Sunday, 15 May 2016
Sunday, 1 May 2016
An Irish Litany of Our Lady
"In addition to the very interesting litany of Aengus which is described at length by O'Curry we have one still more dear to us, and equally ancient; it is the Litany of the Blessed Virgin which is preserved in the "Leabhar Mor" and deposited in the Royal Irish Academy. In reference to it O'Curry* says:- 'The third piece of this fifth class is a beautiful and ancient litany of the BVM differing in many ways from her litany in other languages and clearly showing that although it may be an imitation, it is not a translation. I believe it to be as old at least as the middle of the eighth century. It consists of fifty nine invocations beginning: O great Mary! O Mary greatest of all Marys! O greatest of women! O Queen of the Angels! etc., and it concludes with a beautiful and eloquent entreaty that she will lay the unworthy prayers, sighs and groans of the sinners before her own merciful Son, backed by her own all powerful advocacy for the forgiveness of their sins.'
"The Most Rev. Dr Cullen in his pastoral on the Immaculate Conception** supplies us with a more lengthened extract from this beautiful old Irish litany:- 'O great Mary! the greatest of womankind! O Queen of Angels! O Woman full and overflowing with the grace of the holy Spirit! O blessed and ever blessed Mother of Eternal Glory! Mother of the Church heavenly and earthly! Mother of love and forgiveness! Mother of golden effulgence! O honour of the sky! Sign of tranquillity! O door of heaven! O golden ark! O beauty of the virgins! Lady of the tribes! Fountain of the gardens! Cleansing of sins! O Mother of orphans! Breast of the infant! Consolation of the poor! Star of the Ocean! Mother of Christ! Comeliness as of the moon! Excellence as of the sun! O canceller of the reproach of Eve! O Renewer of life! Beauty of womankind! Head of the virgins! Enclosed garden! True fountain of greenness! Mother of God! O eternal virgin! O royal throne of the Deity! Sanctuary of the holy Spirit! Virgin of the stem of Jesse! Cedar of Lebanon! Cypress of Sion! Crimson rose of the land of Jacob! O effulgence of Nazareth! O glory of Jerusalem! O beauty of the world! O noblest in descent of the Christian flock! O Queen of life! O ladder of heaven! hear the prayer of the poor; spurn not the ulcers and moans of the wretched! Let our devotions and our aspirations be presented to the Creator by thee; for we ourselves are not worthy of being heard through our demerits" O powerful Lady of heaven and earth! cancel our crimes obliterate the stains of our wickedness. For mercy sake suffer us not to be carried away from thee as a prey by our enemies; suffer not our souls to be condemned and take us to thyself for ever under thy protection!'
"Upon these sentences his Grace remarks:- 'Such were the glowing strains in which the Church of Ireland in early times delighted to depict the glories of the Queen of Heaven How different is the language in which she is greeted by those who call themselves followers of the Reformation and who appear to take a pride in insulting the name of the Mother of God What a proof that they have nothing in common with the doctrine of the ancient Church of Ireland.'"
*MS of Irish Hist., p. 380
**Date of Pastoral 8th December, 1862
Friday, 15 April 2016
Tuesday, 15 March 2016
Monday, 15 February 2016
Friday, 15 January 2016
Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Monday, 9 November 2015
Monday, 19 October 2015
Saturday, 26 September 2015
High Mass for Galway Cathedral 50th Anniversary
This afternoon, members and friends of the Catholic Heritage Association of Ireland gathered for an historic High Mass in the Gregorian Rite to mark the 50th Anniversary of the dedication of Galway Cathedral. The Mass was offered for the benefactors of the Catholic Heritage Association of Ireland.
Given the date, months after the Instruction 'Inter Ocumenici' (26th September, 1964), and the Decree of the Congregation of Rites (27th January, 1965) issuing the 'interim' Missal, it is likely that today's Mass was the very first time that Mass was celebrated using the Missal of 1962 in Galway Cathedral.
Priests from several Dioceses and servers from several branches of the Catholic Heritage Association around Ireland were very ably accompanied by the Lassus Scholars of the Dublin Choral Foundation for the Mass of the Ember Saturday in September.
On the previous day, a very successful training day for Priests on the celebration of Mass in the Gregorian Rite was organised by the Catholic Heritage Association, again in Galway Cathedral, with the support of the Archdiocese of Tuam and the Diocese of Galway, and a further series of training days are planned for the Western Dioceses in the coming months.
Galway Cathedral is the eighth Cathedral in which the Catholic Heritage Association has organised a pilgrimage with Mass in the Gregorian Rite in the past year. Two further pilgrimages to Cathedrals, including Traditional Latin Masses are scheduled for October. The Catholic Heritage Association of Ireland now has branches based in half of Ireland's 26 Dioceses.
The Diocese of Galway is the youngest Diocese in Ireland. While most of our native Dioceses date from the Synods of Ráth Breasail (1111) or Kells (1152), the Diocese of Galway didn't come into being until much later. In 1485, Pope Innocent VIII created the Wardenship of Galway, a quasi-diocesan structure removed from the Ordinary jurisdiction of the Archbishops of Tuam. Only in 1831 did it become a Diocese, later to be joined with Kilfenora and perpetual Apostolic Administration of Kilmacduagh (1883).
The Diocese is young in another sense. The population of the Diocese has doubled since 1950, 91% of them being Catholic. Thanks to the presence of the National University of Ireland, Galway, and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, 17% of the population are students and 30% are aged between 15 and 24 years.
The youngest Diocese in the Country also has the youngest Cathedral. The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Saint Nicholas was built upon the site of Galway gaol, which was, as Dr. Browne, the then Bishop of Galway wrote: "...Now that the site has become available, I submit to you there could be no more noble or more fitting use than to erect on it a Cathedral in thanksgiving to God, Who sustained our people in their days of trial. A Cathedral replacing a jail is the most perfect symbol of the triumph of a people who were proscribed for being Irish and Catholic. A noble Cathedral on this site would be also a fine addition to the beauty and dignity of this City of Galway, and an object of pride to all in the country..."
The Cathedral is built upon Nun's Island in the River Corrib, which was granted by the City Council of Galway on 10th July, 1649, to the Poor Clare Nuns, whose present Convent on the site has been in continuous occupation since 1825.
Construction of the Cathedral began in 1958 in an eclectic style that was a fusion of baroque, gothic and American missionary styles. It was the last Catholic Cathedral to be built in Ireland - although a few Dioceses still retain their Pro-Cathedrals in expectation - and the last Cathedral in Europe to be built of stone. The Cathedral was dedicated on 15th August, 1965. Richard, Cardinal Cushing, Archbishop of Boston, was the Papal Legate.
The Diocese also has a regular Gregorian Rite Mass offered every Sunday at 2.30 p.m. in the Dominican Church, the Claddagh, by Canons of the Institute of Christ the King.
Given the date, months after the Instruction 'Inter Ocumenici' (26th September, 1964), and the Decree of the Congregation of Rites (27th January, 1965) issuing the 'interim' Missal, it is likely that today's Mass was the very first time that Mass was celebrated using the Missal of 1962 in Galway Cathedral.
Priests from several Dioceses and servers from several branches of the Catholic Heritage Association around Ireland were very ably accompanied by the Lassus Scholars of the Dublin Choral Foundation for the Mass of the Ember Saturday in September.
On the previous day, a very successful training day for Priests on the celebration of Mass in the Gregorian Rite was organised by the Catholic Heritage Association, again in Galway Cathedral, with the support of the Archdiocese of Tuam and the Diocese of Galway, and a further series of training days are planned for the Western Dioceses in the coming months.
Galway Cathedral is the eighth Cathedral in which the Catholic Heritage Association has organised a pilgrimage with Mass in the Gregorian Rite in the past year. Two further pilgrimages to Cathedrals, including Traditional Latin Masses are scheduled for October. The Catholic Heritage Association of Ireland now has branches based in half of Ireland's 26 Dioceses.
The Diocese of Galway is the youngest Diocese in Ireland. While most of our native Dioceses date from the Synods of Ráth Breasail (1111) or Kells (1152), the Diocese of Galway didn't come into being until much later. In 1485, Pope Innocent VIII created the Wardenship of Galway, a quasi-diocesan structure removed from the Ordinary jurisdiction of the Archbishops of Tuam. Only in 1831 did it become a Diocese, later to be joined with Kilfenora and perpetual Apostolic Administration of Kilmacduagh (1883).
The Diocese is young in another sense. The population of the Diocese has doubled since 1950, 91% of them being Catholic. Thanks to the presence of the National University of Ireland, Galway, and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, 17% of the population are students and 30% are aged between 15 and 24 years.
The youngest Diocese in the Country also has the youngest Cathedral. The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Saint Nicholas was built upon the site of Galway gaol, which was, as Dr. Browne, the then Bishop of Galway wrote: "...Now that the site has become available, I submit to you there could be no more noble or more fitting use than to erect on it a Cathedral in thanksgiving to God, Who sustained our people in their days of trial. A Cathedral replacing a jail is the most perfect symbol of the triumph of a people who were proscribed for being Irish and Catholic. A noble Cathedral on this site would be also a fine addition to the beauty and dignity of this City of Galway, and an object of pride to all in the country..."
The Cathedral is built upon Nun's Island in the River Corrib, which was granted by the City Council of Galway on 10th July, 1649, to the Poor Clare Nuns, whose present Convent on the site has been in continuous occupation since 1825.
Construction of the Cathedral began in 1958 in an eclectic style that was a fusion of baroque, gothic and American missionary styles. It was the last Catholic Cathedral to be built in Ireland - although a few Dioceses still retain their Pro-Cathedrals in expectation - and the last Cathedral in Europe to be built of stone. The Cathedral was dedicated on 15th August, 1965. Richard, Cardinal Cushing, Archbishop of Boston, was the Papal Legate.
The Diocese also has a regular Gregorian Rite Mass offered every Sunday at 2.30 p.m. in the Dominican Church, the Claddagh, by Canons of the Institute of Christ the King.
Monday, 14 September 2015
Tuesday, 8 September 2015
National Latin Mass Pilgrimage to Knock 2015
The National Latin Mass Pilgrimage is a special event in Knock. Unique among Latin Mass pilgrimages around the Country, His Grace, the Archbishop of Tuam has designated this pilgrimage under his own authority and appointed a chaplain, Fr. John Loftus of the Diocese of Killala.
The organisation of the National Pilgrimage was undertaken by Our Lady's Catholic Heritage Association in co-ordination with the other Catholic Heritage Associations around the Country but all Latin Mass Communities, Chaplaincies, Associations and groups around the Country are invited to participate each year.
As usual, the main exercises of the pilgrimage took place in the old Parish Church of Knock, whish stood when the apparitions took place. The apparitions are uniquely Eucharistic in that the Blessed Sacrament was present in the form of the Lamb of God with Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John, during the whole of the apparition. That may be the reason for the silence of the apparition and perhaps the key to it's central message, the importance of silence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament - very appropriate for the Traditional Latin Mass.
There was a tremendous turn out from all parts of the Country for a Missa Cantata of Our Lady celebrated by Fr. Loftus. In keeping with the exercises of the official pilgrimages to the Shrine, the Missa Cantata was followed by the Stations of the Cross and the pilgrimage concluded with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
The organisation of the National Pilgrimage was undertaken by Our Lady's Catholic Heritage Association in co-ordination with the other Catholic Heritage Associations around the Country but all Latin Mass Communities, Chaplaincies, Associations and groups around the Country are invited to participate each year.
As usual, the main exercises of the pilgrimage took place in the old Parish Church of Knock, whish stood when the apparitions took place. The apparitions are uniquely Eucharistic in that the Blessed Sacrament was present in the form of the Lamb of God with Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John, during the whole of the apparition. That may be the reason for the silence of the apparition and perhaps the key to it's central message, the importance of silence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament - very appropriate for the Traditional Latin Mass.
There was a tremendous turn out from all parts of the Country for a Missa Cantata of Our Lady celebrated by Fr. Loftus. In keeping with the exercises of the official pilgrimages to the Shrine, the Missa Cantata was followed by the Stations of the Cross and the pilgrimage concluded with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
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