Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion

Dear Friends and Family,

The past two days were full of blessings. Today was so full that it began at 4:45 and I only returned from Plymouth to Lanherene about 30 minutes ago (9:30PM), so I will need to be brief. But they were a wonderful two days!

Hopefully, I will receive some photos tomorrow that I can add to this post...

Saturday afternoon I had the great joy of baptising and confirming a young mother, and then of giving her First Holy Communion this morning. It was a tremendous joy to see her join her husband as a Catholic, and the to distribute Holy Communion this morning not only to her but also to her two oldest children.

And the First Holy Communion was such a joy! Four little children kneeling on custom-made small kneelers in the sanctuary--custom-made by the Nuns and decorated by them with flowers--following attentively the Holy Mass, receiving devoutly Jesus Christ for the very first time in Holy Communion. Then, after Mass, kneeling with them in quiet thanksgiving. Then, after photos, seeing them laugh and celebrate during a very joyous Gaudete Sunday breakfast put on by the congregation. Hopefully, I will have tomorrow some photos to share. But for the moment, I had best pray compline and get some sleep.

May Jesus and Mary watch over you and guide you in this last full week of Advent.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Our Lady of Walsingham Pilgrimage

Toulouse Airport right now

Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing to you from Toulouse Airport, France, which is largely empty due to a national strike. Though my flight to London was cancelled, I was able to get on a flight to Rome and then a flight from Rome to London. So, God-willing, I will arrive in London a little before midnight tonight, and then be on my way to Walsingham in the morning.

Unless you see an update to this post tonight, I will be in Walsingham tomorrow and Sunday as the chaplain for a pilgrimage co-sponsored by the Latin Mass Society and by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. I will be confiding in a particular way to Our Lady of Walsingham's care all those entrusted to me here in England, and my own upcoming assignment.

Because I will not arrive back at Lanherne until late Sunday night, I will plan to write you about the pilgrimage either during the week or next Sunday.

May Our Lady of Walsingham intercede powerfully for all of us in Great Britain, especially for the hearts and souls of innocent children.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Assignment to Rome

Dear Friends and Family,

Please find below the text of today's sermon and announcement of my upcoming assignment. For those of you reading this in Texas, you know the challenges of when a priest receives a new assignment. Please pray for all those here in England who will be affected, including me. God's will be done!

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Srm December 1^st Announcement 2019

Sermon Notes

Lesson from the letter of St. Paul the Apostle to the Romans

Rom 13:11-14
Brethren: Understand, for it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we came to believe. The night is far advanced; the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. Let us walk becomingly as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in debauchery and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ

Continuation ✠ of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Luke 21:25-33
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations bewildered by the roaring of sea and waves; men fainting for fear and for expectation of the things that are coming on the world; for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the son of Man coming upon a cloud with great power and majesty. but when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand. And He spoke to them a parable. Behold the fig tree, and all the trees. When they now put forth their buds, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things coming to pass, know that the kingdom of God is near. Amen I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all things have been accomplished. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

“But when these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.”This is how we should react as Catholics to whatever suffering or trials God sends our way. Because it is through the Cross that Jesus Christ triumphs over sin and death and that the greatest graces are obtained. So whatever suffering you may have in your life right now, as Advent begins, or whatever suffering and trials you fear might be about to happen, “look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is at hand.” Face those trials courageously, with faith and hope in God, and trusting in the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the saints.

On this First Sunday of Advent, I need to ask for your help with an important matter. I need to confide to your care something very dear to me. At sacred ordination, every priest promises reverence and obedience to the bishop and to his successors, knowing that God will guide him through that obedience. Bishop O’Toole, as of January 9^th, is assigning me to a post that will require me being away from St. Edward’s and also from Lanherne, at least for several years. A good priest will be coming to take my place, but as he transitions into his new role, I very much wish to ask to your help in caring for a treasure dear to my heart: the work of God in each of your souls, in your families, and in you as a congregation—which is meant to be a bit like an extended family that supports each other on the journey to Heaven. 

A priest of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, Fr. Xavier Champagne, will be arriving in January to serve both Lanherne and St. Edward’s. Then, in the summer of 2020, Bishop O’Toole will be making longer-term assignments for Lanherne and St. Edward’s, to begin in September. By that time, the Bishop will have at his disposal several options: Fr. Champagne is one. Father Champagne’s institute is exclusively dedicated to the traditional Mass and Sacraments in the same way that the Fraternity of St. Peter is, but as a more recent foundation they are not yet as well known. The Institute of Christ the King will also be arriving in the Diocese at that time, with multiple priests. Then there are other options involving priests who would be dedicated full-time to the traditional Mass and Sacraments. Such assignments will not be made until next summer, but I am hopeful that separate chaplains will be assigned for both Lanherne and St. Edward’s, to better provide for you than I have been able to do.

As for my own assignment, you are all aware of the terrible crisis that the Church is going through right now, above all a crisis of faith but also of morals, with sad lapses among the clergy and much that needs to be straightened out and better governed in that area. The Bishop has therefore decided to assign me, for several years, to Rome, to try to become expert in this domain and in other domains, by obtaining doctorates in canon law and theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Though it is not the custom, and is normally not prudent, to describe the details of how such a decision was made, I think it only fair to share the main points with you.

This decision came as quite a surprise to me, at a time when I had in fact proposed to cut down on studies in order to sink down roots long-term in my assignments. Some months ago, I wrote to the Bishop, presenting the option of dropping permanently half of my studies so that I could gain those hours for ministry. Before I wrote to him, my spiritual director had asked me something which he has never before asked. He told me to be extremely attentive to any indications from the Bishop, and that if he indicated his preference by so much as a smile at one possibility or another, I should be very responsive and receive that as the will of God. (This is not at all the sort of thing my spiritual director is accustomed to say, and he said it quite earnestly). Furthermore, he indicated that if the Bishop asked me to accept to complete a doctorate in canon law, I should accept. I had actually been hoping to not study canon law further. In fact, in spite of what my spiritual director had said, when I wrote the Bishop, I didn’t say anything about further canonical studies. Instead, I only asked about continuing one of my current programs of studies, in either theology or civil law, and dropping the other. 

The Bishop wrote back, thanking me for the options but instead asking me to pursue a doctorate in… canon law (just as my spiritual director had predicted). When you are asked to accept an assignment by the bishop to whom you owe obedience in virtue of the solemn vow at your ordination, and when your spiritual director asked you to give a prompt yes if this specific assignment were asked of you, the will of God is clear: you say yes and trust that God will provide for the flock you have to leave. 

As of January 9^th, I will head to Italy for six months of Italian study, followed by several years of canon law and theology studies in Rome. To speak frankly, Rome is not a place I would have chosen to live right now. I would very much ask for your prayers, that I might carry out faithfully whatever work God will be asking of me there, not only in terms of studies but also in terms of apostolate—whether that apostolate be with seminarians, fellow priests, or others. 

But I would above all ask for your help in protecting and promoting the great treasure of the traditional Mass and Sacraments here in the heart of Plymouth/Cornwall. It has been a real privilege and blessing to serve you and to see God’s grace work in your lives, in your families. I can assure you that God will not stop offering His graces and guidance to you. One privilege of being a priest is that you have a front-row-seat to the poverty of your limited human gifts, along with many shortcomings and failings, and at the same time a front row seat to God’s action, to how generous God is in pouring out His graces through the hands of a priest, because of the grace of sacred ordination. God will continue to offer those graces through the next chaplain. But your cooperation, or lack thereof, with grace will make a great difference in what God is able to do here in Plymouth/Cornwall.

So many, many souls are in need of this Mass, which in this coming year each of you will have an even more important role of fostering. Every year on Dec. 27^th the traditional breviary gives a reading describing the end of the life of St. John the Evangelist. In this manner, the church has ever priest throughout the world—at least those who use the traditional breviary—look to the great apostle and bishop as a model for how we should guide our own flock. 

At the end of his life, St. John would tell his congregation each Sunday, “Little children, love one another.” After some time of this, his disciples asked him why he kept repeating the same message. He replied, “Because it is the commandment of the Lord. And if it alone were done, it would suffice.” When our Lord promulgated this new commandment that we love one another as He has loved us (no longer simply as we love ourselves), He asserted that it was the great sign by which “all men will know that you are my disciples.” “A house divided cannot stand” (Mt. 12:25). The more that genuine charity flourishes among you, God will use that not only to pour out many graces upon you and the congregation, but also to draw other souls to the great treasure of the Mass.

And God can do this even when everything around you is not perfect. For example, when I visited the monastery in France, as a 21-year-old discerning entry, I was with three brothers talking after lunch during the dishes. Two of them were talking in a rather rude or uncharitable fashion, but I was so impressed by the charity and patience of the other brother that I said, “If this sort of charity exists in this monastery, it is a good sign that I should enter.” May each of you strive to be that sign of charity for each other and for all who will come here seeking God.

And may God reward you for the wonderful blessing you have been in my life these past 3 ½ years. Thank you for allowing me to serve you and your families. You have been the source of so many blessings in my life and will always be in my prayers.

As we enter now into the heart of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, let us confide to Our Lady the infinite treasure of the celebration of this Holy Mass here at St. Edward’s/Lanherne, and let us confide to her that precious treasures that are each of your souls. May God’s will be done and may we be docile to His guidance.

Consider the Lilies of the Field

Dear Friends and Family,

We are now just a week away from one of the most beautiful and spiritually fruitful--if lived well--times of the year: Advent and Christmastide. As the saying goes, "A good Advent makes for a joyful Christmas." Though most Catholics have forgotten, Advent is one of the two great penitential seasons of the year, along with Lent. Traditionally, Catholics would fast throughout Advent: having each day, except for Sunday, just one full meal and two smaller meals that together did not equal a full meal, forgoing sweets, etc. If you've never tried this, I would encourage you to give it a shot. It will help your soul open to the graces that God wishes to give in these coming weeks.

Speaking of coming graces... please keep in your prayers the 5 members of the congregation at Lanherne preparing for their First Holy Communion on Gaudete Sunday. And please keep me in your prayers as I serve as chaplain for a pilgrimage to Walsingham, of the Latin Mass Society and England and Wales and of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. The pilgrimage will take place Sunday, Dec. 8th, and the intention is the protection of the innocence of children in the face of some awful educational laws coming into force in 2020 in the UK. Providentially, I will be able to thank Our Lady for the past 13 years of priesthood as that Sunday will correspond with the anniversary of my ordination.

Today I wish to share with you a blessed part of my week that is often hidden: the prayerful meditation of Scripture. This morning I was meditating on chapter 6 of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, especially the section on not being anxious about our life or clothing, nor anxious about tomorrow, but seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. They are simple words that I have heard many times, but it was a real joy to meditate on them, to spend some time in the Lord's presence realizing how foolishly I have been worried on so many occasions and contemplating His amazing love and providential care for us.

How good it is to make acts of faith and trust in our Heavenly Father! The above photo of lilies in a field is a beautiful image of how He wishes to care for us. As is the beautiful images of birds having food provided for them. Really the images are so beautiful and rich that I don't think I'll comment on them further. And then the very practical advice: "Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day."

It was great throughout the day to be more conscious, when some worry about tomorrow arose, that God was calling me to place that in His hands and not worry about it, but to instead live of the graces offered in the present moment. I have found that some time daily spent meditating on a passage from the Gospels pays rich rewards. May God grant you also to make good use of the tremendous nourishment for our souls that is the Word of God.

May Jesus and Mary watch over you and guide you.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Centralia vs. Our Lady of Fatima

Image of Our Lady of Fatima in my room.

Dear Friends and Family,

I hope this email finds you well in the midst of the beautiful month of November dedicated to praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. I had the blessing of re-reading the beautiful story of the children of Fatima over the past two weeks and was struck by the contrast between the love of the children and the "parable of Centralia, Pennsylvania." A priest-friend of mine shared with me that story as part of a sermon warning of the dangers of letting anger and unforgiveness simmer, which was the topic of today's sermon. I share below the story of Centralia, and then a few words on the children of Fatima.

T

he story began almost fifty years ago along the outskirts of Centralia, Pennsylvania, when trash was burned in the pit of an abandoned strip mine, which connected to a coal vein running near the surface. The burning trash caught the exposed vein of coal on fire. The fire was thought to be extinguished – but it apparently wasn’t – when it erupted in the pit a few days later. Again the fire was doused with water for hours and thought to be out. But it wasn’t.  The coal then began to burn underground. That was in 1962.  

For the next twenty years, workers battled the fire, flushing the mines with water and fly ash, excavated the burning material and dug trenches, backfilled, drilling again and again in an attempt to find the boundaries of the fire and plan to put the fire out or at least contain it. 

All efforts failed to do either, as government officials delayed to take any real action to save the village of Centralia. By the early 1980s the fire had affected approximately 200 acres. Homes had to be abandoned as carbon monoxide levels reached life-threatening levels.  An engineering study concluded in 1983 that the fire could burn for another century or even more, and “could conceivably spread over an area of approximately 3,700 acres.” 

As time passed, each feeble attempt to do anything to stop the fire or help the residents of Centralia would cost more and more due to the fire’s progression. Over 50 years and 40 million dollars later the fire still burns through old coal mines and veins, under the town and the surrounding hillsides, on several fronts. The fire, smoke, fumes and toxic gases that came up through the back yards, basements and streets of Centralia literally ripped the town apart. Most of the homes were condemned and residents were relocated over the years…. Today Centralia is a virtual ghost town with only a few remaining residents. 

A smoldering, underground fire that ripped the town apart…

thataga
The story of the children of Fatima, on the other hand, is such a beautiful story and one full of so much hope. Re-reading the history (in preparation for some work with children) I was struck by the spontaneity and simplicity of Lucia, Francesco and Jacinta. It's amazing how quickly, in the space of a few minutes, they could go from speaking of the seriousness of Hell, or of making sacrifices for sinners, etc. to joyful laughter and gratitude. It seems to me that God permitted their story to be carefully recorded to allow all who wish to have a refreshing taste of the simplicity and purity of children unstained by the world, since they were raised in their tiny village far removed not only from society but from the media, etc. So, if you are looking for a refreshing and uplifting read... I encourage you to consider the story of Fatima. The book I just read is this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lady-Fatima-William-Thomas-Walsh/dp/0385028695 which is quite good. But there are many others.

May Our Lady of Fatima intercede for you and watch over you.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

A Movie Worth Watching

A Beautiful Sunday in Cornwall.

Dear Friends and Family,

Today is Remembrance Sunday in England: the annual Sunday where requiem Masses are offered all throughout England and Wales to pray for the repose of the souls of all the soldiers who gave their lives in battle during the First World War.

So at Lanherne this morning, as is the custom in churches where the usus antiquior is celebrated, a "catafalque" was placed out before Mass, covered with a black funeral pall and flanked six large candles. For those not familiar, a catafalque is essentially an empty casket or something designed to look like an empty casket when covered by a pall. Before Mass, the six large candles around it are lit, providing a powerful visual aid for the congregation to pray for the souls in purgatory, and a reminder that we should live our own lives in view of the fact that we will one day find ourselves in a casket.

Though a solemn occasion, it is, in a unique way, a particularly joyful one. For by the end of the Mass surely a good number of souls will have left purgatory to enter the infinite joy of Heaven. And what greater joy is there than that?

Last Saturday, Nov. 2nd, following the three Masses offered for the Holy Souls in purgatory, I led a men's gathering during which we watched the film "Unplanned." If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it. It is the beautiful story of the conversion of Abbey Johnson, who, as the director of a Planned Parenthood for years, was complicit in taking of the lives of 22,000 children. And if someone in that position can convert, then there is hope for anyone!

A few parts (probably 5 - 7 minutes in total) are not easy to watch because two abortions are shown, sort of. Nothing graphic is directly shown, but you see an ultrasound in one scene and in another some of the results of taking RU486. But while not easy to watch, these are very real evils that thousands are dealing with each week. Speaking for myself, the film was a powerful reminder of the depth of evil taking place, of its consequences upon so many women, of the power of grace to work conversions, and of the need to pray and work more earnestly for an end to abortion.

On the whole, the move is quite uplifting, and is beautifully and professionally done. I have been told that copies can be purchased even at a local Walmart. If you have yet to watch Unplanned, I recommend it.

Finally, I had to travel to London Thursday and spent some time praying in the beautiful St. James' Church in Spanish Place, pictured below, and also spotted this cafe walk walking through downtown. It appears to have been there for some time and to have no connection to the Amazon Syond, but its title was of interest.

May Jesus and Mary watch over you and guide you this week.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

The lighting is quite dim in this photo, but the church is truly beautiful.

From confirmandi to confirmati!

Newly Confirmed Catholics and their sponsors.

Dear Friends and Family,

Two days ago, on the Solemnity of All Saints, I had the great joy of confirming four adults and of and giving First Holy Communion to three of them. They are pictured above: the three gentlemen in the middle row and the lady in black in the front row. Their sponsors, and the altar boys, are also pictured.

In our diocese, the Bishop customarily grants the priest the faculty to confirm when bringing converts into the Catholic Church, and I was also granted the faculty of confirming another parishioner along with them. For those not familiar with the traditional rite of Confirmation, it is very simple. Since there were a number of non-Catholics in the congregation, I preached briefly before the ceremony began. Then we processed in and knelt for a solemn chanting of the Veni Sancte Spiritus. Then the ceremony (given in an English translation below) followed.

It was quite humbling to have these adults kneel before me and to invoke solemnly upon them the gifts of the Holy Ghost and the sacramental character which will remain with them the rest of their lives. It has been a great joy to see the three converts, each led in a different manner to the Truth, come to firmly believe in the saving faith that Our Lord confided to His Church, and to see each of them sincerely express their willingness to sacrifice their lives for that truth. And it was also a real joy to confirm the adult who has always been a Catholic but whose courage I have been impressed with in speaking the truth in difficult circumstances. May the Lord grant all four to be courageous witnesses to the Faith!

After the rite of Confirmation, the solemn Mass began for All Saints, during which the new converts received the Bread of Angels for the very first time. What a beautiful occasion--the Feast of All Saints--to receive these graces!

By the time the Mass was finished it was 8 PM, on a cold, raining night. I was afraid that not many people, especially those with young children, would be able to stay for the reception before long drives home. I was wrong! The reception was packed and so very joyful. Lots of homemade goodies filled the table, newcomers to the Mass were there to congratulate the confirmati and to ask about the beautiful Mass of Ages, and the congregation, sponsors, and all rejoiced and celebrated. People were still having a great time when, at 9 PM, I needed to begin the drive back to Cornwall.

I drove back with a grateful, joyful heart. For those who may never have experienced a traditional Confirmation, a translation of the simple rite follows below.

May Jesus and Mary watch over each of you and your families.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

....As the candidates kneel before him with folded hands, the celebrant, remaining in the same position, folds his hands on his breast and says:

May the Holy Spirit come upon you, and may the power of the Most High keep you from sin.

All: Amen

4. Then, as he makes the sign of the cross on himself, he continues: 

Celebrant: Our help is in the name of the Lord. All: Who made heaven and earth. Celebrant: Lord, heed my prayer. All: And let my cry be heard by you. 

Celebrant: The Lord be with you. All: And with your spirit.

5. Next he holds his hands outstretched over the recipients, saying: 

Almighty everlasting God, who once gave new life to these servants of yours by water and the Holy Spirit, forgiving them all their sins; send forth on them from heaven your Holy Spirit, the Advocate, along with His sevenfold gifts. 

All: Amen

Celebrant: The Spirit of wisdom and understanding. 

All: Amen

Celebrant: The Spirit of counsel and fortitude. 

All: Amen

Celebrant: The Spirit of knowledge and piety. 

All: Amen

Celebrant: Fill them with the Spirit of holy fear, and seal them with the sign of the cross of Christ, in token of everlasting life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. 

All: Amen

6. ... When one row is finished all rise and others kneel in place, and so on till the end. The celebrant asks the name of each one as he is presented by the godfather or the godmother; and dipping the tip of his thumb in chrism he confirms in the following way: laying his right hand on the head of the recipient he marks with his thumb the sign of the cross on the person's forehead, while saying the first part of the form up to the word cross inclusive, and goes on with the rest of the form, making a threefold sign of the cross over him at the places indicated:

N., I seal you with the sign of the cross; and I confirm you with the chrism that sanctifies; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen

Then he strikes the confirmed lightly on the cheek, saying:

Peace be with you.

7. ...the priest wipes the spot carefully with cotton which is later burned.

8. After all have been confirmed the celebrant cleanses his fingers with bread and washes them over a bowl. The water together with the bread is poured into the sacrarium, and the same is done with the ashes of the burnt cotton.

9. During the washing of hands the entire congregation sings or recites the following antiphon

Confirm, O God, * the work you have begun in us from your heavenly sanctuary, the new Jerusalem. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Confirm, O God, the work you have begun in us from your heavenly sanctuary, the new Jerusalem.

10. ...

Celebrant: Lord, show us your mercy.

All: And grant us your salvation.

Celebrant: Lord, heed my prayer. 

All: And let my cry be heard by you.

Celebrant: The Lord be with you.

All: May He also be with you.

While the newly confirmed kneel, the celebrant continues singing or reciting the following prayer:

God, who gave to your apostles the Holy Spirit, ordaining that they and their successors should hand down that Gift to the rest of the faithful; look with favor on our lowly service, and grant that the same Holy Spirit may come on these persons whose brow we have anointed with holy chrism and sealed with the sign of the holy cross. May He consecrate their heart as a worthy dwelling for His glory. We ask this through you, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.

All: Amen

11. Then he adds:

See, thus shall everyone be blessed who lives in the fear of the Lord.

Turning to the newly confirmed he blesses them with the sign of the cross:

The Lord bless  you from Sion on high, that you may see the glory of Jerusalem all your days and be rewarded with everlasting life.