Dialogue with Trypho

Faithful to the Liturgy of the Church

2012-01-24T12:24:00.000Z

Part of what we commemorate when we fulfil our duties as members of SSIM is the heroic faithfulness of our forebears to the Mass. That faithfulness often led to suffering ad death, especially during the protestant reformation. It is very good to see that the Holy See has resisted attempts by the Neo-Catechumenal Way to have innovative elements of their liturgy recognised.

This is a good time to recall that the Church requires our obedience to the Liturgical Law just as much as it does to the Doctrinal and Moral Laws. Let us pray that our Bishops will lead the way in 'doing the red and saying the black'!

Pilgrimage to Walsingham

2012-01-05T09:46:00.000Z

Today the Master is making the pilgrimage to Walsingham with the intention of praying for the members of SSIM and for Msgr Keith Newton and the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham

Bishop Mark Davies on the Veneration of Relics

2011-12-13T11:02:00.000Z

Preaching at the Birmingham Oratory on 8th October for the Feast of B John Henry Newman, the Bishop said:

The tombs of the Saints and the Blessed ones have throughout England’s history spoken a word of encouragement and hope to successive generations. Like those “witnesses in a great cloud on every side of us,” (Heb. 12: 1) of which the Letter to the Hebrews speaks, the shrines and relics of the saints in every corner of this land have urged us towards that victory which faith assures. We think of the body of St Cuthbert carried from Lindisfarne to its resting place in Durham amid the fury of the Norseman or the shrine of St Edward the Confessor standing at Westminster for almost a thousand years amid the changing scenes of our history. And we cannot forget those first missionaries to the English people urged by Pope St Gregory to bring relics to this land to awaken the hope of holiness and witness to the communion of saints. Amid a “new evangelization” fourteen centuries later few could have imagined the spirit of prayer and repentance the relics of St Therese of Lisieux would awaken in Birmingham, Manchester and London.

It is precisely this 'new evangelisation' which inspires our Society.

The Bishop of Shrewsbury under fire

2011-12-13T09:45:00.000Z

H/t to Fr Tim

Santa Lucia prega per noi!

2011-12-13T09:33:00.000Z

Developments in Ireland

2011-12-12T10:54:00.000Z

An aspirant to membership of SSIM in Ireland is very keen to connect with others there who are interested in SSIM. His message to the Master includes:

I'm struck by the Society's purposes that are both simple and worthy. They are simple in that you ask members to reconnect with the places and people that make up the history and traditions of our faith -- the current artifacts of what we refer to as the "communion of saints." They are worthy in that these are things that we should be doing anyway as people of faith. In addition, there is the added bonus of doing the venerations in the context of a spiritual society where we are joined to one another in the exercise of prayer, all to the purpose of growing in grace as we go about the work of the Society. Seems to make good sense to me.

The prospect of being (a member) of the Society in Ireland is exciting -- especially as this Irishman has his history and roots n the United States. I now live in Ireland and am permanently settled here now for the last four years. I think I'd enjoy the prospect of promoting membership in the Society among the Irish, especially at a time when we are challenged here to renew our relationship with the Church as we (1.) work to heal from the clerical sex abuse scandals, and (2.) move forward towards the 2012 Eucharistic Congress in June as a hoped-for occasion of prayer and grace among the faithful of the Irish church. As far as possible pilgrimages to ancient church sites, we have an abundance of those here, thanks to the work of St. Patrick and his followers. I've managed to discover a number of them and look forward to doing more.

If you live in Ireland and are interested in joining in this apostolate then get in touch: magister.ssim@gmail.com

Universal Call to Holiness

2011-12-12T10:47:00.000Z

Our founding documents make reference to the Universal Call to Holiness. This is what is meant by there phrase:

Universal Call to Holiness and Apostolate is a teaching of the Roman Catholic Church that all people are called to be holy. (See Lumen Gentium, Chapter V) ^[1] This Church teaching states that all within the church should live holy lives.

Living a holy life, as defined by the Catholic church, has little to do with perfection (see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, Chapter Two.) Rather, it is a lifelong process of seeking God himself, through the person of Jesus Christ.

God's holy people are simply those who love God and live in Him.

The universal call to holiness in the Roman Catholic Church is rooted in baptism, a sacrament which configures a person to Jesus Christ who is God and man, thus uniting a person with the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, bringing him in communion with intra-trinitarian life.

John Paul II states in his apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte,^[2] his master plan for the new millennium, a "program for all times", that holiness is not only a state but a task, whereby Christians should strive for a full Christian life, imitating Christ, the Son of God, who gave his life for God and for his neighbor. This entails a "training in the art of prayer". According to the Pope, all pastoral initiatives have to be set in relation to holiness, as this has to be the topmost priority of the Church. The universal call to holiness is explained as more fundamental than the vocational discernment to particular ways of life such as priesthood, marriage, or virginity.

Source: Wikipedia

The Pope

2011-12-07T18:24:00.002Z

Tomorrow the Sovereign Pontiff will go the the Piazza di Spagna to pray before the image of the Immaculate Virgin. Pray for our Holy Father, long may He reign!

Happy Feast

2011-12-07T18:19:00.001Z

A very happy feast of the Immaculate Conception to all of our members and friends!

Tomb of S Justin

2011-12-03T16:38:00.001Z

The Tomb of S Justin Martyr in the Chapter House of the Capuchin Church in Rome

Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham

2011-12-03T13:05:00.002Z

Congratulations to Ryan Bloomfield, Esq. of the Bournemouth Ordinariate Group who has recently been admitted to SSIM. If you know members of the Ordinariate who might be interested in SSIM please encourage them to apply. Magister

2nd Chapter Meeting

2011-12-03T13:03:00.002Z

The second meeting of the Chapter took place on 2nd December 2011, presided over by the Master. among the decisions made were changes to the Statutes to allow Catholics in Sweden to be Full members of SSIM because of the historical situation there in relation to former Catholic places of worship. Magister

Our Lady's Assumption

2009-08-18T17:12:00.004+01:00

What a joy it was to celebrate the Assumption (actually on the 15th August!) in the wonderful atmosphere of the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady, Fontgombault, in the Province of Berry, France.

Having arrived in a Cessna 172 single engine plane at Le Blanc airfield the first visit to the Abbey was for Solemn Pontifical First Vespers on Saturday evening, presided over by His Lordship the Abbot.

Saturday brought with it the celebration of a Pontifical High Mass at the Throne, preceded by Terce and a procession around the cloister. it was a privilege to participate at Mass from the Transept and therefore have an un-restricted view of both the Throne and the Altar.

Later that day there was again Pontifical Vespers this time with a procession of Our Lady and around the Church itself along with various Marian devotions, followed by benediction.

Fontgombault was the venue for a liturgical conference in 2001 which was presided over by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. The monks celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite but include the Universal Prayers / Intercession (in Latin) and omit the Last Gospel.

The singing of the Gregorian chant is sublime and the whole experience is surely a foretaste of heaven!

Northern Lands

2009-08-12T11:19:00.018+01:00

Family affairs took me to the North East of England last weekend. Whilst there I was able to visit the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and the ruined Cistercian Abbey at Rievaulx in the North York Moors.

The Monastery at Lindisfarne was founded in 635AD by St Aidan a monk of Iona. It lies on an island just off the Northumberland Coast and is connected to the mainland by a causeway across the sand except twice daily when the tide isolates the island.

1 The Abbey 2 St Cuthbert 3 Sculpture of Monks Carry Cuthberts Relics

Aidan's monastery is now ruined but has many interesting features including architectural details on pillars that are very similar to those in Durham Cathedral. Lindisfarne was for a time a dependant house of the Abbey at Durham.

St Cuthbert was once prior of Lindisfarne and lived on the island as well as at his hermitage on a small island of Inner Farne, now know as St Cuthbert's Island. He became Bishop of Lindisfarne before returning to the hermitage to die. His relics were later transferred to Durham where the current magnificent Cathedral was raised in his honour.

Many other saints were formed at Lindisfarne and there prayers were invoked for the ministry of the Church in the North.

The nine saints of Lindisfarne are:

St Aidan
St Finan
St Colman
St Tuda
St Eata
St Cuthbert
St Eadberht
St Eadfrith
St Ethelwald

Some of the great missionary saints also had associations with the monastery in their time:

St Chad
St Cedd
St Wilfrid

St Egbert, a monk of Lindisfarne influenced the apostolate of:

St Wilfrid
St Wigbert
St Willibrord

The Anglican parish church of St Mary the Virgin stands in the grounds of the monastery and I was able to fulfil the SSIM obligations there and in the abbey itself as well as praying for the current (Titular) Bishop of Lindisfarne, the Rt Revd John Arnold, Auxiliary Bishop in Westminster.

Rievaulx:

1 Nave looking East 2 Shrine of St William

Rievaulx Abbey, situated near the lovely market town of Helmsley, was founded in 1132 and was the first Cistercian house in the north of England. It's third Abbot was St Aelred (1147-67) when the community had 140 choir monks and up to 500 lay brothers and servants. Graves of some of the monks are extant in the Narthex, Choir and Chapter House. The abbey also houses the shrine of St William, the first Abbot (1131-45).

3 Cloister

Both sites provided perfect opportunities to exercise the apostolate of our Society.

Saints of the North; Pray for us!

Fr Finigan's Jubilee

2009-07-28T17:13:00.001+01:00

Some members of SSIM very much hope to join Fr Tim for his jubilee mass at Blackfen this evening. Ad multos annos pater!

Admissions

2009-07-26T08:23:00.004+01:00

The Nativity of S John Baptist saw the admission of two new members, one priest and one layman followoing the Mass at S James Spanish Place. The admission was performed by the Master.

The Master also admitted the Revd Robert Penhallurick of the diocese of Columbus, Ohio, USA as an Associate Member on 25th July and has appointed him Chaplain to Associate Members.

Fr Bob is spending some time in England and is looking forward to visiting many of our medieval churches during his holiday.

Visits

2009-06-21T19:43:00.007+01:00

Steven McKenna informed us of recent visits he's made:

Odda's Chapel: http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/glouces/Deerhurst-Oddas-Chapel.htm
Deerhurst Church: (nb Communion table arranged for North Endcelebration!!) St Alphege was a former Monk of deerhurst http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/glouces/Deerhurst.htm
and Tewkesbury Abbey http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/glouces/Tewkesbury_Abbey_Photos.htm

Precepts of the Church

2009-06-13T16:39:00.002+01:00

So what are the precepts of the Church?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (No. 2041) says of them: 'The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in growth in love of God and neighbour.' They are:

You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labour
You shall confess your sins at least once a year
You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season
You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church
You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church

Question about act of reparation

2009-06-13T16:33:00.003+01:00

A member has asked for clarification about what form the act of reparation for past wrongs should take when visiting former Catholic places of worship. There is nothing to stop members using any suitable and approved form of act of reparation but the following advice is given on the SSIM website:

On visiting a church, monastery, shrine, even if ruined, which had previously been used for Catholic worship recite the following [Pater Noster, Ave Maria and Gloria Patri] for the repose of the souls of all who have worshipped there in the past, especially the priests who faithfully offered the holy sacrifice of the Mass and in reparation for all wrongs committed there. Pray also for the unity of Christ’s church around the See of Peter and for the intentions of our Holy Father

Next Admissions

2009-06-07T13:56:00.002+01:00

The Master will be admitting new members following the 6pm Mass at S James's, Spanish Place, London on 24th June. Anyone wishing to be admitted on that date should contact the Chamberlain at the earliest opportunity. chamberlain.ssim@ntlworld.com

Feast of S Justin our Principal Patron June 1st

2009-06-01T09:44:00.002+01:00

A secular philosopher, born in second-century Samaria at Nablus, by the age of around thirty Saint Justin had begun to sense that philosophy alone could not answer the questions rising in his mind. After his conversion in the year 130, Justin put his talents to use as an apologist, establishing a school of Christian philosophy in Rome. During the persecution of Marcus Aurelius he was arrested and required to renounce his faith. Refusal to do so led him to him being condemned by the Prefect Rusticus and to a martyr’s death by beheading in 165.

Duties of Membership

2009-05-29T18:35:00.000+01:00

Full members of the SSIM are duty bound to observe the following practices:

1. To say a Pater Noster, Ave Maria and Gloria Patri (in Latin) whenever visiting medieval churches, cathedrals, chapels or shrines which had once been Catholic places of worship. In doing so they are to pray to Almighty God for those who worshipped there in former times, especially the loyal Priests who offered mass there. They are to make an act of reparation for those who abandoned the Faith of our fathers and for the wrongs which may have been committed there. If the relics of the saints or venerable images are preserved in such places, members are to venerate them in a manner appropriate to Catholic practice. An intention should be offered for those who currently worship God in those places that they may come to the knowledge of the Truth and that all Christians may soon be united with the See of Peter.

2. To observe the precepts of the Church

3.To pray regularly for fellow members

4. Priest members of the SSIM are to offer Mass for the members of the society at least once each year.

Society Prayer

2009-05-29T18:28:00.001+01:00

O Holy Justin, you vigorously defended the sacramental mysteries of the Church and taught the folly of the Cross to a pagan world. From your place in heaven, protect with your prayers, our Holy Father Pope N that he may rule the church on earth with confidence and faithfulness and fearlessly proclaim the good news to the world. With countless martyrs through the ages you suffered death in Rome; guide the Catholic Church, the one true church of Jesus Christ, as it witnesses to the Truth in an hostile world. [Keep in your special care the people of our lands; pray that God may once again raise up saints and martyrs for his glory in these islands.] Through your merits, which God has crowned with the grace of the beatific vision, give your heavenly protection to the members of our Society that they may always reject falsehood and remain loyal to the faith. Amen.

Visiting Ancient Sites

2009-05-14T08:21:00.002+01:00

I'm happy to post on this blog reports and pictures from Members of SSIM who have made visits to ancient places associated with our Catholic heritage in order to fulifl the obligations. Please email them to me at Magister.SSIM@ntlworld.com or send them as comments to this post.

Among the roses of the Martyrs.
Brightly shines S Justin.

God grant us increase!

2009-05-12T18:18:00.003+01:00

I have been humbled by the rapid increase in the number of people expressing an interest in joining SSIM. If there are any Friars out there who would like to apply that will mean the three main groups of religious will be represented (Monks, Friars and Canons Regular). Do please spread the word and pray that more and more people will join us in our apostolate which combines an interest in catholic history, ecumenical endeavor, spiritual works of mercy and visiting beautiful places.

During the course of the summer we hope to be able to hear mass as a group and I will post detials of that as soon as they are available.

S Pancras (of Rome) Martyr

2009-05-10T15:26:00.007+01:00

Next Tuesday, 12th May, is the Feast of S Pancras who was martyred in Rome around 304. His cult probably came to England via S Augustine of Canterbury in 597; Augustine having been sent here by Pope S Gregory the Great. We know that Augustine dedicated a chapel at his monastery in Canterbury to S Pancras, no doubt because the monastery Augustine had been prior of in Rome, prior to his mission to the Angles, had been very close to S Pancras's tomb.

Our Society has S Pancras as one of its Martyr patrons precisely because through this history he bridged Rome and England. We are fortunate to have a small fragment of relic, kindly sent to us by a priest in Rome, just as Pope Vitalian sent relics of Pancras to the King of Northumbria in the 7th century.

Largely because of this connection some members of the Society made a pilgrimage today to Old S Pancras Church in London. Having first attended the Solemn Mass at the London Oratory, sung by the Provost, the Very Revd Ignatius Harrison, we made our way to the church, situated behind St Pancras International Station.

Although the current building has only existed in its present form since the 19th century there has been a pace of worship on the site since 314 AD. In the custody of the current Anglican parish is a sixth century altar stone, reputedly the original property of Augustine and there are signs of the original church in the stonework. The question remains as to whether its dedication to S Pancras pre-dates the arrival of Augustine.

S Pancras, pray for us!

That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ!

The blog is here

2009-05-09T09:30:00.004+01:00

After a flurry of interest in SSIM in blogosphere over the last few days we've decided to launch our own blog!

I'm very pleased that our numbers are beginning to grow steadily - both ordinary members resident in the UK or Ireland and more surprisingly, associate members living abroad.

During the Summer I shall have the pleasure of admitting the Revd Robert Penhallurick of the Diocese of Columbus Ohio as Chaplain to our Associate Members.

If you've stumbled on this blog and are interested in finding out more about us and perhaps in applying for memebership then do get in touch or visti the website

S Justin Martyr, Pray for Us!