FIUV General Assembly, Rome

Another wee journey before I hibernate for the winter. 

On this occasion it was off to Rome during the first weekend of November to attend the 20th General Assembly of the Foederatio Internationalis Una Voce which is held every two years.  I was one of the two delegates from Una Voce Scotland.  The Assembly was held at a simple two star hotel which nevertheless served good food, had comfortable rooms, a chapel and a very fine auditorium with the added benefit of being only 15 minutes walk from St Peter's.

Arriving a day early Fred (UVS chairman) and I took the opportunity to go to confession and Mass at St Peter's on Friday then spent the remainder of the day sightseeing which included finding, after much going round in circles, the church of Santissima Trinita dei Pellegrini entrusted to the care of the FSSP by His Holiness Benedict XVI. We purchased a travel pass for the duration of our stay which is very reasonably priced at 11 Euros for three days or 16 Euros for one week permitting you to travel by all types of public transport across Rome.



One of the many stunning domes in St Peter's



Saturday dawned and it was off again to St Peter's.  On this occasion Mass was to be very special indeed.  The Blessed Sacrament Chapel had been reserved for us and no less a personage than His Eminence Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos was to celebrate Mass in the Forma Extraordinaria.  This was without doubt one of THE highlights of the weekend. His Excellency offered the Mass in a most wonderful prayerful manner with an incredible polyphonic schola providing the music which included Byrd's Ave Verum (sung here by the Tallis singers).  A true gentleman of the old school - I felt, and still do, truly blessed and fortunate to have met him. 

 

Dominus Vobiscum

A Holy Man at Prayer

 

Lunch was, once again, rather special.  His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke graced our gathering by joining us for lunch.  Indeed he had delayed his departure for the Netherlands so he could dine with us.  Another gent to be sure.

A Blessing before meal

Group photo opportunity

After lunch it was time to convene the General Assembly.  I shall not go into detail except to say I was not overly impressed with certain aspects of the afternoon's proceedings, and, not being noted for diplomacy, I fired off a salvo or two across the bows.  How to make friends and influence people - NOT.  Notwithstanding that it was a real pleasure to meet with other Una Voce organisations from around the world.  Delegates included representatives from Russia, Japan, New Zealand, America just to name a few.

Sunday morning and off to the FSSP church in Rome for Solemn High Mass.  When they were first given this church the pews were now overfull but how things change in a short time.  Due to full pews some of the congregation had to remain standing at the back of the church.  Two priests heard confessions before and during mass, seminarians and visiting priests filled the choir stalls and the schola sang beautifully.  To add icing to the cake I was able to chat with Fr William Barker who is one of the assistant priests there.  I last saw him during his priestly ordination at Wigratzbad in 2009.  (For videos and photos of that event please take this link to my blog entry).

After lunch it was time for the Sunday afternoon FIUV session.  We were rather fortunate in having some very good guest speakers including Monsignor Grau, president of the Pontifical Institute for Sacred Music. For those who wish to read a detailed account of the General Assembly my I suggest they go over to the St Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association who have posted extensively on the weekend.

As usual I have posted a few photos which may be viewed HERE

Our Lady of Aberdeen

Friday the 9th of July was our Patronal Feast Day in the Diocese of Aberdeen therefore a First Class Feast Day.  Unfortunately I was amazed to find out that in my local chapel there was not even a mention of this Feast never mind a Mass in Her Honour.

A Little history

Located in a side chapel in a Brussels church is one of Scotland's treasures, a statue of Our Lady and Child which was saved from destruction in Aberdeen during the Reformation.  For sixty-five years, it was hidden until it was shipped to safety in the Low Countries.  Despite her intention to keep the statue in the Royal Palace, the Infanta of Spain, the Archduchess Isabella, was persuaded to place it in the newly built Augustinian church in Brussels.  

The statue remained in this church until 1796, when it was again removed for protection into private hands, this time to escape the ravages of the French Revolution. An Englishman, John Morris, safely restored it to the Augustinians in 1805 and it remained in their care as an object of devotion until 1814 when it was removed to the neighbouring Church of Our Lady of Finisterre.  It is still venerated there as Our Lady of Good Success.

Since the Restoration of the Scottish Hierarchy in 1878, devotion to Our Blessed Lady in Aberdeen, throughout the diocese, and further afield, has focused on copies of this ancient statue including the statue (above) which stands in the Chapel of Our Lady at Saint Mary's Cathedral Aberdeen.  Why won't the Belgians give us back the original statue?

Here is the old version of the Hymn to Our Lady:

Our Lady of Good Succour,

In the city by the sea,

Where the Don flows down the valley

To greet the silver Dee,

The ashes of faith still smoulder

Where the fire of the faith has been:

Bring the old faith back to Scotland

Our Lady of Aberdeen.

Our Lady of Good Succour,

In the country saints have trod,

While martyrs and brave confessors

Who gave their lives for God,

O hear the prayer of Columba,

Of Margaret, Saint and Queen:

Bring the old faith back to Scotland

Our Lady of Aberdeen.

Our Lady of Good Succour,

The love of God grows cold

In a country that has forgotten

The saving truths of old;

But a brighter dawn is breaking

And a fairer hope is seen:

Bring the old faith back to Scotland

Our Lady of Aberdeen.

Our Lady of Good succour,

In the happy days of old

Men deck'd thy gracious image

With silver and with gold;

Though darker days succeeded

Thou still art Scotland's Queen,

Come back, come back to Scotland,

Our Lady of Aberdeen.

As I said this is the old version.  Some years ago I sadly recall the then Bishop of Aberdeen, Bishop Conti, (currently Archbishop of Glasgow) commissioned new wording to make it more "ecumenical" so as not to upset the Protestants.  Phrases such as 'the old faith' were removed and replaced with PC wording.

Reflecting on this version I marvel that, whilst written approximately one hundred years ago by Mother Francis Forbes R.S.C.J., its currency remains as true today as when penned by this devout Scottish religious.

My local chapel may not have honoured Our Lady but I was very pleased to find at the FSSP chapel in Edinburgh today that this was chosen as the recessional hymn.  Also that wonderful community The Sons of The Most Holy Redeemer wrote a fine article on their blog.  Strange the only two places I visited which honoured this Feast day were Traditional communities!

Autumnal Wanderings - Part 2

Torphichen Preceptory

photo courtesy of pariscub

Torphichen is derived from the Gaelic: torr-fithichean , 'the raven's hill'.

On Saturday 14th November Una Voce Scotland held another in its series of 2009 Autumnal pilgrimages.  A goodly number of members and friends made their way to Torphichen Preceptory, the Scottish seat of the Grand Priory of England of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta  (commonly known as the Knights of Malta). 

Many of the Scottish Knights and Dames attended in the regalia of the Order which added a further welcome dimension to the pilgrimage, attending Mass in a location their confreres would have done daily centuries ago.  They were led by the Grand Prior of England, Frà Fredrik Crichton-Stuart.

A Missa Cantata was offered by Monsignor Boyle, national Chaplain of Una Voce Scotland, and the society's good friend Fr. Emerson FSSP attended in Choir.

St Margaret's Banner leads the procession with Una Voce Schola seen in background 

 

Kneeling in Adoration

 

A Group Photo

In the centre from left to right - Mgr Boyle, Fr Emerson, Frà Fredrik Crichton-Stuart

The Knights of Malta have a somewhat potted history in Scotland.  Although Scotland was, by Papal Bull, regarded as having an independent hierarchy in the Roman Catholic Church, (much to the chagrin of the English Archbishops of York who always claimed fiefdom), the Knights of Malta did not confer Scotland the same autonomous status and kept in under the English Langue.  They backed, and died in battle, for the English in the Scottish wars of Independence and left (banished?) after the English defeat at the Battle of Bannockburn, returning later having made peace with Robert the Bruce. During the reformation the last Preceptor, Sir James Sandilands, sold the property of the Knights to the Scottish Crown then bought it back on a personal basis in the process adding further to his existing titles; that of Lord Torphichen.

Once again Una Voce Scotland was very fortunate to have the pilgrimage recorded on video and a DVD will hopefully be on sale in the near future. A good Christmas present for someone perhaps?

To see more photographs from this set click HERE

Autumnal Wanderings - Part 1

Cambuskenneth Abbey

Una Voce Scotland held it's second pilgrimage to Cambuskenneth Abbey recently. 

Cambuskenneth Abbey was originally founded in 1140 by canons of the Arrouaisian Order and subsequently taken over by the Augustinians.  The Abbey became the most powerful in the land partly no doubt in being located so close to Stirling and having Royal patronage.  King James III and Queen Margaret of Scotland are buried here.  Since the reformation the buildings were systematically pulled down and now, other than foundations peeking through the ground, the only extant building remaining is the bell tower (seen on the left of the print).

The celebrant on this occasion was Fr John Emerson FSSP with Mgr Boyle attending in choir.  Mass was a Missa Cantata of Our Lady with the Una Voce Schola performing to its usual high standards.

The congregation start to gather within the Bell Tower.  Apart from a couple of small windows the only illumination comes from the door.  

Thankfully it was a lovely autumn day so the sun shone brightly enough for Father to read his Altar Missal.

The indomitable Mgr Boyle resplendent in choir dress.

Father John delivering another of his wonderful sermons.  An excellent orator in the Thomist tradition.

A group photo

To view more photographs in this set click HERE

Una Voce Scotland's next pilgrimage will be to Torphichen Preceptory on Saturday 14th November 2009 at 11:00am  This was the seat of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (Knights of Malta) in Scotland who will also be in attendance.