Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows

Last Tuesday I visited a fellow blogger in Chicago, IL and both of us visited the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, which is free and open to the public on Navy Pier.



Below you will find a selection of some of the stained glass which I photographed while visiting the Museum. Remember that earlier this summer I mentioned that I am in Chicagoland for the summer months and if anyone would like, I would be happy to visit with them in Chicago.


Some of the stained glass featured picturesque landscapes:


Most of the available stained glass depicted iconic moments in Christianity such as the Magi's Adoration of the Christ Child (pictured below).





St. Patrick was honored with several images available for viewing in the Museum:






Three Persons in One God, the Blessed Trinity:


Even the Old Testament figure of King Solomon - who is venerated as a saint in Catholicism - was prominently featured in a Stained Glass Window.



Our Lord and the Apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane:



Above all, the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows reinforced the idea that one's environment is conduce to one's prayer. If we only frequent buildings that have eliminated statues, icons, paintings, stained glass, etc., then we are depriving our senses of the joy that can be obtained through the viewing of such a masterpiece. Such masterpieces transcend the typical and force us to contemplate the wonders of the Divine God, who is rightfully honored with many beautiful paintings, icon, glass windows, Cathedrals, and other wonders throughout the world.

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Tridentine Questions: Two Sung Masses on Sunday; More than one Asperges on a Sunday; Length of Matins & Lauds

Q. Is it allowed for a parish church to held two sung masses (either one Solemn High Mass and another in Missa Cantata; or both Missa Cantata) in Extraordinary Form of the Roman rite on Sundays, important/great feasts and other holy days of obligation? Assuming that the church will only have two masses for those days mentioned.

A: It seems pretty clear that according to Summorum Pontificum, this is allowed for the typical parish, so long you are not "depriving" people who want to attend the Novus Ordo of that opportunity.

Looking at rubrics alone, indeed, you may have as many Sung (Missa Cantata) or Solemn Masses (Missa Solemnis) each day as you wish. You need to have a schola for each, so that may be a problem to get singers.

One Mass on any day is the "parochial", "community" or "conventual" Mass. This is the Mass which is the primary Mass of the day. If there is a Missa Cantata or Solemnis, the more solemn form would be automatically designated as such.

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Q: If the parish church has two masses in Extraordinary Form of the Roman rite on Sunday, is it allowed that both masses have the Asperges before the mass proper?

A: The Asperges/Vidi Aquam is done only once and only on Sundays. It is done only before the principle of main Mass, as defined above. For additional Masses it is omitted. If no Sunday Mass is sung, it is omitted completely, as it is never done unless at a Sung Mass or Solemn Mass.

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Q: Typically, how long does a chanted Matins and Lauds will take, assuming that it is chanted in Latin and following the 1962 Roman Breviary?

A: It varies a bit. Generally, for a feria or a third class feast (one nocturn - three lessons), Matins would take about an 45 mins- 1 hr. For major feasts (three nocturns - nine lessons), figure about 1 hr - 2 hrs. Lauds is about like Vespers, perhaps 30 - 45 mins.

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Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain
Q&A Source: Taken from Fish Eaters Forum with permission of answerer

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Tridentine Nuptial Mass Photos

Image Source: Ochie Bumanlag's Wedding, Antipolo Cathedral, Rizal, Philippines via the Flickr Profile of dennisraymondm33.

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Choosing Music for a Tridentine Nuptial Mass

Are you preparing to have a Tridentine Nupital Mass for your wedding? Congratulations! When it comes to choosing music that is appropriate and sacred, here are some recommendations for you to share with your organist and choir at the parish. There are others but this is a good start:

Kyrie:

Kyrie IV

Credo: 

Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli 

Credo IV

Sanctus:

Sanctus IV

Recommendation from a Blog Reader:

Polyphonic settings are always a plus and preferred by the Church. In general, I try to avoid symphonic settings, though for a wedding, something out of the ordinary would be nice. One thing I learned while in Chicago [at the Sacred Music Colloquium] is that symphonic Masses are NOT suited to a Novus Ordo Mass. There is so little liturgical action that the priest finds himself waiting for the music to end. Back to polyphonic Masses, one that I sang recently that is very well done is the Mass for five voices by Byrd. I tried looking for it on Youtube to no avail. Perhaps you will fare better. Schubert is lovely but I hesitate to recommend it as he makes inappropriate textual changes (leaves out a portion of the Credo and includes the intonation for the Gloria).

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John C. Maxwell's "How Succesful People Think"

 

I just had the opportunity to read and review John C. Maxwell's "How Successful People Think". As a relatively small book (approximately 130 pages), it is an excellent "pocket-guide" resource for anyone interested in stimulating creative thought. Critical thinking is appropriately encouraged to the point of adoration in the American education system, though many students still fail to develop effective thinking. As a practical thinker myself, I believe Maxwell's guide is a fantastic resource to anyone interested in learning how to think.

Chapters from the book include:

• Engage in Focused Thinking
• Employ Realistic Thinking
• Learn from Reflective Thinking
• Benefit from Shared Thinking
• Rely on Bottom-line Thinking

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Little Office of Christ the King

I would like to pass along this message from Jovan concerning Little Office of Christ the King (also available in PDF).

Matthew,

Greetings in Christ and our Lady! The 'Little Office of Christ the King' which I compiled is based on various devotional 'Little Offices' from before the Second Vatican Council. There were, to my knowledge, such 'Offices' for the Immaculate Conception, St Joseph and the Holy Angels, with possibly others as well. They were designed as devotions to be said after the corresponding Hour of the Divine Office.

If you are not yet bound, under pain of sin, to recite the Divine Office, there would be no problem in substituting, but I would highly recommend either saying the Divine Office or the full Little Office of our Lady and then saying the appropriate hoiur(s) of the Little Office of Christ the King afterwards.

Also, I should point out that, while everything in the Office is taken directly from sources approved by the Church, namely the Roman Breviary, the whole compilation has never been submitted for approval by any competent ecclesiastical authority.

Hope this is helpful.

In Christ the King,

Jovan

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Catholic Devotion Listing - Contest

Visit Devotional Catholicism for a contest featuring as its prize a Statute of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The contest involves posting the name of a devotion that is not already listed on the list started by the site's founder.
Editor Note: the site is no longer available

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The Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at St. Gabriel, Stamford

The text and images are an excerpt from a post on The Society of St. Hugh of Cluny: This evening a Missa Cantata was celebrated at St. Gabriel's, Stamford in honor of Our Lady of Mt Carmel. The pastor, Fr. Cyprian LaPastina, was the celebrant and deacon Aaron Huberfeld of the Institute of Christ the King preached.

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Pope Benedict XVI Breaks Right Wrist, Hospitalized

According to the Associated Press, "Pope Benedict XVI broke his right wrist in a fall in his chalet while vacationing in the Italian Alps and underwent successful surgery Friday, hospital officials and the Vatican said." He was taken to Umberto Parini hospital in Aosta (pictured above). Let us pray for the Supreme Pontiff's recovery.

Image Source: Getty Images

Update: In the above image, Pope Benedict XVI greets Dr. Amedeo Mancini who performed the operation on his wrist. This image was taken as the Holy Father was leaving the hospital; he is expected to make a smooth recovery. His wrist will be in a cast for approximately a month.

Image Source: Associated Press

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Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Flower of Carmel,
Tall vine blossom laden;
Splendor of heaven,
Childbearing yet maiden.
None equals thee.

Mother so tender,
Who no man didst know,
On Carmel's children
Thy favors bestow.
Star of the Sea.

Purest of lilies,
That flowers among thorns,
Bring help to the true heart
That in weakness turns
and trusts in thee.

Our way uncertain,
Surrounded by foes,
Unfailing counsel
You give to those
who turn to thee.

Hail, Gate of Heaven,
With glory now crowned,
Bring us to safety
Where thy Son is found,
true joy to see.

Prayer to Elijah from the Traditional Carmelite Rite:

Deign, we beseech thee almighty God, that we be brought to the same place in heaven as your prophet and our father blessed Elijah, who we believe to have been marvelously taken up in a fiery chariot, and rejoice in the fellowship of your saints. Through our lord Jesus Christ your son...etc."

Image Source: Our Lady of Mount Carmel by Pietro Novelli

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