Wednesday 30 April 2014

Feast of St. Catharine of Siena


 



Text from Catholic Online [annotations by Matthaeus]:

"The 25th child of a wool dyer in northern Italy [good, large Catholic family]St. Catherine started having mystical experiences when she was only 6, seeing guardian angels [how often we forget about our guardian angel] as clearly as the people they protected. She became a Dominican tertiary when she was 16, and continued to have visions of Christ, Mary, and the saints. St. Catherine was one of the most brilliant theological minds of her day, although she never had any formal education [She is one of the four female Doctors of the Church, along with Ss.Teresa of Avila. Therese of Lisieux and Hildegard of Bingen]. She persuaded the Pope to go back to Rome from Avignon, in 1377, and when she died she was endeavoring to heal the Great Western Schism. In 1375 Our Lord give her the Stigmata, which was visible only after her death. Her spiritual director was Blessed Raymond of Capua. St, Catherine's letters, and a treatise called "a dialogue" are considered among the most brilliant writings in the history of the Catholic Church. She died when she was only 33, and her body was found incorrupt in 1430. "

Along with St. Francis of Assisi, she is co-patron of Italy, and on 1 October 1999 St. John Paul II named her as a one of the six patron saints of Europe, together with Benedict of Nursia, Saints Cyril and Methodius, Bridget of Sweden and Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein). She is also invoked for the prevention of fires.

Ora pro nobis.

Tuesday 29 April 2014

Feast of St. Peter of Verona, Martyr



Text from Catholic Online:

Also called Peter of Verona, an inquisitor and martyr. Peter was born at Verona, Italy, in 1205. Both of his parents were Catharists, a heresy that denied God created the material world. Even so, Peter was educated at a Catholic school and later at the University of Bologna. While in Bologna, Peter was accepted into the Dominican Order by St. Dominic. He developed into a great preacher, and was well known for his inspiring sermons in the Lombardy region. In addition, around the year 1234, he was appointed by Pope Gregory IX as inquisitor of Northern Italy, where many Catharists lived. Peter's preaching attracted large crowds, but as inquisitor he made many enemies.
In 1252, while returning from Como to Milan, he was murdered by a Catharist assassin at the age of forty-six. The following year, he was canonized by Pope Innocent IV. Although his parents were members of a heretical sect, St. Peter of Verona was strong in his Catholic Faith. However, his faithfulness to the Gospel message in his preaching as a Dominican, brought about much opposition, and eventually Peter paid with his life for preaching the truth. One of the hazards of preaching and living the Gospel is that we must be considered undesirable according to worldly values. With faith in the Father, and as his children, we are called to stand firm and never waver from the truth in the face of death. Canonized the year after his death by Pope Innocent IV, he was also named the patron saint of inquisitors. Since 1969, his cult has been locally confined. His feast day is April 29th.

Ora pro nobis.

Monday 28 April 2014

St George


Due to Easter Week being a privileged time, today is the Feast of St. George, patron of England (and numerous other places), transferred from its usual date of 23rd. April.

Sancte Georgie, Ora pro nobis.

Happy Feast

Friday 18 April 2014

Good Friday


We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.

Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

 
 

Thursday 17 April 2014

Maundy Thursday - Mass of the Last Supper




 

Accipite et manducate....Hoc est enim Corpus Meum

 

Maundy Thursday



Mandatum novum do vobis: ut diligatis invicem,
sicut delexi vos, dicit Dominus.
Ps. Beati immaculate iin via: qui ambulant in lege Domini.
Mandatum novum.
____________________

A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another,
as I have loved you, says the Lord.
Ps. Blessed are the undefiled in the way: who walk in the law of the Lord.
A new commandment.

[Antiphon for the Maundy or Washing of Feet]
 
 
Here is a video of featuring the traditional plainsong setting of the antiphon, and showing the washing of feet during what appears to be a solemn Usus Recentior Mass (note the concelebrants).
 
 
 
 
While looking for this, I also came across this modern setting, which I rather like.
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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