Fr. Devillers

Vancouver Traditional Latin Mass Community

Triduum Sacrum 2000

Fr. Devillers Visits Vancouver

Fr. Devillers arrive in Vancouver on Tuesday 18th April to meet with Archbishop Exner and to say the Triduum Sacrum as he had done last year for the Vancouver Traditional Latin Mass community.

Father met with the Archbishop on Wednesday for over an hour and we can report that:

• The meeting with the Archbishop went exceedingly well and he is very supportive of the Latin Mass community;

• The Archbishop will be able to use our Priest in the capacity of probably a Chaplain and so his salary will be partially if not completely covered by the Diocese;

• We have to submit a further choice of names for our Quasi Parish.

On Wednesday night Father had dinner with the VTMS executive and it was a pleasure to be able to meet and talk about our future with Father in so relaxed an atmosphere. We are now able to report that a Priest from the FSSP will be arriving in September. We know that this delay is a disappointment but on the positive side it will give us more time:

• to get the Quasi Parish canonically erected and obtain our charitable status designation;

• finalize on the Quasi Parish location and

• continue to build up our revenue.

Father held Altar boy practices on Thursday and Saturday morning. We wish to thank all the Altar servers for their hard and dedicated work and a special vote of thanks to Adam who made the arrangements and chauffeured Father back and forth to most of the ceremonies.

The Holy or Maundy Thursday Mass began with the procession at 9 p.m.. Father performed the ceremonial washing of the feet and ended with the solemn removal of the Blessed Sacrament.

Good Friday ceremonies began at 12 noon. The picture on the left shows Father and the Cantors doing a magnificent job of intoning the Gospel. The Adoration of the Cross is shown in the Ecce Signum Crucis picture.

The Holy Saturday ceremonies began with the blessing of the New Fire followed by the blessing of the Paschal candle. The blessing of the Baptismal Water and renewal of our Baptismal vows served to remind all of our resurrection to a life of grace and the infusion of supernatural life into our souls. As Father pointed out in one of his sermons this infusion is a participation in the life of God and already a partaking in the glorious life in heaven. Now we participate through Faith then we will participate directly. This is the Mystery Of Faith called the Communion Of Saints.

Following the Mass of Easter Sunday Father performed a Baptism and this was followed by a brunch with the Community.

We wish to take this opportunity to thank the Choir and the Schola for a magnificent job well done, for the Altar servers and the Master of Ceremonies, for those who did the brass and decorated the Church, for our photographer and for all those who helped make Father’s visit a resounding success.

On Monday the 24th April Father winged his way out of Vancouver. It is not the last we have seen of Father however we will take this opportunity of thanking him with all our hearts for this time of Grace. Father may God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost bless you and may St. Michael protect you against the powers of darkness which are sweeping over the face of the earth.