Did anyone catch it in the Communion Antiphon in yesterday's Ascension Thursday Mass?

"Sing ye to the Lord, who mounteth above the heaven of heavens to the east, alleluia."

"Psallite Domino, qui ascendit super caelos caelorum ad Orientem, alleluia."

It occured to me some time ago, reflecting on the Ascension, that Christ, in a way, as He rises above and beyond them,  "turns His back" towards His Apostles and faces them no more - the very "complaint" we hear from people concerning the Extraordinary Form.  "Why does the priest turn his back to the people?"

Christ has gone ahead of us; He leads us forward and upward, to heaven.  The one who leads must be in front of us, with his back to us.  Not to cut us off, but rather to lead us on.

If someone were leading me to heaven, it is his back that I'd want to see, so that I can follow.

As someone once said, it's the back of the bus driver we want to see.  To see him face us while the bus is moving is to make us fear for our safety.

Catholics have been associating the month of May with Mary for the past few hundred years.

There's a lot more beauty in the earth this time of year, especially in parts where winter made the world gray and barren, and this beauty reminds us of Mary.

It was a Jesuit priest in a Jesuit college several hundred years ago who wanted to prevent students from frivolity and licentiousness just at the time of year when the warmth and beauty of the month tempted them to seek wanton delights. The priest had them make a vow to devote the month of May to Mary, rather than to sensual pursuits.  From there, the custom spread to other Jesuit schools all over Europe and then generally throughout the church.  The May devotions were the first to cover a whole month.  Following this example, other devotions were gradually attached to other months (e.g. June for the Sacred Heart of Jesus).

Our local customs on Guam are all due to the strong Marian devotion of the Spanish missionaries.
The true custom is for little girls to dress in white as angels, and little boys to dress as the Archangels, with the girls throwing flowers to Our Lady's statue while the adults sang the standard hymn.  This was done every day in May.

May is also the month we celebrate the Queenship of Mary (May 31; traditional Catholic calendar) and in many countries, as a secular observance, Mother's Day.

THINGS WE CAN DO THIS MONTH
1. REFLECT ON THE PRINCIPAL MYSTERIES OF THE LIFE OF MARY

• The Annunciation.  What a surprise for the unsuspecting virgin!  Yet what obedience to God's will.
• Mary's Visit to her cousin Elizabeth.  What profound humility!  She just found out she was to become the mother of the Son of God, yet she runs to help her pregnant cousin.
• The Birth of Christ.  What mystery!  He is born without harming her physical integrity.  In a cave, with animals!  Shepherds come, sent by angels!  Later, wise men from the east!
• The Presentation in the Temple.  What disturbing words from Simeon!  The child shall be opposed!  She herself, in her heart, will be pierced with a sword.
• The Finding of Jesus in the Temple.  What anguish!  She has lost her son!  What confusion!  She is told that He must be about His Father's business.  The young child astonishes the old teachers!
• The Wedding at Cana.  What foreboding!  She induces Him to perform His first sign.  The door opens to His public ministry, one that will lead to His death - and her greatest suffering.
• At the Foot of the Cross.  What misery!  For a mother to see her child so brutally mangled!  What love!  Woman, there is your son!

2. MEDITATE ON THE FOUR MARIAN DOGMAS

• Immaculate Conception.  Mary is conceived without Original Sin from the first moment of her existence, in the womb of Saint Anne, her mother.
• Divine Maternity.  Mary is not just Mother of Jesus; she is also Mother of God (in Greek, Theotokos).  Not that she gives Jesus His divinity, but, because He is divine from all eternity, the One she gave birth to, in time, is God Himself.
• Perpetual Virginity.  Mary remained a virgin before giving birth, as she gave birth and forever after she gave birth to Jesus.
• Assumption.  At the end of her earthly life, Mary was assumed into heaven, body and soul.

3. RE-READ THE STORY OF APPROVED APPARITIONS (among them, though there are more than these three : )

• Guadalupe.  Mary reveals herself as "truly your merciful mother."  She has concern and compassion on the poor and the sick.  She is the great evangelizer of Mexico and America.  She is patroness of America, and of the Pro-Life Cause.
• Lourdes.  Mary reveals herself as "the Immaculate Conception."  She brings healing of soul and body, and calls for penance, penance, penance.
• Fatima.  Mary's warnings become more serious.  She warns of divine punishment for the increasing evils of modern times, yet she offers us a way out : prayer, penance and reparation.

4. FAMILY ALTAR

• Make her image the centerpiece in May.  Keep a candle lit; flowers fresh.
• Pray as a family every day before this altar.  Make a family consecration to the Immaculate Heart.  Ask Mary to bring more love into your home life.
• Choose an exact time (usually 6PM but somewhat before or after is acceptable) to pray the Angelus together.  Always keep this time.

RAISING THE BAR(Things more challenging to do!  But we reap what we sow!)
1. Upon awaking, to rise immediately from bed in a spirit of making full use of the day, beginning with prayer on one's knees at the side of the bed, in imitation of Mary's prayerful and prompt obedience to God
2. To ask Mary to help us accept something taught to us by the Church which we may find difficult to accept or to practice
3. To think of the person you have the hardest time loving, and asking Mary to give you the strongest love for that person - not mushy sentiment!  But a sincere desire for that person's genuine welfare.
4. To give way to someone else, as in : to let someone else have the last word (except in matters of faith or morals), or the seat you wanted, or to enter or exit first
5. To remain silent when corrected by someone else, but peacefully, not with quiet resentment
6. To talk to someone today about the advantages of being devoted to Mary, especially if we have a good idea we will be ridiculed for saying so
7. Visit someone sick or in need, as Mary visited Elizabeth
8. Ask someone whose judgment you respect one thing they see in you that can be improved

Pope Benedict XVI was inaugurated the Vicar of Christ, Successor of Saint Peter and Bishop of Rome on April 24, 2005.  Today we offered Mass for him and prayed for him after Mass.


VIVAT BENEDICTUS XVI!

The Holy Father, when still a Cardinal, offered the Traditional Mass and ordained priests at the traditional seminary in Wigratzbad, Germany for the Fraternity of Saint Peter.


The Holy Father was ordained to the priesthood according to the traditional rites in 1951.

On Low Sunday (Divine Mercy Sunday), the community gathered after Holy Mass for a potluck luncheon party.  Afterwards, the little ones enjoyed an Easter egg hunt.

The liturgy begins with the silent prostration of the priest.

The Lessons from Scripture are chanted.

A view of the faithful who assisted at the liturgy.

The Passion of Our Lord according to Saint John is chanted.

The Solemn Prayers for the Church and the world are chanted.

The unveiling of the Holy Cross; all kneel to adore.

The faithful process to adore the Holy Cross.

Father brings the Blessed Sacrament from the Altar of Repose (Monumento) to the main altar for Holy Communion.

The Communion of the Faithful

The Altar of Repose, or Monumento, at the friary chapel.

It rained...but we still processed.

It stopped raining....as soon as the procession was over!

A traditional Latin Mass community in Mangaldan, Pangasinan (Philippines) invited Pale' Eric to give some conferences and celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Form with them.  Pale' Eric left Manila at 7AM to get to Mangaldan by 1130AM.  After lunch at a family home, Pale' Eric began giving the conference on the Extraordinary Form at 130PM at a municipal hall (though government-owned, it had a crucifix and picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary!).  The town mayor was there to give welcoming remarks.


Banner publicizing the event

Among those attending the conferences were parish catechists, barangay (neighborhood) leaders and faithful who do not normally attend the Extraordinary Form.  Among the topics covered were the Sacrifice of the Mass, the basic structure of the liturgy, Ad Orientem, the use of Latin as the liturgical language and the Motu Proprio of Pope Benedict XVI.  There was not enough time to cover more material, but the travel time is so long that it was the best we could do.

Holy Mass then commenced in the parish church at 3:30PM.  The church, which is huge, was 75% full.  The parish priest, who does not offer the Extraordinary Form, was still very friendly and welcoming, telling me he "cannot deny the request" of the faithful for the Extraordinary Form.  This is a priest who knows what the Holy Father is asking from the universal Church in his Motu Proprio!


Just before the Consecration

The reverent and devout communion of the faithful

Most of those attending Mass are not regular devotees of the traditional Mass, but they all knelt for communion.  The women who did not have veils borrowed veils from the women who did.  As soon as the woman with a veil received communion, the next lady put that veil on her head.


At the request of the people, Pale' Eric said prayers for the sick (pro infirmorum) and blessed the people with holy water at the communion rail.  A gold cope was all they had.  Help is needed to obtain what is needed for all the sacred rites.


God bless the TLM community of Mangaldan!May Our Lady guide and protect them and win for them many graces.Ad maiorem Dei gloriam!

For the first time on Guam in over 40 years, a Solemn High Mass was celebrated with deacon and subdeacon.  Father Moreau was celebrant.


At the Asperges

The Epistle is sung by the Subdeacon

The chalice of wine is consecrated and becomes the Precious Blood of our Lord and Savior


Father Moreau with ministers and servers



...and the Schola

Blessing of Throats on Saint Blaise Day February 3

Benediction

Father Jean Marie Moreau, of the Institute of Christ the King, gave three classes on the Holy Mass to our community from February 2-4.  In one class, he taught us a method of hearing Mass as a union with Christ in His Passion.