At Aylesford there is a reliquary containing the skull of St Simon Stock whose feast was celebrated last Saturday in the Archdiocese of Southwark. Here is the proper collect for his feast as found in the Southwark supplement to my old breviary:Plebs tibi, Domine, Virginique Matri dicata, beati Simonis solemnitate laetetur: et sicut per eum tantae protectionis signum obtinuit, ita praedestinationis aeternae munera consequatur.The "sign of such great protection" is a reference to the brown scapular. When Our Lady appeared to St Simon, giving him this distinctive Carmelite clothing, she said that whoever died devoutly wearing it would not suffer the fire. Promises such as these are never intended to be a "get out of jail free" card but an assistance to those who devoutly use such sacramentals. Hence the prayer asking humbly for the blessings of eternal predestination, not a presumptuous claim.
O Lord, may the community dedicated to You and to the Virgin Mary rejoice at the solemnity of blessed Simon: and just as it obtained through Him a sign of such great protection, so may it gain possession of the gifts of eternal predestination.
I translated "plebs" as "community" following the late Latin use noted in Lewis and Short. It conveys the sense that there is a particular community that is dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, including both the Carmelites themselves and those who wear the brown scapular.
It is a great blessing to be so near Aylesford. It takes me about minutes to drive there from Blackfen so I sometimes call over when I have an opportunity, especially to join the community for Saturday compline and the Carmelite anthem "Flos Carmeli" (more information at this post.)
5 comments:
Father, I would translate plebs as ordinary folk or even peasant depending upon the circumstances (but I don't own a Lewis & Short, and am not that good a Latinist anyway).
When I was at school, we went to Aylesford Priory for our patronal feast day, and whilst impressed by the grounds of the Priory, the Liturgy was rather ''a-liturgical.'' I am not sure whether that was just for us, but from your post it seems that it is not the norm there...
Thank you for posting this Collect, Father. I like having as many propers available to use with the LH as is possible. Happy Vigil of the Ascension!
My wife and I visited Aylesford last Friday. As we don't live too far away we try to 'get away' on a mini Marian Pilgrimage once a month. We start with mid-day Holy Mass then follow this by visiting and praying at the shrine of St Simon Stock and at the altar of the Blessed Sacrament where the names of the English Martyrs are written in beautiful ceramic plaques on the walls.
We follow this up with the Rosary walk (set in absolutely gorgeous and serene surroundings at Aylesford) and then retire to the Friar's Cafeteria for a hot drink, a hot pie or soup of the day and the absolute BEST slice of carrot cake and apple strudel in the world! Well OK, maybe the 2nd best apple strudel, as my Grandmother (God rest her soul) made the best!
Aylesford is close to our hearts, we have been going there for all sorts of Catholic occassions for over 40 years!
God Bless the Carmelite Friars.
You are right Father, Aylseford is such a wonderful place. The Rosary walk is so peaceful and it surprises me that so few people visit during the week. May is the month of Our lady and where better to sing Her praises then at Aylseford.
The cafe also has the most amazing carrot cake - highly recommended.
Perhaps, Fr, you could persuade the friars to turn off the piped chant on pilgrimage days,-it's loud, repetitious, and irreverent to use sacred music, meant to be prayed with the heart, as a supermarket style background. Also, to cut back on the legion of extraordinary ministers.
You are lucky to live south of the dreaded Blackwall tunnel.
regards.
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