Ancient language this Mass production's drawcard

news.com.au ^ | November 29, 2004 | Cameron Atfield

[tridentine]

THE language might belong to a different age, but a group of worshippers at Buranda in Brisbane's inner south feel the Latin Mass at St Luke's parish is as relevant now as it was 1500 years ago.

Father Gregory Jordan, from the St Ignatius Jesuit Community at Toowong, presides over the weekly traditional Latin Mass at St Luke's.

Tradition takes precedence over entertainment and Fr Jordan said the Mass had steadily gained popularity in Brisbane's Catholic community since it was revived in 1990.

"It is very important and we believe the Mass is not our property to do with what we will," Fr Jordan said.

"It has been given to us to be revered and preserved faithfully and when that is done, our appreciation of it deepens.

"We're not trying to tuck it up in new clothes to make it have an impact."

The Catholic Church, particularly in Brisbane, has been embroiled in an ideological tug-of-war between traditionalists and those who have sought to modernise and liberalise the ancient institution.

The Latin Mass is symbolic of the church's traditional base and it's striking a chord with young Catholics as well as old.

At 25 years of age, trainee priest Damonn Sypher is learning the Latin rites at his seminary and is convinced it's the future of the Catholic Church.

Mr Sypher said having Mass in a language foreign to most contemporary ears was no impediment to its impact on parishioners.

"The Mass is more than just words. Children here who can't understand big words in English still come to Mass and they know what's going on," he said.

When Fr Jordan started performing the traditional Latin rites, about 50 parishioners would attend.

The number was now closer to 200 and Fr Jordan expected the numbers to continue to rise, especially among younger Catholics.

"There is so much destruction and chaos socially and internationally that there is a real desire for certainty and clarity," he said.

"(Worshippers) are not here on any nostalgia kick, although there is the occasional old gaffer who says 'oh that took me back, Father'.

"There's an element of nostalgia and I don't dispute that for one minute, but there's a lot more to it."

Fr Jordan said parishioners came from as far as Southport and Caloundra to attend Mass at St Luke's.

"A lot have come from forms of Christianity where there is a strong emphasis on entertaining the congregation and they have fled that kind of worship," he said.

[Rosary]

I never heard that the Latin Mass was a form of entertainment!
WOW, how poor of any priest to state the Holy sacrafice of the Mass that way.
Great it is being said, guess the real reson is not known to them ? Entertainment! all I can say is ,Where is the FAITH?

[Mike Fieschko]

I never heard that the Latin Mass was a form of entertainment!

?? I don't see that in the article. Maybe I read it too quickly. What part of the article do you refer to?

I did see this, referring to the TLM:

Tradition takes precedence over entertainment

and "A lot have come from forms of Christianity where there is a strong emphasis on entertaining the congregation and they have fled that kind of worship," quoting Fr Jordan.

[Pio]

"A lot have come from forms of Christianity where there is a strong emphasis on entertaining the congregation and they have fled that kind of worship," he said

Please re-read this.....people are fleeing entertainment by going to the Tridentine Mass.

These reporters are getting a bit tedious...they are fixated on the language...when the big issue is the fundamental nature of the Mass...the rubrics..the music...the prayers....the tradition...the homilies.

Lurkers need to note that the First Reading, the Gospel and Homily are all in English.....A mildly intelligent person could learn the Latin in about 4 months...75% of the Latin words are close to the English....and 99% are close to Spanish/Italian.

[nickcarraway]

BUMP