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A church rises from the ashes: Latin Mass returns to church abandoned by diocese in 1980s
LifeSite News ^ | July 30, 2021 | Stephen Koxx

Posted on 07/30/2021 5:01:45 PM PDT by ebb tide

A church rises from the ashes: Latin Mass returns to church abandoned by diocese in 1980s

Traditional Catholics from across the state, including some from Cheboygan who attended and were married at St. Charles before it closed, responded to the reopening of the church with much celebration.

CHEBOYGAN, Michigan, July 30, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — In the 17th century, French Jesuit priests like Fr. Jacques Marquette arrived in Northern Michigan and converted thousands of Native Americans to the Catholic faith. Today, towns across the region have historical markers and monuments erected in his honor.

Much like the wider Church, a crisis of faith shook the Catholic community in Northern Michigan following the Second Vatican Council. Eventually, the Diocese of Gaylord was forced to close several churches, including St. Charles Borromeo, one of the largest in the area, in the 1980s.

St. Charles, which was built in the early part of the 1900s, was eventually sold to a group of Protestants. Decades of neglect finally caught up with the building. By the mid-2000s, it had become practically unusable due to water damage and structural issues.

Bill Price, a former Marine, saw the church was listed for sale in the 2010s after he and his wife, who grew up in Cheboygan, were visiting the town. Price told LifeSite he was “inspired” to purchase the property because of what it represented to the area.

In 2019, Price purchased the dilapidated church, which can hold upwards of 500 people, for $25,000, eventually taking out a mortgage on it. Since then, he’s been essentially single-handedly restoring it to its former glory. A small group of volunteers have helped install air conditioning and other amenities.

In recent years, Price has done extensive work patching up holes in the roof to prevent further water damage. He’s also built the base of the altar, fixed the windows, and installed donated altar rails.

While financial support has generally been sparse, Price told LifeSite he’s received several donations higher than a thousand dollars, which he immediately put back into the building. There is currently a GoFundMe site to help Price pay for the restoration. (Click here if you would like to help restore St. Charles to its former glory.)

Although there remains much work to be done, including the installation of new floors and bell towers, Price announced the grand re-opening of St. Charles on Sunday, July 11. Traditional Catholics from across the state, including some from Cheboygan who attended and were married at St. Charles before it closed, responded to the announcement with much celebration.

Five choirs from various Latin Mass churches in Michigan, along with approximately 300 laypersons, attended the liturgy, which was offered by a priest of the Society of St. Pius X, who in turn was assisted by several others. It was the first Latin Mass offered at St. Charles in over five decades. Price said he initially approached the Gaylord Diocese about St. Charles but they responded that they weren’t interested.

Fr. William Kimball told LifeSite that the restoration of St. Charles is similar to the restoration to the church as a whole, explaining that the building is still marred by decades of poor treatment and that it has scars from the past, but that it’s still the Bride of Christ and that God will restore it in due time.

College student Erika Grondin, who attends a Latin Mass in Grand Rapids, which is nearly four hours from Cheboygan, drove to St. Charles with her boyfriend Xavier Webster for the Mass. Her father had been baptized at the church as an infant. She told LifeSite she “had to come” to the re-opening because of what it meant to her family, as well as what it means for tradition.

“During COVID, it became clear the mainstream church viewed the sacraments as disposable. I hope more young people will see the sacrality of the Latin Mass and appreciate the effort these priests are making to bring the faith to us during these times.”

Price said he’s excited about the possibility of other priests who want to say the Latin Mass coming to St. Charles. He had special praise for Fr. James Altman, who he said is more than welcome to visit St. Charles any time, as well as all priests who defend the Latin liturgy.

If you would like to help complete the restoration of St. Charles Borromeo, there is currently a GoFundMe page setup. Click here if you would like to help restore St. Charles to its former glory.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: dictatorpope; francischism; mercilesspope; tlm
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1 posted on 07/30/2021 5:01:45 PM PDT by ebb tide
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To: ebb tide

“Dominus Vobiscum!”


2 posted on 07/30/2021 5:05:53 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: ebb tide

‘the liturgy, which was offered by a priest of the Society of St. Pius X, who in turn was assisted by several others’

So it’s not a Catholic church after all.


3 posted on 07/30/2021 5:06:46 PM PDT by Marchmain (TLM refugee)
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To: ebb tide

Hi.

Hope this question is irrelevant. Is the holy Roman Catholic church in schism?

5.56mm


4 posted on 07/30/2021 5:10:06 PM PDT by M Kehoe (Quid Pro Joe and the Ho need to go.)
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To: Al Hitan; DuncanWaring; Fedora; irishjuggler; Jaded; JoeFromSidney; kalee; markomalley; ...

Ping


5 posted on 07/30/2021 5:16:01 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: Marchmain

I don’t think you’re a Catholic, after all.


6 posted on 07/30/2021 5:17:06 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: ebb tide

People standing in to act where the Church will not. We need more of this.


7 posted on 07/30/2021 5:20:38 PM PDT by Toirdhealbheach Beucail (Am fear nach gheibh na h-airm 'n am na sith, cha bith iad aige 'nam a chogaidh)
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To: Marchmain

Probably more Catholic than the Vatican at this time.


8 posted on 07/30/2021 5:25:36 PM PDT by McGavin999 (biden is not my president )
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To: McGavin999

“Probably more Catholic than the Vatican at this time.”

Is that a difficult thing?


9 posted on 07/30/2021 5:28:07 PM PDT by polymuser (BLA socialist is a communist without the power to take everything from their citizens...yet.p)
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To: Marchmain
You have never answered the question:

Are you Christine Nile?

10 posted on 07/30/2021 5:33:19 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: Marchmain

“TLM refugee”

__________

troll


11 posted on 07/30/2021 5:46:52 PM PDT by one guy in new jersey
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To: one guy in new jersey; Marchmain

I always thought that tagline referred to her being a refugee from the TLM and seeking refuge in Bugnini’s “mess”.

She certainly posts like she is.


12 posted on 07/30/2021 5:50:26 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: polymuser

No actually it isn’t. Really proud of these people, I need to make a contribution. I’m not Catholic but a lot of people I love are.


13 posted on 07/30/2021 5:52:37 PM PDT by McGavin999 (biden is not my president )
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To: ebb tide

Contribute to the Go Fund Me if you can. 🙏


14 posted on 07/30/2021 5:55:05 PM PDT by Laslo Fripp (The Sybil of Free Republic)
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To: Marchmain

The status of the SSPX is ambiguous, but it is an internal Church matter precisely because the SSPX is Catholic.


15 posted on 07/30/2021 6:17:09 PM PDT by sitetest (Professional patient; no longer mostly dead.)
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To: Marchmain; McGavin999; one guy in new jersey

So says the confused woman who recently recommended dissatisfied traditional Catholics should apostatize and join the Orthodox Church before attending SSPX masses.


16 posted on 07/30/2021 6:19:14 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: ebb tide

Nothing new, you’ve accused me of that before. Can’t decide which is more insulting, being called a heretic or a nazi.


17 posted on 07/30/2021 6:21:00 PM PDT by Marchmain (TLM refugee)
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To: one guy in new jersey

Hey, I only bear insults from ebb tide.


18 posted on 07/30/2021 6:22:56 PM PDT by Marchmain (TLM refugee)
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To: Marchmain

You know what’s not new?

Your refusal to answer a simple question.

Neither you nor Niles tells the truth.

You both have axes to grind with the SSPX based on lies.

It’s a reasonable question.


19 posted on 07/30/2021 6:28:28 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: Marchmain

What I can’t understand is you recommending Catholics apostatize before attending SSPX masses.

Care to expound on that position of yours? It certainly isn’t a catholic position.


20 posted on 07/30/2021 6:32:29 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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