On "Traditionis Custodes"

The Saint Bede Studio will continue to assist all priest-customers who place commission with us for sets of vestments to be used for the Usus Antiquior of the Roman Rite.

The Saint Bede Studio expresses its solidarity with priests and members of Christ's Faithful who feel a sense of bewilderment at the provisions and un-pastoral character of the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes.

The Saint Bede Studio expresses its solidarity with any member of Holy Church who feels a sense of desolation in perceiving that what he or she holds to be a sacred, beautiful and nurturing Rite for the worship of God could be held in such manifest contempt by the Vicar of Christ. 

The Saint Bede Studio disassociates itself from the assertion that the attempted suppression of the Traditional Roman Liturgy is anything other than an abuse of ecclesiastical authority. 

The Saint Bede Studio rejects the tired assertion that the Unity of the Church demands that all the Catholic Faithful worship under one Rite.

The Saint Bede Studio believes that the Church is not to be envisioned in bellicose terminology, on the one hand, or disingenuous demands for Unity on the other, but rather must always be considered as the Body of Christ and a Community of His Faithful, worshipping Him humbly in spirit and in truth.

The Saint Bede Studio believes that the dispositions of the Popes S' John Paul II and Benedict XVI as expressed in their letters "motu proprio" Ecclesia Dei adflicta and Summorum Pontificum typify the generosity of spirit, intellectual rigour, honesty and solicitude for the Faithful which ought to be characteristic of all Papal acts.

The Saint Bede Studio implores the bishops of the world - notwithstanding the provisions of Traditionis Custodes and its accompanying letter - to act as true pastors, with a benevolence and tender concern for all those who are discouraged and scandalised by this motu proprio.  Fathers in Christ, please do not scatter, but gather together in charity and generosity the sheep entrusted to you.  

The Saint Bede Studio earnestly prays for the protection of Our Ladye Help of Christians upon the Usus Antiquior of the Roman Rite and those who wish to worship God according to that Use.

Michael Sternbeck

20th July 2021.

A Prayer During Times of Affliction

Almighty, Eternal God, by ever giving strength to our weakness, you enable the Church to flourish even amidst its trials, so that when it appears to men to be utterly cast down, then rather does it gloriously prevails.  Whilst then, it accepts affliction as a proving of its faith, let it persevere, by your grace, in triumphant loyalty.  Amen.


A Collect from the Missal of Robert of Jumieges, 11th century.

This edifying image of Holy Mass being offered at the Benedictine Abbey of Downside (Bath, United Kingdom) is from the Facebook page of Father Terence M. Naughtin OFM (Conv.).

For the Church in an Hour of Need

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, the Bishop of Rome 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.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Maniples

The Saint Bede Studio wishes to announce that from this date, all new customers ordering Low Mass sets will be provided with maniples at a 50% discount of the usual price.

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel 2021.

Red vestments in the Gothic Revival Style

As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we are pleased to present this post about a set of red vestments recently completed for a returning customer, a young priest in the USA.

This vestment, in the Studio's Saint Austin design, was made from a beautiful English ecclesiastical brocade and lined in blue taffeta. The vestments are ornamented with an orphrey braid of the Studio's own design called Saint Chad (directly based on the work of AWN Pugin) in colours of red, blue and gold.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries: stbede62@gmail.com 

A good Catholic maxim

Hilaire Belloc with GB Shaw (left) and GK Chesterton.

Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, 

There’s always laughter and good red wine.

At least, I’ve always found it so;

Benedicamus Domino.

Hilaire Belloc (1870 - 1953).

Priestly Ordinations 2022

A notice to readers of this blog who may be considering approaching the Studio for Ordination vestments in 2022.  Please contact us without delay to commence discussions.

stbede62@gmail.com

Suscipe Sancta Trinitas

One of the prayers which didn't survive the Missale Romanum final cut in 1970 was this one:

Accept, holy Trinity, this offering which we make to you in remembrance of the passion, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in honour of blessed Mary ever Virgin, of blessed John the Baptist, of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, of those whose relics rest here, and of all the Saints. To them may it bring honour, and to us salvation; and may they, whose memory we keep on earth, be pleased to intercede for us in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

This beautiful prayer, intended to be recited quietly after the washing of the hands during the Preparation of Gifts or Offertory, is a summary of the things a Catholic should keep in mind when praying the Mass. It reminds us firstly that all our worship is offered to the One God, who is a Trinity of Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Secondly, in reflecting the Anamnesis after the consecration, the prayer insists on the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery that is re-presented for us in sacramental form: His Passion, Resurrection and Ascension. Finally, it asserts that a secondary end of the Mass is the honour of the Saints (that is, the victory of Christ in His members is being praised), and accordingly it begs their intercession for us on Earth.

One can only wonder at the mentality which saw fit to excise this prayer from the Mass. If there was one prayer that ought to have been retained at the Offertory, this was the one. After washing his hands and before inviting the people to prayer (Pray, brethren), the celebrant bowed before the altar and quietly prayed the Suscipe Sancta Trinitas.

If you are a priest reading this, you might consider praying this prayer at the Offertory when you offer the Ordinary Form of the Roman Mass. If you pray it according to the rubrics of the 1962 Missale Romanum, (namely bowed and silently) no one in the pews will be disturbed by hearing a prayer recited which is not contained in the New Order of Mass.  Be daring.

How beautiful it would be if once again this prayer were recited at every Mass!  The Angels would rejoice.

The Latin:

Suscipe, sancta Trinitas, hanc oblationem, quam tibi offerimus ob memoriam passionis, resurrectionis, et ascensionis Jesu Christi Domini nostri: et in honorem beatae Mariae semper Virginis et beati Joannis Baptistae, et sanctorum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli, et istorum, et omnium Sanctorum: ut illis proficiat ad honorem, nobis autem ad salutem: et illi pro nobis intercedere dignentur in caelis, quorum memoriam agimus in terris. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. 

To the Most Holy Trinity

It is truly fitting and just, right and profitable for our salvation, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Lord, holy Father, almighty, eternal God. With your only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, you are one God, one Lord, not in the singleness of one Person, but in a Trinity of one substance. For, whatever we believe through your revelation about your glory, the same also we believe about your Son and about the Holy Spirit, without distinction or difference. So that in acknowledging the true and eternal Godhead, we adore each individual person and, at the same time, their one substance and their equal majesty: which the Angels, the Archangels, the Cherubim and the Seraphim all praise, never ceasing to cry out with one voice:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of mighty hosts! The heavens and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Bless'd is he who comes in the Lord's name. Hosanna in the highest.

This is the translation of the Preface of the Most Holy Trinity prepared by the Saint Bede Studio for the Order of Mass published by Ignatius Press.

The translation and illustration may not be reproduced without prior approval.

Whitsuntide

In this Pentecost Octave, we are pleased to present a set of red vestments made for a priest customer in Connecticut USA.

These very ample vestments are in that style we call Saint Martin.  The vestments are made from a deeper red dupion silk and lined in a subtle shade of green taffeta.  The simple ornament is formed from one of the Studio's unique braids, being in the form of knotwork and called Saxony.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : This page.