 |
| Mother Cabrini's precious remains rest in a glass coffin beneath the altar Photos by Andrew Giordano and New York Scugnizzo |
 |
| Detail of the 3-story stained glass window |
Orémus: Dómine Jesu Christie, qui sanctam Virginem Francíscam Xavériam, sacratíssimi Cordis tui inge succénsam, per amplíssimas mundi plagas ad ánimas tibi lucrándas deduxísti, et per eam novam in Ecclésia tua vírginum famíliam suscitásti: concéde, quǽsumas; ut, ipsa intercedénte, ejúsdem Cordis tui virtútibus induámur atque ad ætérnum beatitúdnis portum perveníre mereámur: Qui vivis et regnas. 1Saturday afternoon, we joined some seventy devotees on the Traditional Latin Mass Pilgrimage to the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine (701 Fort Washington Avenue) in Washington Heights, New York and attended a Votive Mass on the vigil of the 102nd anniversary of the death of Mother Cabrini. Arriving early, visitors had the opportunity to explore the shrine and recite the Holy Rosary.
 |
| Crucifix and statue of Mother Cabrini |
The Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was followed by the solemn Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, devotions to Mother Cabrini, and veneration of her First-Class Relic.
After Mass, we tagged along with a group of aesthetes and took a short excursion to the Cloisters Museum (99 Margaret Corbin Dr.) at nearby Fort Tryon Park. A branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the museum possesses an impressive collection of sacred art from medieval Europe.
 |
| Altar, ca. 1225, Catalonia, Spain |
 |
| (L) Adoration of the Magi (1470-1480), Upper Rhine, Germany. (R) The Lamentation, ca. 1480, Castile-La Mancha, Spain |
 |
| The Death of the Virgin (The Dormition), late 15th century, workshop of Tilman Heysacker, Cologne, Germany |
 |
| (L) Early 16th cen. statue of St. Roch from Normandy, France. (R) St. Anthony Abbot, ca. 1500, attributed to Nikolaus von Hagenau, Strasbourg, Alsace. |
 |
| A view of the Hudson River from the museum's West Terrace |
Roráte cæli, désuper, et nubes pluant justum: aperiátur terra, et gérminet Salvatórem. Ps. 18. 2 Cæli enárrant glóriam Dei: et ópera mánuum ejus annúntiat fírmaméntum. V. Glória Patri. Roráte, Cæli. 2
 |
| Holy Innocents' high altar and famed Crucifixion mural by Constantino Brumidi |
Later on, we joined our fellow parishioners in the parish hall for coffee hour and helped set up for the festive reception to follow Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Having fasted on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday for our combined Ember Days and Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel devotions, we were really looking forward to our regular group luncheon. However, since it is an extremely busy time of year and we all have last minute errands to run before Christmas, we decided to cut short the festivities and reschedule our group celebration.
As always, it was a great joy to celebrate our faith and culture together. God bless our brethren, kith and kin, and our supporters; we wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Buon Natale!
~ Giovanni di Napoli, December 23, Feast of Venerable Therese of St. Augustine
 |
| We acquired a few religious goods over the weekend |
1) Let us pray: O Lord, Jesus Christ, you enkindled the fire of your Sacred Heart in the holy virgin Frances Xavier so that she might win souls for You in many lands, and establish a new religious congregation of women in Your Church. Grant that we too may imitate the virtues of Your Sacred Heart through her intercession, so that we may be worthy of the haven of eternal happiness: Who livest and reignest. ~ Collect
2) Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior. Ps. 18. 2 The heavens show forth the glory of God: and the firmament declareth the work of His hands. V. Glory be to the Fathers. Drop down dew. ~ Introit
