Small Update: TTMS now has report on Immaculate Conception Mass Dec 8 2012

Hello All.

The TTMS under David Antholy Domet has now released a report on the Dec 8 2012 Immaculate Conception Mass held by the Toronto Traditional Mass Society in Mississauga.

Here it is for those who are interested:
http://unavocetoronto.blogspot.ca/2012/12/we-report-immaculate-conception-mass-at.html

Pax, Julian.

Announcement: Changes to Mass Times for Toronto Holy Family & St Vincent De Paul Masses

Hello Everyone.

I would like to update everyone with important changes to WEEKEND Mass times at the Oratory of St. Phillip Neri parishes in Toronto: Holy Family in Parkdale area, and St. Vincent De Paul in the Roncesvalles area. The Times, beginning this Sunday, for the Latin Masses in the 1962 EF, the 1st Sunday of Advent in the 2012-2013 Liturgucal Year have been changed to:

Holy Family Church, Parkdale (1372 King Street West)
Sundays
11:00 am: Solemn Latin Mass in EF/Usus Antiquor (Missa Cantata in Summer)

St. Vincent de Paul Parish (263 Roncesvalles Ave)
Sundays
9:30 am: Latin Low Mass in the EF/Usus Antiquor Mass

I will be updating this in my diocesan Mass page on the right side of the main page of my blog as well.

Pax, Julian.

Announcement: Serving group Monthly Practice November 30, 2012, 8pm

Hello everyone.

If any of you have checked my "about" page, you would learn that I aided in helping to establish a serving group that meets monthly at St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church, Scarborough, Ontario. The Church contains the diocese's 2nd major Latin Mass, parish-based initiative, outside of the Oratorian Fathers at St. Vincent De Paul/Holy Family Churches. Thanks to the permissions of SLTM's assigned Latin Mass Chaplain and their pastor, a site has been provided for a monthly altar servers practice. The Church is at 2210 Lawrence Avenue East, closest to Lawrence Ave. East and Kennedy Rd. It is accessible using TTC by taking transit to Kennedy Station and then a 43/43B bus to Lawrence Ave. E. and walking west for a short time to get to the Church.

I would like to announce that the next monthly practice for the serving group will be held on Friday, November 30, 8pm. If desired, you can also attend the Latin Low Mass which occurs on Fridays at 7pm. Some of our more experienced servers in our group are part of the regular contingent at SLTM, and thus you will be able to observe them serve the Mass.

If in all seriousness, you would like more information on the group, or would like to attend the next practice, contact me at torontotlmservers@gmail.com. If I cannot answer your questions directly, I will put you in contact with someone who will, either our Master of Ceremonies that aids us in training, or the Latin Mass chaplain of SLTM, who can answer some of your more dicey questions regarding the EF Mass or aspects of it.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin

Post Latin Mass Report St. Patrick`s (+ Issac Jogues) Gregorian Choir TLMs at Holy Rosary and St. Lawrence the Martyr Parishes

Hello Everyone,

Wow! The Diocese was blessed last week with a plethora of 4 Solemn Tridentine Latin Masses thanks to the lay-organized initiatives in our diocese! You can see what occurred back in this posting here:

http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2012/09/latin-masses-for-solemnities-and-feast.html

Since my once-a-month serving group at SLTM consists of a number of servers who assist the St. Patrick`s Gregorian Choir, I served alongside them for their two Masses: The Feast of Christ the King on the Last Sunday in October, October 28, 2012, at Holy Rosary Parish, Toronto, and the Solemn Requiem Mass for All Souls at St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church, Scarborough (Toronto).

Despite the rain, we had over 200 people attended the Solemn High Mass for the Feast of Christ the King at Holy Rosary Church in Toronto. The Solemn Requiem Mass for All Souls at St. Lawrence the Martyr Church in Scarborough, was attended by approximately 175 people. These numbers have been updated from an actual count (Nov 14 2012: correction from my earlier visual estimates of 100 people) Each Solemn Mass had a full regiment of servers (even enough to include 4 torch bearers per mass AND a boat bearer for each), and some of the most beautiful Gregorian chant sung by the diligent and hard working members of the St. Patrick`s Gregorian/St. Issac Jogues' Choirs. All this could not have been accomplished without the leadership of Surinder S. Mundra, accomplished organist, pianist, and choirmaster in the archdiocese of Toronto, and his brother Paul Mundra, Master of Ceremonies and organizer on the serving side of things (and aiding our clergy members).  

Of special mention: I even spotted a priest in collar in the congregation at the Holy Rosary Mass! And at both Masses, I had the pleasure to witness young children and youth attend our Masses, some even for their first time! This is exactly what is happening here with the Latin Mass! This is the New Evangelization and the Year of the Faith at work! For you young people, your awesome! Keep bearing witness to your faith and don't let anyone tear you down for it! And don't let anybody bash you for attending the Latin Mass. You have every right and privilege in our democratic society to do so, and when they turn their nose up at your decision, they are the hypocrites who aren't being "Catholic." or are just being jerks if not Catholic. 

From these Masses, I bring to you some photos of our altar set ups. These pictures will give you an idea of how Novus Ordo churches and their spaces can be converted into Extraordinary Form sanctuaries. Unfortunately I was not permitted to take pictures during the liturgy, even with help of the congregation, and rightly so. It is the Mass, not an entertainment spectacle! The most beautiful and highest form of prayer of all time, whereby Heaven and the Earthly realm intersect with all the Saints and Angels is going on here! I will post what I have though of the altar set ups. 

Christ the King, Holy Rosary Parish Toronto, Oct 28, 2012

Left Side (Gospel)

 Right Side (Epistle) with chausable on sedilia, set up for post Asperges (maniples weren't out yet)

 Credence Table

Centre Altar. Tabernacle is in a separate "area" left of the Sanctuary space. 

St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church, Scarborough, Nov 2, 2012

Left Side (Gospel). That crucifix, by the way, is on a "spare table," not the credence table. It is used for the Benedictine arrangement popularized by our Holy Father Benedict XVI when he celebrates Mass. They do it there at SLTM's Novus Ordo Masses. 

Right Side (Epistle) with sedilia. The credence table IS on this side.  

Center aisle of the Church. Due to no altar rails, this is the set up used to create a pseudo-rail so to speak. Doesn't this remind you of the sanctuary gates a bit? I hope it does.*** 

The Altar prior to addition of other necessities.

However, if anyone reads this blog, and attended or has relatives that attended, and took pictures of the entrance/exit processions/procession with the Blessed Sacrament at the Christ the King Mass (or if you did dare to, the actual liturgy at either Masses ...), then please send your pictures into the blog at torontotlmservers@gmail.com. I will post them. You may also choose to remain anonymous, OR I will credit you under a pseudoname, your first name only, or with your permission, your full name. I will only release what you permit me, as I understand you may not want your name released for various reasons. 

Also as a final request, I did not attend, nor serve, for the Toronto Traditional Latin Mass - Una Voce Toronto chapter Solemn TLMs on All Saints Day at the Loretto Abbey Chapel, or St. Issac Jogues Pickering respectfully. If anyone who attended has general information about those Masses or is willing to write a report on it AND has pictures, especially of the prayers at the catalfaque at the All Souls Mass, then please send them to me and I will create a separate report for their Masses or a side post on the catafalque (for your learning). Of course, if the chapter posts its own report of the Mass or another blogger reports on it (e.g. WITNESS, KWTraditionalCatholic, NLM, Fr. Z, etc.) then I will link to their report. 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin. TLM server in Toronto. 

*** We did not use a catalfalque at our Mass. I have no answer as to why, nor could I find any rubric in my limited home library of resources or an internet search whether it is absolutely necessary to do this on All Souls Day EF Masses. If you do have a rubric/reference, then do share. Otherwise, anything uncharitable or in the realm of liturgical criticism about will not be posted and I will try to block you if possible on blogger.

UPDATED NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Cardinal Collins at Newman Center for Lectio Divina and Eucharistic Adoration on Thurs Oct 4, 2012

Hello All,

This isn't totally Latin Mass related, as this was more of a "Novus Ordo" type event. However, I will post this, because Collins is actually is pro-Latin Mass and has been from the beginning. Were it not for him, there would be no Latin Mass Chaplain at St. Lawrence the Martyr in Scarborough and no Latin Masses there, nor likely the other efforts in the diocese.

Further, this highly intelligent, intellectual, who values the YOUTH of our diocese greatly (wanting us all to be Evangelical Catholics as was said at OCY Summer weekend 2011), is under high scrutiny from Liberals under his charge (including clergy) and other elements of society that seek to demean him, evidenced in the events leading up to, and the responses post Bill 13. Please pray for Collins, for he is vital to the efforts of the EF/Latin Masses in the diocese and needs our support and defence in any matter possible.

So mentioning that, I will bring attention to an event I could not attend due to an interview, that our Cardinal conducted via the University of Toronto's Newman Centre. Newman Centres are Catholic outreach centres on a number of college and university campuses in North America, and it is highly often one will find vibrant, practising Catholics abound in these centres. These centres provides resources such as pastoral counselling  have their own attached parishes and priests or join up with a neighbouring diocesan parish, and hold other Catholic catechesis and social events (e.g. Bible study, Catechism classes, discussion groups, young adult groups ...)

+ Collins came last night to the Newman Centre to hold a Lectio Divina, or a "Divine Lesson" in Latin. L.D's are sessions led by a (hopefully skilled and learned) layperson or a clergy member, who takes the receptive attendees through prayer and meditation on a specific passage of Scripture. When each verse of the passage is broken down, anything could come from it, such as a reflection, a relation to a teaching from the Catechism, even a possible "enrichment" one can add to their prayer life or lesson to learn to enhance their practice of the Catholic faith. Having attended one of these sessions at the Cathedral in Toronto, I can endorse Collins' L.D's. In fact I must say this is an awesome strength the Cardinal possesses. In fact the first year that he brought this publicly to the diocese, with some instruction and enlightenment on the subject, can be found in his book, Pathway to Our Hearts: A Simple Approach to Lectio Divina With the Sermon on the Mount. Here's the link to one online store to buy the book, though there are other avenues to purchase it.

I wish I could report to you what happened there, but I have not spoken to my best friend in faith yet. However, I can provide you with a very poignant image, one that exemplifies the Cardinal and his mandate, and how he's being an example to us Latin Mass goers:

Picture taken from the Facebook page of the Newman Centre of the University of Toronto, Archdiocese of Toronto.

There is currently no reflection on the Newman Centre sites about this event. What I can say though is this is a powerful example of the reverence and care +Collins has for our Catholic faith. If Collins was acting, (as others criticize him in some dark corners of the traditional Catholic blogosphere or circles,) not in the best interest of the faith or all 'Spirit of Vatican II', do you think he'd show up to do a Lectio Divina, never mind Eucharistic Adoration which is 'gasp' a traditional Catholic practice??? He is clearly leading by example here. Yes we would all collectively like a bigger interest and more aid from our Cardinal for the Latin Mass, but at least it's safe to say he isn't afraid to walk the walk in expressing the Catholic faith, even with traditional practices deemed 'pre-Vatican II.'

On that note I hope the picture leaves you with enough to take from it. However, hear's the deal: First read my blog rules in my first post. Then, if you have to comment, do it constructively and in a Cardinal virtue kind of spirit. If you come out being all angry about the "Resurrefix" (personal note: I'm not in agreement with this) or criticize the Cardinal without a valid reason (e.g. liturgical abuse) or myself, the rules will be enacted depending on the gravity of the post.

Enjoy the picture.

Pax Tibi Christi. Julian.