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TLM in St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh
Here is some new via e-mail.
Here it is with my emphases and comments.
Excellent news!The TLM resumed to-day at noon in St. Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, Co. Cork after more than forty years. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop John Magee of Cloyne. He clearly knows how to celebrate the TLM and how to celebrate it well. Indeed, he celebrated pie, attente ac devote. [What an excellent compliment!]
The Mass was low Mass – a small disappointmnet given that a day of the Easter Octave would have called for something more solemn and in accord with the liturgical importance of the day. Curiously, the bishop celebrated ad orientem but at the temporary altar in front of E.W. Pugin’s magnificent High Altar. Perhaps as a motive for this oddity one might cite the bishop’s recent knee operation which seems to preclude him from climbing up and down the steps of the High Altar. [Brick by brick! If this has started in Cobh at the ironing board altar, can the high altar be far behind?]
It probably came as a HUGE surprise to the Cathedral administration to find that over 90% of the central nave was full with a scattering of people in the side aisles. This would represent a figure of between 400-500 people -or the average attendance at one of the Sunday morning Masses. Clearly, several people had taken time off to attend Mass as they drifted away after Holy Communion so as to be back to work by the end of the lunch break.
The music was the weak point of the celebration. Clearly, the Maestro is not used [Given time…] to executing the classical repetoire and seems wholly unaware of the changes that take place in it during the various liturgical seasons. Refrains of "quia peccavimus tibi" were hardly the thing just after Lent; someone forgot to mention that it is the Regina Coeli that is sung in Eastertide and not the Salve Regina; and the Missa Orbis Factor is also sung for Easter and prescribed for today. The Victimae Paschali was sung well enough. All in all, the choir here has a whole lot of ground to recuperate. [And is to be praise for coming, like the people, on a work day and doing their best!]
All that said, the TLM in Cobh Cathedral was a positive development and a step in the right direction towards normalizing its regular celebration there -which will certainly come as a very welcome development from the hum drum drib drab stuff usually available there. Also, the size and reverence of the congregation should finally put to rest the idea among some that there is no demand for the TLM in Cork. We await news of the next Mass to be celebrated in Cobh which should not be too long in the offing.
This is how the Mass wll be introduced in most places where it has been absent for so long, and those who are responsible are to be commended and encouraged! The Irish have always been the pre-eminent “adaptors” as they have had to make do under much worse conditions during their history! What a miraculous event this must have been.
Comment by Chironomo — 25 March 2008 @ 1:37 pmI had the pleasure of celebrating a Latin ordinary rite Mass at the High altar of Cobh cathedral on a visit to the old sod in the early 90’s. The rector tried to convince me to say the Mass in the adjacent convent chapel but I held out won the contest of wills. Beautiful gift of the Irish in America built upon the site of their last view of the Emerald Isle as they departed for a new life.
Comment by Haurietis Aquas — 25 March 2008 @ 1:42 pmThe Cobh cathedral is a gift of the Irish in America built upon the site of their last view of the Emerald Isle as they departed for a new life.
I had the pleasure of celebrating a Latin ordinary rite Mass at the High altar of the cathedral on a visit to the old sod in the early 90’s. The rector tried to convince me to say the Mass in the adjacent convent chapel but I held out won the contest of wills.
Comment by Haurietis Aquas — 25 March 2008 @ 1:49 pmThe Cobh cathedral is a gift of the Irish in America built upon the site of their last view of the Emerald Isle as they departed for a new life.
Poignant!
Comment by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf — 25 March 2008 @ 1:52 pmWhat wonderful news! I’ve had the pleasure of visiting that cathedral several times and it’s truly beautiful. They used to have perpetual adoration there.
Comment by paw prints — 25 March 2008 @ 1:52 pmThis morning’s mass in St Colman’s was wonderful. For those unfamiliar with the cathedral church of Cloyne, apart from being an almost untouched Pugin masterpiece, it is one of the most magnificently sited churches in Ireland as it is dramatically situated overlooking Cork harbour (it was the final glimpse of Ireland for many emigrants sailing to the US).
Although a low mass Bishop Magee said it wonderfully reverently and despite the comments above, I personally enjoyed the music. Dr Magee actually has a good singing voice and the use of a wireless microphone helped him. I agree it is a shame the high altar wasn’t used, but brick by brick!
The congregation surprised the even the most optimistic predictions and, as usual, a good percentage were too young to have remembered the general use of the old mass. No one can now claim there is no demand for the TLM in the greater Cork area! I hope the large congregation (and on a weekday morning) will encourage further celebrations of the TLM in the dioceses of Cloyne and Cork & Ross.
Well done Dr Magee (and those who encouraged him)!
Paul
Comment by Paul — 25 March 2008 @ 2:01 pmTruely the Mass that will not die.
Comment by Habemus Papam — 25 March 2008 @ 3:06 pmSo is the wreckovation off? Postponed? What?
Comment by Boko — 25 March 2008 @ 3:21 pmSo … when was St. Colman’s built? Just wondering if my ancestors saw it as they left Ireland for the States in 1833.
Comment by SuzyQ — 25 March 2008 @ 3:25 pmThe wreckovation will never take place in Cobh – and that’s that!
Comment by Ronan — 25 March 2008 @ 3:28 pmI noticed that Bishop Magee forgot to put on the maniple this morning. The sacristan also forgot to put out the seventh candle behind the crucifix to indicate that the bishop saying the mass was in fact the diocesan bishop with jurisdiction.
Comment by Mary — 25 March 2008 @ 3:33 pmDear SuzyQ,
I believe construction of St Colman’s was started in 1868 and the spire completed in 1914. See…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobh_Cathedral
Best wishes,
Paul
Comment by Paul — 25 March 2008 @ 3:45 pmSt. Colman’s Cathedral was built btween 1869 and 1919. It replaced an earlier church built around 1811 of which there are two rare photographs in existence.
Comment by Ronan — 25 March 2008 @ 3:46 pmThis Mass can never die as it is the Mass of the ages, from the Apostles to the end of time.
Comment by Anna Trad — 25 March 2008 @ 6:35 pmWell, sure . . . apart from the fact that the “Mass of the ages” didn’t exist during the time of the apostles, and not for a good while after that either . . . .
Comment by Jordan Potter — 25 March 2008 @ 6:44 pmIt existed during the times of the Apostles’ but the rubrics were not as defined as they are now.
Comment by Joe of St. ThĂ©rèse — 25 March 2008 @ 7:29 pmFr. Zuhlsdorf et al,
-I am looking for a person competent in the Latin language to assist in some translations for the purposes of a book I am writing. If there is a person that frequents this forum and would like to help, please contact me at StMi49531@aol.com. Thank you very much.
Surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia!
Comment by Kevin J. Symonds — 25 March 2008 @ 9:50 pm-Kevin J. Symonds
Jordan Potter: When does the Mass date from? St. Peter may well disagree with you. But he didn’t have internet access.
Comment by Habemus Papam — 26 March 2008 @ 10:59 amI thought the music was realy good at this mass. Just to remind the author that the Regina Caeli WAS sung at the mass.
Overll, a good music contribution!!
Comment by Diddim — 26 March 2008 @ 3:29 pmIsn’t the usual Ordinary setting of the Mass for eastertide Lux et Origo (Vatican Mass I) and not Missa Orbis Factor (Mass XI)? – although that is a small point overall!
Tony from Oz
Comment by Tony — 27 March 2008 @ 1:52 amI was at the Mass and it was great to see such a large turnout. The need for a weekly Mass in the Cork area is now an established fact. Many thanks to the organisers and the Bishop.
Comment by Henry94 — 27 March 2008 @ 7:16 am