I was sent this reliable information about an upcoming event in NYC.
CARDINAL TO CELEBRATE MASS MARKING 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF PRO-LIFE ENCYCLICAL
New York, Feb. 12, 2010 – New York’s Agnus Dei Council of the Knights of Columbus announced today that Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop Emeritus of New York, will celebrate a Pontifical Mass to mark the 15th anniversary of Evangelium Vitae (“The Gospel of Life”), the pro-life encyclical by Pope John Paul II. Issued on March 25, the day nine months before Christmas when Catholics celebrate the Annunciation to Mary of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ in her womb, the 1995 encyclical condemns murder, abortion and euthanasia.
The Pontifical Mass for Life begins at 7:30 PM at the Church of the Holy Innocents, 128 W. 37th Street, in Manhattan. Before Mass, there will be a Rosary for Life at 7:00 PM. Organist and choirmaster, David J. Hughes, will lead the choir singing Tomas Luis Victoria’s Missa de Beata Mariae Virgine. Edward Cardinal Egan will celebrate the Mass according to the Roman Missal of 1962, the form of the Catholic Church’s Mass before the Second Vatican Council.
According to Richard Janniello, past Grand Knight of the Agnus Dei Council, this is the second year the Knights have sponsored a special Mass for the Feast of the Annunciation. “It was no coincidence that John Paul II issued his great pro-life encyclical on the Feast of the Annunciation and Incarnation. It’s the preeminent pro-life Feast in our Catholic calendar,” he said, “because it reminds us every year that Our Lord’s human life was sacred from the very moment of His conception in the womb, already nine months before His birth.”
Evangelium Vitae explicitly recognizes this link in its opening words: “Mary’s consent at the Annunciation and her motherhood stand at the very beginning of the mystery of life which Christ came to bestow on humanity. Through her acceptance and loving care for the life of the Incarnate Word, human life has been rescued from condemnation to final and eternal death.”
The Pontifical Mass for Life also marks an important milestone for the New York Archdiocese. At the request of the Agnus Dei Knights, it will be the first time since the Second Vatican Council that an American Cardinal will celebrate a Pontifical Mass in New York City according to the form in use before the Council. Anthony Ignacio, current Grand Knight of the Agnus Dei Knights, explained “the men of our Council share a special affection for this form of the Mass and His Eminence has shown extraordinary generosity in agreeing to celebrate it in this form.”
The Pontifical Mass for Life will be the third Pontifical Mass according to the earlier form celebrated in New York City in the last year. “These Masses have become more common since Pope Benedict XVI’s Summorum Pontificum made the 1962 form available to every priest in the Church,” said Ignacio. Before becoming Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger often celebrated Mass according to the earlier form.
WHAT: Pontifical Mass for Life
WHERE: The Church of the Holy Innocents, 128 W. 37th Street, Manhattan
WHEN: Rosary for Life, 7 PM; Pontifical Mass, 7:30 PM; Reception to follow in the Church Hall
For more information, call (212) 569-1252 or visit www.traditionalknight.com.
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Curious: Will this be the first time an American cardinal celebrates according to the old books? I can’t think of any others who have done so.
I seem to remember DiNardo of Houston having already done so.
Your Eminence:
Thank you very much for this.
We do have a favor to ask, though: Would you please do this again, in nine months … at the Cathedral on Fifth Avenue … with the big crowd and the live television coverage … to celebrate the other end of the Divine Gestational Narrative?
Pretty please?
And then the Tallis Scholars are in town the following night. Good times in the City!
The bishops ought to make the annunciation a Holy Day of Obligation in the US, and in every other country where the law allows abortion.
Best,
C.
Cardinal Egan sure has “mellowed out” since Archbishop Dolan came to New York. He seems much more comfortable in his “emeritus” status since having retired.
Great news about Cardinal Egan. Very generous and helpful. Maybe he can get his buddy, Cardinal Mahony to brush up on his liturgical skills so he can do one in LA. Tom
Good for Cardinal Egan…he was never a huge fan of the TLM when he was in the diocese of Bridgeport…he was quite stingy with permission for its use.
This is great to hear , I hope I will be there on March 25 but I wish that Card.Egan would have done this while still Archbishop of NY. I also hope Archbishop Dolan takes the hint and offers an EF mass at St. Pat’s.
Praying for Mahony that he will celebrate one…Perhaps with the new coadjutor coming he might celebrate one.
Deo Gratias for Cardinal Egan celebrating the Pontifical TLM!
Joe: Praying for Mahony that he will celebrate one.
Really? From what I’ve heard of his views of the extraordinary form, I personally would prefer not to see him celebrate a TLM.
Soon if not already, too many rather than too few TLM celebrants may be the problem. Encouraging priests to celebrate the EF who aren’t really devoted to it may expose the TLM to the kind of liturgical abuse that is now confined to the Novus Ordo.
Henry, I see your point; however, the reason why I’m praying that he will is to awaken orthodoxy, and if he of all people were to Pontificate at a TLM, it’d really move more Bishops to do so.
Henry, it must just be the perfect tonic for His Eminence – ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meum! Tom
This is a very positive development.
This IS a very positive development! I will try to attend! Thank you for posting, Fr. Z!