Hello everyone,
Sorry for the short notice, but there will be one special Extraordinary Form/Latin Mass offering for the Feast of the Annunciation tomorrow.
The offering will be at St. Mary`s Polish Catholic Church, on Monday, March 25, 2019 at 7pm EST. This offering is publicly announced on St. Mary's website via the bulletin. I cannot confirm the level of the offering, but based on the other public media that has been released on other blogs I will not promote on Servimus, the level will likely be a Missa Cantata. Also, this week's offering is in addition to their Saturday Missa Lecta at 9am at the parish.
Please come out and support the Latin Mass, but in addition, Fr. Kazimirez, and his parish community, whom have been nothing but gracious in allowing for the continuation of offerings of the TLM at higher levels, outside of St. Lawrence the Martyr and Holy Family, in the core of the Archdiocese of Toronto. They have allowed with open doors, all lay organizations/choirs/independent parties to have offerings there, despite any politics or conflict.
Pax, Julian.
Fall 2014 Latin Mass Special Offerings, SEE HERE!
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St. James Catholic Church 1st Saturday Vigil Latin Novus Ordo Masses Have Resumed!!!!!
Sunday, 24 March 2019
Thursday, 21 March 2019
Highlight: Where Peter Is article on Sedevacantists and the SSPX
https://wherepeteris.com/getting-it-half-right-sedes-and-sspx/
A necessary, enlightening, and quality read for all those in Latin Mass/“Traddie land.”
Pax, Julian.
A necessary, enlightening, and quality read for all those in Latin Mass/“Traddie land.”
Pax, Julian.
Tuesday, 29 January 2019
Two Special Latin Mass Offerings for the Feast of Candlemas this Saturday, Feb 2nd!
Hello Everyone,
In the Archdiocese of Toronto, we have been blessed with not only one, but TWO special Latin Mass offerings for this coming Saturday, February 2, 2019! Both offerings will be Missa Cantata/Sung High Mass, whereas normally at these parishes only a low Mass/Missa Lecta is offered at these times!
1) HOLY FAMILY, TORONTO: The first is at Holy Family Parish, served by the Oratorians of St Phillip Neri. The Oratorian Parishes are only one of two parishes (I count them as one, despite having two actual parishes,) who offer daily Latin amass in Toronto including SUNDAY OBLIGATION Masses. The details are as follows:
Date: Sat, Feb 2, 2018
Time: 8:30 am
Location: Holy Family Church
Address: 1372 King St W., Toronto ON
Confessions prior to Mass? YES (minimum 15 Min before Mass)
2) ST. MARY's POLISH CATHOLIC CHURCH, TORONTO: The second offering was one that I received by word of mouth and phone texting, thanks to a good colleague of mine in the Latin Masses here in Toronto. This will be at St Mary’s Polish Catholic Church near Davenport and Ossington.
This offering at St Mary’s is being allowed under the excellent pastorship of Fr Kazimirez Brzozowski, whom is open to hosting offerings of the Latin Mass from ALL lay organizations and choirs in the Archdiocese. He also is Celebrant for his own parish Latin Masses. This has included my colleagues of St Patrick’s Gregorian Choir and I last year for Christ the King 2018. Out of respect and admiration for the good and Holy Father and his parish, I announce the following offering:
Date: Sat, Feb 2, 2018
Time: 9:00 am
Confessions prior to Mass? No, no priest set aside for communion time (unless perhaps you ask Fr. Kazimirez in emergency, in good time prior to Mass.)
As a note, there is no large-scale parking available for St. Mary's, one will have to park in the neighboring side streets surrounding the parish.
I do hope that you will be inspired to attend and spread the word. I will, circumstances permitting, be attending one of the offerings. Perhaps I'll see you there.
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
In the Archdiocese of Toronto, we have been blessed with not only one, but TWO special Latin Mass offerings for this coming Saturday, February 2, 2019! Both offerings will be Missa Cantata/Sung High Mass, whereas normally at these parishes only a low Mass/Missa Lecta is offered at these times!
1) HOLY FAMILY, TORONTO: The first is at Holy Family Parish, served by the Oratorians of St Phillip Neri. The Oratorian Parishes are only one of two parishes (I count them as one, despite having two actual parishes,) who offer daily Latin amass in Toronto including SUNDAY OBLIGATION Masses. The details are as follows:
Date: Sat, Feb 2, 2018
Time: 8:30 am
Location: Holy Family Church
Address: 1372 King St W., Toronto ON
Confessions prior to Mass? YES (minimum 15 Min before Mass)
2) ST. MARY's POLISH CATHOLIC CHURCH, TORONTO: The second offering was one that I received by word of mouth and phone texting, thanks to a good colleague of mine in the Latin Masses here in Toronto. This will be at St Mary’s Polish Catholic Church near Davenport and Ossington.
This offering at St Mary’s is being allowed under the excellent pastorship of Fr Kazimirez Brzozowski, whom is open to hosting offerings of the Latin Mass from ALL lay organizations and choirs in the Archdiocese. He also is Celebrant for his own parish Latin Masses. This has included my colleagues of St Patrick’s Gregorian Choir and I last year for Christ the King 2018. Out of respect and admiration for the good and Holy Father and his parish, I announce the following offering:
Date: Sat, Feb 2, 2018
Time: 9:00 am
Location: St. Mary’s Polish Catholic Church
Address: 1996 Davenport Road, Toronto, ONConfessions prior to Mass? No, no priest set aside for communion time (unless perhaps you ask Fr. Kazimirez in emergency, in good time prior to Mass.)
As a note, there is no large-scale parking available for St. Mary's, one will have to park in the neighboring side streets surrounding the parish.
I do hope that you will be inspired to attend and spread the word. I will, circumstances permitting, be attending one of the offerings. Perhaps I'll see you there.
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
Wednesday, 16 January 2019
A New Year of 2019. Reflection on the EF/TLM in the Church and in Toronto in 2018
Hello everyone,
Another year draws to a close. While a new liturgical calendar year in both forms of the Roman Rite begins (the Novus Ordo and Extraordinary Form/Latin Mass,) another Julian Calendar year of 2018 Anno Domini (A.D.) slammed shut for the record books. As I look back on last year, I would like to reflect upon the good, the bad, and the ugly within our Church and more pertinent to this blog, what development has come within the Archdiocese of Toronto (and outside) for the Latin Mass.
TRIGGER WARNING ....
Before I begin, let me say I’m going to be blunt in this post, and my haters/enemies or blind lemmings of the Radical Traditionalist side, will not like this post, especially those responsible of the sins against Christ and I mentioned within. What I say here is on my blog, and needless to say, that includes what happens before/after the Masses are done. I do this to show what stops the EF liturgy from growing, and only further cements the already existing divisions that shouldn’t be there in the first place, especially by youth and leaders who should know better!
Let me also say, that I continue to take a cue that has now been reiterated thanks to the recent McCarick scandal of 2018: Bullies and predators have power over their victims when they continue to be silent. I will not be silent for that reason as well, to the chagrin of those who hate my friends and I. I also, will NOT be an enabler of such bullies, and hence, the works of the Devil by being an accessory to sin via silence.
Don’t like it? Go read Rorate Caeli, don’t waste your time in replying to me, and start living out the actual Gospel in your life. Or better yet, start acting civil and perhaps, working alongside your perceived enemies doing the EF liturgy. If seriously damaging retaliation occurs though, I am not afraid to contact the Office of the Archbishop as well as my legal counsel, of which the latter and I can discuss proceedings under civil and criminal codes of law in the province of Ontario, as well as the Human Rights Tribunal.
That is your “trigger warning.” COMMENTS are off, and anything in my email inbox is subject to becoming a new post and example of what I’ll describe in this post. Also your emails will be saved in case of necessity to bring them to legal, or ecclesiastical counsel (e.g. the Chancery/Office of the Archbishop.)
As for everyone else, hopefully you will be able to simply read this for what it’s worth, but do not fret ... I’ll be doing the bad and ugly first, and then the good. There are a lot of positives from this year and in future.
This has been a particularly devastating year for the Roman Catholic Church. Thanks to the clerical abuse scandal (including sexual abuse of adult seminarians and a minor) of now ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of the U.S.A., and a Pennsylvania Grand Jury report of the Catholic Church and sexual abuse, once again our Church has had to face a new wave of sex abuse scandal. From the media to parishioners at the parish level, many are angry, furious, and are using this as an excuse/opportunity/breaking point to leave the Catholic Church, shun priests in public or otherwise, and not grow their faith, being nice and complacent in Christmas and Easter land.
The Trads/Conservatives are of equal fault in this mess, cheering on shady priests and heroes who are using the scandal to attack the Holy Father, Pope Francis. Causing further scandal is none other than former Papal Nuncio of the USA Carlo Viganò, who fingered Pope Francis (with unsubstantiated evidence) of clerical cover up in the McCarick scandal. Meanwhile much of Vigano’s timeline has jarring holes in it, and his own moral and ethical character are in peril, as he even owed money to his brother after a Roman court decision over a lawsuit concerning family inheritance and assets that would make Pope Francis furious. Were one to be a Crown or government prosecutor putting Pope Francis on trial based on the Vigano testimony, too much doubt would exist that a jury would likely acquit him/declare “Not Guilty.”
In terms of the Latin Mass, the same voices on their blogs and in person, as well as some new names, continue to give the Latin Mass, Catholic "t"raditionalism, and even Catholicism, a bad reputation that detracts bodies from coming to the pews. Sadly, even more moderate conservatives/ orthodox individuals have joined the fray in spewing out tabloid fodder against the Pope Francis Papacy and/or endorsing works that sin against His Holiness by detraction and slander. Such fallen souls include Dr Taylor Marshall in his scandalous podcasts, and former Catholic Answers head and co-founder, Karl Keating, endorsing the hit piece “Lost Shepherd” by Phil Lawler. How the mighty have fallen!
THE GOOD
However on a positive note, the Latin Mass IS becoming a driving force to liturgical and divine renewal in the Church, growing steadily in number with even occasional offerings, and more so, Pontifical Latin Masses being held by people aside from ++Burke and ++Schneider. Included in that number is Canada’s very own ++Prendergast of the diocese of Ottawa, whose diocese houses an FSSP parish and Chapter. He did this just a couple months ago for the 50th commemoration of the formation of the FSSP. See the FSSP newsletter website ``The Missive`` here.
Locally, there are more occasional and even parish offerings of the TLM. Don’t believe me, just go to New Liturgical Movement and see their photo posts for major feast days. In past they did only one post. But during major periods (E.G. Advent and Christmastide,) their number soars to 3-4 posts of multiple offerings worldwide! This is a marked difference from a year or two ago.
Alas, we come to my own neck of the woods where I reflect of the worst and the best of the growth of the TLM. Certain problems sadly persist which stall the growth of the TLM in certain regards, but in other avenues the TLM is becoming a juggernaut, and hope in increasing ever more.
As the Core of the Archdiocese of Toronto is my main focus, I will start here. In terms of parishes that offer TLMs more than once a week, INCLUDING Sunday obligation, that number is unchanged at ... two parishes (incl. grouped parishes.) that would be the Oratorian Parishes of St Phillip Neri and St. Vincent de Paul, and St Lawrence the Martyr which is home to the EF Chaplain of Toronto, Fr Russell Asch.
Personally I think that ALL faithful who even go occasionally to the EF, should write ++Collins at the Archdiocese of Toronto and demand another parish in the Core with a Sunday obligation Mass. Two parishes in neighbourhoods not immediately accessible to the TTC, nor in areas people would normally go out to in the city, is NOT ENOUGH! Further this situation is unfair to both the Archdiocese, and to the participants in the EF, as it gives the impression of “Ghettoization” of the EF, that is purposely allowing the EF to exist in parishes in less wealthy/harder to access geographical areas to discourage attendance. This must end! It sends the wrong message, that we are not being spiritually inclusive in the Archdiocese, as Pope Francis wills for his Church (despite a lack of preference by His Holiness for the EF.)
RADICAL TRADITIONALISM AND BULLYING, A SIN AGAINST THE 5th COMMANDMENT, STILL LEADS CERTAIN AVENUES ...
Furthermore, as I’ve alluded to in my blog goals (See No. 4,) and in past reflections and postings (eg, here and here,) there is still a sick, elitist, sinful attitude among certain members of the community of Radical Traditionalism, and to boot, now includes some of the younger members of this community. These youth in particular are carrying such attitudes they would never have developed in normal parish/campus ministry life of the Church, were it not for older individuals who harbored such attitudes (who at least, have some legitimacy as they were stripped of the TLM, for the Novus Ordo at its worst back in the 1970s of wild experimentation.) Pope Francis has spoken about these young individuals before in one of his books of Argentinian homilies or notes for his homilies, where he states that behind the rigidity are personal problems and issues.
Worse, these individuals of both the older generation and the younger generation, be they clergy or laity, attack in various ways those of us who do not wish to espouse anti-Papal and anti-Catholic values they do, nor turning the EF liturgy into an idol of specific mechanical steps to be carried out like a toy robot, while denigrating the Novus Ordo, thinking of it as a `bastard rite.` For that, we suffer harassment in the form of snide comments on social media, and emails from those fanboys (and possibly, girls? hasn't happened yet to me,) of said individuals, even clergy, demeaning us and discouraging us to doing the EF.
What kind of shenanigans do I mean? I’ll use myself as an example to illustrate what I’ve mentioned as barriers to the EF, from various instances last year. In terms of general promotion of the EF, I was ‘ordered’ a.k.a. ‘asked’ (albeit in a passive aggressive manner,) in the summer of 2018, not to promote a specific EF Mass offering, which had the assistance of a newly formed young adult choir of Gregorian chanters. The reasoning I was given was my blog was too political and the choir doesn’t want to be affiliated with my blog for that reason.
This reasoning was asinine to begin with as I have NO official position or representation with anyone. I even have a disclaimer HERE where by I state I represent myself and no one else here in Servimus, even if I do most of my serving with x choir or x parish. For that matter I retort that my choices of serving is so NOT to be affiliated with political malefactors, those who are anti-Francis, anti-Church, anti-Archdiocese (chancery) and anti-++Collins, etc.
However, I knew that this person has friends that are enemies of both my close friends in the EF (including the St Patrick’s Gregorian Choir) and I, who vehemently do not want us ‘Glad Trads’ around.
Despite honest or not-honest intentions, I curtly told this person NO, because I believe in (save promoting Radical Traditionalists,) in promoting offerings to allow ALL people to come and to grow interest in the EF, and that others before him told my allies of St Patrick’s Gregorian Choir and I, not to promote or invite people to their offerings. Might I add that sadly, such person is a young adult and was NOT of my known enemies at that time?
Let's turn to another example involving myself. Whenever I post my Latin Mass reports on Toronto Catholic Youth Facebook page, regardless of what I write, one of my enemies, another young man who is an example of those rigid youth and who sees me as his enemy (despite any verbal or written denials if you know the person,) leaves passive aggressive comments that either demean the offerings of my friends and I that we participate in/organize, insinuating that I am causing division in the EF, etc. I am actually fighting against the division that ALREADY EXISTS, I have been for years, and I will continue to do so (thanks to people like himself,) and such comments are a case of the “pot calling the kettle black.” Here, the adage “if you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say it at all,” would allow the individual to put to practice what we are taught in our TRUE Catholic Faith and the EF liturgy.
A more insidious, and dare I say, Satanic example, happened during my last offering of the EF I served the Holy Lord at his altar with, that of Christ the King in October 2018, organized by St Pat’s Gregorian Choir (SPGC), hosted by St Mary’s Polish Catholic Church. For the sake of this post, I will elaborate more on some of the events, to illustrate the sabotaging behaviour that certain individuals try to do to continue to wreck the TLM, and gives victory only to the Devil.
I initially reported briefly for the Mass, on the change of venue and time for the offering of the Latin mass. I did not disclose full details at that time out of the sake of charity for my colleagues and those who attended that mass.
However, I will now reveal more so you can truly see what actions only benefit the Devil and prevent this beautiful, sacred liturgy from being able to reach more souls. Before this offering, it was agreed between SPGC and I, that I would be the Master of Ceremonies (MC) after seven years of alter serving in the Archdiocese of Toronto, having served multiple positions. In short having paid my dues, it was finally time to lead in the liturgy.
Personally, I also wanted to be an MC, as I am also aware, that in today’s climate in the EF Church, MCs are playing an essential role in training not only servers, but also Priests and assisting them, as an MC must be competent in all areas of the liturgy. Also, having knowledge helps the priest and others with their roles, and should one present themselves to help get an EF going, having a knowledgeable leader would assist the priest who may not want to initially delve into it, fearing lack of knowledge/resources.
I purposely shadowed the MC at the practice for the June offering of which a number of the same people who were involved in Christ the King knew, at least those initially involved. It was known to those members that I would be MC’ing the October mass.
Initially, Christ the King was to be held as usual in the earlier afternoon of the last Sunday of October, with me debuting as MC. Those arrangements were changed suddenly, with the Mass to be moved to 530pm, but also a change in the lineup with me being replaced by another MC who has never been MC with SPGC`s organized masses (he MIGHT have served other positions in past, though this author`s recollection is hazy on that.) This change of the MC role was at someone else’s insistence. While the scheduling change had valid reasoning behind it, this change in MC was done with utter disregard to SPGC and I. Further I was furious! It was known to a number of us involved including the Choir and I that I would be debuting. This was a deliberate attempt to stop me from doing so, as I’ve found out that the change was motivated by utter hatred for me and the SPGC. Same group of enemies, but different players with direct/indirect involvement.
Out of charity for attendees of the EF, I will not name the party directly responsible, which consists of one or more members, but what I will say is as part of leadership of the EF, for the party to do so, has allowed themselves to be seduced by Satan, to hate a family man and a father of a 9 month old son, simply because of his allies in the TLM and I choose to be loyal to my Church, my Eminence, ++Collins, and not espouse the heresies contained in Radical Traditionalism! For the new year these party members should resolve to seriously do deep penance for their sins, and I would highly advise them to read the works of one of my Patron Saints, St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, especially his Ascetic Work, “Preparation for Death,” to give them direction for their future conduct of their souls.
Regardless, my true friends of the Choir and I, were NOT going to let Satan stop us from having this Mass due to a time change and interlopers. The Choir immediately (and with my prayers, and I’m sure those of the members and choirmaster,) set about getting to work, and thankfully St Mary’s and Fr Kazimierz the pastor, were more than happy to welcome us with open arms, also having the Mass moved back to earlier afternoon, which accommodated many of us and the laity, while allowing for some rest on the Day of the Lord, before the coming work week.
Despite what our enemies tried to do, Our Lord, Christ the King, ruled once again over both Earthly and his Divine Kingdom, and allowed his reign to not be quashed by the Devil. It ceases to amaze me that despite what challenges have assailed all of us, be it email harassment, or laity and clergy befriending us and then “turning heel” on my friends and I, there has always been an offering of Christ the King in the Last Sunday of October for the Feast of Christ the King. Viva Christo Rei!
So, what do these events that have happened to me say? Plain and simple, there continues to be a sect of people in the EF community, who want to go against the spiritual discipleship and mission of Holy Mother Church and Our Eminence ++Collins wishes, and want the EF only for themselves as their elitist club of spiritual superiority. They do not want those loyal to Pope Francis and Holy Mother Church and the poor and less fortunate to provide and/or attend the EF, (including those that decry the injustices and sins that they commit,) and foolishly think they are needed to purify the Church of its crisis, rot, and evil. Hence the actions they take upon my friends and I are to stop us from holding Latin Masses, and even I as a server from playing any part in the overall growth and proliferation of the EF in the Archdiocese of Toronto. They want the whole pie and the leadership, and their enemies cast aside.
First, when you count more than Sunday/daily offerings in the Archdiocese of Toronto, we have in total 7 parishes offering the Latin Mass, as well as lay organizations and choirs helping to hold extra offering of the TLM and even now Vespers!
There are also new and exciting developments that have occurred in the past year with regards to the EF community. First, another priest in the Archdiocese, Fr Luis Calleja, at St Timothy’s in Orangeville, is offering some weekday Latin Masses early morning. Welcome Fr! Second, a new choir of young adult vocalists, the St Vincent’s Oratory has formed in Toronto, who have assisted at some extra offerings for TLM Masses, as well as offerings of vespers according to the 1962/EF liturgical guidelines.
Which brings be to point three: These monthly and/or biweekly offerings of Vespers are being held on a Sunday evening (or evenings) at the base parish for the chaplain of the EF, St Lawrence the Martyr, one of the two mainstay parishes with daily EF and Sunday obligation Mass. See here as an example in one of their past bulletins of 2018. As a final note, I will also say that the QUANTITY of extraordinary offerings at higher Mass levels of Cantata (Sung High) and Solemnis (Solemn)(outside of normal parish schedules or in addition to parish schedules,) are being held all over the Archdiocese, whether at parishes friendly to the EF, or in co-operation/organization by the lay organizations/choirs/Chaplian to the EF.
Where the most significant growth is though, this year, is outside the Archdiocese of Toronto. More and more “communities” are forming in other dioceses, and bishops are accommodating their needs by allowing certain parishes to hold at least monthly offerings of the TLM. Some bishops, such as +Crosby of London (which includes Hamilton, ...) have even assigned a priest to be an EF chaplain to administer to the faithful desiring the EF and is celebrant for their Masses. This also extends to providing sacraments in the EF Rite/according to EF books.
How much growth has happened? Well, that would be the following: 2 parishes in Peterborough in the Campbelford and Hastings area; 2 parishes under the diocese of London with 1 parish in Sarnia/Lambton under the TLM Sarnia-Lambton community; 5 parishes in the Diocese of Hamilton, with 3 alone, and 2 under the communities of the Grey Bruce Latin Mass Community and Brantford Latin Mass community; 1 offering in the Diocese of Pembroke; and 1 offering in Sudbury under the Mater Dei Latin Mass community. This makes a grand total of 10 new offerings I've discovered in 2018! This also includes 5 new communities! While I will NOT promote or list all these communities as some contain poisoned, radical traditionalist leadership and/or elements, I do include them in numbers to show the overall quantity of offerings that has soared high!
And believe me, word IS getting out to the young adults, thirsty for deep spiritual worship and the truth of the Catholic Faith, presented to them and challenging them to do Pope Francis’ “Hagan Lio” in life, even if Jorge Maria Bergoglio as Francis has his own ideas what youth should do! Social media, such as this blog, other mediums besides Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. Are spreading the news, and a good and steady, gradual influx of my generation and younger are coming out to these EF Masses. Just look at my report for Rorate Caeli 2018 when I look at demographics in the pews by sheer visuals alone for example.
Despite the climate of the Church and the still major presence of regular parish life with the Novus Ordo, young people are coming to the Traditional Mass thanks to social media! Here’s an example of one young lady (name withheld,) who, thanks to my blog was able to find an offering closest to her in her area in Ontario:
"... Hi, Julian, ... you posted that wonderful list of Latin Masses in nearby dioceses? It was a big help to me. I live about 1.5 hours west of XXXXX [city withheld], ON, and it’s such a wasteland here. I’m so happy to find 2x a month Latin Mass in Campbellford nearby! I’m going tomorrow! Prior to this, I’d only been while travelling ... thank you .... +JMJ"
Also, social media is allowing the spread of major liturgical events like never before, of which “die-hard” Traditionalists are sacrificing time, energy, vacation days at work, and their lives to attend. Examples were the Solemn Poltifical Mass in Ottawa for the FSSP, and the upcoming Sacra Liturgia 2019 conference, coming to Toronto in June, which ++Collins has welcomed with open arms, and who knows, might even be a part of in some way! SL2019 I found on Facebook, as early as Nov 2018 being promoted!
So where are we at 2019? We are standing at a major point in time in the Modern Church. Between the secular culture’s forceful drive for people to be hedonistic and scandal in the everyday Church, regular Church culture, and Novus Ordo liturgy (the majority of Masses,) are becoming more and more unappealing to the average faithful in keeping them in the Church, numerous laity and youth are becoming full of contemplation of leaving the Church for good. Where will the spiritually hungry, the hurt, the needy go? Traditional Catholicism could be those beacons ... were it not for problems as I’ve glanced at in this blog, and this posting.
Either Traditonalism crashes and burn with the sins of the very participants within the Church and it’s advocates, as per Satan’s plan to decimate souls via spiritual Pride, or it matches forward like an electric train, and could be that beacon of hope, especially to those of my Xenial and younger generation(s) (TRUE Millenials, Gen Z, the Wired generation of today’s teens and kids ...)
Yes, currently there a lot of setbacks, and much evil has been committed in the Church at the highest levels with McCarick and the clerical abuse scandals. It’s only going to get worse, especially in the USA as federal investigations and local ones unearth more cover-ups by chancery offices.
More of those setbacks also include grievous sins in the Church such as harassment, bullying, intended ostracism which is happening in the Church on both sides of the theological-political spectrum, all for the sake of a fascist hold of the Church shaped according to what each side of “Protestants” holds dear, while being anti-Catholic.
However, this includes the local level/parish level by certain members of the EF community in Toronto, whereby it’s older members have spiritually and mentally corrupted some young impressionable minds or committed sins against others such as my friends and I. Such acts, whether by laity or clergy, old and young, on internet blogs or in person, do nothing but detract from the growth of the EF and show the guilty parties for who they really are ... exactly as opponents of the EF say. Do you wonder where Francis gets his cannon fodder for his homilies against Traditionalists from?
Also for Toronto, and other dioceses worldwide, the EF must stop being ghettoized, and a couple of more offerings must be erected in more easily accessible, and desirable (for lack of a better word,) areas, with firm oversight by parish pastors and diocesan chancery offices, to ensure radical Traditonalists/Anti-Catholic interests and personalities do not lead the “scene” or that parish’s community. Ghettoization is NOT the answer for the densest parts of the Archdiocese, the GTA core in Toronto. While I do sympathize with His Eminence’s wishes NOT to be involved with those anti-Catholic elements that attack Church discipleship (and in extension to the EF, who sympathize with Radical Traditonal leader and organizations) EF offerings MUST expand past the Oratorians and St Lawrence the Martyr, and NOT in other areas that would be “Ghettoized.” Surely aren’t their parishes with priests that are retiring that could be re-diverted to the needs of the EF, or at least with one key mass being an EF Mass?
To that I say everyone needs to be silent, pray, fast, do any other acts of reparation, and just do the EF. Clearly in 2019, we ALL could be capable of stopping the exclusion and the sniping and grow up! Are we not all baptized and professed Catholics? Work with each other on the altar and off, despite animosities, and promote each other’s Masses (save those with radical traditionalist leadership, I won’t do it on Servimus.) Seriously, if you want serving help, just ask me straight and just serve on the altar with me. I don't care for anything else before/after practice and Masses if that's what's desired. Also, plan on accusing me of hypocrisy? We’ll go ahead if you want to do that. But it will be a waste of your time that could have been spent sending an email or making a call to invite another person to the EF, or recruiting the help of myself or another young man to help serve the Latin Mass.
However, despite such acts, as demonstrated worldwide (eg NLM photoposts,) and even in Ontario, the Latin Mass IS thriving in the normal life of the Church! More and more priests are daring to take up the call of learning the EF in whatever frequency possible, be they for a first Mass after ordination, occasional, or even frequent offerings! Further, here in Toronto, and even outside the Archdiocese, more and more areas are having regular TLMs, as evidenced by the growth of numerous “communities” and parishes having them, even if it just once a month! And yes, youth are becoming more and more involved in this form of the Roman Rite, even if it’s the occasional offering. Let me also state that the quantity of higher level offerings, in general, is also increasing due to these new communities, and even new initiatives in Toronto, such as the St Vincent’s Oratory choir, and outside of Toronto by all parties and choirs involved.
Personally, I know that it is too early to call a “victory” of any sort, but when one thinks about the progress of the EF, in spite of the indifference of the Pope Francis Papacy, there is much hope we can have in our hearts and minds of a more promising liturgical future in the Church, one that touches the souls of the Church’s Faithful.
Keep “being the Mauqis,” as Fr John Zuhlsdorf always says. Keep helping out and performing those spiritual and corporal works of mercy in your parishes and personal life, while devoting as much of your time, energy, and even finances, to the EF.
There is hope here in Toronto, and even in our province, country, and world, with the Church alongside of it, but only we in this finite life, will determine how far it will go, or if the Lord’s TRUE Gospel, in liturgy and in life, will fall on deaf ears.
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
Another year draws to a close. While a new liturgical calendar year in both forms of the Roman Rite begins (the Novus Ordo and Extraordinary Form/Latin Mass,) another Julian Calendar year of 2018 Anno Domini (A.D.) slammed shut for the record books. As I look back on last year, I would like to reflect upon the good, the bad, and the ugly within our Church and more pertinent to this blog, what development has come within the Archdiocese of Toronto (and outside) for the Latin Mass.
TRIGGER WARNING ....
Before I begin, let me say I’m going to be blunt in this post, and my haters/enemies or blind lemmings of the Radical Traditionalist side, will not like this post, especially those responsible of the sins against Christ and I mentioned within. What I say here is on my blog, and needless to say, that includes what happens before/after the Masses are done. I do this to show what stops the EF liturgy from growing, and only further cements the already existing divisions that shouldn’t be there in the first place, especially by youth and leaders who should know better!
Let me also say, that I continue to take a cue that has now been reiterated thanks to the recent McCarick scandal of 2018: Bullies and predators have power over their victims when they continue to be silent. I will not be silent for that reason as well, to the chagrin of those who hate my friends and I. I also, will NOT be an enabler of such bullies, and hence, the works of the Devil by being an accessory to sin via silence.
Don’t like it? Go read Rorate Caeli, don’t waste your time in replying to me, and start living out the actual Gospel in your life. Or better yet, start acting civil and perhaps, working alongside your perceived enemies doing the EF liturgy. If seriously damaging retaliation occurs though, I am not afraid to contact the Office of the Archbishop as well as my legal counsel, of which the latter and I can discuss proceedings under civil and criminal codes of law in the province of Ontario, as well as the Human Rights Tribunal.
That is your “trigger warning.” COMMENTS are off, and anything in my email inbox is subject to becoming a new post and example of what I’ll describe in this post. Also your emails will be saved in case of necessity to bring them to legal, or ecclesiastical counsel (e.g. the Chancery/Office of the Archbishop.)
As for everyone else, hopefully you will be able to simply read this for what it’s worth, but do not fret ... I’ll be doing the bad and ugly first, and then the good. There are a lot of positives from this year and in future.
General Church
THE BAD AND UGLYThis has been a particularly devastating year for the Roman Catholic Church. Thanks to the clerical abuse scandal (including sexual abuse of adult seminarians and a minor) of now ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of the U.S.A., and a Pennsylvania Grand Jury report of the Catholic Church and sexual abuse, once again our Church has had to face a new wave of sex abuse scandal. From the media to parishioners at the parish level, many are angry, furious, and are using this as an excuse/opportunity/breaking point to leave the Catholic Church, shun priests in public or otherwise, and not grow their faith, being nice and complacent in Christmas and Easter land.
The Trads/Conservatives are of equal fault in this mess, cheering on shady priests and heroes who are using the scandal to attack the Holy Father, Pope Francis. Causing further scandal is none other than former Papal Nuncio of the USA Carlo Viganò, who fingered Pope Francis (with unsubstantiated evidence) of clerical cover up in the McCarick scandal. Meanwhile much of Vigano’s timeline has jarring holes in it, and his own moral and ethical character are in peril, as he even owed money to his brother after a Roman court decision over a lawsuit concerning family inheritance and assets that would make Pope Francis furious. Were one to be a Crown or government prosecutor putting Pope Francis on trial based on the Vigano testimony, too much doubt would exist that a jury would likely acquit him/declare “Not Guilty.”
In terms of the Latin Mass, the same voices on their blogs and in person, as well as some new names, continue to give the Latin Mass, Catholic "t"raditionalism, and even Catholicism, a bad reputation that detracts bodies from coming to the pews. Sadly, even more moderate conservatives/ orthodox individuals have joined the fray in spewing out tabloid fodder against the Pope Francis Papacy and/or endorsing works that sin against His Holiness by detraction and slander. Such fallen souls include Dr Taylor Marshall in his scandalous podcasts, and former Catholic Answers head and co-founder, Karl Keating, endorsing the hit piece “Lost Shepherd” by Phil Lawler. How the mighty have fallen!
THE GOOD
However on a positive note, the Latin Mass IS becoming a driving force to liturgical and divine renewal in the Church, growing steadily in number with even occasional offerings, and more so, Pontifical Latin Masses being held by people aside from ++Burke and ++Schneider. Included in that number is Canada’s very own ++Prendergast of the diocese of Ottawa, whose diocese houses an FSSP parish and Chapter. He did this just a couple months ago for the 50th commemoration of the formation of the FSSP. See the FSSP newsletter website ``The Missive`` here.
Locally, there are more occasional and even parish offerings of the TLM. Don’t believe me, just go to New Liturgical Movement and see their photo posts for major feast days. In past they did only one post. But during major periods (E.G. Advent and Christmastide,) their number soars to 3-4 posts of multiple offerings worldwide! This is a marked difference from a year or two ago.
THE ARCHDIOCESE OF TORONTO AND OTHER DIOCESES
The Bad and the Ugly
PARISHES OFFERING THE EFAlas, we come to my own neck of the woods where I reflect of the worst and the best of the growth of the TLM. Certain problems sadly persist which stall the growth of the TLM in certain regards, but in other avenues the TLM is becoming a juggernaut, and hope in increasing ever more.
As the Core of the Archdiocese of Toronto is my main focus, I will start here. In terms of parishes that offer TLMs more than once a week, INCLUDING Sunday obligation, that number is unchanged at ... two parishes (incl. grouped parishes.) that would be the Oratorian Parishes of St Phillip Neri and St. Vincent de Paul, and St Lawrence the Martyr which is home to the EF Chaplain of Toronto, Fr Russell Asch.
Personally I think that ALL faithful who even go occasionally to the EF, should write ++Collins at the Archdiocese of Toronto and demand another parish in the Core with a Sunday obligation Mass. Two parishes in neighbourhoods not immediately accessible to the TTC, nor in areas people would normally go out to in the city, is NOT ENOUGH! Further this situation is unfair to both the Archdiocese, and to the participants in the EF, as it gives the impression of “Ghettoization” of the EF, that is purposely allowing the EF to exist in parishes in less wealthy/harder to access geographical areas to discourage attendance. This must end! It sends the wrong message, that we are not being spiritually inclusive in the Archdiocese, as Pope Francis wills for his Church (despite a lack of preference by His Holiness for the EF.)
RADICAL TRADITIONALISM AND BULLYING, A SIN AGAINST THE 5th COMMANDMENT, STILL LEADS CERTAIN AVENUES ...
Furthermore, as I’ve alluded to in my blog goals (See No. 4,) and in past reflections and postings (eg, here and here,) there is still a sick, elitist, sinful attitude among certain members of the community of Radical Traditionalism, and to boot, now includes some of the younger members of this community. These youth in particular are carrying such attitudes they would never have developed in normal parish/campus ministry life of the Church, were it not for older individuals who harbored such attitudes (who at least, have some legitimacy as they were stripped of the TLM, for the Novus Ordo at its worst back in the 1970s of wild experimentation.) Pope Francis has spoken about these young individuals before in one of his books of Argentinian homilies or notes for his homilies, where he states that behind the rigidity are personal problems and issues.
Worse, these individuals of both the older generation and the younger generation, be they clergy or laity, attack in various ways those of us who do not wish to espouse anti-Papal and anti-Catholic values they do, nor turning the EF liturgy into an idol of specific mechanical steps to be carried out like a toy robot, while denigrating the Novus Ordo, thinking of it as a `bastard rite.` For that, we suffer harassment in the form of snide comments on social media, and emails from those fanboys (and possibly, girls? hasn't happened yet to me,) of said individuals, even clergy, demeaning us and discouraging us to doing the EF.
What kind of shenanigans do I mean? I’ll use myself as an example to illustrate what I’ve mentioned as barriers to the EF, from various instances last year. In terms of general promotion of the EF, I was ‘ordered’ a.k.a. ‘asked’ (albeit in a passive aggressive manner,) in the summer of 2018, not to promote a specific EF Mass offering, which had the assistance of a newly formed young adult choir of Gregorian chanters. The reasoning I was given was my blog was too political and the choir doesn’t want to be affiliated with my blog for that reason.
This reasoning was asinine to begin with as I have NO official position or representation with anyone. I even have a disclaimer HERE where by I state I represent myself and no one else here in Servimus, even if I do most of my serving with x choir or x parish. For that matter I retort that my choices of serving is so NOT to be affiliated with political malefactors, those who are anti-Francis, anti-Church, anti-Archdiocese (chancery) and anti-++Collins, etc.
However, I knew that this person has friends that are enemies of both my close friends in the EF (including the St Patrick’s Gregorian Choir) and I, who vehemently do not want us ‘Glad Trads’ around.
Despite honest or not-honest intentions, I curtly told this person NO, because I believe in (save promoting Radical Traditionalists,) in promoting offerings to allow ALL people to come and to grow interest in the EF, and that others before him told my allies of St Patrick’s Gregorian Choir and I, not to promote or invite people to their offerings. Might I add that sadly, such person is a young adult and was NOT of my known enemies at that time?
Let's turn to another example involving myself. Whenever I post my Latin Mass reports on Toronto Catholic Youth Facebook page, regardless of what I write, one of my enemies, another young man who is an example of those rigid youth and who sees me as his enemy (despite any verbal or written denials if you know the person,) leaves passive aggressive comments that either demean the offerings of my friends and I that we participate in/organize, insinuating that I am causing division in the EF, etc. I am actually fighting against the division that ALREADY EXISTS, I have been for years, and I will continue to do so (thanks to people like himself,) and such comments are a case of the “pot calling the kettle black.” Here, the adage “if you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say it at all,” would allow the individual to put to practice what we are taught in our TRUE Catholic Faith and the EF liturgy.
A more insidious, and dare I say, Satanic example, happened during my last offering of the EF I served the Holy Lord at his altar with, that of Christ the King in October 2018, organized by St Pat’s Gregorian Choir (SPGC), hosted by St Mary’s Polish Catholic Church. For the sake of this post, I will elaborate more on some of the events, to illustrate the sabotaging behaviour that certain individuals try to do to continue to wreck the TLM, and gives victory only to the Devil.
I initially reported briefly for the Mass, on the change of venue and time for the offering of the Latin mass. I did not disclose full details at that time out of the sake of charity for my colleagues and those who attended that mass.
However, I will now reveal more so you can truly see what actions only benefit the Devil and prevent this beautiful, sacred liturgy from being able to reach more souls. Before this offering, it was agreed between SPGC and I, that I would be the Master of Ceremonies (MC) after seven years of alter serving in the Archdiocese of Toronto, having served multiple positions. In short having paid my dues, it was finally time to lead in the liturgy.
Personally, I also wanted to be an MC, as I am also aware, that in today’s climate in the EF Church, MCs are playing an essential role in training not only servers, but also Priests and assisting them, as an MC must be competent in all areas of the liturgy. Also, having knowledge helps the priest and others with their roles, and should one present themselves to help get an EF going, having a knowledgeable leader would assist the priest who may not want to initially delve into it, fearing lack of knowledge/resources.
I purposely shadowed the MC at the practice for the June offering of which a number of the same people who were involved in Christ the King knew, at least those initially involved. It was known to those members that I would be MC’ing the October mass.
Initially, Christ the King was to be held as usual in the earlier afternoon of the last Sunday of October, with me debuting as MC. Those arrangements were changed suddenly, with the Mass to be moved to 530pm, but also a change in the lineup with me being replaced by another MC who has never been MC with SPGC`s organized masses (he MIGHT have served other positions in past, though this author`s recollection is hazy on that.) This change of the MC role was at someone else’s insistence. While the scheduling change had valid reasoning behind it, this change in MC was done with utter disregard to SPGC and I. Further I was furious! It was known to a number of us involved including the Choir and I that I would be debuting. This was a deliberate attempt to stop me from doing so, as I’ve found out that the change was motivated by utter hatred for me and the SPGC. Same group of enemies, but different players with direct/indirect involvement.
Out of charity for attendees of the EF, I will not name the party directly responsible, which consists of one or more members, but what I will say is as part of leadership of the EF, for the party to do so, has allowed themselves to be seduced by Satan, to hate a family man and a father of a 9 month old son, simply because of his allies in the TLM and I choose to be loyal to my Church, my Eminence, ++Collins, and not espouse the heresies contained in Radical Traditionalism! For the new year these party members should resolve to seriously do deep penance for their sins, and I would highly advise them to read the works of one of my Patron Saints, St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, especially his Ascetic Work, “Preparation for Death,” to give them direction for their future conduct of their souls.
Regardless, my true friends of the Choir and I, were NOT going to let Satan stop us from having this Mass due to a time change and interlopers. The Choir immediately (and with my prayers, and I’m sure those of the members and choirmaster,) set about getting to work, and thankfully St Mary’s and Fr Kazimierz the pastor, were more than happy to welcome us with open arms, also having the Mass moved back to earlier afternoon, which accommodated many of us and the laity, while allowing for some rest on the Day of the Lord, before the coming work week.
Despite what our enemies tried to do, Our Lord, Christ the King, ruled once again over both Earthly and his Divine Kingdom, and allowed his reign to not be quashed by the Devil. It ceases to amaze me that despite what challenges have assailed all of us, be it email harassment, or laity and clergy befriending us and then “turning heel” on my friends and I, there has always been an offering of Christ the King in the Last Sunday of October for the Feast of Christ the King. Viva Christo Rei!
So, what do these events that have happened to me say? Plain and simple, there continues to be a sect of people in the EF community, who want to go against the spiritual discipleship and mission of Holy Mother Church and Our Eminence ++Collins wishes, and want the EF only for themselves as their elitist club of spiritual superiority. They do not want those loyal to Pope Francis and Holy Mother Church and the poor and less fortunate to provide and/or attend the EF, (including those that decry the injustices and sins that they commit,) and foolishly think they are needed to purify the Church of its crisis, rot, and evil. Hence the actions they take upon my friends and I are to stop us from holding Latin Masses, and even I as a server from playing any part in the overall growth and proliferation of the EF in the Archdiocese of Toronto. They want the whole pie and the leadership, and their enemies cast aside.
THE GOOD -Toronto and Beyond
I’ll admit that I’ve spilled a lot of red ink on the table of this post. You are asking now, what good is there in Toronto and beyond then, for the EF, after all I’ve said? Well .... MUCH!First, when you count more than Sunday/daily offerings in the Archdiocese of Toronto, we have in total 7 parishes offering the Latin Mass, as well as lay organizations and choirs helping to hold extra offering of the TLM and even now Vespers!
There are also new and exciting developments that have occurred in the past year with regards to the EF community. First, another priest in the Archdiocese, Fr Luis Calleja, at St Timothy’s in Orangeville, is offering some weekday Latin Masses early morning. Welcome Fr! Second, a new choir of young adult vocalists, the St Vincent’s Oratory has formed in Toronto, who have assisted at some extra offerings for TLM Masses, as well as offerings of vespers according to the 1962/EF liturgical guidelines.
Which brings be to point three: These monthly and/or biweekly offerings of Vespers are being held on a Sunday evening (or evenings) at the base parish for the chaplain of the EF, St Lawrence the Martyr, one of the two mainstay parishes with daily EF and Sunday obligation Mass. See here as an example in one of their past bulletins of 2018. As a final note, I will also say that the QUANTITY of extraordinary offerings at higher Mass levels of Cantata (Sung High) and Solemnis (Solemn)(outside of normal parish schedules or in addition to parish schedules,) are being held all over the Archdiocese, whether at parishes friendly to the EF, or in co-operation/organization by the lay organizations/choirs/Chaplian to the EF.
Where the most significant growth is though, this year, is outside the Archdiocese of Toronto. More and more “communities” are forming in other dioceses, and bishops are accommodating their needs by allowing certain parishes to hold at least monthly offerings of the TLM. Some bishops, such as +Crosby of London (which includes Hamilton, ...) have even assigned a priest to be an EF chaplain to administer to the faithful desiring the EF and is celebrant for their Masses. This also extends to providing sacraments in the EF Rite/according to EF books.
How much growth has happened? Well, that would be the following: 2 parishes in Peterborough in the Campbelford and Hastings area; 2 parishes under the diocese of London with 1 parish in Sarnia/Lambton under the TLM Sarnia-Lambton community; 5 parishes in the Diocese of Hamilton, with 3 alone, and 2 under the communities of the Grey Bruce Latin Mass Community and Brantford Latin Mass community; 1 offering in the Diocese of Pembroke; and 1 offering in Sudbury under the Mater Dei Latin Mass community. This makes a grand total of 10 new offerings I've discovered in 2018! This also includes 5 new communities! While I will NOT promote or list all these communities as some contain poisoned, radical traditionalist leadership and/or elements, I do include them in numbers to show the overall quantity of offerings that has soared high!
And believe me, word IS getting out to the young adults, thirsty for deep spiritual worship and the truth of the Catholic Faith, presented to them and challenging them to do Pope Francis’ “Hagan Lio” in life, even if Jorge Maria Bergoglio as Francis has his own ideas what youth should do! Social media, such as this blog, other mediums besides Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc. Are spreading the news, and a good and steady, gradual influx of my generation and younger are coming out to these EF Masses. Just look at my report for Rorate Caeli 2018 when I look at demographics in the pews by sheer visuals alone for example.
Despite the climate of the Church and the still major presence of regular parish life with the Novus Ordo, young people are coming to the Traditional Mass thanks to social media! Here’s an example of one young lady (name withheld,) who, thanks to my blog was able to find an offering closest to her in her area in Ontario:
"... Hi, Julian, ... you posted that wonderful list of Latin Masses in nearby dioceses? It was a big help to me. I live about 1.5 hours west of XXXXX [city withheld], ON, and it’s such a wasteland here. I’m so happy to find 2x a month Latin Mass in Campbellford nearby! I’m going tomorrow! Prior to this, I’d only been while travelling ... thank you .... +JMJ"
Also, social media is allowing the spread of major liturgical events like never before, of which “die-hard” Traditionalists are sacrificing time, energy, vacation days at work, and their lives to attend. Examples were the Solemn Poltifical Mass in Ottawa for the FSSP, and the upcoming Sacra Liturgia 2019 conference, coming to Toronto in June, which ++Collins has welcomed with open arms, and who knows, might even be a part of in some way! SL2019 I found on Facebook, as early as Nov 2018 being promoted!
SUMMARY
So where are we at 2019? We are standing at a major point in time in the Modern Church. Between the secular culture’s forceful drive for people to be hedonistic and scandal in the everyday Church, regular Church culture, and Novus Ordo liturgy (the majority of Masses,) are becoming more and more unappealing to the average faithful in keeping them in the Church, numerous laity and youth are becoming full of contemplation of leaving the Church for good. Where will the spiritually hungry, the hurt, the needy go? Traditional Catholicism could be those beacons ... were it not for problems as I’ve glanced at in this blog, and this posting.
Either Traditonalism crashes and burn with the sins of the very participants within the Church and it’s advocates, as per Satan’s plan to decimate souls via spiritual Pride, or it matches forward like an electric train, and could be that beacon of hope, especially to those of my Xenial and younger generation(s) (TRUE Millenials, Gen Z, the Wired generation of today’s teens and kids ...)
Yes, currently there a lot of setbacks, and much evil has been committed in the Church at the highest levels with McCarick and the clerical abuse scandals. It’s only going to get worse, especially in the USA as federal investigations and local ones unearth more cover-ups by chancery offices.
More of those setbacks also include grievous sins in the Church such as harassment, bullying, intended ostracism which is happening in the Church on both sides of the theological-political spectrum, all for the sake of a fascist hold of the Church shaped according to what each side of “Protestants” holds dear, while being anti-Catholic.
However, this includes the local level/parish level by certain members of the EF community in Toronto, whereby it’s older members have spiritually and mentally corrupted some young impressionable minds or committed sins against others such as my friends and I. Such acts, whether by laity or clergy, old and young, on internet blogs or in person, do nothing but detract from the growth of the EF and show the guilty parties for who they really are ... exactly as opponents of the EF say. Do you wonder where Francis gets his cannon fodder for his homilies against Traditionalists from?
Also for Toronto, and other dioceses worldwide, the EF must stop being ghettoized, and a couple of more offerings must be erected in more easily accessible, and desirable (for lack of a better word,) areas, with firm oversight by parish pastors and diocesan chancery offices, to ensure radical Traditonalists/Anti-Catholic interests and personalities do not lead the “scene” or that parish’s community. Ghettoization is NOT the answer for the densest parts of the Archdiocese, the GTA core in Toronto. While I do sympathize with His Eminence’s wishes NOT to be involved with those anti-Catholic elements that attack Church discipleship (and in extension to the EF, who sympathize with Radical Traditonal leader and organizations) EF offerings MUST expand past the Oratorians and St Lawrence the Martyr, and NOT in other areas that would be “Ghettoized.” Surely aren’t their parishes with priests that are retiring that could be re-diverted to the needs of the EF, or at least with one key mass being an EF Mass?
To that I say everyone needs to be silent, pray, fast, do any other acts of reparation, and just do the EF. Clearly in 2019, we ALL could be capable of stopping the exclusion and the sniping and grow up! Are we not all baptized and professed Catholics? Work with each other on the altar and off, despite animosities, and promote each other’s Masses (save those with radical traditionalist leadership, I won’t do it on Servimus.) Seriously, if you want serving help, just ask me straight and just serve on the altar with me. I don't care for anything else before/after practice and Masses if that's what's desired. Also, plan on accusing me of hypocrisy? We’ll go ahead if you want to do that. But it will be a waste of your time that could have been spent sending an email or making a call to invite another person to the EF, or recruiting the help of myself or another young man to help serve the Latin Mass.
However, despite such acts, as demonstrated worldwide (eg NLM photoposts,) and even in Ontario, the Latin Mass IS thriving in the normal life of the Church! More and more priests are daring to take up the call of learning the EF in whatever frequency possible, be they for a first Mass after ordination, occasional, or even frequent offerings! Further, here in Toronto, and even outside the Archdiocese, more and more areas are having regular TLMs, as evidenced by the growth of numerous “communities” and parishes having them, even if it just once a month! And yes, youth are becoming more and more involved in this form of the Roman Rite, even if it’s the occasional offering. Let me also state that the quantity of higher level offerings, in general, is also increasing due to these new communities, and even new initiatives in Toronto, such as the St Vincent’s Oratory choir, and outside of Toronto by all parties and choirs involved.
Personally, I know that it is too early to call a “victory” of any sort, but when one thinks about the progress of the EF, in spite of the indifference of the Pope Francis Papacy, there is much hope we can have in our hearts and minds of a more promising liturgical future in the Church, one that touches the souls of the Church’s Faithful.
Keep “being the Mauqis,” as Fr John Zuhlsdorf always says. Keep helping out and performing those spiritual and corporal works of mercy in your parishes and personal life, while devoting as much of your time, energy, and even finances, to the EF.
There is hope here in Toronto, and even in our province, country, and world, with the Church alongside of it, but only we in this finite life, will determine how far it will go, or if the Lord’s TRUE Gospel, in liturgy and in life, will fall on deaf ears.
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
Wednesday, 19 December 2018
REPORT: Rorate Caeli Mass on Saturday, December 15, 2018 at St. Mary's Polish Catholic Church in Toronto
REPORT: Rorate Caeli Mass on Saturday, December 15, 2018 at St. Mary's Polish Catholic Church in Toronto
Hello Everyone,
I come to you with a special report in this liturgical Season of Advent. If you have not seen this post on my blog, or examined other social media blogs dealing with the Latin Mass in Toronto, there are a number of special offerings, aside from normal Latin Masses at parishes that offer them, that have been or are to come in the Archdiocese of Toronto. In particular over 3 straight Saturdays including this Saturday past, Missa Cantata/High level Latin Masses are being offered at St Mary’s Polish Catholic Church at Davenport and Ossington area in Toronto, 1996 Davenport Road.
Fr. Kazimirez and his parish have been great supporters of the Latin Mass, hosting their own weekly and special offerings, as well as allowing lay organizations/choirs to organize special offerings of the EF at St. Mary's (including my allies of St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir, with whom recently organized an offering for Christ the King in October 2018.)
As I did last year, and again this year, I was privileged to have the ability to rise early in the morning, to experience one of the richest liturgies in the Extraordinary Form (EF)/ Latin Mass the Catholic Church has to offer, the Rorate Caeli Mass in Advent.
As this year’s mass was publicly announced (on the St. Mary's website,) and held at an Archdiocese of Toronto parish, I bring to the faithful a report of the Rorate Caeli 2018 Mass in Toronto, held at St Mary’s.
PREAMBLE: What is special/different about Rorate Caeli?
As per the Fraternal Society of St Peter, they describe the Rorate Mass as the following:
"The Rorate Caeli Mass is a traditional Advent devotion wherein the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary for Advent is offered just before dawn. In many instances families and individuals travel an hour or more, rising and arriving very early for this stunningly beautiful Mass. The interplay of light and darkness speak to the meaning of Advent and the coming of the Light of the world.
The Mass takes its title, Rorate Caeli, from the first words of the Introit, which are from Isaiah 45:8:
“Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum, aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.”
“Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Saviour.”
The Rorate Mass is lit only by candlelight. Because it is a votive Mass in Mary’s honor, white vestments are worn instead of Advent violet. In the dimly lit setting, priests and faithful prepare to honor the Light of the world, Who is soon to be born, and offer praise to God for the gift of Our Lady. As the Mass proceeds and sunrise approaches, the church becomes progressively brighter, illumined by the sun as our Faith is illumined by Christ.
The readings and prayers of the Mass foretell the prophecy of the Virgin who would bear a Son called Emmanuel, and call on all to raise the gates of their hearts and their societies to let Christ the King enter; asking for the grace to receive eternal life by the merits of the Incarnation and saving Resurrection of Our Lord."
REPORT:
Upon entering the church, the whole of the body and sanctuary was covered in darkness, save the multitude of lit candles in the sanctuary, and smaller candles lit on every windowsill.
In attendance for the actual Mass, was about 30-35 laity in the pews including myself, though with celebrant, servers and choir thrown in, that makes for a total of 40-45 people offering their prayers/participating in the sacred liturgy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
While the numbers were about the same as last year’s attendance, I can happily say the demographic has been changing, reflecting the overall gravitas of youth and young adults seeking the spiritual nourishment that the Latin Mass provides. Last year when I attended, from a visual glance around me, I and maybe one other soul were young men under 40, the rest older parishioners of St Mary’s and women.
This year, when I looked around, I saw two young adult couples, another young man from (my first MC’d) October Christ the King Mass, and another young man with a relative (perhaps one of the acolyte’s brother and mother?) For a smaller crowd at a EF this is a marked jump in demographic, and proof that giving solid liturgy to the youth attracts them to the church, so much so to get them out of bed on an early Saturday morning, and forsake their favourite past-time of weekend sleeping in!
As for the liturgy itself, every member on the altar was nearly flawless in their execution of the liturgy. Though I would not expect nothing less from pastor Fr Kazimierz who has been doing the EF a few years now, and the serving corps of whom most members I have has the pleasure at serving at the altar of the Lord with. Those servers are all veterans in our diocese, made of a combination of parishioners of St Mary’s and have assisted masses of (in most cases) all lay organizations/choirs who organize Latin Masses in Toronto, and those involving the EF chaplains of past and current in our Archdiocese.
The choir was sacred and sanctimonious in their chanting of the hymns, propers, and the chosen Mass setting IX: Votive Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary 1. Mass setting IX was fitting as the sound of the setting has a strong, yet docile and tempered pace, well suited to the gradual rising of the sun and illumination of the parish interior over the Mass.
As per usual in my reporting, to give you a sample of immersion into the Latin Mass, I post here some of the main posts of the Homily by Fr Kazimierz from my recollection:
- Even in the Old Testament God allowed for many miracles out of love for his holy people and to give hope to all of us, the faithful.
- Examples are the exile of the Jews out of Egypt from their Egyptian captors as well as the parting of the red sea.
- God continues to show his love and mercy and hope for the people of the faithful even in the time after king David. He did so with Achaz as in the Epistle of the Mass (Isaias 7:10-15.) Surrounded by their enemies, God nonetheless gave to Achaz and the Jewish people, a sign of hope and promise forelling of the coming of Christ being born to the blessed virgin Mary.
- With Regards to Mary and her Fiat, She was open to the Lord’s grace, his blessings, and mercy, in accepting the great task and privilege of bearing Jesus Christ in pregnancy. Mary is the mother of God because of His own incarnation, of Christ being born of the blessed virgin Mary.
- In this time of Advent me we to reflect on the blessed virgin Mary’s obedience to our Lord and may we be open to his divine well as was Marie when she in obedience excepted being the mother of God and mother of Jesus Christ.
In all, this liturgy was a beautiful way for one to prepare themselves to celebrate his nativity on Christmas Day. It contained a beautiful serenity, so much so, that after I consumed the Lord in the Sacred Species of the Eucharist, I felt a movement of peace and warmth within me after reading some post-communion prayers from my old pre-Vatican II prayer Missal, “The Key to Salvation.” This Sacred liturgy was definitely the “warm cup of cocoa” to melt the spiritual cold of one’s heart and there is no one better (save Christ) to do so than His Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the key focus of the Rorate Caeli Liturgy.
If one wishes they could come to such a sacred liturgy you have one more chance this coming Saturday, December 23, 2018. Fr Kazimierz will be celebrant for another Missa Cantata at St Mary’s Polish Catholic Parish. This liturgy will also be special as it is an Ember Saturday for the Season of Advent (of the Winter ember days,) containing five Scripture readings prior to the Gospel. There is still time to prepare one’s heart and mind, spiritually, this Advent, with a gorgeous and sacred Latin Mass in the Archdiocese of Toronto.
Enjoy the accompanying pictures. Of note: notice the smoke of the incense rising up in the candlelight of the altar, and that the stained glass window over the altar has, in it's center, but who else ... the Blessed Virgin mary
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
PS. As to the prayer I was reading after consuming the Sacred Host, this is the prayer from “The Key To Salvation,” “Act of Love:“ O beloved Jesus, where shall I find words to express my gratitude and love? O inestimable pledge of God's love for man! O inexhaustible fountain of divine graces! O boundless mercy! O divine charity! Hail O merciful Jesus! O may my soul be sensible of Thy adorable presence and may I see how sovereingly sweet Thou are in the sacrament of Thy love. Yes, O God of goodness! I love Thee with my whole heart, my whole soul, and above all things. O divine Jesus, do Thou confirm these holy resolutions in my heart, and frant that I may always be able affectionately to exclaim with Thy holy apostle: Thou knowest, Lord, that I love Thee.
Monday, 3 December 2018
Special Offerings of the Latin Mass in the 2018 Season of Advent in the Archdiocese of Toronto, and Outskirts for the Christmas Season
Hello Everyone,
Provided here is a listing of offerings for the Season of Advent 2018, for Latin Masses in the Archdiocese of Toronto, outside of those normal offerings at the usual Latin Mass parishes on my listings web page. These offerings are publicly posted on the hosting parishes` websites, OR are from the Facebook groups that I follow for the Latin Mass, and additional information from my few close colleagues in Faith in the Latin Mass.
Only occasional exclusion will be made, which are those offerings that contravene my blog goals, as seen here in No. 4. Those listings must be found elsewhere on other Latin mass community/blog pages on the Internet.
For the most solemn/popular days of the year, this blog makes exception to coverage of offerings in other dioceses. Please stay tuned for more info come closer to the end of this Month.
NOTE: Not listed are regular, Sunday offerings. For regular locations and times, please see my Known Listings page for Ontario.
Apology: My apologies to Mater Dei Latin Mass community. It is a Facebook group I follow, that I had forgotten about. Recently it had posted activity. You are now added to my Listings page, and your remaining Masses outside regular, Sunday obligation are added.
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
Provided here is a listing of offerings for the Season of Advent 2018, for Latin Masses in the Archdiocese of Toronto, outside of those normal offerings at the usual Latin Mass parishes on my listings web page. These offerings are publicly posted on the hosting parishes` websites, OR are from the Facebook groups that I follow for the Latin Mass, and additional information from my few close colleagues in Faith in the Latin Mass.
Only occasional exclusion will be made, which are those offerings that contravene my blog goals, as seen here in No. 4. Those listings must be found elsewhere on other Latin mass community/blog pages on the Internet.
For the most solemn/popular days of the year, this blog makes exception to coverage of offerings in other dioceses. Please stay tuned for more info come closer to the end of this Month.
NOTE: Not listed are regular, Sunday offerings. For regular locations and times, please see my Known Listings page for Ontario.
Apology: My apologies to Mater Dei Latin Mass community. It is a Facebook group I follow, that I had forgotten about. Recently it had posted activity. You are now added to my Listings page, and your remaining Masses outside regular, Sunday obligation are added.
Updated as of: December 26, 2018
LITURGICAL SEASON OF ADVENT: Archdiocese of Toronto
Saturday, December 8, 2018 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- St. Mary's Polish Catholic Church, 1996 Davenport Rd. [http://stmarypolishchurch.ca/en_CA/parish_news/]
- 9:00 AM MISSA CANTATA/HIGH or SUNG MASS
Saturday, December 15, 2018 - Feria/Votive Saturday (RORATE CAELI PERMITTED)
(source: https://fssp.com/rorate-caeli-masses/)
- St. Mary's Polish Catholic Church, 1996 Davenport Rd. [http://stmarypolishchurch.ca/en_CA/parish_news/]
- 7:00 AM MISSA CANTATA/HIGH or SUNG MASS FOR RORATE CAELI (see link under photo above for more info on what the "Rorate Caeli" Mass is about)
Saturday,, December 22, 2018 - Ember Saturday in Adventide/Season of Advent
- St. Mary's Polish Catholic Church, 1996 Davenport Rd. [http://stmarypolishchurch.ca/en_CA/parish_news/]
- 9:00 AM MISSA CANTATA/HIGH or SUNG MASS
LITURGICAL SEASON OF CHRISTMAS (Incl. Christmas Eve and Jan 1st)
Monday, December 24, 2018 - The Nativity of our Lord, First Mass at Midnight
CORE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF TORONTO
1. Holy Family Catholic Church (1372 King St. West, Toronto, ON.)
Tuesday, December 25, 2018 - The Nativity of our Lord/Christmas Day (Third Mass, during the day time)
1. Holy Family Catholic Church (1372 King St. West, Toronto, ON.)
Wednesday, December 26, 2018 - St. Stephen, Martyr
1. Holy Family Catholic Church (1372 King St. West, Toronto, ON.)
1. Holy Family Catholic Church (1372 King St. West, Toronto, ON.)
PERIPHERIES OF TORONTO
Tuesday, December 25, 2018 - The Nativity of our Lord/Christmas Day (Third Mass, during the day time)
Tuesday, January 1, 2019 - Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God
1. St. Patrick's Schomberg (91 Church St., Schomberg, ON) - For all listings, see this bulletin
OTHER DIOCESES
CORE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF TORONTO
1. Holy Family Catholic Church (1372 King St. West, Toronto, ON.)
- Midnight - Solemn High/Missa Solemnis
- Confessions will be heard an hour before Mass begins
Tuesday, December 25, 2018 - The Nativity of our Lord/Christmas Day (Third Mass, during the day time)
1. Holy Family Catholic Church (1372 King St. West, Toronto, ON.)
- 1130am - Solemn High/Missa Solemnis
- Confessions will be heard an hour before Mass begins
- 930am - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
- Confession will be heard at least 15 min before Mass
- 1:00pm - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
Wednesday, December 26, 2018 - St. Stephen, Martyr
1. Holy Family Catholic Church (1372 King St. West, Toronto, ON.)
- 1130am - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
- Confessions will be heard at least 15 min before Mass begins
1. Holy Family Catholic Church (1372 King St. West, Toronto, ON.)
- 1130am - Solemn High/Missa Solemnis (Third Mass, during the day time)
- Confessions will be heard at least 15 min before Mass begins
- 930am - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
- Confession will be heard at least 15 min before Mass
- 1:00pm - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
PERIPHERIES OF TORONTO
Tuesday, December 25, 2018 - The Nativity of our Lord/Christmas Day (Third Mass, during the day time)
1. St. Patrick's Schomberg (91 Church St., Schomberg, ON) - For all listings, see this bulletin
- 1030am - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
1. St. Patrick's Schomberg (91 Church St., Schomberg, ON) - For all listings, see this bulletin
- 1030am - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
OTHER DIOCESES
Tuesday, December 25, 2018 - The Nativity of our Lord/Christmas Day (Third Mass, during the day time)
1. St. Mary's Parish, Kitchener (56 Duke St. West)
Thursday, December 27, 2018 - St. John the Evangelist, Apostle
1. St. Michael's Ukranian Catholic Church (48 William St., Coniston, ON) - Mater Dei Latin Mass Community (SUDBURY)
1. St. Michael's Ukranian Catholic Church (48 William St., Coniston, ON) - Mater Dei Latin Mass Community (SUDBURY)
1. Our Lady of Mount Caramel, (51 Albert St E, Hastings, ON, in Peterborough)
2. St. Mary's Parish, Kitchener (56 Duke St. West)
3. St. Michael's Ukranian Catholic Church (48 William St., Coniston, ON) - Mater Dei Latin Mass Community (SUDBURY)
1. St. Mary's Parish, Kitchener (56 Duke St. West)
- 1.00pm - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
Thursday, December 27, 2018 - St. John the Evangelist, Apostle
1. St. Michael's Ukranian Catholic Church (48 William St., Coniston, ON) - Mater Dei Latin Mass Community (SUDBURY)
- 6:00 PM Missa Lecta/Low Mass
- Confessions from 5:00pm - 5:45pm
1. St. Michael's Ukranian Catholic Church (48 William St., Coniston, ON) - Mater Dei Latin Mass Community (SUDBURY)
- 11:00AM AM Missa Lecta/Low Mass
- Confessions from 10:00am - 10:45am
1. Our Lady of Mount Caramel, (51 Albert St E, Hastings, ON, in Peterborough)
- 1:00pm - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
2. St. Mary's Parish, Kitchener (56 Duke St. West)
- 1.00pm - Low Mass/Missa Lecta
- 6:00 PM Missa Lecta/Low Mass
- Confessions from 5:00pm - 5:45pm
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
Thursday, 8 November 2018
REPORT: Missa Cantata/Sung High Mass for Christ the King, October 28, 2018 1PM St. Mary's Polish Catholic Church Toronto
REPORT: Missa Cantata/Sung High Mass for Christ the King, October 28, 2018 1PM St. Mary's Polish Catholic Church Toronto
Once again, the St Patrick’s Gregorian Choir of Toronto (SPGC,) based out of St Patrick’s Catholic Parish, Toronto (Redemptorist,) organized their annual offering of the Latin Mass on the Feast of Christ the King in the Extraordinary Form/Latin Mass Calendar.
This Missa Cantata/Sung High Mass took place last Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 1 pm and was held at St. Mary’s Polish Catholic Church, 1996 Davenport Rd in the Archdiocese of Toronto.
Of note was three particular items for this offering of the Mass:
1) For SPGC this was the first occasion organizing a Higher level Latin Mass at this parish. St Mary’s has never been asked by the choir to be used as a Mass site, although other lay organizations, and even the parish itself, had held/holds Latin Masses respectfully.
2) A seminarian who has assisted with St Patrick’s Gregorian Choir in the last few offerings and is a regular member of the schola, completed his pre-seminary studies and was accepted into St Augustine’s this fall. This was his first EF Mass since being accepted into seminary, as well as his
first time in the liturgical role of Acolyte 2.
3) After 7 years of being loyal to SPGC and assisting in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and dealing with much over my time alongside the choir, this author, made his debut for the first time in the Master of Ceremonies (MC) role in the EF liturgy!
Pre-Mass Details/preparations
After a change in celebrant and location of the Mass times, it was eventually settled that St Mary’s, under the pastor-ship of Fr. Kazimierz, our celebrant, would be host to the TLM for this annual offering of SPGC Christ the King, 2018.Thankfully, St Mary’s has been involved with the hosting of the EF in the last few years, including their own Saturday 9am Missa Lecta/Low Mass, as well as special high and solemn Masses on feast days and solemnities in past, in partnership with another lay organization. As such, the parish was well equipped for the celebration of the Latin Mass, with many of the liturgical items in stock, such as framed altar cards and their own 1962 Missal. Only Acolyte/processional candles were supplied by the SPGC.
On the serving end, preparation for my role as MC was undertaken starting with the last offering of SPGC in June 2018, whereby I was permitted to shadow the prior MC, Mr. Giovanni at practice. In between offerings, while dealing with full-time work and parenting a young 7 month old son, private preparation was undertaken via a combination of written and video resources including: my personal copy of the Missale Romanum 1962, (see here,) the “Gold Standard” Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described, and YouTube video of other Latin High Masses, especially one of Christ the King Missa Cantata, to prepare for the role. Private serving practice for mastery of footwork/positioning went on alongside the Choir on the 20th October, and a full serving practice was held with the choirmaster, Surinder, present on the eve of October 23rd @ St Mary’s.
The Actual Mass
On Sunday October 28, 2018, the Mass took place at 1pm at St Mary’s. A modest showing of 30-40 people were present at the Mass, mostly residents from the Parish. Considering that promotion of this Mass on my blog and media various sources (e.g. the Archdiocese website, the Catholic Register) was delayed for a myriad of reasons including a postal strike (for the Register newspaper), this turnout was great for a smaller parish and less advance notice.Overall, the liturgy was conducted decently, save minor mistakes with a side offering of high nervousness, and some off-timing on my part. Timing is quite different in real life versus recordings of the chants. Thankfully the serving contingent was made of experienced servers, some from the parish who have served the EF, others of my allies in the EF, including the seminarian who was a quick study for Acolyte 2. Fr Kazimierz was excellent as our celebrant, clearly knowing his role as celebrant, and also being a great assist to me as first time MC.
After much sweat (in our cassocks and clergy robes,) effort, and prayer, the liturgy was conducted as reverently as possible, despite my nervousness. Not one complaint was voiced to the choir by anyone in attendance. The choir, as usual, demonstrated their abilities and experience in their chanting, and lifted the souls of the faithful (alongside the sanctuary contingent) on High to our King.
The musical selections for the Mass, combined with the ordinary Liber chants for the Mass were:
Organ Prelude
Introductory hymn: Praise to the Lord the Almighty, by Lobe Den Herren
Introit: Dignus et Agnus (Liber)
Kyrie: XII (Pater Cuncta)
Gloria: XII
Graduale: Dominabitur (Liber)
Alleluia: Potestas Eius (Liber)
Credo: II
Offertory: Postula A Me (Liber)
Sanctus: XII
Agnus Dei: XII
Communion hymn: Panis Angelicus
Communion Antiphon: Sedebit Dominus (Liber)
Closing Hymn: Rejoice the Lord is King by Gospal
In addition, I present some of the points of Father’s short, but succinct and poignant homily for the feast of Christ the King:
- The Feast of Christ the King has a significance, of which it’s analogy of kingship may not seem as relevant to modern Man, as the Monarchy/active Kingdoms have been replaced with democratic governments and symbolic monarchies.
- However, the analogy does apply to us as a Catholic Church, even in today’s world.
- A King wields authority over his subjects and is responsible for their well being. His subjects, in turn, are to respect the authority of the King and his rulings and governance of the kingdom.
- Christ is NOT just an earthly “King” who appeared once in time, he is our Divine King in Heaven, who wields authority over Heaven and Earth, though now he resides in his True Kingdom of Heaven.
- Jesus ensured that his divine authority and care as our King, would persist in this earthly kingdom via his Bride, the Holy Catholic Church. Through it, He bestows through Apostolic Succession, his authority to Holy Mother Church. As His Holy Bride, it is through She where His authority over his subjects, us the Faithful [ed note: who consist of the “Communal” Body of Christ.]
- Because our King is so closely linked to the Church in His authority as its head, and on earth, The Pope as His Vicar, and his bishops as ordinary arbiters and judges of the Magisterium of His teaching authority, those who attack the Church Herself, the Magisterium and Her teachings, and/or Herself as a whole, attack Christ directly.
- This even applies more directly to us, the laity within the Church! When we attack Her Magisterium, and those who are it’s guardians up to the Holy Father itself, you attack Christ directly!
- In the end he asked us to pray to the The Lord that we may be His loyal subjects and to be obedient to His Will and Holy Mother Church.
Finally, I present to you numerous photos from the Mass, a combination of those submitted with thanks by a young man in attendance, as well as some of my own and the Choir:
The choir preparing for the Liturgy
Likely, the Collect. I, as MC am to the right of the Celebrant, Fr. Kaz(miriez), on the Epistle side, during the Mass of the Catechumens (Liturgy of the Word.) I point to the prayer in the Missal before he begins.
Incensation of the altar before the offertory of water and wine
More incensation of the altar in the Mass of the Canons (Liturgy of Eucharist.) The crucifer has been employed to take the altar Missal off while the Celebrant incenses the altar. I, as MC on the right, and the Thurifer to Fr's left, assist him in incensation, by lifting his arms when he genuflects.
Consecration of the wine into the Blood of Christ. I am just below the celebrant's right, Thurifer is incensing Fr. as he lifts up the chalice.
Communion of the servers. Here we say the "Confiteor" a 2nd time in the liturgy, a common practice at higher Masses for the servers.
Communion of the Choir post-Mass (they cannot descend for communion during the Mass)
More communion of the Choir.
What took place was a beautiful and sacred offering of the Mass, and all parties present that day, assisted in that Sacrifice of the Mass, even the laity in the pews with their prayers to Christ. Hopefully you have enjoyed this report, and perhaps in future, you will join our Lord in the Latin Mass at one of these offerings or those of Toronto, or other parishes. It is not just sentiment why the EF/Latin Mass is nicknamed “The Mass of Ages” that lifts the soul to higher callings.
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin
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