SSPX Canada's Solemn High Mass - Pilgrimage 2012

Priests of the Society of Saint Pius X recently celebrated a solemn Mass on the Częstochowa altar at the Martyr's Shrine near Midland, Ontario, Canada, on September 22 2012, as a part of the Canadian District pilgrimage.  The following images are from that same Solemn High Mass.

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October 14, 2012: Pontifical High Mass at Shrine of Christ the King

Sunday, October 14  Pontifical High Mass Celebrated By  Bishop Joseph N. Perry  10:00 am

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Book Review: The Good Pope by Greg Tobin

After reading a copy of "The Good Pope: The Making of a Saint and the Remaking of a Church" by Greg Tobin, I think that a new subtitle would be more appropriate.  Perhaps that new title should be "The Good Pope: A Shockingly Inaccurate and Biased Biography" or even "The Good Pope: A Liberal's Take on Vatican II"

Mr. Tobin's "biography", which initially showed promise, is nothing more than a liberal's slanted view of history and a poor biography from a historical point of view.  On the first page of the Preface, Tobin writes, "[John XXIII] was a megawatt celebity in the age of such secular saints as Elizabeth Taylor...Fidel Castor and Nikita Khrushchev."  To use the word "saint" to refer to atheistic, Communist leaders is appauling.

Just turn the page and read another glaring error when Tobin writes, "Thomas Aquinas, Edith Stein,...Mother Teresa of Calcutta are models of sanctity and service who have been canonized by the Catholic Church."  Last I checked, Mother Teresa was beatified and not yet canonized.  This is a common fact - a quite glaring factual error.

Tobin praises John XXIII's (and the Vatican Council's) erroneous statements on Jews in Nostra aetate and Unitatis redintegratio. Have we forgotten the role of the Jews in the death of Christ?

On Page 174, Tobin again incorrectly writes "The conservative bloc [at the Council] included...Marcel-Francois Lefebvre...the most conservative of the lot, [who] would later lead a major schismatic movement in the 1970s and beyond."  So Tobin also believes the liberal lie that Archbishop Lefebvre was a schismatic for wishing to remain a Catholic when the leaders at the time departed from the True Faith.  Tobin has revealed his true colors with this statement (not counting all the other instances).

The book is full of liberal bias (e.g. promotion of the false principles of Vatican II, agreements with the liberal policies that led to a destruction of the Faith and lack of belief in the Real Presence).  When will the liberals realize that Vatican II did not succeed?  How often have these people forgotten that admonishment in 1 Peter 5:8 ?  The Second Vatican Council was in its essence a revolt against our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church and how pleased satan is with the result.  Kyrie eleison!

Have we forgotten the importance of doctrine?  Perhaps we need a reminder from Bishop Williamson:

Number CCLXVI (266)		18 August 2012
DOCTRINE AGAIN
The scorn of “doctrine” is an immense problem today. The “best” of Catholics in our 21st century pay lip-service to the importance of “doctrine”, but in their modern bones they feel instinctively that even Catholic doctrine is some kind of prison for their minds, and minds must not be imprisoned. In Washington, D.C., around the interior dome of the Jefferson Memorial, that quasi-religious temple of the United States’ champion of liberty, runs his quasi-religious quotation: I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. Surely he had Catholic doctrine in mind, amongst others. Modern man’s quasi-religion excludes having any fixed doctrine. However, a sentence from the “Eleison Comments” of two weeks ago ( EC 263, July 28) gives a different angle on the nature and importance of “doctrine”. It ran: So long as Rome believes in its Conciliar doctrine, it is bound to use any such (“non-doctrinal”) agreement to pull the SSPX in the direction of the (Second Vatican) Council. In other words what drives Rome supposedly to discount “doctrine” and at all costs to conciliarize the SSPX is their own belief in their own Conciliar doctrine. As Traditional Catholic doctrine is - one hopes - the driving force of the SSPX, so Conciliar doctrine is the driving force of Rome. The two doctrines clash, but each of them is a driving force. In other words, “doctrine” is not just a set of ideas in a man’s head, or a mental prison. Whatever ideas a man chooses to hold in his head, his real doctrine is that set of ideas that drives his life. Now a man may change that set of ideas, but he cannot not have one. Here is how Aristotle put it: “If you want to philosophize, then you have to philosophize. If you don’t want to philosophize, you still have to philosophize. In any case a man has to philosophize.” Similarly, liberals may scorn any set of ideas as a tyranny, but to hold any set of ideas to be a tyranny is still a major idea, and it is the one idea that drives the lives of zillions of liberals today, and of all too many Catholics. These should know better, but all of us moderns have the worship of liberty in our bloodstream. Thus doctrine in its real sense is not just an imprisoning set of ideas, but that central notion of God, man and life that directs the life of every man alive. Even if a man is committing suicide, he is being driven by the idea that life is too miserable to be worth continuing. A notion of life centred on money may drive a man to become rich; on pleasure to become a rake; on recognition to become famous, and so on. But however a man centrally conceives life, that concept is his real doctrine. Thus conciliar Romans are driven by Vatican II as being their central notion to undo the SSPX that rejects Vatican II, and until they either succeed or change that central notion, they will continue to be driven to dissolve Archbishop Lefebvre’s SSPX. On the contrary the central drive of clergy and laity of the SSPX should be to get to Heaven, the idea being that Heaven and Hell exist, and Jesus Christ and his true Church provide the one and only sure way of getting to Heaven. This driving doctrine they know to be no fanciful invention of their own, and that is why they do not want it to be undermined or subverted or corrupted by the wretched neo-modernists of the Newchurch, driven by their false conciliar notion of God, man and life. The clash is total. Nor can it be avoided, as liberals dream it can. If falsehoods win, eventually even the stones of the street will cry out (Lk.XIX, 40). If Truth wins, still Satan will go on raising error after error, until the world ends. But “He that perseveres to the end will be saved”, says Our Lord (Mt.XXIV, 13). Kyrie eleison.

But the liberals do not think logically. If something was wrong in the past and settled then by the authority of the Church, then we are not free to continue debating it. We are not free to change the Rite of Mass which was set in place by Pope St. Pius V for all times and peoples.

This book is a sad reminder of the foolishness of liberals and their agenda. I instead suggest you pick up a copy of I Accuse the Council or Rhine Flows into the Tiber [Accurate and Unbiased Vatican II Biography] or Trojan Horse in the City of God: How Godlessness Crept Into the Sanctuary--And How to Thrust It Out Again

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Feast of Our Lady of Ransom

Greater Double (1955 Calendar): September 24

The Order of Our Lady of Ransom was founded in the Thirteenth Century by St. Peter Nolasco (Jan. 28) and St. Raymond of Pennafort (Jan. 23), aided by King James of Aragon. The object of the Order was to redeem Christians held in slavery by the Mohammedans. Pope Gregory IX instituted the feast of Our Lady of Ransom and afterward, it was extended by Pope Innocent XII in 1696 to the Universal Church. Dom Gueranger mentions how this order differs from the Order of the Most Holy Trinity which had a similarly charism:

"Differing from the Order of Holy Trinity, which had been already twenty years in existence, the Order of Mercy was founded as it were in the very face of the Moors; and hence it originally numbered more knights than clerks among its members. It was called the royal, military, and religious Order of our Lady of Mercy for the ransom of captives. The clerics were charged with the celebration of the Divine Office in the commandaries; the knights guarded the coasts, and undertook the perilous enterprise of ransoming Christian captives. St. Peter Nolasco was the first Commander or Grand Master of the Order; when his relics were discovered, he was found armed with sword and cuirass."

Traditional Readings at Matins:

At the time when the Saracen yoke oppressed the larger and more fertile part of Spain, and great numbers of the faithful were detained in cruel servitude, at the great risk of denying the Christian faith and losing their eternal salvation, the most blessed Queen of heaven graciously came to remedy all these great evils, and showed her exceeding charity in redeeming her children. She appeared with beaming countenance to Peter Nolasco, a man conspicuous for wealth and piety, who in his holy meditations was ever striving to devise some means of helping the innumerable Christians living in misery as captives of the Moors. She told him it would be very pleasing to her and her onlybegotten Son, if a religious Order were instituted in her honour, whose members should devote themselves to delivering captives from Turkish tyranny. Animated by this heavenly vision, the man of God was inflamed with burning love, having but one desire at heart, viz: that both he and the Order he was to found, might be devoted to the exercise of that highest charity, the laying down of life for one’s friends and neighbours.

That same night, the most holy Virgin appeared also to blessed Raymund of Pegnafort, and to James king of Aragon, telling them of her wish to have the Order instituted, and exhorting them to lend their aid to so great an undertaking. Meanwhile Peter hastened to relate the whole matter to Raymund, who was his confessor; and finding it had been already revealed to him from heaven, submitted humbly to his direction. King James next arrived, fully resolved to carry out the instructions he also had received from the blessed Virgin. Having therefore taken counsel together and being all of one mind, they set about instituting an Order in honour of the Virgin Mother, under the invocation of our Lady of Mercy for the ransom of captives.

On the tenth of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand two hundred and eighteen, king James put into execution what the two holy men had planned. The members of the Order bound themselves by a fourth vow to remain, when necessary, as securities in the power of the pagans, in order to deliver Christians. The king granted them licence to bear his royal arms upon their breast, and obtained from Gregory IX the confirmation of this religious institute distinguished by such eminent brotherly charity. God himself gave increase to the work, through his Virgin Mother; so that the Order spread rapidly and prosperously over the whole world. It soon reckoned many holy men remarkable for their charity and piety who collected alms from Christ’s faithful, to be spent in redeeming their brethren; and sometimes gave themselves up as ransom for many others. In order that due thanks might be rendered to God and his Virgin Mother for the benefit of such an institution the apostolic See allowed this special feast and Office to be celebrated, and also granted innumerable other privileges to the Order.

Mass Propers:

INTROIT 

Hail, holy Mother, thou who didst bring forth the King who rules heaven and earth for ever and ever. (Ps. 44: 2) My heart hath uttered a good word : I speak my works to the King. v. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

COLLECT

God, Who for the ransoming from slavery of the Christians held captive by pagans wast pleased, through the most glorious mother of Thy Son to enrich Thy Church by a new order: grant, we beseech Thee, that she, whom we piously venerate as the founder of so great a work, may, through her merits and prayers, deliver us from all our sins and from the captivity of the devil. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen

EPISTLE
Eccles. 24. 14-16
Lesson from the Book of Wisdom. From the beginning, and before the world, was I created, and unto the world to come I shall not cease to be, and in the holy dwelling place I have ministered before him. And so I was established in Sion, and in the holy city likewise I rested, and my power was in Jerusalem. And I took root in an honorable people, and in the portion of y God his inheritance, and my abode is in the full assembly of saints.

GRADUAL
Thou art blessed and venerable, O Virgin Mary, who with purity unstained was found to be the Mother of our Savior. V. Virgin Mother of God, He whom the whole world was unable to contain enclosed Himself in thy womb, being made man.

Alleluia, alleluia. V. After childbirth thou didst remain a virgin: O Mother of God, intercede for us. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Luke 11: 27-28
At that time, as Jesus was speaking to the multitudes, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to Him: 'Blessed is the womb that bore Thee and the paps that gave Thee suck. But He said :'Yea, rather, blessed are they who hear the world of God and keep it.'

OFFERTORY
Luke 1: 28, 42
Hail, Mary, full of grace: the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

SECRET 

By Thy mercy, O Lord, and the intercession of blessed Mary, ever virgin, may this oblation profit us unto eternal and present prosperity and peace. Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God Forever and ever.

PREFACE (Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty and everlasting God. That on the Festival of the blessed Virgin Mary, we should praise, bless and proclaim Thee. For she conceived Thine only-begotten Son by the over-shadowing of the Holy Ghost; and losing not the glory of her virginity, gave forth to the world the everlasting light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through whom the angels praise Thy majesty, the Dominions worship it, and the powers stand in awe. The Heavens and the heavenly Hosts, and the blessed Seraphim join together in celebrating their joy. With these we pray Thee join our voices also, while we say with lowly praise:

COMMUNION
Hebrews 9: 28
Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Eternal Father.

POST COMMUNION

By Thy sanctifying gifts, O almighty Lord, grant, we beseech Thee, that, having received the aids of our salvation, we may always and everywhere be protected by the patronage of Blessed Mary ever virgin, in veneration of whom we have made this offering to Thy majesty. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God For ever and ever.

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17th Sunday After Pentecost: Mass Propers

INTROIT
Psalms 118: 137, 124
Thou art just, O Lord, and Thy judgment is right; deal with Thy servant according to Thy mercy. -- (Ps. 118. 1). Blessed are the undefiled in the way: who walk in the law of the Lord. V.: Glory be to the Father . . .

COLLECT - Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that Thy people may shun all the wiles of the devil: and with pure mind follow Thee, the only God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth . . .

EPISTLE
Ephesians 4: 1-6
Brethren: I, a prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called. With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity, careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. One body and one spirit, as you are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all, who is blessed for ever and ever. Amen.

GRADUAL
Psalms 32: 12, 6
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom He hath chosen for His inheritance. V.: By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of His mouth.

Alleluia, alleluia. V.(Ps. 101. 2). O Lord, hear my prayer; and let my cry come to Thee. Alleluia.

Source: Flickr
GOSPEL
Matthew 22: 34 - 46
At that time the Pharisees came to Jesus, and one of them, a doctor of the law, asked Him, tempting Him: Master, which is the great commandment of the law? Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love Thy neighbor as thyself. One these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets. And the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying: What think you of Christ, whose son is He? They say to Him: David's. He saith to them: How then doth David , in spirit, call Him Lord, saying: The Lord saith to My Lord: Sit on my right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool? If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son? And no man was able to answer Him a word; neither durst any man, from that day forth, ask Him any more questions.

OFFERTORY
Daniel 9: 9, 17, 18, 19
I, Daniel, prayed to my God, saying: Hear, O Lord, the prayers of Thy servant; show Thy face upon Thy sanctuary, and favorably look down upon this people upon whom Thy Name is invoked, O God.

SECRET - We humbly entreat Thy Majesty, O Lord; that these holy Mysteries which we celebrate may set us free both from past and future sins. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost . . .

PREFACE (Preface of the Most Holy Trinity) - It it truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God; Who, together with Thine only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, art one God, one Lord: not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For what we believe by Thy revelation of Thy glory, the same do we believe of Thy Son, the same of the Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true and everlasting Godhead, distinction in persons, unity in essence, and equality in majesty may be adored. Which the Angels and Archangels, the Cherubim also and Seraphim do praise: who cease not daily to cry out, with one voice saying:

COMMUNION
Psalm 75: 12, 13
Vow ye, and pray to the Lord your God, all you that round about Him bring presents: to Him that is terrible, even to Him ho taketh away the spirit of princes: to the terrible with all the kings of the earth.


POST COMMUNION -By Thy sanctifying gifts, O almighty God, may our vices be healed, and may eternal remedies be available unto us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost . . .

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Eucharistic Crusaders' Numbers Expand in Houston, TX

Some glorious news in honor of Christ the King.  Laudetur Jesus Christus.

The Eucharistic Crusaders at Queen of Angels Church in Dickinson (Houston), Texas, recently held a promotion ceremony for its members on September 16, in conjunction with Sunday Mass.

During the ceremonies, two Crusaders (a boy and girl) were promoted from the first to the second level. The overall organization of the Eucharistic Crusaders at Dickinson has also recently been rejuvenated.

All the academy children (1st to 6th grade) are now Eucharistic Crusades, and the teachers ensure the monthly treasure sheets are filled out and turned in on time.

Source: SSPX

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September Embertide

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).  Ember Days are days of fasting and partial abstinence.

Ember Days this September: 19, 21, and 22

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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Photo Commemoration of Tridentine Latin Mass on the 5th Anniversary of Summorum Pontificum

On this 5th anniversary of Summorum Pontificum, I wish to present the following series of 70+ images.  Let us lay aside politics and disagreements and appreciate the Mass of the Angels and Saints.  This is truly the "most beautiful thing this side of Heaven."  Let us wonder in amazement at the work of God, who through the Holy Sacrifice continues His work of Redemption!

Should you know of the title or authors of any of these images, please leave those details in the comment box so credit may be given to where credit is due.

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