Feast of the Annunciation

St. Stephen will offer High Mass for the Feast of the Annunciation, Tues Mar 25, at 6:30pm.

Also, because its a Tuesday, St. Stephen will have the regularly celebrated Low Mass at 7am.

Remember to pray the Angelus three times everyday: morning (6am), noon and evening (6pm).

V. The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary,

R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary ... 

V. And the Word was made Flesh.

R. And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary ... 

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. 

 Or in Latin:

V. Ángelus Dómini nuntiávit Maríae.

R. Et concépit de Spíritu Sáncto. 

Áve María, grátia pléna, Dóminus técum; benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus frúctus véntris túi, Jésus. Sáncta María, Máter Déi, óra pro nóbis peccatóribus, nunc et in hóra mórtis nóstræ. Ámen. 

V. Ecce ancílla Dómini.

R. Fiat mihi secúndum vérbum tuum. 

Áve María ... 

V. Et Vérbum cáro fáctum est.

R. Et habitávit in nóbis. 

Áve María ... 

V. Ora pro nóbis Sáncta Dei Génitrix.

R. Ut dígni efficiáur promissiónibus Christi. 

Oremus: Grátiam túam quaésumus, Dómine, méntibus nóstris infúnde: ut qui, Ángelo nuntiánte, Chrísti Fílii tui Incarnatiónem cognóvimus; per Passiónem Ejus et Crucem, ad resurrectiónis glóriam perducámur. Per eundem Chrístum Dóminum nóstrum. Ámen. 

Solemn Mass, Sunday, Mar 30

Cleveland TLM Friends was notified of the following:

SOLEMN HIGH MASS with The Lyceum Schola Cantorum, Laetare Sunday, March 30th at 5:00 p.m. Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, 1545 South Green Road, South Euclid, Ohio.

Feast of St. Joseph

St. Stephen will offer High Mass on the Feast of St. Joseph, Wednesday, March 19, at 6:30pm.

St. Joseph is a popular figure in Christian art.

Marriage of the Virgin, Bernart van Orley

Adoration of the Magi, Fra Angelico and Fra Frilippo Lippi

Signs and Symbols in Christian Art, by George Ferguson, gives the following entry for St. Joseph.

St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary, was a carpenter of Nazareth. He frequently appears in paintings of the life of Christ, particularly in those of the birth of Jesus and in the other infancy narratives.

He is frequently shown with a budded staff in his hand. This refers to the legend that, when the Virgin Mary was fourteen years old, each of her suitors left her suitors left his staff at the temple, hoping for a sign to indicate which of them was most favored by God. In the morning, Joseph's staff was budding into leaf, and from it came a dove that flew up to Heaven. Other attributes of St. Joseph are a carpenter's plane, saw, and hatchet, and the lily, symbol of his purity. Often, in scenes of the Presentation, he carries two doves in a basket.

St. Joseph is the Patron of the Universal Church.

And he is the patron of the dying.

St. Alphonsis Liguori reminds us:

Since we all must die, we should cherish a special devotion to St. Joseph, that he may obtain for us a happy death. All Christians regard him as the advocate of the dying who had honored him during their life, and they do so for three reasons: First, because Jesus Christ loved him not only as a friend, but as a father, and on this account his mediation is far more efficacious than that of any other Saint. Second, because St. Joseph has obtained special power against the evil spirits, who tempt us with redoubled vigor at the hour of death. Third, the assistance given St. Joseph at his death by Jesus and Mary obtained for him the right to secure a holy and peaceful death for his servants. Hence, if they invoke him at the hour of death he will not only help them, but he will also obtain for them the assistance of Jesus and Mary. 

A traditional devotion during Lent is to meditate upon the Four Last Things: death, judgment, heaven, hell. Holy Mother Church encourages us to think of death, and as St. Joseph is the patron of a happy death, perhaps we should invoke him often.

Believed to be an ancient prayer to St. Joseph:

 O St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss His fine head for me, and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen.

Fridays of Lent, Immaculate Conception, Cleveland

This should have been posted a while back..

Every Friday during Lent, Immaculate Conception on Superior will have:

 

5:30 pm.        Confession until Mass

6:00pm.         Low Latin Mass

Following Mass.    Stations of the Cross

Following SOTC    Benediction

Latin Mass Cancelled at Immaculate Conception in Willoughby

As officially reported on the parish's website on 3/8/2014, the new pastor of Immaculate Conception in Willoughby, Ohio, has cancelled the Traditional Latin Mass which was offered there regularly on Friday evenings. The announcement can be seen on the website, and the parish has released a document with a few more details.

Lenten Embertide

Many may know of the existence of Ember Days, but how many know the history and meaning of them?

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday this week are known as Lenten Embertide. The Ember Days occur four times per year, in conjunction with the four seasons. Traditionally speaking, they are days of fasting and abstinence.

A post on Rorate Caeli from way back in 2008 gives a good account of the Ember Days' history, meaning and significance, particularly how today's culture, so zealous for being good stewards of the earth, is missing the element of the Supernatural Mysteries, which Ember Days embodies in the very nature of its liturgical meaning.

Help resurrect the pious observation of Ember Days, a tradition which goes back to the earliest times of the Church.

Fisheaters also has a good summary of Ember Days.

Finally, as Ember Saturday was used as a day for conferring Holy Orders, perhaps we should use this time to pray for priests, in the words of St. Therese:

 

"O Holy Father, may the torrents of love flowing from the sacred wounds of Thy Divine Son bring forth priests like unto the beloved disciple John who stood at the foot of the Cross; priests: who as a pledge of Thine own most tender love will lovingly give Thy Divine Son to the souls of men.

May Thy priests be faithful guardians of Thy Church, as John was of Mary, whom he received into his house. Taught by this loving Mother who suffered so much on Calvary, may they display a mother’s care and thoughtfulness towards Thy children. May they teach souls to enter into close union with Thee through Mary who, as the Gate of Heaven, is specially the guardian of the treasures of Thy Divine Heart.

Give us priests who are on fire, and who are true children of Mary, priests who will give Jesus to souls with the same tenderness and care with which Mary carried the Little Child of Bethlehem.

Mother of sorrows and of love, out of compassion for Thy beloved Son, open in our hearts deep wells of love, so that we may console Him and give Him a generation of priests formed in thy school and having all the tender thoughtfulness of thine own spotless love. Amen."

St. Sebastian, Ash Wednesday

Thanks to some friends of the TLM, we are posting that St. Sebastian in Akron will also offer High Mass on Ash Wednesday at 5:15pm.

Ash Wednesday Masses

Latin Masses announced so far for Ash Wednesday are as follows.

7am Low Mass, Immaculate Conception Cleveland

7pm High Mass, St. Stephen

7:30pm High Mass, Immaculate Conception

We are reminded that Ash Wednesday is a day of abstinence and fasting.

Earlier Start Time

Candlemas at St. Stephen's on Sunday, 2/2/2014, will begin 15 minutes earlier, at 9:15am, to allow sufficient time for the distributions of candles and the procession inside the church. Those attending at St. Stephen's should make note of the following:

The Faithful are to approach the altar rail, kneel and kiss the hand of the celebrant when receiving a candle from him. 

After receiving the candles, the Faithful do not retreat to the pews, but stay in the area in front of the first pew. Each candle will be lit here by the ushers, and then all will join in the procession behind the celebrant. The candles are extinguished after the procession.

The ushers will re-light the candles just before the singing of the Gospel. After the Gospel, the candles are extinguished.

Again, the ushers will re-light the candles during the Offertory. These remain lighted all through the Canon of the Mass and during the reception of Holy Communion. After the Faithful have received Holy Communion, when the gate of the Communion Rail is re-opened, the candles may be extinguished.  

The above are directives for those attending at St. Stephen's. Things may be different at other parishes.

The Epiphany

St. Stephen and Immaculate Conception Cleveland will both offer Solemn Mass for the traditional celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany, Jan 6, at 6:30pm.

The Epiphany: a necessary sequel to the Nativity. After celebrating but lately the day on which immaculate virginity brought forth the Saviour of mankind, the venerable feast of the Epiphany, dearly beloved, gives us continuance of joy, that the force of our exultation and the fervour of our faith may not grow cool, in the midst of neighbouring and kindred mysteries. For it concerns all men's salvation, that the infancy of the Mediator between God and men was already manifested to the whole world, while He was still detained in the tiny town. For although He had chosen the Israelitish nation, and one family out of that nation, from whom to assume the nature of all mankind, yet He was unwilling that the early days of His birth should be concealed within the narrow limits of His mother's home: but desired to be soon recognized by all, seeing that He deigned to be born for all...  --Pope St. Leo the Great

Catholics have a wonderful tradition of taking home chalk which was blessed on the Feast of the Epiphany and writing the initials of the three Wise Men, separated by Crosses,above the front door on the inside. Then writing the year, breaking up the numbers and the year so that they fall on both sides of the initials. It should look like this:

20  C+M+B  14

"20" is the millennium and century, the "C" stands for the first Wise Man, Caspar, the "M" stands for Melchior, the "B" stands for Balthasar, and the "14" stands for the decade and year. Tradition has it that the initials also stand for "Christus mansionem benedicat" ("Christ bless this house").

Prayer:

On entering the home,

Leader (Priest, if present, or father of the family): Peace be to this house.

All: And to all who dwell herein.

All: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.

All Pray: The Magnificat. During the Magnificat, the room is sprinkled with holy water and incensed. After this is completed,

All: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.

Leader: Our Father. . . And lead us not into temptation

All: But deliver us from evil.

Leader: All they from Saba shall come

All: Bringing gold and frankincense.

Leader: O Lord, hear my prayer.

All: And let my cry come to You.

Leader: Let us pray. O God, who by the guidance of a star didst on this day manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we who know Thee by faith may also attain the vision of Thy glorious majesty. Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Leader: Be enlightened, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee—Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.

All: And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light and kings in the splendor of thy rising, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.

Leader: Let us pray. Bless, O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell herein. Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.