Catechesis

The Mass for Epiphany 2019

The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ will be observed in a celebration of High Mass at St. Stanislaus Church, State Street at Eld Street, New Haven, this Sunday, January 6, at 2:00 pm. The Reverend Jan Pikulsi will be the celebrant and the Reverend Matthew Dougherty, O.Praem., will be the homilist. The Schola Cantorum of the St. Gregory Society will sing the Gregorian chants for the service.

On the feast of the Epiphany the Church celebrates the revelation of Our Lord to the whole world and the shining forth in all its splendour of the Incarnation. Christians commemorate a triple manifestation of Christ: first, to the Magi, that is, to the Gentiles; then His baptism, when the Voice of God from heaven declared: “This is My Beloved Son;” and finally, in the miracle of His changing the water into wine at Cana.

Saint Leo I saw in the three Kings who sought out the Christ Child a foreshadowing of the future, as they brought in their train all the peoples of the world to adore the newborn King of Kings. That is the meaning of Isaiah’s magnificent prophecy appointed for the Epistle and Gradual at Mass on the Epiphany: “All they from Saba shall come bringing gold and frankincense and showing forth praise to the Lord.”

Music for the liturgy to be sung by the Schola Cantorum of the Saint Gregory Society will include the Missa Cunctipotens Genitor Deus (Vatican edition IV) chant ordinary, the Gregorian proper for the Epiphany: “Ecce advenit;” the Hymns “Jesu Redemptor omnium” and “A solis ortus;” the organ music by Maurice Duruflé and Paul de Maleingreau.

Devotion

Happy and Blessed New Year, 2019!!!

A plenary indulgence may be obtained (under the usual conditions) by chanting or reciting the Veni Creator Spiritus on the first day of the year. We will be chanting this hymn at the end of Holy Mass today.

Pray along with this beautiful setting by the great Catholic composer and master of what is now known as the Sistine Chapel Choir, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, asking the Holy Spirit to bless you and your family throughout the New Year!!!

News

Mass on January 1

Octave Day Mass, Circumcision of the Lord, January 1, 2019

The Low Mass will be offered at 2:00 pm. We will also sing the “Veni, Creator Spiritus” at the end of Mass. It is also a day to receive a plenary indulgence (under the usual conditions).

Sacred Liturgy

Gaudete Sunday 2018

Left to right: James D. Onofrio, Father Matthew Doughtery, OPraem., Father Peter Langevin, Bill Riccio and Ryan Budd.

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus enim prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione et obsecratione cum gratiarum actione petitiones vestræ innotescant apud Deum. Benedixisti Domine terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Jacob.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. Lord, you have blessed your land; you have turned away the captivity of Jacob.

Catechesis

Gaudete Sunday 2018

The Third Sunday of Advent or Gaudete Sunday will be observed in a celebration of High Mass at St. Stanislaus Church, State Street at Eld Street, New Haven, this Sunday, December, at 2:00 pm. Father Peter J. Langevin, Parochial Vicar of the Cathedral of St. Patrick, Norwich, will be the celebrant and homilist, and the Schola Cantorum of the St. Gregory Society will sing the Gregorian chant for the service.

Gaudete Sunday marks the midpoint of Advent and, similar to Laetare Sunday in Lent, the penitential character of the liturgy is relaxed; e.g., the organ is played, flowers are permitted on the altar, and violet vestments are replaced with rose.  These externals are easily observable, but less obvious is the significance of some of the texts that the Church has selected for Gaudete Sunday’s liturgy.  For example, verse one from Psalm 84 occurs twice in the Mass propers for the day; first as the Introit verse, and then again as the Offertory Antiphon.  

While the appropriateness of some scriptural verses for proper texts is obvious, other scriptural verses often give the impression that they are generic without a close connection to the feast or season.  To ascertain the rationale behind the selection of a particular psalm verse often requires an understanding of how the psalm is interpreted as a prefiguration of Christ. A note at the head of Psalm 84 in the Douay Bible summarizes the meaning of the psalm as representing “the coming of Christ, to bring peace and salvation to man.” Additionally, The Saint Andrew Daily Missal explains verse one’s reference to the rescue of Jacob’s people from their captivity in Babylon as representing Christ freeing His people from the bondage of sin. With these insights, may our prayerful participation in this Sunday’s liturgy be enriched.

Music for the liturgy to be sung by the Schola Cantorum of the Saint Gregory Society will include the Missa Cum jubilo (Vatican edition IX) chant ordinary, the Gregorian proper for Advent Sunday: “Gaudete in Domino semper,” the Antiphon “Alma Redemptoris Mater” set by Joseph Kempter, and the Advent Hymn, “Veni Emmanuel.”

All in attendance at this Mass are cordially invited to a coffee hour sponsored by the Saint Gregory Society immediately following Mass in the Holy Name Society room in the basement of the school building next to the church.