Requiescat in pace

A personal post, that my dear Aunt - Vera - has died, aged 89. She was a faithful Anglican all her life, slightly mystified by my conversion to Catholicism back in the late '90s, but, true to her nature, understanding, supportive and generous.

(Vera at my Ordination, 2010 - her hand on my chasuble)

Her life spanned an incredible period - from 1924 to 2013 - she experienced the Depression of the '30s as a child and then, as a young woman, the horror of the Second World War; she trained as a shorthand typist and joined a local Estate Agent as a secretary and became a partner and then, eventually, sole owner.
Vera was an incredible woman, very independent, always active and enthusiastic. She never married, but in addition to her Christian faith and her "vocation" as an Estate Agent (- strange as it may seem, recently people have been revealing to me how generous Vera was in loaning them her personal money on trust so that they could complete their move! [I wonder how many other Estate Agents would ever consider this?] -) she was also a great amateur actress, being involved in many clubs, including the Ingoldsby Club, the St Oswald's and Streatham Players, the Magdalene Players and others; a further element in Vera's life was having a dog as a companion - a whole series of them ensued over the years after the adoption of her first Jack Russell who was named Scamp: then came Sam, Pickles and ultimately, Benny.
In her latter years she maintained her independence as much as she could. Back in 2004, aged 80, she came and visited me in Rome whilst I was in my first year in seminary - she always said she would never forget the taxi ride from the airport to the Centro Storico (I was there, and she was quite right - it certainly was a white-knuckle ride and one I shall never forget either!); she finally retired officially from actively running her Estate Agency just a few years ago - amazing - and has still carried on with what she called "just a few rentals" and what had become a "new project", her memoirs which she hoped to get published before she died.
Above all, Vera lived and loved - she lived her life in a loving way and she loved life. May all of her huge charity and generosity over her long life bear much fruit, and may her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Pro Eligendo Summo Pontifice

I am very pleased to say that I have received permission from my Ordinary to celebrate a Votive Mass (II Class) Pro Eligendo Summo Pontifice  - for the Election of the Supreme Pontiff. The Mass will be celebrated in our Blessed Sacrament Chapel and the commemoration of St Gregory and the Feria (III day of the IV week in Lent) will be observed (as required) tomorrow, Tuesday 12th March, 7pm.
The Mass text is as follows:

PRO ELIGENDO SUMMO PONTIFICE

Introitum (1 Reg. 2, 35)

Suscitabo mihi sacerdotem fidelem, qui iuxta cor meum et animam meam faciet: et aedificabo ei domum fidelem, et ambulabit coram Christo meo cunctis diebus.  (Ps. 131,1) Memento, Domine, David: et omnis mansuetudinis eius. Gloria Patri... Suscitabo...

Oratio

Oremus. Supplici, Domine, humilitate deposcimus: ut sacrosanctae Romanae Ecclesiae concedat Pontificem ilium tua immensa pietas; qui et pio in nos studio semper tibi placitus, et tuo populo pro salubri regimine sit assidue ad gloriam tui nominis reverendus. Per Dominum nostrum...

Oremus. Deus, qui animæ famuli tui Gregorii æternæ beatitudinis præmia contulisti : concede propitius; ut qui peccatorum nostrorum pondere premimur, ejus apud te precibus sublevemur.

Sacrae nobis, quaesumus, Domine, observationis jejunia : et piae conversationis augmentum, et tuae propitiationis continuum praestent auxilium. Per Dominum nostrum…

Lectio Epistolae beati Pauli Apostoli ad Hebraeos (Heb.4,16-5,1-7)

Fratres: Adeamus cum fiducia ad thronum gratiae, ut misericordiam consequamur et gratiam inveniamus in auxilio opportuno. Omnis namque pontifex ex hominibus assiimptus, pro hominibus constituitur in iis quae sunt ad Deum, ut offerat dona et sacrificia pro peccatis: qui condolere possit iis qui ignorant et errant: quoniam et ipse circumdatus est infirmitate: et propterea debet, quemadmodum pro populo, ita etiam et pro semetipso offerre pro peccatis. Nec quisquam sumit sibi honorem, sed qui vocatur a Deo, tamquam Aaron. Sic et Christus non semetipsum clarificavit, ut pontifex fieret, sed qui locutus est ad eum: Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te. Quemadmodum et in alio loco dicit: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Qui in diebus carnis suae preces supplicationesque ad eum, qui possit ilium salvum facere a morte, cum clamore valido et lacrimis offerens, exauditus est pro sua reverentia.

Graduale (Levit. 21, 10)

Pontifex sacerdos magnus inter fratres suos, super cuius caput fusum est unctionis oleum, et cuius manus in sacerdotio consecratae sunt, vestitusque est sanctis vestibus: debuit per omnia fratribus similari. (Hebr.2,17) Ut misericors fieret, et fidelis pontifex ad Deum: ut repropitiaret delicta populi.

Tractus (Ps. 131, 8-10)

Surge, Domine, in requiem tuam: tu et area sanctificationis tuae. V. Sacerdotes tui induantur iustitiam, et sancti tui exsultent. V. Propter David servum tuum, non avertas faciem Christi tui.

Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Ioannem. (Io. 14, 15-21)

In illo tempore: Dixit Iesus discipulis suis: Si diligitis me, mandata mea servate. Et ego rogabo Patrem, et alium Paraclitum dabit vobis, ut maneat vobiscum in aeternum, Spiritum veritatis, quem mundus non potest accipere, quia non videt eum, nec scit eum. Vos autem cognoscetis eum: quia apud vos manebit, et in vobis erit. Non relinquam vos orphanos: veniam ad vos. Adhuc modicum; et mundus me iam non videt. Vos autem videtis me, quia ego vivo, et vos vivetis. In illo die vos cognoscetis quia ego sum in Patre meo, et vos in me, et ego in vobis. Qui habet mandata mea, et servat ea: ille est, qui diligit me. Qui autem diligit me, diligetur a Patre meo; et ego diligam eum, et manifestabo ei meipsum.

Offertorium (3 Esdrae 5, 40)

Non participentur sancta, donec exsurgat pontifex in ostensionem et veritatem.

Secreta

Tuae nobis, Domine, abundantia pietatis indulgeat: ut per sacra munera, quae tibi reverenter offerimus, gratum maiestati tuae Pontificem sanctae matris Ecclesiae regimini praeesse gaudeamus. Per Dominu

m nostrum...

Annue nobis, quæsumus, Domine : ut intercessione beati Gregorii hæc nobis prosit oblatio, quam immolando, totius mundi tribuisti relaxari delicta.

Haec hostia, Domine, quaesumus, emundet nostra delicta : et ad sacrificum celebrandum, subditorum tibi corpora mentesque sanctificet. Per Dominum nostrum...

Communionem (Exodi 29, 29-30)

Veste sancta utetur pontifex, qui fuerit constitutus, et ingredietur tabernaculum testimonii, ut ministret in sanctuario.

Postcommunio

Oremus. Pretiosi Corporis et Sanguinis tui nos, Domine, sacramento refectos, mirifica tuae maiestatis gratia de illius Summi Pontificis concessione laetificet: qui et plebem tuam virtutibus instruat, et fidelium mentes spiritualium aromatum odore perfundat: Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitate...

Oremus. Deus, qui beatum Gregorium Pontificem Sanctorum tuorum meritis coæquasti: concede propitius; ut, qui percolimus, vitae quoque imitemur exempla.

Hujus nos, Domine, perception sacramenti mundet a crimine : et ad caelestia regna perducat. Per Dominum nostrum...

Introit     I Kings 2.35

I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to My heart, and My soul, and I will build him a faithful house, and he shall walk all days before My anointed. Glory be… I will…

Collects

Let us pray. We most humbly entreat Thee, O Lord, that Thy boundless goodness may grant as pontiff to the most Holy Roman Church one who shall ever be both pleasing to Thee, by his loving zeal in our regard, and by his beneficient rule, deeply revered by Thy people to the glory of Thy name. Through our Lord…

Let us pray. O God, who hast bestowed upon the soul of thy servant Gregory the rewards of everlasting happiness: grant in thy mercy that we, who are weighed down by the burden of our sins, may be raised up by his intercession with Thee.

We beseech Thee, O Lord, that the fasts of this holy observance may procure for us an increase of piety and the continual help of Thy mercy. Through our Lord…

Lesson Heb.4:16-5:7

(Brothers:) Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid. For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on them that are ignorant and that err: because himself also is compassed with infirmity. And therefore he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. Neither doth any man take the honour to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was. So Christ also did not glorify himself, that he might be made a high priest: but he that said unto him: Thou art my Son: this day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place: Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech. Who in the days of his flesh, with a strong cry and tears, offering up prayers and supplications to him that was able to save him from death, was heard for his reverence.

Gradual  Leviticus 21.10

The high priest, the priest great among his brethren, upon whose head the oil of unction hath been poured, and whose hands have been consecrated for the priesthood, and who have been vested with the holy vestments: it behooved him in all things to be made like to his brethren.  That he might become a merciful and faithful high priest with God.

Tract   Ps 131.8-10

Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting-place; Thou and the ark which Thou hast sanctified.  Let Thy priests be clothed with justice, and let Thy saints rejoice.  For Thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of Thy anointed.

Gospel Jn.14:15-21

(At that time: Jesus saith to his disciples:) If you love me, keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father: and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever: The spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, nor knoweth him. But you shall know him; because he shall abide with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you orphans: I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more. But you see me: because I live, and you shall live. In that day you shall know that I am in my Father: and you in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them; he it is that loveth me. And he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father: and I will love him and will manifest myself to him.

Offertory   3 Esdras 5.40

They shall not partake of holy things, until a high priest shall arise for evidence and truth.

Secrets

O God, eternal shepherd, who govern Thy flock with unfailing care, grant in Thy boundless fatherly love a pastor for Thy Church who will please Thee by his holiness and to us show watchful care. Through our Lord…

Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that through the intercession of blessed Gregory, this sacrifice may profit unto us, by the offering of which thou didst vouchsafe to forgive the sins of the whole world.

May this victim, we beseech Thee, o Lord, cleanse away our sins : and sanctify the bodies and minds of Thy servants, that we may offer worthily this sacrifice. Through our Lord…

Communion   Exodus 29.29-30

The high priest who shall be anointed shall wear the holy vesture, and shall enter into the tabernacle of the testimony, to minister in the sanctuary.

Postcommunion

Let us pray. As Thou hast refreshed us, O Lord, with partaking of Thy precious Body and Blood, may the wondrous grace of Thy majesty gladden us with the gift of a Supreme Pontiff, that he might instruct Thy people by his virtues and pour forth a fragrant spiritual balm upon the minds of the faithful; who livest and reignest…

Let us pray. O God, Who didst make the blessed Pontiff Gregory rank in merit with Thy Saints: mercifully grant that we who celebrate this festival in his memory, may also follow the example of his life.

May the reception of this sacrament, O Lord, cleanse us from sin and lead us to the heavenly kingdom. Through our Lord…