It is of utmost joy that our organisation Ecclesia Dei Society of St. Joseph – Philippines, a lay organisation of faithful predilecting the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite has now initiated the erection of a personal parish dedicated solely to celebrating the Tridentine Latin Mass according to the Missal of Bl. John XXIII. Our EDSSJ founding chairman, Bro Dennis Maturan has posted this recently through our ygroups :

The Bishop of the Diocese of Cubao, his excellency Bishop Honesto F.Ongtioco, D.D., has permitted the erection of a personal parish for those who are attached to the Extra Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite. The church building will be dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and will under the auspices of Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo and the Ecclesia Dei Society of St. Joseph to consolidate efforts aong various groups advocating the return of the form of Mass popularly known as the Tridentine Mass. The parish will also be available for other Sacraments to be administered according to the liturgical books of 1962 or prior to 1970. It will also be a venue of training for priests who would like to learn the ancient usage of the Roman Rite and others who would like to learn the rubrics of serving at the traditional rites, including schola and choir training. The Diocese is now looking for a venue for the said personal parish and funds are solicited in order to commence such as august aposolate. Funds may be channeled through Fr. Michell Joe B. Zerrudo, Parish of Our Lord of Divine Mercy, Diocese of Cubao, Maamo cor. Madasalins Sts., Sikatuna, Quezon City, Philippines or may call his parish at 029213337. We therefore appeal to traditonal Catholic communities to help us in such endeavor.

To help us in propagating further the spirituality of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, I enjoin  myself in this endeavour being a member of the Society itself. We appeal for prayers such that this aspiration may be accomplished in God’s time.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam! Sancti Ioannes Marie Vianney, ora pronobis

Indeed many a question has been raised as to why when the TLM is celebrated, the faithful has to witness a lot of the priest’s gestures of making the sign of the cross. We perfectly understand that during the revisions of the Roman liturgy post-Vatican II, many omissions were made in assuming that reverent gesture more so even that of some seemingly trivial elements being rendered “non-obligatory” (like priests maintaining the “ad orientem” position whilst celebrating the Mass, or using the “canonical fingers” after the handling of the consecrated hosts). Now with regard to frequently crossing oneself or making the sign of cross over the sacred species by the celebrant, Matthew Bellisario of Catholic Champion provides us with his commentary with citations from the Angelic Doctor and Pope Benedict XVI himself as to why this had been practised ever since the heavenly Roman liturgy has been codified or specified during the Council of Trent.

I personally would like to take note of the following elocutions by no less than St. Thomas Aquinas himself in tackling the very same question about making the sign of the cross within the celebration of the sacred liturgy:

The priest, in celebrating the mass, makes use of the sign of the cross to signify Christ’s Passion which was ended upon the cross. Now, Christ’s Passion was accomplished in certain stages. First of all there was Christ’s betrayal, which was the work of God, of Judas, and of the Jews; and this is signified by the triple sign of the cross at the words, “These gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted sacrifices.”

In short, we may say that the consecration of this sacrament, and the acceptance of this sacrifice, and its fruits, proceed from the virtue of the cross of Christ, and therefore wherever mention is made of these, the priest makes use of the sign of the cross.
(III,q. 83, a. 5, ad 3)

For more of the explanation and reflection on this matter is the article by Matthew Bellisario in his blog.

Since I have been sick for a week, I have decided to post this prayer aimed at comforting me through these dire circumstances. I have been diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy and I haven’t fully recovered yet and there have been particular issues that have arisen in terms of my work performance because of my malady. There are lots of things which I wish to pray for right now, especially because work has taken a toll on my frailties.

Nevertheless, here is a litany from the CatholicCulture.org library written by a certain Benjamin Francis Musser, O.F.M aimed at people with various afflictions. It is to be noted though that this prayer is for private recitation only.

Litany for the Sick and Afflicted
This litany was written by Benjamin Francis Musser, O.F.M. It is for private use only.

Antiphon: Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man: and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess therefore your sins one to another.

V. Be not slow to visit the sick: for by these things thou shalt be confirmed in love.

R. And He said to him: Arise, go thy way: for thy faith hath made thee whole.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Jesus, Divine Physician, hear us. Jesus, Divine Physician, graciously hear us.

For the sake of Thy holy Mother, the Health of the Sick and Comforter of the Afflicted, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

For the sake of Thy foster-father Saint Joseph, Patron of those who would die in peace with Thee, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

For the sake of Thy servant Saint John of God, Patron of our hospitals and nurses, of clinics and dispensaries, of convalescent homes and health resorts, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

For the sake of Thy servant Saint Camillus of Lellis, Patron of the sick t and of their nurses, of stretcher bearers, ambulance drivers and of others performing work of mercy in war under his invocation who in the long ago founded the first Red Cross nurses, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

For the sake of Thy Evangelist Saint Luke, and of Thy servants St. Pantaloon and SS. Cosmas and Damian, St. Thallelaeus, St. Roch and St. Nicaretes, Patrons of doctors and surgeons, Have mercy on the sick and afflicted

May the Compassionate Savior be pleased to hear the intercessions of tt His friends whom piety invokes in illness or affliction, or to ward off accidents and calamities.

That the sick everywhere may be aided by most efficacious intercession Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for them.

That they may be assisted in desperate cases : St. Jude Thaddeus the Apostle, Pray for them.

That nurses may labor zealously and efficiently: St. Agatha, St. Bernard of Menthon, Pray for them.

That lepers may have care and peace: Holy Job, St. Lazarus, St. Francis who didst nurse these unfortunates, St. Agrippina, St. Regulinda, Ven. Father Damien, Pray for them.

For persons possessed of evil spirits or tormented by the devil: St. Donatus, St. Benedict, St. Margaret, St. Anthony of Padua, Pray for them.

For the insane and the mentally deranged, St. Dymphna, St. Leonard, St. Florentius, St. Columban of Luxeuil, Pray for them.

For sufferers from great nervousness and for those with epilepsy or chorea : St. Vitus, St. Valentine, St. Antony of Egypt, St. Giles, St. Modwena, Pray for them.

That the afflicted may find relief from cancer: St. Peregrinus, St. Adelgondis, St. Joseph of Leonissa, St. Galla, Bl. Adalbert of Oberattaich, Mother Rose Lathrop, Pray for them.

Relief from tuberculosis and consumption: St. Dositheus of Gaza, St. Pantaleon, St. Gabriel Possenti, St. Therese of Lisieux, Bl. Lidwina of Holland, Pray for them.

Relief from cholera: St. Roch, BI. Bronislava, Pray for them.

Relief from appendicitis, from intestinal troubles: St. Erasmus, Pray for them.

From paralysis: St. Blanda of Rome, St. Wolfgang of Ratisbon, St. Martin, Pray for them.

From blindness and diseases of the eyes: St. Lucy, St. Menas, St. Vedast, St. Magnus, St. Lambert, St. Clare, St. Ottilie, St. Herveus, St. Genevieve, St. Emmeram, Pray for them.

From deafness: St. Cadoc, St. Owen, St. Aurelian of Limoges, St. Antiolus, Pray for them.

From toothache and diseases of the mouth : St. Apollonia, St. Petronilla, St. Christopher, Bl. Dalmatius Moner, Pray for them.

From afflictions of the throat : St. Blase of Sebaste, St. Swidbert of Kaiserwerth, Pray for them.

From bronchitis : St. Arnulph of Cysoing, Pray for them.

From headache : St. Peter Damian, St. Alexander, St. Anastasius the Persian, St. Rita, Pray for them.

From dizziness : St. Avertinus, Pray for them.

From kidney troubles: St. Walfrid, Pray for them.

From fever: St. Constant, St. Felix, St. Gertrude, St. Amalberga, St. Adalard of Corbie, St. Bertillon, St. Tillo, From smallpox : St. Angadrisma, St. Bonoso, Pray for them.

From yellow fever: St. Albert of Trapani, Pray for them.

From spinal diseases: St. Fina of San Geminiano, Pray for them..

From dropsy : St. Patapius of Constaninople, Pray for them.

That faithful souls may be guarded against contagion: St. Macarius, Protect them.

Against epidemics : St. Lucy, Protect them.

Against plague and pestilence : St. Adrian, St. Cyprian, St. Sebastian, St. Roch, Protect them.

Against destructive floods: St. Gregory, St. Odo, Protect them.

Against drought : St. Elias, St. Eulalia, St. Florian, Protect them.

Against famine: St. Paul the Hermit, St. Agatha, Protect them.

Against poisons : St. John Evangelist, St. Benedict, St. Guthlac of Croyland, Protect them.

Against snakebites : St. Paul Apostle, St. Hilary of Poiters, St. Dominic of Sora, St. Thecla, St. Viridiana, St. Leonard the Younger, St. Magnus, Protect them.

Against burns and fire: St. Lawrence, St. Prisca, Protect them.

Against sprains and bruises: St. Amalberga of Muenster-Busen, Protect them.

That soldiers may be protected against gunpowder and engines of destruction: St. Barbara, pray for them.

That, if it be God’s will, even though recovery be humanly impossible: St. Rita of Cassia, pray for them.

That all sufferers may draw closer to Jesus Christ Crucified, and unite their pains with His: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Gemma Galgani, Ven. Katharine Emmerich, pray for them.

Let us pray. O God our Father, the Eternal Health of them that believe, Who dost correct those whom Thou dost love, and chastiseth every one whom Thou dost receive, give greater faith and courage, we beseech Thee, to all now visited by Thy hand, that they may lose no moment of their affliction but rather receive humbly and thankfully the pains that draw them into closer union with the sacred , Passion of Thy Son, the pains that warn them of the brevity of this temporal life and then of judgment, the pains that rebuke sin, the pains the bearing of which may be for them their eternal salvation. Help them to be patient, gentle toward those who minister to them, and resigned to Thy most holy will whether for health or for eternal life. And if it be Thy will to restore them to health, if they can serve Thy glory better in health than in suffering, grant to us and to them the grace to be truly thankful. Through Thy Son Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Gentle Jesus, Who didst cure the sick and gayest sight to the blind and didst lay a healing hand on the crippled and afflicted, and didst ask no payment but their love and their faith : look, we beseech Thee, upon the sick poor with eyes of special compassion. Hold them close to Thy suffering Sacred Heart, and with them draw also to Thy Heart all who would serve in Thy stead as ministering angels-Sisters of Bon Secours, Grey Nuns, Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, Pallotine Sisters of Charity, Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross, of St. Joseph of Peace, of St. Francis of the Sacred Heart, of the Sorrowful Mother, of Providence, the Misericordia Brotherhood, Alexian Brothers, Brothers of St. John of God. Give them, as servants to the poor, the courage to go on thus serving Thee, and doing well for Thy glory, Who gavest Thy life in unspeakable pain and poverty that man might have immortal health and eternal riches. Amen.

Our Most Blessed Virgin, comforter of the sick, pray for us.

The Defensores Fidei Foundation, a non-profit lay organisation committed to Catholic apologetics and evangelisation will resume its “Blessed to be Catholic” monthly talks, commencing with topics regarding the significance of Chinese martyrs & their contribution to the Catholic faith. It will be held from 8:30 AM to noontime on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the second floor of the Amici Building (specifically the room adjacent to Totus Bookstore) in Greenhills. The speaker would be Fr. Simon Zhu Jie, a priest from Beijing currently studying here in the Philippines.

Admission is free.

I got this from a friend via one of the TLM discussion groups I belong to. It’s in pdf format; and even though I don’t know as to what website this originally had been posted, I would like to say a fervent “thank you” to whomever uploaded this online.

Extraordinary Form – Ordo 2010

Feel free to download.

It has been almost five months ever since my last post, and I mostly decry the lack of time in updating this blog. It’s still alive though but I barely have much space to think or update myself with current liturgical or apologetics news here in the Philippines and around the globe. Nevertheless, in the name of my commitment to pursue my vocation of disseminating information about what being Catholic means, this blog shall always remain to fulfill that mission.

So until then. Have a very blessed New Year.