Tridentine Travelogue: Minor Orders at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary Chapel

Tridentine Community News (November 20, 2011):

Many readers of this column are aware that Fr. Josef Bisig, the co-founder, founding Superior, and current Seminary Rector of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, has been a longtime friend of the Detroit, Windsor, and Flint Tridentine Mass Communities. He recently extended an invitation to visit the new chapel at the FSSP’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary near Lincoln, Nebraska on the occasion of the conferral of Minor Orders on 17 seminarians, one of whom happens to hail from Flint.


This writer attended the ceremony, celebrated by Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa, Ontario. His Excellency has celebrated Solemn Pontifical Masses at the FSSP’s parish in Ottawa, St. Clement’s, and was clearly comfortable with the Extraordinary Form.


In seminaries structured primarily according to the Extraordinary Form, a seminarian first receives Tonsure, a formal commitment to study to the priesthood. Later he receives the Minor Orders of Porter and Lector; later, Exorcist and Acolyte; and later still, Subdeacon. Further on he receives the Major Order of Deacon, and finally is ordained Priest. This system of progression was explained in greater detail in the May 13, 2007 edition of this column, available on our web site.

One of the most selective seminaries in the world, OLGS accepts only a small fraction of its applicants. Seemingly perpetually under construction for over ten years to accommodate this influx of dedicated young men, OLGS’ year-old chapel is a rare example of new construction patterned on classic ideals. Elements of the vertical, a baldacchino over the high altar, choir stalls, and a communion rail all combine to create a beautiful atmosphere for the classic liturgy. Some aspects are not yet complete, for example the walls are relatively bare, and no stained glass windows are yet installed, but these can come as time and finances allow. One cannot help but notice that as other seminaries struggle to attract vocations, the FSSP and similar priestly communities dedicated to the Extraordinary Form have to turn them away. Surely there is a lesson in this continuing phenomenon.

A complete set of photos is available at www.flickr.com: Search for “FSSP Minor Orders 2011”.

Fr. Ross Bartley Celebrates First Sung Tridentine Mass

Congratulations are in order to Fr. Ross Bartley, former Assistant Pastor of Windsor’s Assumption Church and longtime proponent of the Extraordinary Form. On Sunday, November 6, Fr. Ross celebrated his first Missa Cantata at Assumption, only a few days after having celebrated a Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form elsewhere on the Feast of All Saints. Fr. Ross now serves as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Aylmer, Ontario. (Photo by James & Mary Cincurak)


Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Mon. 11/21 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Josaphat (Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

Tue. 11/22 7:00 PM: High Mass at Assumption-Windsor (St. Cecilia, Virgin & Martyr)

[Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@stjosaphatchurch.org. Previous columns are available at www.stjosaphatchurch.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Josaphat bulletin insert for November 20, 2011. Hat tip to A.B.]