Pope Leo's Easter Vigil chasuble is one that Pope Benedict wore also!
Saturday, April 4, 2026
POPE LEO'S FIRST EASTER VIGIL IS MAGNIFICENT AND WHAT THE MODERN RITE CAN AND SHOULD BE LIKE, INCLUDING A GOOD AMOUNT OF LATIN AND A LOT OF VERNACULAR, ITALIAN IN THIS CASE
When I was a child attending with my family the Mass, at that time, the Mass prior Bugnini's revisions, I always thought the Mass was in Italian! Keep in mind, I am an Italian native, with a native Italian mother, and for the most part we were a bi-lingual family, especially with my mom!
Back to Pope Leo and His Holiness' first Easter Vigil. He wore quite beautiful vestments as he normally does and likes variety! Thank you!
The Liturgy was splendid!
Somehow, maybe by threatening automatic excommunication, no one had their smart phones out taking flash photos during the Procession with lighted candles. Kudos to whoever threatened that!
At this point, there are no photos of the First Communion of the newly baptized Catholics. However, Pope Leo offered Holy Communion by intinction. If its good enough for the Holy Father to do, so too, should parishes offer this sanitary way of offering both Forms of Holy Communion.
STEPPING IN IT BUT UNTHINKINGLY! WE AMERICANS!
A FAUX PAS with another American. Yesterday, Good Friday, I was outside my place taking pictures of my damaged car for State Farm. I hit a deer early Good Friday morning, thus not a good Friday for me!
A visitor to the Island with a beautiful dog, was walking his dog by me and I commented on the dog, which I had seen at the beach catching a Frisbee in an amazing way. I asked the guy where he was from as he had an accent. He said from Argentina. Then I said, “yes, where Pope Francis was from.” Then we spoke a bit about that. He lamented that Pope Francis never visited Argentina after becoming pope. And then I said, “and now we have the first American pope, Pope Leo.” And he said, “no, the second American pope!” Oh, my! Two car wrecks on Good Friday!
Friday, April 3, 2026
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HOLY THURSDAY’S TRANSFER OF THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST TO THE CHAPEL OF REPOSE…
To be honest with you, I dislike the custom of taking the Most Blessed Sacrament in procession to another chapel some distance from the church after the Holy Thursday’s Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper.
I have always had inside processions in the church, ending up at an altar of repose in the church, maybe a side altar, or if no side altar, back at the tabernacle.
I have also done, and for years, the stripping of the altar after the Blessed Sacrament is Reposed with the choir chanting the proper chant for it. It’s quite beautiful and in a darkened church.
But I just saw this explanation on Facebook and as it is describe, the longer procession with the laity makes good sense. What do you prefer?
From Facebook:
✝️ WHY THE BLESSED SACRAMENT IS TRANSFERRED TO THE ALTAR OF REPOSE😳
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At the end of Holy Thursday Mass, something deeply moving happens.
The Eucharist is not left on the altar.
It is not kept in the main tabernacle.
👉 It is carried in procession to another place:
The Altar of Repose.
Why?
✝️ THIS IS NOT “STORAGE”, IT IS A JOURNEY
The Church is not relocating the Eucharist for convenience.
👉 She is re-enacting the movement of Christ Himself.
After the Last Supper:
Jesus leaves the Upper Room
He walks into the night
He enters Gethsemane
Now the Church does not just remember this.
👉 She makes you walk it.
The procession with the Blessed Sacrament is:
The Church walking with Christ into His agony.
✝️ WHY A DIFFERENT PLACE?
The Altar of Repose represents:
👉 The Garden of Gethsemane
It is often beautifully prepared, but not like the main altar.
Because this is not the place of sacrifice.
👉 It is the place of waiting, sorrow, and surrender.
✝️ THE EUCHARIST IS THE SAME CHRIST
The One carried in procession is not a symbol.
👉 It is the same Jesus who said:
“My soul is sorrowful unto death” (Matthew 26:38)
“Stay here and watch with me” (Matthew 26:38)
So when the Blessed Sacrament is placed there…
👉 Christ is now “in the garden.”
✝️ THE INVITATION MOST PEOPLE MISS
After the transfer, the Church does something unusual:
👉 She stays.
Adoration continues.
Silence deepens.
Why?
Because Jesus asked:
👉 “Could you not watch one hour with me?” (Matthew 26:40)
This is not devotion.
👉 This is obedience to Christ’s request.
✝️ A HARD TRUTH
Many attend the Mass.
Few stay for the vigil.
History repeats itself:
The disciples slept
The crowd disappeared
And today?
👉 Many still walk away.
✝️ WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
The Altar of Repose reveals something uncomfortable:
👉 Faith is not only about receiving Christ.
👉 It is about staying with Him when it is difficult.
When prayer feels heavy…
When God feels silent…
👉 That is Gethsemane.
✝️ THE FINAL TRUTH
The transfer of the Blessed Sacrament is a question:
Will you follow Jesus only to the
👉 Or will you follow Him into the night?
The most important moment of Holy Thursday is not only the Eucharist…
👉 It is what happens after, when Jesus waits…
…and asks:
“Will you stay?”
#CatholicsOnlineClass ✝️
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PICTURE: gotten from @San Antonio De Padua Parish - Malabon
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EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BLESSING OILS AND CHRISM BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK OR TOO DUMB TO DO SO…
A tip of the hat to Avid Reader who sent me this link on the history of the “Chrism Mass” and the order of blessing these and when these should be blessed.
As I mentioned, I am flummoxed by the manner in which our bishop does the blessings. The Modern Rite rubrics say that it should be done after the General Intercessions of the Mass, the Oil of the Sick first, Catechumens next and finally the Sacred Chrism is consecrated, not blessed.
But the pre- 1955 Missal has the order toward the end of the Roman Canon for the oil of the sick, I think, which is what Savannah did in 2025 and 2026, and then after the Post Communion Prayer, the oil of catechumens and finally the Chrism.
From the history that Avid Reader sent me, I am not sure that this is kosher in the modern rite. If you read the long history, let me know what you think.
I think I am still flummoxed!
READ THE LONG HISTORY OF THE CHRISM MASS AND ITS DAY AND ORDER HERE!
Thursday, April 2, 2026
IN CONTINUITY WITH ALL OF HIS PREDECESSORS, BEGINNING WITH POPE BENEDICT XVI, POPE LEO RECOVERS THE BEAUTY OF THE EASTER TRIDUUM AS THE BISHOP OF ROME AND AT HIS CATHEDRAL CHURCH, THE BASILICA OF SAINT JOHN LATERAN—NOT USED FOR THIS CATHEDRAL LITURGY BY THE BISHOP OF ROME FOR 12 LONG YEARS….
Pope Leo wears a beautiful bejeweled chasuble with the dalmatic underneath. The miter matches the chasuble and is bejeweled as well. It’s all very sparkly! The liturgy is beautiful as is the washing of the feet of 12 priests (vir) 11 of whom Pope Leo ordained to the all male priesthood. The procession with the Most Holy Eucharist to the altar of repose is simple but beautiful and the chapel of repose is spectacularly beautiful as is the chanting of the Pange Lingua, especially the first verse!
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
SAVANNAH'S CHRISM MASS: FLUMMOXED ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND....
This year and last, the Diocese of Savannah Chrism Mass has returned to an older way of blessing the oils of the sick and catechumens and consecrating the Sacred Chrism.
Most places, including the Vatican on Holy Thursday, bless the oils of the sick and catechumens and consecrate the Chrism all three in a row after the priests have renewed their priestly promises.
For the past two years, I think we have returned to an earlier tradition or, yet another option in the Bugnini Mass, of the following:
The oil of the sick was blessed during the Eucharistic prayer, toward the end of it but before the Per Ipsum, and our bishop used the Roman Canon.
Then after the Prayer after Holy Communion, the oil of catechumens was blessed and finally the Sacred Chrism, then the Final Blessing and Dismissal occurred.
Does anyone know the significance of this format. It's symbolism is lost on me and quite frankly, to me it makes no sense.
Anyone know????
IN OTHER NEWS, IN CONTINUITY WITH POPE FRANCIS AND OTHER POPES, POPE LEO XIV WEARS THE ELEGANT ALL WHITE OVERCOAT TO THE SOMEWHAT FRIGID WEDNESDAY AUDIENCE
And nice cuff-links to boot!
He has not worn this floor length white overcoat when it was even colder outside. Maybe His Holiness was symbolically saying, "I am an Chicagoan and Rome's winters are my summers!"
Nice no?
BOMBSHELL!! AND NOT APRIL FOOLS!! I DON’T THINK 🤔. POPE LEO RESUMES THE TRADITION OF WASHING ONLY THE FEET OF 12 MEN, MEN WHO ARE PRIESTS!
Holy Thursday in its entirety is about two sacraments that Jesus' instituted on Holy Thursday, the night before He sacrificed His life for our eternal salvation. He ordained the first bishops of the Church and instituted the Sacrament of Unity, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass not only with is "eternal banquet" symbolism but also as a remembrance of His one Sacrifice of Good Friday.
And in this context of two Sacraments, Holy Order and Holy Eucharist, He teaches His new bishops, that the priesthood of His Church, is different than the priesthood of the Old Covenant. It is not only about cultic rituals and purity, but also about service and getting one's hands dirty in that service, something completely anathema to the Old Testament inherited priesthood.
BRAVO POPE LEO XIV FOR REVERSING WHAT POPE FRANCIS DID AND RECOVERING WHAT HOLY THURSDAY IS ABOUT!
This is from Siliri non Possum. Press title for English version:
Leo XIV revives the tradition: Pope to wash the feet of twelve priests
DID VATICAN II DEMAND, ENCOURAGE OR IN ANY WAY REQUIRE THOSE WHO “IMPLEMENTED” SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM TO USE “RESOURCEMENT” AS THE CORE DRIVER FOR THE REFORM AND THE “RESOURCEMENT” BUGNINI AND CO-CONSPIRATORS USED, WAS IT ACCURATE HISTORICALLY? —DISCUSS!
AI SUMMARY:
Ressourcement movement (French for "return to the sources") was a 20th-century theological effort to rejuvenate the Catholic Church by reconnecting with its earliest foundations—specifically Scripture and the Church Fathers (Patristics). In the context of the Mass, this movement sought to peel back medieval and Baroque "accretions" to recover the simplicity and communal nature of early Christian worship.
These theological priorities directly informed the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, leading to several major changes in the Mass:
1. "Active Participation" of the Laity
The movement's core goal was to move the congregation from being passive "spectators" to active participants.
- Dialogue Mass: Restored the practice of the assembly responding aloud to the priest rather than remaining silent while altar servers answered on their behalf.
- Congregational Singing: Encouraged the restoration of communal singing and chant to engage the faithful.
2. Use of the Vernacular
By "returning to the source," theologians noted that the earliest liturgies were celebrated in the local language (Greek in the East, and eventually Latin in the West because it was the common tongue at the time).
- Linguistic Shift: This historical precedent justified shifting from Latin to modern local languages so that people could deeply understand the mystery being celebrated.
3. Restoration of Early Liturgical Elements
The movement identified ancient practices that had been lost or obscured over centuries and sought to restore them.
- Prayers of the Faithful: Reintroduced the "universal prayer" where the community offers intentions for the world.
- Expanded Scripture Readings: Moved from a one-year cycle of readings to a three-year cycle, significantly increasing the amount of the Bible (especially the Old Testament) heard at Mass.
- Sign of Peace: Restored as a communal gesture of reconciliation before receiving communion.
4. Architectural and Ritual Shifts
To emphasize the Mass as a "communal meal" and "sacramental communion" rather than a private transaction by the priest, several physical changes occurred:
- Altar Orientation: The priest began celebrating Mass facing the people (versus populum) instead of facing away from them toward the apse (ad orientem).
- Removal of Barriers: Many churches removed altar rails to create a more unified space between the sanctuary and the congregation.
- Communion Rite: Introduced the option to receive Communion standing and in the hand, reflecting some early Church practices described by the Fathers.
5. Simplified Rites
Theologians argued that the Mass had become cluttered with repetitive prayers and complex rubrics. The reform aimed for "noble simplicity," discarding elements that were duplicated or added over time with "little advantage" to the faithful's understanding.
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