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…

 

Novena of prayer

A Novena of Prayer for the Election of the Supreme Pontiff

In the name + of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Veni, Creator Spiritus,  mentes tuorum visita:  imple superna gratia,  quae tu creasti pectora.  Qui diceris Paraclitus,  Altissimi donum Dei,  fons vivus, ignis, charitas,  et spiritalis unctio.  Tu septiformis munere,  digitus paternae dexterae,  tu rite promissum Patris,  sermone ditans guttura.  Accende lumen sensibus,  infunde amorem cordibus,  infirma nostri corporis  virtute firmans perpeti.  Hostem repellas longius,  pacemque dones protinus:  ductore sic te praevio  vitemos omne noxium.  Per te sciamus da Patrem,  noscamus atque Filium,  teque utriusque Spiritum  credamus omni tempore.  Deo Patri sit gloria,  et Filio, qui a mortuis  surrexit, ac Paraclito,  in saeculorum saecula. Amen.

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator come, From your bright heavenly throne! Come, take possession of our souls, And make them all your own. You who are called the Paraclete, Best gift of God above, The living spring, the living fire, Sweet unction, and true love! You who are sevenfold in your grace, Finger of God’s right hand, His promise, teaching little ones To speak and understand! O guide our minds with your blessed light, With love our hearts inflame, And with your strength which never decays Confirm our mortal frame. Far from us drive our hellish foe True peace unto us bring, And through all perils guide us safe Beneath your sacred wing. Through you may we the Father know, Through you the eternal Son And you the Spirit of them both Thrice-blessed three in one. All glory to the Father be, And to the risen Son; The same to you, O Paraclete, While endless ages run. Amen.

V.        Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
R.        And kindle in them the fire of your love.

V.        Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
R.        And you will renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray

O God, who have taught the hearts of the faithful
by the light of the Holy Spirit,
grant that in the same Spirit we may be truly wise
and ever rejoice in his consolation.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, you who have established your Church on the solid foundation of the Apostle Peter and have promised to remain with us until the end of time, grant we beseech you that we may all be steadfast in faith and filled with zeal for the glory of your Name. We humbly ask that you grant to the College of Cardinals the Spirit of Truth that they may know your will, and acting in courage and faith, may elect as Supreme Pontiff him whom you have chosen to be Chief Shepherd of your flock, Successor of Peter, Bishop of Rome, and Servant of the Servants of God. Grant to us a Pope who will teach and guide by word and example so that together with the flock entrusted to his care he may arrive at eternal life in your Kingdom where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

Hail Mary (x3)

Prayer to St Michael

Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust down to hell Satan and all the wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus: have mercy on us. (x3)
Immaculate heart of Mary: pray for us.
St Peter and St Paul: Pray for us.

In the name + of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Regina coeli

Regina coeli laetare,
Alleluia,
Quia quem meruisti portare,
Alleluia,
Resurrexit,
Sicut dixit,
Alleluia,
Ora pro nobis Deum.
Alleluia.

The Regina coeli is the great Eastertide Marian anthem. The Easter cry of Alleluia – “Praise the Lord” – intersperses each phrase. Why? Because Easter is a time of great joy – a joy that will not be constrained or held down but that bursts out from our inadequate words at every opportunity, like the Risen Christ, bursting forth from the tomb on Easter Day. Alleluia is his people’s cry of joy and Alleluia, too, is his Mother’s cry of joy.

The actual text of the Regina coeli is very simple, addressing Mary as the Queen of heaven, acknowledging her privileged role as the God-bearer (Theotokos), announcing that Christ is risen as he promised and then asking Mary to pray for us: “Queen of heaven, rejoice… For he whom you did merit to bear… Is risen, as he said… Pray for us to God…” Yet within these simple words is encapsulated a sublime theology! The Incarnation – the taking of human flesh and blood by God when he chose to be conceived in Mary’s womb – is referred to in the second phrase: “For he whom you did merit to bear.” Mary’s “merit” was herself having been conceived immaculate so that she could respond to God’s call to be born in her womb with a totally free “Yes” to God. Because God chose to be born into this world as a human being, without losing his divinity, nor despising the humanity he assumed, he could work our redemption and bring us back to himself. Jesus freely accepted suffering and death in accordance with the Father’s will in order to redeem us, to reconcile us to his Father. His sacrifice of himself on the Cross – the same sacrifice that is made present on the altar at every Mass – achieves this: the winning of our salvation.

Death – although a reality – could not hold him – he is risen as he said. The “as he said” refers specifically to the words of Jesus in the Gospels and secondarily to the words in the Old Testament that point to his Resurrection [c.f. Mt17:9/Mk9:9, Mt26:32/Mk14:28, Mt26:61/Mk14:58/Jn2:19, Ps16:10, Is53:10-12].

His Resurrection from the dead changes everything: death is no longer the end and eternal life is offered to all who would believe in him. Further, those who do believe in him and live their lives for him, experience the fullness of his promises. These are the saints and foremost among the saints is the Mother of God, Mary. Her pre-eminence is attested to at the beginning of the anthem by her title of “Queen of heaven,” a title that refers to Mary’s Assumption into heaven at the end of her earthly life and her important position as the first among the saints, crowned as Queen. Mary’s destiny is our destiny – we too trust and hope that we may be called to share eternal life with God and all his saints. Since Mary and all the saints are with God now, it is quite natural to ask for their help, their intercession, so our anthem ends with a heart-felt prayer, that Mary will pray for us to God.

All of this is shot through with the word Alleluia, reminding us again and again of the joy of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead and all that this has achieved for us. This Eastertide, let us rejoice with Mary and all the Church at the Resurrection of Christ from the dead: “Queen of heaven, rejoice, Alleluia, For he whom you did merit to bear, Alleluia, Is risen, as he said, Alleluia, Pray for us to God, Alleluia.”

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli porta manes, Et stella maris, succurre cadenti, súrgere qui curat populo: Tu quae genuisti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem: Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.

O loving Mother of our Redeemer, gate of heaven, star of the sea,
Hasten to aid thy fallen people who strive to rise once more.
Thou who brought forth thy holy Creator, all creation wond'ring,
Yet remainest ever Virgin, taking from Gabriel's lips
that joyful "Hail!": be merciful to us sinners.

“Alma” - this is not just a greeting, but already a description of the one whom we will be addressing - loving, dear, kind, nourishing, one who nurtured her Son and who nurtures us! Mary is the “gate of heaven” – because it is through her becoming the Mother of our Redeemer that we have been given the opportunity of gaining heaven. Mary is also given the title of Star of the Sea here - stella maris - an important reminder to us that, she is our guide, one who will, like a star spotted from a storm-tossed ship with no other means of navigation, be the hope which we glimpse and by which we realise that we now have a way of finding our way to a safe haven - the safe haven, of course, of heaven itself.

Our Latin Anthem immediately throws in petitions to Our Lady - as if we are indeed the storm-tossed sailors, suddenly spotting this star of hope - “aid thy fallen people who strive to rise once more”. Mary’s nurturing, caring, is here seen as extending to helping and curing - a bringing back, not only towards our true home. Then we meditate on one of the amazing paradoxes of our faith: “Thou who brought forth thy holy Creator”. Mary, a created being, bears in her womb the uncreated Word - the Eternal Son of the Father - why? For us, as we heard in the first line - she is Mother of Our Redeemer - she bore Christ for that one reason - so that we might be redeemed and reconciled to God the Father, our Creator and her Creator.

St Bernard has a lovely reflection on the moment of the Angel’s Annunciation - imagining all of creation to be holding its breath, waiting for Mary’s yes. Mary did give her yes, her fiat, to God’s will and so bore our Redeemer, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. All creation is, as our anthem says, “wond’ring” in amazement! Gabriel’s message, his “Ave” - “Hail” given to Mary is a joyful message for Mary says yes to it, she accepts it, welcomes it, and opens up the whole of God’s redemption of us through her Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Mary chooses for God. And in line with this, respecting her purity, her absolute dedication to him, God willed that Mary “remainest ever Virgin,” before the Angel’s message and after, before the birth of her Son and after. With one so blessed, so much a part of God’s plan for salvation for us, one so much our guide, we can and should turn to her in our needs. Hence we say, “be merciful to us sinners”: we ask her for her loving help, she whom we first addressed as loving - we know Our Mother will indeed help us with her prayers.

Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli porta manes, Et stella maris, succurre cadenti, súrgere qui curat populo: Tu quae genuisti, natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem: Virgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore sumens illud Ave, peccatorum miserere.
 

Ave Regina caelorum

Many thanks for all your prayers. We had about thirty people attend the last Extraordinary Form Mass for the Chair of St Peter: although down on the attendance at the first one, it was still very encouraging to see such a good mix of young and old.

Between Candlemas and Easter traditionally the Ave Regina caelorum is said or sung as the Marian Anthem:

Ave Regina caelorum! Ave Domina Angelorum! Salve radix, salve porta, ex qua mundo lux est orta. Gaude Virgo, gloriosa, super omnes speciosa. Vale, o valde decora, et pro nobis Christum exora.

Ave Regina caelorum! Ave Domina Angelorum! : our song begins with wonder - wonder and joy in addressing the Blessed Virgin Mary - Hail, Queen of Heaven. Hail, Lady of the Angels... These greetings address Mary, visualizing the glory into which she was assumed after her earthly life had run its course.

Next, her pivotal role in salvation history is emphasised: Salve radix, salve porta - Hail, the root, hail, the gateway! It is through Mary’s humble acceptance of God’s will that he could take our flesh in her womb and be born as man. And so it continues: ...ex qua mundo lux est orta... - from whom comes forth the Light into the world.

What possible response could there be to such a great privilege - to be the Theotokos, the God-Bearer? Gaude Virgo, gloriosa, super omnes speciosa - Rejoice, O Glorious Virgin, splendid above all else! Joy! Mary’s joy - and our joy at the wonder of this!

With one so glorious, so splendid, already seated as Queen among the Saints in heaven, it is then natural to turn to her for her powerful intercession: Vale, o valde decora - Do thou prevail, O thou who art of great virtue - et pro nobis Christum exora - and intercede for us with Christ.

This beautiful Anthem exults in Mary’s reversal of our fallen condition: it begins with two “Ave”s - Hail - but Ave is Eva - Eve - backwards - Mary is the New Eve, the one who reversed the disobedience of the First Eve. Mary is the one who will make possible the fulfilment of the Proto-evangelium of Genesis 3:15, when God addresses the Serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall crush your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” By her obedience to God’s will, God could take flesh, and come among us as man, Jesus Christ - true God and true man - who would crush the ancient Serpent’s head. The First Eve (and the entire human race) fell through disobedience at the foot of a tree; through the New Eve’s obedience, he who would lift us up again could come into this world and destroy death, through dying himself on a Tree.

Mary is thus seen as the root of and the gateway by which our salvation has been made possible - by her gentle, obedient, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word” [Lk.1:38]. Because of her importance in God’s plan of salvation this Anthem turns to her with such wonder, such honour, and, playing twice more with the word, Eva, with Vale and valde - prevail and great - recognises that the New Eve’s influence and position in heaven in praying for us is surely greatly effective.

This beautiful Anthem to Our Lady is ideal for Lent with its subtle references to her role in letting God’s salvation come into our fallen world and the recognition of our continual need of help: a help we know that will be all the more forthcoming thanks to her prayers to Christ our Saviour.

Extraordinary Developments

I am fortunate that I am an Assistant priest - a Curate - in a busy city centre parish. I have been celebrating the Extraordinary Form of the Mass here on my days off since I arrived here - initially in private - but, since I was convinced that there are people from the parish who would like to attend the “Traditional” or “Old” Mass, I have arranged that I can now celebrate Masses in the EF here, open to all on my days off. My first one attracted about fifty people. This was something quite unexpected! I anticipated maybe fifteen. Praise be to Our Lord Jesus Christ and to his Blessed Mother that so many people attended Holy Mass then.

Please pray for me as I prepare to celebrate another EF Mass this Tuesday for the Chair of St Peter. The Tract for that Mass, Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petrum aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, encapsulates the Church’s dependence on Peter and his Successors - “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church”. Please pray for Pope Benedict and all the bishops that they may be strengthened in the task assigned to them of being Good Shepherds of Christ's flock. Also, please pray especially for those people who have separated themselves/or have been separated from Christ’s Church - for whatever reason - that they might be reconciled to Holy Mother Church.