Parish of Our Lord of Divine Mercy (Sikatuna, Q.C.) TLM Holy Week 2008 Schedule

PLDM TLM Holy Week 2008 Schedule

16 March 2008 Palm Sunday
8:00 AM Maringal na Pagbasbas at Prusisyon ng mga Palaspas (Blessing and Procession of Palms)
8:45 AM Misa Principal (Extraordinary Form)

17 March 2008 Holy Monday
8:00 AM Misa (Extraordinary Form)

18 March 2008 Holy Tuesday
8:00 AM Misa (Extraordinary Form)

19 March 2008 Holy Wednesday
8:00 AM Misa (Extraordinary Form)

20 March 2008 Maundy Thursday)
6:00 PM Misa sa Pagtakipsilim Sa Paghahapunan ng Panginoon (Extraordinary Form)

21 March 2008 Good Friday
4:00 PM Pagdiriwang ng Pagpapakasakit ng Panginoon (Extraordinary Form)

22 March 2008 Black Saturday
12:00 Midnight Magdamagang Pagtatanod sa Muling Pagkabuhay ng Panginoon (Easter Vigil according to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite)

23 March 2008 Easter Sunday
1:30 PM Misa (Extraordinary Form)

Fr. Joseph Skelton Celebrates TLM for the Traditional Community of Cortes, Bohol

Fr. Joseph Skelton celebrated last Saturday, March 1, his monthly TLM for the Traditional Community of Cortes, Bohol. It was a Missa Cantata where I served as chanter. The Mass which was to be celebrated at the Parish of Oue Lady of Good Voyage was relegated to a nearby chapel dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary because the parish priest refused the TLM and is discouraging it even though a written permission from Bishop Medroso of the Diocese of Tagbilaran has already been given to him. It is a sad fact that priests till do not understand Summorum Pontificum and eve refuse their own bishop's decisions. However, he will be transferred to another parish by next year and other Boholano priests are interested to celebrate TLMs and will be trained by Fr. Skelton.

Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus: Bishop Hobayan's Pontifical Mass (Courtesy of Gerald Cenir)

The bishop-emeritus of Catarman, His Excellency Bishop Angel Hobayan, celebrated a Pontifical Mass according to the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, on a Laetare Sunday, the 2nd of March, 2008 at the Diocesan Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, Villamor, Pasay City with Fr. Elijah Pantorilla OFMConv assisting as chaplain.

This is the good bishop's 2nd and the metro's 4th Tridentine Mass since the year 2008 began.

Feast of the Chair of St. Peter: Bishop Escaler, SJ celebrates a Pontifical Low Mass (Courtesy of Gerald Cenir)

Photos by Armand La Morte

His Excellency, Bishop Federico Escaler SJ, bishop-prelate emeritus of Ipil, a true son of St. Ignatius Loyola, in obedience to Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum, celebrated a Pontifical Low Mass in commemoration of the Chair of St. Peter, February 22, 2008, at the Parish of the Lord of the Divine Mercy, Sikatuna Village Quezon City.

Bishop Escaler, who is also a regular celebrant of the ordinary form of the Mass at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel in EPCI Bldg, Makati City, was assisted by Bro. Mark Bunag who served as his Master of Ceremonies.

First TLM Held in Bicol Since Summorum Pontificum Took Effect (Courtesy of Dr. Herbert Rosana)

Today is a historic moment for the history of the Church in Bicol. On February 27, 2008 The First Traditional Latin Mass was held since the Summorum Pontificum took effect on September 14, 2007, Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Rev. Fr. Abraham Arganiosa, CRS, chaplain of Amaelianum College, Inc. (ACI),in Sorsogon City, celebrated the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite at the Chapel of St. Jerome Emiliani at the ACI, on February 27, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. The mass was done with all simplicity and dignity. The celebration was a private mass in the Chapel in the presence of lay faithful invited for the said occasion. This is a pioneering effort on the part of Fr. Abe and the Somascans in Sorsogon City. At the moment we still do not have the traditional vestments for the Priest and we still do not have altar cards and candlesticks. But Fr. Abe and Fr. Richard was there and prepared the chapel and the altar. The Altar was prepared with linens on top of it and the candles were arranged accordingly. The handsome altar missal donated by the group of C.A. Palad was laid on the altar. For the meantime, Dr. Herbert served as altar server. Me and three of my students braved the torrential rains as we drove from Legazpi City to Sorsogon City a pretty 40 or so kilometers drive in order to be present at this mass. We felt privileged to be present in this historic event for the church in Bicol unfolding before our eyes. The Mass was assisted by me, my three students, two brothers from the Alliance of Two Hearts, and two ladies. Fr. Abe plans to say the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite on a weekly basis every Wednesday morning at 9:00 a.m. at least for this semester that will be the schedule. Fr. Richard, the Superior of the community, suggested to Fr. Abe that perhaps in the near future the TLM could be held every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Fr. Abe said that the next TLMs will be a learning experience for us as we strive to master the rubrics. Once this is achieve the mass can be open for the public as those who celebrate and the lay faithful who assist must have some formation in this form of Liturgical Celebration. Please pray for our endeavors to fulfill the will of God here in Bicol and to live up to the wishes of Pope Benedict XVI as expressed in the Apostolic Letter, Summorum Pontificum. (For those who wish to read the Apostolic Letter and the accompanying explanatory letter of the Holy Father, please follow the link in the sidebar of this blog page). Please support our Traditional Latin Mass with your prayers and encouragement. I will share with you below some of the pictures. The Mass is indeed the Most beautiful Thing this side of Heaven. Blessed be God for ever!

The Pilgrim Relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face Visit to Bohol with Tridentine Masses Celebrated in her Honor

The Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of the Assumption of the Diocese of Bohol became a pilgrimage site for the entire Bohol island and nearby provinces. There were literally thousands of devotees and pilgrims venerating the miraculous relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus for almost three days, lining up for a kilometer until the wee hours in the morning, there were two 6am Tridentine Sung Masses were offered by Rev. Fr. Joseph Skelton complete with incense, 16 altar servers, candle bearers, thurifers and a master of ceremonies. The choir sung polyphony while I chanted the propers and the Epistle. Both Masses had around a thousand people in attendance with 3 priests assisting in Holy Communion. It was truly an historical event for Bohol. Other Masses were offered in different hours by pilgrim priests and bishops who crossed the bridge connecting the main island to the island of Panglao where the church is located. The last day of the relics was honored by a solemn Latin Mass in the Ordinary Form by the Bishop of Tagbilaran, Bishop Leo Medroso with Bishop Tumulak as concelebrant, complete with polyphony. Bishop Medroso had his pontifical gloves on and donning beautiful gold vestments. February 29, the relics left the Church and was brought at the docking area at the rear portion of the church grounds accompanied by members of the PNP , the Armed Forces, Bishops, priests, nuns, seminarians and thousands of devotees. Aftyer some prayers, she was brought on board a boat accompanied by other smaller ones in a fluvial procession, taking her to Tagbilaran where she boarded a navy boat which took the relics to Cebu tehn by helicopter to Jaro, Iloilo. Fireworks were lit as the relics sailed towards Tagbilaran. According to the priest accompanying the relics this was so far the best reception given to the relics of St. Therese. More than 30,000 people have been observed to have visited the relics, bearing in mind that Bohol is 98% Roman Catholic, producing 18 Bishops, 600 priests and hundreds of nuns and other religious. A miracle attributed to the visit of the relics is the overflowing catch of fishes by local fishermen who for days had very little catch until the day of the arrival of the relics. Fish was sold for P10.00 per kilo and surplus supply was brought to Cebu for nobody bought fish in the market since all families had their abundant supply of fish. The Ayala Foundation donated around P5-7 million pesos to spruce up and beautify the Church grounds turning it into the Assumpta Pilgrim Center, where cultural shows, religious concerts and other activities were held during the visit. Flushing Meadows Resort volunteered to spruce up the lighting and interiors of the Church inclding its maintenance and cleaning services. Beautiful Capiz lamps lit all the surrounding trees, food booths were set up for the pilgrims, patios and chairs/tables were constructed under the big trees and floodlights surrounded the 19th century building and 18th century convent, illuminating the landscape and seascape of Dauis the whole night. The lower portion of the convent was converted into a souvenir shop where pilgrims were able to buy religious articles related to the visit of the relics. Cultural coffee table books were made available and portions of the lower convent housed a coffee shop and an exhibit about the Life of St. Therese and the Diocese of Tagbilaran. Outdoor bamboo confessionals were set up for the many penitents and gigantic bamboo crosses were set up on the grounds for the Stations of the Cross. It was truly a showcase of Catholic Faith, Fervor and Devotion.