Upcoming TLM’s: Missae Privatae

From Mark Matthews, Esquire, LLA Advisory Council

For those who want to, and for those whose schedules permit, there will be two Traditional Latin Missae Privatae (Private Masses) at St. Albert The Great Rectory Chapel, in honor of Virgin and Martyr, St. Philomena, this Friday, August 10th, A.D. 2012 at 3 P.M., and on Saturday, August 11th, A.D. 2012 at 9 A.M. Confessions and prayers of the Most Holy Rosary will begin ½ hour before each TLM. Confessions will be heard by, and both Masses will be offered by Fr. Patrick Brannan, S.J.

This was previously unscheduled and no information was available about these TLMs until late this afternoon, Tuesday, August 07, A.D. 2012.

Upon the discovery of her tomb in the catacombs of St. Priscilla, the only thing known of her was her name, FILUMENA, written on the tomb, and several symbols inscribed on the tomb-tiles, such as a lily, arrows, an anchor, a palm frond and a lance, indicating virginity and martyrdom.

Other than that, no one knew anything about her, except….when her mortal remains were transferred to the Church in Mugnano, Italy, Diocese of Nola, near Naples, many miracles happened. The blind saw, the lame walked, the very ill became cured, among many, many miracles.

St. Philomena made herself known to three different persons, each of whom had prayed to this Saint, to learn more about her, and she told to each of these three persons, her identical history. This, in an era (the early to mid-1800’s) when there were no: telephones, faxes, e-mails, cell-phones, automobiles, airplanes, et cetera, yet the history of this great Saint, is the same, as verified by each person, none of whom knew the other two persons, and all three of whom were separated by very large geographic distances.

As many of you know, St. Philomena was a thirteen-fourteen year-old girl, martyred by the Roman tyrant-emperor, Diocletian.

He, already married to someone else, wanted to marry Philomena. Pledging herself to Our Lord in Holy virginity, she refused. He had her tortured mercilessly for more than a month. He had her scourged, whipped, and beaten, but after returning to the dungeon where Diocletian expected her to die of her wounds, Our Lord sent angels who poured Heaven-sent balm over her, which instantly healed her every wound, and made her even more beautiful than she was before. Enraged by her complete healing, and her increased beauty, which he could not have, he ordered arrows shot at her, but most missed her. One hit her. She was sent to the dungeon again, and was completely healed by Our Lord. Diocletian more enraged, had his archers heat the next set of arrows to be red hot. The archers fired. Our Lord sent the arrows back at the archers, six of whom died on the spot. An outraged Diocletian, had an anchor tied to the Saint’s neck and she was thrown into the Tiber River to drown.

The two Archangels sent by Our Lord, and told to Philomena by a visit from Our Lady, cut the cord to the anchor, and these Archangels brought her to the river bank, completely dry and without even a drop of water on her. Our Lady told Philomena of the young girl’s impending martyrdom and told her to be courageous despite any and all hardship, as her reward in Heaven would be great. Finally, after she was lanced at the neck, the young martyr’s soul ascended into Heaven.

Our Lord allowed these outrages to teach us a lesson and to strengthen our Faith in Him. Simply put, Our Lord rewards purity, and verifies His pleasure as such, by working His miracles through His chosen Handmaid, St. Philomena.

As to the reason why there are two Masses in honor of St. Philomena, at St. Albert The Great, you will remember that she was beheaded on Friday, August the 10th, at 3 P.M., the very same hour of the day in which Our Lord, Judge, King and Savior died for our sins. As an act of mere chance (or is it?) August the 10th of this year, A.D. 2012, happens to fall likewise on a Friday.

I wonder…..

Since the Feast Day of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, was already on the Roman Martyrology on that date (August the 10th ) the Universal Church had St. Philomena’s Feast Day placed on the Liturgical Calendar on August 11th.

But on February 14, A.D. 1961, just prior to Vatican Council II, when the enemies were already within St. Peter’s, this Feast Day of St. Philomena and other saints was removed, along with many famous occurrences in the lives of Our Lord, Jesus the Christ, and His Immaculate Mother. (Remember, of course, that the release of the Third Secret of Fatima and the subsequent Collegial Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary were to have occurred no later than A.D. 1960.)

As one of many consequences of the refusal to obey the Heaven-requested, Fatima-deadline of A.D. 1960 in which to make the Collegial Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, is that most Catholics do not even know of St. Philomena, let alone what she can do for them and their eternal souls.

As you remember, there is already underway a novena of Novus Ordo Missae being offered at the Church of St. Philomena in Lansdowne, Delaware County, PA and which is noted on the website of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Latin Liturgy Association, www.LatinLiturgy.org/Phila/

In a world of $3.60 per gallon of regular gasoline, many people are unable to travel that rush-hour-choked distance for the daily 8 A.M. N.O. Missae, and some people prefer the Traditional Latin Mass. Father Jason Kulczynski, a friend of the TLM, is the Parochial Administrator of St. Philomena Parish, and we wish him well in his new assignment. He will be transferred from St. Philomena Parish in a few days’ time.

Regardless of circumstances, if you are in need of Our Lord’s Graces, and want an intercessor who is known as one of the three “Saints of the impossible” and who is also called “Powerful with God” (and for very good reasons) you may want to make known your needs, of whatever type, to this very powerful Saint, by attending these two TLMs at St. Albert The Great Parish, 212 Welsh Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006, (T) 215-947-3500.

Pax et bonum, or as was inscribed on St. Philomena’s tomb tiles: “Pax tecum, Filumena” or “Peace be with you, Philomena”.

Mark.

Mark Matthews
2617 Huntingdon Pike
Huntingdon Valley, PA
19006-5109

(T) 215-947-6555
(F) 215-947-4949