Dear friends of the Charlotte Latin Mass Community (CLMC),

Laudetur Iesus Christus!

As you may recall from our CLMC response to the Diocesan Synod, 97-percent of the families responded stating their desire of having a dedicated Latin Mass chapel over the current model of having a Latin Mass at a Novus Ordo Parish with restrictions on the sacraments.

In keeping with our synodal duties, we were obligated to transmit these clearly expressed spiritual needs of our community to Bishop Jugis.  Attached below is a copy of this letter dated, August 22, 2022.

Today in our diocese, sacraments such as Confirmations, Easter Triduum, and depending on the parish, nuptial (wedding) Masses as well as requiems (funeral) are canceled or declined.  We have been told that further restrictions may be coming.

For various reasons outside their control, our devoted diocesan priests have sadly been prohibited from fully meeting the needs of our community.  However, traditional orders such as the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), a congregation of Latin Mass priests founded in 1988, were granted a papal exemption in February 2022 to offer the Latin Mass and all of the sacraments without restrictions.  

Considering these realities, we have specifically requested Bishop Jugis to invite the FSSP into the Diocese of Charlotte to run a chapel dedicated to the Traditional Latin Mass.

What would this dedicated Latin Mass chapel offer for your family?

Simply put everything we already have today plus:

• Multiple Sunday and Holy Day Masses (especially earlier Sunday morning)
• Daily Latin Mass (every day), possibly twice daily
• Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil)
• 3 Masses of Christmas (midnight, dawn, and day)
• All of the sacraments (including Confirmations)
• Traditional devotions
• Catechetical talks and spiritual direction

Would having the FSSP run a dedicated chapel in Charlotte threaten any of the current Latin Masses offered in the Diocese? 

No. This request is unrelated to any other Mass currently being offered by the Diocese.  If Masses are cancelled, it is likely they would have been cancelled regardless.  Ultimately Bishop Jugis alone will decide, however, as mentioned earlier, this request does not affect existing diocesan Latin Masses.

Why not invite in one of the other traditional Ecclesia Dei orders such as the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest or Institute of the Good Shepherd?

Surely any of these orders would be a welcome solution.  The FSSP, however, enjoys long friendships with the priests of our diocese and even two men from St. Ann parish are currently studying at the FSSP seminary in Nebraska. The FSSP would fit well in Charlotte.

In the five weeks since sending this letter, we have not received a response from Bishop Jugis.  While we continue to wait for a reply, you are welcome to write your own letters in support of this request or even consider politely speaking to him at his public events. Mailed letters can be addressed to Bishop Jugis as follows:

His Excellency Peter J. Jugis
Diocese of Charlotte
1123 South Church Street
Charlotte, NC 28203

As we all know, Bishop Jugis is a prayerful man who has been supportive of the Latin Mass.  Therefore, we especially ask you to place this request under patronage of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to whom Bishop Jugis has consecrated our diocese in October 2013.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.