THE OLD CATHOLIC MISSION IN SUSSEX

It is important for Catholic Christians to observe Lent as a particular time of spiritual devotion.  Observing Lent is not just about "giving up" but also about "taking on."  The purpose of our observance of Lent is to prepare ourselves to more fully appreciate the Sacrifice of Christ on Calvary and to celebrate more joyfully the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.  Making personal sacrifices during Lent help us to appreciate the great Sacrifice Our Lord made for us on the Cross, it will also help our celebration of Easter when we will be able to enjoy those things which we sacrificed for Lent, again!

The most important aspect of Lenten Observance is one's motivation for it... Faith, Hope and Love...  these three things should colour and guide our observance and all that we "take on" or "give up" should reflect them.  Whatever we do in Lent should increase our Faith, our Hope and our Love so that we may grow more closer to God and His Son, Our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Rules of Fast

The laws of fast apply to persons between the ages of twenty-one and fifty-nine. On a fast day one may eat one full meal and two light meatless meals, which together would not equal the main meal. Meat may be taken at the principal meal, except on days of complete abstinence. Liquids such as water, milk, and fruit juices may be taken between meals.

Rules of Abstinence

The laws of abstinence apply to everyone seven years of age and over. On a day of complete abstinence no meat, meat gravy or soup made from meat may be taken. On a day of partial abstinence meat may be taken once.

Traditional Days of Fast

All the days of Lent up till noon on Holy Saturday, Ember Days, the Vigils of Pentecost, the Immaculate Conception, Christmas, and All Saints.

Traditional Days of Complete Abstinence

Every Friday of the year, Ash Wednesday, Holy Saturday (until noon), the Vigils of All Saints, the Immaculate Conception, and Christmas.

Traditional Days of Partial Abstinence

Ember Wednesdays and Saturdays and the Vigil of Pentecost

Spiritual Works of Mercy

• Converting sinners
• Instructing the ignorant
• Advising the doubtful
• Comforting the sorrowful
• Bearing wrongs patiently
• Forgiving injuries
• Praying for the living and dead

Corporal Works of Mercy

• Feeding the hungry
• Sheltering the homeless
• Clothing the naked
• Visiting the sick
• Visiting the imprisoned
• Giving drink to the thirsty
• Burying the dead

The fasts, known as "Jejunia quatuor temporum," or "the fast of the four seasons," are rooted in Old Testament practices of fasting four times a year: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Juda, joy, and gladness, and great solemnities: only love ye truth and peace." - Zacharias 8:19

There was also a Jewish custom at the time of Jesus to fast every Tuesday and Thursday of the week. The first Christians amended both of these customs, fasting instead on every Wednesday and Friday: Wednesday because it is the day that Christ was betrayed, and Friday because it is the day that He was slain. The Roman appropriation of the Ember Days involved adding one day: Saturday. This was seen as the culmination of the Ember Week. A special Mass and procession to St. Peter's in Rome was held, and the congregation was invited to "keep vigil with Peter."  Because Apostolic tradition prescribed that ordinations be preceded by fast and prayer (see Acts 13:3), Pope Gelasius I, used Ember Saturdays as the day to confer Holy Orders beginning in 494.

Ember Days were celebrated four times each year. They were tied to the changing of the seasons, but also to the liturgical cycles of the Church. Traditionally, the Ember Days were celebrated with fasting (no food between meals) and half-abstinence, meaning that meat was allowed at one meal per day. (If you're observing the traditional Friday abstinence from meat, then you would observe complete abstinence on an Ember Friday.) In 1966, Pope Paul VI excluded the Ember Days as days of fast and abstinence for Roman Catholics.

Ember Weeks are the complete weeks following:

(1) Holy Cross Day (September 14)

(2) the Feast of St. Lucy (December 13);

(3) the first Sunday in Lent

(4) Pentecost (Whitsunday)

Lenten Embertide (more at: http://www.fisheaters.com/customslent3.html)

Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after Quadragesima Sunday (the first Sunday of Lent) are known as "Lenten Embertide," which, depending on the date of Easter, can come as early as February 11, but which is seen as associated with the season of Spring (March, April, May).

Liturgically, the lessons for the Wednesday and Saturday Masses focus on the Commandments given to Moses by God, and on the promises to those who keep them well, all ending with the story of the three lads saved by an angel from Nabuchodonosor' s furnace, as is so for all but Whit Embertide.

The Gospel readings speak of Our Lord discoursing on the sign of Jonas, and how exorcised spirits can return (Matthew 12:38-50), healing the paralytic (John 5:1-15), and the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9).

ASH WEDNESDAY MASS TIMES

12 Noon

6pm

At Domus Ecclesia

with Blessing and distribution of Ashes

Both broadcast

Churches Together

Central Brighton & Kemptown

MONDAYS IN LENT

6pm Mass

At Domus Ecclesia

730pm Lenten Reflection & Taize

Old Catholic Mission Sussex

Prayer Chapel

Dorset Gardens Methodist Church

THURSDAYS IN LENT

1pm Lent Lunch & Reflection

St John the Baptist RC Church
St Georges Road, Kemptown

SATURDAYS IN LENT

12 Noon Lent Lunch & Reflection

St Nicholas CofE Church, Dyke Road

Please note from Monday, February 1st, 

Daily Mass at Domus Ecclesia

& broadcast Online

Monday - Friday 6pm

Saturday - Sunday 1230pm

Worship & Fellowship

Every Monday from 7.30pm

Prayer Chapel

Dorset Gardens Methodist Church

CHRISTMASS EVE

1030pm The Office of Readings

11pm Blessing of the Crib &
First Mass of the Nativity

CHRISTMASS DAY

930am Morning Prayer

10am  Second Mass of the Nativity
12 noon  Third Mass of the Nativity

All Masses will be broadcast online http://stcuthmans.camstreams.com

What is the meaning of Advent, and what do we understand by the term?

The word Advent signifies coming, and by it is understood the visible coming of the Son of God into this world, at two different times.

It was when the Son of God, conceived of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the immaculate Virgin Mary, was born, according to the flesh, in the fullness of time, and sanctified the world by His coming, for which the patriarchs and prophets had so longed (Gen. 49:10; Is. G4:1; Lk. 10:24).

Since Christ had not yet come, how could the Just of the Old Law be saved?

Immediately after their sin, God revealed to our first parents that His only-begotten Son would become man and redeem the world (Gen. 3:15). In the hope of this Redeemer and through His merits, all in the old covenant who participated in His merits by innocence or by penance, and who died in the grace of God, were saved, although they were excluded from heaven until the Ascension of Christ.

When will the second coming of Christ take place?

At the end of the world when Christ will come, with great power and majesty, to judge both the living and the dead.

What is Advent, and why has the Church instituted it?

Advent is that solemn time, immediately preceding Christmas, instituted by the Church in order that we should, in the first place, meditate on the Incarnation of Christ, the love, patience and humility which He has shown us, and prove our gratitude to Him, because He came from the bosom of His heavenly Father into this valley of tears, to redeem us; secondly, that we may prepare ourselves by sincere repentance, fasting, prayer, alms-deeds, and other works pleasing to God, for the coming of Christ and His birth in our hearts, and thus participate in the graces which He has obtained for us; finally, that He may be merciful to us, when He shall come again as judge of the world. "Watch ye, for ye know not at what hour your Lord will come" (Mt. 5:42). "Wherefore be you also ready; because at what hour you know not, the Son of man will come" (Mt. 24:44).

How was Advent formerly observed?

Very differently from now. It then commenced with the Feast of St. Martin, and was observed by the faithful like the Forty Days' Fast, with strict penance and devotional exercises, as even now most of the religious communities do to the present day. The Church has forbidden all turbulent amusements, weddings, dancing and concerts, during Advent. Pope Sylverius ordered that those who seldom receive Holy Communion should, at least, do so on every Sunday in Advent.

How should this solemn time be spent by Christians?

They should recall, during these four weeks, the four thousand years in which the just under the Old Law expected and desired the promised Redeemer, think of those days of darkness in which nearly all nations were blinded by saran and drawn into the most horrible crimes, then consider their own sins and evil deeds and purify their souls from them by a worthy reception of the Sacraments, so that our Lord may come with His grace to dwell in their hearts and be merciful to them in life and in death.

Further, to awaken in the faithful the feelings of repentance so necessary for the reception of the Savior in their hearts, the Church orders that besides the observance of certain fast days, the altar shall be draped in violet, that Mass shall be celebrated in violet vestments, that the organ shall be silent and no Gloria sung. Unjust to themselves, disobedient to the Church and ungrateful, indeed, to God are those Christians who spend this solemn time of grace in sinful amusements without performing any good works, with no longing for Christ's Advent into their hearts.

What are Rorate High Masses, and why are they celebrated?

They are the solemn high Masses celebrated in some countries in commemoration of the tidings brought to the Blessed Virgin by the Archangel Gabriel, announcing to her that she was to become the Mother of God; they derive their name from the words of the Introit in the Votive Mass, Rorate coeli desuper. They are celebrated very early in the morning because the Blessed Virgin preceded our Lord, as the aurora precedes the rising sun.

O God, who by Thy gracious Advent hast brought joy into this world,

grant us, we beseech Thee, Thy grace to prepare ourselves

by sincere penance for its celebration and for the Last Judgment. Amen.

We're sorry for the lack of website update the last few days but this has been due to a heavy workload on our Pastor and our website host company having a major technical problem! Normal service will resume later today we hope.  Daily Mass times are as normal and Mass intentions will be posted later.

Sunday, November 8th

0800 Holy Mass

of Pentecost 33

0915 Parish Mass of Requiem

for the Fallen of the World Wars & All Conflicts since

1030 Remembrance Sunday Parade

at the Old Steine War Memorial, Brighton

Monday, November 9th

6pm Angleus & Daily Mass

Our Parish Priest, Canon Jerome Lloyd OSJV will be on

BBC Radio Sussex at 7.50am on

Sunday November 1st

All Saints Day!

Be sure to tune in and listen to it live

or a recording of it later

(fast forward to 01:50.00)

Congratulations to Christine and Lucho on the

arrival this morning of their new baby,

Louis

Weighing just under 8lbs and born at 09.02!

Of your charity, please pray for Louis

and his parents in thanksgiving!

The Worldwide Family of Catholic Apostolic National Churches mourns the death of the Patriarch, Dom Luis Fernando Castillo-Mendez

Patriarch +Dom Luis Fernando Castillo-Mendez (Seated) with

Our Archbishop-Metropolitan, Bishops and visiting Bishops.

On the morning of October 29, 2009, at approximately 9am, His Beatitude, Dom Luis Fernando Castillo-Mendez, the Patriarch of the Worldwide Family of Catholic Apostolic National Churches passed away, at the age of 87.  Patriarch Mendez was the last living bishop, of the original bishops consecrated by former Roman Catholic Bishop Carlos Duarte Costa, who founded the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church (ICAB). Patriarch Mendez was personally responsible for the spread of the National Catholic Church movement around the world, and is survived by the Brazilian Church, as well as the National Churches ministering to the lost sheep around the world.

Our own Archbishop Andre Queen SCR served as Patriarch Mendez’ Apostolic Delegate to the United States from 2005 to 2007, and the Patriarch himself consecrated (sub conditione) our Archbishop-Metropolitan and Archbishop Queen, to ensure a direct transmission of “Duarte-Costa” Apostolic Lines of Succession. His Eminence, Archbishop-Metropolitan Robert M. Gubala SCR, sent condolences on behalf of the entire Church to the Episcopal Council of the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church (ICAB), which can be read here.

The Catholic Apostolic National Church received official notification of the Patriarch’s passing from the Episcopal Council of ICAB (translated from Portuguese):

“The church is in mourning, beginning at 9am today with the death of the Honorable and Reverend Dom Luis Fernando Castillo Mendez, who presided over the four seats, and Council proclaimed its patriarch and became, later, also Worldwide Patriarch serving all of the Catholic Apostolic National Churches who have communion with ICAB.

TheEminent Professor of the Diocese of Brasilia, which was the founder, died at 87 years of age, as of December 3 and leaves an example of tenacity, sacrifice, courage and determination, a deep and irrepressible yearning in all those deprived of their friendship or were directed by him and grazing. A great characteristic of Dom Luis Castillo was undoubtedly his indomitable courage, the strength he brought to the primacy of the church and the incredible ability he displayed, to build and manage knowledge, a born leader, a man geared to high-flying and high altitude.

Without him, the Church where she exisits, would not possess the assets that it holds today, because it has always been possible to notice, besides being a profound idealist, he has put love in everything realizou. He was a creator of dioceses, and in the history of ICAB, was the Bishop who developed carefully the hierarchy to ensure the continuity of certain ideals of the San Carlos of Brazil. Detractors have always shown a taste for pomp and circumstances, but Dom Castillo-Mendez, personally, was a man of simple life and deeds humility.

The Patriarch of the Church in Brazil was the third Bishop consecrated by St. Carlos of Brazil, of receiving, directly, his  apostolic succession. Working much of his life with the founder of the Church and did his best at a certain point of time, in fulfilling the mission to consecrate the followers of the Apostolic College left by Jesus in differentcountries, taking with them the principles of the National Church. For in recognition of this that, assembled in council, the diocesan and primates of several countries that joined the faith nationally elected and gave him the title of World Patriarch that he displayed with great care and was able to honorably execute until death.

The Mass will be celebrated BURIAL OF THE 10am THIS SUNDAY AT THE CATHEDRAL OF OURLADY OF MIRACULOUS MEDAL, OFFICE BRASILIA, a gathering of bishops, clerics,families and faithful from various parts of BRAZIL AND THE WORLD FOR THE LASTGOODBYE TO THE PATRIARCH OF THE CHURCH.”

Of your charity, please pray for

Richard & Amanda Hardy

10th Anniversary of Marriage

Blessing & Renewal of Marriage Vows

Tuesday, October 27th