basilica – Communio

Pope distinguishes St Patrick’s Old Cathedral as “Basilica”

In solemn rites during second Vespers for the Second Sunday of Advent, Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan formally inaugurated the Archdiocese of New York’s first minor basilica, Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral, a community of Catholic faith since 1809. A prior blog post notes the announcement.

Other area churches distinguished with the title of “basilica” are: Saint James Cathedral and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in the Brooklyn Diocese, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in the Newark Archdiocese, the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Waterbury, CT) in the Hartford Archdiocese and Saint John the Evangelist (Stamford, CT) in the Bridgeport Diocese.

Congrats to Archbishop Dolan and to Monsignor Donald Sakano, rector of the new basilica.

Here’s the NY Times’ article on the event.

CBS News did a spot…

Old St Patrick’s Cathedral named a basilica by Benedict XVI

Great news for the Archdiocese of New York: Old St Patrick’s Cathedral (since 1809) has been a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI.

Old St Patrick’s is the first church in the Archdiocese of New York to have the honor of being so connected with the Holy Father.

Congrats to Archbishop Dolan, Monsignor Donald Sakano!

You may recall recently that I mentioned that the Bridgeport Diocese had one of their churches raised to a minor basilica.

Take a look at the document on what it takes to be a minor basilica, Domus Ecclesiae or “On Granting of the Title of Minor Basilica.”

This is terrific news on the Solemnity of Saint Patrick!

Blessed be God in His angels and in saints!

St John’s Church Stamford CT named minor basilica

Word has been received that the Church of Saint John (Stamford, CT) has been given the high honor of being named a minor basilica by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI.

Henceforth, the parish will be known as The Basilica of Saint John the Evangelist.

The Catholic community has been present in the Stamford sine the early 18th century but an official ecclesial community was founded in 1847. The current church was completed in 1886.

Saint John’s is the second church in the State of Connecticut to receive this distinction. The first is the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Waterbury, CT. There are only 65 minor basilicas in the US.

UPDATE

The announcement from the Diocese of Bridgeport, October 17, 2009

The Stamford Advocate‘s article of October 17, 2009

O Cross, our one reliance

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which, the day after the dedication of the Basilica of the Resurrection raised over the tomb of Christ, is exalted and honored, in the manner of a memorial of His paschal victory and the sign which is to appear in the sky, already announcing in advance His second coming. (Roman Martyrology)

The Church presents to us today a feast which commemorates the discovery of the Holy

Cross by Emperor Saint Constantine’s mother Saint Helena in Jerusalem (AD 325). The Tradition says that Saint Helena found the Cross and the relics of the holy Passion and then brought them to Rome where they are venerated at the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. On the spot of the discovery, she built the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher keeping a portion of the Cross at there.

The sacred Liturgy gives us the image of the Holy Cross because it brings together the historical reality of the Cross with its theological import: mystery of the life and death of Christ. This is not a feast celebrating a “terrific find” at an archaeological dig; it is a feast of our faith as the Cross is a central symbol of our faith.

Hymnus in Honore Sanctae Crucis

Vexilla regis prodeunt,
fulget crucis mysterium,
quo carne carnis conditor
suspensus est patibulo.

Confixa clavis viscera
tendens manus, vestigia
redemptionis gratia
hic inmolata est hostia.

Quo vulneratus insuper
mucrone diro lanceae,
ut nos lavaret crimine,
manavit unda et sanguine.

Inpleta sunt quae concinit
David fideli carmine,
dicendo nationibus:
regnavit a ligno deus.

Arbor decora et fulgida,
ornata regis purpura,
electa, digno stipite
tam sancta membra tangere!

Beata cuius brachiis
pretium pependit saeculi!
statera facta est corporis
praedam tulitque Tartari.

Fundis aroma cortice,
vincis sapore nectare,
iucunda fructu fertili
plaudis triumpho nobili.

Salve ara, salve victima
de passionis gloria,
qua vita mortem pertulit
et morte vitam reddidit.

In Festo Exaltationis Sanctae Crucis:

in hac triumphi gloria!

(“Vexilla Regis” was written by Venantius Fortunatus (530-609) and is considered one of the greatest hymns of the sacred Liturgy. This is the full hymn but when used liturgically at Vespers verses 2, 4, 7 are omitted.)