1 December 2021

Our Martyrs, as offerings to the Spirit of Traditionis custodes

In the old English diocesan Calendars which preceded the 1970s, a number of admirable traitors cluster on this day or near it (depending on your view of Elizabeth Tudor ... perhaps she was the Traitor). 

S Edmund Campion, S John's College  and Douay; S Ralph Sherwin, Exeter College and Douay; S Alexander Briant, Hart Hall and Douay. Sometimes one or other of those three is commemorated; sometimes it is Blessed Edmund Campion and his Companions; sometimes the Blessed Martyrs of Douay College; sometimes the Blessed Martyrs of Oxford University. (Vide the old calendars for Birmingham, Portsmouth, Northampton, Westminster, Plymouth, Liverpool, Nottingham.)

December 1 1581, four hundred and forty years ago today, was the day when those three Saints died for Christ at Tyburn; omnes Oxonienses, Duacenses omnes. And, of course, all three now canonised (in 1970 by S Paul VI, a completely genuine pope, poor practised-upon poppet).

Those old calendars are now out of date (except for sedevacantists who contest the canonisations of Papa Montini), and I doubt if Arthur Roche regards their updating as the first priority on his busy daily schedule. In the spirit of Canon 19, it seems to me proper (having asked "What would the nice old Sacra Rituum Congregatio have done?") to celebrate, as a second class feast, or Greater Double, "Saint Edmund Campion and the Holy and Blessed Martyrs of Oxford University".

Come to think of it: it is probable that these three great Saints were hanged, drawn, and quartered for celebrating the 'Pian' edition of the Roman Rite (which had been taught at Douay since 1576.)

If topicality may respectfully be predicated of martyrs, these three must be jolly toppingly topical now in this saeculum pravissimum Traditionis Custodum.

In view of the CDF legislation of 2020, I think it must also now be lawful to say Mass and Office of these Saints and Blesseds even in dioceses other than those listed above. (I certainly would; I remember looking up at the list of Douay martyrs in Allen Hall and the mighty and admirable Mgr Andrew Wadsworth murmuring to me "They're all yours now".)

Ora, Ora, Ora pro nobis! Orate omnes!

In any case, led by PF, we are all surely being led far beyond mere law nowadays! 

You will find no shameful Legalism, no arrogant Rigidity on this blog!!

6 comments:

JamesF-J said...

Reverend Father - Is there a proper collect for the Martyrs of the University - and if so where would one find it? The LMS ordo gives it as a III class feast for the Archdiocese of Birmingham - but would we be permitted to celebrate it as a II class in Oxford itself?

Fr John Hunwicke said...

You need to find a Breviary and/or a Missal with the old Birmingham propers stitched in at the back.I think using Birmingham is best, because Northampton and Portsmouth offer a collect which implies that all the martyrs were priests.

E sapelion said...

In preparing the OF congregational leaflet for this week I checked whether our PP saw a pastoral advantage in a votive mass for these three; he did. So we had that rather than the Liverpool Ordo optional memorial for just St Edmund Campion.

Society of St. Bede said...

I have all the Propers of England and Wales spilt into diocesan supplements. They will be posted here, https://societyofstbede.wordpress.com

Die 1 Decembris
BB. MARTYRUM ACADEMIÆ OXONIENSIS
III classis
Antiphona ad Introitum
Ps. 78, 11, 12 et 10
Intret in conspéctu tuo, Dómine, gémitus compeditórum: redde vicínis nostris séptuplum in sinu eórum: víndica sánguinem Sanctórum tuórum, qui effúsus est. Ps. ibid., 1 Deus, venérunt Gentes in hereditátem tuam: polluérunt templum sanctum tuum: posuérunt Ierúsalem in pomórum custódiam. V. Glória Patri.
Oratio
Deus, qui veræ fídei et Sedis Apostólicæ primátui propugnándo beátos Mártyres tuos Edmúndum eiúsque Sócios invícta fortitúdine roborásti: eórum précibus exorátus nostræ, quǽsumus, infirmitáti succúrre; ut fortes in fide adversário resístere usque in finem valeámus. Per Dóminum.

Et, in Adventu, fit commemoratio feriæ.

Léctio libri Apocalýsis beáti Ioánnis Apóstoli 
Apoc. 7, 13-17
In diébus illis: Respóndit unus de senióribus, et dixit mihi: Hi, qui amícti sunt stolis albis, qui sunt? et unde venérunt? Et dixi illi: Dómine mi, tu scis. Et dixit mihi: Hi sunt, qui venérunt de tribulatióne magna, et lavérunt stolas suas, et dealbavérunt eas in sánguine Agni. Ideo sunt ante thronum Dei, et sérviunt ei die ac nocte in templo eius: et qui sedet in throno, habitábit super illos: non esúrient, neque sítient ámplius, nec cadet super illos sol, neque ullus æstus: quóniam Agnus, qui in médio throni est, reget illos, et dedúcet eos ad vitæ fontes aquárum: et abstérget Deus omnem lácrimam ab óculis eórum.

Graduale Exod 15:11
Gloriósus Deus in sanctis suis: mirábilis in maiestáte, fáciens prodígia. V. ibid., 6 Déxtera tua, Dómine, glorificáta est in virtúte: déxtera manus tua confrégit inimícos.

Allelúia, alleluia. V. Eccli. 44, 14 Córpora sanctórum in pace sepúlta sunt, et nómina eórum vivent in generatiónem et generatiónem. Allelúia.

+ Sequéntia sancti Evangélii secúndum Lucam
Luc. 21, 9-19
In illo témpore: Dixit Iesus discípulis suis: Cum audiéritis prǽlia et seditiónes, nolíte terréri: opórtet primum hæc fíeri, sed nondum statim finis. Tunc dicébat illis: Surget gens contra gentem, et regnum advérsus regnum. Et terræmótus magni erunt per loca, et pestiléntiæ, et fames, terrorésque de cælo, et signa magna erunt. Sed ante hæc ómnia inícient vobis manus suas, et persequéntur, tradéntes in synagógas et custódias, trahéntes ad reges et prǽsides propter nomen meum: contínget autem vobis in testimónium. Pónite ergo in córdibus vestris non præmeditári quemádmodum respondeátis. Ego enim dabo vobis os, et sapiéntiam, cui non póterunt resístere, et contradícere omnes adversárii vestri. Tradémini autem a paréntibus, et frátribus, et cognátis, et amícis, et morte affícient ex vobis: et éritis ódio ómnibus propter nomen meum: et capíllus de cápite vestro non períbit. In patiéntia vestra possidébitis ánimas vestras.

Antiphona ad Offertorium
Ps. 67, 36
Mirábilis Deus in sanctis suis: Deus Israël, ipse dabit virtútem, et fortitúdinem plebi suæ: benedíctus Deus, allelúia.

Secreta
Sint tibi, Dómine, plebis tuæ múnera beatórum Mártyrum tuórum commemoratióne gratióra, nobísque fiant sancta oblatióne ac participatióne ad vitam ætérnam salutária. Per Dóminum.

Et, in Adventu, fit commemoratio feriæ.

Antiphona ad Communionem
Sap. 3, 4, 5 et 6
Et si coram homínibus torménta passi sunt, Deus tentávit eos: tamquam aurum in fornáce probávit eos, et quasi holocáusta accépit eos.

Postcommunio
Dómine Iesu Christe, quem in caritáte beatórum Mártyrum tuórum mirábilem prædicámus: da nobis, quǽsumus, eórum précibus; ut in tua semper dilectióne maneámus: Qui vivis.

Et, in Adventu, fit commemoratio feriæ.

PM said...

The diversity praised here by PF obviously does not include enthusiasts for the traditional liturgy:

https://www.catholicnews.com/pope-arriving-in-cyprus-tells-catholics-to-celebrate-welcome-diversity/

Something reassuring I have seen recently is the survey of American Catholic opinion by The Pillar Catholic. The survey shows that, even into the land that gave us the St Louis Jesuits, only eleven percent of Catholics want the traditional liturgy suppressed.

JamesF-J said...

Thanks Father - and thanks to the Society of St Bede - your Wordpress site is now bookmarked!