Author: CLMC

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Thanksgiving Schedule Update

Laudetur Iesus Christus! We just wanted to send a quick reminder of the revised schedule over the next few days due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Latin Masses This Week (Note Cancellations)

  • Thursday November 24 – NO LATIN MASS at St. Thomas Aquinas, Canceled due to Thanksgiving holiday
  • Friday November 25, 12:30pm St. Mark (NO 7AM LATIN MASS at St. Ann), feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria
  • Saturday November 26, – NO 4th SATURDAY 8AM LATIN Mass at St. Ann, canceled due to Thanksgiving holiday weekend

Advent-Christmas Schedule:

If you are planning ahead, please see our webpage for the most recent announced Latin Masses during Advent and Christmas: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

Thanksgiving: Catholic Origins

Since tomorrow is the secular holiday of Thanksgiving, we wanted to reshare our annual post regarding the Catholic origins of Thanksgiving.

Around the feast of Martinmas (November 11), we shared a few articles examining the European-Catholic origins of the American Thanksgiving, which was modeled after the feast of St. Martin (Martinmas) and was sort of an end of the harvest commemoration. That is likely where the pilgrims developed the idea of an American thanksgiving. With the American Thanksgiving upon us tomorrow, we wanted to provide some Catholic background on the topic, both liturgically and historically. We reshare the Martinmas articles and some additional ones:

While, as we note above, the American Thanksgiving holiday was organized by protestants, the first true Thanksgiving on this land was actually Catholic in origin, and held 50 years earlier in newly discovered San Augustine, Florida in 1565 by Spanish explorers. Their priest offered Mass (Latin Mass of course) – the first on American soil, and then held a feast. Here are a few articles that explain the origins:

The Mythical Thanksgiving Indult by Pope Pius XII: As we approach the Thanksgiving Day holiday, we share with you a magnificent piece penned by Sharon Kabel, who examined the mysterious legend of the Friday-After-Thanksgiving Indult, supposedly granted by Pope Pius XII to allow American Catholics to eat meat on the day after Thanksgiving. It should be stated this is a moot point now since the 1983 Code of Canon Law and the US Bishops Conference has sadly allowed a “substitution” for Friday abstinence.  Anyhow, for traditionalists, this is an occasionally debated topic each Thanksgiving and Sharon does good research to find out the truth: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2020/11/on-mythical-pius-xii-thanksgiving.html

Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless

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Advent Mission with FSSP Priests – St. Thomas Aquinas Parish (December 13 – 15)

(REVISED SCHEDULE AS OF DECEMBER 12, 2022)

Laudetur Iesus Christus!

We are pleased to share that St. Thomas Aquinas parish has graciously invited two Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) priests to give a special Advent parish mission from Tuesday December 13 – Thursday December 15. The schedule will feature a mission talk as well as confessions. Additionally as a bonus, each night before the mission, the priests will give a customized talk on separate nights for men, youth, and women. We can’t express enough the blessing of having these priests – who offer the Latin Mass exclusively – to give a mission and a few talks. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this wonderful event.

The mission priests are Fr. Joseph Portzer, FSSP, and Fr. Martin Adams, FSSP.

The schedule is as follows:

*** Confessions at 6pm each night ***

Tuesday December 13

6:30pm – Men’s Talk

7:30pm – Mission (open to all)

Wednesday December 14

6:30pm – Youth Talk (suited for high school age youth – parents discretion)

7:30pm – Mission (open to all)

Thursday December 15

6pm – Women’s Talk

7pm – Latin Mass (open to all)

8pm – Mission (open to all)

For those new to the Latin Mass, the Fraternity of St. Peter is a congregation of priests who offer the Latin Mass exclusively and staff chapels and parishes throughout North America and the world. Two members of our community and St. Ann parish are enrolled in the FSSP seminary in Nebraska. In prior years, the CLMC has hosted FSSP priests to give talks and most recently asked Bishop Jugis to consider inviting the FSSP into the diocese full time as part of our Synod request.  We are grateful St. Thomas Aquinas parish for offering this timely mission and also a wonderful opportunity to better acquaint us with the charism of the FSSP priests, many who maintain close ties and friendships with our diocesan priests.

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Twenty Fourth Sunday After Pentecost

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the 24th and last Sunday after Pentecost and according to the St. Andrew Daily Missal, the traditional breviary lessons are from the prophet Micheas who foretells of the destruction of Jerusalem which is symbolic of the world at the end of time (Micheas 1:5-7), which is what is commemorated today. Yet Micheas also gives hope and also foretells of the coming liturgical season of Advent and Christmas with the birth of Christ in Bethlehem (Micheas 5:2). For today’s Latin Mass, we share a reflection on Sunday’s Collect for the Mass which ties all these topics together: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2020/11/the-stirring-collect-for-last-sunday.html#.Y3m2eH3MKHs

Latin Masses This Week (Note Cancellations)

  • Wednesday November 23, 6pm – St. Ann, feast of Pope St. Clement I
  • Thursday November 24 – NO LATIN MASS at St. Thomas Aquinas, Canceled due to Thanksgiving holiday
  • Friday November 25, 12:30pm St. Mark (NO 7AM LATIN MASS at St. Ann), feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria
  • Saturday November 26, – NO 4th SATURDAY 8AM LATIN Mass at St. Ann, canceled due to Thanksgiving holiday weekend

Advent-Christmas Schedule: Please see our webpage for the most recent announced Latin Masses during Advent and Christmas: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

CCHD – Morally Problematic 2nd Collection

Today in some parishes, there will be a 2nd collection for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), which is administered by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and has been found to be given money occasionally to morally problematic organizations that promote abortion or  revolutionary causes. Thankfully St. Ann’s, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Mark parishes, and other parishes are not participating in this collection, but other parishes might. Know before you give. To learn more about the problems you can view at the Carolina Pro-Life Action Network’s website (a Catholic pro-life group here): https://www.prolifecharlotte.org/cchd-2021/

Community News

  • St. Ann Parishioners Receive Minor Orders at FSSP Seminary: Two St. Ann parishioners who are attending the Fraternity of St. Peter’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Nebraska received minor orders yesterday. Mr. David Carter was conferred the minor orders of Exorcist and Acolyte, while Mr. Brendan d’Amato received the minor orders of Porter and Lector. The Traditional Rite has both minor (Tonsure, Porter, Lector, Exorcist, Acolyte, and Subdeacon) and major orders (deacon and priest) as part of a seminarian’s path to the priesthood. The minor orders were abolished in 1972 and are only conferred to those seminarians studying at traditional seminaries (generally not diocesan). Please pray for both men as they continue their studies and discernment. To see a brief write up and prayer cards visit the FSSP seminary: http://www.fsspolgs.org/minor-orders-november-19-2022/

  • Second Fr. Ripperger Talk Added For Friday March 10: Due to the overwhelming interest in hearing exorcist and traditional theologian, Fr. Chad Ripperger, St. Thomas Aquinas parish is now hosting a second, identical talk, by Fr. Ripperger on Friday March 10. Please see the parish’s note:

    Due to the Saturday, March 11, 2023 event filling up so quickly, Fr. Codd asked Fr. Ripperger if he would be willing to come on Friday, March 10, 2023, to do an additional identical conference, in order to allow for more parishioners and folks from the diocese to attend.  Fr. Ripperger graciously agreed, and so we will now have him speak both on Friday and Saturday.  Note, these will be the same talk on both days.  Saturday is already full.  If you are signed up already to attend Saturday, please do not register for Friday as well, or we will delete your registration.  Please register as soon as possible in order to help us with planning.  As well, if you are able to help support us bringing Fr. Ripperger in for an additional talk, please use the registration form to do so, or use this link.  Thank you! https://www.osvhub.com/st-thomas-aquinas-rc-church/forms/frripperger-friday
  • Holy Face Devotions (new updates)
  • St. Mark – Mondays 2-2:45pm
  • St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
  • St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass (uses the booklet/chaplet which takes 15-20 minutes)
  • **St. Michael the Archangel, Gastonia ** – Tuesdays, 6:30-7pm, Holy Family Room (NEW)
  • **Holy Spirit, Denver ** – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass
  • Don’t see your parish? Why not organize one?

Catholic Thanksgiving History

To learn more about the Catholic traditions that influenced the U.S. Thanksgiving, please visit our 2021 post: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2021/11/21/last-sunday-after-pentecost-advent-christmas-schedule/

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Floriani Men’s Schola: As Tuesday is the feast of St. Cecilia, patroness of musicians, a reader has shared that there is a wonderful men’s schola operating in the Archdiocese of Phoenix that is helping to revive Gregorian Chant. The group, Floriani, chants at various Latin Masses in the Phoenix area, but also has a chant-school podcast where they offer classes to help people learn Gregorian chant. To learn more visit: https://www.floriani.org
  • Archbishop Viganò Revisits Ratzinger: Recently, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò has written an essay examining the role Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) had in influencing the documents of Vatican II. The piece raises some uncomfortable issues about His Holiness’ early writings as a younger priest, which the Archbishop calls “Hegelian” and follows the philosophical framework of “thesis-antithesis-synthesis”. In simplistic layman’s terms, this modernist framework appears to merge two opposing, irreconcilable, views into one blended solution. Viganò notes, that at Vatican II these opposing views were focused on one area in particular:  

“[B]etween the Catholic thesis of the Mystical Body [of Christ] and the progressivist antithesis of the ‘people of God’…

Vatican II […]supposedly ended by accepting the exact synthesis that Ratzinger had theorized in his 1954 dissertation…A bold thesis, on closer inspection, that risks confusing the substantial difference between the Body of Christ truly present in His entirety in the Eucharistic species and the Body of Christ realized mystically by the union of the living members of the Church with her divine Head.

This confusion would have then permitted not a few progressive or completely heretical theologians to wink at Protestants thanks to the imprecise formulation of “Body of Christ.”

What Viganò appears to be asserting is Ratzinger’s synthesis allowed modernists in the Church to minimize belief in the Eucharist with potentially ambiguous language in order to please protestants (or be like them!). Yet the concerns Viganò raises about Fr. Ratzinger’s younger progressive views are not new, and were actually covered extensively in this excellent book view by Maike Hickson of a 2017 Ratzinger biography and posted at Rorate Caeli: New biography describes great influence of Fr. Joseph Ratzinger in Vatican II: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2020/12/rorate-exclusivenew-biography-describes.html

Abp. Viganò: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is wrong to praise the diabolical revolution of Vatican II: https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/abp-vigano-pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi-is-wrong-to-praise-the-diabolical-revolution-of-vatican-ii/

CLMC comment: As we know, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI did much good to bring back the Traditional Latin Mass and was doctrinally orthodox when he served as the head of doctrine for Pope St. John Paul II. So how could he also be author of some problematic ideas and actions from the 1950s and at Vatican II? It’s a complex story but one that needs to be discussed more. Why? Because this approach may affect the current and future of the Latin Mass. One of the liturgical renewal “approaches” that came from Pope Benedict’s Summorum Pontificum could be called “Hegelian”. In essence, Pope Benedict XVI seemed to float the idea that the Traditional Latin Mass (thesis?) and Novus Ordo (antithesis?) could mutually enrich one another, giving the impression that eventually the two forms would merge someday into one united Mass (synthesis?). Yet as we’ve learned from Dr. Peter Kwasniewski and others, the two Masses are practically two different rites and appear to be irreconcilable.  The CLMC continues to be grateful for Pope Benedict liberating the Latin Mass and will let more competent minds answer this question and issues. We do however invite readers to read the Rorate Caeli article above as it is illuminating. (Ed. note – we are most willing to be corrected in our meager attempt to summarize this difficult, complex, and yet important topic)

  • The Reverent Novus Ordo in Peril: The above article on Ratzinger might serve as a primer for this interesting and brief podcast about the future of the “reverent” Novus Ordo. In sum, the author posits that the heavy intellectual support for making the Novus Ordo reverent is drying up (John Paul II & Pope Benedict XVI), and as we see in Rome today, there is little interest in continuing this effort, leaving the Latin Mass the more stable and sure option for a reverent liturgy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ayEcZh_Z0 (Click here for transcript)
  • Archbishop Chaput Remarks on the Latin Mass Restrictions: To close this third news article about the post-conciliar liturgical framework, we share a concerning interview with Archbishop Charles Chaput, a conservative bishop who recently retired as Archbishop of Philadelphia. Sadly, His Excellency, in responding to a question about the 2021 motu proprio restricting the Latin Mass, appears to accept some of the decades old modernist scarecrow arguments that Latin Mass attendees do not actively participate in the Mass, and that the Novus Ordo Mass corrects that problem. You can watch the video here (at 8:15): https://youtu.be/PGjuBnqxCRw?t=493 or visit the article: https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/abp-chaput-adds-insult-to-injury-for-arlington-catholics-who-love-the-latin-mass/  

CLMC note: We share this, not in any disrespect for His Excellency (who has defended the faith in other matters), but as a reminder that the liturgical viewpoint of even conservatives is quite far from those of traditionalists (those attending the Latin Mass) and much closer to the modernists. For a good counterpoint to His Excellency’s views on active participation we share a recent article by Phil Lawler with some helpful analogies: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/what-active-participation-really-means/

Late November Feast Days

This week as the liturgical year winds down, the traditional calendar has some unique feasts in late November. We share a few along with some helpful background both spiritually and historically.

  • Feast of St. Cecilia: This Tuesday November 22 is the feast of St. Cecilia, the patroness of musicians. Dom Prosper Gueranger had a great reflection on her life and noted she can be an excellent saint to overcome fear. Since many people are anxious or have fear over our country, problems in the Church, etc. – she might be a good saint to have recourse to:

    … Without doubt, this zeal is not extinct; it still works in some, and its fruits rejoice and console the Church; but why does it slumber so profoundly in so many hearts which God had prepared to be its active centres? The cause is unhappily to be traced to that general coldness, produced by effeminacy, which might be taken by itself alone as the type of the age; but we must add thereto another sentiment, proceeding from the same source, which would suffice, if of long duration, to render the debasement of a nation incurable. This sentiment is fear; and it may be said to extend at present to its utmost limit. Men fear the loss of goods or position, fear the loss of comforts and ease, fear the loss of life. Needless to say, nothing can be more enervating, and consequently more dangerous to the world, than this humiliating pre-occupation but above all, we must confess that it is anything but Christian. Have we forgotten that we are merely pilgrims on this earth? And has the hope of future good died out of our hearts? Caecilia will teach us how to rid ourselves of this sentiment of fear. In her days, life was less secure than now. There certainly was then some reason to fear; and yet Christians were so courageous, that the powerful pagans often trembled at the words of their victims. https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/438-sanctoral-cycle/november-end-of-the-year/3366-november-22-st-caecelia-virgin-and-martyr
  • Feast of Pope St. Clement I: Wednesday November 23, is the feast of St. Clement, the 4th Pope. Dom Gueranger has a fascinating story that confirms Papal Primacy. A controversy broke out in the early Church of Corinth during Clement’s reign when St. John was still alive and nearby in Ephesus, yet the Corinth Church wrote to Pope Clement in Rome for his assistance, demonstrating papal authority:  

    The Corinthians at last felt the necessity of putting an end to a disorder, which might be prejudicial to the extension of the Christian faith; and for this purpose, it was requisite to seek assistance from outside. The Apostles had all departed this life, except St. John, who was still the light of the Church. It was no great distance from Corinth to Ephesus, where the Apostle resided; yet it was not to Ephesus but to Rome that the Church of Corinth turned. Clement examined the case referred to his judgment by that Church, and sent to Corinth five commissaries to represent the Apostolic See.. https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/438-sanctoral-cycle/november-end-of-the-year/3367-november-23-st-clement-i-pope-and-martyr
  • Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria:  Friday November 25 is the feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria who was taken off the calendar in 1969 when the Novus Ordo Mass was introduced but later restored by Pope St. John Paul II in 2002 (it always remained on the Traditional Calendar). She is one of the 14 Holy Helpers, and as this article notes, perhaps a good recourse against Protestant heretics: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2020/11/st-catherine-of-alexandria-in-counter.html (As a reminder the TLM calendar has several saints who were unjustly removed in 1969 including St. Christopher, St. Philomena – the Novus Ordo’s loss remains our gain!)


  • The Miraculous Medal: Saturday November 27 is the optional feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. To learn more about this feast day visit Fisheaters.com: https://www.fisheaterscom/miraculousmedal.html

Sunday Commemorates the end of the world. What Mass will you be attending Sunday, and at the end of time?

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Major Exhibition of Relics: St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church

Laudetur Iesus Christus!

This coming Friday, November 18, 2022, there will be a major exhibition of Holy Relics being presented at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Parish (Charlotte) in the Holy Family Chapel from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

There will be more than 150 Relics on exhibit, including (partial listing):

I. Our Lord Jesus Christ:
     a) Divine Infancy Relics: Manger, Cradle, Swaddling Bands;
     b) Instruments of the Passion: True Cross, Thorn, Purple Cloak, Pillar of Scourging, Veronica’s Veil, Title of the Cross, Scala Sancta Stairs . . .
II.   Relics of Our Lady: Veil, Slipper, Tunic, Holy House of Loreto . . .
III.  St. Joseph, Foster Father of Christ: Staff & Cloak.
IV.  Sts. Joachim & Ann, Our Lady’s Parents: Bone
V.   Twelve Apostles, Four Evangelists: Bone; Cross of Apostles Peter & Andrew, Cincture & Tunic of St. John Evangelist;
VI.  St. John the Baptist: Bone & Flesh;
VII. St. Mary Magdalene: Bone & Hair-Shirt;
VIII. New Testament Saints: Sts. Elizabeth & Zachary, Martha & Lazarus, Simeon Prophet, Three Magi, Holy Innocents 
IX.  Carmelite Saints: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Therese the Little Flower X. Our Patron: St. Philomena, Virgin-Martyr
XI. Saints of the Canon: Agnes, Cecilia, Agatha, Lucy, Stephen, Lawrence, Cosmas & Damian 
XII Clergy-Martyrs: Ignatius of Antioch, Blaise, Polycarp, Erasmus, Januarius . . .
XIII. Soldier-Martyrs: George, Demetrius, Sebastian, Theodore, Maurice . . .
XIV. Other Saints: Pius V & Pius X, Anthony of Padua, John Vianney, Maria Goretti, Dominic, Thomas Aquinas, Francis of Assisi .

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.”
– Acts 19:11-12

Relics are a means to put us in direct contact with the Saints who have gone before us. Veneration of relics not only allows us to ask intercession of Saints but also make concrete the real possibility of holiness in our own lives because the Saints were simply normal people living lives of extraordinary holiness. There will be first (bone, blood, or body parts), second (a possession or article of clothing), and third (anything that has touched a first or second) class relics from various Saints available for veneration. The custodian of these relics, Mark Grillo, will be providing information about some of the individual relics as well as instructing on proper methods of veneration for relics. Information will be provided in both Spanish and English.

Food will be available for sale in the parking lot in front of the Activity Center to enjoy before or after you see the relics. Seating will be available inside the Activity Center for people to enjoy food and company with their fellow parishioners, friends, and family before or after visiting the relics.

Food vendor:  Magdalena’s Taco Truck and Ice Cream starting at 5:30pm
Cash & Card accepted

Sponsored by the Parish Catechesis Department of St. Vincent de Paul and Regina Caeli Academy.

There will be a donation basket available to make a good will offering at the door.

Please direct questions to Mrs. Riley V. Provost, Director of Parish Catechesis St. Vincent de Paul Parish – Charlotte, NC Office Tel: (704)644-4651

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Memorial Tribute for Fr. Christopher Riehl (+)

Laudetur Iesus Christus!  After posting the news of Father Riehl’s passing, we received the following memorial tribute from Mr. Nathaniel Slattery who was both a close friend and the editor of Fr. Riehl’s recently published book on the Blessed Mother entitled, “Listen to Our Lady”. 

We share this memorial tribute with Mr. Slattery’s permission:

Rev. Christopher Michael Riehl

Father Christopher Michael Riehl told me and my wife that we came into the Church at the twelfth hour of Her passion. We also came into his life in the twelfth hour, and so as I write this, I know that I will say very little about him.

Father Riehl was a good and holy priest, recognized by many as suited for leadership in the Church. He possessed the virtues of courage, wisdom, and magnanimity in the correct proportions, at least from my humble lay point of view, in order to revivify and renew a diocese. Likely, in a just and ordered society, he would have been a bishop shortly, and this is exactly what he would have been doing. He would have extracted his body, mind, heart, and soul of all of its energy and capacity, jogged from one end of the diocese to the other, and removed every semblance and hair of error from every corner such that the faithful could have looked and seen nearly the spotless Bride of Christ within his diocese, or until he collapsed. But this would have necessarily involved ruffling many feathers, not lay so much as clerical, and no doubt very, very many people would be removed by the gravity of their errors. That is why he was not a bishop, and very likely we will never see a bishop like him before Our Lady triumphs. He was exactly the type of person that intimidates the type of priest with which most people live.

Maybe I didn’t know him well enough, maybe I was transported with joy at finding more than a single holy priest (my own parish has a holy priest who knew that his job was to provide the Sacraments these last couple of years), maybe I am a dirty flatterer (pray God no), but this is what I see. We live in such a time, bathed by oceans of infant blood, steeped in the darkness once reserved for homosexual relations before they were allowed to speak up near the altar on Father’s Day in a Catholic Church in Chicago, and under the boot of our Nominalist overlords, that we don’t deserve priests and bishops and popes that remove error and dispel confusion. We have ancestors that for hundreds of years have likely prayed that their progeny would not convert to Catholicism. We have the pride to judge God Himself, and we blaspheme the Holy Ghost to pass the time in our boredom. We live under curses, justly earned, and so we live under poor shepherds.

But God still creates these men in the womb and suckles them in the Sacraments, because His Glory and Holiness are too intoxicating to allow it not to happen. So they exist, and what He seems to do is this: prevent them from having any authority, hide them away from the world that hates Him, and let them do other things than help save people who don’t deserve it.

That is what Father Riehl was. He was a good and holy man, who with all of the capacity and virtue of a saintly bishop in the chrysalis, instead wrote a humble book, and now we can read it. He may not have been suited for writing, which is good, because it is tiresome to read pretty words that say nothing, and those types of books and documents are easy enough to find within the Church. He was suited for salvation and sanctification.

I knew him only a year, and in that year, he perfected my devotional life, consecrated me completely to Mater Dolorosa, and enflamed my desire for sanctity. I firmly believe he was in the rich odor of his own sanctity. His last work was his book, Listen to Our Lady (Or Go To Hell), and you all should read it, because Our Lady took him right after he put down his pen.

—Nathaniel Slattery, Editor

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Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost (Salisbury Latin Mass 4pm)

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the 23rd Sunday after Pentecost. As the Church approaches the end of the liturgical year (next Sunday), it focuses on the end of the world and last judgement. We share a reflection on the orations (prayers) for Sunday’s Latin Mass: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2020/11/divine-participation-and-human-dangers.html#.Y3B7QuTMKHs

All Souls Thank You: The CLMC wishes to thank everyone to came out to the annual All Souls prayers at Belmont Abbey last week (co-sponsored with St. Ann Homeschool). Please also offer a few Hail Mary’s for Fr. Reid for taking the time to lead the prayers for the poor souls.

Salisbury Latin Mass Today Sunday November 13 4pm

There is a Latin Mass today 4pm at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury (rescheduled from last week).  Fr. Joseph Wasswa will offer the Mass. There will not be a social afterwards due to a schedule conflict with the parish hall. For more information visit: http://salisburylmc.org/

Latin Masses This Week

  • Wednesday November 16, 6pm – St. Ann, feast of St. Gertrude, Virgin
  • Thursday November 17, 7pm – St. Thomas Aquinas, feast of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop
  • Friday November 18, 7am (St. Ann) & 12:30pm (St. Mark) – Dedication of the Basilicas of Ss. Peter & Paul

Advent-Christmas Liturgies (as announced to date)

We are still 2 weeks away from Advent, and six weeks away from Christmas. However to assist families in planning, there are a few Latin Masses and events to announce below. As more parishes announce their Advent/Christmas schedule, we will share them in future updates.

  • Rorate Latin Masses (Latin Mass by Candlelight at Dawn on a Saturday in Advent)
    • Saturday December 3, 6am – St. Thomas Aquinas parish (no 10am Mass this day)
    • Saturday December 10, 6am – Holy Cross parish in Kernersville (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
  • Sunday December 18, 12:30pm – St. Ann parish & the CLMC’s annual blessing of religious objects after the 12:30pm Latin Mass
  • Feast of the Natvity Christmas Day Sunday December 25:
    • Midnight Latin Masses: St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ann, Our Lady of the Angels in Marion (1.75 hours northwest of Charlotte)
    • 11:30am Latin Mass: St. Thomas Aquinas (Note: There will not be a 12:30pm Latin Mass at St. Ann on Christmas Day)

Community News

  • Second Fr. Ripperger Talk Added For Friday March 10: Due to the overwhelming interest in hearing exorcist and traditional theologian, Fr. Chad Ripperger, St. Thomas Aquinas parish is now hosting a second, identical talk, by Fr. Ripperger on Friday March 10. Please see the parish’s note:

    Due to the Saturday, March 11, 2023 event filling up so quickly, Fr. Codd asked Fr. Ripperger if he would be willing to come on Friday, March 10, 2023, to do an additional identical conference, in order to allow for more parishioners and folks from the diocese to attend.  Fr. Ripperger graciously agreed, and so we will now have him speak both on Friday and Saturday.  Note, these will be the same talk on both days.  Saturday is already full.  If you are signed up already to attend Saturday, please do not register for Friday as well, or we will delete your registration.  Please register as soon as possible in order to help us with planning.  As well, if you are able to help support us bringing Fr. Ripperger in for an additional talk, please use the registration form to do so, or use this link.  Thank you! https://www.osvhub.com/st-thomas-aquinas-rc-church/forms/frripperger-friday
  • Prayers for Fraternity of St. Peter Seminarians to Receive Minor Orders: Next Saturday November 19, David Carter, a former St. Ann parishioner, and now seminarian with the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), a society of Latin Mass priests, is scheduled to receive a second set of Minor Orders. Please consider keep Mr. Carter and all FSSP seminarians that day in your prayers.
  • Holy Face Devotions (new updates)
  • St. Mark – Mondays 2-2:45pm
  • St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
  • St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass (uses the booklet/chaplet which takes 15-20 minutes)
  • **St. Michael the Archangel, Gastonia ** – Tuesdays, 6:30-7pm, Holy Family Room (NEW)
  • **Holy Spirit, Denver ** – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass (NEW: BEGINS TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15)

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Post-Election: the Law of Politics is the Salvation of Souls: As Americans digest the election results and its impact pro-life and pro-family matters, OnePeterFive posted a helpful reminder that Catholics should not place their trust institutions to win the culture war, rather it lies with the Church and her faithful to spread the traditional faith: https://onepeterfive.com/post-election-law-politics-salvation-souls

CLMC note: Interestingly, the St. Andrew Missal notes that Sunday’s gospel about the women being healed after touching Christ’s garment is also tied to Sunday’s theme of the end times. The St. Andrew Missal explains that as Christ went to heal the daughter of Jairus (ruler of the synagogue) a women with a blood disorder approaches Christ, touches the hem of His garment and is healed. The women who was healed first represents the Gentiles as she receives the Gospel (Christ) first, but then the daughter of the synagogue ruler (symbolizing the Jews), is also healed and restored to life, symbolizing the conversion of the Jews, who receive the Gospel second, at the end times.

  • New Anglican Catholic community finds welcome in Hendersonville: The Catholic News Herald published an intriguing article on the new Anglican Ordinariate community, St. Edmund Campion Catholic Church, currently meeting at Immaculate Conception parish in Hendersonville (2 hours west of Charlotte). For those unaware, the Anglican Ordinariate is sort of like a special global diocese established by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 as a pastoral response to help bring Anglicans and others back into the Catholic Church. Its liturgy is considered a form of the Roman Rite and the American Ordinariate Bishop is based out of Houston, Texas. The Herald’s article, shares the story of how the St. Edmund Campion community formed near Asheville: https://catholicnewsherald.com/88-news/fp/8709-new-anglican-catholic-community-finds-welcome-in-hendersonville

CLMC note: In Hendersonville there is a faithful community that follows a different form of the Roman Rite, with its own distinct liturgy, with its own chaplain, on its way to becoming its own parish someday  – all embraced and supported by the Diocese of Charlotte. The CLMC can only presume, with much goodwill, that this article and arrangement marks a new policy for diocese in that they are now recognizing that a Roman Rite community, with its own form of the Roman Rite Mass, should have its spiritual needs met by a dedicated chaplain and, eventually, its own building. We are pleased the diocese is supporting this new change in policy by embracing the Anglican Ordinariate and look forward to the diocese extending the same hospitality and equity toward the Latin Mass community in the not so distant future.

The CLMC continues to invite the Latin Mass faithful to pray for the establishment of a Latin Mass chapel in the Charlotte area, and staffed by the priests of the Fraternity of St. Peter, who can minister to the faithful without restrictions.

Thriving in a Post-Christian World: An American’s First Encounter with Catholic Ireland

We close this update with an inspiring article about the Catholic faith and Latin Mass in Ireland. Once a gem of a Catholic country, and now only a place where vocations are nearly dormant, as well as the Catholic faith. However, Rachel Shrader, reports otherwise. She recently visited the Emerald Isle and wrote about how a Latin Mass chaplain in Dublin is doing his small part to turn the Irish faith around by starting up an Oratory of St. Philip Neri at a parish in Dublin (something St. John Henry Newman tried to do). This Oratory is a congregation, originally founded by St. Philip Neri in the 16th century and priests now staff parishes they are assigned at, with a charism to “revitalize the faith of the people”. We provide a few excerpts which relates to the Latin Mass at this Dublin parish (St. Kevin) where the Oratory is housed; however the entire article is worth a read:

Oratorians just…do what they do. They celebrate Mass, they welcome people into their church, they hear Confessions—day in and day out. They don’t relocate, they don’t hurry—and they don’t give up. I like to call it the “Oratorian pace.”

Miraculously, the results seem to follow.

Since COVID times, the Oratorians of St. Kevin’s noticed an increase in attendance at their parish, and a decrease in the average age.

This youthful crowd is particularly drawn to the Latin Mass, which is celebrated twice on Sunday mornings. Between those two Masses, St. Kevin’s welcomes 500-600 (and increasingly more) faithful each week, coming from as far away as 50 miles…

Fr. Deighan also noted that the priests are “swamped” with confessions, which is always a great sign of sincere and ardent faith. St. Kevin’s being the only parish in the city that offers confessions on Sundays—the most convenient time for out-of-towners—two priests hear confessions on Sunday morning. (During Mass, if necessary!)

With the decline of authentic Catholicism in Ireland, Fr. Deighan explained that people of faith are simply going to have to unite and build up strong communities of faith again.

He says that this is what is happening at St. Kevin’s, with the traditional Mass as the rallying point. He then went on to explain why the young congregation of St. Kevin’s—and he himself—find it so attractive.

“[The Latin Mass] just is such a wonderful vehicle for evangelization,” [Fr. Deighan] said, “spreading the Faith, while not appearing to do so at all, but it just draws people like a magnet, young people, and they’re fascinated by it. And it’s genuine, it’s not a superficial thing, they keep coming back. They’ll spend an hour and half at Mass and they’ll go to Confession. This would not be happening if it wasn’t the traditional Mass.”

“Obviously Mass is always Mass, but with the old Mass you go out with a joy, that you’re meeting this wonderful bride, again, for the first time.”

Thriving in a Post-Christian World: An American’s First Encounter with Catholic Ireland

Latin Mass Chaplaincy Dublin: https://www.latinmassdublin.ie/

What Mass is revitalizing Dublin and countless other communities today? What Mass are you attending Sunday?

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RIP Fr. Christopher Riehl (+)

Laudetur Iesus Christus! It is with sadness that we share the news that Fr. Christopher Riehl, a Latin Mass priest formerly with our diocese, has passed away yesterday. 

For those who may remember, Fr. Riehl came from the Diocese of Knoxville (TN) and was assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas parish around 2014 and offered the Latin Mass frequently. He was later assigned to St. John the Evangelist in Waynesville before returning to his home diocese in Knoxville. Father Riehl was invited to briefly return to Charlotte in April 2020 to offer the St. Ann Latin Triduum at Charlotte Catholic High School, but sadly those plans did not take shape. This is the second loss for St. Thomas Aquinas parishioners in recent weeks. Please pray for the repose of his soul, and for consolation of his family (his father is a deacon at St. John the Baptist in Tryon).

We share the announcement made by the Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul in Chattanooga and His Excellency Richard Stika (bishop of Knoxville), where Fr. Riehl was serving.

Fr. Christopher Riehl passed away last night. Fr. Riehl was a priest in residence at the Basilica in 2018. He celebrated his 45th birthday on Monday, November 7. Bishop Stika sent the following announcement to the Diocese of Knoxville early this morning. Funeral arrangements will be forthcoming.

Brothers and Sisters,

I wish to inform you of the death of Fr. Chris Riehl from complications of diabetes.  Fr. Chris died shortly before midnight. He had been making progress in his recovery, but this segment of his life ended at Tennova last night.

Please remember Fr. Chris and his family in your moments of prayer.

+RS

Bishop Richard StikaMay Fr. Christopher Riehl rest in peace.

We will keep everyone posted if any arrangements are announced.

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Requiem Mass Tonight & No 7am Latin Mass Friday

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Today Thursday November 10 is the feast of St. Andrew Avellino, the 16th century confessor and member of the Theatines religious order. We have a few updates to share today.

  • No 7am Latin Mass Tomorrow Friday November 11 at St. Ann: There will not be a 7am Latin Mass tomorrow Friday November 11 at St. Ann parish. There will be a 12:30pm Latin Mass at St. Mark parish on Friday.
  • Sunday Latin Mass 4pm in Salisbury: This Sunday at 4pm there will be a Latin Mass at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury. The Mass, normally held first Sunday, was rescheduled for this Sunday November 13 at 4pm. Fr. Joseph Wasswa, parochial vicar at Our Lady of Grace parish will offer the Mass. A social and pot-luck in Brincefield Hall immediately following Holy Mass.  Feel free to bring an hors d’oeuvres or favorite dessert.  For more information please visit the Salisbury Latin Mass Community at: www.salisburylmc.org

Martinmas (feast of St. Martin) Friday November 11

This Friday the Church honors the great bishop, St. Martin of Tours and his feast day became the thanksgiving and harvest celebration throughout Catholic Europe in centuries past. Families would attend Mass, and spent the day in celebration, and feasting on cooked goose. It has been noted that the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, instituted by protestants, was to some degree based on this ancient Catholic feast day (more on that in a few weeks).To learn more about this feast day and a mini-Lent that accompanied it, we share these excellent articles posted on OnePeterFive and Fisheaters:

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Pro-Life Voter Guide

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Tomorrow is election day, and His Excellency Bishop Jugis has issued a statement noting that abortion is “on the ballot” for tomorrow’s election and is calling for the offering of prayers today and tomorrow. He is also calling for preaching by priests on the sanctity of human life and proper formation of Catholic consciences. See attached letter for details.

Many in our community may still be looking for resources on how to vote pro-life. We include two resources below:

  • All Other Down Ballot Offices (county, local) – see Vote Catholic.com and find the local Charlotte-area county endorsements at the bottom of this website: https://www.vote-catholic.com/

Please view the down ballot office races linked above – there are some Catholic candidates running for local office as well.

Election Novena Prayer to the Holy Face of Jesus

O Lord Jesus Christ, in presenting ourselves before Your adorable Face, to ask of You the graces of which we stand most in need, we beseech You, above all, to give us that interior disposition of never refusing at any time to do what You require of us by Your Holy Commandments and Your Divine inspirations. O Good Jesus, Who has said: “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you,” give us, O Lord, that faith which obtains all, or supply in us what may be deficient. Grant us, by the pure effect of Thy Charity and for Thy eternal glory, the graces we need and which we look for from Thine infinite mercy, particularly   (here mention the favor desired).    Amen. Be merciful to us, O God, and reject not our prayers when, amid our afflictions, we call upon Your Holy Name and seek with love and confidence Your Adorable Face.   Amen.  We thank You, O Lord, for all Thy benefits, and we entreat You to engrave in our hearts feeling of love and gratitude, putting upon our lips songs of thanksgiving to Your eternal praise.   Amen. – By Venerable Leo Dupont, the “Holy Man of Tours”

Intention: For the U.S. to return to God, defeat and conversion of communists, and for pro-life candidates to be elected who will end abortion. 

Election Related Holy Face Prayer Vigils

Taking Bishop Jugis’ call to pray for the election, we are pleased to share the following Holy Face devotions which are being offered at the following parishes today and tomorrow. These are powerful devotions and we encourage those to attend if time permits.

  • Holy Face Devotions (new updates)
  • St. Mark – Monday November 7 at 6pm (Special time for Election eve)
  • St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
  • St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass (uses the booklet/chaplet which takes 15-20 minutes)
  • **St. Michael the Archangel (NEW), Gastonia ** – Tuesday November 8, at 6:30pm, Holy Family Room

In conclusion we share with Michael Matt of The Remnant, the traditional Latin Mass newspaper with its election day message: https://remnant-tv.com/video/735/democrat-promises-baby-killing-satanism-deadly-vaccines

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Twenty-Second Sunday After Pentecost

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost and we share a commentary on Sunday’s Collect, which continues the theme of preparing for the second judgement, as the Church traditionally focuses on toward the end of the liturgical year: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/10/thinking-out-loud-collect-of-twenty.html#.YXTNb98pCHs

Sunday November 6 Scheduling Notes

  • Don’t Forget to Change Your Clocks This Morning: This morning Sunday November 6 is when the clocks are set back 1 hour to return to Eastern Standard Time. Please adjust your clocks accordingly.
  • No Salisbury Latin Mass Today – Rescheduled for November 13, 4pm: The 1st Salisbury Latin Mass will not be offered today, but instead on November 13.
  • 1st Sunday Potluck at St. Thomas Aquinas: There will be a potluck after the 11:30am Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas.

Annual All Souls Cemetery Visit – TODAY Sunday November 6, 3pm

As part of the All Souls novena, the St. Ann Homeschool Ministry and CLMC are co-sponsoring the annual visit to Belmont Abbey Cemetery on Sunday November 6 at 3pm. Fr. Reid will lead prayers at the cemetery after the 12:30pm Latin Mass. “Soul Cakes” and other treats will be available, but one is welcome to bring other treats to share afterwards.

Note: The All Souls “novena” continues thru Tuesday November 8. Please learn how you can obtain a plenary indulgence for the Poor Souls: https://charlottelatinmass.org/about/events/all-souls-novena/

Latin Masses This Week

  • Wednesday November 9, St. Ann, 6pm – Dedication of the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior (St. John Lateran Basilica)
  • Thursday November 10, St. Thomas Aquinas, 7pm – St. Andrew Avellino (Mass Intention: Repose of Tom Savoy)
  • Friday November 11, St. Mark 12:30pm – Martinmas (feast of St. Martin, Bishop of Tours) (There will not be a 7am Latin Mass at St. Ann this day)

No 7am Friday Latin Mass at St. Ann: As noted above, there will not be a 7am Latin Mass at St. Ann this Friday November 11. There will be one at St. Mark at 12:30pm.

Community News

  • Pro-Life Voter Guide & DOWN BALLOT RACES: Election Day is Tuesday and many Latin Mass attendees may be interested in learning that North Carolina Right to Life has issued its 2022 pro-life candidate endorsements for federal and state races. They have a helpful localized website that lists endorsement based on one’s address/district: https://ncrtlpac.com/vote/  DOWNBALLOT RACES: Additionally, many down ballot races for county and municipal elections are not included in state-wide pro-life endorsements. However if one is looking for guidance on the pro-life candidates for county and municipal races, we recommend this website organized by some local Catholics here in the Charlotte area: https://www.vote-catholic.com/


  • Holy Face Devotions (new updates)
  • St. Mark – Monday November 7 at 6pm (Special time for Election eve)
  • St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
  • St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass (uses the booklet/chaplet which takes 15-20 minutes)
  • **St. Michael the Archangel (NEW), Gastonia ** – Tuesday November 8, at 6:30pm, Holy Family Room (This may be a one time event. If it becomes weekly we will update the schedule)
  • Holy Spirit (Denver) – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass (NEW: BEGINS TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15)
  • Don’t see your parish? Why not organize one?

Holy Face Novena for the Elections Concludes Monday November 7

Tomorrow we complete the novena being organized by the Holy Face group at St. Mark parish praying for the elections. As a reminder this traditional devotion is a powerful work of reparation against communism, which is no doubt very active in our country these days. The novena concludes tomorrow, the day before Election Day, Monday November 7. The St. Mark Holy Face Group will also be holding its weekly devotion at a special time of 6pm Monday November 7 in the main church. All are welcome to join. The novena prayer is below and attached. Please join in and praying for the last day or two:

O Lord Jesus Christ, in presenting ourselves before Your adorable Face, to ask of You the graces of which we stand most in need, we beseech You, above all, to give us that interior disposition of never refusing at any time to do what You require of us by Your Holy Commandments and Your Divine inspirations. O Good Jesus, Who has said: “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you,” give us, O Lord, that faith which obtains all, or supply in us what may be deficient. Grant us, by the pure effect of Thy Charity and for Thy eternal glory, the graces we need and which we look for from Thine infinite mercy, particularly   (here mention the favor desired).    Amen. Be merciful to us, O God, and reject not our prayers when, amid our afflictions, we call upon Your Holy Name and seek with love and confidence Your Adorable Face.   Amen.  We thank You, O Lord, for all Thy benefits, and we entreat You to engrave in our hearts feeling of love and gratitude, putting upon our lips songs of thanksgiving to Your eternal praise.   Amen. – By Venerable Leo Dupont, the “Holy Man of Tours”

Intention: For the U.S. to return to God, defeat and conversion of communists, and for pro-life candidates to be elected who will end abortion. 

Martinmas (feast of St. Martin) Friday November 11

This Friday the Church honors the great bishop, St. Martin of Tours and his feast day became the thanksgiving and harvest celebration throughout Catholic Europe in centuries past. Families would attend Mass, and spent the day in celebration, and feasting on cooked goose. It has been noted that the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, instituted by protestants, was to some degree based on this ancient Catholic feast day (more on that in a few weeks).To learn more about this feast day and a mini-Lent that accompanied it, we share these excellent articles posted on OnePeterFive and Fisheaters:

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Cuius regio, ejus religio: Fr. John Rickert, FSSP, posts a quick but helpful article on the Fraternity of St. Peter’s newsletter explaining the traditional teaching about the Church’s role in public affairs versus secularism: https://fssp.com/cuius-regio-ejus-religio/
  • Bringing the Traditional Faith to Mexico: As many of our readers know, the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), is a congregation of priests that offer the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively and staff parishes, missions, and chapels throughout Europe and North America. It also has missions, including in Mexico where it operates two chapels, one in Mexico City, the other in Guadalajara. We share an interview with the chaplain of the Guadalajara apostolate detailing the growth of the Latin Mass in Mexico: https://www.missiontradition.us/bringing-the-traditional-catholic-faith-to-mexico/
  • Cardinal Zuppi Celebrates Traditional Solemn Vespers in Rome’s Pantheon: An Italian Cardinal who is the new head of the Italian Bishops Conference, and known for his friendliness to left leaning laity groups, participated in traditional vespers at the Pantheon in Rome. Wait – what? Yes, this may seem unusual, but its true. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi went to the Roman Pantheon (Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs) to participate in the solemn vespers of 1962, as part of a 3-day Summorum Pontificum pilgrimage to support the Latin Mass (organized by the Institute of the Good Shepherd). The article notes the Cardinal, while more of a progressive, actually likes the ancient liturgy. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/cardinal-zuppi-vespers-in-pantheon

    CLMC note: We can attest, that some of the allies of the Traditional Mass aren’t always conservatives, but sometimes “big tent” or apolitical centrist or even left-leaning clergy. These clergy aren’t focused on “reform of the reform” or the “conservatizing of the Novus Ordo Mass” as some conservative clergy are. These centrist or left-leaning clergy (despite some differences with traditionalists) do not feel threatened by the Traditional Latin Mass, or even a full time Latin Mass chapel. In some instances they’ve established a Latin Mass chapel or parish in their diocese and maintain good relations with traditionalists. On the other hand, sometimes, it is some (though not all) conservative clergy, who often seek to use the Latin Mass – or elements of it – as merely a “tool” to repair the Novus Ordo Masses in their parishes, who may feel threatened by the Latin Mass, or even a Latin Mass only parish – leaving Latin Mass faithful deprived of full sacramental life. The fact that some liberals (albeit few) do like the Latin Mass and its related liturgies, does show the universal appeal of the Traditional Rite.

Cardinal Burke Speaks On Latin Mass Restrictions: “The situation is totally confusing and divisive”

In remarks that many Latin Mass faithful have been long waiting for, His Eminence, Cardinal Raymond Burke, a devotee of the Traditional Latin Mass, made important statements at a Latin Mass Society of the UK event last month. His remarks are not just consoling for traditionalists, but also instructive – especially for bishops. Cardinal Burke is the former head of the Roman Rota, the Vatican’s “Supreme Court”, and is one of the top canonists in the Church today. These remarks, though his opinions, should carry weight with those who take ecclesiastical matters seriously. We provide a few excerpts (emphasis ours):

Cardinal Burke stressed that as a “motu proprio,” Traditionis Custodes lacks sufficient force because it has authority only to the degree that it is founded on just grounds. He added that the grounds for the decree, and the letter Pope Francis wrote to bishops which accompanied it, “are not true and just” when taken together, and he gave his reasons.

He first, he said, is that it’s “simply not true” that the reformed liturgy is the only valid form of the Roman Rite. He pointed out that, as Pope St. Paul VI, Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged, the Usus Antiquior was “never suppressed” and, in fact, has continued to be celebrated since the time of the promulgation of the Missal of Pope St. Paul VI.

Cardinal Burke said it is “contrary to reason and to sound liturgical theology to assert that a form of the Roman Rite celebrated uninterruptedly for some 15 centuries is no longer a valid form of the Roman Rite.”

But Cardinal Burke highlighted another “fundamental procedural flaw in the promulgation of Traditionis Custodes,” which is that most of those affected by it were not consulted before its promulgation — something, he said, that goes against the Regulae Iuris [Rules of Law].

As for the Responsa ad Dubia, Cardinal Burke said they have only the force of the law to which they refer, but the Responsa go beyond Traditionis Custodes and, even, presume to change universal Church law — for example, regarding the law regarding bination (celebrating Mass twice on the same day).

A further problem for the Vatican, he said, is that the Dicastery for Divine Worship is taking to itself competencies that belong to the diocesan bishop and fall under his jurisdiction.

CLMC comment: There is much to unpackage in His Eminence’s remarks – especially on the claim that the Novus Ordo is the “unique expression of the Roman Rite”. This phrase was actually the reason used by the diocese to cancel the Latin Easter Triduum and Confirmations. However, Cardinal Burke has lucidly explained why this claim is actually a departure from Catholic liturgical theology. If any of our readers have influence with specific senior clergy within our diocese, sharing Cardinal Burke’s remarks may be of great benefit for these clergy – and their souls.  Please consider praying for Cardinal Burke and for the bishops, and all Latin Mass priests, who are in a difficult position.

For the CLMC, we continue to invite our readers to pray for our Synod request for a full Latin Mass chapel, staffed by the FSSP, which offers a wonderful resolution to this dilemma. We thank everyone from the CLMC, our friends with the Salisbury LMC and others who participated in the novena to the Poor Souls last week, and we hope to share more prayer efforts in the time ahead.

What Mass are you attending Sunday?