Una Voce America

INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS OF HIS EXCELLENCY, THE MOST REVEREND RONALD W. GAINER, BISHOP OF LEXINGTON (KENTUCKY), AS HOMILIST AT THE TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS AT ST. PETER’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2005, THE FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER

It is a great joy and a pleasure to join with you this afternoon in celebrating this Latin liturgy. Although this is my first time to be physically with you, I hope that in some ways you have been able to sense and to know my support for the Lexington Latin Mass.

And I am happy at the beginning of my sermon to be able to share with you some good news so that those who are attached to a Latin liturgical tradition may have here in our diocese, here at St. Peter’s, an even wider and an even more generous availability of the Latin Mass.

Just yesterday I had my third or fourth conversation with Father George Gabet, the superior of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter for the United States, and everything is in order with the Priestly Fraternity [for Lexington] to become an apostolate of the Fraternity and for Father Valentine Young, a Franciscan priest who is an affiliate of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, to come to Lexington and to be available for the celebration of the Latin liturgy more frequently, more regularly. I had the opportunity to meet with Father Valentine some months ago and also have had several conversations with his superior, his provincial, Father Fred Link, all for dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s. I know that Father Valentine will be available here in our diocese, living here, probably in mid-July.

So I am very happy to share that news with you which will facilitate a wider and even more generous enjoyment of the indult to be able to have access and to celebrate the Latin liturgy. I want to also compliment you on the beauty of the singing, and the richness, the fullness, of the rites which we are celebrating this afternoon.