CLASSIC AND MODERN VERSION OF MASS IN CONNEMARA CABIN…

 Classic version:

My modern version:

SOLEMNITY NOT SEEN IN ABOUT 12 YEARS…

Glorious Pontifical Mass for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Another papal altar arrangement! This time the Episcopal Candle reappears after an absence of many years, but placed to the side opposite of the crucifix. That makes a total of 7 candles on the altar and the crucifix  which will make Charlotte’s bishop apoplectic. And they are the really tall ones.

I HAVE TO SCRATCH MY HEAD ON THIS ONE, EVEN THOUGH I LOVE THAT FONTGOMBAULT USES THE 1965 MISSAL, KIND OF…

Below, Abbot Jean Pateau states that his monastery uses the 1965 revised Roman Missal, not the 1962 Missal.

My recollection might be wrong, but I seem to remember that either Pope Benedict or maybe Ecclesia Dei clarified that the Extraordinary Form that Pope Benedict desired to be used was the 1962 Roman Missal not the 1965. It may not have been a formal decree but a point of view put forward by word of mouth or by answering a question.

Somehow, though, I recall that Ecclesia Dei allowed for the 1955 Roman Missal for Holy Week. That’s only a vague memory though. We know, too, that Pope Benedict personally updated one of the 10 Intercessions for Good Friday in the 1962 Roman Missal to purify it of any anti-Semitic overtones. 

But what is more striking in what Abbot Pateau says in an interview is that his community, on its own initiative I would think, decided to use the Latest Modern Version of the Roman Missal for the Sanctorial, meaning the celebration of the saints and on the dates in the modern Roman Calendar along with the vernacular prayers for those saints, some of which revised from the older missal. However, they kept the old Temporal for Sundays, which keeps Septuagesima, the octave of Pentecost and Ember Days, but they have chosen to celebrate Christ the King on the last Sunday of the Year prior to First Advent. (That was an excellent reform, by the way!) But how can they do that? Did they seek approval from the correct ecclesiastical authorities in Rome????? I like what they did, but how could they change it on their own?

Why couldn’t a parish or monastery decide, on their own, to incorporate into the 2011 Roman Missal, the Order of the 1965 Roman Missal, with its rubrics for the Roman Canon? Why can’t they add to the modern Temporal, Septuagesima, the Octave of Pentecost and Ember Days? 

What the Abbot of Fontgombault did not mention is the lectionary for the Mass. Which one does he use, the 1965 lectionary which is in realty the 1962’s or the Modern Lectionary for the Sanctoral????

Abbot of Fontgombault on the Liturgy:

Dom Jean Pateau - The conventual mass at the abbey is not celebrated according to the 1962 missal, known as the Vetus Ordo or ancient rite, but according to the 1965 missal. While the latter missal is the fruit of the reform called for by the Council on December 4, 1963, it is still close to the 1962 missal, retaining the offertory and most of the gestures. We have also opted to use the current calendar for the sanctoral. We have kept the old temporal, which contains the Septuagesima, the octave of Pentecost and the Ember Days, but we celebrate Christ the King on the last Sunday of the year, along with the universal Church. All this contributes to a rapprochement with the current 1969 missal.

For those who do not know what the revisions are of the 1965 Roman Missal, here is an AI  Summary AI Overview

The 1965 Roman Missal, also known as the transitional missal,introduced several significant revisions to the Mass following the Second Vatican Council. These changes focused on increasing vernacular language, simplifying certain prayers, and altering the order of some elements. 

Here's a breakdown of the key revisions:

Vernacular Language:

• The 1965 Missal permitted the use of the vernacular language (local languages) in most parts of the Mass, including the readings and the Prayers of the Faithful. 
• While the Canon of the Mass (Eucharistic Prayer) remained in Latin, it was later permitted in the vernacular in 1967. 
• The 1965 Missal also included the option for congregational singing in the vernacular, such as processional, offertory, communion, and recessional hymns. 

Changes to the Order of Mass:

• The prayers at the foot of the altar were shortened and made optional. 
• The Last Gospel (John 1:1-14) was omitted at the end of Mass. 
• The traditional formula for distributing communion was simplified. 
• The option to celebrate Mass facing the people (versus populum) was introduced, in addition to the traditional orientation (ad orientem). 
• The Asperges (rite of aspersion at High Mass) was modified, with the cope suppressed and the chasuble worn in its stead. 
• An option for concelebration was introduced. 
• The option to have the Prayer of the Faithful after the Creed was added. 
• The Prayers of the Faithful were reintroduced. 

Other Notable Changes:

• The 1965 Missal also included provisions for the use of the vernacular in the dialogues between the priest and the laity.
• It allowed for the recitation of the Our Father by the entire congregation with the priest. 

In essence, the 1965 Missal represented a transitional phase in the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council, allowing for a greater degree of vernacular usage and simplifying certain aspects of the Mass while still retaining much of the traditional structure and Latin elements. 

DANGER WILL ROBINSON—THE VATICAN SECURITY AND POPE LEO XIV MUST ACT TO PREVENT A TRAGEDY SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH BEFELL SAINT POPE JOHN PAUL II!

 Catholic World News

Vatican security rattled by unruly crowd at papal audience

June 26, 2025

Vatican security officials may be forced to reevaluate their plans after an unruly crowd at a June 26 papal audience threatened to topple a security barrier, and Pope Leo XIV was hit on the head by a soft object tossed to him from the throng.

The crowd at the Vatican for the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (see today’s separate headline story) was unusually noisy and energetic, and at one point security officials rushed to prevent the group from knocking over a crowd-control barrier as the Pontiff approached. At the same time, someone in the crowd tossed what appeared to be a stuffed animal toward the Pope, and he—distracted by the scuffle—was hit before he could react.

The Pope was unharmed and apparently unconcerned by the incident, but security officials have been troubled by the number of objects—to date, all of them harmless—thrown toward the Pope during his public appearances.

AN EXCELLENT COMMENTARY ON POPE LEO’S FIRST 50 DAYS: THE CHURCH HAS COLLECTIVELY AND GLORIOUSLY BEEN BREATHING A SIGH OF RELIEF AT SO GREAT A PONTIFF!

 One is not always sure that a commentary that Rorate Caeli prints is going to be fair and balanced and not be what I call of the heterodox right wing of neo-traditionalist Catholics. 

But this commentary on Pope Leo hits the ball out of the park, or should I say, blows the zucchetto off the head!

It is a long commentary, but truly excellent:

Money byte:

Pope Leo’s priorities and stances as Pope are only becoming clear very gradually. The synod study groups meant to deal with controversial issues will now report in December rather than June and their non-binding character has been emphasized, while Andrea Grillo, the ghost writer of Traditionis Custodes, has been thrown under the bus by his own university. Radical liberalism might be quietly getting shelved. For now, however, the people Pope Leo choses to promote (or not) are the clearest and most concrete indication of what this new pontificate means for the future of the Church.

From Rorate Caeli:

Leo XIV: The First 50 Days -- an Analysis

by Serre Verweij
for Rorate Cæli

It has been 50 days since Pope Leo XIV was elected, but the world does not have a clear picture of him yet. Some cardinals and professional Vatican analysts seem to be getting a more detailed profile of the Pope (one which is apparently more orthodox than many initially had expected), but the world at large does not view him as a new Pope Benedict XVI to be opposed vigorously (yet).

Read more »

THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST SACRED HEART AND PRIESTLY ORDINATIONS AT ST. PETER’S WITH POPE LEO XIV

 There are so many priests filling the basilica, I wonder where are the families and friends of those to be ordained are sitting.

As I type this, I haven’t watched the full Mass, but the Entrance Chant is a chant and very Catholic Mass sounding rather than the sugary Italian hymns they sometimes sing at the Vatican. 

My first critique of Pope Leo’s vestments is that the ones he chooses or the MC offers to him to wear are too big for him and almost hang to the floor. The gold one for this Mass is nice except for its bagginess. It doesn’t appear lined either. That might be due to the summer heat of Rome and I don’t think the basilica is air-conditioned. 

JUBILEE OF PRIESTS

HOLY MASS AND PRIESTLY ORDINATIONS 

HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER LEO XIV

Saint Peter’s Basilica, Altar of the Confession 
Friday, 27 June 2025

________________________________________

Today, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests, we celebrate this Eucharist with great joy as part of the Jubilee of Priests.

Before all else, dear brother priests, I wish to say a word to you, who have passed through the Holy Door to pray at the tomb of the Apostle Peter and to immerse your baptismal and priestly garments once more in the Heart of the Savior. For some of you, this is happening on a unique day in your lives: the day of your Ordination.

To speak of the Heart of Christ in this context is to reflect on the entire mystery of the Lord’s incarnation, death and resurrection, which is entrusted in a special way to us, so that we can make it present in our world. In the light of the readings that we have just heard, let us reflect on how we can contribute to this work of salvation.

In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel describes God as a shepherd who watches over his flock, counting his sheep one by one. He seeks out the lost, binds up the wounded, and strengthens the weak and sick (cf. Ezek 34:11-16). He thus reminds us, in this age of vast and devastating conflicts, that the love of God has no limits.  We are called to let ourselves be embraced and shaped by that love, and to realize that in God’s eyes – and our own as well – there is no place for division and hatred of any kind.

In the second reading (cf. Rom 5:5-11), Saint Paul reminds us that God reconciled us to himself “while we were still weak” (v. 6) and “sinful” (v. 8), and exhorts us to entrust ourselves, along a daily path of conversion, to the transforming power of his Spirit who dwells in our hearts. Our hope is grounded in the knowledge that the Lord never abandons us: he is always at our side. At the same time, we are called to cooperate with him, above all by putting the Eucharist at the center of our lives, inasmuch as it is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 11). Then too, “through the fruitful reception of the sacraments, and especially by the frequent practice of sacramental penance” (Decree Presbyterorum Ordinis, 18), and finally through prayer, meditation on God’s word, and the exercise of charity, conforming our hearts ever more closely to that of “the Father of mercies” (ibid.).

This brings us to today’s Gospel (cf. Lk 15:3-7), which speaks of the joy of God – and of every shepherd who loves in the manner of his Heart – at the return of even one of his sheep to the fold. We are called to exercise pastoral charity with a generous love, like that of the Father, and to foster in our hearts the desire that no one be lost (cf. Jn 6:39) but that everyone, also through our ministry, may come to know Christ and have eternal life in him (cf. Jn 6:40). We are called to deepen our closeness to Jesus (cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis, 14) and to be a source of harmony in the midst of our brother priests. We do so by bearing on our shoulders those who are lost, granting forgiveness to those who have erred, seeking out those who have gone astray or been left behind, and caring for those who suffer in body or spirit. And to do all this in a great exchange of love that, flowing from the pierced side of the crucified Lord, embraces all people and fills the entire world. For, in the words of Pope Francis, “the wounded side of Christ continues to pour forth that stream which is never exhausted, never passes away, but offers itself time and time again to all those who wish to love as he did. For his love alone can bring about a new humanity” (Encyclical Letter Dilexit Nos, 219).

The priestly ministry is one of sanctification and reconciliation for the building up of the Body of Christ in unity (cf. Lumen Gentium, 7). For this reason, the Second Vatican Council exhorted priests to make every effort to “lead all to the unity of charity” (Presbyterorum Ordinis, 9), harmonizing differences so that “no one… may feel left out” (ibid.). It also encouraged priests to remain united with their bishop and within the presbyterate (ibid., 7-8). For the more we are united among ourselves, the more we will be able to lead others to the fold of the Good Shepherd, and to live as brothers and sisters in the one house of the Father.

Saint Augustine, in a homily delivered on the anniversary of his ordination, spoke of the joyful fruit of communion that unites the faithful, priests and bishops, grounded in the recognition that all of us are redeemed and saved by the same gracious mercy of God. It was in that context that he spoke the celebrated words: “For you I am a bishop, with you I am a Christian” (Serm. 340, 1).

In the solemn Mass inaugurating my Pontificate, I voiced before the People of God my great desire for “a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world” (18 May 2025). Today, I share this desire once more with all of you. Reconciled with one another, united and transformed by the love that flows abundantly from the Heart of Christ, let us walk together humbly and resolutely in his footsteps, firm in faith and open to all in charity. Let us bring the peace of the risen Lord to our world, with the freedom born of the knowledge that we have been loved, chosen and sent by the Father.

Now, before concluding, I would like to say a word to you, dear Ordinands, who in a few moments, by the laying on of hands of the bishop and a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit, will become priests. What I have to say is simple, but I consider it important for your future and for the future of the souls entrusted to your care. Love God and your brothers and sisters, and give yourselves to them generously. Be fervent in your celebration of the sacraments, in prayer, especially in adoration before the Eucharist, and in your ministry. Keep close to your flock, give freely of your time and energy to everyone, without reserve and without partiality, as the pierced side of the crucified Jesus and the example of the saints teach us to do. Remember that the Church, in the two thousand years of her history, has had – and today continues to have – wonderful examples of priestly holiness. From the earliest communities on, the Church has raised up priests who have been martyrs, tireless apostles, missionaries, and champions of charity. Cherish this treasure: learn their stories, study their lives and work, imitate their virtues, be inspired by their zeal, and invoke their intercession often and insistently! All too often, today’s world offers models of success and prestige that are dubious and short-lived. Do not let yourselves be taken in by them! Look rather to the solid example and apostolic fruitfulness, frequently hidden and unassuming, of those who, with faith and dedication, have spent their lives in service of the Lord and their brothers and sisters. Keep their memory alive by your own example of fidelity.

Let us now entrust ourselves to the loving protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of priests and Mother of hope. May she direct and sustain our steps, so that each day we may conform our hearts more closely to that of Christ, the supreme and eternal Shepherd.

THEY USE THE 1965 ROMAN MISSAL WITH SOME 1970 MISSAL ADAPTATIONS! WOW! JUST WOW!

 This interview is brilliant, fair and balanced and I hope Pope Leo reads it!

From Rorate Caeli:

Abbot of Fontgombault on the Liturgy: "Unity does not mean Uniformity. Actually, Imposing Uniformity is Detrimental to Unity." "We need to get away from the traditionalist-progressive dispute, which is exhausting for everyone, and bring peace back to the altar!"

Interview granted by the Father Abbot of the most influential Traditional abbey in the world, Our Lady of Fontgombault (France), to French Catholic periodical La Nef --  Lothar Rillinger (for Kath.net) and Christophe Geffroy (for La Nef, for complementary questions) are the interviewers.

La Nef

June 2025

Dom Jean Pateau: “Unity is not uniformity”

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