On December 17, San Francisco’s Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone celebrated a Pontifical low Rorate Mass in the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption. The Mass began at 5:30 am. The music was provided by the Benedict XVI Institute for Sacred Music and Divine Worship. Rorate Masses are an ancient and beautiful Advent tradition of the Church, in which the Mass is begun before dawn and concludes as the sun begins to lighten the sky.
The name rorate (drip moisture) comes from Isaiah 45:8“Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened, and bud forth a savior.” During the Mass the church is illuminated only by candles. Such Masses are rare in San Francisco, or were until this year.
In his homily, the archbishop indicated the importance of the Rorate Mass as an Advent observance: “There was nothing accidental about the incarnation. Certainly not time and place. Born in the middle of the night. The dew comes in the night. … He was born even during the night, at a quiet time, in darkness, at a time when people would least expect it and least notice it. He was born in a stable, in a manger, a manger which is a container for food for animals, because he came to be our food. He is our food. He nourishes us in the most Holy Eucharist. ‘Let the heavens rain down the just one like the dew from above’, the dew, that we discover in the morning that arrives during the night….
“He is our food. He nourishes us on the way to the promised land of God’s kingdom. But do we recognize him? Are we alert to His coming among us?
“Those who recognized him when he came in human flesh were the pastors, the shepherds out in the fields, the ones that the people of the time would least expect. They were poor, they were dirty, they were uneducated. They also did not fit in to the company of polite society. They were, as it were, out on the fringes, literally, because they were out in the fields, but also socially. These were the ones to whom the angels announced the birth of Jesus. These were the first ones to go and worship him. It is the lowly, those willing to be marginalized by the members of polite society because of their openness to the word of God.”
The archbishop’s Rorate Mass was not the only one celebrated in San Francisco. On Saturday, December 18, Father Joseph Illo, pastor of the city’s Star of the Sea Parish, celebrated a Rorate Low Mass at 5:00 am. The response was significant enough that Father Illo decided to celebrate a second Rorate Mass on Thursday, December 23 at 5:30 am. In his parish bulletin of the following week Father Illo described the effect of a church lit only by candles: “A hundred flickering candles made the statues and icons, the stars on the ceiling and the golden tabernacle, move with the liturgical drama. After Mass, while it was still cold and dark outside, most of us just stayed in the gleaming church for an hour, to bask in the home that God has made for us by taking on our flesh. ‘The Word became Flesh,’ writes St. John, ‘and pitched his tent among us.’”
The archbishop’s Rorate Mass may be viewed here.
The TLM is not supposed to be celebrated anymore. Phase it out. Pastors are not supposed to be promoting it anymore. Phase it out. Cordileone is being unfaithful. Cafeteria Catholicism anyone? So just pick and choose which laws and which teachings you want to obey. This is just like New Ways Ministry dissenting from the Church’s moral teaching, but Cordileone is dissenting from the Church’s liturgical laws and teachings.
Anony, what makes you think he celebrated this Mass in the Extraordinary Form? It seems he did not. Why such a harsh and disrespectful judgment: “Cordileone is being unfaithful?” Did you read the article or view the Mass?
Whoah… check yourself Curious. Click on the link to the video… it’s obviously a TLM. Your next post should say that you apologize. Anony was right. You should tell her you’re sorry.
I don’t know how you know anonymous at 11:16 is a her, but, I apologize for my mistake. This Mass can be offered in either Form, can it not? See
https://happeningnext.com/event/rorate-mass-novus-ordo-eid3a08e45du3
https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/11/pontifical-low-mass-in-cincinnati.html#.Yc5dwhPML9E
The Rorate Caeli Mass is a traditional Advent devotion in which a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary for Advent is offered just before dawn, with no lighting other than candles. The Mass takes its title, Rorate Caeli (“Drop down dew, ye heavens”) from the initial Latin words of Isaiah 45:8. In the dimly lit setting, priest and faithful prepare to honor the Light of the world, Who is soon to be born, and offer praise to God for the gift of Our Lady. As the Mass proceeds and sunrise approaches, the church becomes progressively brighter, illumined by the sun as our Faith is illumined by Christ.
Since I couldn’t hear the video well, I didn’t listen to/watch the entire Mass and presumed it was an ad orientem Ordinary Form Mass with parts taken in Latin. I apologize to the lady who posted this morning for my mistake.
Might she want to apologize for referring to a bishop by his last name only?
Or, for judging him as unfaithful? I suspect he knows the role of a bishop, canon law, liturgical law and the motu proprio Traditionis custodes better than she does. He is celebrating this Mass publicly and she is hiding behind anonymity. He has much more credibility in this matter.
Excuse me, but “Curious” here, based on my reading, has no need to apologize. People, “Curious” merely asked questions which is perfectly fine. And the questions were asked in a neutral manner. “Curious”, by just looking at the picture, would not have known if the Mass was offered in the Ordinary or Extraordinary Forms. If anyone should apologize it should be “Anonymous” for brazenly calling the Archbishop “unfaithful” and not giving him the benefit of the doubt. The truth is that a bishop is the principal liturgist in his own diocese. And as Archbishop Roche himself has said, the Pope’s “Traditionis custodes” intends to “regulate” the TLM, not to “abolish” it (not yet anyway). The Pope has given all bishops the authority to regulate how the TLM is to give way to the Ordinary Form. Apparently this is how Cordileone wishes to do it. And folks, there is nothing wrong with referring to anyone by his/her last name. It’s just as respectful and adds a tone of neutrality. This fixation on titles and honorifics is ridiculous and un-American.
jon, since we both think asking question is appropriate, I do have one for you. (And, it’s sincere and not rhetorical.) Do you refer to your father or mother by their last name only?
Maybe we disagree on this, but I find nothing wrong with using Father, Sister, Doctor, Your Honor, etc. In my opinion, tones of respect and civility help, especially in our divided time. Can you elaborate why you think it’s un-American?
George Washington declined a royal title, but asked to be called “Mr. President.” And, even today we usually refer to the president as “the President” or “Mr. Biden.” Of course, you’d be write that journalists tend to use last names only (historically titles like Mr. were used only for the deceased, an interesting tradition in itself).
How can you even suggest phasing out this beauty??
Anonymous 11:16 (I thought CCD stopped posting of “anonymous):
Apparently, this Mass is more to your liking.
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/249996/chicago-mass-father-pfleger-cupich
There has been nothing from the Vatican saying that the TLM is not to be celebrated anymore.
When it is celebrated, it’s only as an exception, a concession. It is not to be celebrated anymore as a standard practice.
That is not correct.
It is correct. Read the Responsa ad Dubia. It’s all there in black and white. Permission for the TLM is a concession for limited groups. The Roman Church will eventually only have the Novus Ordo as the authorized liturgy.
Archbishop Cordileone is not being unfaithful. He is a bishop.
Art. 2. It belongs to the diocesan bishop, as moderator, promoter, and guardian of the whole liturgical life of the particular Church entrusted to him, [5] to regulate the liturgical celebrations of his diocese. [6] Therefore, it is his exclusive competence to authorize the use of the 1962 Roman Missal in his diocese, according to the guidelines of the Apostolic See.
Traditiones custodes, moto proprio of Pope Francis 2021
All of the “facts” and comparisons Anonymous uses are false and disingenuous. If Anonymous told me the time of day, the first thing I’d do is look at a clock.
Why all he negativity? Where are the comments about the beauty and solemnity of this Mass?
Fact: Attendance at the Classical Roman Rite is the only thing that’s growing in the Catholic Church in America. If you oppose it, you should honestly ask yourself which master you’re serving.
“[I]f…this undertaking is of men, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” Acts 5:38-39
What is a Classical Roman Rite?
We don’t have anything called that.
cd, “classical” is a term used by scholars for classical types of books, literature, art, music, architecture, philosophy, etc., which are highly excellent, according to the highest standards of greatness. In our religion, the centuries-old, venerable Tridentine Latin Mass, with the theology of the great St. Thomas Aquinas, is often called “classical” by religious scholars. There are actually several different uses of the term, “classical.” One is the usage I just described, and another is the Classical period of music, from 1730-1820. Also, we have many other eras of history, called “Classical”– such as the Classical era of antiquity, which great scholars have always revered highly. Then, we have great “classical” eras, in Asia– with great geniuses, and great works of art, sculpture, literature, calligraphy, philosophy, drama, music, dance, cuisine, martial arts, spoken and written Asian languages, etc. etc., in Asian cultures, too.
Peggy, the people that post here are shaking in their boots because you and I know they are afraid that the TLM will return to all of our altars and to Rome one day, just like Francis and Cupich are trying everything in their power to crush the TLM, but they know in their hearts it’s impossible to crush something that Jesus Christ himself instituted. And of course the first comment will be Christ didn’t speak Latin, well he is the Son of God so of course he did he was able to speak all of the languages of the Roman Empire.
Face palm
A very beautiful and holy Mass. Catholics need to act mature, and recognize the great holiness and beauty of this Mass, and all other truly beautiful and holy Masses– all totally legitimate, in our archdiocese. Our wonderful Archbishop Cordileone deserves our respect, praise and support. The Catholic Church is not a secular, babyish radical religious modernist youth group. Next year, their leaders may say something totally different– or, they may have a new leader. And beware– do not invite Fr. James Martin, S.J., and Sister Jeannie Grammick, who promote gay unions– to give a talk at your parish church and school— just because they are currently praised at the Vatican.
My comment of Dec. 31st at 9:52pm was edited– so, it sounds awkward in a few places.
The TLM is the Mass of the ages. For thousands of years that mass is responsible for many declared and undeclared saints.
It truly recognizes God’s greatness in a most solemn liturgical form, something the Novus Ordo Mass never accomplishes with its many liturgical abuses.
It is the same rite.
Thousands of years? The Last Supper wasn’t even 2 thousand years ago and surely wasn’t said in Latin with the Roman Canon.
When do you think the Last Supper was?
If not 2,000 years ago, at least very close to that.
You’re correct that the Mass wasn’t in Latin until the late fourth-century under Pope Damasus, when Latin became more common in the Roman Empire than Greek. Yet, that’s still a long time ago. And, yes, it wasn’t made so uniform until the reforms of the Council of Trent corrected abuses. Have you read Vatican II’s document on the sacred liturgy? Latin still has pride of place.