TraditioIlal Latin Mass
Now growth in NY is slow but steady - about 380 Masses in 154 U.S. Dioceses. The Holy Father has expressed a wish that there be at least one Mass in the Extraordinary Form every Sunday in every parish. In spite of this, there are groups of the faithful who cannot find a priest; there are dynamic young priests who are rebuffed by their pastors when they ask to say the Latin Mass.
However, young people are enthusiastic, priests are hopeful. Training programs are offered for interested priests. We .encourage each priest who offers Mass in the Extraordinary form to
teach one other priest, Latin must be taught in every semmary, as Bl. Pope John XXIII insisted.
Those who love the Latin Mass should persevere, with patience, prayer, penance, and above all,
Pray, pray. A recent survey of Catholics in England reports that while 40% of Catholics were aware of Summorum Poniificum, 60% had never heard of it. A further question: "If Mass were celebrated in Latin and Gregorian chant in its Extraordinary Form in your parish , Would you attend It?" Practicing Catholics (defined as
those who attend Mass at least monthly) gave these responses:
43% would attend every week; 23%, once a month; 17% occasionally; 8% never.
What results would such a poll reveal about Catholics in the United States? How can anyone
be expected to want the Extraordinary Form if they haven't ever been told that it is allowed,
much less encouraged by the Holy Father? Those of us who are so informed should redouble
our efforts to spread the word, to educate and encourage priests and faithful
Other news concerns the new English translation for the Ordinary Form of the Mass.
Many years in the making, it is to be used in every parish in the US effective the First Sunday in
Advent,27 November,2010.Some ask, "Whats wrong with the present translation?" "Why do we need a new one?"
But we all need some short, concise talking points to give our Nouus Ordo
friends. Credo means "I believe", not "we". The new translation is so much closer to the Latin. This new translation does not affect the Traditional Latin Mass, the Extraordinary Form .
The changes reflect the true theology of the Holy Sacrifice. Nothing has changed. Could it be that in the future Catholics, exposed to the truths of their Faith better expressed in the new wordings,
would become more open to the traditions as expressed even more fully in the Latin Mass?
In November, 1988, a group- of 16 Catholics met in Chicago to assess the status of our beloved old Mass in Latin. Pope John Paul II's letter, Ecclesia Dei, has given hope to Catholics who felt the loss of something priceless. More and More Catholics are yearning for the Latin Mass, as a truer form of reverence to the celebration of the mass.
"Ecclesia dei"
