"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"
Tridentine Community News (February 15, 2015):
How to Make a Holy Hour
One of the most fruitful forms of devotion is spending a Holy Hour of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Countless authors have written of the spiritual benefits to be gained, for oneself and others, by participating in this practice. Holy Mother Church herself grants a Plenary Indulgence, under the usual conditions, to those who spend at least 30 minutes in Eucharistic Adoration.
So how does one make a Holy Hour? The Church does not specify what must be done, allowing it to the good judgment of each member of the faithful to spend the time as he or she sees fit. A Holy Hour can be made privately or as part of a public devotion. It can be made before the Blessed Sacrament exposed in a monstrance or before the Eucharist reserved in a tabernacle. One does not need to pray according to any particular formula; one can simply quietly sit in the Lord’s presence, pray following a formula or in one’s own words, meditate, or do some spiritual reading.
For many Catholics, having structured prayer works well. Prayer of a traditional nature is likely to appeal to readers of this column. One excellent resource for making a Holy Hour consisting of traditional prayers is the 31 page booklet, Holy Hour of Reparation, published by CMJ Marian Publishers ($3.00 at www.cmjbooks.com). Available in English, Spanish, Polish, Italian, and German, the booklet was originally published in 1945 and republished in 2001. It contains a solid hour of classic prayers of petition, reparation, thanksgiving, and adoration.
Looking for a place to pray this devotion publicly? Every Friday following the 12:15 PM (Ordinary Form) Mass, Old St. Mary’s Church in the Greektown area of downtown Detroit offers a Holy Hour in which this entire booklet is prayed. While an exclusively Ordinary Form parish, Old St. Mary’s is worth a visit not only for the Holy Hour, but also because of its well-preserved traditional architecture, its custom of kneeling at the Altar Rail for Holy Communion, opportunities for Confession before every weekday Mass, Sunday Ordinary Form Mass in Latin, and splendid First Saturday Devotions.
Comparison of Ordinary and Extraordinary Form Mass Texts
In 2008 this column published a 15-part series comparing the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Mass, side by side. Several readers have since requested that the comparison be republished as one continuous document. The recent talk that this writer gave after Mass at the Academy of the Sacred Heart provided an appropriate incentive to complete the task. An updated version of the comparison also required a revised version of the Ordinary Form side using the new English translation.
The new comparison document may be downloaded at: www.windsorlatinmass.org/wtnews/ofefcomparison.pdf. It will also be distributed after Mass in Windsor on February 8 and at the Academy on February 15.
New BC Church in a Traditional Style
Via Fr. Paul Nicholson comes word and a photo of a newly constructed church in a traditional style: Our Lady of the Assumption in Port Coquitlam, BC, in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, sports a raised central altar, a Communion Rail, a choir loft in the back, and abundant traditional art. While this parish does not offer the Extraordinary Form of Holy Mass, we must nevertheless applaud all efforts to re-traditionalize our Catholic churches, as art and architecture have a lasting effect on the mindset of the faithful. With all of the advances in technology, we are able to build better, longer-lasting buildings than ever before, if we want to. Why not invest our very best efforts to transmit the faith in imagery through these durable assets?
Next Tridentine Mass at Our Lady of the Scapular, Wyandotte
Continuing with his plan to offer the Extraordinary Form approximately once per month on a major Feast Day, Fr. Mark Borkowski will host the next Tridentine High Mass at Our Lady of the Scapular Parish on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Lætáre Sunday, March 15 at 12:00 Noon.
Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
- Mon. 02/09 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Josaphat (St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop, Confessor, & Doctor)
- Tue. 02/10 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary (St. Scholastica, Virgin)
- Sun. 02/15: No Mass at St. Albertus
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