Traditional Latin Mass Propers: Ascension of the Lord

I think it is important to recall these prayers throughout all of the traditional Octave of the Ascension.  As I posted about previously, the Ascension was observed as an Octave up until 1954.  These prayers would have been said on both the Ascension of the Lord as well as on the Octave Day of the Ascension.

Click here for more information on Ascensiontide, including the history of the Octaves up until 1954.

DOUBLE OF THE FIRST CLASS / WHITE

INTROIT Acts 1:11

Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? Alleluia! He shall come in the same way as you have seen him going up to heaven, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Ps. 46:2. O, clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with the voice of exultation. V. Glory be . . .

COLLECT
O Almighty God, we firmly believe that Your only-begotten Son, our Redeemer, ascended this day into heaven. May our minds dwell always on this heavenly home. Through Our Lord . . .

EPISTLE 
Acts 1:1-11

In the former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach, Until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, "which you have heard"(saith he) "by my mouth. For John indeed baptized with water: but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence."
They therefore who were come together, asked him, saying: "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel?" But he said to them: "It is not for you to know the time or moments, which the Father hath put in his own power: But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth." And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments. Who also said: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him going into heaven."

Alleluia, alleluia!  Ps. 46:6
God ascends His throne amid shouts of joy, the Lord is taken up with the sound of trumpets. Alleluia!
V. Ps. 67:18-19. The Lord is in Sinai, in the holy place; ascending on high, He has led captivity captive. Alleluia!

GOSPEL  
Mark 16:14-20

At that time, Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were at table: and he upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen him after he was risen again. And he said to them: "Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall he condemned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents: and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay their hand upon the sick: and they shall recover."
And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God. But they going forth preached every where: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.

After the Gospel is read, the Pascal Candle is extinguished.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON  
Ps. 46:6
God ascends His throne amid shouts of joy, the Lord is taken up with the sound of trumpets, alleluia!

SECRET
Accept, O Lord, the gifts we offer to celebrate the glorious ascension of Your Son. May Your mercy free us from our present dangers and lead us to eternal life. Through Our Lord . . .

COMMUNION ANTIPHON  
Ps. 67:33-34
Sing to the Lord, who ascends above the heaven of heavens to the East, alleluia!

POSTCOMMUNION
Almighty and merciful God, grant that this Sacrament, which we have received in this visible sacred Rite, may bring us Your invisible help. Through Our Lord . . .

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Anniversary of the Apparition of our Lady of Fatima

On this anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, Fr Dominic reminds us that the Fatima Message is Heaven's Plan to bring the world back to God. Let us hear and observe Our Lady's message to stay away, hate, and fight sin; mortify ourselves and do penance, and lead lives of prayer and devotion, especially praying the Holy Rosary at least once a day.

This is especially important concerning the recent death of Fr. Gruner, the Apostle of Fatima.  If you never read his book "Crucial Truths to Save Your Soul" then you must.  It is a short, inexpensive book that I am highly recommending.

On this Vigil of the Ascension, this Rogation Day, and this anniversary of this apparition, let us pray for Fr. Gruner's soul and for all peoples to convert, do penance, and appease the wrath of God.  Let us say with true and heartfelt devotion:

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.

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Observe the Lesser Rogation Days

Last month we observed on April 25th the annual Major Rogation Day. I have previously posted on the Rogation Days & Ember Days as they occur throughout the year.

We are now beginning the Minor (Lesser) Rogation Days that lead up to Ascension Thursday.  Like the Major Rogation, these are days to perform penance, fast, pray litanies, and petition our Almighty God to spare us from natural disaster, to bless our crops, and to save us from our sins.  These were previously days of fasting before changes to the Roman Liturgy that took place even before Vatican II.

I also previously mentioned a wonderful booklet produced by Fr Christopher Smith, a priest of the Diocese of Charleston.  This guide on the Ember & Rogation Day is a great ready for today. It can be downloaded from dropbox.

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The 2 Feast Days in Honor of St. Michael

Greater Double (1955 Calendar): May 8

Today is the Feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel.

Traditionally in the Liturgy of the Church prior to the year 1960, there were two feasts in honor of St. Michael.  Those familiar with the Litany of Saints will also recall that his name is mentioned by name in the Litany.  And those who attend the Traditional Latin Mass will be familiar with several references to St. Michael in the course of the Liturgy.

St. Michael is regarded as the special Guardian Angel of Saint Joseph and the Guardian Angel of each one of the Popes and one of the seven great angels who stand before the throne of God.  In the 6th century, the angelic St. Michael appeared in southern Italy on a mountain named Gargano.  In this apparition, St. Michael asked that the cave in which he appeared would become a shrine to the True God in order to make amends for the pagan worship that once occurred there.  The Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo sul Gargano still remains to this day.

St. Michael later appeared with a flaming sword atop the mountain during a storm on the eve of battle for the Lombards.  The Lombards attributed their victory in battle on that day, May 8, 663, to St. Michael.  And the Church then established a Feast in honor of the Apparition of St. Michael on May 8th, the anniversary of the battle.

This feast is still kept by priests who offer the pre-1955 Liturgy. It's quite unfortunate that a decree was issued on July 26, 1960, that dropped this feast from the Universal Calendar. While the feastday is not kept even in the 1962 Missal, priests who offer the 1962 Missal may (and arguably should) say a Votive Mass today for St. Michael. Since in the 1962 Missal May 8th is a feria, a Votive Mass may be offered today (unless today falls on a Sunday or another high ranking day in the sanctoral cycle like Ascension Thursday).

On September 29th the Feast of the Dedication of St. Michael occurs on which we, for the second time in the year, honor the Glorious St. Michael. The blog Carmelite spirituality and the practice of mental prayer further explains:

The first apparitions of the archangel Michael in Western Europe were granted to the Bishop of Sipontum in Apulia. Three times the Archangel appeared, nightly, the last time on September 29, 493. The Archangel indicated the transformation into a Christian church of a grotto sacred to Mithras, on Monte Tumba. Miraculously, when the bishop and companions arrived, they found that a primitive altar had already been erected, covered with a vermilion altar cloth and surmounted by a Cross; moreover, according to the legend, they found the footprint of Saint Michael in the rock. With immense joy the holy bishop offered the first divine Sacrifice. It was 29 September.

The Feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel is the September 29th Feast often just called: The Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. 

Collect:

O God, Who hast ordained and constituted the services of angels and men in a wonderful order, mercifully grant that as thy holy angels always do thee service in heaven, so, by thy appointment, they may succor and defend us on earth. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. R. Amen.

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Are Priests Allowed to Wear Blue Vestments?

Yes but only in rare situations. 

The blue chasuble may only be worn by Spain and its dominions beyond the sea. It was a privilege originally given by Pope Pius VII to the Church in Spain in 1817 and later reaffirmed by Pope Pius IX in 1864, in recognition of the centuries-old Hispanic defense of Mary's Immaculate Conception. It spread to other places formerly under the Spanish Crown as well as seen in the indult granted by Pope St. Pius X to the First Provincial Council of Manila for their use in the Philippine Islands. 

No other nation is authorized to use it, and doing so constitutes a liturgical abuse. The exception is a rare dispensation that was given temporarily to Marian shrines on special occasions.

As Father Edward McNamara clarifies in an EWTN article on this topic, "By blue vestments we mean those manufactured from cerulean fabric. White vestments with blue motifs or trimmings are not subject to any restriction."

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Monks of Norcia Launch CD: Benedicta

Theirs have always been hours of study, industry, prayer, service - and song. Monastic chant echoed off the walls of the Monastero di San Benedetto di Norcia for more than 800 years before Napoleonic laws suppressed this branch of the Benedictine order in 1810, causing a break in the continuity of music in Norcia for nearly 200 years. But when a Benedictine Community founded in 1998 by Father Cassian Folsom sought a monastery, the town of Norcia welcomed the monks back to the birthplace of St. Benedict, and the music began again.  

This is the story of The Monks of Norcia. Their alluring chant has been masterfully captured by 11x Grammy Award winning producer Christopher Alder. De Montfort Music has teamed with Universal Music Classics and Decca Records to bring this transcendent debut to you directly from within the monastery walls of Norcia.

Benedicta consists of songs dedicated to the life of Mary, Our Lady, including previously unrecorded chant versions of responsories and an original piece composed by the monks,      "Nos Qui Christi Iugum".

Benedicta will be available on  June 2nd, 2015.

Order now on Amazon.com by clicking here.

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A Relic of St. Jude the Apostle Preserved in Chicago, IL

While often unknown even by local Catholics, the Shrine of St. Jude, a Dominican run Shrine, in Chicago, Illinois houses one of the few relics of an apostle in America.  The Shrine of St. Jude is housed physically inside of St. Pius V Catholic Church at 1919 S Ashland Avenue (and not in the Dominican House which is at 1909 S Ashland), Chicago, Illinois.  Inside of this Church, you will find a relic of the forearm of St. Jude the Apostle.  St. Jude is the author of a short Epistle in the New Testament.

While the sanctuary in this Church has been virutally destroyed in the aftermath of Vatican II, there are a number of small and beautiful shrines inside of St. Pius V Catholic Church.  There is one in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one to the Infant Christ (which I have photographed below) and the one to St. Jude the Apostle.

If you are near Chicago or pass by, spend some time - even just 10 minutes - in prayer before this powerful relic of the holy Apostle St. Jude.  The Church offers a small but gated parking lot across the street.  And for those in the area, there are buses, Divy bikes, and other forms of public transportation that run right by the Shrine.

St. Jude, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

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Donate Your Old Rosary to the African Missions

#RosariesforAfrica is a movement that I am starting to bring awareness to the Rosary Project for Africa.  This project, mentioned in the America Needs Fatima publication in 2015, is looking for Rosaries for the African Missions.  Take part in a global effort to catechize the souls in Africa who do not know Christ.  Let us entrust their conversion to the Faith to Our Lady of the Rosary.

For information on how to donate your #RosariesforAfrica please read the following article:

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Feast of St. Paul of the Cross

"When you feel the assaults of passion and anger, then is the time to be silent as Jesus was silent in the midst of His ignominies and sufferings" (St. Paul of the Cross)

Double (1955 Calendar): April 28

St. Paul of the Cross is the renowned Founder of the Passionists.  Born in 1694 to a merchant in Italy, Paul spent his youth in the spirit of Christian piety.  His parents were devout and holy parents. At the age of 15, St. Paul began to engage in severe penitential practices in reparation for sin.

While still a layman, he received a vision and founded the Congregation of Discalced Clerks of the Most Holy Cross and Passion (called the Passionists) in 1721 to preach about Jesus Crucified.  Their mission: Preach Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.  Beforehand, he had intended to fight in the army for Venice against the Turks. But after his vision, he refused the honor as well as a large inheritance and honorable marriage to devote himself to Jesus Crucified. He began to preach of the Passion of Our Lord even before he became a cleric. In 1727, he was ordained a priest by Pope Benedict XIII.

St. Paul is remembered for preaching with such power that hardened sinners and murderous robbers wept at his preaching.  At one point in his life, in a true example for us to persevere in our good works, all of his brothers in the order abandoned him.  Yet, by the will of God, his rule was approved by Pope Benedict XIV in 1741 and the order began to grow anew. He surmounted incredible difficulties due to his humility and dedication.

St. Paul died on October 18, 1775, at a time when his order had over 180 fathers and brothers.  Before his death, he had also founded a monastery of contemplative sisters in Corneto. He was beatified and canonized by Pope Pius IX.

Taken from a letter written by St. Paul of the Cross: "It is an excellent and holy practice to call to mind and meditate on our Lord's Passion since it is by this path that we shall arrive at union with God. In this, the holiest of all schools, true wisdom is learned, for it was there that all the saints became wise"

Prayer:

O Lord Jesus Christ, You endowed blessed Paul with a special love to preach the mystery of Your cross and raised up a new community in the Church through him. May his intercession make us always mindful of Your passion so that we may share in its reward in heaven; who lives and rules with God the Father . . .

Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

"Christ Triumphed Over the Devil on the Cross"

(St. Paul of the Cross)

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The Primary 2 Moral Errors of Our Time by Pope Benedict XV

 Now there are two passions today dominant in the profound lawlessness of morals - an unlimited desire of riches and an insatiable thirst for pleasures. It is this which marks with a shameful stigma our epoch; whilst it goes ceaselessly from progress to progress in the order of all which touches the well-being and convenience of life, it seems that in the superior order of honesty and of moral rectitude a lamentable retrogression leads it back to the ignominies of ancient paganism. In that measure, in truth, wherein men lose sight of eternal goods which Heaven reserved for them, they permit themselves to be more taken in by the deceitful mirage of the ephemeral goods here below, and once their souls are turned down towards the earth, an easy descent leads them insensibly to relax themselves in virtue, to experience repugnance for spiritual things, and to relish nothing outside the seductions of pleasure. Hence the general situation which we note: with some the desire to acquire riches or to increase their patrimony knows no bounds; others no longer know, as formerly, how to bear the trials which are the usual result of want or poverty; and at the very hour in which the rivalries We have pointed out set by the ears the rich and the proletariat a great number seem to wish to further excite the hatred of the poor by an unbridled luxury which accompanies the most revolting corruption.


19. From this point of view one cannot sufficiently deplore the blindness of so many women of every age and condition; made foolish by desire to please, they do not see to what a degree the in decency of their clothing shocks every honest man, and offends God. Most of them would formerly have blushed for those toilettes as for a grave fault against Christian modesty; now it does not suffice for them to exhibit them on the public thoroughfares; they do not fear to cross the threshold of the churches, to assist at the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, and even to bear the seducing food of shameful passions to the Eucharistic Table where one receives the heavenly Author of purity. And We speak not of those exotic and barbarous dances recently imported into fashionable circles, one more shocking than the other; one cannot imagine anything more suitable for banishing all the remains of modesty.

Taken from Sacra Propediem of Pope Benedict XV on Januar y6, 1921, the Feast of the Epiphany.

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