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Quinquagesima Sunday & Ash Wednesday (Corrected)

(updated to correct a typo for the Ash Wednesday Masses)

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is Quinquagesima Sunday or roughly 50 days before Easter, and the last Sunday before Lent begins. It also begins the 3-day period known as “Shrovetide” which was traditionally a time for people to make their confessions before the holy season of Lent starts. As custom, Dr. Mike Foley provides more background on this mini-liturgical season and the reflection on Sunday’s Collect: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/02/the-shrovish-collect-of-quinquagesima.html

Ash Wednesday Latin Masses

We are pleased to share there will be 4 diocesan Latin Masses for Ash Wednesday. Although there is only a morning Latin Mass in Charlotte, there are later Masses outside of the area.

  • St. Ann parish, Charlotte: 7:00am Low (corrected – there is only a morning Latin Mass)
  • Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro, 12:15pm Low (signups now required – please visit the parish website: https://olgchurch.org/)
  • St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, Boone, 6:00pm, Low
  • St. John the Baptist, Tryon, 6:30pm, Low

Sprinkling of Ashes: Modernist Innovation or Traditional Custom?

There’s been a some debate over the Holy See’s new recommendation for the Novus Ordo Mass that due to “COVID”, ashes be “sprinkled” on people’s heads instead of the custom of the priest making a sign of the cross with ashes over one’s forehead. However, St. Ann parish has also chosen to “sprinkle” ashes on the head this year at the Latin Mass. CLMC admits that we hadn’t heard much about this, and Father kindly contacted a Traditional Latin Mass priest in Rome to confirm. Father learned that in Europe, this sprinkling is actually been the norm or custom – the forehead option has been an American custom as best we can tell.

Further, the priest in Rome noted that according to Fr. Adrian Fortescue’s book The Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described (published 1918 but updated for the 1962 books): “the rubrics do not define exactly the place where the ashes are put (…). Lay people receive them on the top of the head or on the forehead.”.

Another reader related to us that the sprinkling of ashes on the head was traditionally reserved for men, and the forehead was for women (who were always wearing chapel veils over their heads).  Dr. Mike Foley has also commented that “sprinkling” was an ancient custom in Europe. Furthermore, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (Father Z.) added some commentary on this blog:

https://wdtprs.com/2021/02/ask-father-covid-1984-and-ash-wednesday-2021-sprinkling-ashes-instead-of-tracing-a-cross/

Ultimately, this appears to be optional for Latin Mass pastors and distribution will differ parish by parish.  We’re open to learning more on this matter. Perhaps in the future a liturgical historian will give more history on the topic.

REMINDER: Lenten Spiritual Enrollment (9 days left!)

The traditional Carmelite Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Fairfield, PA are again offering a special Lenten spiritual enrollment which you can begin to participate in today. The Hermits will be offering 40 Masses, 40 days of praying the Divine Office (and other daily prayers), and 40 days of fasting and penance all for the intention of your family or other enrolled loved ones.  This is an amazing spiritual gift. Here is the link to the enrollment form: http://www.ednmc.org/

Please make an offering of alms along with this enrollment.  Your generous financial sacrifice will bear all the more fruit for your intentions. Enrollment needs to be completed by this Tuesday February 16.

1st Saturday Blessing of Religious Objects at St. Thomas Aquinas

Each 1st Saturday, after the 10am Latin Mass, priests at St. Thomas Aquinas parish in Charlotte will be available to bless any religious objects – including objects that may require a unique blessing, such with as holy salt. We presume these blessings will be the traditional rituals (e.g. Latin).

Preparations and Guidelines for Lent

  • Preparing For a Holy Lent – by Fr. Kauth: As Lent begins this Wednesday, Fr. Kauth, rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary, has a Lenten reflection to prepare the faithful for Lent: https://stjcs.org/preparing-for-a-holy-lent/

Latin Mass & Traditional News 

  • Sophia Press Announces Benedictus, a New Monthly Guide to the Traditional Latin Mass: We are pleased to share that a new publication, Benedictus, is being published for the Traditional Latin Mass, which includes daily readings for the Mass. It’s not a missal but a monthly guide that features the readings for Latin Mass, as well as meditations, reflections for the Traditional Latin Mass. It has been endorsed by many notable traditional priests including , Archbishop Viganò, Bishop Schneider and others. The publication comes out in July but they are taking subscriptions now. To learn more visit: https://praybenedictus.com/ and also read Dr. Peter Kwasniewski’s article: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/02/sophia-press-announces-benedictus-new.html
  • Traditional vs. Modern Theology with Fr. Ripperger: Over the last few weeks we’ve highlighted the difference between traditional theology that undergirds the Latin Mass and its doctrine and progressive/modernist theology that developed around and after Vatican II. We are now excited to share with you a excellent talk with exorcist and theologian Fr. Chad Ripperger and Catholic publisher Ryan Grant (who visited us in 2018) on the differences between these approaches, the distinctions and why the traditional approach is the most sound: https://youtu.be/T4hIgDR29bg
  • The Problem With Women Lectors: Speaking of traditional vs. modern theology, there can be no better area to highlight the differences in theology than the Vatican’s decision to permit women lectors in the Novus Ordo. A Traditional Latin Mass priest examines the matter and clearly explains the problems, and how letting women into the sanctuary in the first place was against Sacred Tradition (and a bad idea with cultural ramifications): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws50olZj4ls
  • Book recommendation – “The Month of St. Joseph”, by Father M de Langalerie: Mater Dei Latin Mass parish in Dallas, Texas is recommending a book written by Archbishop Pierre-Henri Gérault de Langalerie of Auch France in 1874, entitled The Month of Joseph. It includes 30 day of prayers to pray during March. To preview and purchase it visit: https://www.staugustineacademypress.com/month-of-st-joseph/