even when they have been recorded by my dinky little hand-held camera.
This is the fifth antiphon of First Vespers of Ss. Peter and Paul, sung with Psalm 116, and followed by the Chapter.
Aña: Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.
Psalm: O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his mercy is confirmed upon us: and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever. Glory be. Aña Thou art Peter.
Chapter: Herod the king stretched forth his hands, to afflict some of the Church. And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. And seeing that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take up Peter also. (Acts 12, 1-3)
This was recorded in the parish church of the village of Opfenbach, the next village over from Wigratzbad, where the Fraternity of St. Peter has its European seminary. A very large number of priests were present for the days of recollection held for them at the seminary; His Excellency Vitus Huonder, Bishop of Chur, who celebrated the ordinations which took place the following day, attended in choir.
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| The church at Opfenbach seen from the choir loft. |
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After Vespers, the entire community went down to the cemetery of the church, and recited together the De profundis for Fr. Pierre Gaudray, a priest of the archdiocese of Rouen and associate of the F.S.S.P., who served as the spiritual director of the seminary for more than 20 years. Fr. Gaudray passed away earlier this year at the age of 91, and was buried at Opfenbach. The feast of St. Peter was not only his name-day, but the anniversary of his priestly ordination in 1948, and the patronal feast of the order and seminary in which he lived and served. He died in his room at the seminary, surrounded by his confreres, on January 28th, the feast of the Mercedarian St. Peter Nolasco. Requiescat in pace.
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| Fr. Gaudray performs the laying-on of hands at a priestly ordinations in Wigratbad. (Photograph courtesy of the F.S.S.P., © 2001-2013 - www.fssp.org) |
