Extraordinary, Right?

Gloria Romanorum Blog ^ | 12/4/07 | Antoninus

[Antoninus]

Guess what? The *new* Extraordinary rite at our parish was featured on a local news broadcast! And very positively, I might add.

Here's the link: Local Pastor Adds Latin Mass to Schedule

Here's a transcript [errors mine]:

Reporter: Well today at noon St. Peter Celestine Catholic Church [sic--it's actually St. Peter's, not Celestine. That's another parish nearby.] in Merchantville, New Jersey takes a bold step. The pastor is putting a traditional Latin Mass on the church's Sunday schedule. As CBS 3's Pat Ciarrocchi reports, this comes at the encouragement of the Pope, who hopes that tradition will ignite the fires of faith.

[Bells]

Ciarrocchi: At St. Peter's, the bells will sound the same, but at the noon Mass on Sundays now, the prayers of the priest will be in Latin.

Fr. Manuppella: They've heard the Sanctus, the Holy, Holy. They've heard the Agnus Dei, Lamb of God. So there should be no problem with them understanding what is being said because we've been saying it for the last 40 years in English.

[Singing]

Ciarrocchi: Nearly two generations of US Catholics have been worshiping in English, ever since Vatican II reformed liturgical practices. But once Pope Benedict lifted restrictions on using the Latin liturgy, Fr. Anthony Mannupella’s Merchantville congregants wanted to know more. So he created a 12-week course. The response shocked him.

Fr. Mannupella: In offering the course, I prepared myself for about 50 people. But people kept coming, and coming, and coming and I had approximately 300 people.

Ciarrocchi: Significant considering Church studies reveal that only 40% of Catholics attend church weekly.

Parishioner: I think it’s something new for the younger people and I think it will be really inspiring for them.

Ciarrocchi: And very different. For starters, the priest and the congregation will face the same direction. And on the prayer cards…

Fr. Mannupella: It’s all in Latin, there’s not a word in the vernacular. In Latin it would be [singing] Dominus vobiscum—the Lord be with you. [singing] Et cum spiritu tuo. And with your spirit. And then the priest says [singing] Oremus.

Ciarrocchi: Let us pray.

Fr. Mannupella: Let us pray.

Ciarrocchi: One of the other requirements of the Latin Mass is that only altar boys can assist the priest. And then at communion, congregants will once again approach the altar, but this time, they’ll kneel again at the altar rail to receive the Host. And instead of placing communion in the hand, the priest will place it on the tongue.

Fr. Mannupella: They kind of like the idea of that more mystical experience. Ah, more of a transcendent experience.

Ciarrocchi: With the hope being a renewal of the faith that could renew the Catholic Church.

[Antoninus]

We are truly, truly blessed in our parish. I didn't get to attend the first Extraordinary Rite Mass on Sunday, but my wife did, as well as several others I know. Rumor has it that the church was pretty packed--and it's a very large church...

[Antoninus]

Pingus.

[Pyro7480]

I had the opportunity to stop by at St. Peter’s in 2005, and I think I met Fr. Manuppella. It’s a beautiful church, and the CBS3 report was, in my words, so cool! Thanks for pointin this out.

[Pyro7480]

Catholic ping!

[Antoninus]

I had the opportunity to stop by at St. Peter’s in 2005, and I think I met Fr. Manuppella. It’s a beautiful church, and the CBS3 report was, in my words, so cool! Thanks for pointin this out.

Yeah, the report was excellent! The reporter clearly knew what she was talking about and did a great job!

[Pyro7480]

It’s not too surprising. Ciarrocchi is an alumna of Padua Academy in Wilmington, DE, a Catholic high school for girls, which is also where my mother and sister went to high school.

[AnAmericanMother]

A positive report! None of that "turning his back on the people" nonsense!

Clearly the reporter is knowledgeable (and, it appears, reasonably sympathetic, not trying to torpedo the idea).

[ichabod1]

Duh, you mean the Priest turns his back to the people?

[Antoninus]

A positive report! None of that "turning his back on the people" nonsense! Clearly the reporter is knowledgeable (and, it appears, reasonably sympathetic, not trying to torpedo the idea).

That's what I loved about the report. She didn't use the typical media jargon. I've always liked Pat Ciarrocchi, but this puts her up another notch in my book.

If I had to guess, I'd bet that Fr. Mannupella specifically said something to her about not using the terminology "turns his back on the people". We've gotten that lecture before from the pulpit. :-)

[Antoninus]

It’s not too surprising. Ciarrocchi is an alumna of Padua Academy in Wilmington, DE, a Catholic high school for girls, which is also where my mother and sister went to high school.

I guess that explains how she knew what "oremus" means.

[AnAmericanMother]

You're very blessed!

Our young parochial vicar is training under the local FSSP priest to learn how to say the Extraordinary Rite. He can't wait (he's such a wildly orthodox enthusiast! One of the JPII babies.)

[nanetteclaret]

No, ichabod1. The priest and the people FACE THE SAME DIRECTION - TOWARDS GOD! But then, you knew already knew that.

[maryz]

You are very lucky -- one hopes that some time you'll be able to say the same to us here in Boston . . . Unlikely in my lifetime, but maybe some day. :(

I don't remember who your bishop is, but I gather he's not threatening to shut this down (as some might, not to mention any names).

[Antoninus]

I don't remember who your bishop is, but I gather he's not threatening to shut this down (as some might, not to mention any names).

Our bishop is Joseph Galante and he's been very tolerant of the Traditional Mass. He deserves to be lauded.

We also have a parish in our diocese that's All Extraordinary All the Time. I think it's hard for the bishop to ignore the fact that these parishes generate tons of activity, revenue, and vocations. I forget how many seminarians our parish has generated in the past 10 years, but I think we currently have 4 or 5 young men in the seminary with several others discerning. That's almost as many as some whole dioceses have.

I think we have 50-60 altar boys, plus another couple dozen altar girls--who wear habits.

We are truly blessed.

[maryz]

these parishes generate tons of activity, revenue, and vocations.

The way Boston's being administered, you'd think they don't want "activity, revenue, and vocations"! :(

We are, however, getting RENEW International in the near future! IMO, that should help them reach their apparent goal of shutting down the Archdiocese completely . . .

[Antoninus]

The way Boston's being administered, you'd think they don't want "activity, revenue, and vocations"! :(

It's sad, isn't it? In my opinion, generating vocations to the priesthood is the most basic gauge of a bishop's performance--and often his othodoxy. If he can't even generate enough vocations to keep his number of priests steady or rising after 10 years, he should submit his resignation.

[ELS]

We are truly, truly blessed in our parish.

Congratulations! Deo gratias!