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July 12, 2023Dear friends of the Anglicanorum Coetibus Society,
I am pleased to share news of another milestone event in the life of the Ordinariate: a solemn Mass according to "Divine Worship" will be celebrated in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, August 3, at 2 in the afternoon, coordinated by The Durandus Institute for Sacred Liturgy & Music.
The National Shrine, which is dedicated to Our Lady under her title as patroness of the United States, is the largest Catholic church in North America. As a pilgrimage site, it has been visited by the three most recent popes and Saint Theresa of Calcutta, among many others.
The Shrine's Crypt Church, in particular, has hosted a number of significant events in the life of the Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter. On the feast of Saint John Henry Newman--October 9, 2011--the pastor and people of St. Luke's Episcopal Church were received into the full communion of the Catholic Church here in the Crypt Church. The Crypt Church has also witnessed the ordinations of several of our Ordinariate clergy to both the diaconate and the priesthood. And, it is certainly worth mentioning that Pope Benedict XVI of blessed memory--whom many of us rightly regard as the founding father of the Ordinariates--presided over Vespers in this very Crypt with the US Bishops on April 16, 2008 during his apostolic journey to the United States. However, this will be the first time that the fruits of the Holy Father's gift of Anglicanorum coetibus will be fully, publicly realized within the space of "America's Catholic Church".
This special Mass on August 3 will be a votive Mass of Saint John Henry Newman to open the annual academic conference of the Saint John Henry Newman Association, serving as an opportunity to share the treasures of our Patrimony with Newman enthusiasts across the country, though all are welcome to attend the liturgy. The celebrant of holy Mass will be Father Jason Catania: a priest of the Ordinariate currently assigned to St. Luke's Church, Oxon Hill, MD (near the DC area). Those who have followed past events of the Durandus Institute will recall Father Catania having officiated the Sarum Vespers of Candlemas Eve 2020 in Philadelphia, and the nuptial Mass featured in this blog last year.
A special program of sacred music is being planned to additionally commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of the great composer William Byrd (d. July 4, 1623). Though Byrd worked in the court of Queen Elizabeth I and composed much sacred music for the Book of Common Prayer, he was a recusant Catholic who composed many Latin Mass settings and motets at a time when holding to the ancient faith could have cost him his life. The Ordinariate is in a unique position within the Catholic Church to draw from both Byrd's Anglican and Catholic compositions within the same liturgical celebration, and we look forward to bringing that to those in attendance on this day.
A final treat: the singers for this Mass will be the renowned men's vocal ensemble, The Suspicious Cheese Lords. Don't let the cheeky name fool you! The Lords, who served as the schola for the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in DC for a decade, are seriously dedicated to the craft of a capella choral music. During Pope Benedict XVI's aforementioned apostolic journey to the US, the Lords had the singular privilege of performing a private concert for the Holy Father. Excerpts of that concert, with an interview from member Clifton "Skip" West, may be viewed at this link.
Please share news of this event with any friends you might have in the Capital region, and revisit this blog after August 3 for photographs from the Mass!
