Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! In light of the U.S. Supreme Court draft decision recently, the US Bishops inviting all Catholics to a day of fasting and prayer tomorrow Friday May 13. This day is also the 105^th anniversary of Our Lady’s first appearance to the three children in Fatima. Below is an article and the fasting intentions:

Faithful Invited to Fast and Pray the Rosary on Friday in Midst of Tensions Over Leaked Draft Supreme Court Opinion: https://www.usccb.org/news/2022/faithful-invited-fast-and-pray-rosary-friday-midst-tensions-over-leaked-draft-supreme

In case one wanted to attend a Traditional Latin Mass tomorrow, here are the diocesan Latin Mass times:

Charlotte

7am – St. Ann

12:30pm – St. Mark

Outside Charlotte

8:30am – St. John the Baptist, Tryon (2 hours west of Charlotte)

9:30am – St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, Boone (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)

12 noon – Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! Sunday is the Third Sunday after Easter, and as custom we provide Dr. Mike Foley’s commentary on the orations for the Mass: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/04/the-joyful-orations-of-third-sunday.html

St. Peter of Verona Palms Available at St. Ann today (12:30pm Mass)

As noted in last Sunday’s update, we have blessed St. Peter of Verona palms available for those who did not receive them in prior years. When buried on one’s property, tradition holds that they protect against natural disasters.  To learn more visit our update from last year: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2021/04/29/feasts-of-ss-peter-of-verona-and-joseph-the-workman/

Relics of St. Bernadette Coming to Linville, NC:

St. Bernadette parish in Linville (2 hours northwest of Charlotte) will be hosting the relics of its patron, St. Bernadette provided by the Sanctuary in Lourdes, France starting tomorrow Monday May 9 – 11.  This will probably be one of the most important relics visiting the diocese in recent years – perhaps exceeding St. Maria Goretti’s relics a few years ago. To attend, one needs to be familiar with the special transportation setup for the relic visit. To learn more visit and about the parking arrangements please visit: https://www.catholicnewsherald.com/88-news/fp/8166-lourdes-to-linville  or visit: www.lourdestolinville.org

Holy Face Devotions

Three parishes in Charlotte now offer the Holy Face devotions – a timely and powerful devotion to combat communism (among which abortion is its “anti-sacrament”). As background, in 1843, Sr. Mary of St. Peter, a Carmelite nun in the monastery in Tours, France, received a series of revelations from Jesus telling her that reparation for certain sins were an imperative, and that it was to be done through devotion to the Holy Face.  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.  The schedule is as follows:

• St. Mark – Mondays 2-3pm (however on Monday May 9, due to a funeral it will be offered from 3-4pm)
• St. Thomas Aquinas (new!) – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
• St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass

Latin Mass & Traditional News

Why Ecclesia Dei Communities Should Avoid Concelebrating the Chrism Mass: Our friend, Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (whom the CLMC hosted last November) has penned an excellent piece explaining why Ecclesia Dei communities such as the Institute of the Good Shepherd, Fraternity of St. Peter, or Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, whose priests offer the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively in various dioceses, should not stray from liturgical tradition and be forced to join a concelebration for a diocese’s Novus Ordo Chrism Mass during Holy Week: https://onepeterfive.com/why-ecclesia-dei-communities-should-avoid-concelebrating-the-chrism-mass/

Forgotten Customs of May, Month of Mary: With May being the month of Our Lady, readers may find this article from OnePeterFive helpful in learning some of the traditions for this month: https://onepeterfive.com/forgotten-customs-of-may-month-of-mary/

Enter His Courts With Praise: Liturgical Reverence for Christ the King: Dr. Kwasniewski also gave a talk recently in New Jersey outlining the courtliness of the Traditional Latin Mass, and how it honors the kingship of Christ: https://www.newliturgicalmovementorg/2022/05/enter-his-courts-with-praise-liturgical.html#.YnDRPtPMKHs

May 11 – Feast of St. Philip and St. James the Less, Apostles: In the 1962 calendar, this Wednesday May 11 is the feast of Ss. Philip and James, apostles of Our Lord. In more ancient times, the feast was actually commemorated on May 1. We share Dom Prosper Gueranger’s entry for these two inspiring  saints and apostles: “Two of the favored witnesses of our beloved Jesus’ Resurrection come before us on this first day of May. Philip and James are here, bearing testimony to us, that their Master is truly risen from the dead, that they have seen him, that they have touched him, that they have conversed with him, during these forty days. And, that we may have no doubt as to the truth of their testimony, they hold in their hands the instruments of the martyrdom they underwent for asserting that Jesus, after having suffered death, came to life again and rose from the grave. Philip is leaning upon the cross to which he was fastened, as Jesus had been; James is holding the club wherewith he was struck dead.” https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/may/may-1-st-philip-and-st-james-the-less-apostles/

The Truth About Communion in the Hand – Part 1 – by John Vennari: Often times traditionalists are blamed for being “against” the Vatican II, typically by someone who marvels at the Novus Ordo Mass, with its most distinguishing (and offensive) feature: Communion in the hand. Yet the late John Vennari, one of the early defenders of the Latin Mass explains,  “Communion in the hand is not mentioned in a single document of the Second Vatican Council, nor was it mentioned during any of the debates during the Council. In all sixteen documents of Vatican II, there is no mention of Communion in the hand. Before the Second Vatican Council, there is no historic record of bishops, priests or laity petitioning anyone for the introduction of Communion in the hand. Quite to the contrary, anyone who was raised in the pre-Vatican II Church will distinctly remember being taught that it was sacrilegious for anyone but the priest to touch the sacred host.” Vennari goes on to explain how Communion in the hand was introduced by disobedience and deceipt:https://oltyn.org/2022/04/29/the-truth-about-communion-in-the-hand-part-1/

CLMC note: Among many things, Communion in the hand is one of the reasons why a dual-form parish whereby the Latin Mass and Novus Ordo are offered in the same parish (as in Charlotte), is simply untenable in the long run. At one Mass, parishioners (perhaps some in ignorance or unaware of this grave problem) receive Communion on the hand, but as Vennari points out, the practice creates two forms of sacrilege, or at least scandal. First the communicants touch the Host with their hands despite traditional Church teaching to the contrary; second, in many cases, the Host often leaves tiny Particles of Jesus that fall from the hand to the floor, and is trampled upon by the next several Communicants. What is worse however is that we Latin Mass attendees who receive Communion on the tongue and abhor such practices may also be forced to possibly trample upon tiny Particles of Our Lord if they were left on the floor from prior Novus Ordo Masses. At a dedicated chapel where the Latin Mass is offered exclusively this simply does not happen as Communion is distributed only on the tongue. Please consider praying for a resolution to the problematic dual-form liturgical framework that exists in many dioceses including Charlotte, or at the very least that Communion in the hand will be ceased immediately (it’s not sin to eliminate it!).

For further education we recommend the following three sources, especially Dr. Kwasniewski’s history on the topic:

• EXPERIMENT: Communion in the Hand (Original): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXPDXf1gwks
• Renowned scholar debunks myths around Communion in the hand (Dr. Kwasniewski): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKZ-jCR5GOg
• Dominus Est– It Is the Lord! by Bishop Athanasius Schneider: https://www.catholicfreeshipping.com/Dominus-Est-It-Is-the-Lord-by-Rev-Athanasius-p/9780977884612.htm

Sunday May 8 – Feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel

In the ancient Pre-55 missal, today May 8 was the feast of the apparition of St. Michael the Archangel on Mt. Gargano, Italy, where around 490, St. Michael appeared to a bishop in a cave on the mount, and declared the grounds holy (the rocks of the cave are considered “relics” of St. Michael). Another time, on May 8, St. Michael appeared again to the bishop, and eventually the bishop decided to build a church dedicated to the saint, which still exists today (and one can also request relics from this sanctuary): https://www.santuariosanmichele.it/ Incidentally, the other feast of St. Michael, on September 29, was established to mark the dedication of a different, basilica, that of St. Michael in Rome.

A Catholic World Report article provides additional historical background: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2020/05/07/calling-upon-st-michael-the-archangel-on-mount-gargano/

In closing, as the Church is besieged by diabolical attacks from within, and from without, we share Dom Prosper Gueranger’s inspiring commentary on St. Michael who among his many titles is Guardian Angel of the Church:

Guardian Angel of Holy Church! now is the time for thee to exert all the might of thine arm. Satan is furious in his efforts against the noble Spouse of thy Master; brandish thy bright sword, and give battle to this implacable enemy. The Kingdom of Christ is shaken to its very foundations. Rome is in danger of seeing the Vicar of Christ dethroned within her walls. Is it that the reign of the Man of Sin is about to be proclaimed on the earth? Are we near that Last Day, when this guilty world having been destroyed by fire, thou art to exercise, in the name of the Sovereign Judge, the terrible office of separating the goats from the sheep?—If this earth is still to exist; if the mission of the Church is not yet completed; is it not time for thee, O Michael! to show the Dragon of hell that he may not, with impunity, insult on this earth the God who created it, who redeemed it, and whose name is King of kings, and Lord of lord? The torrent of error and crime is unceasingly dragging the world to the brink of the precipice; save it, O glorious Archangel, by confounding the dark plots which are laid for its destruction!

Sancte Michael Archangele, defende nos in praelio; contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperat illi Deus; supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae coelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute in infernum detrude. Amen.

St. Michael, Guardian Angel of the Church, pray for us!

What Mass are you attending Sunday?

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! Tomorrow Friday May 6, is not only first Friday, but it is the annual St. Dominic Savio Mass for altar servers at 6pm at St. Ann parish. This year the Mass will be a Traditional Latin Mass (High) and all are invited. This will be in addition to the 7am Mass already offered. Here is the first Friday schedule for tomorrow:

First Friday May 6

• 7am – St. Ann (Low)
• 12:30pm – St. Mark (Low)
• 6pm – St. Ann (High)

First Saturday May 7: Looking ahead to first Saturday May 7, St. Thomas Aquinas parish will offer its regular 10am Latin Mass followed by blessing of religious objects in the traditional Latin blessing. We encourage everyone to try and make the first Saturday devotions as requested by Our Lady of Fatima.

Lastly, today May 5, is the feast of St. Pius V, the great Pope who organized the campaign to fight the Ottoman Turks in the famous naval battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. However, this holy pope was also known for something more important – the preservation of the Latin Mass as declared from his papal bull, Quo Primum. Sadly, many in the Church over the last 50  years have not taken this bull seriously and instead, in an act of barbaric legalism weaved with pseudo-obedience, decide to follow the current winds of the age and cancel or curtail the Mass of All Ages, related sacraments, and traditions, customs, and culture. We close with an except from this great document:

We specifically command each and every patriarch, administrator, and all other persons or whatever ecclesiastical dignity they may be, be they even cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, or possessed of any other rank or pre-eminence, and We order them in virtue of holy obedience to chant or to read the Mass according to the rite and manner and norm herewith laid down by Us and, hereafter, to discontinue and completely discard all other rubrics and rites of other missals, however ancient, which they have customarily followed; and they must not in celebrating Mass presume to introduce any ceremonies or recite any prayers other than those contained in this Missal.

Furthermore, by these presents [this law], in virtue of Our Apostolic authority, We grant and concede in perpetuity that, for the chanting or reading of the Mass in any church whatsoever, this Missal is hereafter to be followed absolutely, without any scruple of conscience or fear of incurring any penalty, judgment, or censure, and may freely and lawfully be used. Nor are superiors, administrators, canons, chaplains, and other secular priests, or religious, of whatever title designated, obliged to celebrate the Mass otherwise than as enjoined by Us. We likewise declare and ordain that no one whosoever is forced or coerced to alter this Missal, and that this present document cannot be revoked or modified, but remain always valid and retain its full force notwithstanding the previous constitutions and decrees of the Holy See, as well as any general or special constitutions or edicts of provincial or synodal councils, and notwithstanding the practice and custom of the aforesaid churches, established by long and immemorial prescription – except, however, if more than two hundred years’ standing.

Quo Primum, Pope St. Pius V, July 14, 1570: https://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius05/p5quopri.htm

St. Pius V, pray for us!

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! Sunday May 1, is the Second Sunday after Easter (also known as Good Shepherd Sunday) and it is also the feast of St. Joseph the Workman, a more recent feast, instituted by Pope Pius XII to counter the communist May Day “celebrations”. Since our country (and our Church?) is now facing a socialist/Marxist takeover from a global dictatorship, is there not a better time to Ite Ad Joseph (Go to Joseph), the patron saint against communism and socialism, and ask for his intercession?

• As custom, we share an article by Dr. Mike Foley on this important feast day: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/04/the-feast-of-saint-joseph-worker.html

• Additionally, we share Pope Pius XI’s 1937 encyclical, Divini Redemptoris (On Atheistic Communism), proclaiming St. Joseph the patron against Communism. Learn more here:  http://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19370319_divini-redemptoris.html

1^st Sunday Latin Mass at Sacred Heart parish Today: This First Sunday there will be a 4pm Latin Mass offered by Fr. Joseph Wasswa at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury this Sunday, followed by a potluck in Brincefield Hall (please bring a dish or snack to share). For questions or to join their e-mail list, visit the Salisbury Latin Mass Community: www.salisburylmc.org

St. Peter of Verona Palms Available at St. Ann today (12:30pm Mass)

Friday was the feast of St. Peter of Verona, and there is an ancient custom only in the traditional rite to bless palms on his feast day. Tradition holds when the palms are buried around the 4 corners of one’s property, they protect against natural disasters. Father Reid has kindly blessed the palms and we will be handing out these our Latin Mass welcome table after Mass while quantities last. Please note: If you already received one in prior years, you do not need new palms year (unless you moved). We also thank Fr. Reid for taking the time to bless the palms. To learn more about St. Peter of Verona, the 13^th century Dominican martyr, please visit: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2021/04/29/feasts-of-ss-peter-of-verona-and-joseph-the-workman/

(also see our note about Blessed Carino, St. Peter’s assassin below)

Relics of St. Bernadette Coming to Linville, NC:

St. Bernadette parish in Linville (2 hours northwest of Charlotte) will be hosting the relics of its patron, St. Bernadette provided by the Sanctuary in Lourdes, France from May 9 – 11.  This will probably be one of the most important relics visiting the diocese in recent years – perhaps exceeding St. Maria Goretti’s relics a few years ago. To attend, one needs to be familiar with the special transportation setup for the relic visit. To learn more visit and about the parking arrangements please visit: https://www.catholicnewsherald.com/88-news/fp/8166-lourdes-to-linville  or visit: www.lourdestolinville.org

Latin Mass & Traditional News

• Conversion of St. Peter of Verona’s Assassin: As noted earlier, Friday April 29 was the feast of St. Peter of Verona, a 13 century Dominican who was martyred for defending the faith against heresy in Italy. However, there is actually more to the story. Like many saints, St. Peter’s martyrdom resulted in the conversion of his assassin, who is now beatified. To learn more about this story visit: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/04/blessed-carino-assassin-of-st-peter.html

• The Tomb of St Peter Martyr in Milan’s Portinari Chapel: Greg DiPippo of New Liturgical Movement shares some great photos of St. Peter of Verona’s tomb at the Basilica of St. Eustorgio in Milan: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/04/the-tomb-of-st-peter-martyr-in-milans.html#.Ym4BtNPMKHt

• Diabolic Influence (the Priest Edition) with Fr. Ripperger: Steve Cunningham with Sensus Fidelium has another intriguing interview with Fr. Chad Ripperger, this time on his new book for priests entitled Diabolic Influence (see links in video page): https://youtu.be/2zinoi8Fd3g

• Holy Thursday 2022 Photopost (Part 1): If any of our readers had doubts that Charlotte was one of the few – or only – dioceses to strangely cancel their Triduum (even Rome, Chicago, Raleigh and Knoxville had them), one can cast aside all reservations as New Liturgical Movement begins to share Holy Week photos from Latin Mass Triduums offered around the country and the world starting with Holy Thursday: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/04/holy-thursday-2022-photopost-part-1.html#more

• Announcing the Release of Mass of the Ages Episode II: The sequel to the ground breaking documentary on sacred liturgy and the Latin Mass, Mass of Ages, will be released later this month online. It will focus on “What Went Wrong after Vatican II”, and examine how the new Mass was manufactured. To learn more visit: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/04/announcing-release-of-mass-of-ages.html#more

• A Qualified Defense of St Pius X’s Breviary Reform: Often times, newcomers to the Latin Mass believe all the problems in the Church and the liturgical reforms began in the 1960s. As readers know with the Pre-55 Triduum, this is not so. Modernizers were working for decades prior to 1960 to undermine the liturgy. One early example comes actually from Pope St. Pius X, who approved some quite untraditional changes to the Divine Office (as noted by Bishop Schneider in 2018). Greg DiPippo however examines those changes and offers an alternative view which we share: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/04/a-qualified-defense-of-st-pius-xs.html#.YmoLMNPMKHs

The Importance of Ceremonies in the Catholic Church

This past week, New Liturgical Movement also posted a 2012 article from Latin Mass magazine by Dr. Mike Foley, which examines the importance of ceremonies in the practice of the Catholic faith. In this lengthy but worthy piece, Foley examines the history and need for ceremonies, and how they differ from the Old Testament ceremonies, yet retain some qualities about them. As we have noted in prior updates, the Church did not continue explicitly Old Testament ceremonies and related feasts but does subtly recognize them throughout the liturgical year and with its accompanying rituals. We share some excerpts which begin to touch upon this topic:

“Since man is composed of soul and body,” Saint Thomas explains, he needs both external and internal worship, with the external ordered to the internal. (ST I-II.101.2) Good Aristotelian that he is, Aquinas holds that as human beings we ascend to the intelligible through the sensible. This ascent is not obliterated by the gift of supernatural faith; on the contrary, grace presupposes nature, healing and elevating it. Rather than eliminate man’s basic need for external gestures, Christianity fulfills that need with appropriate ceremony.

In terms of external worship, the early Church did not replicate the altar of incense in the Holy Temple, but she has used incense in her own way. She did not duplicate the High Priest’s vestments and ephod, but she has embraced the practice of sacred vestments with a style all her own (indeed, several styles varying with time, place, and liturgical patrimony). And she did not face west when she offered sacrifice like the Levites on the Temple Mount, but she did adopt the concept of directional prayer by facing east and orienting her altars accordingly. [7] While servile reproduction is forbidden, resourceful and prudent development is an entirely different matter. [8]

The example that Aquinas gives is how the “solemnities of the Old Law are supplanted by new solemnities” in the liturgical year. The Lord’s Day replaces the Sabbath. Good Friday and Easter replace the Passover. Pentecost or Whitsunday replaces the Jewish Festival of Weeks, or Shavu’ot. Lady Day, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, replaces the monthly feast of the New Moon, or Rosh Chodesh, for it is with the Annunciation that there “appeared the first rays of the sun, i.e. Christ, by the fulness of grace.” The feasts of the Apostles replace the Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah. The feasts of martyrs and confessors replace the Feast of Expiation, Yom Kippur. Feasts celebrating the commemoration of a Church replace the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths, or Sukkot. Michaelmas, or the Feast of the Angels, and All Saints’ Day replace the feast of the Eighth Day of Assembly, Shemini Atzeret. (ST I-II.103.3.ad 4)

The 1962 Roman Missal provides additional examples of this principle. The September Embertide hearkens to the Feast of Tabernacles and to Yom Kippur, not only by virtue of the time of the year during which it takes place but by its biblical readings. And the same can be said for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, which echoes the Jewish fast day of Tisha B’Av that commemorates the Roman destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in A.D. 70. In the Gospel reading for the Ninth Sunday (which like Tisha B’av occurs sometime in July or August), our Lord sheds tears over Jerusalem’s fate after coming from the Mount of Olives, the spot where, more than thirty years later, the Roman legions would commence their devastating campaign against the holy city. By remembering the Destruction of the Temple in this way, the Church offers not only a sober reminder of divine justice and the need for our repentance and conversion, but she also locates our pilgrimage within sacred history and connects our lives to it.

Professions of Faith: the Perennial Value of Ceremony, According to the Angelic Doctor: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/03/professions-of-faith-perennial-value-of.html#.Ym4MhtPMKHt

Today is Sunday, what Mass are you attending today?

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! This Sunday is Good Shepard Sunday and it’s also 1^st Sunday as such there are two Latin Mass events occurring in the area:

1^st Sunday Potluck at St. Thomas Aquinas parish: There will be a potluck after the 11:30am Latin Mass this Sunday May 1 at St. Thomas Aquinas parish. Please bring a dish, desert, or drink to share and signup here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f054aaea728aafb6-first2

1^st Sunday Latin Mass at Sacred Heart parish: Additionally, first Sunday also means a 4pm Latin Mass at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury this Sunday. Below are the details from the Salisbury Latin Mass Community:

Salvete in Christo!

Fr. Joseph Wasswa, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Greensboro, will celebrate a low Mass on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart.

All are invited to join us at the social immediately following Mass in Brincefield Hall.  For those unfamiliar, Brincefield Hall is to your right as you exit the church.  You are welcome to bring a favorite dish or hors d’oeuvres to share.  Tea (sweet and unsweet), water, paper and plastic wear will be provided.   We hope to see you there!

For questions or to join their e-mail list, please visit: www.salisburylmc.org

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! Sunday is Low Sunday, the Octave of Easter, otherwise known as Quasimodo Sunday, taken from the first words of the Introit.  As custom, we provide Dr. Mike Foley’s commentary on the orations for Sunday’s Mass: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/04/the-orations-of-low-sunday.html#.YmTFGtPMKHs

Additionally, to learn more about the history and customs of Low Sunday, we share these links:

• Fisheaters.com: https://www.fisheaters.com/customseastertide4.html 
• Dom Prosper Gueranger: https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/easter/low-sunday-quasimodo/

Also in Sunday’s Mass, as it has been for the past 8 days, is chanting of the beautiful Victimae Paschali Laudes Easter sequence,which Dr. Mike Foley describes in another commentary:
http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/04/the-easter-sequence-victimae-paschali_01217123189.html

Feast of St. Peter of Verona – Friday April 29

In the Traditional Rite, April 29 is the feast of St. Peter of Verona, the 13^th century Dominican and inquisitor. There is an ancient custom to honor St. Peter by having palm leaves blessed in his honor.  Tradition holds that when these blessed palm leaves are made into crosses and buried in the four corners of one’s property, they are to guard against natural disasters (we hope to provide them next weekend). To learn more about the patron saint of inquisitors, visit: http://reginamag.com/saint-peter-of-verona-martyr/  

The Latin Masses for the feast day Friday April 29 will be 7am (St. Ann) and 12:30pm (St. Mark).

Major Rogation Day – Monday April 25

Although no Latin Masses are scheduled tomorrow in Charlotte, Monday April 25 is the Major Rogation Day, which, unique to the traditional calendar, is a day instituted of petitions and formerly penances to God to protect against natural disasters and plagues. It comes from the Latin word “rogare” which is to ask or petition. Sometimes it is accompanied by a procession and the chanting of the litany of the saints. There are two types of Rogation days – major and minor. The major day is April 25, Roman in origin, and was established by Pope St. Gregory the Great in 590 A.D. for deliverance from plagues as Fisheaters.com notes: 

“Rogation” comes from the Latin “rogare,” which means “to ask,” and Rogation Days are days during which we seek to ask God’s mercy, appease His anger, avert the chastisements He makes manifest through natural disasters, and ask for His blessings, particularly with regard to farming, gardening, and other agricultural pursuits. They are set aside to remind us how radically dependent we are on God through His creation, and how prayer can help protect us from nature’s often cruel ways.  Hence, its mood is somber and beseeching; its liturgical color is purple.

Source: https://www.fisheaters.com/customseastertide3.html

Rogation Mass in Taylors, SC: There will be a special 7pm Rogation Day Mass at Prince of Peace Parish in Taylors, SC (the regular 12 noon TLM is canceled for Monday) followed by a Rogation procession to beg God’s blessing on crops. The parish is 2 hours southwest of Charlotte.

Relics of St. Bernadette Coming to Linville, NC:

St. Bernadette parish in Linville (2 hours northwest of Charlotte) will be hosting the relics of its patron, St. Bernadette provided by the Sanctuary in Lourdes, France from May 9 – 11.  This will probably be one of the most important relics visiting the diocese in recent years – perhaps exceeding St. Maria Goretti’s relics a few years ago. To attend, one needs to be familiar with the special transportation setup for the relic visit. To learn more visit and about the parking arrangements please visit: https://www.catholicnewsherald.com/88-news/fp/8166-lourdes-to-linville  or visit: www.lourdestolinville.org

Latin Mass & Traditional News

• Rogation and Ember Days – An Illustrated Guide:  On the topic of Rogation Days, Fr. Christopher Smith, who offers the Traditional Latin Mass at Prince of Peace parish in Taylors, SC (two hours southwest of Charlotte) has compiled an extensive but instructive explanation of the Rogation and Ember Days in the Traditional Rite. You can download it here: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2019/04/rogation-and-ember-days-illustrated.html
  
• Minor Rogation Days: Further on this topic, the minor Rogation days come during three days of Ascension week (Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday), and is more ancient than the major Rogation day, and comes from France in the late 5^th century as New Liturgical Movement explains: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2015/05/the-institution-of-rogation-days.html

• The Forgotten Customs of the Easter Octave and Eastertide: OnePeterFive has an excellent summary of some of the traditions and customs of the Easter Season: https://onepeterfive.com/forgotten-customs-easter-octave-eastertide/

• Fish on Friday: The One That Got Away: In this excellent piece, Dr. Mike Foley examines the history of Friday abstinence from meat and why its still important to maintain it today: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/04/fish-on-friday-one-that-got-away.html#.YmOCDdPMKHs

• The Emperor of the Church and the Worldwide Devotion to Blessed Karl: A few weeks ago, on April 1, the Church (and the CLMC) marked the 100^th anniversary of Blessed Karl Von Habsburg of Austria’s death. The last Catholic monarch in Europe, deposed by Woodrow Wilson and his cronies, exiled this virtuous leader, who sought unsuccessfully for a peaceful end of World War I, to the Portuguese Island of Madeira. 100 years later, on that archipelago, the Habsburg family and friends gathered together to commemorate Blessed Karl’s life and death. Author Charles Coulombe, who wrote a book on Blessed Karl (and published TAN Books), also attended the event a few weeks ago and gave this account of the events surrounding the anniversary: https://onepeterfive.com/emperor-church-worldwide-devotion-karl/

• Supporting Traditional Contemplative Religious Life for Women: A Call for Help: As the growth in traditional religious orders continues to develop, Rorate Caeli and Dr. Peter Kwasniewski have shared that there is now a new traditional religious community for women forming – that of a Carthusian order. This update explains its charism and why its so needed in the Church today. If you know a woman interested, or simply want to help support this foundation, please see the article and contact information: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/04/supporting-traditional-contemplative.html#more

• Hong Kong Catholic priest speaks out publicly for the first time about the persecution of the Church in China: Last month was the 22^nd anniversary of Cardinal Ignatius Kung’s death. The former bishop of Shanghai was imprisoned for three decades, released in 1985, and came to the United States in exile in 1988. Before his death in 2000, he frequently offered the Traditional Latin Mass. To commemorate his death, the Cardinal Kung Foundation, which helps supports the underground Church in China, organized a Solemn Requiem Mass in Washington DC. The celebrant was a priest from Hong Kong who spoke openly about the persecution in China and the need to pray for the Chinese Catholics. The sermon was posted here: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/04/hey-hong-kong-pre-speaks-out-publicly.html

Feast of St. George and the Dragons

Saturday April 23 was the feast of St. George, a saint which enjoys devotion both in the east and in the Latin Church. Although there is scant details about his life, he was reportedly a solider in Diocletian’s army and his martyrdom inspired Diocletian’s wife to convert to Catholicism, and also receive the martyr’s crown. His devotion grew mainly in the eastern Church until the Crusades when the armies of Europe were impressed by the devotion to this saint in the Holy Land. and brought it back to Europe. As Dom Prosper Gueranger notes:

[D]evotion to St. George dates from a very early period. St. Gregory of Tours gives us several proofs of its having taken root in Gaul. St. Clotilde had a singular confidence in the holy martyr, and dedicated to him the Church of her dear Abbey of Chelles. But this devotion became more general and more fervent during the Crusades, when the Christian armies witnessed the veneration in which St. George was held by the Eastern Church, and heard the wonderful things that were told of his protection on the field of battle. The Byzantine historians have recorded several remarkable instances of the kind; and the Crusaders returned to their respective countries publishing their own experience of the victories gained through the Saint’s intercession. The Republic of Genoa chose him for its patron; and Venice honored him as its special protector, after St. Mark. But nowhere was St. George so enthusiastically loved as in England. Not only was it decreed in a Council held at Oxford, in the year 1222, that the feast of the Great Martyr should be observed as one of obligation; not only was the devotion to the valiant soldier of Christ encouraged throughout Great Britain by the first Norman Kings; but there are documents anterior to the invasion of William the Conqueror which prove that St. George was invoked as the special patron of England even so far back as the ninth century.

St. George is also frequently represented in imagery as killing a dragon, and though Gueranger seems to place this legend as symbolic, it does raise the topic of what exactly is a dragon? This creature was mentioned in several places in scripture, notably in Daniel 14:22-27. If all the creatures of the world were created on the same day as Adam and Eve, could it be possible that dragons are simply types of dinosaurs, which co-existed with man? The Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation, whom the CLMC co-sponsored in 2019, has published several pieces examining this question. Most recently, it looked at evidence that the fiery serpents which attacked the Israelites in the Sinai (Numbers 21:6) may have actually been pterosaurs, e.g. small flying serpents.

• Pterosaurs Amongst Us: The Evidence: https://www.kolbecenter.org/pterosaurs-amongst-us-the-evidence/
• Historical Evidence for Dinosaur and Human Co-existence: https://www.kolbecenter.org/historical-evidence-for-dinosaur-and-human-co-existence/

If indeed dragons, also known as dinosaurs, were around in biblical times, could it be possible that St. George, who died in the early 4^th century, did actually slay a dragon?

In closing, we expand on Dom Prosper Gueranger’s entry for Low Sunday (linked above), which recounts St. Thomas the Apostle’s doubting of Our Lord’s appearances to the disciples since Easter and noting the similarities of the future saint’s initial naturalistic mindset to the rationalists of today who doubt the Word of God because it does not align with modern “scientific” narratives:

To return to our Apostle — Thomas had heard Magdalene, and he despised her testimony; he had heard Peter, and he objected to his authority; he had heard the rest of his fellow-Apostles and the two disciples of Emmaus, and no, he would not give up his own opinion. How many there are among us, who are like him in this! We never think of doubting what is told us by a truthful and disinterested witness, unless the subject touch upon the supernatural; and then, we have a hundred difficulties. It is one of the sad consequences left in us by original sin. Like Thomas, we would see the thing ourselves: that alone is enough to keep us from the fullness of the truth. We comfort ourselves with the reflection that, after all, we are Disciples of Christ; as did Thomas, who kept in union with his brother-Apostles, only he shared not their happiness. He saw their happiness, but he considered it to be a weakness of mind, and was glad that he was free from it!

How like this is to our modern rationalistic Catholic! He believes, but it is because his reason almost forces him to believe; he believes with his mind, rather than from his heart. His faith is a scientific deduction, and not a generous longing after God and supernatural truth. Hence, how cold and powerless is this faith! how cramped and ashamed! how afraid of believing too much! Unlike the generous unstinted faith of the saints, it is satisfied with fragments of truth, with what the Scripture terms diminished truths. (Psalm 11:2) It seems ashamed of itself. It speaks in a whisper, lest it should be criticised; and when it does venture to make itself heard, it adopts a phraseology, which may take off the sound of the divine…

Now, it was the for the instruction of persons of this class that our Lord spoke those words to Thomas: Blessed are they who have not seen, and have believed. Thomas sinned in not having the readiness of mind to believe. Like him, we also are in danger of sinning, unless our faith have a certain expansiveness, which makes us see everything with the eye of faith, and gives our faith that progress which God recompenses with a superabundance of light and joy.

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! What Mass are you attending Low Sunday?

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! Just a reminder that tomorrow Easter Saturday April 23, there will be an 8am Respect Life Latin Mass at St. Ann parish, followed by prayers at Planned Parenthood (700 S. Torrence Street, Charlotte), or for those unable to travel, a Holy Hour of Reparation in the church will be offered after Mass.

Also today, Friday April 22 is the day when pagans celebrate “Earth day” and engage in bizarre rituals trying to “save” the Earth from pollution or even mankind itself.  What these pagans fail to understand is the Church’s traditional doctrine of creation and the effect original sin had on the earth, which it should be noted was created in six literal 24-hour days, less than 10,000 years ago, in a state of perfection, according to the consensus of the early Church fathers.  After Adam and Eve committed the original sin, death and deformity entered the world for the first time. Furthermore around 4,000 years ago a global worldwide cataclysm or flood (Genesis 6:17) occurred wiping out that world and its inhabitants, save for 8 people and the creatures on the Ark. This supernatural disaster occurred as a direct result of the sins and wickedness of men (Genesis 6:5-7) – the worst type of pollution in the universe.

The best way to care for creation is to learn the Church’s traditional doctrine on creation and the impact of sin upon creation.  Several years ago, the CLMC was one of the co-sponsors of the Evolution & The Culture of Death conference which presented the Church’s teaching on creation, which counters the secular evolutionary theory which forms the foundation for the culture of death including population control, eugenics, and abortion. If you haven’t seen the conference, or its been a while, we share the link here:

For more reading on the doctrine of creation we wholeheartedly recommend the Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation: https://www.kolbecenter.org

Lastly, we close with a quote from Our Lady of Akita, Japan in 1973, where she references Noe’s flood and draws the connection between sin and the created world.

“As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests.”

“The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres…churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.” – Our Lady of Akita to Sr. Agnes Sasagawa, October 13, 1973 (approved apparition by the local ordinary)

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/message-from-our-lady–akita-japan-5167

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! The Octave of Easter, which we are now in the middle of, is one of the most important weeks of the liturgical year, with the exception of Holy Week, and Christmas. According to the St. Andrew Daily Missal, the Octave is essentially one continuous Easter feast and in earlier periods servile work was forbidden during this week, while the new converts to the faith, as well as parents and children were offered the opportunity to attend Mass daily and receive Holy Communion (something not as common before the 20^th century).

For the remaining days of this Octave, the faithful in Charlotte do at least have a few days to assist at Latin Mass:

Easter Octave Latin Masses

• Easter Wednesday, 6pm (St. Ann)
• Easter Thursday, 10am (St. Thomas Aquinas) (*the 7pm Latin Mass is canceled this week)
• Easter Friday, 7am (St. Ann) or 12:30pm (St. Mark)
• Easter Saturday, 8am (St. Ann) – the Respect Life Mass with prayers at Planned Parenthood, or a Holy Hour of Reparation in the Church, afterwards
• Low Sunday/Octave Day – 11:30am (St. Thomas), 12:30pm (St. Ann)

In closing, we share an article posted at Rorate Caeli blog which presents a meditation on the joy of paradise by St. Alphonsus Liguori for this Easter celebration:

A MEDITATION ON PARADISE for the Paschal Festivity:

“To understand how great the joys of paradise are, it is enough to know that in that blessed realm resides a God Omnipotent, Whose care is to render happy His beloved souls. St. Bernard says that paradise is a place where “there is nothing that thou wouldst not, and everything that thou wouldst.” There shalt thou not find anything that is displeasing to thyself, and everything thou dost desire thou shalt find: “There is nothing that thou wouldst not.” In paradise there is no night; no seasons of winter and summer; but one perpetual day of unvaried serenity, and one perpetual spring of unvaried delight.

No more persecutions, no jealousies are there; for there do all in sincerity love one another, and each rejoices in each other’s good, as if it were his own. No more bodily infirmities, no pains are there, for the body is no longer subject to suffering; no poverty is there, for everyone is rich to the full, not having anything more to desire; no more fears are there, for the soul being confirmed in grace can sin no more, nor lose that supreme good which it possesses.”

Read the entire meditation here: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/04/ex-oriente-lux-dominica-pasch-in.html#more

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! Blessed Pascaltide greetings on this Easter morning, the first day within the Octave of Easter.  The great Benedictine liturgist, Dom Prosper Gueranger OSB, aptly sums up the joy of Easter Sunday morning as experienced by the Blessed Mother, who according to tradition was the first to see her risen Son:  

“The night between Saturday and Sunday has well nigh run its course, and the day-dawn is appearing. The Mother of sorrows is waiting, in courageous hope and patience, for the blissful moment of her Jesus’ return. Magdalene and the other holy women have spent the night in watching, and are preparing to start for the sepulcher. In limbo, the Soul of our crucified Lord is about to give the glad word of departure to the myriads of the long-imprisoned holy souls, who cluster round Him in adoring love. Death is still holding his silent sway over the sepulcher, where rests the Body of Jesus. Since the day when he gained his first victim, Abel, he has swept off countless generations; but never has he held in his grasp a prey so noble as this that now lies in the tomb near Calvary. Never has the terrible sentence of God, pronounced against our first parents, received such a fulfillment as this; but never has death received such a defeat as the one that is now preparing. It is true, the power of God has, at times brought back the dead to life: the son of the widow of Naim, and Lazarus, were reclaimed from the bondage of this tyrant death; but he regained his sway over them all. But his Victim of Calvary is to conquer him forever, for this is He of whom it is written in the prophecy: “O death! I will be thy death!” Yet a few brief moments and the battle will be begun, and life shall vanquish death.

…Meanwhile, our risen Jesus, seen by no other mortal eye, has sped to His most holy Mother. He is the Son of God; He is the vanquisher of death; but He is, likewise, the Son of Mary. She stood near Him to the last, uniting the sacrifice of her mother’s heart with that He made upon the Cross; it is just, therefore, that she should be the first to partake of the joy of His resurrection. The Gospel does not relate the apparition thus made by Jesus to His Mother, whereas all the others are fully described. It is not difficult to assign the reason. The other apparitions were intended as proofs of the resurrection; this to Mary was dictated by the tender love borne to her by her Son. Both nature and grace required that His first visit should be to such a Mother, and Christian hearts dwell with delight on the meditation of the mystery. There was no need of its being mentioned in the Gospel; the tradition of the holy Fathers, beginning with St. Ambrose, bears sufficient testimony to it; and even had they been silent, our hearts would have told it us. And why was it that our Savior rose fro the tomb so early on the day He had fixed for His resurrection? It was because His filial love was impatient to satisfy the vehement longings of His dearest and most afflicted Mother. Such is the teaching of many pious and learned writers; and who that knows aught of Jesus and Mary could refuse to accept it?

But who is there would attempt to describe the joy of such a meeting? Those eyes, that had grown dim from wakefulness and tears, now flash with delight at beholding the brightness which tells her Jesus is come. He calls her by her name; not with the tone of voice which pierced her soul when He addressed her from the Cross, but with an accent of joy and love, such as a son would take when telling a mother that he had triumphed. The Body which, three days ago, she had seen covered with Blood and dead, is now radiant with life, beaming with the reflections of divinity. He speaks to her words of tenderest affection, He embraces her, He kisses her. Who, we ask, would dare to describe this scene, which the devout Abbot Rupert says so inundated the soul of Mary with joy that it made her forget all the sorrows she had endured.”

Nor must we suppose that the visit was a short one. In one of the revelations granted to the seraphic St. Teresa, our Lord told her that when He appeared to His blessed Mother immediately after His resurrection, He found her so overwhelmed with grief that she would soon have died; that it was not until several moments had passed, that she was able to realize the immense joy of His presence; and that He remained a long time with her, in order to console her.

Let us, who love this blessed Mother and have seen her offer up her Son on Calvary for our sake, let us affectionately rejoice in the happiness wherewith Jesus now repays her, and let us learn to compassionate her in her dolors. This is the first manifestation of our risen Jesus: it is a just reward for the unwavering faith which has dwelt in Mary’s soul during these three days, when all but she had lost it. But it is time for Him to show Himself to others, that so the glory of His resurrection may be made known to the world. His first visit was to her who is the dearest to Him of all creatures, and who well deserved the favor; now, in His goodness, He is about to console those devoted women, whose grief is, perhaps, too human, but their love is firm, and neither death nor the tomb have shaken it.

• Source: Easter Sunday reflection, The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Gueranger, OSB: https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/easter/easter-sunday/

Commentary on Sunday’s Easter Collect: As custom, we share Dr. Mike Foley’s commentary on Easter Sunday’s Collect for the Mass: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/04/the-collect-for-easter-sunday.html

Easter Sunday Latin Masses

Charlotte

• St. Thomas Aquinas – 11:30am
• St. Ann – 12:30pm

Outside Charlotte

• St. John the Baptist, Tryon  – 8:30am (2 hours west of Charlotte)
• Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC – 12 noon (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)
• St. Elizabeth the Hill Country, Boone – 1pm (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
• Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro – 1pm (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
• Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC – 1pm (1.5 hours south of Charlotte)

Latin Mass Schedule Changes for Easter Week

Easter Thursday April 21: There will be a 10am Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas parish. The normal 7pm Latin Mass is canceled for this week only.

Respect Life Latin Mass – Saturday April 23, 8am (St. Ann)

St. Ann will offer its monthly 8am Latin Mass for an end to abortion, followed by prayers at the abortion facility (or a Holy Hour of Reparation).

Divine Mercy Novena Good Friday – Easter Saturday (April 15 – 23): Good Friday began the Divine Mercy novena which concludes the day before Divine Mercy/Low Sunday, Saturday April 23.  St. Ann’s features a statue of the Divine Mercy of Our Lord in front of the parish, honoring the late seminarian & parishioner Michael Kitson who passed away on Divine Mercy Sunday a few years ago.  As we have asked in prior years, for those who observe this devotion please consider praying for these intentions as part of your novena:

For the suffering Christians in the Middle East and around the world; an end of abortion in our country; the reestablishment of the weekly Sunday Latin Mass at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury; restoration of the Latin Triduum for 2023 (new addition); and for the regularization (resolution of the status) of the Society of St. Pius X.

Latin Mass & Traditional News

• Maundy Thursday Sermon: We share a wonderful sermon by Fr. Armand de Malleray, FSSP, at the Latin Mass parish in Warrington, England for Maundy Thursday. Father preaches on the Holy Eucharist, the priesthood, and extends an invitation for young men to consider the priesthood, and particularly his congregation, the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), which offers the Latin Mass exclusively: https://youtu.be/KEA99uvyMOA (He also subtly and with gratitude, notes that thanks to Pope Francis’ February 11 decree, there is no safer place for a Latin Mass seminarian than the FSSP)

• The Good Things of Good Friday: Dr. Mike Foley pens an excellent article on the history of the Church’s commemoration of Good Friday and other traditional customs (food dishes, saints, and conversions) related to this solemn day:  https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/04/the-good-things-of-good-friday.html#.YlucDtPMKHs

• The Ecstasy and Terror of Holy Thursday: Fr. John Perricone (who visited St. Ann in 2018 to preach the Lenten mission) as written a helpful piece on the important distinctions of the Holy Thursday Mass: https://www.crisismagazine.com/2022/the-ecstasy-and-terror-of-holy-thursday

• THE SACRED PARASCEVE: Good Friday Meditation from Viganò: The Remnant has posted a beautiful reflection by former U.S. papal nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò who offers some words on the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, comparing it to the state of the Church today, and the need to repent our own inequities  and the call for conversion: https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/5931-the-sacred-parasceve-good-friday-meditation-from-vigano/

Easter Evening: The Road to Emmaus – Dom Prosper Gueranger, OSB

To conclude today’s update as it began, we share excerpts from Dom Gueranger’s continued Easter reflection from his book, The Liturgical Year, specifically the fifth and last appearance Our Lord made on Easter Sunday evening, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus:

The Day of Jesus’ Resurrection is fast drawing to its close. It is the day honoured by God with the greatest of all miracles: it is the most important day that has ever dawned upon the world since Light was first created: but the night will soon be upon us, shadowing the brightness of the great day. Four times has our Redeemer appeared. He would now manifest Himself to the whole of His Apostles, and thus enable them to know by their own experience what they have, a few hours since, learned from Peter’s testimony. But, leaving, for a few moments longer, these men, whom He honours with the name of Brethren, and who now believe in His Resurrection, He would first console two hearts that are grieving on His account, though their grief comes from their want of faith.

Two men are traversing the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, slowly and sadly. They are evidently suffering from some cruel disappointment; nay, they give one the idea that a motive of fear impels them to leave the city. They had been Disciples of Jesus; but the ignominious and violent death of this Master, in whom they had had such confidence, has filled their hearts with bitter despondency. They were ashamed of having joined themselves with one who is not what they took Him to be. They had hid themselves after His execution; but the report having been spread of His sepulcher having been broken into, and the Body taken away, they resolve to seek a safer refuge. Jesus’ enemies have great power, and are doubtless busy taking proceedings against those who have dared to break the seal of the sepulcher. Perhaps all that have had any connection with this Jesus will be arraigned before the public tribunal.

Whilst thus conferring with each other on the sad events of the last few days, a stranger overtakes them and walks with them. It is Jesus. So absorbed are they in their own sorrow, that they do not recognize Him. The same happens to us, when we give way to feelings of human grief, we lose sight of that God who comes to cheer us by His presence along the path of our exile…

…At length, Jesus makes himself known to our two incredulous disciples. They have placed him at the head of the table; it is for him to break the bread. He takes it into his divine hands, as he did at the Last Supper; and no sooner has he divided the bread and given them their portion, than their eyes are opened, and they recognize their guest as Jesus, the risen Jesus. They would throw themselves at his feet—but he has disappeared, leaving them mute with surprise, and yet transported with exceeding joy. It is the fifth apparition. It is described by St Luke, and forms the Gospel of tomorrow’s Mass (Easter Monday).

The two disciples cannot wait; though so late in the evening, they must hurry back to Jerusalem, and tell the Apostles that their Master is living, that they have seen him, and talked with him. They therefore leave Emmaus, where they thought to pass the night, and are soon back in the city from which they had tremblingly fled. They are soon with the Apostles; but they find them already aware of the glad tidings, and fervent in their faith of the Resurrection. Before they have time to open their lips, the Apostles exclaim: ‘The Lord hath truly risen, and hath appeared unto Simon!’[41] The two disciples then relate what has just happened to themselves.

• https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/easter/easter-sunday/

Christus Resurréxit! Resurréxit Vere! What Mass are you attending Easter Sunday?

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Today is the second Sunday of Passiontide, Palm Sunday. Dr. Mike Foley offers a helpful reflection on today’s Collect, which marks the beginning of the holiest week of the liturgical year: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/03/the-collect-of-palm-sunday.html We also share some commentary on the day:

• Customs of Palm Sunday: https://www.fisheaters.com/customslent11.html
• Palm Sunday taken from The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Gueranger OSB: https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/lent/palm-sunday/

Palm Sunday Masses will be offered at 11:30am (St. Thomas), and 12:30pm (St. Ann) according to the 1962 rubrics.

Six Sundays for the Triduum – Thank you

We thank everyone who have made the heroic sacrifice to join us for Latin Masses during the six Sundays of Lent to help restore the Latin Triduum. Today, Palm Sunday is the sixth Sunday of Lent, and although the Latin Triduum will not be offered this year in Charlotte, we invite you to still join on Sunday, and to continue to pray and offer penance for the Latin Mass. By God’s grace, these sacrifices will bear fruit. It is a sorrowful situation to have this beautiful good, the Latin Triduum which gives much glory to God, taken away. Yet the CLMC is not afraid of what lies ahead for the Latin Mass and neither should our readers.  As exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger noted in September, despite these attacks and cancellations, the Latin Mass will continue until the second coming of Christ. Until that time, we in Charlotte can now “turn the tables” on this liturgical persecution (if one may call it that) by utilizing this suffering, uniting oneself to the Passion Our Lord experienced this week, and using this Triduum absence as an opportunity to offer it for this diocese, that it receives the graces to bring about an even greater good for the Latin Mass – perhaps a liturgical framework that is more stable and secure than what exited prior.  Lastly, please continue to offer your prayers and Lenten penances for Bishop Jugis. As we’ve mentioned prior, he is a prayerful bishop and remains in a very difficult situation. As you can imagine, he needs our prayers and penances more than ever.

• CLMC statement on Triduum and Confirmation Cancellations: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2022/04/08/traditional-triduum-and-confirmation-cancellations/

Easter Sunday Latin Masses

The good news is all the Easter Latin Masses will be offered as scheduled. Here is a listing of diocesan Latin Masses in the area:

Charlotte

• St. Thomas Aquinas – 11:30am
• St. Ann – 12:30pm

Outside Charlotte

• St. John the Baptist, Tryon  – 8:30am
• Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC – 12 noon
• St. Elizabeth the Hill Country, Boone – 1pm
• Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro – 1pm
• Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC – 1pm

Divine Mercy Novena begins Good Friday – Easter Saturday (April 15 – 23): Good Friday begins the Divine Mercy novena which concludes the day before Divine Mercy/Low Sunday April 24. St. Ann’s features a statue of the Divine Mercy of Our Lord in front of the parish, honoring the late seminarian & parishioner Michael Kitson who passed away on Divine Mercy Sunday a few years ago.  As we have asked in prior years, for those who observe this devotion please consider praying for these intentions as part of your novena: For the suffering Christians in the Middle East; an end of abortion in our country; the reestablishment of the weekly Sunday Latin Mass at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury; restoration of the Latin Triduum for 2023 (new addition); and for the regularization (resolution of the status) of the Society of St. Pius X.

Latin Mass & Traditional News

• What happened to Judas Iscariot?: Each Holy Week, we send around an article from the traditional Transalpine Redemptorists of Scotland, about the Church’s opinion (and the Saints) about Judas Iscariot’s fate. See link: https://charlottelatinmass.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/the-fate-of-judas-iscariot.pdf

• Book Review: True Obedience in the Church by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski: Local author and fellow Latin Mass attendee, John Paul Sonnen has posted a helpful review of Dr. Kwasniewski’s book on the proper understanding (and often misunderstood) of the virtue of obedience: https://www.liturgicalartsjournal.com/2022/04/book-review-true-obedience-in-church-by.html

• It’s the Mass That Matters -Interview with Bishop Athanasius Schneider: Michael Matt at the Remnant interviews Bishop Schneider and his new book on the Latin Mass: https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/5922-it-s-the-mass-that-matters-michael-matt-interviews-bishop-athanasius-schneider

• The Chapters of Passiontide: Fr. William Rock, FSSP, from the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), a congregation of priests that offer the Latin Mass exclusively wrote an article on the little “chapter” readings contained in the Divine Office for this Passiontide season and helps to call everyone to reparation for sins:  https://fssp.com/the-chapters-of-passiontide/:

• The Ceremonies of the Passion: Guest Article by Fr William Rock, FSSP (Part 1 & 2): New Liturgical Movement blog posts two other articles by Fr. William Rock on the ceremonies of the Passion and Holy Week: Part I: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/03/the-ceremonies-of-passion-guest-article.html#.YlJdE9PMKHt and Part II: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/04/the-ceremonies-of-passion-guest-article.html#.YlJdtdPMKHt

• After the FSSP’s dispensation from Traditiones Custodes, how firm is the ground on which the Ecclesia Dei institutes rest?: A helpful article examining how stable are the “Ecclesia Dei” orders of priests, such as the Fraternity of St. Peter, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, or the Institute of the Good Shepherd, after being exempt from Pope Francis’ restrictions of the Latin Mass: https://catholicherald.co.uk/after-the-fssps-dispensation-from-traditiones-custodes-how-firm-is-the-ground-on-which-the-ecclesia-dei-institutes-rest/

Palm Sunday Reflection – Dom Prosper Gueranger, OSB

To close this update, we share the great 19^th century liturgist, Dom Prosper Gueranger’s reflection for Palm Sunday, in this book, The Liturgical Year:

“Early in the morning of this day, Jesus sets out for Jerusalem, leaving Mary, his Mother, and the two sisters Martha and Mary Magdalene, and Lazarus, at Bethania. The Mother of Sorrows trembles at seeing her Son thus expose himself to danger, for his enemies are bent upon his destruction; but it is not Death, it is Triumph, that Jesus is to receive today in Jerusalem. The Messias, before being nailed to the Cross, is to be proclaimed King by the people of the great City; the little children are to make her streets echo with their Hosannas to the Son of David; and this in presence of the soldiers of Rome’s Emperor, and of the High Priests and Pharisees—the first, standing under the banner of their Eagles; the second, dumb with rage.

The Prophet Zachary had foretold this Triumph which the Son of Man was to receive a few days before his Passion, and which had been prepared for him from all eternity. Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Sion! Shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold thy King will come to thee; the Just and the Savior. He is poor, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass. Jesus, knowing That the hour was come for the fulfillment of this prophecy, singles out two from the rest of his Disciples, and bids them lead him to an ass and her colt, which they would find not far off. He had got to Bethphage, on Mount Olivet. The two Disciples lose no time in executing the order given them by their divine Master; and the ass and the colt are soon brought to the place where he stands.

The holy Fathers have explained to us the mystery of these two animals. The ass represents the Jewish people, which had been long under the yoke of the Law; the colt, upon which, as the Evangelist says, no man yet hath sat, is a figure of the Gentile world, which no one had ever yet brought into subjection. The future of these two people is to be decided in a few days hence: the Jews will be rejected for having refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messias; the Gentiles will take their place, be adopted as God’s people, and become docile and faithful.

The Disciples spread their garments upon the colt; and our Savior, that the prophetic figure might be fulfilled, sat upon him, and advances towards Jerusalem. As soon as it was known that Jesus was near the City, the Holy Spirit worked in the hearts of those Jews who had come, from all parts, to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. They go out to meet our Lord, holding palm branches in their hands, and loudly proclaiming him to be King. They that had accompanied Jesus from Bethania join the enthusiastic crowd. While some spread their garments on the way, others cut down boughs from the Palm trees, and strewed them along the road. Hosanna is the triumphant cry, proclaiming to the whole city that Jesus, the Son of David, has made his entrance as her King.

Thus did God, in his power over men’s hearts, procure a triumph for his Son, and in the very City which, a few days after, was to clamor for his Blood. This day was one of glory to our Jesus, and the holy Church would have us renew, each year, the memory of this triumph of the Man-God. Shortly after the Birth of our Emmanuel, we saw the Magi coming from the extreme East, and looking in Jerusalem for the King of the Jews, to whom they intended offering their gifts and their adoration: but it is Jerusalem herself that now goes forth to meet this King. Each of these events is an acknowledgement of the Kingship of Jesus: the first, from the Gentiles; the second, from the Jews. Both were to pay him this regal homage before he suffered his Passion…

…Jesus begins his reign upon the earth this very day; and though the first Israel is soon to disclaim his rule, a new Israel, formed from the faithful few of the old, shall rise up in every nation of the earth, and become the Kingdom of Christ, a kingdom such as no mere earthly monarch ever coveted in his wildest fancies of ambition.”

• https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/lent/palm-sunday/

Sunday is Palm Sunday when the faithful greet Our Lord in His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. What Mass will you be attending Palm Sunday?