The following comes from an Oct. 27 story on the website of the Catholic News Agency.
The road leading to St. Peter’s Square was packed on Saturday morning: but not with the usual tourists or merchants. Instead, a long line of pilgrims processed along the street carrying candles and singing hymns.
They were participants in an international pilgrimage to Rome celebrating the Extraordinary Form of the Mass made widely available by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in 2007.
Bishop Fernando Areas Rifan of the Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney in Brazil spoke to CNA about his participation in the journey.
“I am here for this pilgrimage to give my support and even the correct orientation of this pilgrimage. We are Catholics, united to the Holy See, with the blessing of the Holy Father, Francis,” he said Oct. 26.
Saturday’s procession ended at the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter in St. Peter’s Basilica, where a Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos of Colombia.
An estimated 1,000 laity and religious from Italy, the US, France, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany and elsewhere joined in prayer as the incense rose to the ceiling of the ancient Basilica and the gospel was chanted in Latin….
Bishop Rifan expressed his belief that the ancient form of the Mass can contribute to the Church’s efforts at a new evangelization by providing “sense of mystery, this sense of (the) sacred. I think that the traditional Mass can help many souls – many priests, many faithful – in order to respect (the) Eucharist,” he said….
This weekend’s pilgrimage also included other events such as a meeting of priests with Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, praying the way of the Cross on the Palatine Hill in Rome, and Eucharistic Adoration in the Santa Maria in Vallicella Church.
To read original posting, click here.
The following comes from an Oct. 20 posting on the Rorate Caeli website.
The North American District of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the order with a Pontifical Mass at the Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala. Archbishop Cordileone will be the celebrant. The Mass is scheduled for Friday, November 15, at 10a.m. with 50-60 FSSP priests in attendance. The faithful are welcome to attend.
The FSSP has a parish, St. Anne, with three priests in the Diocese of San Diego, but the Mass will at the Mission San Diego because of its historical status. The Mission Basilica was the first of the 21 California missions and is known as the Mother of the Missions. It was founded on July 16, 1769, by Blessed Junipero Serra – whose third centennial of birth we are celebrating in the same month of November. As the first church in California, it marks the birthplace of Christianity in the Western US. On November 4, 1775, Father Luis Jayme was killed during an Indian uprising at the mission, becoming the first martyr of the California missions. He is currently interred in the sanctuary. Mission San Diego de Alcala was designated as a Minor Basilica in 1976 by Pope Paul VI.
On the following day, November 16, at 10 AM (local time), the largest church in Paris after Notre-Dame, the massive building of Saint-Sulpice, will witness its own celebration of the Silver Jubilee of the Fraternity: a Solemn Mass will be celebrated by Fr Ribeton, superior of the French District, with the presence of many of the FSSP’s priests in Europe. All faithful who can be present in this celebration in Paris should be: if the huge building is filled to the brim, what a great image for Traditionalism.
Wife and I were very fortunate to be at the St. Peter’s pilgrimage last year. It was like being halfway to Heaven. By a fortunate coincidence we will be able to be present at the St. Sulplice mass in Paris despite living in Southern California.
We must remember that those of us that have been fortunate enough to have attended a Traditional Latin Mass remain a tiny minority of Catholics. If you can try one out they are listed at the irreplaceable Wikkimissa resource.
Without this form of the Mass I would have been as a piece of garbage floating in the ocean, picket to shreds and bits by anything and everything that floats by. I am now, however, someone grounded more securely in my love for God, and neighbor than I ever could have imagined for myself. I am not perfect in any way, but am striving toward that Perfection, Who Is. I had no spiritual home until I found the old Holy Cross congregation and followed them to St. Anne’s. I wish every Catholic could have what we have there, indeed, I wish the entire world could. All I can say is Glory to God! for His great Mercy toward me. And Glory to Him for the Extraordinary form of the Mass and the sacraments and for St. Anne Catholic Church in San Diego.
Life Lady,
It is the Mass of St. Pius V, and there is nothing extraordinary about it.
The sad fact that THEY lied to us and told us that it was no longer permitted was put to rest by Pope Benedict XVI. The sad fact that THEY say we have to have an Indult to celebrate a Mass INFALLIBLY declared to last until the end of time is an insult. BTW Indult and Insult rhyme! Coincidence, I think not!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Kenneth M. Fisher
This is indeed an unexpected surprise. With the resignation of Pope Benedict, who championed the return of the Latin Mass against all odds and despite the open hostility expressed by the modernists, prospects for its resurgence seemed dim indeed. Under Pope Francis, I expected never to see a traditional mass in Saint Peter’s again. My skepticism has been proven wrong.