Requiem Mass in the Patronal Octave for Clergy, Benefactors & Parishioners: Missa “Requiem aeternam“ The Requiem Mass is an expression of the Communion of Saints, the Church Militant (on earth) prays for the souls of the departed expressing Christian hope that they, the departed, will become members of the Church Triumphant (in heaven). Essentially the Church pleads Christ that…
Tag: Introit
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; St Gilbert of Sempringham
S. Gilbert of Sempringham, Confessor; Comm. the Octave of S. Cuthman, Hermit & Confessor: Missa “Justus ut palma” Son of the wealthy Norman knight Jocelin. When Gilbert showed no signs of becoming a soldier, his father exiled him to Paris, France to study. Gilbert returned to England as a master of arts, and opened a school…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; S. Lucy, Virgin & Martyr
St Lucy, Virgin and Martyr; Commemoration of the feria in the Octave of the Conception of the BVM and of the Second Sunday of Advent: Missa “Dilexísti justítiam” Hagiography states that Saint Lucy was a Christian martyr during the Diocletian persecution. According to apocryphal texts, the beautiful Lucia was born to a prosperous family of nobility in…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; S. Winefride, Virgin Martyr
S. Winefridae, Virginis et Martyris; Com. Octave of All Saints: Missa “Me exspectavérunt peccatóres” The story of St Winifred (or Winefride), the young noblewoman born around the year 600 in Holywell, Wales, emerges from a mixture of historic manuscripts, legend and tradition. But it is above all a story about a pure and gifted soul who…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; SS Simon & Jude, Apostles
SS Simon & Jude, Apostles: Missa “Mihi autem nimis” On this day we celebrate two Apostles Saint Simon and Saint Jude Thaddeus, most probably because some historians have them being martyred together. The name of Simon occurs in all the passages of the Gospel and Acts, in which a list of the Apostles is given. To…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; Vigil of SS Simon & Jude, Apostles
Vigil of SS Simon & Jude, Apostles: Missa “Mihi autem nimis” Tomorrow the Church celebrates the feast of SS. Simon and Jude whose names occur together in the Canon of the Mass and are also celebrated on the same day. Possibly this is because they both preached the Gospel in Mesopotamia and Persia where it is…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; Our Holy Redeemer
Our Holy Redeemer: Missa “Gaudens, gaudebo” In Venice this feast has been observed for more than three centuries with great solemnity. Moroni in his “Dizionario” gives some interesting data concerning the origin of this feast. In 1576 a plague broke out in Venice which in a few days carried off thousands of victims. To avert this…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; St Luke the Evangelist
St Luke the Evangelist: Missa “Mihi autem nimis” Saint Luke was born a Greek and a Gentile in Antioch, Syria. He was a physician and it is believed that he may have also been a slave, as it was not uncommon in his day for slaves to be educated in medicine so the family would have…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; St Thomas of Hereford
St Thomas [de Cantilupe] of Hereford, Confessor: Missa “Sacerdotes tui” He was a son of William de Cantilupe, the 2nd baron (d. 1251), one of King John’s ministers, and a nephew of Walter de Cantilupe, Bishop of Worcester (d. 1266). He was born at Hambleden in Buckinghamshire and was educated in Paris and Orléans. Thomas became…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; Holy Guardian Angels
Holy Guardian Angels: Missa “Benedicite Dominum” Whether guardian angels attend each and every person is not consistently believed or upheld by the Church Fathers in Christian thought, and hence is not an “article of faith”, although the concept is clearly seen in both the Old and New Testaments. According to St. Jerome the concept is in…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; SS Cyprian & Justina, Martyrs
SS. Cyprian and Justina, Martyrs: Missa “Salus autem iustorum” St. Cyprian was born to parents who worshiped idols. They taught him all kinds of wicked beliefs and superstitions. They even offered him to the Devil! What a terrible thing to do! Cyprian, having learned these wicked practices, did terrible crimes, blasphemed Christ, and committed secret murders!…
Carissimi: Today’s Mass; St Nicholas of Tolentino
Feast of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor and Religious Founder; Comm. the Octave of the Nativity BVM: Missa “Justus ut palma” Born at Sant’ Angelo, near Fermo, in the March of Ancona, around the year 1246, Saint Nicholas Tolentino was devote to the devout life. He is often depicted in the black habit of the Hermits…
