Latin Mass attracting a younger generation of parishioners

The Virginian-Pilot ^ | Dec. 21, 2003 | STEVEN G. VEGH

[Snuffington]

If we had Bishops who stopped suppressing the Traditional Mass these numbers would explode.

I'm in total agreement.

I'm torn between whether this is evidence of ignorance or malice on the part of most bishops. I suspect it's a bit of both, varying from bishop to bishop and diocese to diocese. I think our own experience with fellow Freepers is a good cross-section. While there is definitely a proportional over-representation of devotion to the old Mass on Free Republic (and why not, on a conservative site?) there is also a healthy dose of animated old Mass resistance.

We have certain Catholic Freepers who seem to sincerely believe there's simply no demand for the old Mass. Therefore, it's a waste of time for bishops to offer it. The notion that this lack of demand may be due to active suppression of the old Mass for 30 plus years, and that once exposed to it younger Catholics might find in it the sort of spiritual experience missing from their current Mass, doesn't seem to register as any more likely than the re-introduction of self-flagellation for penance. And no amount of anecdotal evidence seems to budge them. That, IMHO, is an example of ignorance.

On the other hand there are other Catholic Freepers who seem positively threatened by the old Mass. They seem to actually loathe it, and are not beyond mocking generations of Catholics for whom that was the only Mass, let alone those who prefer it today. Their arguments against the old Mass at times seem positively protestant in their denegration of Church tradition itself. That's an example of malice.

However the malicious generation is dying off. Given only ignorance to overcome, I have a hard time seeing how devotion to the old Mass will not grow over the coming decades.

[Salvation]

**Justice Scalia's son, Father Paul, offered the Traditional Mass at my parish while our priest was on vacation.**

I wasn't aware he had a son who was a priest!

[COBOL2Java]

I like the pastor. His name is Father David Conway. We are both natives of the state of Delaware.

I wondered why he had Delaware tags on his car! :-)

I was there this morning - parked my gold Saturn station wagon in the parking lot. I was the fat bearded dude reading his breviary before Mass...

[american colleen]

Interesting discussion. I notice that when I attend the Indult in Boston the younger crowd is over-represented --- the first time I went I ASSumed that there would be lots of old people and I was shocked to find just the opposite. In fairness, it could be that the Mass is located in a part of Boston that older people are not comfortable driving to or that they just don't like to drive into Boston anymore (understandable).

I read somewhere that Cardinal Law of Boston said he would be happy to grant more Indult communities if he had more than one or two people approach him on it... but not many people requested an Indult for their parish. In my case, I didn't even know the Indult existed until a couple of years ago (thanks to the FReepers here!) and I know no one I know knows the Indult exists until I tell them. Most people I know express interest in attending (to see what it's like) but are put off by the location of the Indult here in Boston.

I believe if the Tridentine was available in more parishes those parishes would be overflowing eventually - even if it was a Novus Ordo said properly (like on EWTN for instance) because when people are exposed to it, they realize how much some parishes and parish priests are robbing them!

In charity for *some* bishops, I honestly believe that they are unwilling to deal with some of the rad-trads who can be divisive, hypercritical and never happy with what they have and who are a fringe part of the Tridentine in some dioceses.

[firerosemom]

I went to the Indult Mass in Boston once because there are none in NH, and I also wanted my children to see one. It was beautiful, and the children were impressed. But it's a nightmare to drive to and park at (I am *so* not a city driver!)

Right after 9/11, I wrote to our bishop (McCormack) asking him to grant permission for the Tridentine Mass, and he sent back a very polite letter that ended up meaning "no".

Oh, well...

[american colleen]

McCormack... you poor soul! I've read quite a bit on the Boston portion of the scandal and McCormack's name comes up again and again as central to the whole thing.

It's amazing that some bishops will not allow even one Tridentine Mass in their diocese or if they do, they place it in such an out of the way parish that "regular" folks either never hear about it or if they do they are leary of the location. You saw where Boston's Tridentine is - not exactly a central location and it is hard to find.

What are some bishops afraid of???

[Romulus]

You can't desire something you don't know.

Not rationally, perhaps. But spiritually you can. You can hunger and thirst for it and not even know why or what it is you long for. That's the sorrow and pity of the spiritually bereft who sense their impoverishment but don't know what to do about it.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

What you say is true. That was my experience before and as I discovered the Traditional Mass.

[Antoninus]

The irony is ... the Latin Mass attracts people from every age group, while many parishes churches (particularly in older urban areas) end up closing their doors and selling the property once the last silver-haired parishioners pass on or move into nursing homes.

Irony of ironies. It's the same with the indult parish near where I live--lots of young people and parents with BIG families. Lots of homeschoolers too.

[Pyro7480]

I have been to Father Conway's Masses. I think he is a very holy and pious priest.

I'm glad you think so. I feel the same way. It's amazing what he still does for a man in his late 70s, running a parish and all. I'm glad I was able to make it to the 9 am Mass on New Year's, even after only four hours of sleep, because he gave a great homily on Mary. I didn't know you attended Indult Masses. I just got the impression you were an independent chapel person.

[Antoninus]

Right after 9/11, I wrote to our bishop (McCormack) asking him to grant permission for the Tridentine Mass, and he sent back a very polite letter that ended up meaning "no".

Not surprising. From what I've read, McCormack was more directly responsible for moving around some of the pedo-priests when serving as an assistant bishop in Boston than Cardinal Law was. He should probably resign or be promoted to the post of Nuncio to Uzbekistan.

[narses]

Ping.

[southern_living]

Sorry so late in responding. Father Scalia was at our parish in early August (Diocese of Richmond). He is currently still in the Arlington diocese as far as I know. His Latin is absolutely beautiful. He's young and very intelligent. Just what one would expect from Justice Scalia's family.
I'll ask around about the priest at Christendom College. There are so many orthodox young Catholics there, many homeschooled or educated by devout religious like the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart. If Bishop Walter "Pax Christi...let's celebrate the annual gay mass" Sullivan can allow a full indult parish, it's a shame that other bishops hold out on even allowing one Traditional Mass a week. In one of the litanies for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, there's a petition for the pastors who were not solicitous for the souls entusted to them and I always envision these 'shepherds' who deny the devout access to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the ancient rite and the Sacraments dispensed in like manner.

[southern_living]

Fr. Ripperger held two lectures at our parish. The first was on the gifts of the Holy Spirit (which I missed). The second was "Is Modern Man Really Superior to Ancient Man". He is absolutely brilliant. I wouldn't even know where to begin.:) If you've ever read any of his articles in The Latin Mass magazine, you'll know what I mean. You can tell he's been educated extensively in philosophy, yet he makes everything really accessible.
Fr. James McLucas and John Blewett (of The Latin Mass mag.) were also recently at our parish. Fr. McLucas gave a lecture on Catholic culture. He was great too. A very gentle soul.

[Maximilian]

Thanks for your reports. Just what I would have expected. I wish I could have been there in Richmond.

[BlackElk]

Roman Catholicism.

[american colleen]

LOL!

Hi! I just read on someone's blogspot (from a commenter)that The National Centre for Padre Pio is under interdict from Bishop Cullen... no more sacraments, ever.

You guys know anything about this?

[k omalley]

I love The Latin Mass magazine, read it cover to cover. I lived in the diocese of Richmond for a number of years and it was a time of very serious spiritual confusion for me. The parish I belonged to could hardly be called Catholic. It was some strange hybrid.

[BlackElk]

Who and where is Bishop Cullen? Where is this Padre Pio Center?

[southern_living]

There are so many people in this diocese that can sympathize with you. Here in the greater Richmond area, many of the parishes are rife with novelties. We attended a Maronite church for a while. A friend at my parish called a parish church closer to her job to see if she would be able to run by during her lunch hour and spend a little time with the Lord in prayer. When she asked about Mass times, the secretary told her that they did not like to use the term "Mass", they preferred "Eucharistic liturgy" for all services.
The Latin Mass magazine is great. It's such a wealth of information and has such meaty articles, not the fluff that so many magazines trot out nowadays.