On Sunday 15th May Pope Francis canonised St Titus Brandsma, a Dutch Carmelite and Martyr. A Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated in Whitefriar Street Church on Sunday, May 22^nd. St Titus spent some time in Whitefriar Street in 1935, as he prepared to travel to the United States to give a series of lectures.

The Principal Celebrant of the Mass was the Most Rev. Dermot Farrell, Archbishop of Dublin, and the homily was given by Most Rev. Fernando Millan Romeral, O.Carm., former Prior General. There was a large number of concelebrants from various religious orders and dioceses.

The music was led by the Palestrina Choir and featured a beautiful Post-Communion piece, specially commissioned for the Canonisation with music by Ephrem Feeley and words by James Quinn, SJ.

The Church was full for the great occasion and demonstrated the widespread devotion to the new Saint. The Mass was followed by a reception in the Carmelite Community Centre. It was an opportunity for the extended Carmelite Family to catch up and celebrate together after the restrictions and difficulties of the last few years.

A broad range of materials about Titus Brandsma have been published recently and are available from our local Carmelite Churches. Titus is a saint from our times and for our times. His understanding of the modern world and the depths of Christian, specifically Carmelite mysticism, grant his words a sense of wisdom and impact for today.