Old rite wins new Mass appeal

Thanks. It looks sharp. It has the Kyriale in it too.

I'll go check out NLM too.

The Tridentine Mass...is roaring back into use...

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

"Many more parish priests and younger priests are interested in learning to celebrate the Latin Mass. Whenever the Latin rite is celebrated, you get many young people"

YYYYAAARRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Oh, the humanity! The wailing and gnashing of teeth!

"It's more than nostalgia because a lot of young people are interested in it."

LaLaLa! I'm not liiistening!

"The people here really want it," the priest said. "All sorts of prominent people have asked me for it...they prefer the 1962 Missal," referring to the rules that Pope John XXIII drew up for the centuries-old Mass.

That's it! It's time to bring out the BIG boys. Call OCP! *RED ALERT* More bongos! Call Fr. Vosko! *RED ALERT* She's a-crumblin' down! More felt! More felt!

Wow! It’s so exciting watching all of this unfold. Unfortunately, none of it appears to be happening in my diocese! :-( Nevertheless, given time, I hope it will happen here. I really do feel as if we are witnessing the beginning of “a new springtime” for the church.

Thanks for the post!

Sancte Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus!

University of Notre Dame: Motu Proprio Update

posted by Matthew

Tremendously good news from Our Lady's University, which appears to be adopting an optimistic and very balanced approach to the Motu Proprio. Via The Shrine of the Holy Whapping:

Notre Dame's Campus Ministry is reportedly planning on offering a weekly Sunday Mass according to the 1962 Missal. A policy on the use of the Extraordinary Form in the dorm chapels is still being formulated, so from this one may assume this 1962 Sunday Mass may be celebrated in the Basilica--and, if that is the case, hopefully at the Altar of the Holy Rosary (pictured above).

This will leave the weekly Saturday morning Solemn "Novus Ordo" Latin Mass, celebrated at Alumni Hall, untouched. Further, we're told Campus Ministry expressed interest in having some Latin Mass, either according to the ordinary or the extraordinary form, daily. A number of priests have already expressed interest in learning the 1962 Missal, in order to assist with these efforts.

Let's just say that with this tremendous news, Irish eyes are smiling in certain quarters.

UPDATE: Some additional and highly encouraging commentary on this by a good friend of mine, a Tridentine aficionado and a current student at ND, can be found over at The Sober Sophomore. (As to the meaning of "Ree!" it's an elaborate inside joke...but it's a good thing. Trust me. It's a good thing.)

Here it is...

http://thenewliturgicalmovement.blogspot.com/2006/06/carpe-diem-new-edition-of-missale.html

Tridentine Mass altar cards, vestments, missals, etc.

Oh, gosh, that means I better wait until the new translation comes out????

Another option if you want to get a valid Missal within a few days instead of waiting for the Baronius, which will be mailed in September or October (just FYI):

http://www.aquinasandmore.com/index.cfm/title/1962-Roman-Catholic-Daily-Missal/FuseAction/store.ItemDetails/SKU/19287/index.htm

I’ve been voraciously following the Summorum Pontificum news and reactions since that glorious day of 7/7/7, and I believe there’s a definite trend:

We get “positive” articles like this from conservative newspapers and magazines, and very “negative” - even quite disparaging - ones from the liberal press, such as the “sister” in NCR or the NY Times guy over the weekend.

Same thing with bishops, responses are across the board from the Trautman “not in my diocese” tone, Bugnini disciples literally “crying” and whining, etc, to a couple of bishops who’ve announced they will offer the E.F. Mass on the Feast of the Assumpiton (before the actual implementation date!).

I admire the priest in McLean, Virginia, not waiting around for any bishopric nod, who almost immediately announced the extraordinary form of the Mass for his parish’s weekly Sunday schedule, AND ALL Holy Days, and offers classes preparing for it!

Here’s almost everything, for those similarly obsessed:

http://www.summorumpontificum.net/

The Catholic Sentinel, paper of the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, has a very similar-looking full two-page spread that just came out, except ours is a “Native American” Mass. The headline describes how this “honors heritage and Catholic faith” (in THAT order).

Hmmm, I have not heard of that exactly, but if anyone could do it, it might be Bishop Bruskewitz on Nebraska (but that’s midwest not east coast). The FSSP seminary is in his diocese.

Also, we should be careful, ala Fr. Tran and Bishop Brown in Orange, California, of priests and bishops who have exhibited vehement opposition to this in the past and are suddenly eager to set up “separate” parishes or “allow” one or two E.F. Masses only. They are clearly, now that they know they must respond to stable groups, trying to keep all the ‘trad nuts’ in one place so they won’t interfere with nice things like clown masses and liturgical dancing.

Our diocesan paper(Wheeling-Charleston) had some surprisingly positive and upbeat articles about motu-proprio. The article also mentioned that there wasn’t a big demand in our diocese, and right now there isn’t. We have a monthly TLM at our co-cathedral and I know of one priest in a parish in a rural area who will probably start offering the TLM and has a lot of support from his parishioners. There may be others I am not aware of.

One of the scariest I've seen is the letter out of Steubenville where the Bishop wants names of laity requesting and attending the Traditional Masses.

Well, then we can sign our names as John Hancock did to the Declaration of Independence, supposedly saying 'There! John Bull can read my name without spectacles and may now double his reward of £500 for my head. That is my defiance.'

That’s good to know. It’s interesting to me that so often a bishop says “there is no real interest in this diocese” when actually how do they know? When the Tridentine rite has been deliberately repressed and even maligned by some of them, or permission is withheld, there could be all sorts of interest unexpressed.

People are either gritting their teeth and going to N.O. because they don’t have a choice if they want the Sacrament, or they leave for an SSPX chapel, they get so fed up they stop going to Mass. I know people personally in all three categories. If a letter were to come to them from the parish priest saying he’s taking a survey on his parishioners’ interest in regularly attending the extraordinary rite, suddenly we might see all sorts of people saying, “Yes, this is what we’ve been waiting for; we’re coming back now.”

Also with the excuse of “no qualified priests.” Granted, there may be a short supply, but I bet there are plenty older ones in retirement who would like to say a old style Mass maybe once a month. And even if there is only one qualified priest in an entire diocese, well, that is one opportunity to offer the Mass that is not now being done. That one Mass, even monthly, could dramatically alter the lives of hundreds of people and bring back some who’ve left.

AB Vlazny uses this “party line” in his letter, but there are numerous priests in the Archdiocese of Portland who could say the extraordinary form tomorrow! But will he reach out to them? Silly me, probably it’s more important to keep forcing Global Warming workshops on parishes from the Peace and Justice office.

The Una Voce website has a step-by-step process, including sample letters, to request the extraordinary rite. They say it could be helpful for those interested to form a group, even with a name, such as “The Blessed John XXIII Society”.

According to Summorum Pontificum, and I wonder if this could be clarified by Ecclesia Dei — it is the priest’s discretion to offer this Mass, so I don’t see how the bishop can ask for names, if the priest says, “I have 15 members of the local Blessed John XXIII Society who would like this rite.” Who they are is irrelevant if, in the priest’s judgment, he has a “stable” group.

http://www.unavoce.org/articles/2007/SP_Advice.html

I work on the inside of a major diocese. The bishops will only reluctantly cooperate with offering the Latin Mass when people ask for it. They will do nothing to explore where and how many people desire it.

So here’s what I would suggest. If you or anyone else you know has even a vague interest is having the Latin Mass prayer close to where you live, contact your bishop’s diocesan office. Leave your name and the name of your parish when you make your request.

Remember, all this was made necessary when Rome realized that local bishops were not cooperating with making the Latin Mass available. The bishops are fearful that Rome might find out that numerous people have requested the Latin mass and it never materialized. Forget about asking your parish priest; you’re wasting your time.

LOL! Before I scrolled down far enough to see your name, I thought Cardinal O’Malley must be posting here! ;-)

Who’s your bishop anyway? I do try to keep them straight and remember who’s where . . . but I’ve a way to go.

That is indeed terrific news! There's been lots of comment everywhere on how many young people are attracted to the TLM, but no mention really of college students -- hope this spreads!

Not sure what she meant by the appropriateness to Notre Dame of the official start of the MP on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross -- another inside joke?

and very “negative” - even quite disparaging - ones from the liberal press,

I lean to the view that even negative coverage is good for our side -- at least they're not ignoring it, the way some bishops (not to mention any names!) are trying to. Like the old PR bromide, "I don't care what you say about me, just spell my name right!" :)