Updated schedule of Masses in Latin

On this page, one can find an updated schedule of Holy Masses in Latin (both forms of the Roman Rite) that are regularly held in the Archdiocese of Malta.

The Holy Mass is the central act of Catholic worship. As such, the liturgical actions, gestures, and prayers must reflect the true Catholic Faith. In all its details, Holy Mass reflects what Catholics believe, and vice versa: What Catholics believe is reflected in the Holy Mass. 

A common Catholic adage is that the law of prayer is the law of belief: Lex orandi, lex credendi.

Two Maltese Bishops celebrated Tridentine Mass - will Archbishop Scicluna emulate them?

Out of the more than 360 Cardinals and Bishops who have said the Tridentine Mass since Summorum Pontificum (between 2007 and 2014) there were, at least, 2 Maltese Bishops. The late Bishop Joe Grech in Australia and Bishop Francis George Adeodatus Micallef, O.C.D., Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Kuwait, in Malta. The late Mgr Annetto Depasquale assisted at a Tridentine Mass in Malta too.

Will the new Archbishop of Malta, Charles J. Scicluna be the third one?

A list of Cardinals and Bishops who have officiated or attended liturgies in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, after the entry into force of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, follows (some of them might have changed their Sees since celebrating or assisting at Tridentine Masses):

ARGENTINA: Baseotto  (Emeritus Military of Argentina), Fenoy (San Miguel), Laise (Emeritus of San Luis) and Sánchez Sorondo (Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences).

AUSTRALIA: Cardinal Pell (Archbishop of Sydney), Archbishops Coleridge (Brisbane), Hart (Melbourne), Hickey (Perth), Wilson (Adelaide), Bishops Elliot (Auxiliary of Melbourne), Grech (Sandhurst, +2010), Jarrett (Lismore), Long (Auxiliary of Melbourne), Mathys (Armidale), Porteus (Auxiliary of Sydney), Prowse (Sale) and Tomlinson (Sandhurst).

AUSTRIA: Cardinal Stickler (Archivist Emeritus of the Vatican, +2007). Bishop Laun (Auxiliary of Salzburg).

BELGIUM: Archbishop Leonard (Brussels and Primate of Belgium), Bishop Harpigny (Tournai).

BENIN: Bishop N'Koue (Nattingou).


BRAZIL: Archbishops Pena (Niterói, Emeritus in 2011), Rezende Dias (Niterói), Taveira Correa (Belem do Pará), Tempesta (Rio de Janeiro, created cardinal in 2014), Bishops Areas Rifan (Apostolic Administration of St. John Vianney), Bergamin (Nova Iguaçu), Canindé Palhano (Senhor do Bomfim), Costa Souza (Auxiliary of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro), Da Silva (Auxiliary Emeritus of Fortaleza), Da Silva Brito (Auxiliary of Rio de Janeiro) Forge Peace (Campos dos Goytacazes), Homem De Castro (Auxiliary of Rio de Janeiro), Fontes de Matos (Palmira dos Indios ), Guimarâes Gomez (Emeritus of Campos dos Goytacazes), Gouvêa Matosso (Nova Friburgo), Marchiori (Apucarana), Monteiro Guimarães (Garanhuns), Lopes de Faria (Emeritus of Diamantina, +2009), Paixao (Auxiliary of Salvador-Bahía), Pestana Filho (Emeritus of Annapolis, +2011), Romer (Auxiliary Emeritus of Rio de Janeiro), Silva Matthes (Emeritus of Franca), Sivieri (Propriá-Sergipe), Soares da Costa (Auxiliary of Aracaju), Stringhini (Franca) and Ubiratan Lopez (Itaguaí).

CANADA: Cardinals Collins (Archbishop of Toronto) and Lacroix (Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada), Archbishops Roussin (Vancouver, Emeritus in 2009), Miller (Vancouver), Prendergast (Ottawa), Bishops Blais (Auxiliary of Quebec), Daniels (Grand Falls), Fabbro (London, Ontario), La Rocque (Emeritus of Alexandria-Cornwall, Ontario) and  Lemay (Auxiliary of Quebec).

CHILE: Cardinal Medina Estévez (Prefect Emeritus of Worship), Archbishop Piñera Carvallo (Emeritus of La Serena), Bishops Duarte Garcia de Cortazar (Valparaíso), Gleisner Wobbe (Auxiliary of La Serena), and González Errazuriz (San Bernardo).

CHINA: Cardinals Tong Hon (Hong Kong) and Zen (Emeritus of Hong Kong).

COLOMBIA: Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos (President Emeritus of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei), Bishops Hurtado López (Girardot) and Ramírez Gómez (Emeritus of Garzón, President of the Ecclesiastical Court).

CROATIA: Bishop Pozaic (Auxiliary of Zagreb).

CZECH REPUBLIC: Bishop Baxant (Litomerice).

DENMARK: Bishop Kozon (Copenhagen).

ECUADOR : Bishop Pine Castle (Auxiliary of Portoviejo).

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Bishop Nsué Edjang (Ebebiyin).

FRANCE: Cardinals Barbarin (Lyon), Ricard (Bordeaux) and Vingt-Trois (Paris and President of the French Episcopal Conference), Archbishops Aubertin (Tours), Bacque (Nuncio in The Netherlands), Carré (Montpellier), Cattenoz (Avignon), D'Ornellas (Rennes), Le Gall (Toulouse), Madec (Emeritus of Toulon), Maillard (Bourges), Thomazeau (Montpellier), Wintzer (Poitiers), Bishops Aillet (Bayonne), Aumonier (Versailles), Bagnard (Belley-Ars), Batut (Auxiliary of Lyon), Beau (Auxiliary of Paris), Benoît Gonnin (Beavois, Noyon and Senlis), Boivineau (Annecy), Bonfils (Emeritus and Apostolic Administrator of Nice and Ajaccio), Brouwet (Tarbes-Lourdes), Castet (Luçon), Centene (Vannes), De Dinechin (Auxiliary of Paris), De Germay (Ajaccio), De Kerimel (Grenoble), Delmas (Angers), Dubost (Evry), Dufour (Limoges), Fikart (Auxiliary Emeritus of Paris), Fort (Orleans), Gaschignard (Aire and Dax), Ginoux (Montauban), Fréchard (Emeritus of Auch), Gaidon (Emeritus of Cahors, +2011) Guillaume (Emeritus of Saint-Dié), Herbreteau (Agen), Kalist (Limoges), Kratz (Auxiliary of Strasbourg), Le Bègue Germiny (Blois), Lebrun (Saint-Etienne), Mathieu (Saint-Dié), Nahmias (Meaux), Pansard (Chartres), King (Frejus-Toulon), Riocreux (Pontoise), Scherrer (Laval) and Séguy (Emeritus of Autun).

GABON: Archbishop Mvé Engone (Libreville) and Bishop Madega Lebouankenham (Mouila).

GERMANY: Cardinal Brandmüller (President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Historical Sciences),  Bishops Ackermann  (Trier), Dick (Auxiliary Emeritus of Cologne), Hanke (Eichsttät), König (Auxiliary of Paderborn), Mixa (Augsburg),  Ostermann (Auxiliary Emeritus of Münster), Overbeck (Essen), Zdarsa (Augsburg) and Ziegelbauer (Auxiliary of Augsburg).

HAITI: Archbishop Gayot (Emeritus of Cap-Haitien, +2010).

HUNGARY: Bishops Farhat (Nuncio in Austria) and Lajos Varga (Auxiliary of Vác).

ITALY: Cardinals Antonelli (Florence), Bagnasco (Genoa), Bartolucci (Choirmaster Emeritus of the Sistine Chapel +2013), Caffarra (Bologna), De Paolis (Prefect of Economic Affairs), Piovanelli (Emeritus of Florence), Poggi (Librarian Emeritus of the Holy See, +2010), Scola (Venice), Archbishops Accerbi (Prelate of the Order of Malta), Appignanesi (Emeritus of Potenza), Bassetti (Perugia, created cardinal in 2014), Berloco (Apostolic Nuncio in Belgium), Betori (Florence), Boccardo (Spoleto-Norcia), Brugnaro (Camerino-San Severino), Crepaldi (Trieste), De Magistris (Major Penitentiary Emeritus), Fisichella (President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization ), Molinari (L'Aquila), Negri (Ferrara), Pozzo (Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei), Bishops Ambrose (Piacenza), Cancian (Città di Castello), Cerrato (Ivrea), Giovanetti (Fiesole, retired in 2010), Giusti (Livorno), Lambiasi (Rimini), Miglio (Ivrea), Mistrorigo (Emeritus of Treviso), Oliveri (Albenga-Imperia), Rabitti (Ferrara), Raspanti (Acireale), Ravignani (Emeritus of Trieste), Reali (Porto-Santa Rufina), Scanavino (Orvieto), Sciacca (Secretary to the Government of the Vatican State), Sigismondi (Foligno), Tardelli (San Miniato), Zenti (Verona) and Zuppi (Auxiliary of Rome).

IRELAND: Archbishop Martin (Dublin), Bishops Magee (Cobh) and Moriarty (Emeritus of Kildare and Leighlin).

KAZAKHSTAN: Bishop Schneider (Auxiliary of Astana).

LIECHTENSTEIN: Archbishop Haas (Vaduz).

LITHUANIA: Bishop Bartulis (Siauliai).

MALTA: Bishops Micallef, O.C.D. (Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Kuwait) and Depasquale (Auxiliary of Malta, +2011).

MEXICO: Cardinal Sandoval Iñiguez (Emeritus of Guadalajara), Archbishop Suárez Inda (Morelia), Bishops González González (Auxiliary of Guadalajara) and Gutiérrez Valencia (Auxiliary of Guadalajara).

MONACO: Archbishop Barsi (Monaco).

NIGERIA: Cardinal Arinze (Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship), Bishops Ochiagha (Emeritus of Orlu) and Tochukwu Ukwuoma (Orlu).

NEW ZEALAND: Bishop Basil Meeking (Emeritus of Christchurch).

NETHERLANDS: Bishops Punt (Haarlem-Amsterdam), and Van Burgsteden (Emeritus of Haarlem-Amsterdam).

PARAGUAY: Bishop Livieres (Ciudad del Este).

PHILIPPINES: Archbishops Argüelles (Lipa), Lagdameo (Jaro), Palma (Cebu), Bishops Escaler (Emeritus of Ipil), De Gregorio (Administrator of the Prelature of Batanes), Hobayan (Emeritus of Cazarman), Tobias (Novaliches) and Vergara (Pasig).

POLAND: Cardinals Dziwisz (Krakow), Nycz (Warsaw), Archbishops Golebiewski (Wroclaw), Zycinski (Lublin, + 2011), Bishops Balcerek (Auxiliary of Poznań), Cieslik (Auxiliary of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg), Czaja (Opole), Depo (Zamosc-Lubaczow), Dziuba (Lowicz) Gorny (Rzeszów), Malysiak (Auxiliary Emeritus of Krakow), Mizinski (Auxiliary of Lublin), Pieronek (Auxiliary Emeritus of Sosnowieck), Rys (Auxiliary of Krakow), Stobrawa (Auxiliary of Opole), Szkodon (Auxiliary of Krakow) and Watroba (Rzeszów).

PORTUGAL: Bishop Faria (Emeritus of Funchal).

PUERTO RICO: Bishops Corrada del Rio (Mayagüez) and Torres Oliveira (Emeritus of Ponce, +2012).

RUSSIA: Archbishop Pezzi (Diocese of Mary Mother of God).

SINGAPORE: Archbishop Goh Seng Chye (Singapore).

SLOVAKIA: Archbishop Bezák (Trnava).

SLOVENIA: Cardinal Rode (Prefect for Consecrated Life).

SPAIN: Cardinals Cañizares Llovera (Prefect for Divine Worship), Martínez Sistach (Barcelona), Herranz Casado (President Emeritus of the Council for Legislative Texts), Navarrete Cortés (Rector Emeritus of the Pontifical Gregorian University, +2010), Archbishops Rodríguez Plaza (Toledo and Primate of Spain), Ureña Pastor (Zaragoza), Bishops Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru (Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts), Cases Andreu (Canarias), Fernández González (Córdoba), Iceta Gavicagogeascoa (Bilbao), Martínez Camino (Auxiliary of Madrid and Secretary the Spanish Episcopal Conference) and Yanguas Sanz (Cuenca).

SRI LANKA: Cardinal Ranjith (Colombo).

SWITZERLAND: Bishops Farine (Auxiliary of Lausanne), Genoud (Lausanne and Fribourg, +2010), Huonder (Chur) and Perisset (Nuncio in Germany).

UK: Cardinal O'Brien (Edinburgh and Primate of Scotland, retired in 2013), Archbishops Conti (Glasgow), Longley (Birmingham), McDonald (Emeritus of Southwark), Stack (Cardiff), Bishops Arnold (Auxiliary of Westminster), Brain (Salford), Brainey (Middlesbrough), Campbell (Lancaster), Cunnigham (Hexham and Newcastle), Davies (Shrewsbury), Doyle (Northampton), Drainey (Middlesbrough), Egan (Portsmouth), Gilbert (Aberdeen), Hopes (Auxiliary of Westminster), Kenney (Auxiliary of Birmingham), McGough (Auxiliary of Birmingham), McMahon (Nottingham), Moran (Aberdeen), Pargeter (Auxiliary Emeritus of Birmingham), Sherrington (Auxiliary of Westminster) and Williams (Auxiliary of Liverpool).

UNITED STATES: Cardinals Baum (Major Penitentiary Emeritus), Burke (Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura), DiNardo (Galveston-Houston), Egan (Emeritus of New York), Foley (Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, + 2011), George (Chicago, +2015), Levada (Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), O'Malley (Boston), Wuerl (Washington), Archbishops Apuron (Agana), Aquila (Denver), Brown (Nuncio in Ireland), Brunett (Seattle), Carlson (Saint Louis), Coakley (Oklahoma), Di Noia (Vice President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei), Hugues (Emeritus of New Orleans), Kurtz (Louisville), Lucas (Omaha), Myers (Newark), Nienstedt (Saint Paul and Minneapolis), Pilarczyk (Emeritus of Cicinnati), Sartain (Seattle), Vigneron (Detroit), Wenski (Miami), Bishops Backer (Birmingham), Bambera (Scranton), Barber (Oakland), Barres (Allentown), Bevard (Saint Thomas), Blair (Toledo, Ohio), Boyea (Lansing), Bruskewitz (Lincoln), Burbidge (Raleigh), Caggiano (Bridgeport), Callahan (LaCrosse), Conley (Auxiliary of Denver), Conlon (Jolliet) Cordileone (Oakland), Cotta (Auxiliary of Sacramento), Cummins (Emeritus of Oakland), D'Arcy (Fort Wayne-South Bend), Dewane (Venice), Di Lorenzo (Richmond), DiMarzio (Brooklynn), Doran (Rockford), Elizondo (Auxiliary of Seattle), Etienne (Cheyenne), Farrell (Dallas), Finn (Kansas City), Foley (Emeritus of Birmingham), Foys (Covington), Gainer (Lexington), García (Monterey), Gelineau (Emeritus of Providence), Hanchon (Auxiliary of Detroit), Hermann (Auxiliary of Saint Louis), Hying (Auxiliary of Milwaukee), Hurley (Grand Rapids), Jugis (Charlotte), Keleher (Emeritus of Kansas City), Kicanas (Tucson), Libasci (Manchester), Loverde (Arlington), Madera Uribe (Emeritus of Fresno), Matano (Burlington), McFadden (Harrisburg, +2013), McManus (Worcester), Morlino (Madison), Mulvee (Emeritus of Providence), Murphy (Rockville Centre), Nevares (Auxiliary of Phoenix), O'Connell (Trenton), Olmsted (Phoenix), Paprocki (Springfield, Illinois), Parkes (Pensacola-Tallahassee), Perry (Auxiliary of Chicago), Provost (Lake Charles), Reiss (Auxiliary of Detroit), Rhoades (Harrisburg), Rice (Auxiliary of Saint Louis), Ricken (Green Bay), Sample (Marquette), Serratelli (Paterson), Silva (Honolulu), Slattery (Tulsa), Timlin (Emeritus of Scranton), Tobin (Providence), Waltersheid (Auxiliary of Pittsburgh), and Van Johnston (Springfield, Missouri).

Call to prayer for a Maltese family

What would be my fate, had I not been redeemed by this Divine Blood?

Prayers, especially the Rosary and prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Rita of Cascia - and if possible Holy Mass intentions - are kindly solicited for a family in Malta who are in the process of separating. They are very traditional Catholic, and the situation is breaking them down, even their physical health is suffering. Pray that a miracle is granted, that they stay united, together and that they do not succumb to pressure from other persons.

For those of you who are on Facebook, an event for the rest of the Lenten Season, Holy Week and the month of April was created.

Grateful if you join and spread the news.

 Precious Blood of Jesus, heal me!
Precious Blood of Jesus, cleanse me!
Precious Blood of Jesus, free me!
Precious Blood of Jesus, wash my thoughts!
Precious Blood of Jesus, purify this situation I am living!
Blood of Jesus, Blood of Jesus, Blood of Jesus!
Jesus, have mercy on me!
Alleluia!

EXCLUSIVE: Scicluna's nomination following consultation with Benedict XVI

This Blog can reveal that the new Archbishop was not the first name on the list submitted to Pope Francis. However, in an exceptional way, and probably because the current Pontiff knows the great work done by Scicluna, in particular on the child abuse cases, His Holiness consulted with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. 

This meeting took place in the first week of February. It appears that Benedict XVI highlighted the exceptional qualities of Scicluna and this seems to have tipped the balance in favour of Bishop Scicluna. This Blog had mentioned two other names some time ago: Msgr Joseph Spiteri and Fr Fabio Attard. One of these names was also in the list submitted to Francis. In all the euphoria surrounding Scicluna's nomination, this Blog feels that it is useful for its readers to know how the process is conducted in all the stages.

How a Bishop is chosen to head a Diocese:

The ultimate decision in appointing bishops rests with the pope, and he is free to select anyone he chooses. But how does he know whom to select?

The process for selecting candidates for the episcopacy normally begins at the diocesan level and works its way through a series of consultations until it reaches Rome. It is a process bound by strict confidentiality and involves a number of important players – the most influential being the apostolic nuncio, the Congregation for Bishops, and the pope.

Stage 1: Bishops' Recommendations

Every bishop may submit to the archbishop the names of priests he thinks would make good bishops.

 

Stage 2: The Apostolic Nuncio

By overseeing the final list of names forwarded to Rome, the apostolic nuncio plays a decisive role in the selection process. He not only gathers facts and information about potential candidates, but also interprets that information for the Congregation. Great weight is given to the nuncio's recommendations, but it is important to remember that his role, however, does not mean that his recommendations are always followed.

At this point, the nuncio narrows his list and a questionnaire is sent to 20 or 30 people who know each of the candidates for their input. All material is collected and reviewed by the nuncio, and a report is prepared. Three candidates are listed alphabetically – the terna – with the nuncio's preference noted. All materials are then forwarded to the Congregation for Bishops in Rome.

Stage 3: Congregation for Bishops

Once all the documentation from the nuncio is complete and in order, the process moves forward. If the appointment involves a bishop who is being promoted or transferred, the matter may be handled by the prefect and the staff. If, however, the appointment is of a priest to the episcopacy, the full congregation is ordinarily involved.

A cardinal relator is chosen to summarize the documentation and make a report to the full congregation, which generally meets twice a month on Thursdays. After hearing the cardinal relator's report, the congregation discusses the appointment and then votes. The Congregation may follow the recommendation of the nuncio, chose another of the candidates on the terna, or even ask that another terna be prepared.

Then Cardinal Ratzinger with Mgr. Scicluna

Stage 4: The Pope Decides

At a private audience with the pope, usually on a Saturday, the prefect of the Congregation for Bishops presents the recommendations of the Congregation to the Holy Father. A few days later, the pope informs the Congregation of his decision. The Congregation then notifies the nuncio, who in turn contacts the candidate and asks if he will accept. If the answer is "yes," the Vatican is notified and a date is set for the announcement.

BREAKING NEWS: Malta's new Archbishop - Pro Tridentina (Malta) proven right?

Some weeks ago, this Blog had indicated who the contenders for the post of Archbishop of Malta were, in this article. 

In today's Times of Malta, Archbishop Joseph Spiteri is mentioned as the likely candidate. This confirms what we had stated, namely that the Archbishop could be:

a bishop held in high esteem, both locally and in Rome (we cannot indicate if he currently resides in Malta or not);

What this Blog can reveal is that the Vatican has already discarded the frontrunner. Those familiar with us know who that person is.

The official announcement can be expected sooner rather than later.

We reiterate, once again, that whoever will be selected as Malta's new Archbishop, he can count on Pro Tridentina (Malta)'s support and assistance to fully implement Summorum Pontificum in this island. Thus, traditional Catholics in Malta will be fully involved in the diocese they love so much.

Remembering St. Pius V's Quo Primum

Philip Agius, Pro Tridentina (Malta) member, next to St. Pius V monument in Valletta.

Quo Primum is a papal bull decreed by Pope St. Pius V on 14 July, 1570, which set in stone for all time the exactness of the holy sacrifice of the Mass to be said in the mother tongue of the Church, i.e. Latin.

A papal bull is a solemn instrument that popes use for various questions such as doctrinal decisions, canonizations, disciplinary questions, jubilees and the like. Only occasionally have they been used for the liturgy.

Quo Primum is above all a legal document although it also contains some doctrinal elements. As such it is not intended to be definitive in the same way as a doctrinal definition would be and would not bind St. Pius V himself or future popes if they decided to further fine-tune the missal.

The saintly Pope's concern was to ensure as much unity as possible for the liturgy in a time when such unity was sorely needed. Even so, the same bull contains a clause exempting any Church which had its own ordo more than 200 years old. Many local Churches could have availed of this concession but most preferred to adopt the new missal for practical reasons. Some religious orders and some dioceses such as Lyon in France and Milan in Italy did opt to legitimately maintain their own rite.
 

A couple of years after publishing Quo Primum, St. Pius V added the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary to the missal following the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. This slight change indicates that, except in matters of faith and morals, a pope's disciplinary decrees in matters such as the non-essential elements of liturgical rites are never "set in stone" and can be changed by a subsequent Supreme Pontiff whenever he believes that the duty of feeding Christ's flock requires it.

(Adapted from EWTN Q&A)