Exquisite Embroideries for Traditional Vestments for religious images

Visit Cecille's Embroidery page on Facebook.

I guess they can do the same for Solemn High Mass sets.

Really exquisite and beautiful!


https://www.facebook.com/cecilles.embroidery

The proper reaction to an ugly vestment

Well, imagine my facial expression about Women Bishops and priestesses.

The return of the Papal Fanon

Yup.

Someone is throwing a nutty fit again.

Oh well.

He and his minions would just think.

"The Pope can do whatever he wants, just as long as it is not done in Manila or in the entire Philippines."

Yup.  That is the plan all along.

Pope Benedict can display all the old liturgical vestments he wants for as long as he does not use his "papal powers" to impose it on all dioceses in the world, including Imperial Archdiocese of Manila who so blatantly and arrogantly issued a directive against a Papal Motu Propio, Summorum Pontificum.  Who wrote it?  Who else?!?!?

Fr. Anscar Chupungco.

But who signed it?

The former archbishop, Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, benefactor and protector of Fr. Chupungco's Paul VI Institute for Liturgy in Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

But what these liturgical rebels think is just plain liturgical fancy of an old man, is actually a deeper expression of faith and the bringing forth of a worship worth the Lord and Creator of the Universe.

So mass vestments and other devotionals are not just mere externals.  They are an expression of what you feel inside.

So when you over simplify, you get the point.

So when you emphasize more on inculturation of the liturgy, you put more weight on the culture.  Surprising to note that for a liturgical expert to just trash away all the traditional elements of liturgy to tell you that your pious expression is WRONG and that his research on liturgy is right.

Yeah.......for the sake of selling books.

Ugh!

You can read a wonderful article about the Papal Fanon by Fr. Z.

From PALO, LEYTE: How seminarians are invested...

PROPERLY.

And you don't just buy from a store, wear one, and pretend to be one!

Damn wackos!

These young men are REALLY SEMINARIANS.

They passed a battery of tests before they are accepted.

And one of those is a PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST!

Ha!

Bet some guys won't pass that.

So they just buy one of these lovely vestments and do COSPLAY!

Ugh!

Enjoy the pictures!

From this....

The cassocks and surplices are blessed and incensed....properly!

And the worthy seminarians are vested with it.

WORTHY!

This is how you inspire VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD!

If you see nut cases wearing something like this that they are not even worthy...

If you see girls trying to look like them...

GOD HELP US!

And you still wonder why they do not do this in LITURGICALLY IMPERIAL MANILA.

...to think we have a world-class liturgist there.

This one is in Palo, Leyte under Archbishop John Du!

Lovely!

PS:  How to receive Holy Communion.......PROPERLY

And you still wonder why they do not do this in LITURGICALLY IMPERIAL MANILA.

...to think we have a world-class liturgist there.

Do you see a familiar face?

And he is wearing the glorious cappa magna during a session of the Second Vatican Council, which, liberals have raised to an altar and offered incense and gave liturgical dances like this one

Woohoo!!!

That "Woohoo" is for the cappa magna, ok?

Remember?  Blogger is SECRET SSPX?

Hahahahahaha!!!!

***

PS:  I also see a familiar Easterner here.  :)

Lost Catholic glory

The overwhelming red in the cardinal's garb says it all.

This is Cardinal Désiré-Félicien-François-Joseph Mercier

GULP Exam: Guess the liturgical color

Ain't he sooooo happy!!!!

Makes you wanna dance...

THE DANCE OF JOY!!!

Guess who this 4th degree KofC is

I mean the guy on the right.

See his Baldric?  The sash under his tuxedo?  That is a mark of a 4th degree Knight of Columbus.

The other Knight, third from left, is wearing a Jewel of the Office from his neck, and looks like he is a Grand Knight, since his Jewel looks like an anchor.

And the prelate with the Knights is wearing his ferraiolo or clerical cape which is worn by clerics on formal occasions and remains so today.  The practice is NOT abolished.

Judging by his watered-silk cape, he might be either a papal legate, nuncio or a cardinal since these ranking prelates are the only ones allowed to wear that kind of a ferraiolo.

So chime in your guess.

Pope Benedict's Papal Mitre?

Do you remember Pope Benedict's Coat of Arms?

Here it is.

The silver mitre with the triple gold bands replaced the traditional Papal tiara and as an addition, the pallium with the red crosses, deviating from the traditional black crosses.

Now, Mr. Dieter Philippi, of the Philippi Collection made a mitre looking like the one in the papal crest.

 

You can visit the rest of the Mr. Philippi's clerical headgear collection by visiting his blog.

Your thoughts on this one?

You think Papa Benny will wear one?

I still want him to look like the photo below.

About cassocks: Buttons or zippers?

From a reader, Dale:

Can altar servers wear the cassock with 33 buttons in front w/ cuffs plus 5 buttons on the cuffs? I am planning to replace the zippers with 33 buttons, but do we have to put cuffs and 5 buttons to it? Our cassock is white so do the buttons have to be black or white?

I am still hesitant to replace the zipper with buttons, as this may appear too "traditional" to some clerics.

Thank you and God bless.

Cassocks are traditionally buttoned in the front. There are different kinds of buttons used in cassocks. There are plastics, enamel and chinese knot ones. The chinese knots are of a better kind. I rarely see the traditional 33 buttons on Pinoy priests cassocks as most Pinoy priests are not that tall. So imagine a diminutive 5 foot 2 priest wearing a cassock studded with buttons!

Most Pinoy cassocks also look like a barong. They have flaps covering the buttons so it is a clean look from the outside. A cut made to fit up to the wearer's waist like and slightly tapering down is a nice look for a cassock. Straight cuts look more like monastic tunicles rather than cassocks. Cassocks have a more "tailor fit" look and feel, if you get what I mean.

Zippers are simply, how do I put this, bad fashion sense?  They are bad.  Ugly and undignified.  Zippers are for sports jackets, jeans and your bag.  NOT FOR CASSOCKS.  They do not make you look dignified.  Stick with buttons.

Don't be bothered by the 33 buttons and the 5 buttons on the sleeves.  Those are for monsignori and bishops.  Priest's cassocks don't have them anymore especially here in the Philippines.

Proper things, for the appropriate occasion worn but the people who are EXPECTED and are PRIVILEGED to wear the,.

Knights of Columbus also follow this protocol.  Only 4th degree knights are allowed to wear the regalia.  Those in lower degrees must first be exemplified into the 4th degree or the Patriotic degree before they can carry their swords and wear their baldrics, cape and chapeau.

That is why I hate to see photos of altar servers "playing priest" by wearing the alb, stole and chasuble and gamely posing in front of the camera, grinning from ear to ear, as if he won the lottery, hands raised in the ICXC blessing.  Bad....bad...bad!  Those are not costumes.  They are liturgical vestments reserved for the ordained!

Use black buttons if you use black cassocks and white if your cassock is white.  I am sure your parish priest won't notice them as the buttons would blend in with the cloth.

And, a tip.  Use Peach Twirl for your cassock's main cloth material.  Very good one!  Even if you wear a black cassock, you don't feel so hot.  And it does not give you the look like "I forgot to pay my electric bill so I do not have an electric iron!".  You get what I mean.

The Reform of the reform in Laguna

Kudos to Miguel for the photos.

Proof that old things never go out of style!


***

 Benedictine altar arrangement

The main celebrant in a beautiful Roman chasuble with matching maniple!  

FYI, the maniple was NOT prohibited by the liturgical reform of Vatican II.  So, even if the Mass is celebrated using the Ordinary Form, using the maniple is legit. Notice the beautiful Gothic chasuble of the concelebrant. Altar servers in black cassock!

Notice the beautiful embroidery of Our Lady at the back!

Here is a detail of the chasuble worn by the concelebrant. Beautiful image of Mary help of Christians.  I guess the priest maybe a Salesian. Nice Y-cross design, almost looks like a Rationale.

Take note that after the Liturgical Reform, the Roman Chasuble almost fell into disuse, with most priests wearing the Gothic chasuble or the plain white chasuble with an overlay stole which is forbidden by liturgical books. Then we also have the chasu-alb which would make the priest look like a flaccid white SpongeBob Squarepants!  Ugh!

 Look at the photo below of the Mass of JPII during his UK visit.  The concelebrants are wearing red Roman chasubles, but minus the maniple.

Notice the altar arrangement and the frontal.

FYI, this is no conspiracy theory but it is a fact!  You won't see the Roman chasuble and the Benedictine altar arrangement in MOST churches in the Archdiocese of Manila!

Oh come on...You know why!

The use of dignified vestments for the worship of the Lord is written in Bible and explicitly commanded by the Lord.

After Moses brought the Israelites to the foot of Mount Sinai, he received specific instructions from the Lord for vestments to be worn by the Priestly cast of the Tribe of Aaron (the Levites) when they were ministering in the Tabernacle as well as the specific Vestments that were unique to the High Priest alone. (Read the following: Exodus 28; Exodus 39 and Leviticus 8).

So if there are those who are calling for simpler vestments, read the Biblical passages.  See if they are following God's commands.

I know some priests who would DEMAND that we be simple in our living just like Christ, even the vestments they use.  But the Lord did not attack the vestments of the priests of the Temple.  He was attacking the showy vestments of the Pharisees who, in the inside, are devoid of anything holy and laudable.  An incongruence of the internal reality from the external expression!

Just a hint.  Try asking for the brand of their favorite shoe or shirt.  You'd be surprised.  Remember the priest who has a wishlist?

Liturgical Vestments in Manila

The Archdiocese of Manila website posted photos of the Blessing of Liturgica, a shop that sells Catholic liturgical items in SM Megamall.

The text of the invitation for the blessing of the shop, signed by Fr. Genny Diwa, the archdiocesan Minister for Liturgical Affairs.  Weird that the online letter says he is the Director Archdiocesan Office of Communications.  I think someone forgot to edit the pro-forma letter, eh?

Fr. Diwa blessed the shop.

Well, anywho, here is the message of the letter:

It has been our experience at the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission to receive inquiries and calls from priests, religious and lay, from our archdiocese and from other arch/dioceses in the country, on where they can get some needed liturgical item. [Huh?!  I guess they did not know about a LOT of tailors and metal workers who do great works in liturgical arts.  Maybe the Commission does not want them to go to these stores?  Hmmm?  Dan Brown conspiracy?  Nahhh.  More of this later.] We are glad there are places and shops that we can refer them to [I am not sure if the shops I will refer later are those that they actually refer.] but we have also come to realize that more shops of this sort are needed.

It is in connection with this that we invite you to the blessing of LITURGICA, a shop or house where various liturgical items can be obtained such as liturgical vestments, books, publications [BOOKS!!! PUBLICATIONS!!!! LITURGY!!! ANSCAR!!!!] and CDs on the liturgy, and other paraphernalia used in the liturgy. It is touted as a one-stop shop. [One stop shop? Of anything liturgy?  So does this include items of the traditional Mass?  We'll see.]

***

So now let's look at selected photos of the shop courtesy of RCAM.org.  Why do I get this feeling that the Liturgy Commission is running the Archdiocese's website?

  The inside of the shop and the people who attended the blessing.

Wow!  Beautiful retablo for a chapel.  Beautiful altar!  Beautiful lectern!  Classy chairs.  Processional cross modelled after the Paul VI/John Paul II ferula and... WHAT THE?!?!?!

The Tabernacle is on the side AGAIN!!!  I know...it does not have the Lord in it.  But this set-up says a lot!

Can you not see how the liturgists try to make a parallelism between the presider's chair and the Tabernacle?  Geez....after the Year of the Priest and naming St. John  Mary Vianney the model for all priests on loving ministry and the Eucharistic Lord, you would think THIS would not happen again?  Hah!  Wishful thinking Pinoy Catholic!

Busts of laughing Christ and a Christ showing His Sacred Heart with a crown of thorns on the Sacred Head.  Hmmm...Never seen this before.  I can't make out of this.  First, the smiling and the suffering Christ...Nuff said.  Then the Sacred Heart with the crown of thorns.  Never have seen this before.

Drab vestments!

Ho-hum overlay stoles.  The St. Joseph the Worker stole is nice, though.  

Guess when this will be used?  Duh!

White Chasuble with an overlay design most oftentimes mistaken as a stole or what some would call "pallium stole" or "center stole".   There is no such thing folks.  According to the GIRM, stoles are worn under the chasuble.  Only in exceptional cases should it be worn over the chasuble.  This overlay designed-stole can still be used provided that an inner stole be worn inside.  Looking at the embroidery and the design, it is a nice handiwork and the material is probably the same used in a Barong Tagalog.

Ho-hum chalices and patens.  Well, better than the water goblet!

***

As I mentioned above, there are some shops who do excellent liturgical vestments.

Here they are: 

 Talleres de Nazaret 

You may visit their website.  Actually some of their work is sold at Liturgica but these are the ugly ones.  Go to their website and you can find excellent Roman chasubles.  I have personally seen the Roman chasubles and maniples and traditional copes they make and they are EXCEPTIONAL!  BUT!

Talleres is VERY PRICEY and the craftsmanship is not as excellent as I have seen done by smaller shops, staffed and owned by la people.   The people who work there need something to buy their daily bread, no?  Here is a screenshot of the chasubles.

Next is 

  Paulus Fine Liturgical Vestments

They have their own website also.  Click here.

Here is the profile of the company according to their website:

Paulus is a family-owned company started by the late Gerardo S. Salazar(†) in 1999. It started as Ecclesia Manila and was changed to Paulus Fine Liturgical Vestments following Jerry's untimely demise in 2006.

Today, our family steadfastly pursues the lifelong interest in embroidery, art and design together with a love of worship sparked by Jerry during his life as a designer and servant of the church. Paulus is now being managed by Marcela S. Salazar.

You can come to custom tailor your vestments in our studio located at 5421 Marcelo H. Del Pilar Street, La Huerta Paranaque City, Philippines. Or you may contact us directly through this website.

Here are sample works of Paulus:

Traditional Y Cross Gothic Chasuble.  Simple, traditional and beautiful!

With a detachable collar.  Very fine embroidery!

Traditional Banner for the Mother Butler Guild

Paulus has its share of liturgical horrors too...

AHHHHH!!!!

I also know of one from Bulacan who makes very great vestments also.  I cannot find her contact details.  I will post this as soon as I get them.

 
UPDATE December 28, 2011

Try this one instead!  You can have the best traditional vestments here.

Neumann Liturgical Vestment

Ronnie C. Lominoque 
(Liturgical Art Designer)

63 9167153435

And for your sacred vessels!

Mamerto Pingol Metal Craft Manufacturing
1631 Felix Huertas Street, Sta. Cruz Manila
Telephone Number
+ 63 2 711-8216

Telefax
+ 63 2 711-8880

and/ or


Relobin

63 2 473-2431

They really do good work. And the insides of the chalices are gilded in REAL silver and/or  gold.  Excellent attention to details also!

GULP Report: Vestment Alert! A rare one for the Philippines

The investigative work of God's Undercover Liturgical Police (GULP) who are also members of SLAP (Survivors of Liturgical Abuse in Parishes) is still on going.  Armed with the latest gadgets in capturing excellent and not-so-good liturgical practices, the GULP now becomes Liturgical Fashion Police and sends you this from the Philippines.

Last Sunday was Gaudete Sunday and as the liturgical books says, the color of the liturgical color of the day MUST BE ROSE, not pink, but ROSE, not violet or purple, but ROSE.

So I found this rare vestment worn by a young priest in Manila. He obligingly posed for me to have his photo taken albeit his face hidden for fear of jibes from hippies-priest of the aggiornamento decades.  Hmm. What is it with these old guys and the splendid vestments of old?  Can someone care to tell me why?

Anyways, enjoy the photos.

GAUDETE!

                                      FRONT                                                             BACK

INTRICATE LACE OF THE ALB

AGNUS DEI

***

WONDERFUL LITURGICAL EYE CANDY!!!

I'll try to get the name and address of the one who makes these wonderful vestments.  I heard that it is hand-made.  Very exquisite work!  She even makes a Traditional Latin Mass set!  Cool!