Happy Solemnity of Mary Mother of God (OF) or Octave Day of the Nativity (EF)! A Few Small Things to Start Things Off ...

Happy New Year and Solemnity/Octave of the Nativity!

Hope your holidays and Holy sojourns were well in this TRUE time of  the season of Christmas! Mine was pretty decent, and in spending good time with my fiancee and family, needless to say blogging wasn't my priority in the last few days. Sorry about not wishing anyone a Merry Christmas.

Well, I'll make up for that a little, with a few random tidbits, though I ask kindly you pay attention to the first tidbit, as it is in support of a holy and beautiful initiative in the Archdiocese of Toronto:

1) Latin Novus Ordo Mass in the Archdiocese of Toronto, St. James Catholic Church on Annette St. 

Some of you might have caught a prior offering as part of my "special" Latin Mass offerings page, or the ones last month in combination of promoting the St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir Immaculate Conception Mass.

Under the gracious leadership of Fr. Ignacio Pinedo, St. James Catholic Church is embarking on what is now confirmed to be a series of offerings in the Novus Ordo, but in Latin! While there has not been the usual amount of web and Catholic Register coverage for the next offering, this is what they offered last month, and will be doing so again this coming Saturday, January 3, at 5pm:

Saturday, January 3, 2015: 
5 p.m Vigil. (OF-Feast of the Epiphany)
St. James Church
728 Annette St., Toronto

From Last Month`s Archdiocese of Toronto Website advertisement:
``Latin Mass Revisited
Rediscover the beauty of the solemn Latin Mass in this modern Eucharistic celebration. We will be celebrating the Mass using the original Latin text of the Third Typical Edition of the Roman Missal (note: this is not the Tridentine form of the Mass).
Side-by-side Latin and English Missals will be provided for those attending. A truly uplifting experience that is both ancient and new, bridging past and present. For more information, contact St. James Church at st.james@sympatico.ca or call 416-767-6451.``
_____     _____     _____     ______     _______    ______

• Location: St. James Roman Catholic Church
• Address: 728 Annette St., Toronto, Ontario, CAN
• Google Maps: https://plus.google.com/105912210603375556435/about?gl=ca&hl=en

These offerings are going to be held usually every first Saturday Vigil of the month, or Second Saturday Vigil in the case of inability for whatever reason to use the first Saturday. The time will be 5pm. I personally plan to promote these offerings on Servimus Unum Deum, and will add them as well to my ``special`` offerings postings that cover a 4 month span, despite not being an EF/1962 Mass. Both forms of the rite are important, and when initiatives like this happen, they will not be ignored for the sake of "being trad."

So please everyone, I encourage you to re-consider your Mass plans this weekend, for one weekend this month, and come out and support St. James. And please, give them a generous monetary donation for their Latin Novus Ordo! This will send a clear message that the laity of Toronto want this to occur there, and even in more parishes! Money talks! More importantly, this IS the New Evangelization at play, and it is great to see a pastor, and a parish, seriously taking to heart what our recent popes (including Francis) are trying to inspire in the faithful ..... the real Vatican II. 

Not to mention .... if you happen to know of anyone, on both the choir end of things familiar with latin hymns/Gregorian Chant, OR experience serving solemn level Novus Ordo Masses, please immediately contact me. This initiative will welcome the additional experience/help. 

2) The Archdiocese of Toronto's ARCAT (Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto) blog .... making this liturgical young man filled with glee this Christmas ....

Gotta say, some blogs are really cool. Not to mention if you can`t tell I take pride in being under the spiritual leadership of ++Collins, and to me, I`ve just found one more reason to love him and the Archdiocese of Toronto .... THE ARCAT BLOG!!!

ARCAT, is short for the Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, which ``... collects, preserves and makes available for research the official records of the Archdiocese of Toronto and those ancillary records which reflect the work of the Church within the Archdiocese.`` Besides that, they have started a really cool initiative called the Sacred Objects exchange, which will allow for restoration of old objects to better or new condition, and can even lend out objects for liturgical/sacred functions. While the exchange is still in need of more items, it is great to see this as part of the Archdiocese of Toronto. (Nota Bene .... Priests! Lay People! If you have liturgical items or vestments, including Latin Mass (Roman Fiddleback) stuff, give them to ARCAT's exchange! Build up the inventory!!!) 

Now here's the kicker. They have a blog! It's called "The Archivist's Pencil." While I do not know who the archivist blogging is by name, they write a weekly blog post or so, where they highlight one of their items in the archives, anything from notes or letters written by past priests, to some of the cool items they have in store down there. 

This Christmas, and I mean Christmas proper, from the Nativity of our Lord to the Feast of the Epiphany proper (which is truthfully Jan 6, but in the Novus Ordo they move it to be on Sunday,) they are highlighting an item each day. What items have they highlighted??? One example is Cardinal Collins' 2013 conclave folder and his seemingly regular stationary pen. Nope they didn't use a 24K golden one. 

However, I am in such glee recently, as ..... they have been highlighting some interesting items dealing with the Latin Mass!!! Two of them dealing with the Pontifical (Bishop's) level of Latin Mass! Here's all the Latin Mass related entries:

2nd day: Maniples! - http://www.archives-archtoronto.blogspot.ca/2014/12/on-second-day-of-christmas-arcat-stored.html

3rd day: Cardinal Ambrosic's Mitres of all classes - http://www.archives-archtoronto.blogspot.ca/2014/12/on-third-day-of-christmas-arcat-stored.html

6th day: My fave so far .... BUSKINS!!! Liturgical Stockings for bishops! - http://www.archives-archtoronto.blogspot.ca/2014/12/on-sixth-day-of-christmas-arcat-stored.html

So what can I say ... ARCAT's blog has made this Latin Mass participant/server a very happy guy! Check out their other days of Christmas. I encourage you STRONGLY to sign up for their blog on their blogger feed and follow along. Support the archivists!

3) Personal Stuff, and some things on my to do list in the next while ...

Today, for the Octave of the Nativity in the Extraordinary form, I decided to catch up with one of my best friends in the Catholic faith, and a fellow Latin Mass server. He goes now only to the Latin Mass/EF, and I felt it would be a great day to pay a visit to Holy Family Church (Parkdale) with him for the EF Solemn Mass at 11am. It's been a while for both him and the EF (outside of the SPGC masses I assist with), so it was great to make today a reverent and holy day in good company. Of course, EF Mass is always a treasure to go to, with a decent amount more youth there than the average Mass. 

Not to mention I got to catch a glimpse of the almighty ... okay, I am gloating but still ... Most Reverend, Father Jonathan Robinson of the Oratory. He wasn't a part of the clergy party in today's Mass, but it's still a sight to see such a holy and reverend father still at work with the Oratory. He's well known for his modern day writings and spiritual works in the Church, of which includes writing for the Catholic Register for a period of time in the 80's and 90's. There is a book sold at the oratory which features his best work for our unofficial Archdiocesan newspaper at the church of Holy Family, for your information.  

As for what's to come in the next bit for Servimus Unum Deum, my game plan is to get out of the way a few posts I've been dying to write, through my first one will be an extra special one, highlighting a new Latin Mass start up in Ontario. Also, I have started a bit on the acolyte posting and I am dying to do that as well as the low mass for one server. I also just remembered I wanted to make a post on the summer course I did in 2014 for the New Evangelization from SINE, but man time flew and between wedding plans, my tiring work life and such, it slipped my mind. Not to mention a photo post from December's Immaculate Conception Mass, and perhaps new items as they come up. 

Plus, there's always room for defending the Catholic blogosphere from the slander, calumny, and detraction from those dark denizens, who give the Latin Mass and Traditional Catholicism a bad name. To them, and to my detractors, I'll keep fighting for the Lord and to see that this movement comes to positive fruition with the Joy of the Gospel, not the Despair of the Judgement. BRING IT ON!!!! I'm like that classic, uppity, hero type, protagonist in Japanese anime ... I'm in the battle for good now and I will continue to go forward with my allies. Onward ho!

Pax, Julian. 

Upcoming Latin Rite (Both OF and EF) Events in the Archdiocese of Toronto This Weekend AND Dec 8. Serving Help Still Desired!!!

Hello Everyone,

This post is going to highlight a few "LATIN" events that are happening in the Archdiocese of Toronto, this coming weekend of the 2nd Sunday in Advent in both forms of the Rite, and for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

1. Latin Novus Ordo Mass at St. James Catholic Church, Saturday Vigil Mass. 

Normally my promotion of Latin Masses is geared towards the Extraordinary Form/Tridentine Mass/1962. However, one should also consider equally beautiful opportunities in the Novus Ordo or Ordinary Form, or other rites that actually nourish the lay faithful properly.

While checking up on an offering for St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir, Immaculate Conception Solemn Latin Mass, I found this interesting gem on our Archdiocese of Toronto News and Events page of the website, which is being hosted by St. James Catholic Church in Toronto, ON:

December 6, (2014)– 5 p.m.
St. James Church
728 Annette St., Toronto

Latin Mass Revisited
Rediscover the beauty of the solemn Latin Mass in this modern Eucharistic celebration. We will be celebrating the Mass using the original Latin text of the Third Typical Edition of the Roman Missal (note: this is not the Tridentine form of the Mass).
Side-by-side Latin and English Missals will be provided for those attending. A truly uplifting experience that is both ancient and new, bridging past and present. For more information, contact St. James Church at st.james@sympatico.ca or call 416-767-6451.
_____     _____     _____     ______     _______    ______

• Location: St. James Roman Catholic Church
• Address: 728 Annette St., Toronto, Ontario, CAN
• Google Maps: https://plus.google.com/105912210603375556435/about?gl=ca&hl=en

This is incredible! I do not think this has happened since the Oratorians reconfigured their Mass schedule to add in a Missa Lecta, at the loss of their Sunday Latin Novus Ordo Mass.

Needless to say, I am in full support of the reform of the reform, as touted famously when Benedict XVI was Pope. This is clearly an example of the liturgy being molded to the original tenets of Vatican II.

I ask and implore you readers, to please attend for your weekly obligation (yes the vigil COUNTS in the Novus Ordo/post Vatican II), this Latin Novus Ordo taking place at St. James Catholic Church. If they garner great support, who knows, this might become a regular occurrence at the parish. They might even influence their brother priests and parishes to do something new to attract the youth of our Faith, and bring them (and others) closer to our Lord in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

In addition, I will be adding this to my listing of "Special Offerings" where my EF masses usually go.

Please attend! Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

2. Other Latin Masses for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Monday December 8, 2014

Well! This is a pleasant surprise in the Archdiocese of Toronto. When the faithful in other (arch)dioceses worldwide are begging and praying for Latin Masses, we are truly blessed to have FIVE offerings in the Extraordinary Form this Monday for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. One can view this poster, created by the Toronto Traditional Mass Society, for the listings of the 5 Masses.

Notes on the Masses:

• St. Lawrence the Martyr, and the Oratory`s 1130am Mass are part of their regular daily offerings on Monday. These masses are also, Low Masses (Missa Lecta). 
• The 6:00pm  Oratory offering is a special, Solemn (Missa Solemnis) level offering, done for this solemnity. This is NOT a normal/daily/weekly offering. 
• The St. Francis of Assisi offering, is being held for the 100th anniversary of S.F.O.A. 
• Assistance is being provided by the St. Patrick Gregorian Choir for the musical parts of the liturgy. 
• The serving is being provided by a team of servers consisting of representatives from St. Francis of Assisi Parish, St. Lawrence the Martyr Scarborough, and other non-EF parish affiliated Latin Mass servers to the St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir (e.g. me). 
• This offering is located closer to the central part of the city of Toronto/Archdiocese of Toronto, in the "Little Italy" neighbourhood, near College St.  
• Booklets of Latin to English, AND Latin to Italian translations of the order of the Mass and Propers, are being provided by the parish. 
• The St. Joseph's offering is in the West end of the city of/Archdiocese of Toronto. 
• While there is no written confirmation via the parish bulletin or on the Internet, it is possible that assistance is being provided for this liturgy by the Toronto Traditional Mass Society, both in the avenues of music for the liturgy and serving, as they annually (or more frequently in a given year), use St. Joseph's for their Latin Masses. 
• Might it also be said that they were first to promote this offering, therefore also providing additional evidence that they might be assisting with this Mass. It would be appreciated if this could be confirmed (in a charitable manner). 

3. Reminder: SOLEMN LATIN MASS WITH ASSISTANCE OF ST. PATRICK'S GREGORIAN CHOIR FOR DEC 8, 2014 7PM AT ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI, TORONTO. SERVING HELP STILL DESIRED!!!

May I remind you of this upcoming Solemn Latin Mass in the Extraordinary Form, I will be assisting in in the role of first Acolyte. The details are as follows below and will be updated in my Fall 2014 listings post:

Monday, December 8, 2014 - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir 

When: Monday December 8, 2014
Location? St, Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Address?  72 Mansfield Ave. Toronto, ON
Start time? 7:00 pm
Organizer: St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir under Surinder S. Mundra
Primary Contact/Inquiries for Choir: 416 731 4485.
Parish Website: http://www.stfrancistoronto.org/sfoa_2/?lang=en
Parish Contact/Information: 416 536 8195.
Facebook event page:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1531558473750707/
Poster: 

English

Italiano

Bulletin insert: http://www.stfrancistoronto.org/sfoa_2/?page_id=48 [please see Nov 16, 23, OR 30 Bulletin for insert online.]

Front Page Nov 30, 2014

 Nov 30, 2014. Advertisement is in upper right corner. 

Also see the Archdiocese of Toronto website News and Events page under December 8, here: http://www.archtoronto.org/events_news/events.html

While we have been able to fill all the major serving roles required for the Solemn Latin Mass (Master of Ceremonies, acolytes, thurifer), we desire if possible to fill the minor roles of crucifer, boat bearer (optional), and torch bearers. You would be trained for these roles prior to the start of the Mass, by our veteran serving instructor/MC. These roles are NOT difficult to carry out.  

Should you be a Catholic adult male who practices their Catholic faith (a.k.a. attending Mass on Sunday/Saturday Vigil in a Rite of the Church,) or have young male children who would be interested, please message me IMMEDIATELY at torontotlmservers@gmail.com, or call the organizer of St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir, Surinder S. Mundra @ 416-731-4485. Please be advised that you would be responsible for transportation to and from the Church, and SHOULD be living in, or surrounding the Archdiocese of Toronto. 

Finally, allow me to give you little liturgical .... snipits, or previews as it were, of some of the physical elements of this beautiful architectural treasure of a church (St. Francis of Assisi,) you will get to experience for this liturgy .... hope you mouth will be watering ....

This is an ornate thurible and boat, one of the many liturgical items that thankfully the prior pastorship of St. Francis of Assisi chose not to remove or give away (or purchased at a lower price back then.) This likely will be what is used for the Liturgy next week. The thurible alone, H-76 in the DiCarlo catalogue, is $895 USD before tax were you to buy one new! The closest boat to the one here in the same catalogue, H-69, is $ 265! Thanks be to God they were retained at St. Francis.

These are a complete set of Solemn Latin Mass vestments (Celebrant, Deacon, and Subdeacon) in this drawer, with the Sub-deacon's tunicle shown here, easily identified by the one horizontal stripe on the back.  These vestments were sown in the 1930's by nuns, and have remained at the parish since! Such vestment work is hard to find in today's modern Church. 

A view of the parish from the front of the body. The choir loft above contains a massive organ. St. Patrick's choir members will be singing from there, and the organ will be used for Mass. 

Yes, that's right, lovely wooden confessional stalls that don't look lie living rooms. Traditional style, with the priest's area being the center partition, and pentinents enter and kneel down in the left and right sides. 

PAX TIBI CHRISTI! Julian Barkin.
 

Reminder: Latin Masses in both Forms OF and EF in Diocese for St. Joseph the Husband of Mary

Hello Everyone,

I am reminding you that tomorrow is the Blessed Feast Day of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary in both the Ordinary Form and Extraordinary Form calendars. You should attend Mass for this feast day, especially given that there are two major liturgies happening in the Roman Rite to celebrate this day, aside from the normal times at the Latin Mass parishes.

West (North) End of the City: Richmond Hill

In the North End of the Diocese, there will be a Novus Ordo Sung Latin Mass at St. Mary Immaculate in Richmond Hill. Details are laid out in full here with a poster at the WITNESS blogsite:

http://torontocatholicwitness.blogspot.ca/2013/03/solemn-latin-mass-for-feast-of-st-joseph.html

Glad to say I have a friend who is attending this Mass as this is her home parish. She definitely will be enjoying this one, especially with the Choir from Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy, a private Catholic post-Secondary college in Barry`s Bay, Ontario.

EAST END: SOLEMN LATIN MASS IN THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM


As stated before, there is a Solemn Latin Mass occurring in the diocese on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 7pm. The Mass is at St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church, 2210 Lawrence Avenue East, Scarborough, Ontario. 

The Mass is being organized by the St. Patrick`s Gregorian Choir, led by Choirmaster Surinder S. Mundra.

The Latin Mass Chaplain of the parish, Fr. Steven Szakaczki, will be the main celebrant, as I confirmed this with him. I will be serving in one of the acolyte roles, so I will be there in person.

For those of you with Facebook, the event page is here: https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/378024458971281/. Please promote this event via your Facebook page, or by word of mouth.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.