Vestments in the Lenten Season : 1

In this Season of Lent, we are pleased to present some penitential vestments made by the Saint Bede Studio.

This particular set was made for a priest in North Dakota USA, a returning customer.

It is made from purple ecclesiastical brocade, this shade of purple being very similar to the colour of choir dress of bishops.

The chasuble is in the Studio's more ample style of Gothic, called Saint Giles.  Its ornament is formed from a simple braid in colours of burgundy upon taup, with some enrichment from another ecclesiastical brocade of a richer shade of purple.

The vestments were lined in a taffeta in a brighter shade of red.

Please click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquirers should review this page.

Purchasing quality vestments in times of fiscal constraint

One of the Studio's more contemporary
styles "Saint Martin".

Good-quality vestments, especially if they are handmade and use silk fabrics, are quite costly.  Indeed, they always have been.  Some years ago, on a website, was found a strategy for being able to afford a vestment which seems too expensive.  It may be useful for readers.  It goes something like this...

Father had his heart set on a particular set of vestments, but didn't have the money to purchase them. The Parish had many commitments and could not justify making such a purchase. But the Parish did buy them and then they were put on display in the Church, with this sign:

"These new vestments were recently purchased. When we have raised enough money to cover their cost, they will be used at the Altar.  Until then, they are only for display."

It didn't take too long for the money to be raised for the vestments to be used for Mass and more besides; in fact, enough for another set to be purchased! The Parish loves the vestments and loves to see Father wearing them for Mass.

There is another facet of this story which many priests will be familiar with : the Faithful appreciate being asked to contribute to the beautification of their Parish church and its Sacred Liturgy. After all, it is the Faithful who look at the vestments worn by the priest. Is it not natural to wish to look at things of beauty?

Enquiries with the Saint Bede Studio : This page. 

Priestly Ordinations 2022 : 3

In this post, we are pleased to describe a set of vestments in the Saint Bede Studio's Borromeon style, which was commissioned by an ordinand from New Jersey, USA.

These vestments were made from a magnificent silk damask in colours of straw-gold upon a taup background.  The damask is called Lovebirds.  

The chasuble was ornamented in the Roman manner with a TAU at the front and a column at the back.  This ornamentation was formed from a damask in colours of burgundy and old gold, outlined with a galloon in a brighter shade of gold. 

The lining of these vestments was formed from a shade of red taffeta.

Please pray for all newly-ordained priests.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : This page.

AMDG 

Thorny Issues around Ad Orientem worship

A new skirmish in the "Liturgy Wars" has broken out - at least in the United States - surrounding the practice of celebrating the New Order of Mass "ad orientem".

The novel practice of celebrating the Roman Mass "versus populum" began universally during the Second Vatican Council (1962 - 1965), but became more or less normative with the introduction of the New Order of the Roman Mass in November 1969.  With the New Mass were introduced many things which were passed off as being revivals of liturgical practices from the Early Church. But among them was also an entirely new concept, namely, the priest-celebrant as “Presider”. 

We would like to suggest that this particular break with Tradition has largely facilitated the widespread distortion where, from the very beginning of the Mass, the priest becomes more of a compere or emcee, rather than a celebrant. The principle of communication is most prominent in the New Order of Mass in what is termed The Introductory Rite. Here, the predominance of dialogue between the “presider” and the “assembly” occurs.  

It is for this reason precisely that the incorporation of ad orientem  posture is desirable from the very beginning of the Order of Mass and not simply during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  It is desirable because it would have the effect of lessening the prevailing tendency that the Mass is a dialogue (which varies from place to place in degrees of formality) between those physically present in a particular church, rather than being the worship of the entire Church, Visible and Invisible.

A Conventual Mass according to the New Missal

in the Abbey-Church of Sant'Antimo, Tuscany.

Already, some pastors through the catechesis of their flocks, have introduced the celebration of Mass ad orientem and have been doing so for some time.  But not every pastor of souls is in a position to do this.  Leaving aside the issue of prudence, the sanctuaries of some churches are not readily suited to this arrangement, namely that the celebrant offers the Liturgy of the Eucharist at the altar facing towards the apse.  For these two reasons, suppose the focus were not on the Liturgy of the Eucharist, but on a partly ad orientem Liturgy of the Word?

Whilst it may well be argued that many priests and congregations would not welcome ad orientem celebrations of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, surely fewer would object to parts of the Liturgy of the Word being celebrated ad orientem, particularly if such a practice were introduced slowly and in stages and with appropriate catechesis. 

As a principle, prayers addressed to God during the Liturgy of the Word of the "Ordinary Form" Mass might be offered ad orientem and preferably at the altar or its foot, in order to clarify that such prayers are not a dialogue between the celebrant and the Faithful present. A gradual introduction of this principle could (over a period of years) lead to the celebration of Mass being entirely (or mostly) ad orientem. Already a variant of the Roman Rite exists which puts into effect this principle, namely the Order of Mass prepared for the use of the Personal Ordinariates Anglicanorum Coetibus in the United Kingdom, the USA/Canada and Australia.

Read a much elaborated version of this article at this link on the Saint Bede Studio blog.

AMDG

Red Gothic Revival Vestments

In this post, we are pleased to present a lovely set of red Gothic Revival vestments  prepared by the Saint Bede Studio for a priest from the United States, a returning customer.

This chasuble was tailored in the Studio's Saint Austin design, being in the "pointed" style.  The vestments were made from an English brocade in a brighter shade of red and lined in a brassy-gold shade of taffeta.

The vestments were ornamented with an orphrey braid of the Studio's own design in colours of green and gold upon red. The braid is called Saint Chad and is directly based on a design of AWN Pugin.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : Visit this page

AMDG

Gothic Revival Festal Vestments

This is our first post of recently-completed vestments for 2023.  Shewn in the adjacent photographs are vestments prepared by the Saint Bede Studio for a priest from the United States, an esteemed returning customer.

This chasuble was tailored in the Studio's Saint Austin design, being in the Gothic Revival style.  The vestments were made from an English brocade in the colour of ivory and lined in a muted shade of olive taffeta.

The vestments were ornamented with an orphrey braid of the Studio's own design in colours of green, white and gold upon red. The braid is called Chi Rho.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : Visit this page

AMDG

In Memory Cardinal George Pell

Yesterday, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, His late Eminence, Cardinal Pell was laid to rest in the crypt of Saint Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, near to all his predecessors going back to the foundation of the Church in Australia in 1820.  As an historian by discipline, he would relish the company he now keeps in death.

It is a sad fact that the Cardinal was a man much-hated in his native Australia, thanks to years and years of unrelenting detraction from the Australian media and liberal elements within the Church.  He was also greatly admired and regarded as a hero by Faithful Catholics from the time of his appointment as a bishop in 1987.  In Australia, he subsequently became Archbishop of Melbourne and then Archbishop of Sydney before accepting a role within the Roman Curia to tidy-up financial affairs.

The late Cardinal had a great vision for the Church in Australia, once commenting that he intended to work to avoid the worst possible outcome : namely, the Church in Australia following the lead of the Church in Holland.  As Archbishop of Melbourne and then Archbishop of Sydney his steadily put into place his broad and deep vision for a revitalised, faithful, well-educated and apostolic Australian Church.  It will take a further twenty years for his vision to be entirely realised, in God's Providence.

Throughout his years of leadership his work was thwarted by the hatred of a certain element of Australian society, who wished to present themselves as champions of justice.  This culminated in the shameful moment when a Prince of the Church was falsely accused, convicted and gaoled in his own land.  How could any Catholic reflect on these facts and not feel the deepest shame?  These trials compromised the health of the Cardinal, and he has died prematurely for a man of such renowned vigour.  

We lament his loss, pray for his soul and thank God for his good, faithful work and for the wonderful example of his courage and integrity in the midst of persecution.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, with your saints forever; for you are merciful.