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Sunday After Ascension

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! Today is the Sunday after Ascension, and the 4th day within the octave of the Ascension (sadly, suppressed after 1955). We include the commentary on today’s propers: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/05/the-contextual-orations-of-sunday-after.html 

Here are some updates for this week:

Wednesday June 1 – Day of Prayer and Fasting for End to Abortion (6pm Latin Mass)

With the Supreme Court soon to be issuing its decision on the abortion case Dobbs. vs. Jackson, Bishop Jugis and the Diocese’s Family Life Office is asking people to pray and fast on Wednesday June 1 for an end to abortion, and the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey abortion decisions. Faithful are encouraged to participate, attend Mass, and wear white rose pin or sticker to generate awareness about the sanctity of human life.  St. Ann will offer a 6pm Latin Mass as scheduled that evening.  

CANCELLED: Saturday June 4  – First Saturday Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas

Regretfully, barring a miracle, the first Saturday Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas parish is canceled for this Saturday only. Father will be attending the diaconate ordinations of one of his parishioners, seminarian Chinonso A. Nnebe-Agumadu, and the backup Latin Mass priest is unavailable. At this point, we are opening the cause up to the CLMC community to see if they could find a diocesan priest (Charlotte diocese only) who would be willing to offer the Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas parish on June 4. If a priest is available, please have them contact Fr. Codd. There are other first Saturday diocesan Latin Masses in the region:

CLMC comment: Our diocesan Latin Mass priests are doing their heroic best under difficult circumstances to meet the needs of their flock and this should not be taken as criticism toward our priests. Daily Masses are canceled sometimes due to clergy illness, travel, etc., and the faithful are understanding of these situations. However, the potential cancellation of Our Lady’s first Saturday Latin Mass is most unfortunate, particularly in a diocese which subtly markets itself as “Latin Mass friendly”. This situation merely reinforces the view of 97% of the CLMC’s Synod respondents that the current liturgical framework in the diocese is inadequate, and that a dedicated Latin Mass chapel, with at least two dedicated priests, could help ensure the spiritual needs of the Latin Mass faithful.  Please consider praying that the diocese will be open to needs of the Latin Mass faithful at the upcoming final Synod gathering on June 11.  To view the CLMC’s Synod response visit: https://charlottelatinmass.org/about/clmc-synod/

Deacon Peter Rusciolelli to Preach at Latin Mass on Sunday June 5: On Saturday June 4, seminarian Peter Rusciolelli will also be ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Jugis. We are pleased to announce that the next day, Sunday June 5, the future Deacon Rusciolelli will preach at the 12:30pm Sunday Latin Mass at St. Ann parish where he has served the Latin Mass frequently. Please keep him (and the future Deacon Nnebe-Agumadu) in your prayers as they approach their diaconate ordinations.

Traditional Days of Fasting During Pentecost Weeks

As we enter into the change in liturgical seasons, there are customary days of fasting and penance (now optional). In the 1962 Missal (or earlier), typically the day before a major feast day (Pentecost, Assumption, Nativity, etc.) was a vigil day to prayerfully prepare for the solemn feast and also a penitential day of fasting and partial abstinence (meat only permitted once per day). Additionally, as our readers may recall, the Ember Days, the three penitential days at the beginning of each season that offer thanksgiving and prayers for holiness, are the other periods of penance. Over the next two weeks the Church commemorates four of these penitential days. Though the fasting/partial abstinence are now voluntary, with all the sin occurring in the world (and in the Church), it may be worth participating in the traditional fasts if you have not done so before.

All days below were traditionally days of fasting and partial abstinence (meat at only 1 meal) unless otherwise noted:

  • Vigil of Pentecost – Saturday June 4
  • Whit Ember Wednesday – Wednesday June 8
  • Whit Ember Friday – Friday June 10 (fasting and complete abstinence from meat)
  • Whit Ember Saturday – Saturday June 11

The “Whit Ember” days are named after Whit Sunday (“white”), which was an ancient name for Pentecost Sunday. Hence the Pentecost Ember Days. To learn more about the Whit Ember days visit: https://www.fisheaters.com/customseastertide8.html

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Mass of Ages Part II – The Perfect Storm Premiers: We are pleased to share that the new sacred liturgy documentary Mass of Ages Part II has been released this past week. This one examines the question “What went wrong after Vatican II?”. To watch it, or Part I, visit: https://latinmass.com/watch
  • 2022 Fraternity of St. Peter Ordination: This past Friday, the Fraternity of St. Peter ordained 7 deacons to the priesthood in the Traditional Rite – A Solemn Pontifical Mass was offered by His Excellency Archbishop Thomas Gullickson for the occasion. To watch the Ordination Mass (with commentary) please view this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjuvRNkaZ4U (while it remains available). CLMC comment: This should give great joy and hope to the Latin Mass faithful that Latin Mass priests are being ordained and are now offering the Mass of Ages.

The Roman Ritual

In closing, we share an article by Dr. Mike Foley, which examines the Roman Ritual which is the traditional book of blessings that accompanies the Traditional Latin Mass. In the article he also notes the connection between blessings and agriculture, as well as the connection between Old Testament customs or rituals, and the Church’s traditional blessings. We share an excerpt:

The Hebrews had a rich rotation of feasts tied to the agricultural cycles of the land, and so too have their Christian counterparts. The 1953 Rituale, with a zest for particular blessings in response to particular situations, contains benedictions for fields or pastures, seed, fruit, oats, young crops and vineyards, first fruits, fowl, cattle and herds (sheep, goats, swine, etc.), horses, lambs, bees, grapes, silkworms, a separate blessing of the harvest, and two different blessings for sick animals. There is also a blessing against floods and a blessing against “mice, locusts, wingless locusts, worms, and other harmful animals.”[3]  But there is one in particular to which I would draw our attention: the blessing of herbs and fruits on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary…

…All told, the traditional Rituale does not simply enable priests to impart specific blessings on the faithful or their possessions: it gives texture and greater meaning to one’s daily life and annual routine. A life filled with the blessings and rhythms of the Rituale, especially when shared with one’s family or parish, is a life formed by a culture that is both godly and humane. Thanks in part to the Rituale, the Church, that holy nation of the New Law (I Pet. 2:9) called out from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Rev. 5:9), is able to say with the Patriarchs and Prophets of old: “What other nation is there so renowned that hath ceremonies and just judgments, and all the law?” (Deut. 4,8).

What Mass are you attending Sunday?