Te Deum

It is a pious custom for Holy Mother Church to sing the hymn Te Deum at the conclusion of the calendar year. A hymn of thanksgiving, praise, and petition to God, it has been and continues to be used throughout the Church for several occasions, liturgically-based or otherwise. Although its origin is disputed, its earliest composition is believed to be in the late 4th century AD.

We praise thee, O God: we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. 
All the earth doth worship Thee, the Father everlasting. 
To Thee all Angels cry aloud: the Heavens and all the powers therein. 
To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry, Holy, Holy, Holy: Lord God of Sabaoth; 
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of Thy Glory. 
The glorious company of the Apostles praise Thee. 
The godly fellowship of the Prophets praise Thee. 
The noble army of Martyrs praise Thee. 
The holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge Thee; 
The Father of an infinite Majesty; 
Thine honourable, true, and only Son; 
Also the Holy Ghost: the Comforter. 

Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ. 
Thou art the everlasting  Son of the Father. 
When Thou tookest upon Thee to deliver man: Thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb. 
When Thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, Thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers. 
Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father. 
We believe that Thou shalt come to be our Judge. 
We therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious blood. 
Make them to be numbered with Thy Saints in glory everlasting. 

O Lord, save Thy people: and bless Thine heritage. 
Govern them and lift them up for ever. 
Day by day we magnify Thee; and we worship Thy Name, ever world without end. 
Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin. 
O Lord, have mercy upon us. 
O Lord, let Thy mercy lighten upon us: as our trust is in Thee. 
O Lord, in Thee have I trusted: let me never be confounded.

On this last day of the calendar year, let us thank God for the good - and bad - times this year has given us, for they were all opportunities to further our relationship with Him. 

Sung Latin Mass for the Feast of St. Thomas Becket in Toronto

This Saturday, for the feast of the Martyr, St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, there will be a Sung Latin Mass at St. Mary's church in the west end of Toronto, located on Davenport Road. 

Mass will start at 9 a.m., and there will be parking on the immediate side streets surrounding the lovely church. 

Once again, this Mass has been organized by the Toronto Traditional Mass Society, which also provide the excellent music. Please continue to keep them in your prayers. 

Let your family, friends, and fellow Catholics know about this Mass. Perhaps you may even know someone who is searching for the Truth, who may wish to come? 

Happy and Blessed Christmas, and see you Saturday at Mass!

Photos from Toronto's Sung Latin Mass for the Feast of St. Stephen

The Sanctuary of St. Mary's

Dear readers, here are a few photographs of the beautiful Missa Cantata that was offered by Fr. Kazimierz Brzozowski of St. Mary's (Polish) Catholic church, this morning, in the west end of Toronto. The Mass was organized by the Toronto Traditional Mass Society-Una Voce Toronto (who also provided the lovely music). 

Please continue your support of the Toronto Traditional Mass Society-Una Voce Toronto. There will be another Mass on the Feast of St. Thomas Becket, at 9.a.m. at St. Mary's. Further information to come. 

The High Altar before Mass

The Gospel

The Sermon

The Offertory

The Canon of the Mass

The Absolution before Holy Communion

ECCE AGNUS DEI

The Final Blessing

The Last Gospel

[All photos are copyright Toronto Catholic Witness 2018. You are free to use them, but you must credit this blog]

SUNG LATIN MASS for THE FEAST OF ST. STEPHEN in TORONTO

Tomorrow, on the Feast of the Protomartyr, St. Stephen, there will be a Sung Latin Mass at St. Mary's church in the west end of Toronto. 

Mass will start at 9 a.m., and there will be parking on the immediate side streets surrounding the lovely church. 

Once again, this Mass has been organized by the Toronto Traditional Mass Society, which also provide the excellent music. Please continue to keep them in your prayers. 

Let your family, friends, and fellow Catholics know about this Mass. Perhaps you may even know someone who is searching for the Truth, who may wish to come? 

Happy and Blessed Christmas, and see you tomorrow at Mass!

A Blessed Christmas to all Readers in 2018

Dear friends, on this Eve of Christmas, may you and your loved ones, be blessed by the Baby Jesus who came in poverty and obscurity to save us. 

May He, who lay in a Manger, find a welcoming, resting place in our hearts. 

Toronto area Catholics! ~ Sung Latin Mass for Ember Saturday in Advent

This Saturday, December 22 at 9:00 am., there will be a sung Mass according to the Missal of 1962. The Mass will be for the Ember Saturday in Advent with its multiple prophetic Lessons and Graduals and the Canticle of the Three Children. 

We thank again Fr. Kazimierz Brzozowski of St. Mary's Polish Catholic church, and the Toronto Traditional Mass Society for organizing the Mass, and providing the music. 

Do "Novus Ordo" Catholics even have souls?

"The problem with a number of traditional Catholics; they almost don't believe that Novus Ordo people have souls"

Bishop Richard Williamson  

A few years ago, Bishop Richard Williamson rhetorically asked that very question of so-called "traditionalists". The temptation to phariseeism and gnosticism takes many forms; where an elitism exists, there usually is a form of gnosticism. The Devil never rests, and he knows that he can easily drag into Hell those who may have the "Faith", but lack charity. Pride, the cardinal vice, drives this horrible spiritual disease.

In the following address, Bishop Williamson admonishes the lay faithful to humility, to charity, and to love of fellow Catholics.

Just the other day, I received the following in the combox.  It seems to typify the hatred, the rage, the phariseeism of far too many: 

Anonymous said... 

yeah - no wonder 50s catholicism is so repulsive to you - no sex, drugs, 'n rock'n roll. Really what spirit would lead men to call themselves after insects or inanimate objects like "doors"? Are these bands of angels? Or are these bands of demons and their doors nothing but another entryway into hell? 

Physician heal thyself!

No, I will not presume to dare to sit on the Judgement Seat of Jesus Christ on the state of Jim Morrison's soul, and refer to him as a "demon" (or that of any other man). Did not our Blessed Mother keep encouraging us to pray for sinners? Well, this seems to have been forgotten. Please offer a prayer that Jim repented and is now in Purgatory. 

But this rage is not just against broken souls who did not have the incredible blessing of having Catholic parents. It even extends to the spewing of hatred towards "novus ordo" bishops, such as the recently deceased, saintly, Bishop Robert Morlino. Bishop Morlino, was much maligned, but those who follow Jesus Christ, usually are. May the holy Bishop be in Heaven by this Christmas. Please pray for his noble and holy soul. 

Vox Cantoris, reports on various, self-appointed (lay of course - just where do they get their "authority"?) Catholics all lashing out at each other, each eager to expose the next heretic. 

This is what we have come to: those who are not part of a given Pharisaical sect, are thrown out as mere rubbish. What is completely forgotten is that Jesus Christ came for sinners. 

Please pray for these deluded souls. And please offer up a prayer for the souls in Purgatory and for sinners (myself included). Finally, please pray for the Pope. It is only when we are confirmed in the Faith, that we will have healing.  Until then, we need to get to Mass, to pray, and to avoid any of these spiritual poisons that the devil is spreading to destroy, confuse and lead souls to Hell. 

Rorate Mass ~ the beauty of an early morning Mass by candlelight in Toronto

Early, this morning, about 60 Catholics assisted at a Sung Rorate Mass according to the Missal of 1962. 

The church, in darkness, was lit only by the numerous candles beautifully placed on the Altar, in the Sanctuary and throughout the church. 

Catholics thank Fr. Kazimierz Bzorzowski of St. Marys Polish Catholic church, for offering the Mass, and the Toronto Traditional Mass Society for organizing the Mass, as well as providing the music. God bless all. 

The Sanctuary, after Mass.