so.

MORE FOR THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF PHILERMO

In celebration of the Feast, we offer below images from Marian shrines connected to the Order of Malta around the world.

The Altar of Our Lady of Philermo in St John's Valetta, Malta
showing the solid silver gates.  It is here that the true icon was
housed until the destruction by Napoleon. Pray for him.

The image of Our Lady with Our Lord and Saint John the Baptist
on the altar of the Grand Master's chapel
of Santa Maria del' Priorato, on the Aventine, Rome.

The Priory Church of Our-Lady-under-the-Chains, Prague

The shrine of the Immacolata in the Order's church
 of San Michele Arcangelo, Naples

The shrine of Our Lady in the Order's church of St Elizabeth of Hungary, Paris
Please pray also for our Hospital which shares this dedication.

Beata Maria de Phileremo, ora pra nobis

SETPEMBER 8th - OUR LADY OF PHILERMO, VICTORY MASS

TODAY, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, is, throughout the Order, the Feast of Our Blessed Lady of Philermo.

On this day, by the gracious intercession of our beloved Mother, the island of Malta was freed from the Ottoman siege in 1565, and thus the merciful work of the Order was continued to the glory of God and of His Church.

We beseech her at this time to overcome the powers of darkness which are raised against the Church and against the Order, and to stay the hand of all those who might attack or frustrate the mission of the Order in our own day, that we may continue to serve her Divine Son in Our Lords the Poor and the Sick in their need.

The Icon in the festal dress of Grand Master de l'Isle Adam

Nativitas tua, Dei Genitrix Virgo, gaudium annuntiavit universo mundo : ex te enim ortus est sol iustitiae, Christus Deus noster : qui solvens maledictionem, dedit benedictionem, et confudens mortem, donavit nobis vitam sempiternam. Antiphon of the Magnificat of II Vespers.

Your Nativity, O Virgin Mother of God,  announced joy to the whole world, for out of you arose the Sun of Justice, Christ our God; who taking off the curse, bestowed blessing; and defeating death, gave us new life.

Let us pray.

Bestow upon your servants, we beseech you O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that, as the child-bearing of the Blessed Virgin stood for the beginning of our salvation, so may the solemn feast of her Nativity bring about an increase of peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

Mass will be celebrated solemnly in the Conventual Church at 6.30pm. The celebrant will be Monsignor Antony Conlon, who will also preach.

To read more of the history of the devotion, click here.

BIRTHDAY OF THE LATE FRA' FREDRIK CRICHTON-STUART

Fra' Freddy at his beloved Torphichen,
the ancient seat of the Order in Scotland.

Today, 6th September 2011, is the 71st birthday of the late Grand Prior of England, who was born in Edinburgh at Bute House, a short walk from St Mary's Catholic Cathedral, whence he was buried last June.

Of your charity please pray for his soul this day.

REQUIEM AETERNAM DONA EI DOMINE, ET LUX PERPETUA LUCET EI.

REQUIESCAT IN PACE

Our Lady of Philermo, pray for him

Saint John the Baptist, pray for him

Saint Andrew, pray for him

Blessed Gerard, pray for him

Blessed Adrian Fortescue, pray for him

All holy Saints and Virgins of the Order, pray for him

BISHOP HUGH GILBERT ON THE NEW TRANSLATIONS

With thanks to Fr Tim Finigan for finding this, we offer below an excerpt from the first pastoral letter (click for full text) from the close friend of the late Grand Prior, Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB, the new bishop of Aberdeen.

‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ In Christ, the Son of God takes on everything human, except sin, and transforms it. And in the Liturgy this mystery of the Incarnation – the Word becoming flesh – lives on among us. Everything speaks of it. When we gather to worship we come together in a building – not usually in any building, though, but in a church, a building dedicated for worship. The ministers who lead our prayer don’t wear just ordinary clothes, but vestments. We stand, sit or kneel, but each of these postures now has a special meaning. We come together to listen to readings – not any readings though, but words inspired by the Holy Spirit, words that are now the word of God. We gather round a table – but not any table, rather a holy table, an altar. We eat and drink – but not any food or drink, rather bread and wine which have become that holiest of things, the Body and Blood of the Lord, his very Self. In the Liturgy, ordinary things are taken up by Christ and the Church and become vehicles of something greater than themselves. And so it is too with the words, the language, we use in prayer. Christianity has always, to some extent, created its own language. It took the words of ancient Israel or the Greco-Roman world and filled them with a new meaning. And so, in the Liturgy, we use words that carry the resonances of a long tradition, words that express our faith, and are rich with many centuries of experience of the God who has spoken to us in Christ. The new translation of the Missal is very aware of this and tries to be loyal to it. And, once again, when these words are sung, they can lift our hearts even more.

These reflections upon the sacredness of the liturgical texts, as of all that we touch and do in connexion with the liturgy, will serve us well, and we wish Bishop Gilbert every blessing in his new ministry.

FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO LISTEN TO THE NEW MASS TEXTS AND MUSIC, FOR THIS WEEK ONLY, THEY MAY BE HEARD ON THE BBC iPLAYER, FROM THIS SUNDAY'S MASS FROM THE CHURCH OF OUR-LADY-AND-THE-ENGLISH-MARTYRS, CAMBRIDGE. Somewhat lacking in availing of the possible occasions to sing, but most instructive nonetheless. A fine homily from Fr Alexander Master, Precentor of Westminster Cathedral, which touches upon the themes of Bishop Gilbert's letter. Click anywhere on this paragraph.

USING THE NEW TRANSLATION OF THE MISSAL

In Advent this year the new corrected translations of the Roman Missal will come into effect.  Before this, starting on the first Sunday in September, this week, the unchanging parts of the Mass, those prayers and responses we say week by week, will be used of the first time.

In addition to the changes to the texts, the Bishops have included much more music in the new books, and whereas in the past many of us have been unfamiliar with singing many parts of the English Mass, from now on this will become a very much more usual part of our Sunday Liturgy; as Saint Augustine says, "he who sings prays twice."

Information from ICEL, the editors, including texts and music, may been seen and downloaded from links on the page available here.

Here is a commentary on the English Bishops' Conference website by our august chaplain Monsignor Andrew Wadsworth, Executive Director of ICEL, including a podcast.

The Bishops of Ireland have prepared three excellent short videos, which are posted below, to help explain the theology behind some of the changes, which bring the English-speaking world into line not only with the official Latin texts, but also with most of the other languages of the world. The translations are also intended to be much more beautiful, to help us raise our hearts and minds to God.

From Thursday 15th September, at the specific wish of the late Grand Prior, the Order of Malta's 6.45pm Mass at the Lady Chapel at Spanish Place will begin using the new texts, and when we are numerous enough, the Mass will be sung, to assist us to learn the new responses and their music. This will continue until Advent. Everyone is encouraged to make use of these opportunities.

Introducing the new Missal Part 1:

Introducing the new Missal Part 2:

Introducing the new Missal Part 3:

NOTICE - VICTORY MASS - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 8th

The uncovered face of the true icon of Our Lady of Philermo

The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated in the Order as Our Lady of Philermo, and commonly known as the Victory Mass, in celebration of the lifting of the Seige of Malta in 1565 at her intercession, will be celebrated in the Conventual Church at 6.30pm on Thursday 8th September.

The celebrant will be the Chaplain to the Grand Priory, Monsignor Antony Conlon, and the Mass will be followed by a Reception in Fortescue House.

All members of the Order, Companions, and their friends and guests are warmly encouraged to attend this the principal Marian Feast in the Order's calendar.

Beata Maria de Phileremo, ora pro nobis.

REPORT ON DAY OF RECOLLECTION AT WARDOUR CASTLE

HE The Chancellor at the Wardour organ keyboard

Last Saturday some two dozen members of the Order, Companions and guests gather at All Saints Chapel, Wardour Castle, where we were made very welcome by Lord and Lady Talbot of Malahide.

The day begin with Rosary, followed by Fr Gerard Deighan's first conference, on the subject of Temptation, based upon the text of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. Sung Mass of the feast of the day, St Joseph Calasanctius, and Sext followed, and then everyone repaired to the delightful setting of Pythouse Kitchen Garden for lunch, accompanied by the Order's wines from Magione.

The second conference was on the Sacrifice of the Mass, and based upon the same text as the morning conference, Fr Deighan developed the connection bewteen these two seemingly separate aspects of our Faith. Afterwards Lord Talbot gave a talk on the history of his Chapel.

Exposition and Benediction concluded the day, before we were invited to afternoon tea in her garden by Lady Talbot.

We are extremely grateful to our hosts, to Fr Deighan for coming from Dublin for our edification, and to those who organised this most fruitful day.

Some excellent photographs may be seen by clicking this link, or the picture above.

MONDAY 29th AUGUST - BEHEADING OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

Beheading of St John by Sano di Pietro

Today is the feast of the Decollation of our Blessed Patron.

"Since the memory of blessed John the Baptist is not to be passed over cursorily, it is important that we should note who he was, and by whom, and for what cause, and how, and when he was slain. A just man is slain by adulterers, and the guilty passed sentence of death upon the judge. Further, the death of the Prophet was the reward of a dancing-girl. Lastly (which all the barbarians even would be likely to shudder at) the order to consummate the cruelty went forth amid feasting and conviviality; and from the banquet to the Prison, from the prison to the banquet, the obedient agents of this death-dealing and disgraceful act went to and fro. How great are the crimes confined in this single infamy!" (Homily of St Ambrose, Lesson iii from Matins.)

O God, of those that fought Thy fight,
Portion, and prize, and crown of light,
Break every bond of sin and shame
As now we praise Thy Martyr's name.

He recked not of the world's allure,
But sin and pomp of sin forswore:
Knew all their gall, and passed them by,
And reached the throne prepared on high.

Bravely the course of pain he ran,
And bare his torments as a man;
For love of Thee his blood outpoured,
And thus obtained the great reward.

With humble voice and suppliant word
We pray Thee therefore, holy Lord,
While we Thy Martyr's feast-day keep,
Forgive Thy loved and erring sheep.

Glory and praise for aye be done
To God the Father, and the Son,
And Holy Ghost, Who reign on high,
One God, to all eternity. Amen.
(Hymn for Vespers, St Peter of Verona 6th century, trans A McDougall)

BECAUSE IT'S AUGUST - II - CHAPEL ROYAL AT VERSAILLES

To continue the pleasures of the holiday season, and remembering fondly our friends in the French Association of the Order who celebrate Saint John's Day in the Chapelle du Roi in the Palace of Versailles, we would encourage you to look at this splendid new 'virtual tour' of the Chapel, which merits several long minutes of your time.

The presentation, including panoramas and detailed photographs of the building, its collection and plate, among them items loaned by the Custodians of the Holy Land, having been donated to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem by King Louis XIV in 1664, has been prepared by the Administrators of the Chateau de Versailles to celebrate the Tercentenary of the Royal Chapel of the Roi-Soleil.

Do not miss looking at the wonderful ceiling, painted by Antoine Coypel and Charles de la Fosse, and especially the vault over the Royal pew, painted with the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

The 'virtual tour' concludes with a short concert of sacred music composed for the Chapel, from Charpentier's Te Deum. Click on the photograph to begin.

Tomorrow is, of course, the Feast of Saint Louis IX, King of France.

O Saint Louis, priez pour nous.

THE REVEREND JAMES BRADLEY

It is with great pleasure that we learn that our friend James Bradley, who is now a deacon in the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, was privileged to be chosen by the Holy Father to function as deacon of the Gospel for the opening Mass of World Youth Day in Madrid last week. This is a great honour for England, and a great encouragement for our friends in the Ordinariate.

Photo courtesy Diocese of Arundel and Brighton

Readers of this blog will recall that the Reverend Mr Bradley was the photographer for the Meeting of the Professed of the Order in Merton College (click here) last year.

We wish him well in his continuing studies and forthcoming ordination to the Sacred Priesthood in the Ordinariate.

O Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for him.

Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for him.

BECAUSE IT'S AUGUST

We encourage our readers to look at this charming video of the Holy Father, in Madrid for World Youth Day.  Sadly the BBC does not permit the embedding of its clips. CLICK ON THE PICTURE.

NOTICE - AUGUST GRAND PRIORY DAY OF RECOLLECTION

The August day of Recollection will be given by The Very Reverend Gerard Deighan, of St. Kevin's Church, Dublin, on Saturday 27th August, at All Saints Chapel at Wardour Castle, through the kindness of the Lord Talbot of Malahide.

Many will recall that Fr Deighan was subdeacon at the Funeral Mass of the late Grand Prior in Edinburgh.

The programme for the day is as follows:

10.30am - Lauds

11am -  First Conference, followed by opportunity for Confession/recitation of the Rosary

12 noon - Missa Cantata (Feast of S Joseph Calasanctius.)

Lunch

2.30pm - Second Conference

3.15pm - Vespers, Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

There will be a brief talk about the church given by our host during the day.

Lunch is arranged at Pythouse Kitchen Garden, a local restaurant, (postcode SP3 6PA), at the cost of approximately £15 per head. It is absolutely imperative that anyone wishing to attend should email his intention to avoid complications and embarrassment. Please email: basmom@btconnect.com

The postcode for Wardour Castle is SP3 6RH. The 08.20am train from Waterloo will be met at Tisbury if you indicate by email that you so wish.

A additional levy of £10 per head will be taken to cover the costs of the day.

As ever, everyone is welcome, all members of BASMOM, other members of the Order, Companions and guests.

ARCHIVE - RESTORATION MASS OF PLUSCARDEN ABBEY

At this joyful time when the monks of Pluscarden Abbey celebrate the election of their new Abbot, Father Alselm Atkinson, to whom we extend out most sincere good wishes and prayers, and as the Church in Scotland celebrates the consecration and installation on the Feast of the Assumption of Abbot Hugh Gilbert, O.S.B., until now Abbot of Pluscarden, as the fifty-first and eleventh bishop of Aberdeen on 15th August 2011, it seems a good moment to air a short piece of historical footage, the consecration of Pluscarden Abbey on the 8th September, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, (Victory Day to the Order) in 1958.

The abbey, a ruin for 500 years, had been bought and given to the Benedictine Order by Lord Colum Crichton-Stuart, a noted Scottish Catholic layman, son of the 3rd Marquess of Bute, and therefore a cousin of our beloved and late Grand Prior, Fra' Fredrik Crichton-Stuart. The community was founded by Benedictine monks from Prinknash Abbey.

Fra' Freddy had a great and long-standing love of Pluscarden (he joined the Order of Malta when the restored Abbey was only five years old!) and made the great majority of his retreats there. Abbot Gilbert attended his funeral in Edinburgh.

Lovers of the Sacred Liturgy will be entranced by the simple beauty of the monastic vestments, and the grace and ease which attend these complex ceremonies, despite the fact that they were being undertaken in the setting of a ruin, and by people who had come together for the first time form many disparate places. Therein lies both the wonder and the benefit of our Catholic tradition. What we see here represents, in a way, Fra' Freddy's liturgical ideal, an unmannered and masculine religion; it shows the tradition from which he came, and the direction in which he had wished to lead the spiritual life of his Grand Priory.

We are indebted to Mr Martin Gardner, of A Wandering Oblate blog, for uploading this footage, and to the Abbot and community of Pluscarden for permitting it to be copied from their archive.

NOTICE - THURSDAY MASSES IN AUGUST

Due to the large number of people who are away on holiday, it has been decided that the Thursday evening Mass at Spanish Place will be cancelled for the next two weeks in August.  The 6pm Parish Mass is available to those members of the Order and Companions who might wish to attend.

The Masses will resume on Thursday 1st September.

Please note however, that the following week, 8th September, is the Nativity of Our Lady, the Victory Mass in the Order, and will be celebrated at the Conventual Church at 6.30.  There will consequently be no evening Mass at Spanish Place on that day.

Thereafter Masses will continue as normal at 6.45pm every week in the Lady Chapel at Spanish Place, followed by a reception in the Presbytery dining room.

15th AUGUST - SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY

"This day the spotless Virgin, who was defiled with no earthly sensuality, but trained to thoughts of heaven, returned not to dust, but, being herself a living heaven, took her place in the heavenly mansions. For from her the true life had flowed for all men, and how should she taste of death?" - from the Sermon of St John Damascene, taken from Matins of the feast.


Masses at St James's Spanish Place are celebrated at 7.15am, 11am (Tridentine), 12.30 and 6pm.

Our Lady Assumed into Heaven, pray for us.

FRIDAY ABSTINENCE - 16th SEPTEMBER

The late Grand Prior was insistent that full catechesis be given to the impending Friday abstinence in preparation for the date upon which it becomes an obligation, 16th September 2011; it is thus a great pleasure to be able to reprint below the excellent exposition upon this discipline given on the Oxford Oratory website earlier this month.

FRIDAY ABSTINENCE - WHY?

As from the 16th September this year, which will be the anniversary of the Papal Visit, the bishops of England and Wales have decided to restore the practice of Friday abstinence from meat as binding on all Catholics in this country.

Why?

Because it was the day on which Our Lord rose from the dead the first Christians celebrated Sunday, the first day of the week, as the principal Christian day of worship rather than the Jewish Sabbath (Acts 20:7). From that time each Sunday has always been viewed as a mini Easter Sunday. Correspondingly, each Friday has been viewed as a mini Good Friday on which we observe the Passion and death of Our Lord on the Cross. From the earliest days of the Church, Catholics have abstained from flesh meat as part of this observance for two reasons: first, to do homage to Christ who died in the flesh on Good Friday and, second, as an act of penance for our sins.

Although many thought this practice had been abolished in recent years, in fact it has continued to be the norm in the Catholic Church throughout the 20th century and down to the present day. However, in some places, including in England and Wales, the bishops were given authority by the Pope to allow people to substitute some other act of penance instead.

The bishops of England and Wales have decided that abstaining from meat on Fridays should become the norm once again for both of the reasons given above but also for a third reason. When he visited Britain, Pope Benedict called for all Catholics to have the courage and the confidence to take their Faith into the public square. Abstaining from flesh meat on Fridays is a way of marking our Catholic identity and proclaiming, in just one small but distinctive way, that the death of Christ on the Cross is the most important event in human history along with His resurrection on Easter Sunday. We already mark His resurrection by going to Mass on Sunday. Now, once more, we can share a common practice as we mark His Passion and death.

This practice does not mean that we have to eat fish; there are many alternatives to non-meat dishes these days. And if we are already vegetarian we can offer our existing practice up as a penance or undertake some other form of penance instead.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes penance as a repentance and a conversion of the heart, an "interior conversion, [which] urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance" (CCC 1430). It is not that we are parading our good works before men; rather, we are worshipping the living and true God with our whole being, body as well as soul, just as the prophet Joel urges us to do in the readings on Ash Wednesday (Joel 2:12-18), and as Our Lord himself teaches us to do, whilst not showing off, in Matthew's Gospel (Mt 6:1-6).

Let us respond generously, then, to this call from our holy Mother, the Church, to give witness to the Passion and death of our Saviour who died for us that we might live with Him.

SECOND CONFERENCE - DORCHESTER DAY OF RECOLLECTION

ON THE MEANING OF OBEDIENCE

Most of us present here are familiar with the Triduum Office of Tenebrae. One of the most poignant and instructive moments comes towards the end of Lauds when the whole congregation kneels and sings the chant “Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem”. Christ became for us obedient, even unto death. These words, first written by St Paul to the Phillipians (2:8), summarises two absolutely primary truths of revelation, that obedience was what rendered Christ’s death the most perfect sacrifice and that it reversed humanity’s previous disastrous original refusal to obey recorded in the Book of Genesis(3:1-19). The death of Jesus, as explained by St Paul teaches us that the virtue of obedience, supremely demonstrated in the willingness to submit to death on the Cross, was in itself an essential solution that removed the stain and shame of mankind’s first turning away from God. Likewise it restored the broken links of direct communication with God that had resulted from man’s first disobedience. Just as we can be assured of that, we should also be in no doubt that the disobedience evident in man’s first experiment with freedom to do as he pleased was the main cause of the fall from grace. The theme of obedience and its opposite is examined and exhibited right through the Bible story of salvation. Beyond Adam and Eve, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, King David, the Prophets, the story of Jonah, all are asked by God to undertake specific tasks and prove their willingness by their fulfilment. In the initial chapters of the New Testament, Zecahriah, John the Baptist and pre-eminently the Blessed Virgin Mary are all asked to co-operate with God’s plan of Redemption. None of us should be in any doubt that the virtue of obedience is what decides who is acting in God’s name. Correspondingly it is clear from Biblical revelation that disobedience is the hallmark of satanic influence and is alien to faith and charity.

FIRST CONFERENCE - DORCHESTER DAY OF RECOLLECTION

ON THE TRUE DUTIES OF THE CHRISTIAN AND OF THE KNIGHT

Every Christian who takes his or her religion seriously should seek to live in the shadow of the Cross and to embrace the vicissitudes of life implied by that metaphor with equanimity and even abandonment. This acceptance of the reality of human weakness and capacity for error is not just blind faith. It is grounded in our complete confidence that a benevolent power immensely greater than our own guides our destinies. It also derives fundamentally from the knowledge through God’s own revelation that the evils and adversities that assail us are not positive energies but are the negative consequences of original sin. This means that we have a divinely-sanctioned explanation for all that is arbitrary and discordant in human nature. At the same time, the biblical wisdom which helps us to understand the source of human folly and its effects also reveals its remedy. Secular wisdom does not understand either the poisonous consequences of sin and the pain it causes or their antidote. As a consequence, humanists offer seductive and at times very convincing therapies and treatments for the alleviation of suffering and the anxiety resulting from it. None of us is immune from the temptation to credit such worldly solutions to the problems which beset us and we delude ourselves greatly if we think that we are. In our age, global misfortune combines with global communication to produce a consensus among many of the developed nations of the world contradicting the wisdom of faith in favour of expediency and utility. We stand against this trend. As members of a Catholic religious Order, we must be clear that our tradition and raison d’etre is always to place the supremacy of God at the heart of every strategy for the alleviation of human suffering.

ELECTION OF NEW GRAND PRIOR OF ENGLAND

At the Grand Priory Day of Recollection which was held to day at Saint Birinus Dorchester-on-Thames courtesy of our chaplain Fr John Osman, the Chapter elected Ian Scott of Ardross as the 57th Grand Prior of England. His election will now be submitted to Sovereign Council for confirmation.

The Recollection was attended by some 20 members of the Order and Companions (who provide sterling domestic service at lunch far beyond the call of duty), and was preached by Monsignor Antony Conlon, Chaplain to the Grand Priory.  Mass of Saint Appolinaris was sung in the morning, and the day concluded after Vespers with a 'Te Deum' coram sanctissimo for the election of the new Grand Prior, and Benediction. Monsignor Conlon's two most inspiring talks will be given in the immediately following posts.

This was the third annual visit to Dorchester and we are immensely grateful to Fr Osman for his hospitality,  unmeasured hospitality and kindness.

Please pray for Ian Scott as he begins his service as Grand Prior.

Beata Maria de Phileremo, ora pro eo,

Beate Joanne Baptista, ora pro eo.

Beate Hadriane Fortescue, ora pro eo.

This post will be updated with photographs when they are received.

FUNERAL OF ARCHDUKE OTTO VON HABSBURG

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The funeral took place today in St Stephen's Cathedral Vienna of  HIS IMPERIAL AND ROYAL HIGHNESS ARCHDUKE FRANZ JOSEPH OTTO ROBERT MARIA ANTON KARL MAX HEINRICH SIXTUS XAVIER FELIX RENATUS LUDWIG GAETAN PIUS IGNATIUS by the Grace of God and hereditary right Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary.

The funeral, presided over by His Eminence Christoph Cardinal Count von Schönborn, was attended by His Most Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master Fra' Matthew Festing, and many members of the order in Austria and throughout the world. The Chancellor of the Grand Priory of England, His Excellency Fra' Duncan Gallie, was in attendance upon the Grand Master.

The funeral Mass was followed by a procession through the Innere Stadt of Vienna and the entombment of Archduke Otto and his late wife, Archduchess Regina who died last year, in the Habsburg Imperial Crypt of the Imperial Capuchin Church of Vienna. Archduke Otto's heart will be interred in Pannonhalma Archabbey.

Our condolences are extended to all the Imperial Family, especially to those who are members of the British Association of the Order of Malta.

Knights of Malta stand guard around the coffin during the Requiem Mass (photo Reuters, courtesy BBC)

Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. 

Requiescant in pace.

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