An Extraordinary Form Weekend in Rural France: A few photographs

As explained in an earlier post, Father's camera was adversely affected by being left in his car all night. This first one is of the poorest quality. The smoky atmosphere was NOT caused by clouds of incense, more's the pity! The rest are much better! Many thanks to Mark Miles for his assistance in posting them.

1. The Sanctuary taken from the Sacristy.

VENI DOMINE, ET NOLI TARDARE!

Credence table in front of the altar; to right of photo you should just be able to make out the white statue of the Sacred Heart blessing the library and house below. The tops of two library bookcases can be seen bottom right of photo.

2. Another, closer one from the Sacristy.

AD TE LEVAVI ANIMAM MEAM!

Lit sanctuary lamp peeping out from behind leftmost beam, denoting the Lord's presence in the tabernacle; dressed chalice and altar Missal in place. In extreme left foreground the two framed plaques are a) printed record of the chapel's blessing and dedication under the patronage of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Thomas More on Candlemas 1994 b) an engraving of the Presentation in the Temple.

3 Close up of Altar ready for Msss on the First Sunday of Advent.

EXCITA. QUAESUMUS, DOMINE, POTENTIAM TUAM, ET VENI!

Sorry about the ironing, the altar cloth did not appear as creased in reality! Note already mentioned 'priest hole' back left behind altar. I like the aureole effect the lighting has created above the tabernacle.

4. Altar from my prie-dieu in the chapel

UNIVERSI QUI TE EXPECTANT, NON CONFUNDENTUR, DOMINE .

To left in front of sanctuary lamp stand is communion rail draped ready with white linen cloth.

5. The Vesting table ready for the priest.

INTROIBO AD ALTARE DEI, AD DEUM QUI LAETIFICAT JUVENTUTEM MEAM!

The tryptych shows the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child (centre); The Nativity of Our Lord (right); and The Presentation in the Temple (left). The left and right panels can be closed to reveal two further pictures - on the right S. Veronica with the Holy Face of Jesus, and on the left, the Good Shepherd with a lamb. I bought the piece at Antique Church Furnishings in the UK. It's a second hand outlet for discarded ecclesiastical items which the proprietor salvages with great love. This tryptych, he told me, had once belonged to a former auxiliary bishop of Arundel and Brighton, whose private chapel it had once adorned..

Above the tryptych are the framed Vesting Prayers in Latin and English, to the right of these, are small pictures of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica. To the left of the prayers is a warning to the priest about the low beam above his head! On the table to the left of the vestments is a small picture of St. Jean Vianney, and behind the lefthand panel of the tryptych is the Prayer of St. Pius V.

I'm hoping to post the photos taken with the conventional camera as soon as I can, probably towards the end of next week as the film has to go into the nearest town for developing.

NEXT POST ABOUT THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT AND THE SECOND MASS HERE, POSSIBLY TONIGHT, BUT IF NOT, THEN MOST CERTAINLY TOMORROW. GOD BLESS ALL MY READERS FOR THEIR PATIENCE AND CONGRATULATIONS TO MULIER FORTIS WHO RENEWED HER PRIVATE VOWS TODAY. AD MULTOS ANNOS MAC!