REPORT: OCTOBER 30, 2016 2PM SOLEMN LATIN MASS AT ST. MICHAEL'S CATHEDRAL BASILICA WITH HIS EMINENCE, CARDINAL COLLINS IN CHOIR FOR 10th ANNIVERSARY OF ST. PATRICK'S GREGORIAN CHOIR!

REPORT: SOLEMN LATIN MASS For the Feast of Christ the King (EF), October 30, 2016, 2PM EST, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Michael, with His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins, "In Choir" on the Altar and Homilist

Ad Majorem Gloria Dei!

Just a little more than one month ago, on the Sunday of the 30th of October, 2016, one of the most profound events ever to occur in the history of our Archdiocese of Toronto, and in the Church's liturgical history, happened! Despite the many efforts of the Devil through those acting not in obedience to Christ our King, and those who do not take favor to the Latin Mass, a glorious Solemn Latin Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite occurred at 2pm, in Toronto's very own, newly restored, Cathedral Basilica of St Michael's. Not only that, it was done with the permission, and in addition, presence of His Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Collins, on the altar in choir, as well as having His Eminence as the homilist. This Solemn Latin Mass was in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the formation of the St. Patrick`s Gregorian Choir (herein, SPGC,) on this feast day in the Extraordinary Form/Latin Mass liturgical calendar.

Preparation

The organization of this Mass was an endeavor requiring a few months of preparation and logistical planning in advance. Upon acquiring the permission of His Eminence to do the Mass at the Cathedral for the 10th anniversary of SPGC, numerous meetings were conducted and much had to be discussed such as liturgical details, who would be the main clergy members for this position, etc., with input as well from a known quantity in the Archdiocese's for the Latin Mass, Fr. Steven Szakaczki, whom has been involved in Latin Masses around the Archdiocese of Toronto, and is head of the daily Latin Masses in his home parish of St Lawrence the Martyr, Scarborough.

Being such, Fr Szakaczki became the designated celebrant for the Latin Mass. Eventually, it was decided that Fr Michael Simoes, a fairly recent ordinandi in the Archdiocese from 2011, who has become acquainted with the Latin Mass over the last few years, was made the deacon, and a new Young seminarian, a Peter/David, from the Archdiocese of Pembroke, Ontario, was asked on request to be the sub deacon.

While the choir rehearsed for this Mass after their 5pm vigil at their "home base" Church, St Patrick's Toronto under the Redemptorists, liturgical training for the servers was conducted over a series of two practices for the lay members, with seminarians joining us for the final practice Wednesday evening prior to the Mass at the cathedral basilica. The SPGC received a great turnout from our seminarians, with 7 young, future priests in the making who showed interest. These men of the future of our church, respectfully and happily, were given the major serving roles with exception of the Master of Ceremonies, of whom was carried out by our experienced mainstay, the choirmaster's brother. The Cathedral's sacristan, a Mr Ricardo Aleixo, who had been of great help in past at his prior position at St Francis of Assisi and fellow server as our thurifer at Immaculate Conception in 2014, assisted the choir in doing a practice arrangement of the altar to examine any needed changes (e.g. placement of items,) and ensured that all the proper liturgical items of the Cathedral were in place (save items brought in by clergy or other members) for Sunday.

Also during our practice, Surinder was able to practice on the "Phoenix" organ and configure the necessary settings in the limited time granted for the Wednesday practice, just in time for Sunday`s Mass.

The Actual Mass

Finally, the day of the historical Mass came upon us all. An hour's time before the mass, the principal members arrived, ready to suit up and prepare the altar, alongside the staff of the Cathedral. The preparations of all the equipment and vestments was superb, with some of the finest liturgical equipment at our disposal, as this sample below of the credence table and the central altar demonstrate.

The altar, set up and ready for the first, public, Latin Mass in the cathedral basilica since Vatican II.

As per my usual photographs, a picture of the credence table for the Mass. Just look at the beautiful, gilded and metallic Evangelarium! The Ciboria! The Aspensorum and Aspergillus! 

The stand for the gothic-style censer and boat that is used by the cathedral basilic. 

The choirmaster himself in action, Surinder S. Mundra, beginning the organ prelude to the Solemn Latin Mass, with choir members waiting for the moment to begin singing as if the angels themselves were chanting from Heaven on high. 

With everyone on the liturgical and the musical end in place, the cathedral bells were rung, our celebrant Fr. Steven led us in prayer to process, and then .... it began. We processed reverently towards the sacred altar, fully robed, with His Eminence awaiting us at the altar, with the splendid addition of a good number of brothers in Faith in the Knights of Columbus, of the 4th degree Cardinal McGuigan Assembly.

To the left, members of the 4th Degree Assembly of Cardinal Mcguigan, of the Knights of Columbus.

Just a sampling of the seminarians who were principal servers in the Sacred Liturgy. Please pray for the vocations of these valiant souls and good gentlemen in their journey. While I am pictured here, I was simply placed in order with the last seminarian as we laypersons were of an odd number.  

The other laymen in procession, whom were asked to be part of this liturgy in choir. Some of these men have altar served in the SPGC`s organized Masses in past, with myself being the longest of 5 years as of this feast day of Christ the King in 2011. 

The Mass proceeded to lead all faithful present in the greatest form of prayer on earth, immersing all there in the foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet (as depicted in the Book of Apocalypse/Revelations,) and Unbloody Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. The choir's Gregorian chants were carried with a strength of many choirs of angels, without sounding like a beating gong, all under the masterful and professional direction of Surinder S. Mundra, with much emotion and dynamic enthusiasm of one who is truly passionate in what they do.

On the liturgical end, our clergy members missed not one cue or step, carrying out the Sacrifice of the Mass in fluid motion, as if the Latin Mass has become second nature, or of "muscle memory" as it were. Even our seminarians, many or all of whom it was their first instance in participating in such roles on the altar in the Extraordinary Form, carried them out as if they had been serving for years in the Extraordinary Form.

As for His Eminence, he was present in Choir on the Gospel side of the altar, in his Cardinal red cassock and mozzetta, wearing a stole for his most prominent part of the Mass, proclaiming the homily, as pictured at the beginning of this report.

I will describe some of the most prominent notes of the Homily I could commit to memory:

• He began by quoting a popular Latin phrase attributed to Christ "Christus Vincit! Christus Regnat! Christus Imperat." He conquers, he reigns, he commands.

• Going further into more Latin, and a poignant note of the newly restored Cathedral Basilica, overhead the altar is a cross with eight letters: IC XC NI KA. these letters mean "Jesus Christ Conquers." 

• He then further went into the history of the Feast, promulgated by Pope Pius XI in 1926. It was highly essential not only as a counter to the Protestant feast day of the Reformation, but because at the time, many secular "kingdoms" of counter example to Christ, had begun to become highly rampant in the world, such as communism in Russia, as well as the emergence of Fascism (under Mussolini) in Italy.

• On this note of kingdoms, in the form of these oppressive governments, His Eminence did allude to the evil of this world that had been commencing at that time, and still goes on today, that necessitates a firm devotion to the Heavenly Kingdom and Kingship of Christ. 

• Further he also mentioned a great tie into our modern day, via a newly appointed Saint. During that time period of Pope Pius XI, Mexico was undergoing its own totalitarian regime with its government, suppressing and even executing Catholics for practicing their faith. In retaliation the Cristeros war emerged with their slogan being "Viva Christo Rey!" (Long) Live Christ the King! In this war emerged one of our newest saints, a young boy named Jose Sanchez del Rio, sadly assassinated by execution by the government for his faith, who was recently canonized by Pope Francis this year.

• Taking a note of the presence of St Patrick's Gregorian Choir, he reminisced a prayer of the Saint that speaks to His Majesty, Christ the King. While I do not remember the exact words as to what prayer it was, it was likely the Lorica of St. Patrick, with lines outside of the usual 15 lines starting with ``Christ with me.``

• The best ways we can show our obedience to Christ our King, is in repentance to He, and his Divine Mercy, inwardly and externally. To repent, we must turn our whole selves to the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist in the Mass. 

When all was said and done, history in the Archdiocese and the Church was made. Our Majesty, Christ the King, has been honored and glorified through the Latin Mass in the "court" of one of his mightiest princes of his Church in our time, a rare event that has happened in Church history since after the changes to the Mass of the 1970 Roman Missal (the novus ordo/vernacular Mass.)

Of those whom were present at this Mass, a great turnout had occurred! Thanks to numerous promotional efforts, both individual and larger scale, via social media sites and print media, The Cathedral was filled to near capacity! According to some friends of one of the choir members, of whom three are working in mathematical/statistics professions, they estimated that  over 80% of the Cathedral's main floor space was filled, which was about 1400 people!

What makes me full of joy and hope in the Church was noticing the variety of people present at this Mass! Age wise there was a variance of all age ranges, but particularly noticeable was a significant number of attendees were young adults and children, of which this author recognized a few from past and present communities he has been a part of. Also among the crowd was a few priests from within the Archdiocese, altar servers who have served in Masses in past organized by SPGC, and other members from the choir who were unable to attend practices for this event due to life commitments. Further, groups of people came from all over Ontario from areas such as Brampton, Orangeville, Barrie, etc. with even one group coming outside from Montreal, Quebec! The Quebec group might have been parishioners with the Fraternal Society of St Peter's, as the FSSP has a parish in Montreal.

With the conclusion of this major event in Church history, it is clear that it was "Marvelous. Simply marvelous," to take lines from our celebrant, Fr Steven Szakaczki, post-serving/celebrating the Latin Mass.

The men of this sacred liturgy from the altar: The clergy, the seminarians/servers, and laymen privileged to have been a part of this monumental event. Unfortunately, an opportunity for a photo with His Eminence, was not arranged for those of us on the altar, and we had to clear our belongings and selves out of the Cathedral in haste, due to necessary preparation for their 5 pm Sunday Mass. 

The Knights of Columbus of 4th Degree Assembly, Cardinal McGuigan, with His Eminence, Cardinal Collins.

The members of the St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir with His Eminence, with head choirmaster Surinder to the right in formal, Catholic choirmaster attire. 

With a cathedral basilica full of young Catholics, in the presence of Cardinal Collins, it is clear that the future of our Church was expressed here in this sacred and Solemn High Mass. A future that one can have a great hope in the Church, especially when those present take the preaching of His Eminence to heart, in pledging obedience to His Majesty, Christ the King, in both Faith and works, with Christ's Holy Sacraments provided by the Church.

May His Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Collins, continue in his steadfast leadership of the Archdiocese of Toronto's faithful, and continue to be a prominent witness of the sacredness, beauty, and the mercy and redemption of the Catholic Church.

"Christus Vincit! Christus Regnat! Christus Imperat!" 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

For your Humour ... Gilbert & Sullivan Mass

Hello.

Here's something funny, H/T to Fr. Z for posting this first. Yes it's based on the Lutheran Church, but it's quite fully and you can laugh at some "Spirit of Vatican II" Church humour too with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP8tTXKzObc

Have a chuckle. Pax, Julian.

HIGHLIGHT: A Young Person's First Exprience with the Latin Mass in Florida

Hello Everyone. Before I begin .....

DON'T FORGET, LATIN MASS SERVING PRACTICE: http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/08/annoucnement-latin-mass-serving.html

Okay, back to the main program ......

My Blogger feed produced a great article this morning, courtesy of the New Liturgical Movement. It features an article on a blog, written by one of its young adult authors. This author had heard about the Latin Mass and decided finally to check it out.

Although her mind has not been made up yet, whether she'll remain Novus Ordo, be a hybrid like myself (which we should be, to evangelize the Latin Mass and Traditional Catholicism to others), or pure Latin Mass, she nonetheless gives great praise and acclaim to the experience she had with the "Hidden Treasure" of the Mass. Please have a read below. I've bolded points for emphasis or note.

Of the ones that I've highlighted, I've snatched a few here that are the most important:

"Being a part of what many call “the JP2 generation,” my only association with Mass has been in the post-Vatican II “ordinary” (normal) form, which introduces a lot of youth-friendly modernisms such as contemporary praise music."

"Great was my surprise when a great majority of attendees were people of my own generation." (with this being the young people around early-late 20's to 40yrs old, so people raised during Pope John Paul II's pontificate)

"As I listened to prayers chanted in Latin, saw trails of incense floating in the air, and observed the priest offer up the Mass, I realized, this is exactly how centuries of Catholics celebrated Mass. Suddenly, I felt transported outside the constraints of time and space." (The Mass is supposed to transcend us, and Benedict XVI has commented many a time on this aspect of the Mass.)

" ... Now, more than ever, I felt united with the communion of saints: I was praying in the same language they prayed in. They no longer seemed so distant ..."
" ... I had only been taught to receive Communion by hand. And here, there was no option for reception of Communion. I couldn’t have things “my way” as if Mass were a fast-food joint .... I was receiving the Bridegroom in a way I had not experienced .... “Let go and let God,” was on my mind and I did the only thing I could do: submit."

"... attending Latin Mass is a bit like finding a hidden treasure box and discovering all the beauty that lies within. It is in every way extraordinary. "

Pax, Julian.

SOURCE: The Archdiocese of Miami, Florida, USA - http://www.miamiarch.org/ip.asp?op=Blog_1382104648280

Praying in the language of the saints Blanca Morales Monday, August 19, 2013

	Sheer curiosity is what led me to first attend Mass in the Extraordinary Form. I had heard of the terms Missa Cantata, High Mass, Tridentine Rite or Traditional Latin Mass, but didn’t know they all referred to the same thing: Mass as celebrated in the time-honored tradition of centuries past. I knew very little about the Traditional Latin Mass, which had fallen into disuse after the Second Vatican Council. I also didn’t know that in 2007, Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI made it easier for priests to celebrate the Latin Mass in his motu propio Summorum Pontificum. In this apostolic letter, Pope Benedict XVI noted that the form of Mass which had nourished the faith of so many generations should be made more widely available, though the newer form of the Mass, as celebrated in most of our parishes today, must continue to be recognized for its value and holiness. It would be inconsistent, he said, to exclude the new rite as illegitimate. Being a part of what many call “the JP2 generation,” my only association with Mass has been in the post-Vatican II “ordinary” (normal) form, which introduces a lot of youth-friendly modernisms such as contemporary praise music. Looking to explore something new and different, I entered the quaint Spanish-revival church, the Mission of Sts. Francis and Clare, with preconceived notions of Latin Mass that had been given to me by the media. Great was my surprise when a great majority of attendees were people of my own generation. Indeed, Pope Benedict noted the demand for greater use of the 1962 missal was not just made by those who grew up with it, but by younger generations who felt an attraction to it and found in it a “a form of encounter with the mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist which suited them particularly well.” The moment Mass began, I was swept into this very mystery in more ways than one. Being completely unacquainted with this form of the Mass, I stumbled through the Missal, trying to follow in Latin and translating in English. I began to grow a bit frustrated. I knew the new rite like the back of my hand, and now I felt like many a convert must feel when attending their first Mass: confused. In a time and age when we like to have control of our surroundings, I didn’t like the feeling of not knowing what to do. I was unused to surrendering, but that was exactly what I needed to do. I closed the Missal and put it aside. I decided to just experience the Mass. That’s when it all changed. As I listened to prayers chanted in Latin, saw trails of incense floating in the air, and observed the priest offer up the Mass, I realized, this is exactly how centuries of Catholics celebrated Mass. Suddenly, I felt transported outside the constraints of time and space. I always knew we Catholics are united in the Eucharist, but now, at Latin Mass, the term “universal church” carried a fuller, deeper meaning. At a Mass like this one, St. Therese of Lisieux or Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati recited the same Credo, prayed the same Pater Noster, responded with the same “et cum spiritu tuo.” Now, more than ever, I felt united with the communion of saints: I was praying in the same language they prayed in. They no longer seemed so distant. As I continued to enjoy the mystery of it all, no greater sense of surrender came than at the time of Communion. In Latin Mass, it is tradition to kneel for Communion and receive the host on the tongue. I was in a bit of a panic. I had only been taught to receive Communion by hand. And here, there was no option for reception of Communion. I couldn’t have things “my way” as if Mass were a fast-food joint. As I made my way down the center aisle toward the altar, I felt as jittery as a bride on her wedding night, receiving her groom for the first time. And that’s exactly what was happening: I was receiving the Bridegroom in a way I had not experienced. At that moment, I stopped thinking and let my focus be on Him alone. I refused to worry about my surroundings, or whether I knew what I was doing. “Let go and let God,” was on my mind and I did the only thing I could do: submit. And I did. It was not the awkward situation I thought it would be, and the feeling of surrender from that first experience was so liberating that I find that this is how I now prefer to receive communion. I returned to Latin Mass in the weeks that followed, being attracted to the indescribable beauty of tradition, sacred music, and reverence. Slowly but surely I am learning the prayers and responses, my Latin vocabulary increasing with each new visit. I am learning deeper truths about the celebration of the Lamb’s Supper. I also now know why the priest in my Children’s Missal was “facing the wrong way,” as I had observed as a child. I cannot say whether or not I will become a traditionalist Catholic; I am in no way foregoing the novus ordo which has brought Mass to the nations in the language they know. I can say, however, that attending Latin Mass is a bit like finding a hidden treasure box and discovering all the beauty that lies within. It is in every way extraordinary.

Off the Beaten Path: An Excellent Novus Ordo Homily at Tonight's 808 Young Catholic Community Mass

Hello Everyone.

I finally got a chance to meet up with a friend I met from my Newman U of T Evangelization school today. After our meeting, we went together to partake in a young adult community in Toronto, called 808. I think the group is named after the apartment number of a building that actually contains a number of young Catholics who live in the downtown area.

Usually the outings are organized by an Orianna Bertucci, who is also the director of Chaplaincy at Ryerson University for their Catholic Campus ministry. Each outing involves a 1/2 hour of Eucharistic adoration and benediction, followed by a Mass either at the smaller St. John's Chapel of St. Michael's Cathedral or the Salt and Light studios chapel, and then either a potluck dinner or a dinner at a restaurant/pub. I finally had the opportunity to go today for a full 808 session.

Well, what a privilege it was to be at the Mass site. They were using the St. John's Chapel of St. Michael's Cathedral, and wow is it traditional-looking and magnificent! The floor is marble and there are chandelier lights on the sides, and there's even older-style mouldings, the kind you'd see in nice houses (or those who have money). Seriously. Here's a picture of the tabernacle and altar:

 

 

Add a pair of altar rails and you'd think this place was untouched by the wreck-ovation trend back in those swinging 70's.



Anyways, more importantly, the Mass was presided by Fr. Steven Kwon, associate pastor of St. Justin Martyr Parish Unionville (with an altar server donned in black cassock and surplice yeah!). It was the feast day of St. Alphonsus Liguori, one of my favourite saints in the Church, due to his founding of the Redemptorists. Seriously, I would not be doing the Latin Mass stuff, or have turned a new leaf with regard to social justice without the Redemptorists. So you think that today would be a nice sermon about St. "Alfie" ... NO. We young adults got to hear a royal treat ... a Pre-Vatican II type sermon.

Fr. opened up with a brief mention of St. Liguori and led into a question about us and Christ? "Are we willing to sacrifice ourselves like St. Alphonsus did, for him?" This is important because it will come back to us at the end of the Homily. Then Fr. proceeded to talk about the issue of the crisis of faith amongst the world today. He threw us a BIG shocker. He worked in Rome for a number of years while he was (formerly) part of the Legionnaires of Christ. He left for good reason, but while there in Rome, he said "You'd think that the churches would be full every Sunday in Rome?" Well, I and the rest of the laity present, thought wrong. They are not. As for the minority of those who go to Mass weekly as supposed to .... it's mainly elderly people. The adults and youth are not there.

Fr. then began to discuss how unfortunate that people do not care about their spiritual salvation, or even their basic duties when in the majority of the world they have the freedom to go to Mass every day when they want to without fear ... (for now) ... In other parts of the world, our Catholic brethren are being persecuted! Even in Africa! I was thinking recently about our Middle Eastern brethren in Syria and other countries, and the family that the Archdiocese of Toronto helped bring over under the aid of ++Collins himself. He then mentioned how lucky we are to have Daily Mass when in Korea (or another Asian country), for years the laity kept the faith going, while waiting for priests for even one Mass a year.

He then turned to us, and said that despite our situation of freedom ..... PERSECUTION IS COMING! Can you believe he'd say that to us? A Novus Ordo priest saying that? to young people? I can. While he didn't go on about it, I could tell in my mind, thanks to my investing in certain online catholic media (blogs, conservative internet site) as well as the politics in my own province under its current govenors, I would not be surprized if Catholic were to go in future, in Canada, at the very least "White Martyrdom", possibly even bloody "Red" martyrdom.

Finally, he then ended on some positive notes. Looking at the young adults he was preaching to, he told us that we are the Hope for the Church despite the oncoming persecution. While there are many "Good" people, few are truly striving to be "Holy" people, like St. Ligouri. It was then at the end of the sermon, with us now knowing of an oncoming spiritual, maybe physical persecution, he re-asked the question at the beginning of the homily: "Are you willing to give yourselves up to Christ?"

So there you have it. It seems gradually, more and more priests are beginning to shake of those old cobwebs of liberalism and are coming back, partially or fully, to truly carrying out their vocations at the pulpit. It'll be a long time before the effect is diocese/state or province/country/world wide, but it is happening .... brick by brick as Fr. Z says.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.