ANNUNTIO VOBIS GAUDIUM MAGNUM! We have RED VESTMENTS in Rome!

I have great news.

The other day the sacristan at Santissima Trinità here in Rome and I were chatting about the RED VESTMENT PROJECT.

In a nutshell, the various sets of red vestments for Mass that many priests use on a daily basis were a disastrous hodgepodge. I resolved to do something about it. I consulted with the parish priest, consulted with you readers for pledges for the vestments, and ordered them, telling Gammarelli that they were needed before the Summorum Pontificum gathering at the end of October (coming up).   At the shop, they were skeptical because they didn’t at the time have fabric all from the same lot and that would take time or order and make… there was a backlog… so many people… summer coming.   I stressed October.

After that, I did nothing. I didn’t call for updates or anything. I figured I would follow up when I got to Rome, as I did a couple days ago.

This morning The World’s Best Sacristan™ and I ran some errands, one of them to Gammarelli to learn about the progress on the vestments.

To our absolute surprise the vestments happened to be on the counter, waiting to be wrapped and delivered. I had not even been notified yet. It was total surprise.

Here they are on the counter. Only the top one, 1 of 7, has my coat of arms (since I am the instigator).

Rome’s Best Sacristan™ and I schlepped them to church and brought them to the attention of a delighted pastor.

Yours truly blessed them.

And proceeded to say Mass with them, today being a feast of martyrs.

Holy Mass was said for the red vestment donors.  Thank you.

The donors for this project sent their donations to the Tridentine Mass Society of Madison, of which I am still prez.  It is a 501(c)3).

The other vestments do not have a coat-of-arms.  My chasuble will stay in Rome for use by priests as needed.

These are really nice vestments and everyone is very pleased.  I think that, as the days go by, positive feedback will come in from the priests who use them.   They, too, will be grateful.

And so, this brings the Red Vestment Project to a conclusion.

HOWEVER… 

There were quite a few people who pledged donations for the red, but their pledges weren’t needed right away.

At the time I mentioned that there would be a couple more projects.   The parish is also in need of BLACK VESTMENTS.   In fact, in the mornings, quite a few priests need to use black, because they – as earthly life goes on for us and not for others – have Requiem Masses to say.   The parish’s black vestments are also in disarray.

Whaddya say?  Ready for another round?

And there is a White Solemn Set on the boards, too, but I don’t know much about that.

Finally, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Red Vestment donors!

You’ve made some priests really happy and have contributed in an exemplary way to the decorum which is necessary for the celebration of Holy Mass.