Monday, December 17, 2007

St. Philip's 1st Church to become home of TLM in Rome


From early January the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite will have a new home in Rome in the form of a Personal Parish given over exclusively for the use of the old rite. The church selected for this distinction is the church of the Ss. Trinita dei Pellegrini. For Oratorians this church has a very special meaning, as it was first associated with the Archconfraternity of the Holy Trinity, founded in 1548 by the young Philip Neri and dedicated to helping the pilgrime or "pellegrini" who were about to flood Rome in advance of the Holy Year of 1550. This work was the beginning of the Oratory, and the return of this church to the rite so beloved by St. Philip is the cause of profound Oratorian Joy...and a little smugitas that a church so closely associated with "our Saint" is the first to make so broad a home for the traditional mass in the Eternal City.

This is truly a joyful "Gaudete" week then, for Oratorians, traditional Catholics, and orthodox Roman Catholics everywhere. The news report supplied by the FSSP Melbourne, says that the Holy Father wishes this to be understood as a model for the entire church. Under such circumstances, it is that much easier to live out St. Philip's famous motto, "Allegramente! Allegramente!" or, "Be cheerful! Be cheerful!"

Monday, December 3, 2007

The Mexico City Oratory of St. Philip Neri - The Historic Church of La Profesa, site of recent Ex. Form Mass by Msgr. Schmitz. ICKSP







Here are some pictures (best I could do on a flying visit) of the Church of La Profesa, the former Jesuit Church, now the Mexico Oratory (since 1767). The Oratorians had been in Mexico City since about 1660, but had had two churches knocked down or damaged by earthquakes. And when the earth quakes in Mexico City, it really quakes, so it is a miracle that the Profesa is still standing today.

Last week, Msgr. Schmitz of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP), celebrated his first mass (while in the city on this trip) at the Church of the Profesa, the Mexico City Oratory. I don't know yet whether he used the respectable looking table altar, but I noted on a recent visit that the high altar remains undisturbed, as do all the eight side altars. Promising indeed. Enjoy the photos.