May Posting 3: Next Latin Mass for St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir and Another Tidbit

Note: The warnings for the original 3 May posts, still apply here. Do NOT use this posting as a loophole for a chance to harass me or my allies/friends. Sadly, a Traditionalist Behaving Badly did not care for my red text and decided to send me a personal, detracting and/or calumnous comment.This comment will not be published for that post. 

Topic 3: ST. PATRICK's GREGORIAN CHOIR's NEXT LATIN MASS

Finally, without further ado ... The next St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir Latin Mass! Here's the details:

• When? Friday, June 27, 2014
• What time? 7pm EST
• Where: St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church
• Location: 2210 Lawrence Avenue East, Scarborough, ON
• Level of Mass: High (Missa Cantata) OR Solemn
• Parish Website:  http://stlawrencethemartyr.com/
• Parish Contact Info: 416-759-9359 & Fax: 416-759-6725. Request Fr. Steven Szakaczki the Latin Mass Chaplain for any specific inquires unanswerable by clerical staff of the parish. 
• Information/Enquiries/Want to Assist? 416-731-4485 to reach the SPGC choirmaster.
• Poster? Coming soon
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/444773692334037/permalink/466502263494513/

And in case you are wondering .... I am likely going to assist in the serving for this one. It's been a long time, but hey, it's SPGC. Like I said, I'd still help occasionally. 

Upadate June 6, 2014: I AM going to be serving in this Mass, likely as acolyte. I think Thurifer is already assigned to someone, and no way after a hiatus would I be MC. 

Topic 4: Thurifer Posting

Yes I know it's long overdue .... it's still almost done. I WILL get it released sometime. Give me a break between work, my girlfriend, and such alright! Christ has me on a new path lately and it's not exactly easygoing, nor devoid of stresses of life. 

Well folks, Keep slogging for true, positive Traditional Catholicism, and keep giving positive example for the Latin Mass, and rejecting those examples which demonstrate "Lent without Easter." 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin. 

May Posting 1: A Trad Behaving Badly, and ++Collins Being Publicly Pro-life

Warning: This series of three posts are dealing with specific entities and/or parties pertaining to radical traditionalism, bullying, and Trads Behaving Badly. Any replies to me from TBBs or their adherents, will be archived for legal/personal purposes, and no replies will be issued by me. In addition no comments from the aforementioned parties will be released, but again will be archived. Should you release something personally to harass me, you will likely be committing spiritual sins of detraction, and/or the grave sin of calumny (the Devil's work). While I cannot control what is posted on your individual webpages, as long as Canadian/International law permits, you are free to do so in their own websites. Be warned that I do document for my personal records, things on the WWW, so think thrice before you post anything in reply to this posting, directly or on your blogs. My blog rules also apply here too. 

And NO I am not taking down these next three posts before or after said events taking place, by your request or via abusing clergy and/or laypeople. Only the Office of the Archdiocese of Toronto, via its civilly legal, and or episcopal representatives, or the episcopacy themselves, can place an honest request that I will comply to, and I will comment publicly such a request was made in a future post. or modify/update the existing content.

Hello Everyone .... if you are still around.

I know I am pretty late to the game on these topics, but hey, this is a combination of things that have poked at my craw, what is happening in the Archdiocese of Toronto (and a little beyond) with regard to some Latin Mass stuff, and the Trads Behaving Badly that deter people like myself from wanting full participation, or even part-time participation in the Latin Mass. With a few good items on the docket, it's time I make an appearance again. Cue some sarcasm or wittiness.

4 topics to post, the 3rd and 4th together in the third post, with 3 posts over 3 days.

Topic 1: A Cardinal goes publicly Pro-Life .... and there are still Trads Behaving Badly out there poo-pooing him. 

So, once upon a time there was a privileged, spoiled child who rode on the coat-tails of his Prime Minister daddy. His daddy was Pierre Elliot Trudeau, notorious for speed driving the liberalness of Canada, via things like the Charter of Human Rights and freedom (grossly abused in justice, with Human Rights councils to boot). 

The little boy, Justin Trudeau, grew up, and decided he could be like his dad. Only thing is, as the federal party leader in 2014, he decided he only wanted like-minded thinkers like him being in his party. Despite being a baptized Catholic, he is violating his faith by professing anti-life and pro-baby killing beliefs, and decided that only pro-death/anti-lifers can be a part of the Liberal Party. 

Now, Trads Behaving Badly like to chastise the bishops time and time again for incompetency and silent assent (cough, Michael Voris, cough), most of the time hiding behind pseudo-names in cowardice, though some do use their real names or a combination. Slander and detraction parties are their bread-and-butter on their blogs. But last week, many TBBs actually has something to praise a Canadian archbishop and cardinal about. 

One of the greatest modern princes of the Canadian Catholic Church decided that this pronouncement of Justin Trudeau was unacceptable, and so, trying to be a good shepherd to cull this one lost sheep, he issued THIS AWESOME PRO-LIFE LETTER, admonishing the anti-life and anti-baby leader of the Federal Liberal party.  

Unfortunately, some Trads Behaving Badly have hearts of stone, no matter what our "Novus-Ordo" bishops do that is outside of what is the usual modus operandi for Novus Ordo bishops. Unlike even some of their cantankerous peers, these Pharisaical TBBs think nothing is good enough unless you are close to radically traditionalist in your actions and mindset, or a clone of Cardinal Raymond Burke if you are not with the SSPX.

I usually detest giving these TBBs the time of day or direct shout-outs, nor blog hits, but sometimes, people deserve to have the spotlight shone on them as an example of what NOT to do as a traditionalist blogger, as well as what kind of individuals are spiritually poisonous to the functioning of Latin Mass/Traditional Catholic communities and Catholicism online.

One in particular, Contra/diction!, could not contain himself this past week. TBB Contra/diction!, is actually Eric Alcock, who according to his blog and about page, hails from the Maritimes in Newfoundland. He even has an about page here with statements of fidelity to the Magisterium and Holy Mother Church. Here's a screenshot of said page with the declaration and Contra's identity:

This past week, he created two posts where he smears my beloved ++Collins. Here's the first, and the follow up after with my Eminence fictitiously writing to Hitler. While the posts remaining online aren't highly vitriolic, you can tell "reading between the lines" that it is detraction of His Eminence and his efforts. Another smack in the face to my Eminence. How nice of him to harass people online from miles away on a computer, likely in his domicile, from an island in Canada. 

So what are my points on this Catholic who demonstrates a "Lent without Easter?":

1) Eric Alcock/Contra demonstrates once again why the heck most Catholics do NOT want to be a part of Traditional Catholicism, which, not always, though many a time is tied to the Latin Mass. Sadly, it's these people's online and in person example that make such a path undesirable and only strengthens TBBs' ``enemies`` and what the TBBs call the Novus Ordo/NewChurch" of heresy and false lies. We young people .... are on the Internet a lot you know, and what you show us on here determines how we respond to things and even, what guides us in our faith when so many of our spiritual leaders fail at what they are doing, or are hypocrites/lukewarm themselves.

Alcock is clearly in favour of the Latin Mass as seen in this post here. And so, here we have another example of the majority of these cases, as an online/in person Latin Mass TBB.  

2) Generally speaking, what is tarnation is he thinking, commenting on our Archdiocese and my spiritual head, ++Collins in this volatile manner of the two posts, when he's all the way east in the Maritimes? Shouldn't a primary focus be his own episcopal representative(s)? It's one thing for me, and other Toronto TBBs,  to give proper, and truly Catholic and charitable fraternal correction and or analysis about ++Collins being my prelate, if the situation genuinely calls for it, after much prayer and thought. It's another thing for some guy bodies of water and land masses away to launch a smear campaign at another bishop in another diocese when it is uncalled for in the safety of his own diocese. 

3) Sadly, Eric is the sole outcast who think ++Collins' letter "sucked" for lack of a better word, while his other Trad Behaving Badly contemporaries on the web lauded and were impressed by ++Collins' brave action, despite the increasing hostility towards Catholics in the modern world, and without such commentary post lauds. Eric's companions online and in person, might secretly have the same opinions about my Eminence, but at least they are keeping those opinions out of the public sphere of the Internet in the current moment (that does not exclude past sins!) and praising ++Collins for taking a public stand ... when other bishops continue to be "careerists" that Pope Francis warns against, and clearly does not support. To their credit, even other TBBs, including ones in my archdiocese, have shown contrary example to Alcock, Credit is due to these TBBs for being exemplary in the right manner with regard to the letter.

4) My genereal question to everyone ... As a Catholic would you rather A) ++Collins did absolutely nothing like the "careerist" bishops, adding fuel to the fires of distrust and anger against our princes of the Church, and give more false reason to separate from Rome's and go to radical traditionalists NOT in communion with the Church? or B) that our prelates do something, anything, to stand against modernism, world and institutional Church corruption, and moral evils? And in doing so, the TBBs show a positive example and stop giving weaker souls reason to defect from Holy Mother Church to radical and non-canonical traditionalists?

What would you desire all parties involve do as a Catholic?

Summary: Eric Alcock/Contra/dticion!: Another reason for Catholics and I, NOT to re-enter or even dabble in the Latin Mass and/or fully embrace the Latin Mass/Traditional Catholicism, even ``part time.`` This is even despite being not in my archdiocese. 

Tomorrow, May posting 2: Latin Mass related items 1 of 3.

First Solo Latin Low Mass at SLTM Scarborough

Hello Everyone.

Just wanted to let you know that for the first time in my altar serving experience, I served a Latin Low Mass alone at St. Lawrence the Martyr, Scarborough, ON. today. It was for their Tuesday 11am Mass.

I was nervous throughout and did make a few mistakes (shaky hands at the ablutions with the wine, nonetheless ugh!), but was alright. I'll have to ask my friend in the pews for some advice.

Anyways, I can't believe it, but I did it. phew. I'll just need to keep serving.

Deo Gratias. Julian.

REMINDER: Latin Mass Serving Group Practice This Friday July 26, 2013 8pm at St. Lawrence

Hello Everyone.

This is just to remind you of the open, Latin Mass altar serving practice this Friday evening at St. Lawrence the Martyr, Scarbourough, at 8pm.

Please see further details here: http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/07/annoucement-july-26-2013-practice-for.html

If you are interested, though you are not on my usual mailing list, please send me an e-mail under the contact page ASAP.

Pax, Julian.

More from St. Lawrence the Martyr Extraordinary Form Eucharistic Adoration

Hello Everyone,

If you recall months back, St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Scarborough decided to add a weekly Eucharistic Adoration hour to their parish schedule.

I featured this new addition to the Extraordinary Form community in this posting back in February:
http://torontotlmserving.blogspot.ca/2013/02/extraordinary-form-eucharistic.html. However, to jot your memory ...

The weekly Eucharistic Adoration for St. Lawrence the Martyr, takes place on Sundays at 6pm to 7pm, before the Novus Ordo evening Mass. The benediction and adoration is done in the Extraordinary Form (in Latin) by the residing Latin Mass Chaplain, Fr. Steven Szakaczki.

The primary server for this weekly adoration, mentioned frequently here, Robin Cheung, has posted  videos taken by a parishioner of the Adoration on his YouTube(tm) channel.

The first portion with Benediction taken in the last portion of Adoration and Benediction, is here. Everyone is singing "Tantum Ergo Sacramentum", the last two verses of Pange Lingua, traditionally sung in both Ordinary Form and Extraordinary Form Eucharistic Adoration. Also, The priest gives the following response:

P: Panem de caelo praestitisti eis (Alleluia) --> "Thou hast given them bread from Heaven (alleluia.)
People: Omne delectamentum in se habentem (alleluia) --> Having all sweetness within it (alleluia.)
P: Oremus. Deus, qui nobis sub Sacramento .....



The second Video is in this link for your viewing pleasure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeslmyTV39Y. Because Robin didn't give it a unique title, Blogger cannot bring it up in a search for instant pasting into posts.



At this point in the second video, it is almost complete, with the traditional ending hymn (used both in the Novus Ordo and the Extraordinary Form,) "Holy God We Praise Thy Name". However you can tell it is Extraordinary Form as Robin bows when the Priest does, and his right hand is on his breast while carrying the thurible.

Pax, Julian.




Post Latin Mass Report: St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Sacred Heart

Hello Everyone,

This past Friday evening, June 7, the St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir once again organized and sponsored a Solemn Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. The Mass was held at 7pm at St. Lawrence the Martyr (SLTM) Catholic Church is Scarborough, ON in the evening on the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Solemn Mass became this week's Friday parish Latin Mass, as normally a Low Latin Mass is said at SLTM on Fridays outside of Lent in that timeslot.

The choir, led by Surinder S. Mundra, organizes these Solemn Masses in the Archdiocese of Toronto, and arranges the order of the musical pieces and chant for the Mass. In addition, the choir trains young men to serve for the Masses, such as myself, whom aid the clergy in offering their Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. St. Pat's is always welcome to accept young men wishing to serve in the EF, and is open to the general Catholic public. These Masses are offered every few months in the Archdiocese in parishes that are open to hosting the EF. The choir also is open to working with others who are open to collaboration in the Extraordinary Form or other facets with traditional Catholicism (e.g. Gregorian Chant, Classical music).

Between Masses, any priests and servers who serve with the choir are encouraged to continue serving the Latin Mass in their own parishes, communities, or with other parishes/efforts to maintain their skills and abilities. They are not discouraged from doing serving as an inferior minister (altar server) or clergy elsewhere, and/or Masses held by other Latin Mass efforts in the diocese, regardless of the organizers. The same goes with laity who attend the Masses. The SPGC welcomes those from every EF-supporting community, and as always, anyone who is interested in the Latin Mass whether it is their first occasion or one of many occasions.

The choir was grateful once again for the support from St. Lawrence the Martyr, who encourages the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite in the Archdiocese in a charitable and joyful manner. The parish assisted the choir in holding the Mass by providing the location to hold the Solemn Mass, and also assisted in the Mass via the Deacon role through SLTM's Latin Mass Chaplain Fr. Steven Szakaczki, and veteran servers Robin Cheung and Brian Izzard.

The Solemn Mass had the following roster for servers and clergy:
Celebrant: Fr. J. Pilon, Diocese of Peterborough
Deacon: Fr. Steven Szakaczki, Latin Mass Chaplain of SLTM
Sub-Deacon: Fr. Russell Asch, Archdiocese of Toronto. Ordained in 2011, Associate Pastor of St. Patrick`s Markham, ON. Catholic Register has a brief but interesting biography on their website here.
MC: Robin L.M. Cheung, Veteran Server, SLTM
Acolyte 1: DDS, St. Pat's (Name withheld, minor under 18).
Acolyte 2: Me (Julian Barkin), St. Pat's and occasionally SLTM on request
Thurifer: Brian Izzard, SLTM
Cross Bearer: L.A, New joinee to St. Pat's. (Name withheld by consideration for privacy)
Boat Bearer: Derrick Shim, core group of SLTM EF servers.

Some Minor notes:
- Once again it was great to have Fr. Pilon and Asch be part of the clergy in their roles. They are diocesan priests in their respective dioceses. It is always awesome to see diocesan priests take an active role in this vital liturgy for the New Evangelization! Seeing diocesan priests is really encouraging to a young individual like myself.
- This Mass was the first time that Robin has been assigned the MC role in the EF. Robin has been serving with the parish, primarily in the weekday low masses as well as Sunday Masses and Sunday EF benedictions.
- A couple of new people have joined the lovely St. Patrick`s Gregorian choir, including another young lady! Welcome!
- Prior to the Mass was the end of Eucharistic Benediction and Adoration. The server`s area had been converted into a lovely little Adoration Chapel. I ducked into the chapel before a few minutes to pray before the Mass. I got a couple of treats. First, Fr. Liam Gavigan, a priest who has been ESSENTIAL to the EF in our Archdiocese, through his holding of the Latin Mass even before Summorum Pontificum, and who has trained some of those who train today`s servers, was doing the ending Benediction. Second, he said the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart, in addition to the usual prayers that go with Adoration and Benediction.

The Mass
As usual, here are some pictures of the setup of the Altar and some other minor facets of the Church prior to the Mass. No pictures are taken during the Mass by any members of the choir during the Mass due to respect for the sacred liturgy. It is not an entertainment event! If any media will be taken, it may by video for the purposes of altar server training. Here was my usual round of Sanctuary photos:

Epistle Side of the Altar. The Bells were later moved to the Gospel Side near Acolyte 1

Center Aisle and Altar from a Distance. Now with beautiful new Altar Rails! Finally we got the pleasure of using them!

Sedilia and Lower Chairs, as well as the Credence Table in the back. Epistle Side of the Altar.

As for the actual Mass, as usual, things progressed in a solemn and reverent manner by our clergy. The choir sang beautiful, uplifting chant and pieces in the Mass and our new young lady to the choir apparently received the solo for the gradual/Alleluia, or the piece leading into the Gospel.:

The Homily
Being an acolyte, I was privy to hearing the whole homily from start to finish. Here are the main points of what Fr. Pilon had to preach to us for the Feast of the Sacred Heart, though I admit my memory is shoddy between the stress I experienced prior and during Mass, coupled with coming off night shift. I have taken a bit of liberty here to fill in and connect some main points:

• To Begin the homily, the Sacred Heart of Jesus was, actually, the living breathing organ when he was in the flesh on earth. 
• It was a beating heart of flesh, that beat as baby Jesus was held against his father, St. Joseph, and his mother, Blessed Virgin Mary. They felt his little heartbeat when He was a babe. 
• When we think of the heart, we point to it physically, but our emotions and affects refer to more than the physical organ. 
• When we say something insulting with emotion and/or intent, or speak down to someone, the evil action affects us more than just corporally so. It affects our "hearts", our person-hood and being, and is the opposite of love. 
• Christ's love for us is represented in his Sacred Heart, the heart that gave out beating as he sacrificed himself for our sins on the Cross. That act was the ultimate act of love for us, the ultimate act of mercy for us. 
• The Latin for mercy is miserecordiae. The word is separated into two root words. Misere which is misery, and cordiae which can come from "corda" which is "heart". [Editor: like as in Sursum Corda]. Mercy is connected to the heart.
• Christ's Sacred heart is depicted [Editor: like in my First Friday devotion to the sacred heart posting] with a large laceration to the heart. This laceration is from the spear wound inflicted by the Roman soldier [regardless whether it "represents the wound" or it was actually lacerated at Jesus' death]. 
• [Editor: One could say Fr. Pilon took a page out of our Jesuit Holy Father Francis' book on homiletics, with the three word pattern to teach a lesson:] His Sacred Heart keeps that very wound, and it remains open for you to enter into His Heart, His ultimate Love. To do so, it will require three things:
• Humility: Sadly these days, psychologists in this world brush off things and make us "feel ok" about ourselves, that many of our sins and actions are not wrong, and can be rationalized. Further, many people commit sins and rationalize them away. They are prideful. We need to realize that the sins we do are continually attacking and stabbing at Jesus' Heart. We must say "what I am doing is sinful and wrong, and not of the Love of Christ."
• Shame: We should be shameful and sorrowful for our acts. They should not be hidden [mostly] behind excuses and mental disorders, etc. We must, despite our shortcomings or deficits in life, be willing to admit our sins we've inflicted on the Lord's Heart, and be ready to detest what we done and know they are sinful. [This includes detachment from sin]
• Sorrow: We must be sorrowful for our sins. We must be sad for the sins we commit, knowing the nature of them and how they wound our Lord, and that they hurt his Sacred Heart. Further we must feel sorrow at those who sin against His Heart and commit such actions, as those sins too hurt our Lord's Sacred Heart. 
• May we come to desire His love in the Form of his Sacred Heart. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee!!!

A fine Homily. I just wish my mind was less foggy to remember the rest of it.

Despite some serving mistakes, we together nonetheless proceeded in a beautiful and solemn liturgy, learnt a number of practical applications for future, and granted to those present an EF mass in our Archdiocese. Afterwards a reception was held downstairs in the parish hall with some celebratory sweets. It was a feast day after all! 

I would like to congratulate the St. Patrick's Choir, and to those new members to the choir for partaking in the liturgy through your voices. Thank you`s are also extended to the servers of SLTM for assisting St. Patrick's. Especially, Robin Cheung, veteran server, is to be commended for his first time role as a Master of Ceremonies. His serving was excellent for a first-time role, and it is great to see that his hard work and training under Fr. Steven has paid off admirably.

I'd also like to thank those of you who attended whether this is your normal form of the Roman Rite, or this was your first time, or perhaps you were even from another highly liturgically orthodox Christian faith/rite (e.g. Anglican Rite). I hope that you were able to worship our Lord in beautiful reverence and solemnity, honouring Him on this sacred feast day devoted to his Sacred Heart. If you honestly loved this form of the Mass and would like to attend more frequently in the core o the diocese, I encourage you to look for the regular offerings under the page on the right side of this blog and to attend, be it for your Sunday obligation, or even on weekdays. That or just e-mail me if you would rather get a direct message and assistance to lead you in the right direction.

In addition, should you, or if you have a child or young man who was inspired by our service at the altar as servers and wants to do it, I can personally assist you with pursuing Latin Mass altar serving. My e-mail is under the "contact information" page. Please provide both an email and a phone number to contact you. This info can also be passed onto the SPGC should you specifically want to work with the choir. As a final note, should any of the attendees for this Mass, have snuck in shapshots with your cellphone cameras, you can send them into my e-mail address. I will display them in this post. 

UPDATE JUNE 11, 2013
Someone took a camera picture of the incensing at the Offertory. See me there on the far right. The Master of Ceremonies is whom in most EF serving guides removes the Missal from the Gospel side for incensing. However, I reverted to what I did last time at the St. Joseph's Mass: AC2 removes altar Missal (I suppose it's an alternate role not set in stone, or at the discretion of your MC) and well, got a little surprised. Thankfully I reverted to orans position and left at a suitable time. Next time, I'll make sure to discuss finer points in the liturgy with my MC. Hey, it's a learning curve.

Once again, Thank you, and keep spreading the word of the Latin Mass. Pax Tibi Christ, Julian Barkin.

P.S. For your pleasure:

This is side by side, the Novus Ordo Missal (2011) with a biretta of one of the clergy. This is a clear example of the two forms of the Roman Rite side by side. Feel free to copy and paste with description at will! This is symbolically Pope Benedict XVI`s meaning of the two forms mutually enriching each other! I thought this was too cool not to photograph. Pax. 

ANNOUNCEMENT: Practice for Latin Mass Serving Group Announcement for May

Hello Everyone,

In case some of you were questioning what happened to the monthly practice over the last two months, simple explanations:

1) March: The last friday of the month was Good Friday. 'Nuff said.

2) April: Quite frankly I was caught up in my work priorities and other things in my personal life and needed to step back a bit from Latin Mass stuff. I was also quite exhausted thanks to said other issues. Nothing like a part time job at all hours with requests for help to wear you out.

So no, to those who think it has tanked and died, WRONG! The group is back on, and will be having a practice tomorrow, May 31, at 8pm at St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church, Scarborough, ON.  

Where: St. Lawrence the Martyr, 2210 Lawrence Ave. E, Scarborough, ON. It is closest to St. Lawrence Ave. E + Kennedy Rd. TTC access via Kennedy Station 43/43B bus and a 10 min walk west on L.A.E.

The focus of this practice will be the Solemn Latin Mass. We will be working in tandem with St. Lawrence the Martyr parish and the St. Patrick`s Gregorian Choir, as the next Solemn Latin Mass in the core of the Archdiocese of Toronto will be the evening of next Friday, June 7, at 7pm at St. Lawrence the Martyr. In this practice, roles will be assigned to servers who desire to serve the Solemn Mass. We will go through a run through of the serving portions of the Mass as a refresher to all who attend, but in addition to teach new roles to servers who are new to the Mass, or who have been "promoted" to a more demanding role in serving.

The serving group is always looking for new servers! If you are an adult or young man who wants to start serving, please come to the practice and send me your contact information, both an e-mail AND a cell or home phone number (or that of your parents in addition to your own if you are a minor under 18) to torontotlmservers@gmail.com. I will also be forwarding your contact information to the organizers of the SPGC choir so they may contact you for further/future Masses and to know who will ACTUALLY be serving next friday. 

In addition, if you want to do serving outside of the group, via a Latin Mass parish and/or a Solemn Latin Mass choir in the diocese as well. I will forward your information onto the organizers, or give you information for one of the Latin Mass parishes in the diocese. Please submit all information by e-mail, not by comment boxes (more for your privacy).

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

Better Late than Never, but cool! St. Lawrence the Martyr Altar Rails Complete!!!

Hello Everyone.

So I have some good news for those who like the Latin Mass ...

The Altar Rails at St. Lawrence the Matryr, Scarborough, are now Complete!!!

Turns out they were complete a day or two after our Solemn Latin Mass for St. Joseph on March 19, 2013. I was just waiting on pictures of the completed rails. They are beautiful, dark green marble rails. While I haven't revisited the parish since my Solemn Mass, I can't wait to receive the Eucharist there and see how the rails feel while doing so.

Anyways, the pictures I have aren't the greatest of the final product, but that's only because they are from a friend's Facebook page (Credit to Robin Cheung, Veteran server of St. Lawrence the Martyr) and at a distance, but at least you know they are done. And so, from start to finish, the new rails in a series of pictures:

BEFORE: Sanctuary of St. Lawrence the Martyr before major renovation, 1960's

 2013: From Robin Cheung, Altar posts with main surface pieces being installed week before St. Joseph's Mass, March 2013

Picture of Altar with completed posts and kneeling cushions at St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir St. Joseph's Missa Solemnis, March 19, 2013

Pictures Taken by Robin Cheung end of March and April 13, 2013. You can see the altar rails in the distance. The surface is laid and they are useable. 

THE FINISHED PRODUCT UP CLOSE!!!! Picture Taken and posted to Facebook by Robin Cheung, April 26, 2013

Well I'm smiling all the way. If you go to the parish, or will visit for the Latin Mass, or just visit regardless, please use the altar rails to show utmost reverence to the Lord in receiving the Eucharist at Mass (on the tongue of course). And don't be shy to do this during the Novus Ordo Masses. The clergy are quite friendly to receiving in that manner (especially Fr. Steven being the Latin Mass Chaplain!). 

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian. 

Latin Mass Report: Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, Organized by St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir

Hello Everyone.

The St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir, headed by Surinder S. Mundra, began its 2013 run of organizing Latin Masses throughout the archdiocese of Toronto. Its first Solemn Latin Mass for 2013, was held Tuesday evening at St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Church, Scarborough, Ontario. Considering the weather conditions, simple online/blog promotion of the Mass, and it was a workday/weekday evening, the Mass had a congregation of approximately 100 attendees! Given all that, it's clear that the Latin Mass is growing in our diocese and people do care about it!

The Roster for this Mass was: Fr. Steven Szakaczki, the resident Latin Mass Chaplain of SLTM, as our celebrant; Fr. Russell Asch, a fairly recent 2011 Ordinani for the Archdiocese of Toronto (see brief but highly interesting biography feature in the Catholic Register from 2 years ago here;) as Deacon; a young and vivacious seminarian, Dryden Buote, currently in formation at the Seminary of St. Augustine`s in Toronto as our sub-deacon; the Master of Ceremonies was co-organizer for the Choir and head trainer for altar serving, Mr. Paul Mundra. Including myself, there was a total of five young men, dedicated to serving the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, for last night`s Mass, in varying roles. I was 2nd Acolyte.

Prior to the actual Mass, fruitful and positive activity was going on in the sacristy and in setting up the altar. Prompt and proper setting up of the altar took place, and pleasantries and brief conversation took place getting to know our new friends and clergy/servers assisting the St. Patrick's Choir. I was particularly pleased to meet Dryden, having only seen him on friends`/group lists on Facebook. It's great to see another young man like myself with a positive disposition with an interest in this form of the Roman Rite, and gives me hope in the next generation of clergy for our archdiocese. It's these men, soon to be Reverend Father(s), like Dryden, who will bring out the full effects of ++Collins' archdiocesan pastoral plan and bear fruit to the New Evangelization.

Glad to say we eventually started our Mass at the proper time. While I was not permitted to take pictures of the actual liturgy (It`s the Holy Mass, not an entertainment spectacle), I was able to take a few shots of the altar setup prior to Mass.

Main Altar with New Framed Altar Cards for the Choir

Right Side of Altar showing the Sedilia

 Credence Table for Mass, Including Humeral Veil

The Mass began, and proceeded with beautiful, soul enriching music sung by our choir. I swear, they must be jumping by leaps and bounds every time, even their soloists. Because whomever sung the solo just before the reading of the Gospel had a voice so pure and so pristine singing the Gregorian Chant, that I swear I was in Heaven, even for just a few dear seconds.

Once we were seated post-Gospel, and the readings were read in English, announcements were made. An interesting point of note, is that today's liturgy involved three collect prayers to be spoken. The first was for the feast day of St. Joseph, as a Saint's feast day gets a collect devoted to them. The second was a collect for the Commemoration of the Coronation of new Holy Father, Pope Francis I. The final collect was specific for the season of Lent, being the Tuesday in Passion Week. One could say this was a triple blessing! A Feast Day, a Papal Coronation, and a Latin Mass! After, Fr. Steven proceeded to give one of the most awesome, superhero-powered homilies to date at St. Lawrence! And indeed it involved super heroes besides Fr. Steven himself!

Here`s the main points of his homily that I was able to remember:

• Superhero movies are all the rage these Days. We`ve seen ones for Spiderman, Batman, and soon, Superman.
• Super heroes are well adored because they have qualities, besides their powers, we admire: energetic  heroic, courageous, they fight evil, but most of all, they are self-sacrificing. In doing so, they are willing to take on many pains and sufferings in their heroism.
• When we think of superheroes, our Catholic faith has many: The Saints. Many were courageous, self-sacrificing, truly good and loving, and even shared in some of Christ`s powers, particularly, miracles
• Some saints are highly more valued than others. In our faith, of the most highest saints to be valued, the highest is the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
• Mary`s sainthood encompasses the annunciation from the Angel Gabriel, where she accepting God`s Will to become the theotokos, the God-bearer, of Jesus Christ. Even after the birth of her son, Jesus, she borne many pains and sufferings of her Son to the end in carrying out God`s will. 
• Even the Devil fears Mary so highly [besides God warning the devil that women will crush his head back with the Fall]. He is so prideful, so stubborn, he is sick of her, especially because he detests her humility, something he could never want to do.
• Next to Mary, we should also consider that one of the biggest (and sadly, under appreciated  saints, is her Husband, St. Joseph.
• St. Joseph is known for being the patron saints of carpentry, of vocations, those seeking marriage, even a happy death. 
• Father then proceeded to tell the story of a beggar in a cabin somewhere, who prayed so earnestly to St. Joseph for his intercession before Death. A priest in the local village was summoned be an old man with a lantern to give last rites to a friend he knew. The old man guided the priest through a forest, to a clearing, and once there, the old disappeared and dropped his lantern, right in front of the priest's eyes. The priest came to the clearing to the resting shack for field/forest workers, where the beggar was on his last breaths. The priest gave last rites and confession to the beggar before his death, thanks to St. Joseph's intercession.
• St. Joseph himself should also be considered like Mary in his sainthood, for doing the will of God, particularly when it wasn't his child and could have easily cast of Mary in his Jewish society. regardless he stood by her.
• [My favourite point] St Joseph is a REAL MAN, a role model to look up to. Today's men are the "macho" type who give into a certain way of dress, action, and culture. However, most men are cowards, who flee when the going gets tough, or worse, act un-superhero-like and commit evil actions such as mis-treating women. St. Joseph was the complete opposite of today's "standard" of what a man should be.
• St. Joseph could have easily disposed of his wife for "adultery" under Jewish Law, and yet he stood by her side [thanks to some encouragement from the angel in his dream] and did not abandon his wife for conceiving Christ. [Even after that, it could be easily assumed that he raised Christ under the Jewish Law, gave Christ circumcision, and raised him as his own, even teaching Christ the family trade of carpentry, and being the father figure in his life who gave him paternal love].
• When we think of both Mary and Joseph, they were "superheroes" in the Saintly sense, in that they both chose the will of God, especially with regard to Christ, and like the ultimate superhero, Christ, fought against the devil's temptation and did not give in.
• Going back to the superhero theme at the beginning of the talk, likewise, we should exemplify these real "superheroes," the saints of Mary, and especially Joseph given its his feast day, and like them, be those "superheroes" and emulate them in their Sainthood, but in addition pray to them and have them be our intercessors (the greatest possible intercessors) in doing the will of the Lord.

Save some minor errors on my part (oops.), the rest of the Mass proceeded smoothly, and accordingly with action.

After the Mass, a reception was held downstairs with some late night treats and coffee, graciously provided by the parish and the hard work of St. Lawrence Martyr's parishoners (with a little help making coffee from frequently mentioned veteran server, Robin Cheung.) Before everyone left the parish, we each were handed a beautiful prayer Card with the "Ite Ad Josef" prayer to the Holy Saint, blessed by Fr. Steven. This is a beautiful card with heavenly angels on the cover surrounding St. Joseph.

As an altar serving note, I met a young man who was interested in serving, whom I hope has ventured over here to Servimus. I do hope my posts will help you and give you a little "heads-up" before diving in. I created the "Starter Points" series for that purpose, to ease things for young boys/men interested in serving the Latin Mass so they are more comfortable.

All in all, another fine Mass was organized and carried out with much thanks to the St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir, the altar servers, and our three clergy. Special thanks is also given to Frs. Roy Farrell, Pastor, and Fr. Steven for allowing the St. Patrick`s Gregorian Choir to use St. Lawrence for the EF Mass.

On a final note, if any of you who attended the EF Mass, or know of anyone, and they, well, decided to sneak in some pictures of the liturgy, I would highly appreciate posting there here for the blog. Please send them to me as attachments to torontotlmservers@gmail.com. I will credit you by your real name or a pseudo-name.


The St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir is planning to have its next Mass, tentatively in June for the Feast of the Sacred Heart in the EF calendar, Friday June 7, 2013, at another parish in the GTA. When I have confirmed details as to where, when, and what time, I will of course highlight it on S.U.D. and add it to a listing of Spring-Early Summer listings for TLMs in the City.

Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.

P.S. Just as a follow up to the altar rail post, while we did not get the pleasure of using them for this Mass, they are almost complete at St. Lawrence .....