Solemn Mass for the External Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On August 17, 2012, Holy Family Parish witnessed yet another Solemn Mass according to the 1962 Missal. Fr. Joseph Skelton of the Diocese of Tagbilaran was the celebrant, Fr. Rodel Lopez OMI served as deacon and Fr. Michell Joe "Jojo" Zerrudo as subdeacon. The Mass was of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, observed as an external solemnity. Photos are by Albert Thian. 

First TLM since 1960's in the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, Caloocan City

On May 31, 2012, at half-past eight in the evening, the Traditional Latin Mass was said for the first time in the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Grace Park, Caloocan City since the liturgical reforms of Paul VI took effect in the late 1960's. The parish was founded in 1947 and is currently the largest church in the Diocese of Kalookan. It is currently under the care of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI).

To my knowledge this is also the first non-private TLM to be offered in the Diocese of Kalookan since it was erected in 2003, and therefore the last diocese in the entire Ecclesiastical Province of Manila to witness the public revival of this Mass after Summorum Pontificum. (It is interesting to note that probably the last parish in the entire Archdiocese of Manila to cease the open celebration of the TLM in the aftermath of the liturgical revolution was located within the territory of what is now the Diocese of Kalookan. I am referring to the Parish of San Pancracio, located within La Loma Cemetery; the late Msgr. Melencio De Vera continued to celebrate the TLM even after 1969, reportedly doing so in the San Pancracio parish church until the early 1980's.)

The Mass was a Solemn Mass offered by Fr. Rodel F. Lopez OMI, with Fr. Michell Joe Zerrudo (Chaplain of SEDSI) as deacon and Mr. Dennis Raymond Maturan (Founder and Chairman of SEDSI and an instituted acolyte) as "straw subdeacon", in accordance with the positive responsum given on June 7, 1993 by the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei to the question of whether instituted acolytes may serve as straw subdeacons in Solemn Masses celebrated according to the 1962 Missal.

Adding solemnity to the Mass was the presence of Knights of Columbus in full regalia, led by Fr. Lopez's brother, Mr. Rommel Lopez.

The Mass was organized as a farewell of sorts for Fr. Lopez, who is leaving for the missions in Mindanao (in the southern Philippines) in early June. Ordained in 2008, he offered the Traditional Latin Mass in the last few years as far as his busy schedule in the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace allowed; however, he was not able to offer this Mass in the Shrine itself until this historic day. 

Another Solemn Mass will be offered in Holy Family Parish on June 3, 2012, Feast of the Most Holy Trinity. 

H/t to Dennis Raymond Maturan for the picture.

Solemn Mass in the Presence of Bishop Vergara

In the morning of the first of May, 2012, Fr. Mark Emman H. Sese offered Solemn Mass at the main altar of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral of the Diocese of Pasig, which is located in Pasig City, Philippines. Fr. Elijah M. Pantorilla OFMConv. served as deacon while Fr. Michell Joe "Jojo" Zerrudo of Holy Family Parish of the Diocese of Cubao served as subdeacon. Present at the Mass was the Bishop of the Diocese of Pasig, Msgr. Mylo Hubert Claudio Vergara DD, who also gave the homily. The occasion was the 2nd anniversary of Fr. Sese's sacerdotal ordination, which took place on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker (May 1) in 2010. 

Solemn Mass in the Presence of a Bishop in Pasig Cathedral - May 1, 2012

Holy Week 2012 in Holy Family Parish -- III and IV. Good Friday and Holy Saturday

Good Friday:

Holy Saturday:

Thanks to Gerald Cenir for the photos

The visit of Canon Moreau to the Philippines

The blog Veritatem Facientes in Caritate has posted a comprehensive report on the visit of Canon Moreau to the Philippines last month:


Canon Moreau's first visit to the Philippines (Feb. 6 - 12, 2012)

Below is the full video of the Solemn High Mass that Canon Moreau celebrated in Holy Family Parish of the Diocese of Cubao -- the current home of the Societas Ecclesia Dei Sancti Joseph - Una Voce Philippinensis -- on February 12, 2012. With the permission of the ecclesiastical authorities, this parish celebrates its annual patronal feast on the Second Sunday of February. As such the Mass was a Votive Mass of the Holy Family (1st Class) despite that Sunday being Sexagesima Sunday in the calendar of the 1962 Missal. The Mass was served by the corps of servers of the Societas and the chants were sung by the Choro Sancti Joseph.  


Many thanks to Rorate Caeli for noting the visit of the Canon, and to New Liturgical Movement for posting this Mass:

The following are pictures of the Solemn Mass:

Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception 2011

On December 8, 2011 at 3:30 P.M., the Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy (PLDM) witnessed its sixth Solemn Mass according to the 1962 Missal since Summorum Pontificum came into effect. (An enumeration of previous Solemn Masses can be found here.)

More photographs can be found here: December 8, 2011 Solemn Mass

Photo: Inmaculada Concepcion. Part of Fr. Jojo Zerrudo's collection. This statue was enthroned at the side of the sanctuary for the PLDM Solemn Mass on December 8, 2011, as can be seen from the photo gallery. The photo is from Fr. Zerrudo's Facebook account.

Solemn Mass for the Feast of Christ the King 2011

Photographs courtesy of Dennis Raymond Maturan.