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NEWS RELEASE MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CATHOLIC ACTION LEAGUE MOURNS CLOSING OF HOLY TRINITY CHURCH The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts today mourned the closing of the venerable Holy Trinity church in Boston's South End. The parish was suppressed today by a decree of Sean Cardinal O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston. The last masses were celebrated yesterday, June 29th, on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Holy Trinity was the last German Catholic parish in New England, and was one of only two venues in the Archdiocese which offered weekly Sunday celebrations of the Traditional Latin Mass....

Holy Trinity Closing, But Welcoming Doors Not Opening – Yet No German, Latin Masses for Displaced Parishioners; Reopening of Homeless Program Delayed BOSTON – June 26 – On Sunday, June 29, Holy Trinity parishioners will hear for the first time the decree that formally closes the 164-year-old South End parish effective the following day, June 30. Despite the short interval between the formal announcement and the closure, parishioners will immediately appeal the decision to Cardinal Sean O’Malley. The decree, signed early this week but yet to be formally read, will designate the Cathedral of the Holy Cross as the welcoming...

One month after Pope Benedict XVI made his historic visit to the United States, Sean Cardinal O’Malley ordered the closure of Boston’s oldest German parish, Holy Trinity, and declared all its assets — including $ 242,000 in its bank account — be transferred to Holy Cross Cathedral. The priests and parishioners of Holy Trinity Church, established by German immigrants in 1844, opened the first parochial school in New England and introduced the Christmas tree and Christmas cards to Puritan Boston, among many other traditions. Since 1990, the parish has been home for the Traditional Latin Mass community from 1990 to...

One month after Pope Benedict XVI made his historic visit to the United States, Sean Cardinal O’Malley ordered the closure of Boston’s oldest German parish, Holy Trinity, and declared all its assets — including $ 242,000 in its bank account — be transferred to Holy Cross Cathedral. The priests and parishioners of Holy Trinity Church, established by German immigrants in 1844, opened the first parochial school in New England and introduced the Christmas tree and Christmas cards to Puritan Boston, among many other traditions. Since 1990, the parish has been home for the Traditional Latin Mass community from 1990 to...

Losing a Space to Soar By Yvonne Abraham | June 11, 2008 It's not what you expect to see when you step into a Catholic church these days. Demurely dressed women in lace mantillas. A priest with his back to the congregation: In nomini Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen. Bells ringing. Gregorian chant floating down from the choir loft. But here it all is at Holy Trinity German Church, on Shawmut Avenue in the South End, at the start of a sweltering Sunday. About 100 people from Bourne and West Roxbury and all over come for the 9...

The following letter was read at the meeting of the Parish Council of Holy Trinity Church, Boston, on 21 May 2008. The letter announced Sean Cardinal O'Malley's intent to close Holy Trinity Church effective 30 June 2008. His Eminence repeatedly speaks of "Holy Trinity German National Parish" and the German heritage but makes NO MENTION of the hundred or so souls who attend the extraordinary form every Sunday at 0900. (Note: On 22 April 2007, what was then the Indult Mass for the Archdiocese of Boston was moved from Holy Trinity to a suburban territorial parish 10 miles west of...

Boston's "Christmas Parish" Announces Schedule of Christmas Services and Concert BOSTON – December 18 - Known as the Christmas Parish because its German immigrant founders introduced many Christmas customs to New England and the country during the mid-1800s, Holy Trinity Church in Boston's South End announces its schedule of Christmas services for 2007. The 2007 Christmas Mass schedule at Holy Trinity, located at 140 Shawmut Avenue, is: Christmas Eve 11:30 PM: Concert of traditional German and English Christmas carols. Midnight: Traditional Latin High Mass; begins with candlelight procession in which the celebrant lays the Infant Jesus in the crèche. Christmas...

This morning Fr. Connolly announced (to the throngs in attendance at the 10 o'clock Mass) that after his consultations with His Eminence, he (Fr. Connolly) has decided that the Tridentine Latin Mass will again be celebrated weekly at Holy Trinity. He mentioned that it remains for us to work out a schedule of clergy to enable us to have the priests necessary to ensure proper coverage. There also will be careful consideration as to the time the Mass will be celebrated. The possibility of having the Latin Mass take place before the [current 10:00AM] Novus Ordo one is under active...

“The Quiet Corner” Fr. John A. Kiley, Rhode Island Catholic, Thursday, July 26, 2007 Mass should be enlightening and elevating, not a cookie cutter ritual Bishop Donald W. Trautman of Erie, PA, has taken great exception to the proposed new translation of the Mass into English. In a recent article in America magazine, his Excellency quoted the following Advent prayer as an example of the new rendering of the text: “Accept, O Lord, these gifts, and by your power, change them into the sacrament of salvation, in which the prefiguring sacrifices of the Fathers have an end and the true...

BOSTON – April 4 – The Archdiocese of Boston announced on Sunday, March 25th that beginning Sunday, April 22, that the traditional Latin Mass will move from the historic Holy Trinity Parish in Boston's South End. Parishioners plan to appeal the move. At this time, the plan approved by His Eminence, Sean Cardinal O'Malley appears to be proceeding. The March 25th announcement calls for removal of the Latin Mass parishioners of Holy Trinity (German) Church (http://www.holytrinitygerman.org/) in Boston's South End, which represents three quarters of active parishioners to be transferred to Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Church (http://members.aol.com/maryimmoflourdes/hist/history.htm) in Newton Upper...

Holy Trinity has a rich history that makes it part of not only Roman Catholic German-Americans heritage, but of the collective historical inheritance of Bostonians and all Americans. Technically the property "belongs" to the Archdiocese, but rightfully it belongs to those parishioners whose blood, sweat and tears (and that of generations gone before) built and maintained the property with love and devotion to the glory of God. The parish is solvent from what I understand. Why close it? For what possible reasons? To turn the church building into condos? I hope that members of Holy Trinity will not "go" quietly....

BOSTON – December 23 - Known as the Christmas Parish for introducing New England and the country to many Christmas customs brought here by German immigrants during the mid-1800s, including the ever-popular decorated pine Christmas tree, Holy Trinity Church in Boston's South End may be celebrating its last Christmas in 2006. A plan to merge Holy Trinity with the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and move the Latin Mass to Mary Immaculate of Lourdes parish in Newton Upper Falls was announced on November 26, 2006. Since Holy Trinity was originally scheduled for closure in May 2004 as part of the...

The church that parishioners call the “Christmas Parish” is preparing to celebrate what may be the last holiday season there this year. The Archdiocese announced recently that it would proceed with plans to close the Holy Trinity (German) Catholic Church on Shawmut Avenue, which, according to church lore, introduced the idea of Christmas trees to Boston. No specific date of closure was given and the church will be open through Christmas — but beyond that, no one seems to know. “We are proceeding as if we will always be here, that’s exactly how feel,” said Dolores Miller, a longtime parishioner...

Latin Mass conducted in English twice in last month Linda Rodriguez lrodriguez@southendnews.com South End (Boston) News Thursday, 14 September 2006 For the second time in less than a month, the Latin Mass community at the embattled Holy Trinity (German) Catholic Church came to the noon Mass to hear it celebrated in Latin, only to hear English. Parishioners say they were told by church administrator the Rev. Thomas Naughton that the English masses took place due to scheduling errors. But they also say they don't believe it was a simple mistake. "I don't know whether it's a drive to drive people...