September 16, 2003
Today...
September 16, 1498: Tomas de Torquemada, the first Spanish Inquisitor General, dies.
Let us pray for the canonization of this holy and oft-slandered friar.
News item courtesy of Gerard Sarafin.
September 14, 2003
Mass Today
Normally we cross the bay to go to mass at The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi in North Beach, San Francisco. They have an amazing schola cantorum, fantastic friars, good preaching, etc. The liturgy is reverent and beautiful, with a good amount of Latin. I would prefer more, but it is enough to meet the US RDA of Latin.
However, today was a big bicycle race that makes driving in the area a mess, so we went to St. Margaret Mary's in Oakland, which is about 8 blocks away and offers the Indult mass as well as a good Latin Novus Ordo (as well as good priests, a decent but amateur schola, and fairly vibrant parish life). We went to the 10:30 Latin Novus Ordo, and were pleasantly surprised to see our new bishop, Allen Vigneron outside in his miter and accompanied by the Knights of Columbus honor guard.
It was a beautiful mass, and the preaching was outstanding. We have a great bishop in Vigneron. Each and every Catholic in the diocese of Oakland should write the Holy Father a letter to thank him for this bishop. Wow!