OUR MISSION STATEMENT

Mater Misericordiæ (Mother of Mercy) Mission glorifies God, uniting its members in faith, hope and charity through confession of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Faith and through participation in the Sacraments and Traditional Rites of the Missale Romanum of 1962, under the governance of the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter.

This place was venerated by Christians from the very time of his death, as much as the fear of their enemies would permit. And this may account for the industry of the Pagans in filling up the sepulchre or cavern with stones, heaping rubbish over it to a considerable height, and setting up the most infamous of their idols over it, that the Christians might seem to worship a Venus when they came hither to pay their homage to Jesus Christ. We find the festival of the invention or the discovery of the cross solemnized in the Latin church ever since the fifth or sixth century. The finding of the cross by St. Helena, happened in the year of our Lord 326, in the twenty-first year of Constantine’s reign, the thirteenth of the pontificate of Sylvester, and the first after the council of Nicea. The feast of the exaltation of the Cross was kept in May, from the time that it was triumphantly placed by St. Helena in the church at Jerusalem, upon its discovery in 326, which continued to the year 335, when the great church of the resurrection was built at Jerusalem by the orders of Constantine the Great, and dedicated on the 13th of September that year, as St. Sophronius, (Or. de Exalt. S. Crucis in Bibl. Patr. Colon. t. 7.) Nicephorus, and the Typic of St. Sabas mention. The cross was exalted or set up in that church the day following which was Sunday. Hence both the Greeks and Latins kept this feast on the 14th of September: and St. Chrysostom’s death is related to have happened on this festival. After the recovery of the cross by Heraclius, this festival began to be kept in the Eastern church with greater solemnity and a fast. At Jerusalem the cross was shown to the people to be adored on Easter Monday, and also in the middle of Lent, as we learn from St. Sophronius, St. Paulinus, &c. In the Latin church, this was celebrated on the 3rd of May; whether this was the day of the discovery of the cross by St. Helena, or of Constantine’s vision or victory, or of the dedication of the church of the Holy Cross in Rome, is uncertain. The cross was chosen by our dear Redeemer to be the glorious instrument of his victory and triumph over the devil and sin; and by his death thereon he has purchased for us re-demption, grace, and glory. The cross is his holy standard, un-der which all his followers fight his battles; and, according to the holy fathers, will be borne before him in a triumphant man-ner, when he shall come in glory to judge the world. The church professes a very high regard and veneration for this mysterious and salutary sign, giving it an honourable place in her churches, making frequent use of it in her holy offices, in the administration of the sacraments, and on many other occa-sions: in which particulars she imitates the earliest and purest ages of Christianity. It is the remark of St. Jerome, “that if the Ark of the Covenant was held in such high veneration among the Jews, how much more ought the Christians to respect the wood of the cross, whereon our Saviour offered himself a bleeding victim for our sins?” By devoutly respecting the sign of the cross, we profess our faith in Christ, who was crucified for us; we excite our hope in his merits, kindle his love in our breasts, renew the remembrance of his sacred death, and in-flame our meditations on his adorable passion, in which we learn all virtue and all spiritual knowledge. It is on the cross and in his sacred passion that he has principally set us the most moving example, and pressed upon us the most endear-ing precepts of these virtues. Whence assiduous meditation on the sufferings of Christ is the great school of Christian perfec-tion. All the saints found in it their comfort and their joy; in it they continually feasted their souls with the most sweet fruits of love and devotion; in it they learned to die perfectly to themselves, and entered into the sentiments of Christ crucified: here they stirred up their souls to perfect compunc-tion; and placing themselves in spirit under the cross of their divine Redeemer, they offered their tears and earnest supplications to the Father, through the Son, who made himself our sacrifice on this tree: “I have seated myself un-der the shade of him whom I desired, and his fruit was sweet to my palate.” St. Paul, who was very learned, es-teemed all his other science as nothing, and looked on the knowledge of Jesus Christ crucified as his only learning. “I judged not myself to know anything among you but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” By being instructed in this mys-tery, and having the sentiments of Christ crucified deeply impressed upon his heart, he knew all that he wished to know: it was his only solicitude and desire daily to improve himself in this one science. The same apostle, in the transport of his ardent love of the cross, cried out: “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Je-sus Christ.” To glory in a thing is to love it, to esteem it, to place in it our greatness and happiness. “Every one glo-ries in those things in which he places his greatness,” as St. Thomas says.—The sacred passion of Christ is the source of all our happiness and good, and the perfect model and school of all virtue. If it be the tender object of our devotion, if we love and desire always to meditate on our Redeemer crucified for us, the sacred instrument of his triumph, the ensign and trophy of his precious victory, and the principal emblem of his sufferings which it represents to us, and strongly paints before our eyes, must be always dear and most amiable to us.

Pastor: Rev. Fr. Joseph Terra, FSSP Associate: Rev. Fr. Kenneth Walker, FSSP Office: 602-253-6090 Cell: 480-231-0573 (for urgent messages) Fax: 602-253-8013

Church: 1537 W. Monroe St. Phoenix, AZ 85007 Mail: same as church address Email: contact@phoenixlatinmass.org Website: www.phoenixlatinmass.org

Notitiæ September 8, 2013

Sunday Masses

Propers: Readings:

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Class II, Green Ephesians 3:13-21; Luke 14:1-11

Intentions:

9:00 am Low Mass; 11:00 am High Mass at Mater Misericordiae Mission, Phoenix 9:00 am: Edmund Horley+; 11:00 am: Pro Populo

Intention:

9:00 am Low Mass at Saint Cecilia’s Mission, Clarkdale 9:00 am: Pro Populo

Weekday Masses

At Mater Misericordiae Mission, Monroe St. Church Monday-Friday: 6:30 am and 6:30 pm, Saturday: 6:30 am and 8:00 am

Monday, September 9 Thursday, September 12

Propers: Readings: Intentions:

St. Peter Claver, Confessor Class III, White Isaiah 58:6-9, 10 Luke 10:29-37 6:30am: Tom Richards+ 6:30pm: Greg Thurkill+

Propers: Readings: Intentions:

The Most Holy Name of Mary Class III, White Ecclesiasticus 24:23-31 Luke 1:26-38 6:30am: Cami Dyer 6:30pm: Megan Dyer

Tuesday, September 10 Friday, September 13

Propers: Readings: Intentions:

St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Confessor Class III, White I Corinthians 4:9-14 Luke 12:32-34 6:30am: Albert Henry Strain+ 6:30pm: Stephanie Estfan+

Propers: Readings: Intentions:

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost Class IV, Green Ephesians 3:13-21 Luke 14:1-11 6:30am: Dorothy Clark 6:30pm: Juanita Applegate+

Wednesday, September 11 Saturday, September 14

Propers: Readings: Intentions:

St. Protus and Hyacinth, Martyrs Class IV, Red Hebrews 10:32-38 Luke 12:1-8 6:30am: Brian Dyer 6:30pm: Kevin Dyer

Propers: Readings: Intentions:

Exaltation of the Holy Cross Class II, Red Philippians 2:5-11 John 12:31-36 6:30am: Dyer Grandchildren 8:00am: (High Mass) Melind McDonald

Confessions

At MMM Monroe St. Church: Mon-Sat: 15 minutes before each Mass. Saturdays: 3:30-4:30 pm. Sundays: 8am, before the 9am Mass, between the 9am and 11am Masses, and after the 11am Mass.

At St. Cecilia’s: Saturdays: 3-4 pm. Sundays: Before the 9am Mass. Other times by arrangement.

PARISH ANNOUNCEMENTS

40 Days for Life: The 40 Days

for Life Campaign will be running this year from Wednesday, September 25 through Sunday, November 3. Please get involved and pray at an abortion clinic to help end abortion and our culture of death. To find out how you

can get involved in 40 Days for Life, go to its web-site at http://40daysforlife.com/phoenix, or call Ellen Sweeney at (602) 309-9498.

FSSP PRAYER REQUESTS September 8: Fr. Kevin O’Neill September 9: Fr. Eric Flood September 10: Fr. Neal Nichols September 11: Fr. Joseph Poisson September 12: Fr. Matthew McNeely September 13: Fr. Karl Pikus September 14: Fr. Michael Passo

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary announced joy and the near approach of salvation to the lost world. Mary was brought forth in the world not like other children of Adam, in-fected with the loath-some contagion of

sin, but pure, holy, beautiful, and glori-ous, adorned with all the most precious graces which became her who was chosen to be the Mother of God. She appeared indeed in the weak state of our mortality; but in the eyes of Heaven she already transcended the highest ser-aph in purity, brightness, and the richest orna-ments of grace. If we celebrate the birthdays of the great ones of this earth, how ought we to re-joice in that of the Virgin Mary, presenting to God the best homage of our praises and thanksgiving

for the great mercies He has shown in her, and imploring her mediation with her Son in our be-half! Christ will not reject the supplications of His mother, whom He was pleased to obey whilst on earth. Her love, care, and tenderness for Him, the title and qualities which she bears, the charity and graces with which she is adorned, and the crown of glory with which she is honored, must incline Him readily to receive her recommenda-tions and petitions. –From Butler’s Lives of the Saints

SUNDAY COLLECT.

May Thy grace, we beseech Thee, O Lord, ever go be-fore us and follow us; and make us continually intent upon good works. Through Our Lord.

SUNDAY EPISTLE: Ephesians 3:13-21

Brethren, I pray you not to faint at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom all pa-ternity in heaven and earth is named: That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened by his Spirit with might unto the inward man: That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts: that, being rooted and founded in charity, You may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, To know also the charity of Christ, which surpasseth all knowledge: that you may be filled unto all the fulness of God. Now to him who is able to do all things more abundantly than we desire or understand, according to the power that worketh in us: To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, unto all generations, world without end. Amen.

SUNDAY GOSPEL: Luke 14:1-11

At that time, when Jesus went into the house of one of the Pharisees, on the sabbath day to eat bread, that they watched him. And behold, there was a certain man before him that had the dropsy. And Jesus an-swering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? But they held their peace. But he taking him, healed him and sent him away. And answering them, he said: Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a pit and will not immediately draw him out, on the sabbath day? And they could not answer him to these things. And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, mark-ing how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them: When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the first place, lest perhaps one more honour-able than thou be invited by him: And he that invited thee and him, come and say to thee: Give this man place. And then thou begin with shame to take the low-est place. But when thou art invited, go, sit down in the lowest place; that when he who invited thee cometh, he may say to thee: Friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have glory before them that sit at table with thee. Because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross-From Butler’s Lives of the Saints God having restored peace to his church, by exalting Constantine the Great to the imperial throne, that pious prince, who had triumphed over his enemies by the miraculous power of the cross, was very desirous of expressing his ven-eration for the holy places which had been honoured and sanctified by the presence and sufferings of our blessed Redeemer on earth. He accordingly came to a resolution to build a magnificent church in the city of Jerusalem, as the place which had been most honoured by the presence, the instructions and miracles, of the Son of God. St. He-lena, the emperor’s mother, out of a desire of visiting the holy places there, undertook a journey into Palestine in 326, though at that time nearly eighty years of age: and on her arrival at Jerusalem, was inspired with a great desire to find the identical cross on which Christ had suffered for our sins. But there was no mark or tradition, even amongst the Christians, where it lay. The heathens, out of an aversion to Christianity, had done what they could to conceal the place where our Saviour was buried. They had heaped upon it a great quantity of stones and rubbish, besides building a temple to Venus; that those who came thither to adore him, might seem to pay their worship to a marble idol representing this false deity. They had moreover erected a statue of Jupiter in the place where our Sav-iour rose from the dead, as we are informed by St. Jerome; which figure continued there from the emperor Adrian’s time to Constantine’s; which precautions of the persecutors show the veneration which Christians paid from the be-ginning to the instruments of our redemption. Helena, being willing to spare no pains to compass her pious design, consulted all people at Jerusalem and near it, whom she thought likely to assist her in finding out the cross; and was credibly informed, that if she could find out the sepulchre, she would likewise find the instruments of the punishment; it being always the custom among the Jews to make a great hole near the place where the body of the criminal was buried, and to throw into it whatever belonged to his execution; looking upon all these things as detestable objects, and which for that reason ought to be removed out of sight. The pious empress, therefore, ordered the profane buildings to be pulled down, the statues to be broken in pieces, and the rubbish to be removed; and upon digging to a great depth, they discovered the holy sepul-chre, and near it three crosses, also the nails which had pierced our Saviour’s body, and the title which had been fixed to his cross. By this discovery, they understood that one of the three crosses was that which they were in quest of, and that the other two belonged to the two malefactors between whom our Saviour had been crucified. But, whereas the title was found separate from the cross, a difficulty re-mained to distinguish which of the three was that on which our Divine Redeemer consummated his sacrifice for the salvation of the world. In this perplexity the holy bishop Macarius, knowing that one of the principal ladies of the city lay extremely ill, suggested to the empress to cause the three crosses to be carried to the sick person, not doubting but God would discover which was the cross they sought for.—This being done, St. Macarius prayed that God would have regard to their faith, and after his prayer, applied the crosses singly to the patient, who was immediately and perfectly recovered by the touch of one of the three crosses, the other two having been tried without effect. St. He-lena, full of joy for having found the treasure which she had so earnestly sought and so highly esteemed, built a church on the spot, and lodged it there with great veneration, having provided an extraordinary rich case for it. She afterwards carried part of it to the emperor Constantine, then at Constantinople, who received it with great venera-tion: another part she sent or rather carried to Rome, to be placed in the church which she built there, called Of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, where it remains to this day. The discovery of the cross must have happened about the month of May, or early in the spring. For St. Helena went the same year to Constantinople, and from thence to Rome, where she died in the arms of her son, on the 18th of August, 326, as Pagi demonstrates, from Eusebius and Gothefridus. The title was sent by St. Helena to the same church in Rome, and reposited on the top of an arch, where it was found in a case of lead, in 1492, as may be read at length in Bozius. The inscription in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin is in red letters, and the wood was whitened. Thus it was in 1492; but these colours are since faded. Also the words Jesus and Judæorum are eaten away. The board is nine, but must have been twelve inches long. The main part of the cross St. Helena inclosed in a silver shrine, and committed it to the care of St. Macarius, that it might be delivered down to posterity as an object of veneration. It was accordingly kept with singular care and respect in the magnificent church which she and her son built at Jerusalem. See the lives of St. Cyril of Jerusa-lem, St. Porphyrius of Gaza, &c. St. Paulinus, in his epistle to Severus, relates that though chips were almost daily cut off from it and given to devout persons, yet the sacred wood suffered thereby no diminution. It is affirmed by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, twenty-five years after the discovery, that pieces of the cross were spread all over the earth: he compares this wonder to the miraculous feeding of five thousand men as recorded in the gospel. Read Gretzer on the Cross. The stately church which Constantine the Great built at Jerusalem, the rich ornaments of which are mentioned by Eusebius, was called the Basilica of the Holy Cross, because it possessed this precious treasure; the keeper of which was always a venerable priest. It was shown publicly to the people at Easter. The same was also called the church of the sepulchre, or of the resurrection; though this was properly only the title of the holy chapel in it, which stood over the sepulchre or cavern in which our Saviour was buried, which was in the garden adjoining to Mount Cal-vary: so that this great church covered the sepulchre, and was extended so far on Mount Calvary as also to include the rock Golgotha, and the very place where the cross of Christ stood at his crucifixion. This extensive building was enclosed within the walls of Jerusalem when that city was rebuilt. Constantine also built a church upon Mount Olivet, over the spot from which our Saviour ascended into heaven. (Continued on next page)