1. Tomorrow, December 13, 2008, Memorial of St. Lucy, His Excellency Bishop Angel Hobayan, the Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Catarman, will offer Holy Mass (Novus Ordo) ad orientem in the San Juan Pinaglabanan church, San Juan, Metro Manila.
The Mass will entirely be in Latin except for the reading, the Gospel and the General Intercessions. The propers will be sung from the Graduale Romanum of 1974.
The fact that this Mass will be offered ad orientem had occasioned some controversy, accounting for my late posting of the news of this coming event.
Bishop Angel Hobayan is one of the strongest supporters in the Philippine hierarchy of Latin in the liturgy. He visited (and gave a homily at) the CIEL International Conference in 2002. He twice offered Pontifical Low Mass (1962 Missal) earlier this year (Ash Wednesday and Laetare Sunday) as well as another Pontifical Novus Ordo Mass (Latin and ad orientem) at Jaleville chapel (Paranaque City, Metro Manila) last September 28, 2008.
2. Low Mass according to the 1962 Missal is now offered everyday from Monday to Friday in Calamba, Laguna (Diocese of San Pablo) by Fr. John Paul M. Villanueva. More details to be posted soon.
3. The Tridentine Latin Mass - St. Jerome community, based in St. Jerome Emiliani Parish (Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila, under the Diocese of Paranaque) is announcing that its Christmas Eve Mass according to the 1962 Missal will be televised by the National Broadcasting Network (Channel 4), the Philippines' state TV channel. The live broadcast will begin at 11:00 P.M. of December 24. Details of the Mass will be posted once finalized and certain.
