At Lanherne in mid-Cornwall a part of Pope Benedict’s quiet revolution is occurring. A youthful order is embracing the 1962 liturgical books in their entirety. Even in far-flung Cornwall new shoots are growing fast!
“In a beautiful valley about midway between the small town of St Columb Major and the sea, lies the Teresian Carmelite Convent of Lanherne...”: so begins the little booklet giving the history of this important site in Cornwall, important among other things for its Catholic history, especially its post-Reformation struggles. This former manor house belonging to the Arundell family became home for about 200 years to the Carmelites, (in fact the oldest carmel in England). This carmel had been founded in Flanders at the time of the Reformation. About seven years ago the Carmelite nuns decided to leave Lanherne and move to the Carmel at St Helens to continue their life there. However, they were determined to find a contemplative community who would make sure that Lanherne continued as a place of spirituality and prayer. Divine Providence, as always, provided an answer. The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate took up residence.
The two orders - The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate and the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate - have interesting histories. The friars were founded in 1970 and the sisters some years later. Both are now of Pontifical Right and belong to the First Order of Franciscans (it is most unusual for Franciscan nuns to belong to the First Order). For more information about both friars and sisters, it is a good idea to read the brief history of the foundation entitled, Franciscan Legend of the Immaculate, which is obtainable from Lanherne.
The sisters have two branches. The Apostolic Sisters are involved with many and various apostolates in an ever increasing number of countries and the contemplative branch have four houses: two in Italy, one in the Philippines and the fourth at Lanherne. More foundations will follow.
Whereas the Carmelites were an elderly community, the exact reverse is the case at Lanherne. There are twelve sisters at present, most of them in their thirties and forties. The rule is strict - very strict - by English standards: why do the British find discipline so hard to cope with?
Now, of particular interest to Mass of Ages readers, the nuns at Lanherne have been using the 1962 Mass Rite on a daily basis since June 2008. Their chaplain - one of their own Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate - and a US citizen had no prior experience of celebrating the rite but is doing very well with the 1962 Missal. The Conventual Mass is sung daily - the Masses are open to the faithful. The chapel, the most modern part of the building (nineteenth century), is built in the style of Louis XIV, with rich ornamentation, and contains a beautiful altar of Bath stone in the Gothic style: there are three exquisite medallions in the front of the altar representing the Agony in the Garden, the Crucifixion, and the Last Supper; in the niches are finely sculptured figures representing Our Lady, St John the Baptist, St Anne, St Teresa, St Joseph, and the Angel Gabriel. Pillars of marble and alabaster support the base, and the tabernacle, also of alabaster, is surmounted by four beautifully carved angels in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
The chaplain and the nuns have had to learn everything right from the beginning - rites, rubrics, the lot, and this has required many hundreds of hours of learning. They are awaiting the publication and delivery of new Traditional breviaries. I hope that before Easter the full Office (1962) will be in use. This will comprise of Matins (at midnight), and during the day Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline. The Office will be recited according to the Roman Seraphic Breviary (i.e. Franciscan Rite 1962). This too will mean a huge amount of teaching and learning. Remember, also, the whole office is sung on a daily basis. At present all four contemplative houses are using the 1962 Missal and the two Italian houses are also using the full 1962 Office.
“The first of the seminary priests of Douai to suffer martyrdom in England, St Cuthbert Mayne, is intimately connected with Lanherne”, says the booklet. One of the Arundells riding to Lanherne brought back the crown of the head of the martyr, and 430 years later, this wonderful relic is exposed after Mass every Sunday for the faithful to venerate. What gifts God gives us!
What is happening at Lanherne is perhaps the most important of the restoration work being undertaken in the UK to fully re-establish the 1962 rites. This is the first religious order fully to use the 1962 liturgical books in England and Wales since about 1964. Readers of Mass of Ages will I’m sure want to be involved and kept informed of developments.
How can we help?
1. First and foremost - prayers for the nuns and for all the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Immaculate. 2. These Franciscans own nothing at all. They depend entirely upon benefactors for their daily living - including all food. 3. Returning to the 1962 rites is costing a good deal of money, particularly in buying expensive liturgical books.
I’m sure that readers and LMS members will want to support this wonderful work which is flowering in deepest Cornwall. Please send your donations to the Reverend Mother, Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, Lanherne, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4ER. Cheques should be made payable to the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate. Mother asks me to inform you that all benefactors are prayed for daily and will be sent a copy of the brief history of Lanherne. Please be generous.
The Contemplative Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate issue a monthly magazine entitled De Vita Contemplativa. Although aimed at monasteries and religious generally, it is well worth reading by the laity. Subjects include an editorial, the Magisterium, the Fathers of the Church, Liturgy, the Saints etc. If you would like to receive a copy, then please write to the Reverend Mother at Lanherne (address above).
Mass at Lanherne is offered daily at 8.00 am on all weekdays and at 10.00 am on Sundays and Holy Days.
35 comments:
According to NLM the WHOLE ORDER worldwide has chosen the Traditional Rite as the preferred Rite of the Order; according to Summorum Pontificum.
So we now have a new LARGE Traditional Religious Order in the Church!
http://www.marymediatrix.com/
http://airmaria.com/
At last, a hope for my ancestral Cornwall. We have often thought about visiting Cornwall as my grandparents came from there in 1906. But, they were Methodist. So as I became older I chose the Catholic church. The problem was that if we visited there, we would probably not find a Mass to attend. Now I see that this is problem is no more.
I am very pleased and will see what I can do to support them.
Yes, Mr Haddad, that information seems to be accurate, according to the letter sent by the Procurator of the Order to Italian newspaper La Stampa. The official document on the change (according to Art. 3 of Summorum Pontificum) will probaly be made public soon.
NC
I'm glad that Mr. Haddad posted the links to Air Maria and Mary Mediatrix. The FI's are as strong as horseradish, as we would say down here in Texas. I only wish we could get them to come down here.
Check out their bookstore also, which has some really great offerings on many subjects (esp. Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Graces, St. Maximilian, etc.) including a couple of books from Don Dolindo Ruotolo, OFM, little known in this country, I think, but a great Italian religious figure of the old school, one might say. Fr. Dolindo wrote extensively, including a complete biblical commentary which I wish would be translated into English -- yes, even though Pius XII's encyclical on the bible was supposedly intended in part to rebut the "spiritual" approach taken by Don Dolindo, among others, and so he fell out of favor for quite some time. Very interesting that he is being rehabilitated by the FI's. If he is good enough for them, he's good enough for me.
I wonder how this order recieved faculties[I assume] to hear confessions and witness marriages and the FSSPX do not?
Its puzzling.
Mr Hunter,
Because this order is in Church structure and SSPX is outside the Church structure. No puzzles here!!!
In Cristo Redemptore
Please pray for the cloistered Carmelites in Traverse City, Michigan who have been thwarted in their desires for the old Mass by Bishop Cooney. My young daughter is a professed nun there, and that has been her most ardent desire.
Please, I beg your prayers. +Cooney will be retiring this year so my hope is renewed. As my daughter would say, "May God reward your charity."
Anon
Prayers are offered for your sister.
Filius Redemptoris:
The FSSPX are within the Church structure.
They are Catholic, and offer a valid Catholic Mass.
Sounds like the Church structure to me.
Still puzzled.
Mr Hunter, surely you can see the difference between a Society who has always had a rocky relationship with Rome and the Friars who have never questioned the authority of the Council or disobeyed the Pope's expressed wishes.
That being said, I continue to pray for the regularization of the FSSPX.
Waiting for the Franciscans of the Immaculate to come west of the Mississippi! (and to Texas as well!) They are presently in NY, MA, CT, IN, and WI.
Dan:
For marriages and confessions to be valid, a thing called jurisdiction is needed, and that comes from the Pope, by virtue of his power of the keys (power to bind and loose). The SSPX, on the face of it, do not have this jurisdiction given them by the Pope. But they can make a case for jurisdiction being supplied them because of the extraordinary times in which we live. It kinda gets complicated at this point!
Deo Gratias! This order is all over the world...
...including in Austria.
Ave Maria!
Here are those links given above as
http://www.marymediatrix.com/our main info site
and http://airmaria.com/ our video site
I wonder what Brother Bugnolo thinks of all of this?
Greg in Arlington Diocese
The article mentions the forth coming publication of the Franciscan Breviary. Does any one know who the publisher is, I would like to purchase a set/copy.
Anon, sfo
I second that. Where has Br. Bugnolo been lately? The last time I ran into him was at Holy Name in the beginning of January, when I went to see a friend off before he returned to Rome.
I have my reservations about the FI's, not just because a falling out with one of them five years ago is the reason I'm a lapsed Catholic and absolutely defiant about returning to the Sacraments, but I give them a lot of credit for having the guts to stand up and make their preference for the EF perfectly clear. Despite my misgivings about them, the Holy Father and his vision with Summorum Pontificum need all the support they can get right now.
It's a big problem with the orders of the "new" JPII generation that many fall into the trap of equating discipline, dreariness, and a scrupulous demeanor with automatic holiness and orthodoxy. I hope the more joyful spirit and richer culture of the EF will rub off on you guys in many ways.
Providence never fails,
Long live Pope Benedict XVI! EF orders and Holy Masses keep flourishing. As one anonymous stated: this order never questioned the authority of the Council or disobeyed the Pope's expressed wishes. God is good to those who remained faithful.
That being said, I continue to pray for the regularization of the FSSPX (without Williamson and his revisionist followers).
St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, pray for us.
Caritas
HERE HERE CARITAS!
LONG LIVE POPE BENEDICT XVI!
Send them out to California we need them desperately!!!!!!
Wait, so the Franciscans of the Immaculate will start using the Old Mass as the rite of the Order? This is great. I know Fr. Joseph Michael Mary, who used to be in Indiana, but I think is now in Australia. I am so happy. This is wonderful news.
Phillip
FILIUS REDEMPTORIS - This is the 21st Century and the Covenant with the Jews is still in place. Maybe the SSPX gets their faculties from them.
This sounds like a great blessing. Deo gratias.
Orthodoxy is the promoter of obedience, and obedience the promoter of orthodoxy.
Those who have chosen to remain within the Church and obey the Pope should take heart: stand fast and victory will come.
Wonderful news.
I wonder how they get on with the local Ordinary, who is not renowned as a supporter of the traditional liturgy. Presumably the Order has his support.
The cloistered nuns have one of the most beautiful habits I have ever seen.
Their name in Italian is "Clarisse della Immacolata", which is "Poor Clares of the Immaculata".
Their habit, however isn't traditional Poor Clare habit. Until I visited outside the USA, I always thought Poor Clare nuns wore brown. Of course in the USA and in some parts of Europe, thre are unfortunatly some monasteries of Poor Clares which have discarded the habit entirely (and they are ALL very aged communities which will be closed soon), or have updated their habits and lifestyle. They too, are aging communities.
But in the USA, Europe, and other places, there are monasteries of Poor Clares which have the most fascinating and distinctive habits.
One or two in the USA wear grey traditional Poor Clare habits rather than brown, while others wear the brown.
One or two in the USA, and several in Europe wear a shade of beige/tan.
There is a branch of the Poor Clares that have black traditional habits.
There is even a small branch where the nuns wear deep purple variation of the traditional Poor Clare habit, and a new community in Germany (of all places), with 1 monastery which wear a burgundy version of the traditional Poor Clare garb.
The SSPX has 2 Poor Clare convents affiliated to it.
But these new "Clarisse della Immacolata" have a gray traditional Poor Clare habit, and a "sky blue" veil. In choir they wear white cowls like the Cistercians. Very unique.
They have 2 houses in Italy, 1 in the Philipines, and now 1 in England. I think there might be 1-2 more.
Let's pray that they grow and expand just like the Francisan Friars and Sisters of the Immaculate, and give such good witness with the Tridentine Latin Mass, that the established "Vatican II" Orders see the serious errors of their last 40 years. Not only with the novus Ordo, but everything.
Dear Anonymous of 12:10,
Great comment but I would like to mention some things. The contemplative sisters mentioned in this article, in Cornwall and who have the '62 liturgy, are the (contemplative) Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, Suore Francescane dell'Immacolata. The contemplative houses are referred to as "Colombai" or "Dovecotes" and are in multiple countries, as you mentioned. These are First Order Franciscans who enter an apostolic novitiate and after some time may petition to enter the contemplative life. This may be granted at once, many years later, or not at all, and these Sisters may also be requested to leave the contemplative house and return to apostolic work if they are needed.
There are also Poor Clares/Clarisse of the Immaculate. These are right now only in Italy, with four Monasteries: Aulla, Creazzo, Acquapendente, and Pietravairano (these last just moved all together from Pastena). As far as I know they don't regularly use choir mantles but I may be mistaken. They hope to use the '62 breviary but don't right now, although they chant most beautifully. Which Mass they have depends on their chaplain.
******************************
I am most curious to know about those deep purple Poor Clares! :)
to Braadwijk said...
So a difference with ONE Fi member 'made' you leave the church and sacraments. I do not think so. What are you holding on to that you will not let go of?
One person should never cause us to lose our faith and ultimately we only hurt ourselves by being away from the sacraments and unreconciled to God. (although many who leave the faith say they are 'just fine' with God who does things their way)
A VERY good confession will ease your bitterness and anger and stubborness. May you return to God and His holy church this lent. I will pray for you!
In response to Anonymous,
Nobody "made" me do anything. The last time I went to Confession it was to an FI, and it ended with his assumption that I wasn't contrite enough and turned from Confession to him screaming at me for over an hour about how I was "incapable of responding to the Grace of Jesus Christ" and "nothing could change me". Yes, those were his exact words. I won't divulge the private details, but if you want to really kill somebody's spirituality what happened to me is a pretty good way to do it. At the time I should have brought it to the bishop. If I had, I'd probably be a practicing Catholic today. Unfortunately, I made the mistake you seem to. It's never the clergy's fault. It's always something you did.
Mine is also not an isolated incident. A friend of mine was screamed at in a similar manner and was told he was living in mortal sin because he worked at a store that sold contraception. I have no idea who teaches their moral theology, but those well-educated in the Church know that assumption is absurd.
From Europe I've heard reports of them from Rome all the way to London that they are serious killjoys when they get involved in the parish life. A close friend of mine, now studying at the NAC, was horrified when an FI gave a talk to his group and said matter-of-factly that he makes it a habit to deny Absolution to the majority of people who make their confessions to him. You can put up the facade of orthodoxy and toughness all you want, but you know just as well as I do that this is not at all what the Church teaches her priests! She tells them quite the opposite!
From my native Rhode Island, I know priests who asked them to leave their parishes after they did similar things to members of their congregations and caused quite a scandal. I also found out from the former chaplain here at my university that years ago a group of students became involved with them and ran into similar trouble. He recounted to me that one of the girls in the group joined them, and at a Mass before her farewell a priest of the FI's got to the podium and spent a half hour lecturing down to the congregation that it was their fault she was leaving, because somebody had to do penance for their sins.
Another very, very close friend of mine became involved with and eventually joined the FI's. In one summer his personality changed completely from the formerly happy person he had been to one of dreariness and an extreme case of the scruples. His behavior became cultish on Legionary proportions. They also convinced him to drop out of college, and told him his education at a Dominican university would be a hinderance to his entrance into the order. Again, well-educated Catholics know that this is certainly not encouraged by the Church under any circumstances. He was considering leaving them a few years back, but was told by his superiors that if he left without their permission he was leaving the Church as well. That was three years ago. He was transferred to Italy and I haven't heard from him since. What else I've found out about them goes on and on.
What's most surprising to me about my encounters with the FI's is how much I've heard about them in last five years simply by asking around. I know it's hearsay to list these things second hand, and you can take it or leave it. I'll also admit that there are plenty of FI's out there who are good and decent priests. I'm also a big fan of their chapel in Griswald, CT. It's beautiful. I still stand by my concerns, though. I give the order a lot of credit for embracing the EF and supporting the Pope on Summorum Pontificum. This does not suddenly mean, however, the the FI's are a-ok and the best thing to happen to the Church since Benedict's reign began. Benedict has given us our chance to stand up and show the world we aren't all "those" other Catholics who have a screw loose and have some serious anger issues. I worry that based upon my encounter with this order the opposite will happen, but nevertheless I'm happy they're showing a predilection for the EF. I said it above, and I'll say it again. I hope the EF's culture will rub off on them and show them that, yes, even St. Francis would crack a smile on occasion.
In January I attended Mass in the chapel attached to Lanherne Monastery: it is a daily missa cantata. For any of your readers, who are able to visit, the Mass times during the week, including Saturday are now at 07.30.
In Christo,
Anthony Bidgood
Answer to Braadwijk
"work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" - Philippians 2:12
The religion is not 'feel good factor' but as you may read above quite a hard work. Maybe you should read Abbe Trochu biography of St John Vianney to realise what is absolution - obtaining absolution should depend on the true contrition. Contrition is a genuine sorrow for the sins. If you could not have a contrite heart, the priest in good conscience was not able to give you absolution. He might get a bit emotional about it, but it was your problem not his and leaving the Church is not the answer but rather childish attitude of wounded pride. I would encourage you to think it over and pray for discernment.
Braadwijk:
I would rather suffer the lectures of the Franciscan friars regarding sins and the need for repentence, that to listen to the BS that most "Vatican II" priests preach.
"Joy, Love, Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation, Inclusiveness, Giftedness (is there such a word...LOL), Ecumenism, ..and other garbage.
Give me the super "hard-line" Franciscan friars over the "I'm OK -You're OK" priests of "Vatican II" anyday.
Catholics who whine about these happenings are probably progressives or liberals, or even dissidents who can't take criticism, or condemnation.
I remember one young orthodox and faithful priest who told a 40 yr. old woman to stop pushing for "women priests" in her role as a parish minister because there never will be women priests.
She went about trying to tear the priest and parish down for months, badmouthing everyone.
No one's seen her for months.
Maybe, with luck, she's gone off to join a dime-a-dozen Prorestant Church in the neighborhood.
They allow for everythings so her feelings won't be hurt.
Boo-hoo-hoo!!
To Jay:
We're in complete agreement that Catholicism is not about the "feel-good factor". You should also take care not to assume that I was not contrite for my sins, or not to presume anybody's contrition. We both know the Church strongly advises against priests doing this in the confessional, and in my case this priest did it to me twice. He was so convinced I was hardened in sin that he expressly forbid from even saying the Act of Contrition. The problem is most certainly his, and it is also mine as I really am now quite hard of heart.
To Anonymous:
It's better to give a name than just hide behind the anonymous tag, first of all. You seem to make the assumption that I'm some hippie know-it-all grad student who bought the nonsense of my parents' generation. I can assure you it's quite the opposite. I found it a little funny you mentioned the woman priests thing because I was having a discussion with the university chaplain about it last week, actually. He's aware of my traditional leanings and asked me what I would do if the the Pope ever allowed women's ordination. I told him if a woman ever told me she was a Catholic priest, and dared yet to dress like one, I would laugh right in her face. The discussion ended quickly after.
What bothers me about you, if you are the same one who posted earlier, is something else that bothers me about a lot of the Traditionalists these days. The "hardline" should not under any means be preferable to the progressive approach!!! The Church gives us the happy median, and we shouldn't stray from that or make the mistake that those who veer far off to the hardline are somehow better than the progressives. They're still outside what the Church requires and recommends. In a way, it's worse than the progressive side because it runs the risk of denying people God's Mercy. The "hardline" is rooted just as much in Pride as is the progressive side. Why would you prefer the same BS spun a different way? Aquinas even went so far to claim that such people have some rather serious moral defects. The Traditionalists need to stop looking for sin and ill-intent where there is none. It is not a mark of holiness however much it feigns as such, and you are turning people away from God with this deluded thinking.
Braadwijk said...
"yes, even St. Francis would crack a smile on occasion."
Our Seraphic Father St.Francis would admonish the 'gloomy' in the Order(s) to be joyful. Francis understood the words of Christ literally. He would not tolerate a sad countenance, though I am sure he was compassionate as well as stern.
We also see this in the readings of Ember Saturday; one of the readings exhort us to give praise and be joyful and pray always...amongst our other penances.
I don't know enough about the FI to comment on their orthodoxy. I can empathize about your friend, as I am accused of the same sort of changes when I get "all religious". I accept my pronness to depression as a character flaw to be overcome : )
In my view the V2 Franciscans are not faithful to the true charism of Francis - they are now something quite different.
I would say they have an agenda of historical revision and progressiveness (spiritual blindness), a horizontal attitude and ecumenism to the point of being protestant.
They are lax because V2 said to be so.
Anonymous, SFO
Braadwijk said, "I hope the EF's culture will rub off on them and show them that, yes, even St. Francis would crack a smile on occasion."
Our seraphic Father St Francis exhorted and admonished his confrères to be cheerful. He would rebuke the gloomy. Francis took literally Christ's words to be joyful amid the many sufferings of the Brothers and Sisters of Penance.
I can not speak to the orthodoxy of the FI but I can speak of the unorthodoxy of the V2 Franciscans. They have adopted something that is quite different than the intentions of our holy founder St. Francis. The new Franciscans have forgotten penance and upholding the teachings of the Church in favor of liberal theology.
The EF is not solely a culture as you put it, but rather the true expression of Catholic teaching and the Magesterium, in my opinion. The Tridentine Mass is called the Mass of All Ages for good reason. Pope BXV1 says the No and EF are two expressions of the same rite but clearly they are not the same. The NO is a departure, a rupture, even its authors (including Cardinal Ratzinger) have said so.
It seems to me that the FI priest would be uncharitable to a penitent if he considered that contrition depended on a show of emotion in the confessional.
Lastly, on what day and hour are you planning to die? If you don't know then please repent while you can. It will be too late for repenting after death.
Anonymous, SFO
Being a devout catholic myself, I do what I can to help my local church, whether this be fun days or fund raising concerts. I will pray for those the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Immaculate and will donate money to help them. God bless.
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