by

Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday of Lent)

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent, otherwise known Laetare Sunday, which in Latin means rejoice, and rose vestments are worn instead of violet, all to give the faithful encouragement that the joys of Easter and the resurrection are not far away. This is the midpoint of Lent, and as custom we provide Dr. Mike Foley’s commentary: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/03/the-consoling-collect-of-laetare-sunday.html#.Yj_c6zUpCHs

For more on the customs of Laetare Sunday visit: https://www.fisheaters.com/customslent7.html

Six Sundays to Restore the Triduum

This Lent, in order to pray and sacrifice to help restore the canceled Latin Triduum, we are encourage all CLMC readers who are not currently attending the Sunday Latin Mass regularly, to consider making the sacrifice and join us each Sunday during Lent and pray for the Triduum’s restoration.  For those who have started to do this, we thank you. For those not yet attending on Sundays, we encourage you to consider it while Lent continues.  The attached flyer lists all of the diocesan Latin Masses in the Diocese of Charlotte.  The priests at St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas parishes (and others) will also be praying a Memorare after the Latin Mass on certain days for the protection of the Latin Mass: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2022/03/01/six-sundays-to-restore-the-latin-triduum/

CLMC Interview on Catholic Radio

As noted yesterday, the CLMC was interviewed on Jason Murphy’s show, The Obligation, on Carolina Catholic Radio 1270AM and discussed the Latin Mass, the Triduum cancellation, and the distinctness of the Mass of Ages: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2022/03/26/clmc-interview-on-catholic-radio/

Holy Face Devotions at St. Mark and St. Ann parishes

There are now two Holy Face devotions occurring weekly in Charlotte. Once has started at St. Ann parish. It will occur on Tuesdays after the 7am Novus Ordo Mass (a few minutes after 7:30am) in the chapel. The prayers may take 45 minutes.  As mentioned in prior weeks, St. Mark parish offers its Holy Face devotion on Mondays from 2-3pm. Attend as your schedule permits.  The primary purpose of this apostolate is to, by praying certain prayers, make reparation for the sins committed against the first three Commandments of the Lord: The denial of God by atheism (communism), blasphemy, and the profanation of Sundays and Holy Days. Devotion to the Holy Face has been referred to as the devotion for Jesus Crucified. 

First Saturday Mass – April 2, 10am (St. Thomas)

As many know, Pope Francis, with Bishop Jugis and others joining, consecrated Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Friday. Now the world waits to see if it was accepted by Our Lady. However the consecration does not end the Fatima message – as all are called to practice the 1st Saturday devotions as requested by Our Lady of Fatima. Our Lady asks us to do the following on each 1st Saturday for five consecutive months: Receive Holy Communion; pray the Rosary; meditate for 15 minutes on a mystery of the Rosary; and go to Confession (before or after 8 days). This is all done with the intention to offer reparation for blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  

To assist with this, St. Thomas Aquinas parish offers a 10am first Saturday Latin Mass on Saturday April 2nd. Mass is followed by a blessing of religious objects in the traditional rite

Friday April 1, 2022: 100th Anniversary of Blessed Karl’s Death (Friday 12:30pm, St. Mark)

This coming Friday is not only first Friday, but it also happens to be the centenary of Blessed Karl of Austria’s passage into eternal life. Overthrown by western powers – including Woodrow Wilson – the last reigning Catholic monarch of Europe was exiled to the Portuguese Island of Madeira, where his health declined and died on April 1, 1922.  Several CLMC readers have a devotion to this beatified emperor, and in 2017 we invited Bishop Athanasius Schneider to Charlotte to commemorate Bl. Karl. He was known as the peace emperor in trying to end World War I. He rejected Germany’s request that he allow passage of Vladimir Lenin through Austria to Russia to help foment communist revolution (Lenin took another route). He is an ideal blessed to implore aid against the crisis overseas.

Moreover, as Suzanne Pearson of the Blessed Karl league notes he has a connection to Our Lady of Fatima. Blessed Karl reigned during Our Lady of Fatima’s apparitions of 1917, and was truly living Our Lady’s message that she spoke 1,700 miles away in Portugal. It seems quite interesting that his centenary comes 1 week after Pope Francis’ consecration of Russia, and the day before 1st Saturday.  

St. Mark parish will offer its regular 12:30pm Low Mass (Friday of the 4th Week of Lent) and to commemorate Bl. Karl’s death, a portrait of him will be placed near the sanctuary for veneration after Mass.

Latin Mass & Traditional News

The Messenger Angel: Dr. Mike Foley pens an article about the last Thursday’s feast of St. Gabriel, which is celebrated as a standalone feast in the Traditional Latin Mass, and the day prior to the Annunciation: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/03/the-messenger-angel.html#.Yj0wQjUpCHs

The Expectant Orations of the Feast of the Annunciation: Dr. Foley also wrote a follow up article the next day on the prayers offered for the feast of the Annunciation: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/03/the-expectant-orations-of-feast-of.html#.Yj_zlTUpCHt

The Story of Susanna in the Liturgy of Lent: In the Traditional Latin Mass, the readings for each day of Lent are linked to a specific church in Rome where pilgrims in Rome can visit and attend Mass that day. These churches are called Stational Churches, and the readings for Mass of that day, are sometimes linked to the name of the stational church. For the Saturday of the 3rd week in Lent (March 26), the stational church is St. Susanna church, and the epistle is notably taken from the book of Daniel, specifically the chapter detailing with the false witness against the pious wife Susanna who was falsely accused of adultery. Greg DiPippo of New Liturgical Movement provides fascinating background for yesterday’s reading and its connection to the stational church for the day: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/03/the-story-of-susanna-in-liturgy-of-lent.html#.Yj_YtjUpCHs

Ecclesiastical Architect and Benedictine Monk: Fr. Michael McInerney, O.S.B.: Local writer John Paul Sonnen has a informative piece on Belmont Abbey’s Fr. Michael McInerney O.S.B., who was a noted architect in his day and helped designed some of the traditional architecture at the Abbey in the early 1900s, a style called “American Benedictine”. This “monk-architect” also designed the original St. Michael’s parish in Gastonia, and the newer Sisters of Mercy building in Belmont, among many places in the US: https://www.liturgicalartsjournal.com/2022/03/ecclesiastical-architect-and.html

Cardinal Nichols approves Latin Triduum in London: https://lms.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?id=209&reset=1

Easter Triduum Actions

As we wait to hear from Bishop Jugis on the CLMC’s request to restore the Latin Triduum, we have been asked if there is anything else that can be done besides praying and sacrificing? There are a few things that one could do if you felt called to do more.

  1. Write Bishop Jugis: His Excellency Peter J. Jugis, Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 S. Church Street, Charlotte, NC 28203 (Dear Your Excellency)
  2. Participate in your parish Synod: It’s important for Church leaders to hear of the needs of the faithful. One way to do that is to participate in your parish’s Synod occurring over the next few week. Contact one’s parish to find out when it will occur and how to participate.
  3. Diocesan Support Appeal: Let God guide your decision on your participation in the Diocesan Support Appeal.  Donations can be an effective form of communication.  God may guide you to change your donation amount or to place stipulations on your donation.

It should be made clear that the Latin Triduum was not canceled by Pope Francis but by Bishop Jugis. As noted above, most other dioceses that offer a Latin Triduum are moving ahead with theirs. Even the Pope’s own diocese, the Diocese of Rome, has restored their Latin Easter Triduum.  Charlotte is the outlier. Please pray especially for Bishop Jugis, he is a prayerful bishop in a difficult situation.

It’s Sunday, what Mass are you attending today?