Oremus
The Prayer of the Faithful The Prayer of the Faithful for the Ordinary Form of the Mass poses a number of complex problems. The lack...
Cleansing of the Mind
Here is today’s Collect in the Missale Romanum and in the Liturgia Horarum. In the 1962 Missale Romanum it is the Collect of the Second...
Those Noble Hymns
Those noble hymns, which had solaced anchorites on their mountains, monks in their cells, priests in bearing up against the burden and heat of the...
The Knotty Entanglements of Sin
The two Collects given us by the liturgy this week — the first in the Extraordinary Form, and the second in the Ordinary Form —...
Compassionate Saint Callistus I, Pope
One of the things I most love about the prayers of the Roman Rite is their compassionate realism. Today’s succinct Collect (in the traditional liturgical...
Mass of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
I am especially mindful today of all who devote themselves to the service of the poor in the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Tulsa,...
Collects: Memorial of Saint Gaetano Catanoso
Almighty and ever-living God, who gave to Saint Gaetano, your priest, the knowledge of your glory shining in the Face of Christ, mercifully grant that...
Memorial of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr
Collect God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who led your martyr Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross to the knowledge of your crucified...
Turn On Us Thy Healing Face
Two strophes from this morning’s hymn at Lauds seemed to come to life as I sang them in the sunlight of this new Day of...
For the Pauline Year
I celebrated the beautiful Votive Mass of Saint Paul this morning. One of my resolutions for the Pauline Year is to offer the Votive Mass...
Beata Maria in Resurrectione Domini
In how many places will the Mass of Beata Maria in Resurrectione Domini be celebrated tomorrow? The proper texts of the Mass are found in...
Solemnity of Saint Joseph
General Intercessions That the Holy Catholic Church, entrusted to the protection of Saint Joseph, may continue to bear witness to the sanctity of human life...
First Sunday of Advent
Entrance Antiphon GR Unto you have I lifted up my soul. O my God, I trust in you, let me not be put to shame;...
Où donc est ta demeure?
A number of years ago, I composed music for a French Office hymn for the feast of Saint Andrew. It was a feastday gift for...
Mariam cogita, Mariam invoca
12 September Feast of the Holy Name of Mary Think of Mary, call upon Mary. Collect Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that to all...
Memorial of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin and Martyr
Collect God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who led your martyr Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross to the knowledge of your crucified...
The Madonna of the Precious Blood
It was fitting on this last Saturday of July to remember the Madonna of the Most Precious Blood. The First Lesson at Mass (Exodus 24:3-8)...
Saint Birgitta of Sweden
Entrance Antiphon Let us all rejoice in the Lord, as we celebrate a festival in honour of Saint Birgitta, at whose solemnity the angels rejoice...
Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help
This morning I walked to the Church of Sant’ Alfonso, the Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. It was quiet and peaceful there with...
Saints John and Paul, Martyrs of Rome
Guercino did this drawing of the martyrdom of Saints John and Paul in 1630-32. He used a pen and brown ink, a brush and brown...