Pilgrimage to Rome 2017 (3) - After Mass in the Minerva

The Sacristy of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

The Chapel of Saint Catherine is located behind the Sacristy of the Basilica. The Sacristy itself is an amazing and historic space. It has housed at least two Papal Conclaves, those of 1431 and 1447, to elect Popes Eugene IV and Nicholas V respectively. It can be found behind a gate just to the left of the Gospel-side Transept of the Basilica but, as ever, our intrepid pilgrimages organizer obtained for us access to some of those places in Rome where very few and only seldom go. The decoration of the Sacristy is by Andrea Sacchi in 1600, including the Crucifixion in the niche at the far end of the Sacristy (behind which is the Chapel of Saint Catherine). The ceiling scene of St. Dominic in glory is attributed to Giuseppe Puglia. The fresco of the Roman painter G. B. Speranza is placed on the front door, dating from 1640, and represents two conclaves which took place here. The Barberini bees - a motif that will recur throughout our pilgrimage - appear in several places in the Sacristy. In this case, they are the emblem of Cardinal Antonio Barberini, Archbishop of Reims, known as Antonio the Younger, one of the Cardinals Nephew of Pope Urban VIII. The Barberini family was a great benefactor of the Dominican Order and funded the decoration of the sacristy. The vestment benches and presses are also 17th cent. and are of walnut.

Inside the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

The Basilica is too filled with historic and artistic gems to cover all but those that our group concentrated upon were the tomb of Saint Catherine of Siena under the High Altar (seen below with the tomb of Pope Clement VII Medici behind. Opposite it out of shot the tomb of Pope Leo X Medici, both Florentines with strong connections to the Dominican Order), next to it, the Capranica Family Chapel of the Holy Rosary, where we had Mass on a previous Pilgrimage, the Caraffa Family Chapel with the tomb of Pope Paul IV at the end of the Epistle-side Transept (opposite the Chapel of St. Dominic at the end of the Gospel-side Transept, built for Pope Benedict XIII, the Dominican Pope, and containing his tomb), and finally, just next to the Caraffa Chapel, the tomb of the redoubtable Durandus.

Outside the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

In the Piazza outside the Basilica is Bernini's famous Obelisk supported by an Elephant, erected here by Pope Alexander VII Chigi, the first member of the Sodality of Our Lady (of a total of 20) to be elected Pope and of whom we shall hear much throughout the pilgrimage. Opposite the Basilica is the Palace of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, or the Academy of Noble Ecclesiastics, the finishing school for Vatican diplomats.

Just around the corner is the discreet - but fascinating - shopfront of Ditta Annibale Gammarelli, Ecclesiastical tailors since 1798, who provided the vestments for our pilgrimage.

Just a few steps up the street is the Pontifical French Seminary and the Seminary Church of Santa Chiara. Across the tiny Piazza di Santa Chiara is the Palazzo di Santa Chiara. This was once a house of Dominican Tertiaries and the actual site of the death of Saint Catherine of Siena. As already mentioned, the room itself where she died was moved into place behind the Sacristy of the Minerva, and the space left by that removal has been replaced by an amazing little chapel of 'Santa Catarina in Transito' which remains open to the public despite the Palazzo now being a public theatre - where some of the pilgrims also attended a selection of operatic pieces one evening of the trip.

Pilgrimage to Rome 2017 (2) - Opening Mass in the Minerva

Meeting in the Vatican
Our pilgrimage to Rome works on several levels.  It is a visit to the tombs of the Apostles and the other Saints of Rome.  It is an occasion to spend time together in prayer as a group.  It is an opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and culture of Rome, to see with our own eyes our heritage as Catholics in living as well as in static form.  It is a journey to honour the See of Peter and Our Holy Father the Pope.  As a journey to experience the Catholic culture of Rome and to honour the Holy See, an important element of our pilgrimage is always to pay our respects to officials of the Holy See.  This year, a few of the pilgrims had the honour to begin our first day, just before Mass, with an audience with the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Archbishop Arthur Roche.

Mass in the Minerva
The first Mass of the 2017 Catholic Heritage Association Pilgrimage to Rome took place in the Sacristy Chapel of the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, that is, the Basilica of Our Lady built over the ruins of the Temple of Minerva.  During our 2008 Pilgrimage we had the privilege of having Mass in the beautiful Capranica Chapel dedicated to the Holy Rosary (see here).  This year, continuing our quest 'boldly to go where few men have gone before,' we were granted an even greater privilege to have Mass in the small Chapel of Saint Catherine of Siena, which is the actual room in which Saint Catherine died, and which is to be found behind the wonderful Sacristy of the Basilica (see here), the site of at least two Papal Conclaves.

The Chapel was rebuilt on this site in 1637 on the initiative of Cardinal Antonio Barberini, using the original walls of the room in a nearby house where the Saint died in 1380.  The house itself is now the site of the Palazzo di Santa Chiara on the Via Santa Chiara and the space left by the room is now itself a Chapel (see here) called Santa Caterina da Siena in Transito.

The Cardinal also had the frescoes attributed to Antoniazzo Romano and his assistants placed in the Sacristy Chapel, which had originally had been in the left arm of the transept.  Over the Altar, the Crucifixion and the Saints, on the left wall, the Annunciation with Ss. Jerome and Onofrio, and on the right wall, the Resurrection with Ss. Lucy and Augustine.

The Altar was erected by Pope Benedict XIII, himself a Dominican who is buried in the Chapel of St. Dominic in the left hand transept of the Basilica, decorated by the Filippo Raguzzini on the instructions of the same Pope Benedict XIII.

Pilgrimage to Rome 2017 (1) - Opening Vespers and Benediction

The annual pilgrimage to Rome of the Catholic Heritage Association began this evening with Vespers of the Little Office of the Immaculate Conception and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.  The Little Office of the Immaculate Conception was, as usual, the thread of prayer that joined together the various visits and ceremonies of the Pilgrimage.  The Hours of the Little Office were recited during the course of each day of the Pilgrimage.

We returned this year to the Istituto Maria Santissima Bambina, where we had stayed in 2003. The Istituo is one of the most spectacular and memorable places to stay in Rome. The Catholic Heritage Association always favours religious houses as the base for international pilgrimages and was pleased to have the opportunity to return to the Istituto. The House is run by the Sisters of Charity of the Infant Mary, founded in Milan by Saints Vincenza Gerosa and Bartolomea Capitanio, both members of the Sodality of Our Lady. It is a modern building in a part of the medieval Leonine fortifications surrounding the Vatican and is on Vatican Extraterritorial property. The views from the fourth floor terrace are legendary.

Diocese of Clonard (Part 2)

From Fr. Anthony Cogan's The Diocese of Meath Ancient & Modern (Published: Dublin, 1862 by John F. Fowler):

"The village of Clonard is situated in the barony of Upper Moyfenragh county of Meath being eleven miles and a half (west) from Kilcock and twenty six miles (west by north) from Dublin.

Archdall tells us in his Monasticon that the original name of this place was Ross Finnchuil, The wood or shrubbery of the white hazel. In the Annals of the Four Masters and other ancient authorities it is called Cluain Iraird or Cluain Erard which meant according to Sir James Ware and Vallancey the retirement on the western heights but most probably according to Colgan and O Donovan Erard's lawn or meadow.

ST FINIAN

St Finian the distinguished founder of Clonard was a native of Leinster but of what precise place is not exactly known. Most probably it was near the Barrow and not far from the present New Ross. The name of his father was Fintan of the race of Loschain that of his mother Talech. His parents are said to have been Christians at the time of his birth. In the office of St Finian we read:

Nativus de Lagenia
Qui sprevit nomen regium
Hic sumpsit infra moenia
Legendi privilegiam

He was baptized by St Abban received an ecclesiastical education from a Bishop Fortkern, probably Bishop of Trim, after which he spent some time with the venerable Cayman of Darinis. Having arrived at a suitable age he proceeded to Tours and on his return spent a considerable time at Kilmuine in Britain a name which the Irish applied to Menevia or St David's in Wales. While in this place he founded three churches and became acquainted with three distinguished Britons whose names often occur in our ancient ecclesiastical history. These were David Gildas and Cadoc or Docus. David is said to have been the grandson (by his mother whose name was Melari) to an Irish prince named Brecan and nephew to St Canoe of Gallen. He was the tutor of St Aidan or Maidoc of Ferns became first bishop of Menevia and died about the year 589.

Gildas was the son of a chieftain near the Clyde and born about the year 490. After being educated in his native country and wishing to improve himself still more in philosophy and theology he proceeded to the schools of Armagh where he so distinguished himself as to become a professor there for some time. He afterwards lectured at Lancarvan near the Severn and superintended its schools for one year. He was the author of a celebrated epistle and of a history De Excidio Britanice and died according to the Annals of Ulster in the year 570.

Cadoc or Docus as he is variously called was a cousin to St David. His father's name was Gundlaeus a chieftain of South Britain. His mother's name was Gladusa daughter of Brecan and sister to Melari, mother of St David. He was instructed by St Thaddeus, an Irishman who kept a celebrated school at Caerwent in Monmouthshire. After this he founded the monastery of Lancarvan and having acquired a considerable property from his father gave gratuitous education and dispensed charity to vast numbers of the poor. He died in his monastery about the year 570.

As the names of these eminent men must be familiar to the student of Irish monastic history, and their acquaintance with St Finian being mentioned with emphasis by all the ancient compilers of his life, I thought it not out of place to give a brief sketch of their lives.

After spending some years at Kilmuine St Finian returned to Ireland accompanied by some religious Britons two of whom Biteus and Genoc are particularly mentioned who were much attached to him. He next visited his friend Cayman at Darinis after which he landed at Kille Caireni in the present county of Wexford. His subsequent movements are thus detailed by the learned and judicious Lanigan:

Thence he sent messengers to Muiredach sovereign of Hy Kinsellagh requesting permission to enter his territory. The prince highly rejoiced at his arrival went to visit him and throwing himself at his feet told him that wherever he would wish to erect a church he should not want ground for that purpose Finian then set about his mission erected some churches and established a religious community at a place called Achadh abhla. Hence he went to the district of Hy barche and formed an establishment at Magna in which he gave lectures on the Holy Scriptures for seven years.

It is related that on a certain occasion he preached before St Brigid and her nuns whence it appears that he had returned to Ireland some years before her death for according to the series of the narrative this circumstance is placed after several other transactions of his subsequent to his return. It is very probable that his return was prior to even ad 520 although he did not remove to Clonard until perhaps about 530. Before his settling there he is said to have been in some other places besides the above mentioned Clonard was the scene of his greatest exertions and celebrity."

Ratoath

From Thomas Walsh's History of the Irish Hierarchy:

Ratoath in the barony to which it gives name the ruins of which are scarcely perceptible The abbey of St Mary Magdalene near this town which existed in 1456 was found seized in the year 1538 of forty acres of land annual value 6s 8d Chantry in the parish church of St Thomas the Apostle was found contrary to the statute to have acquired possessions to the value of thirty shillings sterling

Multyfarnam Friary

From Thomas Walsh's History of the Irish Hierarchy:

Multifarnam in the barony of Corkery and on the river Gaine. William Delamar founded the Franciscan monastery of Multifernam in the year 1236.

AD 1460 it was reformed by the strict observants.

AD 1529 a provincial chapter had been held here. In the eighth of Henry VIII, the convent of Multifarnam and its appurtenances, a water mill and thirty acres of arable land, were granted to Edmund Field, Patrick Clynch and Philip Pentenoy at a fine of £80 and an annual rent of 4s.

When the fury of the storm which Henry and his daughter Elizabeth had evoked somewhat abated, this convent was again placed in the possession of the Franciscans and continued in their hands during the reign of Charles I until it was consigned to the flames by the Rochforts, a powerful family in the country. The walls of the cloister are still complete while the surrounding ruins with the steeple rising from a small arch to a height nearly of one hundred feet and situated on the borders of a delightful lake contribute to render its scenery both picturesque and magnificent. By the united exertions of a spirited public this abbey has been lately rebuilt and is now finished in a style worthy of its former greatness. The convent of Multifarnam stands and its abbey flourishes while the spoiler and the plunderer have disappeared and have been laid low in the dust.