Some of you may have read the Washington Post today: Clergy abuse scandal engulfs plans for Latin Mass at D.C. Basilica
UPDATE: Tulsa Bishop Edward Slattery will now be the Celebrant of the Pontifical Solemn High (Latin) Mass at the Basilica this Saturday at 1:00 pm EWTN Coverage will begin at 12:30 PM
The Paulus Institute issued the following Press release earlier this morning:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In consultation with His Eminence, Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos, The Paulus Institute has agreed to seek another celebrant for the Pontifical Solemn High Mass taking place on April 24th. This action will help maintain the solemnity, reverence and beauty of the Mass.
The Paulus Institute was formed for the propagation of sacred liturgy. The Traditional Latin Mass planned for April 24th honoring Pope Benedict on his five-year inauguration anniversary is a liturgical event much bigger than the individual celebrant. Cardinal Castrillon was approached to celebrate the Mass early in what has been a three-year effort because of his special experience in celebrating this form of Mass and his efforts under Pope John-Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI in encouraging the traditional form of the Mass, full liturgy and sacraments.
We are in the process of seeking another Bishop to celebrate a Pontifical Solemn Mass on Saturday and are confident that one will agree. However, in any event, a beautiful, dignified Traditional Latin Mass will be celebrated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday at 1PM and will be the first time in nearly a half century this has occurred. All Catholic faithful are encouraged to attend.
The Paulus Institute regards all sexual abuse as tragic and a heinous sin and supports Pope Benedict’s fight to rid this disease from the Church. It stands on the side of every victim of clerical sexual abuse and earnestly desires to bind up the wounds done to their human dignity, to vindicate their civil and canonical rights, and to help them in the restoration in Christ of all they have lost.
To that end, The Paulus Institute supports the directives by the Supreme Roman Pontiff and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that all bishops should report crimes of sexual abuse to the police in accordance with the requirements of civil law. However, the Paulus Institute is not competent, nor does it have the facts, to form an opinion about the about recent media reports concerning Cardinal Castrillon.
The Paulus Institute requests respect for the human dignity and civil rights of all who participate in this sacred liturgy and observance for the tranquility and good order of the celebration.
So the Mass is still on. The Celebrant is yet to be determined.
How about Fr. Z?
Monsignor… what are your plans for this Saturday at 1? 😉
Introibo ad altare Dei
in case anyone other than me wonders what the heck a Pontifical Solemn Mass is (from wikipedia):
In the context of the Tridentine Mass of the Roman Catholic Church, a Pontifical High Mass, also called Solemn Pontifical Mass, is a Solemn or High Mass celebrated by a bishop using certain prescribed ceremonies.
Origins
In the early Church, Mass was normally celebrated by the bishop, with other clergy. In the Roman Rite this evolved into a form of Solemn High Mass celebrated by a bishop accompanied by a deacon, subdeacon, thurifer, acolyte(s) and other ministers, under the guidance of a priest acting as Master of Ceremonies. Most often the specific parts assigned to deacon and subdeacon are performed by priests. The parts to be said aloud are all chanted, except that the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar, which before the reform of Pope Pius V were said in the sacristy or during the entrance procession, were said quietly by the bishop with the deacon and the subdeacon, while the choir sang the Introit.
The full Pontifical High Mass is carried out when the bishop celebrates the Mass at the throne (or cathedra) in his own cathedral church, or with permission at the throne in another diocese.[1]
A Low Mass celebrated by a bishop is almost identical with a priest’s Low Mass, except that the bishop puts on the maniple only after the Prayers at the Foot of the Altar.
[edit] Differences from ordinary Solemn Mass
[edit] Celebration by a Bishop other than the Pope
In contrast to celebration by a priest, a bishop celebrates almost the entire first half of the Solemn High Mass (until the offertory) at the cathedra (often referred to as his throne) to the left of the altar. Instead of saying “Dominus vobiscum” (The Lord be with you) as the opening liturgical greeting, a bishop says “Pax vobis” (Peace to you).
A bishop also wears vestments additional to those of a priest:
The dalmatic, the distinctive vestment of a deacon, worn under the bishop’s chasuble to show that he has the full powers of the sacrament of Holy Orders
The tunicle, the particular vestment of the subdeacon, worn under the bishop’s dalmatic, further to show the fullness of the major orders. Since the 19th century it looks almost exactly the same as the dalmatic
The mitre, the bishop’s hat
The crosier, the bishop’s hooked staff
buskins (ceremonial stockings) along with episcopal sandals a specially decorated form of footwear, in the shape of loafers
a pectoral cross
liturgical gloves
A metropolitan archbishop, celebrating Mass within the area of his province (over which he has jurisdiction), wears a pallium over the chasuble, as a sign of the special authority granted by the Pope, but which technically is not extensive, over the suffragan bishops. The metropolitan archbishop does not need the permission of one of his suffragan bishops to celebrate Mass in one of the suffragan’s churches (or even the cathedral), but he usually will do so as a sign of respect.
When the bishop sits at the cathedra, a special silk cloth, called a gremial(e), of the same liturgical colour as the bishop’s vestments, was placed in his lap.
Thanks. 🙂
A little “Church Speak” going on in the press release!
I propose that you should be the celebrant since you have over 20 years experience celebrating the Latin Mass.
Well Thanks for your confidence in me. Still praying for a bishop to be found. If one cannot be found it is probably best for the Faternity of St. Peter (which was largely staffing this Mass anyway) to take the helm since they are used to working as a team.
“Faternity?” 😉
oops
lapsus keyboard?
Sadly, for all victims of abuse, living and dead…the failure of this article to acknowledge the reason “His Eminence” Hoyos will not be the celebrant is ommitted. In my honest opinion, a sin of ommission.
Bob, it is clear that you have zero respect for Holy Mother Church. His Eminence is a Prince of the Church who has done amazing things for it over the years. His leadership of Ecclesia Dei was great.
What is he being criticized for now? We don’t even know. It might be that he is being criticized for congratulating a Bishop on following Canon Law. Or it may not be. Idon’t know what was said under the seal and neither do you.
The omission in the press release is not anywhere close to a sin, but not defending the seal of confession certainly is.
Just in case anyone has not seen it yet, His Excellency Edward Slattery, D. of Tulsa, OK will be the celebrant at this Mass.
And for those who don’t regularly attend the EF, Msgr.’s quote “Intoribo ad altare dei” is the antiphon repeated by the celebrant and his ministers/servers. It translates to “I will go to the Altar of God.” The response is “Ad deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.” or “To God, Who giveth joy to my youth.”