There was an article in Corrierre della sera today which made me truly happy. Here it is in my translation.
The Church of Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini
"Ite, missa est": The old rite in Latin returns to the Ponte Sisto
Very soon a parish for the pre-Conciliar Missal
Carlotta De Leo Ester Palma
The Church of Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini near the Ponte Sisto is becoming a parish dedicated exclusively to the Tridentine Rite.
The celebraton in Latin, the priest "versus Deum" with his back to the faithful and Gregorian chant: this is how Mass was celebrated for hundreds of years, this is how, according to the rite of St. Pius V, there will begin again celebration every day in the Church of Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini, in the piazza of the same name, a few steps from the Ponte Sisto.
The old baroque church will become the first parish in Rome (and in Italy) dedicated exclusively to the "Tridentine" rite. The faithful will be able to assist at Mass in Latin and also receive the sacraments in the old manner: baptism, Communion, Confirmation, matriomony and funerals.
"There is no official act yet from Cardinal Ruini [Vicar of Rome]": Msgr. Ernesto Mandara, who oversees the churches in the center of Rome, is cautious. But the document is ready for the birth of the new parish which will entrust to the Fraternity of St. Peter, which has more than 200 priests around the world to carry forward the older rite. Barring unforeseen problems, the work [of the parish] will start right after Holy Week.
The finalization of the news is lacking only a definitive agreement about the management of the space between the Fraternity, the Archconfraternity of Ss. Trinità dei Pellegrini (to whom the church is entrusted) and the Community of Sant’Egidio – a movement along the lines of deocratic Catholicism – what has use of the premises. "Polemics? Macchè ["’course not!"]. Of course our work here will continue", their spokesman Mario Marazziti assured.
The church will will become a "personal parish", or rather without a territorial jurisdiction, but bound to the faithful who identify with the old rite. A numerous group that now gathers in the little church of S. Gregorio dei Muratori, almost hidden in a back alley of the Piazza Nicosia. There Masses in Latin are celebrated and the Sunday ceremonies, accompanied by magnificent Gregorian chant, is always jammed.
These aren’t nostalgic octogenarians, but really young people, including a few families with children in diapers. Many are foreigners, armed with bilingual missals.
The birth of the new parish stems from the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum with which in 2007 Benedict XVI wanted to save from oblivion, "for its venerable and ancient use", the Missale Romanum issued in 1570 by St. Pius V and revised in 1962 by John XXIII. The liturgy in Latin nearly completely disappeared in 1970, substituted the liturgy in the vernacular advanced, but not imposed, by the Second Vatican Council.
I had posted something about this quite a while ago, back in December, but I was asked by the FSSP to remove it for the time being. Here is something of what I originally had.
The great church of Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini has over the main altar one of the truly great paintings in Rome: Most Holy Trinity by Guido Reni.
The church is a treasure with a rich history. This is where St. Philip Neri, co-patron of Rome with St. Peter, had his confraternity to care for pilgrims to the holy City.
I celebrated my third Mass there and helped with other solemn liturgies in years past.
And, friends, you should see the sacristy and the vestments. Unbelievable.
Now I learn that the FSSP may be given this church as a personal parish for those who desire the older use of the Roman Rite!
I just got off the phone with Fr. Kramer, the priest who is in charge of the FSSP mission in Rome. He is hopeful and asks for your prayers that everything be done according to God’s will. [BTW… to the right is a photo of your’s truly as celebrant at little San Gregorio for the 8 December Solemn Mass and Fr. Kramer is the subdeacon.]
With Summorum Pontificum in effect, and having seen tha the FSSP has made a real go fo things in Rome even in tough conditions, Card. Ruini is seeing the whole situation favorably. The Diocese of Rome will be taking action.
The FSSP guys might inevitably have to share a some space with the Communità di Sant’Egidio, (I am conjuring imagees of Felix and Oscar as I write). But since the Communità doesn’t use the church for very much, that shouldn’t be a problem.
The guys from the super-tiny S. Gregorio ai Muratori, where the FSSP is now in Rome, will be at Ss. Trinità (or Tirnità in Roman dialect) for Christmas Eve. It should be wonderful to see a glorious Solemn Mass at the altar with that painting.
The church will need some cleaning and fixing, but it is a glorious space, a classic Roman church.
Yes… it’s a lot bigger.
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Congratulations to the FSSP. It is really nice to see
how many blessings they are receiving from God.
Thanks to Camillo Cardinal Ruini and Msgr. Ernesto Mandara
for being such a good example for all bishops in the world.
Deo Gratias!
Wish this had been the case when I was living just on the other side of Ponte Sisto… It’ll be interesting to see the gravatational pull in action.
I wondered where that announcement had gone – I looked for it two or three times to try to figure out where it was! I walked by there just today and wondered again if that was what you were talking about!
Santo Egidio comunnity and Latin Mass? Is it possible?
I love the wordverification: pyx
When, when do Masses begin?
Good news indeed. Lets have some of these Parishes in the north of England, where there is very little support for the Pope. Also lets give the SSPX a break, without the SSPX there would be no FSSP.
Fr Z,
How often do you have the opportunity to celebrate the Traditional Liturgy there?
Greg: They are very gracious to me there.
This is very good news to say the least, Deo Gratias! Where I serve the Traditional Liturgy offered by the FSSP, we yet to have our own building but things are looking really well as we continue to negotiate with our Bishops in obtaining our own building.
Yay!
I will defiantly be checking this out when I’m in Rome for Easter.
Wonderful news for the Fraternity. Lets hope it’s used as an example for other Diocese around the world.
Does anyone know of a round about date that we can expect the instructional document for SP?
I agree – it’s marvellous news and Fr Kramer was very optimistic about the “handover” soon.
Just one word of warning to those who will assist at Holy Mass there, from my own experience, it is probably the coldest church in all Rome ! Wrap up good, please !
Ernie Todd
On a side note, does anyone know of a small church in central Rome (as usual it is nondescript on the outsie and beautiful on the inside) that has a side altar dedicated to St. Elizabeth of Hungary?
I was in one a few years ago and prayed for a special favor at that altar, which was granted. I would like to be able to find that church again.
I’m glad that I postponed my Holy Week in Rome until next year. I pray that that the FSSP will hold the Tenebrae in their larger church. Here in North Carolina I’ve given up trying to find a Tenebrae.
Sid Cundiff, you the same one posting on the other John Z’s blog over at Taki’s? If so, I enjoyed your comments about the smaller churches around Rome and compared them to my favorites.
Where in NC are you?
Fr. Z,
What is attendance like at that parish now?
It will be interesting to see if there is a change in the number of people assisting at each of the Masses they offer, and in registered parishioners.
Fr, I will be moving to Rome later this year. What is the address of the new church?
To Cody:
SSa Trinita dei Pellegrini
36a Via dei Pettinari 00186 Roma (Lazio), Italy
tertullian:
The same. I am in Winston-Salem.
And I am indeed a Roman Lover and lover of Roman churches, be they Baroque, be they something else. In the area I’ve always found the doors of SSa Trinita dei Pellegrini locked, as I have found San Angelo in Pescheria and Santa Maria d. Monserrato. I pray this will change. The nearby churches of Sant’Andrea in Valle, San Carlo al Catherinis, Santa Catarina d. Funari, and especially Santa Maria in Campitelli are jewels.
Sid Cundiff – I understand what you’re saying about Catholicism in NC , it was the primary reason I didn’t move there 30 yrs ago. I have heard from friends who’ve moved to the Davidson area about a new parish, St Mark’s, that was established and supported by ex-NJ and NYers, where you may find the Tenebrae supported.
Hello Fr. Z,
So enjoyed meeting you over coffee in K.C. in January.
PLEASE explain canonically, or, as defined elsewhere by the Church, what is a PERSONAL parish referred to in the blog?
I read the so-called definition in the above article you cite: “The church will will become a ‘personal parish’, or rather without a territorial jurisdiction, but bound to the faithful who identify with the old rite.” But that seems an inexact definition depending on the new code of canon law’s creation of “personal prelature,” of which we know, there is only one.
I have heard of national churches [set up pre-Vatican II] with parishes instituted for Masses devoted to a particular language (hymns and homilies) and particular culture for foreign nationals who have emigrated, etc. Personal parishes in the past have for centuries belonged to noble families, such as in the heart of Rome, that have had them open to the public, and have existed de jure truly as chapels, have they not?
I have never heard religious society’s (e.g., Jesuit), congregation’s (e.g., Redemptorist) or order’s (e.g., Benedictine) parishes referred to as “personal parishes” but informally as “religous parishes” as distinct from those that are diocesan. So wouldn’t a parish given to the Fraternity of St. Peter be more accurately referred to as something akin to a parish of a “religious association”?
Is this what is more accurately meant?
Or do you suppose that Fr. Kramer could illuminate for us that in actuality the diocese of Rome is setting aside a parish, as the article states, “bound for the faithful” who adhere to the TLM?
Perhaps “non-territorial parish of the Extraordinary Form” is a more exacting and more satisfying defintion, (if not musical to the ears!), that does not stop short of admitting the celebration by other religious associations, (visiting diocesan priests or of the Institute of Christ the King) or of celebrations should the case arise, either of other rites, such as Ambrosian, etc., in their extraordinary or classic forms?
In fact, is there such a true canonical term to adequately define just exactly what type of parish this is? Or is it just a distinction that the diocese of Rome is making on paper in setting it up? Will there be any safeguards to prevent a future Vicar of Rome not well-disposed to the Extraordinary Form from easily removing the Fraternity of St. Peter and giving it back over to the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite?
Best regards,
Fr. RJM
Hello Fr. Z,
So enjoyed meeting you over coffee in K.C. in January.
PLEASE explain canonically, or, as defined elsewhere by the Church, what is a PERSONAL parish referred to in the blog?
I read the so-called definition in the above article you cite: “The church will will become a ‘personal parish’, or rather without a territorial jurisdiction, but bound to the faithful who identify with the old rite.” But that seems an inexact defintion depending on the new code of canon law’s creation of “personal prelature,” of which we know, there is only one.
I have heard of national churches [set up pre-Vatican II] with parishes instituted for Masses devoted to a particular language (hymns and homilies) and particular culture for foreign nationals who have emigrated, etc. Personal parishes in the past have for centuries belonged to noble families, such as in the heart of Rome, that have had them open to the public, and have existed de jure truly as chapels, have they not?
I have never heard religious society’s (e.g., Jesuit), congregation’s (e.g., Redemptorist) or order’s (e.g., Benedictine) parishes referred to as “personal parishes” but informally as “religous parishes” as distinct from those that are diocesan. So wouldn’t a parish given to the Fraternity of St. Peter be more accurately referred to as something akin to a parish of a “religious association”?
Is this what is more accurately meant?
Or do you suppose that Fr. Kramer could illuminate for us that in actuality the diocese of Rome is setting aside a parish, as the article states, “bound for the faithful” who adhere to the TLM?
Perhaps “non-territorial parish of the Extraordinary Form” is a more exacting and more satisfying defintion, (if not musical to the ears!), that does not stop short of admitting the celebration by other religious associations, (visting dioecsan priests or of the Institute of Christ the King) or of celebrations should the case arise, either of other rites, such as Ambrosian, etc.,in their extraordinary or classic forms?
In fact, is there such a true canoncial term to adequately define just exactly what type of parish this is? Or is it just a distinction that the diocese of Rome is making on paper in setting it up?
Best regards,
Fr. RJM
I love Rome. Beautiful old church marked with the dirt of time, and cars and the ubiquitous motobikes parked all over the place, every which way.