At N.J. Parish, all Latin all the time

Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | February 3, 2002 | David O'Reilly

[Paddyboy]

GLORIA PATRI, ET FILII, ET SPIRITUI SANCTO. SICUT ERAT IN PRICIPIO ET NUNC ET SEMPER ET IN SAECULA SAECULORUM. AMEN

[BlackElk]

In Northwest Illinois at downtown Rockford is St. Mary's Shrine (a magnificent 1880s Church that was thankfully too poor during its now forgotten "New Mass" period to rip out its magnificent altar, altar rail, pulpit, confessionals, statues, stained glass, etc., and is now served by the Tridentine-only Institute of Christ the King. The church has two Tridentine Masses daily except Sunday and holy days of obligation when Father Bovee also says the Tridentine Mass at Aurora, Illinois. The church is thriving with large young families with the kind of well-brought up kids you'd give your eye teeth to see your kids marry and relieved veterans of the tortures of Kumbaya and it is always "Introibo ad altare Dei..." not "Hi, I'm Father Bob and I'll be your presider today." There are folks here who travel several hours each way from interior Wisconsin for Sunday Mass the way it used to be and ought to be.

I would never want to see the Novus Ordo Mass ripped away from those who are wedded to it and comfortable with it as the Tridentine Mass was ripped away from us in the mid-60s but the deforms of the 1960s have obviously failed.

I also cannot imagine why there should be any objection to the praying of rosaries during Mass. The priest says the Mass. I am not the priest. Altar boys are sufficient for giving responses to the prayers of the priest. They do this "on behalf of the people." The praying of the rosary is very much a part of being Catholic and certainly always appropriate in the presence of the Holy Eucharist.

At the risk of confusing non-Catholics, the Mass is more formally known as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in which the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the Cross is made present spiritually upon the altar. If I could be transported back in time to be present at Calvary, I would have no compunctions about saying a rosary or saying it for three hours for that matter.

If anyone lives near Rockford, or is just visiting, come by and enjoy. Communion only on your knees at the intact altar rail unless you are handicapped. Altar boys only. Usable kneelers at every pew. A community of enthusiastic worshippers who actually socialize over coffee and donuts for an hour or two in the Church hall every Sunday after Mass. Old-fashioned screened confessionals. No ambiguity about the Eucharist being the Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ either.

[BlackElk]

If you are 67 miles from Chicago in "that wasteland of corn" between Rockford and Chicago, you are probably as close to Rockford's Tridentine St. Mary's Church as my family is. Try it. You'll like it.

[Pistias]

Address, s'il vous-plait?

[Pistias]

"that wasteland of corn"

A joke, I assure you...I've spent the last 10+ years in corn fields, and wouldn't have it any other way.

[ELS]

Incorrigible, thanks for the flag.

How far is Berlin from the Newark area? (My family lives in Summit)

nick, you don't have to go all the way to Berlin. I live in Summit and attend a traditional parish in West Orange. It has been there for about 5 or 6 years. Also, a church in Jersey City has received approval from Archbishop Myers to celebrate the Tridentine Mass. They won't be starting that until some time in March or February. FReepmail me for more info.

We had a wonderful Candlemas Mass on Saturday with a ceremony beforehand to bless the candles. After the priest blessed the candles (with five prayers in the Missal for Feb. 2 Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary), we all went up to the front of the church, received a candle, went to the back of the church where the candles were lit, then we all proceeded up the main aisle (after the alter servers and priests) and around to our seats with the lit candles. Then the candles were lit for the Gospel reading and post communion prayer during Mass.

sinkspur, our church also prays the rosary before Mass. I haven't seen anyone praying it during Mass.

[ELS]

Your parish sounds a lot like mine. I attended a lecture by Bishop Doran on the liturgy. You're in good hands.

[ArrogantBustard]

Do I understand correctly that St. Mary's is your parish? It must be wonderful to celebrate the Mass in such surroundings. At my parish, we celebrate the Mass according to the Novus Ordo, part in English, part in Latin, completely and reverently. But we sit in chairs, kneel on foam rubber pads, use an improvised Altar, and meet in a nondescript rented room. Even so, for a brief moment Heaven reaches down to Earth, and we join with the Angels and the Saints in praising God. And our drab surroundings are transfigured.

And we continue to raise funds, and our lawyers continue to butt heads with the pig-headed county planning commission morons in Fairfax, and sooner or later we can all gather with our Pastor, and our Bishop, say a prayer, and stick a shovel in the ground.

AB

[ELS]

Congratulations, Antoninus!

[nickcarraway]

I've heard only good things about Archbishop Myers.

[Marianne]

Dominus vobiscum
Thanks for posting.

[genefromjersey]

The use of Latin meant the services could be conducted (apart from sermons, announcements, etc.) in one language-anywhere in the world.When I was a practising Catholic (over 50 years ago ),I could attend mass in a Polish, Italian, or even a Chinese neighborhood, and understand what was going on. It had the effect of giving all Catholics a sense of community, and I often wonder-though I longer care - why the practice was discontinued.

[nmh]

Such silliness. There's nothing wrong with English which is what people speak in the U.S.. Besides the majority of Catholics don't understand Latin. Truly a pointless feel-good exercise. What matters is what is said, not whether it is in Latin. The silliness continues.

[Harrison Bergeron]

My wife and I attended this church regularly when she was pregnant the year before last. She said the baby used to practically stand straight up in her womb with excitement at the sound of the Gregorian chants. We haven't made it over there since the baby came.

The article doesn't seem to be telling the whole story w/r to the turnover of pastoral leadership or the legal problems with the ownership of the land. And what's up with the new name? What happened to "Maris Dei?"

[Harrison Bergeron]

"The use of Latin meant the services could be conducted (apart from sermons, announcements, etc.) in one language-anywhere in the world."

Exactly. The Latin mass was once cherished by servicemen and businessmen who travelled overseas, as attending mass made them feel like they were home. It speaks volumes that the shopping mall has replaced the church as the place of familiarity and comfort for foreign travelers.

[Mr. Thorne]

Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, misere re nobis.

More or less, no accounting for spelling, 'cause the missallettes at church!

Latin Rocks.

[livius]

I don't know why they changed its name, but the current one, Mater Ecclesiae, means Mother of the Church (as in Maria Mater Ecclesiae), referring to the Virgin.

You folks are lucky to be have a regular Tridentine rite mass so nearby. I live in North Florida, and we have an 8:00 a.m. low mass on Sundays - an hour and a half away from me. We recently got a new bishop, and I don't think he's very pro-Latin Mass, so it will be interesting to see if we even get to keep this one.

[Mr. Thorne]

see post 52

[ArrogantBustard]

Agnus Dei qui tollis pecatta mundi dona nobis pacem.

I think you got the spelling right.

AB

[Mr. Thorne]

Tank chu veddy mooch.

My wife sings that in the choir. Mmmm-mm beeeeeyootiful!