Pre-Vatican II Mass Returns to the Holy Land

Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem of the Roman Catholic Church has authorized the celebration of the traditional Roman Mass in his diocese, the first such formal authorization to be granted in the Holy Land since the modernization of the Roman Catholic Church's services in the 1960s. More here.

Western Rites Conference Takes Place in Upstate New York

The 2011 Western Rites Conference of the Western Rites Vicariate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) has successfully taken place in upstate New York with the participation of Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan and clergy and faithful of the Western Rites Vicariates of both the ROCOR and the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America.

The Conference discussed pastoral issues in the life of the Western Rites parishes and included the daily celebration of the divine services, including a pontifical Mass in Latin celebrated by Bishop Jerome. More on the Conference's proceedings can be found here.

SSPX District Superior Permits Vernacular Masses

In a recent interview Fr. Daniel Couture, the district superior for Asia of the traditionalist Roman Catholic Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), discussed the practice of his district to encourage mainline Roman Catholic priests who want to serve the traditional Mass and do not know Latin to serve in the local vernacular. Fr. Daniel also discussed the collapse of the spiritual life of Roman Catholic clergy in many dioceses in Southeast Asia. More here.

Ordination at Christminster

Brother Joseph (del Giorno), a monk at the Benedictine Monastery of Christ the Savior in Hamilton, Ontario, was ordained to the deaconate by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad's Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan this past Saturday. The ordination services were celebrated according to the Roman Rite as it is observed at the Monastery and were well attended by Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike.

Bishop Jerome stayed at the Monastery for the weekend to celebrate a pontifical Sunday Mass and formally install Dom James (Deschene) as abbot, although he has served as abbot of Christ the Savior for several years now. More on both Saturday and Sunday's services can be found here.

Pictured is Bishop Jerome (vested according to the practice of the Roman Rite) as he gives the pontifical blessing at the end of this past weekend's ordination Mass.

Vatican Mandates Celebration of Latin Mass for Traditionalist Faithful

The Vatican has issued a directive mandating the celebration of the traditional Latin-language Roman Mass in parishes with traditional Roman Catholic members. More here.

Ordination at Christminster in May

Bishop Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad will be visiting Christ the Savior Monastery in Hamilton, Ontario, this coming May for an ordination in the Monastery's church. The ordination Mass will be the first pontifical (hierarchical) Mass served in the Roman Rite since 1967. More here.

A Hymn from the Vespers for St. Patrick

Behold the shining brightness
of the solemnity of Patrick
when, having laid aside his body,
he happily ascends to heaven.

Already from his boyhood
he was filled with divine grace
and began to love the life
of angelic dignity.

This man of a blessed lineage
was born in Britain
and after receiving baptism
strove to attain the heights.

But the merciful and upright Lord
knowing the shape of future things
directed this apostle
to the people of Ireland.

For this island was
fruitful with the earth’s good things
yet dragged down to the lowest point
by its idolatrous worship.

When he arrived here
the distinguised teacher, Patrick,
preached to the heathens
that which he lived in his life.

The heathens assented
to his sacred warnings
and spitting out the devil
worshipped the King of all.

And rejoicing to be free
they returned to their homeland
from which they had once been expelled
through the serpent’s cunning.

Therefore, most beloved,
let us in turn sing psalms
with heart and voice to Christ
in praise of this bishop,

So that with his help,
freed from vice,
we may fully enjoy
the angelic vision in glory.

Praise be to the Father, in the Son
with the Spirit Paraclete,
who by his gift of grace
has shown mercy to Ireland. Amen

Hat tip to Under the Oak for posting this beautiful hymn from the Roman Rite's Sarum Use first!

St. Gregory the Great

Joyous feast! Pope St. Gregory the Great of Rome was one of the great lights of the Church of the West and many continue to read his writings throughout the Orthodox world. He is so esteemed in the East that a service, the Presanctified Liturgy, is attributed to him, while the West remembers him as the last great reformer of the Mass of the Roman Rite, whose last significant changes in form and content took place during his papacy. More on his life can be found here. May his blessing and prayers be with us all!

Orthodoxy and Traditional Catholicism

I may come off sympathetic with traditionalist Roman Catholics from time to time and there's reason to feel that. I greatly respect their preservation of the liturgical heritage of the ancient West as well as their faithfulness to what they believe is truth. When I'm far removed from Roman Rite Orthodox churches I do enjoy going to traditional Roman Catholic churches from time to time to worship in the way that my Orthodox forefathers in the Netherlands and the Isles worshiped.

When I read traditional Roman Catholics' version of the truth, however, I'm reminded of what a gap separates them from our Orthodox Churches. They may have preserved some of the historic life and faith of the Apostolic Church in the West, but in many ways we are very divided. A good example can be found here.

New Western Rites Communities to be Received into the ROCOR

Glory to God for all things! The former exarchate of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church in North America, a Western Orthodox movement following the Roman Rite, is being received into the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad! Their hierarchs will be received as priests, but altogether the churches and missions of the movement will constitute the ROCOR's first Western Rites deanery in North America! (For the time being the Western Rites communities of the ROCOR are stavropeghial under the Metropolitan of New York.) Hat tip to Michael for the good news!

On Halloween

A great article on Halloween by Fr. Mark Sietsema of Holy Trinity Church in Lansing, Michigan, can be found here. I'd add to what he's written by saying that Halloween as it's observed in North America is a cultural holiday, but is also the eve of All Saints' day for Orthodox Christians following the Roman or Anglican Rite and therefore a holy day in and of itself.