Holy Vocations

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Sisters Adorers at a Solemn Mass at Lourdes

Friday, May 24, 2013

Repleátur os meum laude tua, allelúja: ut possim cantáre, allelúja: gaudébunt lábia mea, dum cantávero tibi, allelúja,allelúja. 

Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise, alleluia: that I may sing, alleluia: my lips shall rejoice, when I shall sing to Thee, alleluia, alleluia. (Ps. 70: 1, 2) - from the Introit of Ember Friday After Pentecost.

Photo - chanting by the Sisters Adorers at a Solemn Mass at Lourdes, April 2013

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Pray for Vocations this Whit Embertide

Monday, May 20, 2013

Although Ember Days are no longer considered required in mainstream Roman Catholicism following Vatican II, they can - and should - still be observed by the Faithful. In fact, many Traditional priests encourage the Faithful to observe the days. Ember Days are set aside to pray and/or offer thanksgiving for a good harvest and God's blessings. If you are in good health, please at least fast during these three days and pray the additional prayers. Remember the words from the Gospel: "Unless you do penance, you shall likewise perish" (Luke 13:5)

Join the Church during these three days by fasting, abstaining from meat, and praying for vocations.

Ember Days this Pentecost: May 21, 24, and 25.

From New Advent:

Ember days (corruption from Lat. Quatuor Tempora, four times) are the days at the beginning of the seasons ordered by the Church as days of fast and abstinence. They were definitely arranged and prescribed for the entire Church by Pope Gregory VII (1073-1085) for the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after 13 December (S. Lucia), after Ash Wednesday, after Whitsunday, and after 14 September (Exaltation of the Cross). The purpose of their introduction, besides the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy. The immediate occasion was the practice of the heathens of Rome. The Romans were originally given to agriculture, and their native gods belonged to the same class.

At the beginning of the time for seeding and harvesting religious ceremonies were performed to implore the help of their deities: in June for a bountiful harvest, in September for a rich vintage, and in December for the seeding; hence their feriae sementivae, feriae messis, and feri vindimiales. The Church, when converting heathen nations, has always tried to sanctify any practices which could be utilized for a good purpose. At first the Church in Rome had fasts in June, September, and December; the exact days were not fixed but were announced by the priests. The "Liber Pontificalis" ascribes to Pope Callistus (217-222) a law ordering: the fast, but probably it is older. Leo the Great (440-461) considers it an Apostolic institution. When the fourth season was added cannot be ascertained, but Gelasius (492-496) speaks of all four. This pope also permitted the conferring of priesthood and deaconship on the Saturdays of ember week--these were formerly given only at Easter.

Before Gelasius the ember days were known only in Rome, but after his time their observance spread. They were brought into England by St. Augustine; into Gaul and Germany by the Carlovingians. Spain adopted them with the Roman Liturgy in the eleventh century. They were introduced by St. Charles Borromeo into Milan. The Eastern Church does not know them. The present Roman Missal, in the formulary for the Ember days, retains in part the old practice of lessons from Scripture in addition to the ordinary two: for the Wednesdays three, for the Saturdays six, and seven for the Saturday in December. Some of these lessons contain promises of a bountiful harvest for those that serve God.

From Catholic Culture:
Since man is both a spiritual and physical being, the Church provides for the needs of man in his everyday life. The Church's liturgy and feasts in many areas reflect the four seasons of the year (spring, summer, fall and winter). The months of August, September, October and November are part of the harvest season, and as Christians we recall God's constant protection over his people and give thanksgiving for the year's harvest.

The September Ember Days were particularly focused on the end of the harvest season and thanksgiving to God for the season. Ember Days were three days (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) set aside by the Church for prayer, fasting and almsgiving at the beginning of each of the four seasons of the year. The ember days fell after December 13, the feast of St. Lucy (winter), after the First Sunday of Lent (spring), after Pentecost Sunday (summer), and after September 14 , the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (fall). These weeks are known as the quattor tempora, the "four seasons."

Since the late 5th century, the Ember Days were also the preferred dates for ordination of priests. So during these times the Church had a threefold focus: (1) sanctifying each new season by turning to God through prayer, fasting and almsgiving; (2) giving thanks to God for the various harvests of each season; and (3) praying for the newly ordained and for future vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

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Brigittine Servitores of the Most Holy Savior

Sunday, May 19, 2013

One new order worthy of consideration is the Brigittini Servitores Sanctissimi Salvatoris (Brigittine Servitores of the Most Holy Savior) who are located adjacent to the FSSP parish in Tyler, TX. They have a website here.  The group is still very small and new.  They describe themselves thusly:
Essentially contemplatives, they engage in an apostolate of assisting the Holy Father and bishops to implement “Ecclesia Dei Adflicta” and Summorum Pontificum, while living a life centered on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the full Divine Office in the 1962 Rite (sic: Missal).

They promote the public recitation of the Divine Office by helping the Catholic faithful to appreciate and to recite it correctly and to promote its public recitation also promoting Latin literacy through seminars, formal courses of instruction, and correspondence courses. They correspond with priests, religious and laity interested in the traditional Latin liturgy and in the work of the Servitores, also disseminating information regarding churches, parishes, and religious orders using the Traditional Latin liturgy and other pertinent information for the promotion of the same. They also organize days of recollection and conferences for Catholics interested in the traditional Latin liturgy.
 You can contact the Brigittini Servitores as shown below:

Sister Margarita O.S.s.S.
Residentia Geatus Vilmos Apor
PO Box 4025 Tyler TX 75712 USA

You can e-mail Sister Margarita at servitores5@gmail.com.

The Brigittines were once widespread across northern Europe but many of their monasteries were destroyed during the Protestant uprising several hundred years ago.  Let us pray for an increase in their numbers.

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May I Trasmit "that which I have also received": A Testimony Against Activism

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The theme of this month's Holy Cross Seminary Newsletter resolves on prayer and the necessity to place prayer first in our lives - even before our apostolic works.  The full newsletter is below but I quote from it now to highlight some noteworthy sections:



Prayer is work and it is the work of God. Man was. created in order to share in the divine occupation of. glorifying God in his life on earth and in heaven. Nonetheless, man may, and must, apply himself to the. vicissitudes of life in a prayerful manner, as is befitting. the talents God has given him.

What a work prayer is! It is a work we do not take on alone. Christ was sent to dwell among us for this reason – to pray for us and to pray with us. Christ is our success. If we refuse to work with Him, our prayer becomes restless, we seek distractions from His loving and piercing gaze, and we avoid prayer for some other good work. This temptation to ignore prayer for good works is the fallacy of activism. Activity becomes a replacement for prayer and may accomplish some good, but for others who will profit from the work – for such an activist is not growing, but is spiritually undeveloped and therefore risks losing his soul. St. Paul illustrates this danger: But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway (I Corinthians 9:27).

How many misguided souls made spiritual dwarves are caught up in busy-work and not the work of adoring God as He wishes? Such a soul has no recollection and fails to purify his intentions in his activities, which become more and more for the glory of the worker. By contrast, the true apostolate is genuine when the apostle is “pre-occupied” with, and steeped in, the life of prayer.

St. Pius X, in Hærent Animo (his 1908 Encyclical on priestly holiness, §27) says: There are some who think, and even declare openly, that the true measure of the merits of a priest is his dedication to the service of others; consequently, with an almost complete disregard for the cultivation of the virtues which lead to the personal sanctification of the priest (these they describe as passive virtues), they assert that all his energies and fervour should be directed to the development and practice of what they call the active virtues. One can only be astonished by this gravely erroneous and pernicious teaching.

The 1917 Code of Canon Law directs Bishops to ensure that their clergy adhere to a regimen that fosters holiness of life and “success” in the ministry, beginning with frequenting the Sacrament of Penance, daily mental prayer, regular visits to the Blessed Sacrament, the daily Holy Rosary and examination of conscience and the spiritual retreat.

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The Benedictines of Mary: "Angels and Saints at Ephesus"

Thursday, April 18, 2013

As you may be aware the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles are about to release their second album- Angels and Saints; set for release on May 7!  Please listen to some excerpts above as well as some insightful interviews with members of the community.

Last Nov./ Dec., the Sisters’ debut album, ADVENT AT EPHESUS, with De Montfort Music/Decca, spent six weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Classical Music Chart, and the Sisters ended up as the #1 Classical Traditional Artist of 2012, according to Nielson’s Soundscan. (That has NEVER happened for a group of cloistered nuns.) Featured on NPR, USA Today, People Magazine and The Washington Times as well as countless other critically acclaimed press outlets, the Benedictines of Mary have created another beautiful recording of their music.

The sisters' second album, a year-round collection, will entertain and inspire, featuring 17 English and Latin pieces sung a cappella for the feasts of the holy saints and angels. Recorded once again at their Priory in the heartland of America, this new album is a dynamic yet pure fusion of their contemplative sound. The sisters call to mind the glory of the future vision of God in the company of all of His angels and saints.


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Ordinations at Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz, Austria

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

The New Liturgical Movement recently featured these beautiful images of an ordination at the Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz, Austria.  Click here to see the original source.




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2013 SSPX Subdeaconate Ordinations

On March 15th, Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta raised 5 acolytes to the dignity of major holy orders through ordination to the subdiaconate at Priesterseminar Herz Jesu (Sacred Heart Seminary) in Zaitzkofen, Germany.  Source: SSPX





Prayer:

God, in Baptism you called me by name and made me a member of your people, the Church. Help all your people to know their vocation in life, and to respond by living a life of holiness. For your greater glory and for the service of your people, raise up dedicated and generous leaders who will serve as sisters, priests, brothers, deacons, and lay ministers. Send your Spirit to guide and strengthen me that I may serve your people following the example of your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name I offer this prayer. Amen.

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The Cutting of the Hair During an Investiture


Her hair is cut during the investiture ceremony, symbolizing renunciation of self and world. These are the Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest, the feminine branch of the Institute. The ceremony took place on the Feast of St. Joseph, 2013, in Florence, presided by His Excellency, Monsignor Giovannetti, Bishop Emeritus of Fiesole.

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Mass for the Possession of the Chair of the Bishop of Rome

Sunday, April 07, 2013

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Investiture of Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest

Tuesday, April 02, 2013

For the investiture ceremony, the future brides of Our Lord approach the Altar on the arms of their fathers (or brother), in traditional wedding gown. (Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest, Feast of St. Joseph, 2013)

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