| YOUNG LADIES’ SODALITY
The Young Ladies' Sodality will meet again on Friday, January 19, at 4pm in the school building. Girls ages 6 and older are welcome.
CONSECRATION OF THE WINE
(Taken from Notes Made at the Conferences of Dom Prosper Guéranger).
The Chalice being uncovered, the Priest pronounces these words: Simili modo post coenatum est and then taking the Chalice into his hands, he continues: accipiens hunc praeclarum calicem in sanctas et venerabiles manus suas. Notice this expression, praeclarum calicem. How Holy Church extols this Chalice which held the Blood of the Lord, and which she is now placing in the hands of her Priest! In the Psalm, we have the Prophet telling us: Et calix meus inebrians quam praeclarus est! (Ps. xxii. 5). Yea, truly, my chalice is inebriating! how august is it! how glorious, how magnificent! Mother Church finds this phrase so well suited to the Sacred Cup which is used to hold the Blood of Jesus Christ, that she now pours out her own sentiments in these very word.
The Priest continues: item tibi gratias agens. The Priest spoke previously of this giving of thanks, when, at the consecration of the Host, he said that Our Lord, raising His eyes, gave thanks. Then, taking the Chalice in his left hand, and blessing it with his right, he says: benedixit, deditque discipulis suis, dicens: Accipite et bibite ex eo omnes. The Priest thou pronounces the words of Consecration over the wine, whilst he holds the chalice somewhat raised. These are the Sacred Words: HIC EST ENIM CALIX SANGUINIS MEI, NOVI ET AETERNI TESTAMENTI MYSTERIUM FIDEI QUI PRO VOBIS ET PRO MULTIS EFFUNDETUR IN REMISSIONEM PECCATORUM.
Notice that the word enim comes in here just as it was at the Consecration of the Bread, to connect what precedes with what is to follow. The Words used for the Consecration of the wine resemble those of the Gospel with some slight differences. We have received them by the tradition of the Church of Rome, founded by St. Peter, who had himself heard Our Lord speak. Novi et aeterni testamenti. So then this very Chalice of ours holds the Blood of the Lord, the Blood of the New Testament, called also here, eternal, to distinguish it from the Old Covenant which was to last only till the coming of Our Lord. Mysterium fidei. Mystery, that means the Mystery which specially and above all others, proves our faith; for, according to the word of St. Peter, our faith must needs be proved. And so truly is It the mystery of faith, that St. Paul, writing to Timothy, tells him, on the subject of the Eucharist, that Deacons should be pure and holy, guarding the Mystery of faith in a clean conscience: Habentes mysterium fidei in conscientia pura. It is well known that the Holy Eucharist was given to the special custody of
the Deacons, who could even administer It to the Faithful, in the absence of a Priest. Finally, let us notice there other words: pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. This Blood shall be shed for many, unto the remission of sins. Our Faith is that it was shed for all, and not merely for a large number, but all would not profit of It for the remission of their sins.
Such are the words of Consecration of the Wine, the effect of which is so tremendous. They constitute together with the Words of Consecration of the Bread, the Sacrificial Act itself. Our Lord is the Victim, the Victim immolated on our Altar; not merely in the sense that the Holy Mass, by the mystic separation of the Body and Blood, represents and recalls to us the bloody sacrifice of Calvary; but furthermore, because of the very state and proper destination of the Body and Blood of Our Lord, under the Eucharistic Species. Never was victim in any sacrifice, more truly slain and immolated, than is this Divine Victim of ours, as soon as the Consecration is achieved, when He who is the Splendour of God the Father, has now no other end and destination for this His Divine Glory, Beauty, and very Life, than to enter into us, there to be
wholly lost and consumed. So then, the Sacrifice is verily and indeed accomplished. God has looked upon It, and we can truly say to Him: Behold what was done on Calvary, and were it not for the immortality of Thy Son, the resemblance would be complete. For the accomplishing of this Sacrifice, the Priest lends his ministry to Our Lord who has bound Himself to come down to be thus immolated each time any mortal man invested with the Sacerdotal dignity, holding in his hands bread and wine shall pronounce over them certain words. But who is it that here offers the Sacrifice? Is it the Priest, or is it Jesus Christ? It is Our Lord Himself, in the person of the Priest, who is but one with Him; there is but this single restriction, i.e., that he would not come down on the Altar, if the Priest did not give his concurrence. The Sacrifice, then, is but one, whether it be offered on Calvary or on the Altar.
At the words of Consecration, the Priest, while placing the Chalice on the Corporal, adds the following: Haec quotiescumque feceritis, in mei memoriam facietis. When Our Lord said this to to his Apostles, He, thereby, gave to them, and in their persons, to all Priests, power to do what He had just done, that is to say, to immolate Him. So that, consequently, it is not man who speaks at this solemn moment of the Consecration, it is rather Christ Himself who makes use of man for the purpose.
2017 CONTRIBUTION REPORTS
The yearly statements reporting donations to the parish are available at the back of church. Please pick yours up. Thanks to everyone for a great year!
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