Latin Mass in Saint Joseph's, Berkeley Road

This morning the monthly 2nd Saturday Sodality of Our Lady Exercises and Traditional Latin Mass took place in St. Joseph's Church, Berkeley Road, Dublin 7.

The Traditional Latin Mass was offered for the feast of Saint Bonaventure. Traditional Hymns and Mass IX of Our Lady accompanied the Mass, which was preceded by the recitation of the Most Holy Rosary in Latin, the Memorare, Pope Leo XIII's Prayer to Saint Joseph and the Litany of Our Lady. After Mass Matins of the Little Office of the Immaculate Conception and the traditional Sodality Prayers for sick and deceased Sodality members, for Priests and the Act of Consecration of St. John Berchmans, an early member of the Sodality, were recited.

The Monthly Patron - a custom going back to the earliest days of the Sodality in Rome - was St. John Marie Baptist Vianney - and the monthly 'billet' giving a date to go to Mass and Holy Communion in reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was distributed to each Sodalist present.

 The Church is in a beautiful neo-gothic style with most of its original features remaining. The Dictionary of Irish Architects describes the original features of the Church. Archiseek includes further pictures. Buildings of Ireland has a detailed architectural description. Dublin City Council's website includes an early picture of the Church from the North.

You can attend these traditional devotions ever 2nd Saturday of the month at 11.30 a.m in the Chapel of Our Lady in the South Aisle of the Church, although the Sacred Heart Altar and High Altar are also used on special feasts.  The warm and generous hospitality of the Carmelite Community and the Parish Community of St. Joseph's is warmly appreciated by all involved in the Sodality and the Traditional Latin Mass.

Come and Pray!

Pilgrimage to Rome 2017 (6) - Mass for All Saints

To celebrate the Feast of All Saints one couldn't do better than to be in Rome, surrounded by so many of the relics of the Saints, and upon the ground which so many of them have trod... except perhaps to be in the Roman Church dedicated to All the Saints (or almost so), the Pantheon, which was dedicated to Santa Maria ad Martyres. We had visited the Pantheon on Day 1 of our Pilgrimage, on the eve of All Saints, but include the pictures here.

Mass for the Feast of All Saints in the Basilica of Sant'Eustachio in Campo Marzio On the Feast of All Saints itself, we came to the Basilica of Sant'Eustachio, only feet away from the Pantheon, for the celebration of Holy Mass and to explore our Catholic heritage in Rome a little further. Although called Sant'Eustachio in Campo Marzio, it is actually in the Rione or District of Sant'Eustachio. Saint Eustachio himself was one of those brave Roman Soldier converts and martyrs. His symbol, the stag with a cross in its antlers, is to be seen all over the Basilica. He is also one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, to which there was much devotion in the Middle Ages, and well worth recalling on the Feast of All Saints. The Church was founded, perhaps during the reign of Pope St. Gregory the Great, and is certainly mentioned in the reign of Pope Gregory II as a Diaconia, a Deacon's Church or center for Corporal Works of Mercy, and that work continues today with the poor of the area dining in the loggia of the Church each day. The only obvious remnant of the Medieval structure is the impressive campanile. The interior is decorated in a gentle French baroque style.