For the Season "Per Annum" 2018 : 2

The Studio recently completed this set of green vestments (shewn in the adjacent image) which forms part of a benefaction to the Church of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Lewisham (Archdiocese of Sydney).  This historic church has recently undergone a comprehensive restoration and refurbishment, for which the Saint Bede Studio was a consultant.

These attractive vestments were made from a lovely ecclesiastical brocade in deep green and were lined in a  Emerald green-coloured taffeta. The chasuble is in the Studio's Saint Giles style, being a contemporary refinement of the Gothic Revival style. The ornament is formed from one of the braids designed by the Studio, in colours of green, gold and white upon red.

The vestments were worn for the first time at the re-hallowing of Saint Thomas' church by the Most Rev'd Dr Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney, on Sunday 22nd July.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

View of the High Altar of the Church of Saint Thomas
of Canterbury, Lewisham (Australia).
Ornamental work on the sanctuary wall was designed by
The Saint Bede Studio as part of the restoration works
on the church.
Image : The Saint Bede Studio.

For the Feast of the Holy Cross

Recently, the Studio completed a set of vestments for an Australian priest, resident in Victoria, a returning customer. 

Our customer commissioned vestments in the Saint Philip Neri style, to be used on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. 

The chasuble (shewn adjacent) was made from wine-red silk dupion and was ornamented in the Roman style with a brocade and narrow galloons in the colours of burgundy and gold. The vestments were lined in a copper-coloured taffeta.

Please click on the image for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

On the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin

On this Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, we are pleased to present this set of vestments, recently completed for a priest of the Archdiocese of Denver (USA).

This is the Studio's now-familiar Maria Regina vestments, made in the Gothic Revival style using braids designed by the Studio.  The ground fabric is an English ecclesiastical damask, being lined in Royal Blue taffeta.

A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin
Being a collect from "Divine Worship", the Missal for the Ordinariates of the English Use.

Almighty and everlasting God, who stooped to raise fallen humanity through the child-bearing of Blessed Mary : grant that we, who have seen your glory revealed in our human nature and your love made perfect in our weakness, may daily be renewed in your image and, through her constant intercession, conformed to the pattern of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Saint Bartholomew" Borromeon chasuble

A young priest from the Diocese of Rockville Centre (New York state USA) commissioned vestments made in the Borromeon form from the Studio. The chasuble (shewn in adjacent photograph) was made from a beautiful silk damask in muted gold and was ornamented with a damask in the colours of burgundy and gold, outlined with narrow braids, in the Roman style. The vestments were lined in burgundy taffeta.  This design, of which the Studio has made several, we have named Saint Bartholomew.

A matching dalmatic made for our customer is shewn in an earlier post.

Please click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries: stbede62@gmail.com

A Dark Hour

Statue of the Archangel Michael
at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Mexico City.

Blessed Michael 
the Archangel, 
defend us in the hour of conflict.
Be our safeguard against the 
wickedness and snares of the Devil:
may God restrain him, 
we humbly pray.
And do thou, 
O prince of the Heavenly Host, 
by the power of God 
thrust down Satan into hell 
and with him 
the other wicked spirits 

who wander through the world 
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

For the Church in Difficult Times

O Heavenly Lord

We beseech you continually to inspire the universal Church with the spirit of truth, unity, and concord: And grant, that all who confess your Name may agree in the truth of your Holy Word, and live in unity, and godly love.

We beseech you to give grace to Francis our Pope and to all bishops, priests and deacons, that they may, both by their life and doctrine, set forth your true and living Word and rightly and duly administer your holy Sacraments.

We beseech you to guide and prosper those who are labouring for the spread of your Gospel among the nations, and enlighten with your Spirit all places of education and learning; that the whole world may be filled with the knowledge of your truth. Amen.

Papal Mass of Benedict XVI : 3

In Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, on Saturday 19th July 2008, Pope Benedict celebrated Pontifical Mass with the Australian Bishops for seminarians and religious novices.  This was part of the Pope's visit to Australia on the occasion of World Youth Day.

In this final post, the Studio is pleased to reproduce a number of photographs take by L'Osservatore Romano, most of which have not been published anywhere hitherto.  Please note that these photographs are under the copyright of L'Osservatore Romano and not to be reproduced.

The vestments and mitre worn by Pope Benedict for this Papal Mass, together with the dalmatics of the deacons-assistant were designed and made by the Saint Bede Studio, by the commission of the Archdiocese of Sydney and the Holy See.

All of these photographs were taken at the conclusion of the Mass, as the Pope and his ministers left the sanctuary. Pope Benedict is carrying the staff or ferula of Pope Pius IX.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

On the Assumption of the BVM

On the Solemnity of the Assumption, we are pleased to describe this Marian chasuble,  Ave Maris Stella,  made for a returning customer in Australia.  This is a chasuble in the Gothic Revival style.

The decorative focus of this vestment is an orphrey braid which is based on the work of AWN Pugin.  This braid is produced in two shades of blue (lighter and darker) with figured ornament in gold.

These vestments were made from a silk damask in the shade of ivory and lined in a Royal Blue taffeta.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries: stbede62@gmail.com

Papal Mass of His Holiness Benedict XVI : 2

In this second post, the Studio is pleased to reproduce a number of photographs take by L'Osservatore Romano, most of which have not been published anywhere hitherto.  The vestments and mitre worn by Pope Benedict for this Papal Mass, together with the dalmatics of the deacons-assistant were designed and made by the Saint Bede Studio, by the commission of the Archdiocese of Sydney and the Holy See.

For this post, we are pleased to include the homily given by Pope Benedict during the Papal Mass with Bishops, Seminarians and Novices in Saint Mary's Cathedral, Sydney Saturday, 19th July 2008.

The homily can be found at the website of the Holy See.  Illustrating images are under the copyright of L'Osservatore Romano and may not be reproduced or re-posted from this website.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Pope Benedict aspersing the new altar of Saint Mary's Cathedral
during the Rite of Consecration.
Image : L'Osservatore Romano.

In this noble cathedral I rejoice to greet my brother Bishops and priests, and the deacons, religious and laity of the Archdiocese of Sydney. In a very special way, my greeting goes to the seminarians and young religious who are present among us. Like the young Israelites in today’s first reading, they are a sign of hope and renewal for God’s people; and, like those young Israelites, they will have the task of building up the Lord’s house in the coming generation. As we admire this magnificent edifice, how can we not think of all those ranks of priests, religious and faithful laity who, each in his or her own way, contributed to the building up of the Church in Australia? Our thoughts turn in particular to those settler families to whom Father Jeremiah O’Flynn entrusted the Blessed Sacrament at his departure, a “small flock” which cherished and preserved that precious treasure, passing it on to the succeeding generations who raised this great tabernacle to the glory of God. Let us rejoice in their fidelity and perseverance, and dedicate ourselves to carrying on their labours for the spread of the Gospel, the conversion of hearts and the growth of the Church in holiness, unity and charity!

We are about to celebrate the dedication of the new altar of this venerable cathedral. As its sculpted frontal powerfully reminds us, every altar is a symbol of Jesus Christ, present in the midst of his Church as priest, altar and victim (cf. Preface of Easter V). Crucified, buried and raised from the dead, given life in the Spirit and seated at the right hand of the Father, Christ has become our great high priest, eternally making intercession for us. In the Church’s liturgy, and above all in the sacrifice of the Mass consummated on the altars of the world, he invites us, the members of his mystical Body, to share in his self-oblation. He calls us, as the priestly people of the new and eternal covenant, to offer, in union with him, our own daily sacrifices for the salvation of the world.

Pope Benedict anointing the new altar of Saint
Mary's Cathedral
during the Rite of Consecration.
He is shewn wearing the Episcopal dalmatic.
Image : L'Osservatore Romano.

In today’s liturgy the Church reminds us that, like this altar, we too have been consecrated, set “apart” for the service of God and the building up of his Kingdom. All too often, however, we find ourselves immersed in a world that would set God “aside”. In the name of human freedom and autonomy, God’s name is passed over in silence, religion is reduced to private devotion, and faith is shunned in the public square. At times this mentality, so completely at odds with the core of the Gospel, can even cloud our own understanding of the Church and her mission. We too can be tempted to make the life of faith a matter of mere sentiment, thus blunting its power to inspire a consistent vision of the world and a rigorous dialogue with the many other visions competing for the minds and hearts of our contemporaries.

Yet history, including the history of our own time, shows that the question of God will never be silenced, and that indifference to the religious dimension of human existence ultimately diminishes and betrays man himself. Is that not the message which is proclaimed by the magnificent architecture of this cathedral? Is that not the mystery of faith which will be proclaimed from this altar at every celebration of the Eucharist? Faith teaches us that in Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, we come to understand the grandeur of our own humanity, the mystery of our life on this earth, and the sublime destiny which awaits us in heaven (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 24). Faith teaches us that we are God’s creatures, made in his image and likeness, endowed with an inviolable dignity, and called to eternal life. Wherever man is diminished, the world around us is also diminished; it loses its ultimate meaning and strays from its goal. What emerges is a culture, not of life, but of death. How could this be considered “progress”? It is a backward step, a form of regression which ultimately dries up the very sources of life for individuals and all of society.

Pope Benedict anointing the new altar of Saint
Mary's Cathedral
during the Rite of Consecration.
He is shewn wearing the Episcopal dalmatic, and over this, a gremial.
Image : L'Osservatore Romano.

We know that in the end – as Saint Ignatius of Loyola saw so clearly – the only real “standard” against which all human reality can be measured is the Cross and its message of an unmerited love which triumphs over evil, sin and death, creating new life and unfading joy. The Cross reveals that we find ourselves only by giving our lives away, receiving God’s love as an unmerited gift and working to draw all men and women into the beauty of that love and the light of the truth which alone brings salvation to the world.

It is in this truth – this mystery of faith – that we have been “consecrated” (cf. Jn 17:17-19), and it is in this truth that we are called to grow, with the help of God’s grace, in daily fidelity to his word, within the life-giving communion of the Church. Yet how difficult is this path of consecration! It demands continual “conversion”, a sacrificial death to self which is the condition for belonging fully to God, a change of mind and heart which brings true freedom and a new breadth of vision. Today’s liturgy offers an eloquent symbol of that progressive spiritual transformation to which each of us is called. From the sprinkling of water, the proclamation of God’s word and the invocation of all the saints, to the prayer of consecration, the anointing and washing of the altar, its being clothed in white and apparelled in light – all these rites invite us to re-live our own consecration in Baptism. They invite us to reject sin and its false allure, and to drink ever more deeply from the life-giving springs of God’s grace.

Dear friends, may this celebration, in the presence of the Successor of Peter, be a moment of rededication and renewal for the whole Church in Australia! Here I would like to pause to acknowledge the shame which we have all felt as a result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this country. Indeed, I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured, and I assure them that, as their Pastor, I too share in their suffering. These misdeeds, which constitute so grave a betrayal of trust, deserve unequivocal condemnation. They have caused great pain and have damaged the Church’s witness. I ask all of you to support and assist your Bishops, and to work together with them in combating this evil. Victims should receive compassion and care, and those responsible for these evils must be brought to justice. It is an urgent priority to promote a safer and more wholesome environment, especially for young people. In these days marked by the celebration of World Youth Day, we are reminded of how precious a treasure has been entrusted to us in our young people, and how great a part of the Church’s mission in this country has been dedicated to their education and care. As the Church in Australia continues, in the spirit of the Gospel, to address effectively this serious pastoral challenge, I join you in praying that this time of purification will bring about healing, reconciliation and ever greater fidelity to the moral demands of the Gospel.

At the Offertory during the Mass in
Saint Mary's Cathedral.
Image : L'Osservatore Romano.

I wish now to turn to the seminarians and young religious in our midst, with a special word of affection and encouragement. Dear friends: with great generosity you have set out on a particular path of consecration, grounded in your Baptism and undertaken in response to the Lord’s personal call. You have committed yourselves, in different ways, to accepting Christ’s invitation to follow him, to leave all behind, and to devote your lives to the pursuit of holiness and the service of his people.

In today’s Gospel, the Lord calls us to “believe in the light” (Jn 12:36). These words have a special meaning for you, dear young seminarians and religious. They are a summons to trust in the truth of God’s word and to hope firmly in his promises. They invite us to see, with the eyes of faith, the infallible working of his grace all around us, even in those dark times when all our efforts seem to be in vain. Let this altar, with its powerful image of Christ the Suffering Servant, be a constant inspiration to you. Certainly there are times when every faithful disciple will feel the heat and the burden of the day (cf. Mt 20:12), and the struggle of bearing prophetic witness before a world which can appear deaf to the demands of God’s word. Do not be afraid! Believe in the light! Take to heart the truth which we have heard in today’s second reading: “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and for ever” (Heb 13:8). The light of Easter continues to dispel the darkness!

Pope Benedict distributing the Sacrament.
Image : L'Osservatore Romano.

The Lord also calls us to walk in the light (cf. Jn 12:35). Each of you has embarked on the greatest and the most glorious of all struggles, to be consecrated in truth, to grow in virtue, to achieve harmony between your thoughts and ideals, and your words and actions. Enter sincerely and deeply into the discipline and spirit of your programmes of formation. Walk in Christ’s light daily through fidelity to personal and liturgical prayer, nourished by meditation on the inspired word of God. The Fathers of the Church loved to see the Scriptures as a spiritual Eden, a garden where we can walk freely with God, admiring the beauty and harmony of his saving plan as it bears fruit in our own lives, in the life of the Church and in all of history. Let prayer, then, and meditation on God’s word, be the lamp which illumines, purifies and guides your steps along the path which the Lord has marked out for you. Make the daily celebration of the Eucharist the centre of your life. At each Mass, when the Lord’s Body and Blood are lifted up at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, lift up your own hearts and lives, through Christ, with him and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, as a loving sacrifice to God our Father.

In this way, dear young seminarians and religious, you yourselves will become living altars, where Christ’s sacrificial love is made present as an inspiration and a source of spiritual nourishment to everyone you meet. By embracing the Lord’s call to follow him in chastity, poverty and obedience, you have begun a journey of radical discipleship which will make you “signs of contradiction” (cf. Lk2:34) to many of your contemporaries. Model your lives daily on the Lord’s own loving self-oblation in obedience to the will of the Father. You will then discover the freedom and joy which can draw others to the Love which lies beyond all other loves as their source and their ultimate fulfilment. Never forget that celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom means embracing a life completely devoted to love, a love that enables you to commit yourselves fully to God’s service and to be totally present to your brothers and sisters, especially those in need. The greatest treasures that you share with other young people – your idealism, your generosity, your time and energy – these are the very sacrifices which you are placing upon the Lord’s altar. May you always cherish this beautiful charism which God has given you for his glory and the building up of the Church!

Dear friends, let me conclude these reflections by drawing your attention to the great stained glass window in the chancel of this cathedral. There Our Lady, Queen of Heaven, is represented enthroned in majesty beside her divine Son. The artist has represented Mary, as the new Eve, offering an apple to Christ, the new Adam. This gesture symbolizes her reversal of our first parents’ disobedience, the rich fruit which God’s grace bore in her own life, and the first fruits of that redeemed and glorified humanity which she has preceded into the glory of heaven. Let us ask Mary, Help of Christians, to sustain the Church in Australia in fidelity to that grace by which the Crucified Lord even now “draws to himself” all creation and every human heart (cf. Jn 12:32). May the power of his Holy Spirit consecrate the faithful of this land in truth, and bring forth abundant fruits of holiness and justice for the redemption of the world. May it guide all humanity into the fullness of life around that Altar, where, in the glory of the heavenly liturgy, we are called to sing God’s praises for ever. Amen.

Value of the American Dollar

A special note to American customers of the Saint Bede Studio.

At present the Australian dollar's value is decreased against the value of the American dollar.  This means that a commission with the Studio from American customers is significantly less expensive than it was over the last year.  Please keep this in mind if you are considering placing an order for vestments with the Studio.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com