On Sunday 16th September the Archbishop came to confer the sacrament of Confirmation and preside at Solemn Mass. The occasion was the fifth anniversary of Summorum Pontificum and indeed of our Chaplaincy, established by Archbishop Martin on 15th September 2007. At the moment we are in the midst of extensive conservation work on the apse windows, so the sanctuary is not looking its best, as you may notice in the photographs below. The Archbishop was assisted at the throne by Fr Nevin and Fr Damian McNiece. I was the celebrant of the Mass, with Fr Richardson and Fr Michael Cahill deacon and subdeacon respectively. The altar boys had a particularly challenging ceremony to get through, but under the careful guidance of our two MCs, Ciarán Egan and Seán Moriarty, all went very smoothly. The Lassus Scholars were just back from their summer recess, and sang Victoria’s Missa Quarti Toni. I am very grateful to the Archbishop for taking the time to be with us, and for his encouraging words, which you can read
here.
The arrival of the Archbishop: “Ecce sacerdos magnus!” The crosier is that of Paul Cardinal Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin 1852–1878.
The Archbishop invokes the sevenfold Spirit: “Emitte in eos septiformem Spiritum tuum Paraclitum de caelis…”
The moment of Confirmation: “Signo te signo Crucis, et confirmo te Chrismate salutis, in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.”
The Mass begins; the Archbishop says the prayers at the foot of the altar:
The Gospel is sung:
The Archbishop kneels before the altar for the Consecration:
After the Pontifical blessing the plenary indulgence is announced:
The last Gospel:
Preparing to process out:
The Archbishop blesses the congregation as he departs:
All photographs by John Briody; for more, see here.