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.

One of the latter pieces of wisdom from the late Monsignor Moises Andrade, H.P. before his demise last year.

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Care of Supreme Pontiffs: Stability of Roman Liturgy as God’s Gift

By the late Msgr. Moises Andrade, Jr. H.P., at the University of Santo Tomas last January 7, 2008

Pope Benedict XVI offered his care for the Roman Liturgy in his motu proprio letter of July 7, 2007. Here, he conveyed his support for the maintenance of sacredness, reverence for God’s presence, and the participant’s awareness of sinfulness during the celebration of the Roman Liturgy.

1. Awareness of Sinfulness.

Keeping the hands joined, kneeled and bowing low in prayer, and the striking of the breast are bodily gestures expressing fidelity to God’s gift of Sacred Liturgy. They are occuring in various moments of the Holy Mass primarily. They instill to every officiating priest and all participants in Sacred Liturgy the readiness to welcome God’s gift of forgiveness and remission of sins.

2. Reverence for God’s Presence.

The Divine Presence in the Word of God and in the Mystery of the Eucharist are experienced in the epistles and gospels of a one year cycle of the 1570 Roman Missal and in the Roman Canon, conveniently articulated by the rubrics, when faithfully implemented. Rather than require the ability of so many trained ministers, servers, singers and other assistants, the availability of at least one ordained priest and his acolyte always makes accessible the sacraments in their solemn prayerfulness.

3. Maintenance of Sacredness

Focus on the salvific grace of Christ’s holy cross through ritual gestures and its sacred image at the central place at the altar will yield the harvest of piety and clear signal of the role of the priest – not so much as presider, but as a servant to facilitate the encounter of the living God with the praying people including the priest as well.

Conclusion

The awareness of the Roman Liturgy’s sacredness, reverence of God’s presence, and the consciousness of human sinfulness yet graced by God’s self-giving are constantly transmitted through the various historical periods of the Church’s liturgy and are especially expected through the exposure of the faithful to the ritual celebration elaborated extraordinarily in the 1962 Roman Missal (the 7th retouching of the 1570 mass book) and ordinarily, in the 1970 Roman Missal (the 8th retouching of tthe roman liturgical text).