Revisiting Holy Cross Cemetery

One of the sections at Holy Cross Cemetery dedicated to the burial of young children

The Brothers and Chorus Breviarii recently sang for the burial of a baptized newborn at the Holy Cross Chapel Mausoleum. Because of the Church's firm belief in the saving power of Baptism, those children who die before attaining the age of reason enter Heaven at once, and thus, there is no need for the requests for repose and freedom from purgatory found in the typical burial rites and Requiem Mass. We therefore sang the Votive Mass of the Angels, followed by Psalm 148 (Ant. Juvenes et virgines) and the Canticle of the Three Young Children (Ant. Benedicite Dominum) during the processions to and from the grave site.

The Rt. Rev. Tullio Andreatta, K.C.H.S., at the Holy Cross altar

During our visit to the mausoleum, our longtime members were reminded of the days when Holy Cross was the main home of San Diego's Traditional Latin Mass community, before St. Anne was erected as a TLM personal parish under the FSSP in late 2008. While in the vicinity of the chapel's sanctuary, Fratellino and the Chief reminisced about the ministry of the late Msgr. Andreatta to the Holy Cross TLM congregation and the care taken to ensure that Mass was celebrated in as dignified a manner as possible. In those days, the altar would be modified via extension pieces, probably composed of the same marble material as the normal table altar, as seen above. Fratellino suggests that the location of these helpful extensions has likely been lost to time. These extension pieces would ensure that the modified altar was long enough to fit necessary liturgical objects without cramming them, and it also came with the benefit of providing symmetry. Meanwhile, the small square table altar used for regular Masses would likely only be suitable for a snug Low Mass.

The current sanctuary of Holy Cross

The sanctuary arrangement we observed recently exhibited a general disregard for symmetry (unless the addition of a blue-ish circular carpet upon the top altar step counts as rotational symmetry). The table altar lies off-center, a feature typical to both modern churches and wreckovated sanctuaries. In combination with the dominance of the ambo on the right side of the top altar step, the current sanctuary arrangement takes away from the centrality of the Eucharistic sacrifice, instead placing it on equal footing with the recitation from the pulpit. Good preaching is laudable, but the ambo / pulpit since the age of wreckovations has become a place for blurring divisions between the ordained and the laity, especially with the addition of lay (woman) lectors and Responsorial Psalm cantors. Despite the poor state of the sanctuary, there were still plenty of dignified places to offer Mass located around the mausoleum complex.

Side Chapels in the Nave

There are two gated areas on the Gospel side of the main chapel's nave that appear to contain side altars, though the lack of light in these areas and the inability to enter them without a key makes it difficult to assess whether they are true side altars. The lack of a discernable mensa on either may indicate that these chapels are merely tomb spaces with space set aside for illuminated stained glass, though it is not absolutely disqualifying. The Guardian Angels Chapel (above) is the narrower of the two side chapels, possibly making the table space on top of two tombs a less likely candidate for a true side altar. The table space is also encircled by the same type of pink stone that encircles the tomb spaces in the chapel, potentially indicating some sort of modification. This doesn't offer a definitive answer as to whether this is a true side altar, though it is good to note that the presence of a pink stone perimeter differentiates this chapel from the other chapel.

The St. Anthony of Padua Chapel currently houses the tabernacle used for Masses at Holy Cross. Interestingly, this is one of the few examples of a veiled free-standing tabernacle in the Diocese of San Diego, though it is unknown whether the color of the veil ever changes by day or season. The tabernacle has been placed right on top of a stack of two tombs, and the area above these tombs is noticeably broader than the space seen in the Guardian Angels Chapel, as seen in the picture above. If the tabernacle were moved appropriately, there would likely be enough space to offer Mass here.

The Evangelist's haircut is a wee-bit modern

Gregory Peck, Pope of Alexandria

Above the main chapel's "retroquire" are stained glass depictions of the Four Evangelists. While conversing with the Chief, Fratellino made the observation that the figure in St. Mark's window bore a resemblance to legendary film actor Gregory Peck, a San Diego native (and as typical of those in entertainment, a very imperfect Catholic who nonetheless had priest-friends). While Peck is buried in the crypt of the Los Angeles Cathedral, Fratellino doesn't find it too farfetched to believe that a famous San Diegan who has played such notable roles as Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird would find his way into an Evangelist's stained glass window.

The Family Chapels

The east wing of the mausoleum complex contains at least a half-dozen family chapels, each of which includes an altar suitable for saying Low Mass. The presence of rugs, altar steps, and artwork around the altars may imply that these chapels were built with the offering of ad orientem Mass in mind, though it is unknown when the last time Mass was offered in these chapels was. 

The altar in the family chapel pictured above has some objects that can be associated with an altar that sees some liturgical use. There are two wax candles on candlesticks, sufficient for Low Mass, as well as a tall altar cross. Additionally, there appears to be a green cloth on top of the at altar. While I assume that it is an altar cover placed on the altar outside of liturgies, it may also be a folded seasonal altar cloth. Interestingly, it appears that someone buried in this chapel may have been a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. The Brothers and Chorus Breviarii have been familiar with members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre in the past, with both the late Msgr. Andreatta and the late Msgr. Anthony Ferrero being Knights. 

Fr. Neely's Resting Place

Fr. Harry Neely, OSA is buried in the Augustinian plot right across the street from the main doors of the Holy Cross Chapel Mausoleum. Fr. Neely was chaplain to the Holy Cross TLM group after the days of Msgr. Andreatta, and also served as chaplain to Chorus Breviarii and the Brothers. We sang and served at a Requiem Mass for him in 2020. Requiescat in pace. 

The Bishops' Tombs

The past bishops of San Diego are buried in a courtyard to the right of the mausoleum chapel's front doors. Bishop Charles Francis Buddy of blessed memory has his tomb located directly under the diocesan coat of arms in its own place. We will hopefully be releasing some articles on Bishop Buddy and his contributions to the founding of this diocese in the near future.

Bishop Leo Thomas Maher and Bishop Robert Henry Brom are buried to the left of Bishop Buddy's tomb. Bishop Maher's leadership over the diocese coincided with the strong implementation of Vatican II, but it was also under his rule that the Holy Cross TLM congregation started, starting first at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Mission Hills before being pushed to the mausoleum chapel. It was during Bishop Brom's leadership that the FSSP were invited to San Diego and the Holy Cross TLM congregation received St. Anne Catholic Church as their new personal parish.

Bishop Cirilo B. Flores ruled for only a year before succumbing to cancer, sadly ending what seemed like a hopeful future for our diocese. Like Msgr. Andreatta and Msgr. Ferrero, Bishop Flores was a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre. To date, Bishop Flores is the only ordinary of the Diocese of San Diego that the Brothers have assisted as a group. We pray that God may grant us another holy bishop like him to shepherd over our diocese.