Archive for February, 2010

Cardinal Levada to Preach at Consecration of FSSP chapel in Lincoln (to be televised on EWTN) March 3rd

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

This Wednesday, March 3rd, Wednesday Cardinal William Levada, the Pope’s successor as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will preach at the consecration at the Priestly Society of St Peter’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary chapel in Nebraska.

The consecration, conferred in the traditional rite, will be televised on EWTN.  http://www.ewtn.com/tv/index.asp

Interview with UVA’s Michael Dunnigan & Jason King, Zenit

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Formation for the Extraordinary Form

http://www.zenit.org/article-27609?l=english

A lack of priests trained to celebrate Mass in the extraordinary form was a common concern after the Pope issued “motu proprio” [on his own initiative] his apostolic letter “Summorum Pontificum” in 2007. The papal document aimed to make it easier to celebrate the old Mass, but a lack of qualified priests was sometimes used as a reason not to allow it to be celebrated in certain dioceses.

But thanks to the traditionalist Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) and Una Voce USA, an international federation promoting the Tridentine Mass, it has co-produced a successful program to fill the gap. The FSSP priests have teamed up with the traditionalist group to help train other clergy on how to celebrate Mass in the extraordinary form across the United States.

Since it began in 2007, 130 priests have been trained through the program, and a highly acclaimed CD has been produced in collaboration with EWTN to help them learn more about how to celebrate the old rite. FSSP priests are sent to any diocese where a “stable group” of faithful has requested Mass in the old rite. “The results have been amazing,” says Jason King, a director of Una Voce USA who thought up the idea of working with the FSSP on the project. “It’s been such a blessing to be involved in it and to help others have the ability to attend Mass in the extraordinary form whenever they like.”

King, who is also second vice president of the International Federation of Una Voce, was in Rome for the organization’s annual meeting. In a report on the second anniversary of Summorum Pontificum, Una Voce noted that since September last year, there has been a “noticeable improvement” in awareness of the motu proprio in Poland, South Africa, and the United States. In the U.S., traditional Masses are now being celebrated in 151 of the nation’s 178 dioceses.

But it also reported that in most other places, the situation remains “unchanged” with resistance among some bishops to the old rite, and even threats against some priests who wish to celebrate it. In Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, England and Wales, there has been “some increase in Masses and locations”, but it added that this is “often due to the persistence of lay people and the courage of individual priests rather than the pastoral concern of their bishops.”

Michael Dunnigan, chairman of Una Voce USA, said the resistance isn’t always so obvious: Some bishops or chanceries, for example, are telling groups who request a Mass in the extraordinary form that they have to find a priest themselves to celebrate it. “I don’t think it’s right to put that burden on the laity,” he says. Help from the FSSP priests is reducing the number of these cases, says Dunnigan, but some chanceries are even opposed to them visiting their dioceses to train other priests.

One other weakness since the Holy Father released the motu proprio has been a lack of back-up from Rome. Summorum Pontificum stated that, should there be resistance to requests, appeals could be made, but the Ecclesia Dei Commission at the Vatican has not been offering much in the way of support, according to some who favour the old rite.

But overall, supporters of the old Mass are still delighted with the results of the motu proprio so far. Una Voce were particularly grateful that they could have a public, solemn High Mass celebrated in St. Peter’s basilica last weekend – only the second of the past 40 years (the first was celebrated last month by Archbishop Raymond Burke). Significantly, the Mass took place in the St. Pius X chapel, after being moved at the last minute from the nearby chapel of St. Joseph.

“The best part was the spontaneous singing that occurred, which filled the basilica with wonderful Latin hymns,” says King. “I wasn’t looking, but I heard later that so many people were stopping and looking in wonderment at the liturgy that was taking place.”

* * *

Edward Pentin is a freelance writer living in Rome. He can be reached at: epentin@zenit.org.

New England Traditional Catholic Conference to Be Held April 24

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

St. Martha’s Church in Enfield, Connecticut will host the New England Traditional Catholic Conference on Saturday, April 24, 2010. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., the event will feature Solemn High Mass, confessions, Eucharistic Adoration, Catholic speakers, and high-quality Catholic vendors. Those who register in advance will be entered to win a Haydock Douay-Rheims Bible. Register today.

Alaskans Gain Greater Access to Traditional Latin Mass

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Father Scott Settimo, Parochial Administrator of St. Gregory Nazianzen Parish in Sitka, Alaska, has passed along a piece of good news: his parish began a weekly Latin Mass at the beginning of Advent. Low Mass is celebrated every Sunday at 12:30 in Ave Maria Chapel. To learn more about the parish, visit the parish website.

25th Jubilee for Latin Mass in New Haven

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

25 January 2010

On Sunday, February 7th at 2:00 p.m. the old Latin Mass will be celebrated with special pageantry and ceremony at St. Stanislaus Church, State and Eld Streets in downtown New Haven.

A landmark occasion in the spiritual and cultural life of the Elm City, this event will be the first in a series of public functions marking the 25th Anniversary of the return of the traditional Latin Mass to our Community offered in its age-old form, which began at Sacred Heart Church in New Haven in January of 1986, sponsored by the Saint Gregory Society of New Haven.

The service will feature a festive musical program sung by the Society’s Schola Cantorum, a vocal ensemble of professional musicians from area churches of many denominations, internationally known for their performances in concert, recordings and media broadcasts of sacred music and Gregorian chant in its original context–the historic sung Latin liturgy.

For more detailed information, please visit our website at www.saint-gregory.org or call Britt Wheeler at 203.850.8670; email: britt.wheeler@yale.edu

Latin Mass Continues to Spread in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

A Traditional Latin Mass will be celebrated on Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. at St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Parish in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

In addition to the weekly Traditional Latin Masses that are celebrated at 1:30 p.m. every Sunday at St. Anthony’s, Catholics may be interested in attending the Traditional Latin Mass that is celebrated every Thursday during the schoolyear at 4:30 p.m. in Millersville, Pennsylvania. For more information, please call (717) 872-3350.

Fresno, California Chapter to Host Latin Mass Workshop

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Catholics in central California will have an opportunity to learn the what, why, and how of the Traditional Latin Mass in a half-day workshop on Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 15, 2010. Fr. Matthew McNeely, FSSP, will help Catholics understand the form, structure, and spirituality of the Latin Mass in a workshop entitled Latin Mass 101: A Workshop for Curious Catholics. The event will include a continental breakfast, and will be followed by Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Church at 11:00. For more information and to register, visit www.fresnolatinmass.org.