The Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
On 9 November 1921, Pope Benedict XV instituted the feast of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus to be celebrated on the Thursday within the Octave...
Saint Romuald
I celebrated the 6:30 Mass in the Basilica’s Cappella di San Gregorio this evening. There was the usual assortment of pie donne and folks on...
Lilies and Bread
Together with two good friends I went on a little pilgrimage this morning to the Basilica of Sant’Antonio on the Via Merulana. The church was...
A saeculi strepitu segregati
Many years ago, while searching out the treasures of my missal, I discovered, among the Masses for Certain Places, the Mass of Our Lady of...
27 December, Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON This is John who reclined on the breast of the Lord at supper: Blessed the Apostle unto whom were made known the secret...
Drink to the Love of Saint John!
BLESSING OF WINE ON THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST On the Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, at the end of...
24 December, Fourth Sunday of Advent C
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON MR Drop down dew, you heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down the Just One: let the earth be opened and...
23 December, O EMMANUEL
Murillo’s painting of the Infant Christ distributing bread to pilgrims is an invitation to consider the mystery of the Eucharist, God–With–Us, the Child of Bethlehem,...
17 December, Third Sunday of Advent
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON GR Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand....
15 December, Friday of the Second Week of Advent
A leitmotif of today’s Mass is the advent of the Bridegroom Christ. The Collect alludes to Matthew 25:1–13, the parable of the bridegroom coming at...
12 December, Our Lady of Guadalupe
In this 17th century Mexican painting, the Virgin of Guadalupe intercedes for the soul depicted under the form of little child. Saved by the intercession...
11 December, Monday of the Second Week of Advent
The Communion Antiphon of today’s Mass merits close attention. The text is borrowed from the Divine Office where it serves as the Magnificat Antiphon at...
10 December, Second Sunday of Advent
Station at the Roman Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem Today’s stational church is the home of my own monastic community, Santa Croce in...
9 December, Saturday of the First Week of Advent, Commemoration of Saint Juan Diego, Hermit
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON MR Come, Lord, You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, show us Your face and we shall be saved (Ps 79:4, 2). COLLECT...
8 December, The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This seventeenth century Spanish painting is remarkable in that it depicts Saint Joachim and Saint Anne together with the Immaculate Conception, their daughter full of...
Come, Bridegroom Christ
This hymn belongs at the Hour of Sext during Advent. The text, though inspired by something written by a friend many years ago, is my...
Vox Clara Ecce Intonat
Here is my rendering of the Advent hymn for Lauds. Like the Vespers hymn below, it may be sung to the corresponding tune in the...
Conditor Alme Siderum
This is my translation of Conditor Alme Siderum. When Advent rolls round and I sing this hymn, I see in my mind’s eye Van Gogh’s...
30 November, Saint Andrew, Apostle
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON The Lord saw two brothers along the sea of Galilee, Peter and Andrew, and he called to them: Come after me, and I...
29 November, Mass of the Commending of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Pope Benedict XVI will be celebrating Holy Mass today in a open place adjacent to the shrine of the Holy House of Mother Mary near...