The Transfiguration

The Studio is pleased to commemorate the Feast of the Transfiguration with this post featuring a set of festal vestments. The vestments are made from a familiar tapestry fabric and fully-lined in crimson-red cloth. This chasuble is ornamented in the well-known Roman style, a variation of the TAU at the front and a column at the back, formed by a stripes of crimson-red brocade and an outlining burgundy and gold galloon.

The vestments are sumptuous, but yet gold metallic yarns are nowhere to be found in it.

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

The chasuble is in the Studio's Saint Philip Neri style, which is the product of years of research into historical vestments and refinement of dimensions for comfortable use.  The Studio revived this more ample 16th century style of the Roman chasuble in 2007 and since then we have made many of them.  Beware of poorly-made imitations!

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

A prayer for zealous shepherds

Thanks to Father Finigan we found this beautiful prayer of Saint John Fisher, dating from the year 1508, which he uttered during a Sermon. It is a prayer for the appointment to the Church of good bishops. Unfortunately the prayer was not answered as fully as he might have hoped. John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester since 1504, was the only Bishop in Catholic England to refuse to assent to the Act of Supremacy, the supreme arrogation of the vile despot Henry VIII (Tudor), severing England from Communion with the Roman Church. For such a refusal, Fisher was put to death by the tyrant in June 1535.  Pope Paul III had made him a Cardinal shortly before his death. Pope Pius XI canonised him four hundred years later (together with Sir Thomas More).

The portrait accompanying this post is described here . Based on Holbein's famous drawing, this portrait might easily be a photograph taken yesterday, so lifelike is it.

Lord, according to your promise that the Gospel should be preached throughout the whole world, raise up men fit for such work. The Apostles were but soft and yielding clay till they were baked hard by the fire of the Holy Ghost.

So, good Lord, do now in like manner again with your Church militant; change and make the soft and slippery earth into hard stone; set in your Church strong and mighty pillars that may suffer and endure great labours, watching, poverty, thirst, hunger, cold and heat; which also shall not fear the threatening of princes, persecution, neither death but always persuade and think with themselves to suffer with a good will, slanders, shame, and all kinds of torments, for the glory and laud of your Holy Name. By this manner, good Lord, the truth of your Gospel shall be preached throughout all the world.

Therefore, merciful Lord, exercise your mercy, show it indeed upon your Church.  Amen.

AMDG

Festal Days

During the Festal days of this week, the Studio is pleased to present this simple vestment in our Saint Anselm style.

This style of chasuble, which we have been making for a few years now, is simple and comfortable to wear.  Although the chasuble is unlined, it is made from substantial, not flimsy material, so that it hangs down well.  Around the neckline, on the underside of the chasuble is a facing, which causes the vestments to sit well on the shoulders.

Concerning the appearance of this vestment, it is intended to be a mixture of the contemporary and the traditional.  It is a long chasuble and reaching near to the wrists.  It is ornamented simply.  The colour of the ornament varies, but consists of two columns made from silk with a selection of the Studio's unique braids.

In the case of this chasuble, the Studio's braid Saint George is laid upon pendants of vibrant red silk dupion.  These pendants are attached to the front and to the back of chasuble.

Each of these simpler chasubles is supplied with a fully-lined stole.  They are available in all the liturgical colours.

Please click on the image for an enlarged view.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Saint Dominic

On this remembrance of the illustrious life of Saint Dominic,  the Saint Bede Studio is pleased to present this set of festal vestments. 

The vestments are made from a beautiful silk damask in a very muted gold, with golden highlights. They are fully-lined in crimson-red taffeta.

This Borromeon chasuble is ornamented in the well-known Roman style, being the TAU at the front and a column at the back, formed by a damask in colours of burgundy and gold and an outlining gold galloon.

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

The chasuble is in the Studio's Borromeon style, which is the product of years of research into historical vestments and refinement of dimensions for comfortable use.  The Studio revived this more ample 16th century style of the Roman chasuble in 2007 and since then we have made many of them.  Beware of poorly-made imitations!

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

The Revision of the Roman Rite : 1964 - 1970

Celebration of Mass according to
the 1965 Missale Romanum.

Among the many over-reaching claims made during the Troubles of the twelve years happily concluded in 2025 is one that stated that the revisions of the Roman Rite - specifically those which took place in and after the year 1969 - are "irreformable".  Only those who try to ignore or hide history could possibly come up with such a statement.  Graves and funerary monuments abound of those who considered their work to be permanent or irreformable.  Perhaps this is a small consolation for those still suffering the after-effects of Traditionis Custodes.

One of the lessons to be learned, however, from the Revision of the Liturgical books, which took place (mainly) between the years 1965 - 1970 is that changes took place in stages.

The first stage - introducing vernacular into the Rite of Mass and the celebration of the Sacraments was very dramatic and well-received.  Why it was so popular would bear a great deal of discussion, beyond the scope of this brief overview.  But there were no widespread protests against the introduction of the vernacular into the Roman Rite.  It seemed such a good idea, at least at first.  

Changes to the ritual actions of the Mass took place by degrees and - except for the innovation of the celebration of Mass facing the people at freestanding altars, went by without a great deal of handwringing or even attention, except of course for the celebrant and his ministers.  Ritually, so much was altered step-by-step in this period, that when the New Order of Mass came into effect on the First Sunday of Advent, 1969, it was seen quite clearly as just another revision amongst a continuum of revisions. That was the strategy and it was successful.

In a previous post, we presented the first of the Liturgical books to be released as a result of the decree of the Second Vatican Council Sacrosanctum Concilium.  We will continue to examine the many English-language Missals which were produced between 1964 and 1968 in further posts. Retrospectively, the form of the Roman Rite which existed between these two years has become known as the Interim Rite.  During those years, of course, such a term was not known, since that would have given the game away.  Except for those working behind the scenes, no one in 1964 / 65 would have believed that the Roman Rite would have been so drastically altered, such that Old and New bear only a basic resemblance.

For a younger generation the Missals of the so-called Interim Rite are largely unknown.  They make for a most interesting study.

The celebrant giving the Blessing during a
celebration of the Mass of the "Interim Rite".
The missal resting upon the altar is one of the Latin & vernacular
editions 1965-1968.

AMDG  

S. Alphonsus Liguori

In this post, we feature a chasuble and mitre set made for an American bishop.

The chasuble and mitre were made from an ornate silk damask, called Lovebirds. Ornamenting the chasuble, back and front, is a column formed from rose-gold silk damask, outlined by a golden galloon.  Both mitre and chasuble were lined in a rich red taffeta.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

The mitre has a similar decorative scheme, but its ornament is formed from different coloured braids.

Click on the images for an enlarged view. 

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

S. Ignatius Loyola

On the Feast of Saint Loyola, we are pleased to present this set of festal vestments.

Made from a simple white brocade and fully-lined in a shade of gold silk, the chasuble in this post is ornamented with a Renaissance brocade in colours of red upon gold.  A galloon of red and straw-gold outlines the TAU ornament. 

The chasuble is in the Studio's Saint Philip Neri style, which is the product of years of research into historical vestments and refinement of dimensions for comfortable use.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

A Prayer for God's Blessing on our work

The work of the Saint Bede Studio, which is conducted in modest arrangements here in Newcastle, Australia, is able to continue because of God's blessing upon it.

Most days, we receive a message from a customer or an enquirer thanking us for the work we do to beautify God's house and with a promise of prayer.

Your custom and your prayer are the two foundations upon which our work continues.  We have many commissions and more enquiries than we can manage.  And perhaps an equal amount of difficulties.

This prayer has appeared on the Studio blog before.  Perhaps you will pray it remembering all those who work to sanctify God's House.

AMDG.

This prayer has received the Imprimatur of the Bishop of Maitland & Newcastle (Australia).

Suscipe Sancta Trinitas

One of the prayers which didn't survive the Missale Romanum final cut in 1970 was this one:

Accept, holy Trinity, this offering which we make to you in remembrance of the passion, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in honour of blessed Mary ever Virgin, of blessed John the Baptist, of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, of those whose relics rest here, and of all the Saints. To them may it bring honour, and to us salvation; and may they, whose memory we keep on earth, be pleased to intercede for us in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

This beautiful prayer, intended to be recited quietly after the washing of the hands during the Preparation of Gifts or Offertory, is a summary of the things a Catholic should keep in mind when praying the Mass. It reminds us firstly that all our worship is offered to the One God, who is a Trinity of Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Secondly, in reflecting the Anamnesis after the consecration, the prayer insists on the unity of Christ’s Paschal Mystery that is re-presented for us in sacramental form: His Passion, Resurrection and Ascension. Finally, it asserts that a secondary end of the Mass is the honour of the Saints (that is, the victory of Christ in His members is being praised), and accordingly it begs their intercession for us on Earth. 

One can only wonder at the mentality which saw fit to excise this prayer from the Mass. If there was one prayer that ought to have been retained at the Offertory, this was the one. After washing his hands and before inviting the people to prayer (Pray, brethren), the celebrant bowed before the altar and quietly prayed the Suscipe Sancta Trinitas.

If you are a priest reading this, you might consider praying this prayer at the Offertory when you offer the Ordinary Form of the Roman Mass. If you pray it according to the rubrics of the 1962 Missale Romanum, (namely bowed and silently) no one in the pews will be disturbed.  We won't tell Cardinal Roche.

How beautiful it would be if once again this prayer were recited at every Mass!  The Angels would rejoice.

The Throw-away Culture

 

The throw-away society we live in, where the value of anything is measured in short-term satisfaction, is consumerist and ungodly.  The Church is not immune from such a mentality, unfortunately.  Vestments can be purchased ONLINE quite readily and affordably and the merit of this is all measured by convenience.

The Saint Bede Studio wishes to offer an alternative to this culture.  Our vestments are made to last decades (if well cared-for).  They are the product of artistic and careful design, not mass-production (no pun intended).

One such is shewn in this post - a glimpse of a set of green vestments in the mediaeval style.  The vestments were made from a lovely shade of English ecclesiastical brocade and lined in taffeta of a deep red colour.  

The ornament was formed from a lovely braid in colours of red and ivory, upon black.  These vestments are simple in their ornamentation, but striking.  The maniple is finished with solid fringing in colours of green and ivory.  There is no need here for fine embroideries, but the effect is created with strong colours and contrasts.

Click on the image for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG