8th Anniversary of "Summorum Pontificum"

"It is therefore permitted to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal, which was promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Church’s Liturgy.  The conditions for the use of this Missal laid down by the previous documents Quattuor Abhinc Annos and Ecclesia Dei are now replaced..." Benedict XVI, Summorum Pontificum, 7th July, 2007.

National Latin Mass Pilgrimage to Knock 2015

The National Latin Mass Pilgrimage is a special event in Knock.  Unique among Latin Mass pilgrimages around the Country, His Grace, the Archbishop of Tuam has designated this pilgrimage under his own authority and appointed a chaplain, Fr. John Loftus of the Diocese of Killala.

The organisation of the National Pilgrimage was undertaken by Our Lady's Catholic Heritage Association in co-ordination with the other Catholic Heritage Associations around the Country but all Latin Mass Communities, Chaplaincies, Associations and groups around the Country are invited to participate each year.

As usual, the main exercises of the pilgrimage took place in the old Parish Church of Knock, whish stood when the apparitions took place.  The apparitions are uniquely Eucharistic in that the Blessed Sacrament was present in the form of the Lamb of God with Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John, during the whole of the apparition.  That may be the reason for the silence of the apparition and perhaps the key to it's central message, the importance of silence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament - very appropriate for the Traditional Latin Mass.

There was a tremendous turn out from all parts of the Country for a Missa Cantata of Our Lady celebrated by Fr. Loftus.  In keeping with the exercises of the official pilgrimages to the Shrine, the Missa Cantata was followed by the Stations of the Cross and the pilgrimage concluded with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

National Latin Mass Pilgrimage to Knock

St. Aenna Ua Laoghsigh of Clonmacnoise

From O’Hanlon’s, Lives of the Irish Saints, Vol. 1, 20th January, Article III.

St. Aenna or Genu Ua Laighsigh, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, King's County. [Sixth Century.] The utility of ancient monastic orders is not disputed at the present day by the most adverse writers, or by the most erratic philosophers. It is very generally allowed, that the monks admirably paid the debt, owed by them to society at large, and that they became chief agents for social happiness, the moralists, and the civilizers of barbarous habits, especially during the fifth and sixth centuries. 'A man of ability,' but unhappily thinking differently from Christians, has yet acknowledged that he who admires civilization, at those periods, should be with the Church and with the monks, who were her defenders. A festival in honour of Genu Ua Laighsigh, Abbot of Cluain-mic-Nois, is set down in the Martyrology of Tallagh, at the 20th of January. A later calendar adds a few additional particulars, to distinguish this saint. From the Martyrology of Donegall we learn, that veneration was given this day to Aenna Ua Laighsigh, successor to Ciaran of Cluain-mic-Nois. He belonged to the race of Leighseach Leann-mhor, son of Conall Cearnach. This saint flourished in the sixth century, the contemporary of St. Ita of Killeedy. It has been remarked, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, of Clonmacnoise, etc.. both St. Ita and St. Eneas died wathin the same year, a.d. 569. And not this alone, but, it is stated, both saints died within a week of each other — St. Ita having departed on the 15th of January, and St. Eneas five days afterwards, or on the 20th of this same month, according to the Martyrologies of Aengus, Tallagh, and Marianus Gorman. These concurring circumstances, in a remarkable manner, tend to establish the credibility of those statements contained in St. Ita's life, and to show that its author was a trustworthy chronicler of events, which he undertook to place upon record.

Annual Latin Mass for the Assumption, Letterkenny Cathedral

A good friend has asked us to let you know that the annual Latin Mass for the feast of Our Lady's Assumption will take place on Saturday, 15th August, at 4 p.m.  Photos of a previous Mass can be found here.

Pilgrimage to Strokestown

Pilgrimage to Athlone

This was the first time that we had made a pilgrimage to Athlone.  The magnificent Church of Ss. Peter and Paul, sometimes known as the Cathedral of the Shannon, is a major landmark at the central point of Ireland, at the main crossing of the Shannon, which divides the Country roughly in half, east and west, by the main road between Dublin and Galway that joins the east coast to the west and divides the Country roughly in half, north and south.  The town straddles two provices (Leinster and Connacht), two Counties (Westmeath and Roscommon), and two Dioceses (Ardagh & Clomnacnoise and Elphin).

The Church was completed in 1937 and, like many post-Independence Churches, is in a fusion of styles - Galway Cathedral being the high point of the fusion movement - Doric and Baroque.  The Doric is most obvious in the stark exterior, a restrained Baroque more notable in the interior that has a range of marble features, still complete.  Several fine Harry Clarke windows are in place.  It is one of the most complete and most harmonious Churches in the Country, being built and decorated to a single design in one project.

St. Ita's visit to Clonmacnoise & devotion to the Blessed Sacrament

From O’Hanlon's, Lives of the Irish Saints, Vol. 1, pps. 210-11, 15th January, Chapter III.

On a great festival, St. Ita besought the Almighty to grant a favour, namely — that on a particular holiday, she might receive Christ's Body and Blood from the hands of a most worthy priest.(16) Through Divine bounty, she was immediately conducted to Clonmacnoise city,(17) where at a great distance, and according to her desire, she had the happiness of receiving Holy Communion. This was administered by a venerable priest. But no person had seen the virgin travelling on her way to Clonmacnoise, nor returning therefrom; nor had any person been witness to her reception of Holy Communion. St. Ita returned to her nuns, on the same day she had received Communion, in that unusual manner. Meantime, an angel appeared and related to a certain holy and aged man at Clonmacnoise, all that had happened. Wherefore, that priest who had offered up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass,(18) with other clerics, undertook a long journey to St. Ita, that they might obtain her blessing. During this journey, one of them had been deprived of sight owing to some accident. But the pious pilgrims consoled themselves with an expectation that the holy abbess should entreat our Lord on their arrival, and that by her prayers the blind man must be restored to sight. Ita had a miraculous manifestation of their approach, and she was enabled to relate their expected visit to her religious sisters. The servant of God received her guests with great joy; and through her instrumentality, sight was restored to that monk who had met with the accident. St. Ita then requested that priest from whom she had received Communion at Clonmacnoise, to sing Mass in her presence; and she ordered her spiritual daughters to bestow upon him those vestments he wore during immolation of the holy Victim. However, he refused to accept them, saying, that his superior, the Abbot Eneas,(19) had commanded them to receive nothing from Ita, but the favour of her prayers. St. Ita then said, “Your holy abbot, Eneas, will not be displeased, if you accept this gift from me; and I shall give you a token to this effect, in an anecdote I am about to relate. On a certain occasion he visited the monastery of the holy virgin Chinreacha Dercain,(20) who asked permission to wash his feet, to which request he assented. Then this holy virgin, Chinreacha, washed the feet of Eneas, and she wiped them with a towel; as God is now my witness, I held a part of that towel, and also helped to wipe your abbot's feet. When reminded of this circumstance, he shall be pleased, and he will joyfully accept my present.” While the visitors received her gift, they also admired the holy virgin's piety. Having obtained her blessing, they returned to Clonmacnoise. All that St. Ita had spoken was afterwards verified.(21)

Notes
(16) This passage is worthy of notice, as showing belief of the early Irish Church in the Catholic dogma regarding the reality of Christ’s Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist.
(17) In noticing the exact location of Clonmacnoise on the banks of the Shannon, Colgan adds, that in his own time it was an episcopal see. “Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae,” xv. Januarii, n. 18, p. 72. Clonmacnoise must have been a considerable place, when St. Ita’s Life had been written.
(18) The words in the Life are, “Ille autem sacerdos qui immolavit hostiam, quam suscepit S. Ita,” &c.
(19) St. Oena, Aengus or Aengussius, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, is venerated on the 20th of January, where further notices of him may be found.
(20) Not being able to find any female saint named Kenrecha, either in our ancient Martyrologies or in other records, for a length of time, Congan was under the impression that Kenrecha was erroneously inserted for Kunera. But, having examined this matter more attentively, he thought the saint here spoken of must have been identical with St. Kairecha, called also Dercain. In addition to this latter cognomen leaves the question beyond doubt; especially when we take into consideration a strong affinity between the names themselves. According to the “Martyrologies of Tallagh,” Marianus O’Gorman and Maguire, St. Cairecha was venerated on the 9th of February. See “Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae,” xv. Januarii, n. 20, p. 72.
(21) See Colgan’s “Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae,” xv. Januarii. Vita S. Itae, cap. xvii., p. 68.

Pilgrimage to Athlone

Prayer for the Church in Ireland

God of our fathers,
renew us in the faith which is our life and salvation,
the hope which promises forgiveness and interior renewal,
the charity which purifies and opens our hearts
to love you, and in you, each of our brothers and sisters.

Lord Jesus Christ,
may the Church in Ireland renew her age-old commitment
to the education of our young people in the way of truth and goodness, holiness and generous service to society.
Holy Spirit, comforter, advocate and guide,
inspire a new springtime of holiness and apostolic zeal
for the Church in Ireland.
May our sorrow and our tears,
our sincere effort to redress past wrongs,
and our firm purpose of amendment
bear an abundant harvest of grace
for the deepening of the faith
in our families, parishes, schools and communities,
for the spiritual progress of Irish society,
and the growth of charity, justice, joy and peace
within the whole human family.
To you, Triune God,
confident in the loving protection of Mary,
Queen of Ireland, our Mother,
and of Saint Patrick, Saint Brigid and all the saints,
do we entrust ourselves, our children,
and the needs of the Church in Ireland.
Amen.

Pope Benedict XVI
19th March, 2010
Solemnity of St. Joseph

National Latin Mass Pilgrimage to Armagh Cathedral

The Irish are very devoted to pilgrimage.  In the Golden Age of Faith the Saints of Ireland undertook Peregrinatio Pro Christo to Heaven-knew-where to bring them the Catholic Faith.  It is a startlingly rare thing to make a pilgrimage to Armagh, the seat of Saint Patrick, the Apostle of Ireland, and his successor the Primate of All Ireland, and, in a sense, the spiritual heart and ecclesiastical capital of Ireland.

The present Cathedral, the National Cathedral, as Cardinal Logue called it, was built between 1840 and 1904, the medieval Cathedral having been confiscated during the 16th century.  Historic images of the Cathedral can be seen here.