Author: CLMC

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Candlemas – February 2nd

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Blessed feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, otherwise known as Candlemas. This day marks the end of the 40 day Christmas season and for those attending St. Ann parish, it will feature a blessing of candles and a candlelight Latin Mass. We provide a special commentary on the prayers of Mass today by Dr. Mike Foley: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/02/the-purifying-orations-of-candlemas.html#.Yfoun_hOmHs

We also provide a quote by Dom Prosper Gueranger from today’s reflection in The Liturgical Year:

At length, the Holy Family enters Jerusalem. The name of this holy City signifies Vision of Peace; and Jesus comes to bring her Peace. Let us consider the names of the three places in which our Redeemer began, continued, and ended his life on earth. He is conceived at Nazareth, which signifies a Flower; and Jesus is, as he tells us in the Canticle, the Flower of the field and the Lily of the valley, by whose fragrance we are refreshed. He is born at Bethlehem, the House of Bread; for he is the nourishment of our souls. He dies on the Cross in Jerusalem, and by his Blood he restores peace between heaven and earth, peace between men, peace within our own souls; and on this day of his Mother’s Purification, we shall find him giving us the pledge of this peace.

Candlemas – Feast of the Purification Wednesday February 2nd

The 40 day Christmas season closes today, but not before the brilliant feast of Candles is celebrated today, the 40th day of Christmas.  Candlemas is also known as the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Leviticus 12:2-8), and candles were blessed on this day as a symbol of the Blessed Mother presenting the Light of the World (the Infant Jesus) to God in the Temple – hence it’s also called the feast of the Presentation.  Thus candles – representing the Light of Christ – are blessed today. The next day, February 3rd is the feast of St. Blaise, and the blessing of throats occurs with the candles blessed the day prior. Here are the Masses for today February 2nd:

St. Ann, 6pm Candlelight Latin Mass (candle blessing at beginning of Mass): Please place your candles on the table in the narthex no later than 5:45pm. Candles should be 51% beeswax or greater (no scented candles, etc.); packages should be opened and any plastic wrap should be removed to allow the candles to be blessed with Holy Water. Father will bless them and then immediately process into the Church.

St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, Boone, NC 6pm Latin Mass, (100 miles northwest of Charlotte): Candle blessing at beginning of Mass.

Holy Cross, Kernersville, 6:15pm Latin Mass (with candle blessing at Mass): Fr. Noah Carter, pastor of Holy Cross parish in Kernersville, just west of Greensboro (616 S. Cherry Street, Kernersville) will offer a special Traditional Latin Mass with candle blessing. The parish will distribute 300 blessed candles to attendees.  Anyone who wishes to provide their own candles can bring them and place them on a table prepared on the epistle side of the sanctuary near the altar rails.

Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC, 7pm Solemn High Mass (100 miles southwest of Charlotte): Prince of Peace parish will offer a Solemn High Mass along with a blessing of candles. To have candles blessed, please place them inside the Communion rail before Mass. It is suggested to arrive 10-15 minutes early accomplish this. Parish is located at 1209 Brushy Creek Road, Taylors, SC.

Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC, 6:30pm Latin Mass (100 miles south of Charlotte): Blessing of candles will take place at the beginning of Mass, followed by a procession. It will be offered at Our Lady of the Lake parish in Chapin, SC (195 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin, SC)

Customs of Candlemas

Confraternity of St. Peter – Novena Begins Today February 2 – February 10

For those of our readers who are members of the Confraternity of St. Peter, the lay apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP – Latin Mass society of priests), a novena is starting today to pray for the FSSP priests as they consecrate themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on February 11, feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Confraternity members are invited to join them in praying this novena, which we link to here: https://www.fssp.org/en/act-of-consecration-of-the-priestly-fraternity-of-saint-peter-to-the-immaculate-heart-of-mary/

SAVE THE DATE: End of Epiphany Celebration – Sunday February 6, 12:30pm

The CLMC will be hosting its annual close of Epiphanytide celebration after the 12:30pm Latin Mass on the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, February 6 at St. Ann parish. Please bring a dish or a treat to share. The Cantate Domino Latin Choir will also sing the traditional wassailing song as well.

The Labor of Bees

As noted above, it is appropriate to have 51% beeswax or greater candles blessed today as the 1962 Missal has a special prayer for blessing of beeswax candles only available on February 2nd which specifically references the labor of bees in making the beeswax used for candles to be blessed. This prayer reads:

Holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, who hast created all things out of nothing, and by Thy command hast caused this liquid to become perfect wax by the labour of bees…

Bees take on special meaning in the symbolism of the spiritual life, as the CLMC’s own Chris Lauer explained in his article, because they sacrifice themselves for others:

Dom Prosper Gueranger expounds further in The Liturgical Year, on the other symbols of wax, bees, the candles:

The mystery of today’s ceremony has frequently been explained by liturgists, dating from the 7th century. According to St. Ivo of Chartres, the wax—which is formed from the juice of flowers by the bee (which has always been considered as the emblem of virginity)—signifies the virginal flesh of the Divine Infant, who diminished not, either by his conception or his birth, the spotless purity of his Blessed Mother. The same holy Bishop would have us see, in the flame of our Candle, a symbol of Jesus, who came to enlighten our darkness. St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, speaking on the same mystery, bids us consider three things in the blessed Candle: the Wax, the Wick, and the Flame. The Wax, he says, which is the production of the virginal bee, is the Flesh of our Lord; the Wick, which is within, is his Soul; the Flame, which burns on the top, is his Divinity.

Blessed Candlemas and a Merry Christmas.

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Fourth Sunday After Epiphany (& Candlemas)

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the fourth Sunday after Epiphany and as custom we provide Dr. Mike Foley’s commentary on the prayers for Mass today: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/01/the-stormy-orations-of-fourth-sunday.html

Candlemas – Feast of the Purification Wednesday February 2nd

The 40 day Christmas season is winding to a close, but not before the brilliant feast of Candles is celebrated on Wednesday, the 40th day of Christmas. Candlemas is also known as the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Leviticus 12:2-8), and candles were blessed on this day as a symbol of the Blessed Mother presenting the Light of the World (the Infant Jesus) to God in the Temple – hence it’s also called the feast of the Presentation.  Thus candles – representing the Light of Christ – are blessed on February 2nd. The next day, February 3rd is the feast of St. Blaise, and the blessing of throats occurs with the candles blessed the day prior. Here are the Masses for this day.

St. Ann parish, 6pm Candlelight Latin Mass (candle blessing before Mass): St. Ann will be offering a Candlelight Latin Mass on Wednesday February 2nd at 6pm. Immediately prior to Mass, Father will bless the candles in the traditional Latin blessing.  Please place your candles on the table in the narthex no later than 5:45pm. Candles should be 51% beeswax or greater (no scented candles, etc.); packages should be opened and any plastic wrap should be removed to allow the candles to be blessed with Holy Water. Father will bless them and then immediately process into the Church. We believe it to be a Low Mass.

Holy Cross parish, Kernersville, 6:15pm Latin Mass (with candle blessing at Mass): Fr. Noah Carter, pastor of Holy Cross parish in Kernersville, just west of Greensboro (616 S. Cherry Street, Kernersville) will offer a special Traditional Latin Mass with candle blessing. The parish will distribute 300 blessed candles to attendees.  Anyone who wishes to provide their own candles can bring them and place them on a table prepared on the epistle side of the sanctuary near the altar rails.

Prince of Peace parish, Taylors, SC, 7pm Solemn High Mass (100 miles southwest of Charlotte): Prince of Peace parish will offer a Solemn High Mass along with a blessing of candles. To have candles blessed, please place them inside the Communion rail before Mass. It is suggested to arrive 10-15 minutes early accomplish this. Parish is located at 1209 Brushy Creek Road, Taylors, SC.

Our Lady of the Lake parish, Chapin, SC, 6:30pm Latin Mass (100 miles south of Charlotte): Our sister group, the Columbia SC Traditional Latin Mass Supporters, has announced a Latin Mass at 6:30pm February 2nd. Blessing of candles will take place at the beginning of Mass, followed by a procession. It will be offered at Our Lady of the Lake parish in Chapin, SC (195 Amicks Ferry Road, Chapin, SC)

Customs of Candlemas

SAVE THE DATE: End of Epiphany Celebration – Sunday February 6, 12:30pm

The CLMC will be hosting its annual close of Epiphanytide celebration after the 12:30pm Latin Mass on the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, February 6 at St. Ann parish. Please bring a dish or a treat to share. The Cantate Domino Latin Choir will also sing the traditional wassailing song as well.

Septuagesima season begins Sunday February 13: As a reminder, with Christmas/Epiphany season closing, the pre-lent season of Septuagesima will begin Sunday February 13. This marks the 70 period before Easter, and the 3 week reminder that Lent is soon coming and to begin preparing. To learn more visit:https://www.fisheaters.com/customsseptuagesima1.html

Holy Face Apostolate Begins at St. Mark – Mondays 2-3pm

St. Mark parish in Huntersville is beginning a new apostolate that will meet once a week to offer prayers in reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus. The group meets each Monday from 2-3pm in the church.  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.  This is a traditional devotion and the CLMC is pleased to see this take hold.  Attend as your schedule permits. 

FYI: For a good sermon on the link between Holy Face and Holy Name of Jesus devotions visit Sensus Fidelium’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyldX7QqGks

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Immortal Latin by Marie-Madeleine Martin, translated by Brian Welter: As a follow up to last Sunday’s update (see Chair of St. Peter in Rome) on the importance of the Roman Empire to the Catholic Church’s mission to save souls, a reader has suggested a book on this very subject: https://aroucapress.com/immortal-latin
  • Unwanted Priest: The Autobiography of a Latin Mass Exile: Do you love the Latin Mass, but now feel exiled to the margins of Church society due to the Latin Mass’ limited offering and hostility towards it? Well then, the autobiography of Fr. Bryan Houghton may be for you. He was a British priest who seeing the liturgical dangers ahead, retired early to France in the 1960s to continue offering the Traditional Latin Mass privately. His autobiography has now been translated from French into English: https://www.angelicopress.org/unwanted-priest-bryan-houghton

Don’t Stop Celebrating: After Christmas Day, Christmas Continues

Although the Christmas season ends in just a few days, the Church through her ancient liturgical calendar continues to celebrate the Christmas season by commemorating saints and blessed who have or reflected devotion to the Infant King. Dom Prosper Gueranger, the great Benedictine liturgist and author of the magnificent, The Liturgical Year, notes two of them over the past few days:

January 28 – Blessed Charlemagne: Gueranger lays out quite convincingly, that contrary to his detractors, Charlemagne, the great eighth century Frankish King and Holy Roman Emperor was indeed a man of virtue after his conversion, and was one of the greatest Kings of Christendom. Although his feast is only kept locally, Gueranger explains why Charles I is connected to Christmas: Charlemagne, then, has been selected by our Emmanuel himself to be the perfect type of a Christian Prince; and we Catholics should love to celebrate his glory during this Christmas season, during which is born among us the Divine Child, who is come to reign over all nations, and guide them in the path of holiness and justice. Jesus has come from heaven to be the model of Kings, as of the rest of men; and so far, no man has so closely imitated this divine model as “Charles the Victorious, the ever August, the Monarch crowned by God.” https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/january/january-28-bl-charlemagne/

January 29 – St. Francis de Sales:  Of the many things St. Francis de Sales, the great bishop of Geneva (who converted 72,000 protestants back to the faith), was known for, was his devotion to Incarnation, the Infant Jesus. Gueranger shares a reflection St. Francis wrote a reflection about the Bethlehem shepherds to his friend St. Jane Frances de Chantel: “Returning home from celebrating these sacred mysteries, I rest awhile in thus sending you my Happy Christmas! for I dare say that the poor Shepherds took some little rest, after they had adored the Babe announced to them by the Angels. And as I thought of their sleep on that night, I said to myself: How sweetly must they not have slept, dreaming of the sacred melody wherewith the Angels told them the glad tidings, and of the dear Child and the Mother they had been to see!”  https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/january/january-29-st-francis-de-sales-bishop/

If one hasn’t read Dr. Peter Kwasniewski’s uplifting essay on keeping the 40 Days of Christmas, we highly recommend it and re-share it: https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/dont-stop-celebrating-after-christmas-day-christmas-continues-2/

Fr. Chad Ripperger: Unicity and Catholicity Among Different Rites

Traditional exorcist and theologian, Fr. Chad Ripperger (who heads a congregation of exorcists and offers the Latin Mass exclusively) has assembled a great and helpful video to clear up some of a myth that the Traditional Latin Mass, because it differs from the Novus Ordo Mass, is somehow causing harm to Church unity. This fable is what is driving some Church leaders in Rome to think it’s necessary to restrict the Traditional Latin Mass when in reality this position is at odds over what the Church has taught over the centuries (CLMC hopes that Catholic “fact-checkers” will examine this important piece of misinformation as much as they investigate other matters). We provide a few examples mentioned in Fr. Ripperger’s video:

Pope Bl. Pius IX: April 7, 1862: Amantissimus (On the Care of the Churches): #4. Now, truly, a multiplicity of holy things, a variety of legitimate rites, obviously in no way oppose the unity of the Catholic Church; rather, indeed, such diversity greatly enhances the dignity of the Church itself. Source: https://wwwpapalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9amant2.htm

Pope Leo XIII: November 30, 1894: Orientalium Dignitas – On the Churches of the East: [E]ven as her Apostolic origin is all the more proven especially by these Churches of the East, at the selfsame moment there shines out and is made manifest these Churches’ original, complete unity with the Roman Church. Nothing else, perhaps, is so breathtakingly effective for illustrating the mark of Catholicity in God’s Church than that striking sight of differing forms of ceremonies and noble examples of the tongues of the ancient past – made all the more noble by their use by the Apostles and Fathers – rendering their submission to the Church. This is almost an image of that most excellent submission that was rendered to the newly-born Christ, the divine Founder of the Church, when the Magi were drawn from the different regions of the East and came to adore Him. Source: https://wwwpapalencyclicals.net/leo13/l13orient.htm

Fr. Ripperger’s video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J8FB-gdq1c

The Traditional Latin Mass unifies Catholics across all ethnic, racial, and national boundaries. What Mass are you attending Sunday?

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Third Sunday After Epiphany

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the third Sunday after Epiphany and it also happens to coincide with the ancient feast of the Espousals of Mary and Joseph.  We provide Dr. Mike Foley’s reflections for today’s Secret oration, and on espousal feast:

Petition: For the Diocese of Charlotte to Re-establish the Feast of the Espousals of Mary and Joseph

On the topic of the feast of the espousals, the St. Ann Home School Ministry has started a petition to encourage the Diocese of Charlotte to re-establish the ancient feast of the Espousals of Mary and Joseph. A diocese (via its bishop) sometimes has the authority to re-establish a feast on the local diocesan calendar, and this petition is trying to generate enough support to encourage the diocese to consider this. To sign the petition click here: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/institute-the-feast-of-the-holy-spouses

CLMC note: With the diocese’s interest in St. Joseph (declaring it 2020 the year of Joseph), an effort like this would certainly be aligned with the spiritual outlook of the Charlotte Diocese for 2022, as it looks to encourage pious activities for its 50th anniversary year which began earlier this month. And of course, this feast would best be celebrated in the Traditional Latin Mass (we already have the Mass’ propers from older missals ready to go!).

SAVE THE DATE: Candlemas – Wednesday February 2

Candlemas is also known as the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and candles were blessed on this day as a symbol of the Blessed Mother presenting the Light of the World to God in the Temple.  As custom, St. Ann will be offering its normal 6pm Latin Mass on Wednesday February 2nd. Immediately prior to Mass, Father will bless the candles in the traditional Latin blessing.  The next day, the feast of St. Blaise (February 3), the candles blessed the day prior are used for the blessing of throats.  

Candles for February 2nd: With Candlemas coming, if one wants to order 100% pure beeswax candles, Lux Candles operated by a Catholic family in South Dakota is a good choice. One has to place orders the old fashioned way – via telephone. http://www.luxcandlecompany.com/

New & Local Catholic Tech Company Offering E-mail Service

As noted last week, we are pleased to share that a new Catholic tech company has formed, founded by a faithful parishioner at St. John the Baptist in Tryon. Fidei.email is a new service which provides private e-mail without the connections to big tech or the surveillance/ marketing industry. It also has plans to offer other tech services. Check them out at: https://fidei.email/

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Day of the Unborn: Dr. Mike Foley has a good article on why it’s not a good idea to place a civic event such as the Roe vs. Wade anniversary on the official liturgical calendar as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have done. It can still be be a day of prayer and penance (as it was yesterday), but it’s another thing to enshrine a secular matter in the sacred calendar: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/01/day-of-unborn.html#.YezrCvhOmHt
  • Ultramontanism: Its Life and Death: If there is a bad plague afflicting the Church today, it is that of ultramontanism, which is essentially the hyper worship of authority and/or obedience – where anything a Church leader says or does means it is binding and “must” be followed by all.  We saw this play out over the last two years when bizarre and even spiritually harmful COVID protocols were imposed in the name of “obedience to one’s bishop and/or state”. Sadly, may see this playout again should more strange “protocols” on the Latin Mass come from Rome or future “crises” of another kind develop. While one may rightly suspect this problem had its roots at the Vatican Council – it was actually the first Vatican council in the mid-nineteenth century where this problem of ultramontanism began to take shape (technically it may have started with Jesuits back in the sixteenth century but that’s for another day).  Thankfully, Mr. Stuart Chessman of the Society of Hugh Cluny, a Latin Mass group in Connecticut, published a lengthy but excellent history of its history: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/01/ultramontanism-its-life-and-death.html?m=1#more
  • On “Hearing Mass” – by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski: A helpful reminder of the importance of interior participation at Mass, not necessarily verbal participation as is found in the Novus Ordo Mass. https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/01/on-hearing-mass.html
  • Photos from a Recent Traditional Betrothal Ceremony – Dr. Peter Kwasniewski: If there are any young adult members of our community that is currently courting and have plans to be engaged, one beautiful – and sadly lost – ceremony in the Traditional Rite to consider is the betrothal ceremony. Dr. Peter Kwasniewski has a quick write up on what it is, and some photos: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/01/photos-from-recent-traditional.html#.YezpMfhOmHt (to request it, please speak with a Latin Mass priest)

January 18 – the Ancient feast of the Chair of St. Peter in Rome

Last Tuesday January 18 was listed as a feria day (no feast day), but in earlier eras, it was actually the feast of the Chair of St. Peter in Rome. This may cause a little confusion to some as February 22 is currently listed as the Chair of St. Peter, but in prior years, this latter feast was to celebrate St. Peter’s first bishopric in Antioch (modern day Turkey). On January 18 however was celebrated the feast of St. Peter’s Chair in Rome – his Pontifical See.

With so much turmoil and problems in Rome today, it may be helpful (and edifying) to learn about Rome’s vocation as envisioned by God, for the Catholic Church, and how God used the infrastructure of Roman Empire to help establish his Church and evangelize the faith – once the mighty pagan empire, the whore of Babylon, was conquered (Apocalypse 18 & 19). Here is Dom Prosper Gueranger’s OSB reflection (in The Liturgical Year), who quotes a speech from St. Leo the Great:

“When Peter enters Rome, therefore, he comes to realize and explain the destinies of this Queen of Cities; he comes to promise her an Empire even greater than the one she possesses. This new Empire is not to be founded by the sword, as was the first. Rome has been hitherto the proud mistress of nations; henceforth she is to be the Mother of the world by Charity; and though all peaceful, yet her Empire shall last to the end of time. Let us listen to St Leo the Great, describing to us in one of the finest of his Sermons, and in his own magnificent style, the humble yet all-eventful entrance of the Fisherman of Genesareth into the Capital of the Pagan world.

‘The good and just and omnipotent God, who never refused his mercy to the human race, and instructed all men in general in the knowledge of himself by his superabundant benefits, took pity, by a more hidden counsel and a deeper love, on the voluntary blindness of them that had gone astray, and on the wickedness which was growing in its proneness to evil; and sent therefore into the world his co-equal and co-eternal Word. The which Word being made Flesh did so unite the divine to the human nature, as that the deep debasement of the one was the highest uplifting of the other.

But that the effect of this unspeakable gift might be diffused throughout the entire world, the providence of God had been preparing the Roman Empire, which had so far extended its limits as to embrace in itself all the nations of the earth. For nothing could be better suited to the divine plan than the confederation of various kingdoms under one and the same Empire; and the preaching of the Gospel to the whole world would the more rapidly be effected by having the several nations united under the government of one common City.

But this City, ignoring the author of this her promotion, whilst mistress of almost every nation under the sun, was the slave of every nation’s errors; and prided herself on having a grand religion, because she had admitted every false doctrine. So that the faster the devil’s hold of her, the more admirable her deliverance by Christ.

For when the twelve Apostles, after receiving by the Holy Ghost the gift of tongues, divided among themselves the world they had to evangelize, the most blessed Peter, the Prince of the Apostolic order, was sent to the Capital of the Roman Empire, in order that the light of truth, which had been revealed for the salvation of all nations, might the more effectively flow from the head itself into the whole body of the world.

The fact was that there were in this City people belonging to every nation, and the rest of the world soon learnt whatever was taught at Rome. Here, therefore, were to be refuted the opinions of philosophy; here the follies of human wisdom to be exploded; here the worship of devils to be convicted of blasphemy; here the impiety of all the sacrifices to be first abolished; for it was here that an official superstition had systematized into one great whole the fragmentary errors of every other portion of the earth.’”

We may consider including in our Latin Mass intentions to pray that Rome is restored to her vocation of spreading the Light of Truth to the whole world.

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

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Respect Life Latin Mass Tomorrow Saturday 8am

Laudetur Iesus Christus and blessed feast of St. Agnes! Just a reminder, tomorrow Saturday January 22 at 8:00am St. Ann will offer a Low Mass for the end of abortion. 

Afterwards there will be a prayer vigil at Planned Parenthood. For those unable to go to Planned Parenthood, a Holy Hour of Reparation will be led by a deacon in the church.

Saturday is also the 49th anniversary of the tragic Roe vs. Wade decision which legalized abortion across the U.S.  As such, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have declared Saturday a day of prayer and penance due to its connection to abortion.  In Charlotte, there is much to pray and do penance for as in 2020, (during COVID), there were over 11,000 abortions in Mecklenburg County.

January 22 – Feast of St. Vincent the Martyr

On a hopeful note, Saturday January 22 is also the feast of the martyrs Ss. Vincent and Anastasius. Interestingly, the great liturgist Dom Prosper Gueranger, OSB, notes that the name Vincent means victorious..

January 22: VINCENT, the Victorious, vested in the sacred dalmatic, and holding his palm in his hand, comes, today, to the Crib, and right welcome is he to Stephen, the Crowned, his leader and his brother. Spain is his country. He is a deacon of the glorious Church of Saragossa, and, by the strength and warmth of his faith, he is a type of that land, which is preeminently the Catholic Kingdom. But he does not belong to Spain only: like Stephen, and like Laurence, Vincent is the favourite and hero of the whole Church.

January 22 – St. Vincent & St Anastasius, Martyrs ~ Dom Prosper Gueranger

God willing, may the prayers, penances, and petitions be efficacious in obtaining that victorious moment when abortion is outlawed in the United States.  St. Vincent the martyr, pray for us!

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Second Sunday After Epiphany

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the second Sunday after Epiphany, which commemorates the third manifestation of Christ during Christmastide, which his first public miracle at the wedding at Cana.  As custom we provide commentary on the prayers of the Mass by Dr. Mike Foley: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/01/the-orations-of-second-sunday-after.html#.YeNrlvhOmHt

Sunday Mass & Winter Weather:

Due to the potential for winter weather Bishop Jugis has dispensed the faithful from the obligation to attend Mass Sunday due to the weather.  Currently all Sunday Latin Masses in the diocese of Charlotte remain on normal schedule at this time (however you may wish to check parish websites in case something changes). As a reminder, while the obligation to attend Sunday Mass today is dispensed, the faithful are still required one to keep Sunday holy if one is unable to attend Mass.  Here are some suggestions how to do this:

Respect Life Latin Mass – Next Saturday January 22nd at 8am, St. Ann parish:  Saturday marks the 49th anniversary of the tragic Roe vs. Wade decision which legalized abortion. St. Ann will offer 8am Latin Mass, followed by prayers at the abortion facility.  A Holy Hour of Reparation will also be offered immediately after Mass for those unable to travel to the abortion facility. 

Blessing of Candles – February 2nd: With Candlemas coming, if one wants to order 100% pure beeswax candles, Lux Candles operated by a Catholic family in South Dakota is a good choice. You have place orders the old fashioned way – via telephone.  http://www.luxcandlecompany.com/

New & Local Catholic Tech Company Offering E-mail Service: We are pleased to share that a new Catholic tech company has formed, founded by a faithful parishioner at St. John the Baptist in Tryon. Fidei.email is a new service which provides private e-mail without the connections to big tech or the surveillance/ marketing industry. It also has plans to offer other tech services. Check them out at: https://fidei.email/

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Dr. Alice von Hildebrand (R.I.P.) 1923-2022: The Latin Mass movement has lost one of her brightest candles this past week with the passing of Dr. Alice von Hildebrand at age 98.  A philosopher, theologian, and college professor in the New York area, she was predeceased by her husband the great Dietrich von Hildebrand, who according to sources was called by Pope Pius XII, the “Doctor of the 20th Century”, for his philosophic work. Dietrich wrote the groundbreaking book The Devasted Vineyard, which examined the crisis in the Church after Vatican II.  Dr. (Alice) von Hildebrand continued her husband’s work in her own way and very active in promoting the Traditional Latin Mass, speaking at conferences and giving interviews. Please pray for the repose of her soul. We post a few interviews here:
  • God Created Monarchy: This week will mark the one year anniversary of the inauguration of a head of state, of a government which has over the last few decades promoted abortion on demand, same sex unions, contraception, and most recently promoted coerced vaccinations (linked to abortion). Some of these heads of state claimed to be Christian or now recently even Catholic. While some of these presidents may have been less morally offensive to a degree, they ultimately still presided over a government which is automated to promote policies and programs contrary to Church teachings and to God. Seeing all this, it makes one ask, are representative republics and democracies really the best form of government to advance a society that allows the Church to save many souls? If they could speak, the souls of the 55 million babies who were brutally murdered from legalized abortion in our land, may be in the best position to answer this question. Thankfully though, the Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation (a Catholic apostolate whom the CLMC co-hosted in 2019), has assisted in this effort by posting an excellent essay, using the traditional doctrine of creation, arguing how a monarchy best reflects the government established by God in His kingdom: https://www.kolbecenter.org/god-created-monarchy/ (N.B. For more on the kingship of Christ, please see Fr. Jason Christian’s 2016 talk to the CLMC)
  • Liturgical Arts Journal: Our Lady of Guadalupe FSSP Seminary in Nebraska: Local writer John Paul Sonnen has penned another excellent architectural review in recent weeks, this time on the Fraternity of St. Peter’s (FSSP) Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska. This recently constructed edifice (in the last 20 years) has many great qualities to admire in traditional sacred architecture which Mr. Sonnen examines. This would be of interest to CLMC readers not only for the fact that the FSSP priests offer the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively, and operate parishes that do likewise, but also because two St. Ann parishioners and CLMC friends are also seminarians attending this seminary. Take a look: https://www.liturgicalartsjournal.com/2022/01/our-lady-of-guadalupe-fssp-seminary-in.html
  • Vaccine Mandates: What Future Do You Want? Freedom or Tyranny?: Speaking of the FSSP, Fr. Daniel Nolan, FSSP recently gave a second sermon on the morality of vaccine mandates and how the unvaccinated have been deprived of their basic human rights. He furthermore demonstrates why the Catholic Church should be casting judgement on the actions of society and speaking out against the COVID tyranny going on – particularly due to the danger to souls. This excellent sermon is posted by Sensus Fidelium: https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c/vaccine-mandate-what-future-do-you-want:9

Don’t Stop Celebrating: After Christmas Day, Christmas Continues

While the secular world has long forgotten the decorations, “songs”, and feasts of Christmas, and is going through a desolate self-imposed winter fast (until their solemn “feast” of Superbowl Sunday), the Church, through the Traditional Latin Mass, is still in the midst of its Christmas season, which runs from December 25 – February 2nd.  As noted above, today is the second Sunday in Epiphanytide, the extended Christmas season and this article from Dr. Peter Kwasniewski describes Sunday’s commemoration:

“The three great theophanies or divine manifestations honored in this season—namely, the visit of the Magi, the baptism in the Jordan, and the wedding of Cana—are given their full individual due, without haste, without unseemly compression or alternation. Indeed, there is a leisurely feel to this Epiphany season, a sense of time suspended. It is as if Holy Mother Church, like a mother watching her children grow up too fast, cannot quite resign herself to parting from the young Christ.

Epiphanytide is the afterglow of the revelation of Christ to the world, Christ who is the true Enlightenment against which the devil vainly (although at times with considerable temporary success) attempts to establish his substitutes—most especially the rationalist and liberal worldview under which Catholics have been living, and which they have slowly adopted, over the past several centuries, to the near extinction of their liturgical life.”

The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ/Octave Day of Epiphany

This past Thursday January 13, was one of the major feasts of Christmastide – the Baptism Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, traditionally called the Octave Day of Epiphany (Prior to 1955, Epiphany had its own Octave or 8 days of celebration):

Additionally, there appears to be debate among some about whether Christmas season ends on January 13 or February 2. Thankfully, Greg DiPippo helped to clear this up a few years ago (spoiler alert: it ends on February 2nd):

St. Hilary, Confessor and Bishop – January 14

As we move further into Christmastide, the Church introduces more feast days of saints in mid to late January which at first glance may seem to have no connection to Christmas. But as Dom Prosper Gueranger, the great Benedictine liturgist and author of The Liturgical Year, notes in his entry about the fourth century bishop St. Hilary of Poitiers, it has everything to do with Christmas, including his connection to St. Thomas Beckett’s feast (December 29) which occurs in the Christmas Octave:

“AFTER having consecrated the joyous Octave of the Epiphany to the glory of the Emmanuel who was manifested to the earth, the Church—incessantly occupied with the Divine Child and his august Mother, during the whole time from Christmas Day to that whereon Mary will bring Jesus to the Temple, there to be offered to God, as the law prescribes—the Church, we say, has on her Calendar of this portion of the year the names of many glorious Saints, who shine like so many stars on the path which leads us, from the joys of the Nativity of our Lord, to the sacred mystery of our Lady’s Purification.

And firstly there comes before us, on the very morrow of the day consecrated to the Baptism of Jesus, the faithful and courageous Hilary—the pride of the Churches of Gaul, and the worthy associate of Athanasius and Eusebius of Vercelli in the battle fought for the Divinity of our Emmanuel.

…A few days ago we were celebrating the Feast of our holy Martyr, St Thomas of Canterbury; today, we have the Feast of the glorious Confessor, whose example enlightened and encouraged him in the great struggle. Both Hilary and Thomas a Becket were obedient to the teaching left to the Pastors of the Church by the Apostles; who, when they were arraigned the first time before the authorities of this world, uttered this great maxim: We ought to obey God rather than men.[Acts 5:29]

The Apostles and the Saints were strong in the battle against flesh and blood, only because they were detached from earthly goods, and were convinced that the true riches of a Christian and a Bishop consist in the humility and poverty of the Crib, and that the only victorious power is in the imitation of the simplicity and the weakness of the Child that is born unto us. They relished the lessons of the School of Bethlehem; hence no promise of honours, of riches, or even of peace, could make them swerve from the principles of the Gospel.”

Sunday commemorates the wedding at Cana, the third manifestation of Christ during Christmas season. What Mass are you attending Sunday?

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Feast of the Holy Family

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the traditional feast of the Holy Family, which occurs on the first Sunday after Epiphany. Dr. Mike Foley has an informative article on why the placement of this feast day after Epiphany is the most fitting time to meditate on the Holy Family:

Both in content and in placement, the Feast of the Holy Family in the 1962 calendar captures all of the aforementioned meanings and purposes of the devotion.

In content, the Mass gives us various glimpses into the life of the Holy Family, including their hidden life of “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles” (Epistle), the Finding in the Temple (Gospel), and the Presentation (Offertory). The Mass’s proper prayers, on the other hand, join with the Office hymns and readings to depict the Holy Family as an exemplum of domestic life and a powerful intercessor for all families.

In placement, by falling on the Sunday after Epiphany the Feast has just the right distance from Christmas. It is far enough away to allow the faithful to take in the early life of the Holy Family: Christ’s birth (December 25), the Flight into Egypt (December 28), the Presentation in the Temple (Sunday after Christmas), the Circumcision (January 1), the Holy Nam[ing] (January 2), and the visit of the Magi (January 6). These foundational events of the Holy Family set the stage for, and enable us to enter into imaginatively, their quiet years together in Nazareth.

On the other hand, the feast is not too far away from Christmas. It takes place before the Commemoration of the Baptism of our Lord (January 13) and the liturgical proclamation of the wedding of Cana (Second Sunday after Epiphany), biblical events that take place after the death of Saint Joseph.

Epiphany Blessing kits: We want to thank everyone for attending the Epiphany related liturgies, and especially Fr. Reid for offering and arranging the Epiphany Masses and blessing last week. Please keep him in your Mass intentions today. We also may still have some Epiphany home blessing kits at the CLMC table this Sunday while quantities last. St. Mark parish in Huntersville may also have them in the Kerin Center lobby. Both parishes have Epiphany Holy Water while quantities last.

Mass Change – Wednesday January 12: In the Friday Five, Fr. Reid announced St. Ann will not be offering a 6pm Latin Mass this Wednesday January 12th due to the diocese’s 50th anniversary Mass (which will be Novus Ordo). However, Father has kindly agreed to offer a special 7am Latin Mass earlier Wednesday morning.

Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ – Thursday January 13, 7pm (St. Thomas Aquinas parish): The Christmas season continues this Thursday as we celebrate the feast of Our Lord’s Baptism (described in brief in Dr. Foley’s above linked article) with a 7pm High Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas parish. This was also known as the Octave Day of Epiphany.

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • New Intro Latin Online Courses from Veterum Sapientia Institute: The Latin & Greek language institute, Veterum Sapientia Institute, co-founded by Fr. Barone, and Dr. Nancy Llewellyn (Belmont Abbey College/St. Joseph’s Seminary), is pleased to announce its winter quarter online classes which include an introduction to Latin, taught by Dr. Greg DiPippo (of the New Liturgical Movement website which we often reference in our e-mails). Other courses include intermediate levels, and an introduction to Greek. To learn more details and sign up please visit: www.VeterumSapientia.org and see the link here: https://charlottelatinmass.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022-winter-flyer-final.pdf
  • Catholic writer Phil Lawler now attends the Traditional Latin Mass: Recently, we featured an insightful article by conservative Catholic writer, Phil Lawler, who observed that it is 70% of the Novus Ordo attendees who deny the validity of the Vatican II Mass (not traditionalists). This week, in an another important article, Mr. Lawler has now announced he is now attending the Traditional Latin Mass regularly. Over the years the CLMC has written about distinctions between the faithful Novus Ordo attendees (e.g. conservatives) and Latin Mass attendees (traditionalists). Now, in this new environment of COVID protocols and Traditionis Custodes, we are seeing conservative Catholics abandon the Novus Ordo and embrace the Traditional Latin Mass. This is helping to break a logjam as modernism can best be fought when the faithful Catholics are on the same battlefront and not scattered in different sectors. We welcome all those faithful Novus Ordo attendees, (or even Protestants) who are making the move the Traditional Latin Mass and pray others will also discover the richness and treasure the Latin Mass offers. Mr. Lawler explains why in this article: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/backward-logic-traditionis-custodes/

Don’t Stop Celebrating: After Christmas Day, Christmas continues (Part III)

As the CLMC and others have noted, contrary to the pagan world, the Christmas season only began on December 25 and runs through February 2nd. Here we share a few new articles on the Christmas season, which continues in this Epiphany season:

Sunday is the traditional feast of the Holy Family, appropriately placed after Epiphany. What Mass are you taking your family to Sunday?

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Epiphany Update

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Today January 6 is the great feast of Epiphany.  As liturgist Dom Prosper Gueranger notes, this is one of the cardinal feasts of the Church; it retains its own season, and like Easter and Pentecost, it has several Sundays named after it and its own octave. Gueranger also notes there are 3 mysteries of Christ celebrated on this day:

The mystery of the Epiphany brings upon us three magnificent rays of the Sun of Justice, our Saviour. In the calendar of pagan Rome, this Sixth day of January was devoted to the celebration of a triple triumph of Augustus, the founder of the Roman Empire: but when Jesus, our Prince of peace, whose empire knows no limits, had secured victory to his Church by the blood of the Martyrs, then did this his Church decree that a triple triumph of the Immortal King should be substituted, in the Christian Calendar, for those other three triumphs which had been won by the adopted son of Cæsar.

The Sixth of January, therefore, restored the celebration of our Lord’s Birth to the Twenty-Fifth of December; but in return, there were united in the one same Epiphany three manifestations of Jesus’ glory: the mystery of the Magi coming from the East, under the guidance of a star, and adoring the Infant of Bethlehem as the divine King; the mystery of the Baptism of Christ, who, whilst standing in the waters of the Jordan, was proclaimed by the Eternal Father as Son of God; and thirdly, the mystery of the divine power of this same Jesus, when he changed the water into wine at the marriage-feast of Cana.

THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD ~ Dom Prosper Gueranger

Epiphany Mass Schedule

Please note a schedule changes  The previously advertised Epiphany Latin Mass at Prince of Peace in Taylors, SC was canceled.   Here are the Masses today:

Thursday January 6 – Feast of the Epiphany

  • St. Ann, Charlotte – 6pm High Mass – followed by the annual Kings’ cake (Rosca de reyes) celebration after Mass
  • St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte – 7pm High Mass
  • Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC – 6:30pm Low Mass, followed by blessing of chalk and salt (2 hours south of Charlotte)
  • Prince of Peace, Taylors SC – CANCELLED. There will not be Mass or blessing tonight.

Home blessing kits for Epiphany

It is a custom to have homes blessed during Epiphanytide and to use the items blessed on the vigil of Epiphany (water, chalk, and salt). Below are parishes providing them:

  • The CLMC is hoping to provide Epiphany home blessing kits again this year with chalk, salt, and some instructions. Please check the CLMC table in the St. Ann narthex after Mass this Sunday while quantities last.
  • St. Thomas Aquinas parish is not blessing Epiphany water this year but will be handing out kits of Epiphany water, salt, and chalk in the narthex while quantities last.
  • St. Mark parish has Epiphany Water in the narthex, and also has small home blessing kits of chalk and salt in the Kerin Center (near the front desk).
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Holy Name of Jesus

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, which falls between the Sunday after the feast of the Circumcision (January 1) and before Epiphany (January 6). We provide a reflection by Dom Prosper Gueranger, who quotes from St. Bernard of Clairvaux:

‘The Name of Jesus is Light, and Food, and Medicine. It is Light, when it is preached to us; it is Food, when we think upon it; it is the Medicine that soothes our pains when we invoke it. Let us say a word on each of these. Tell me, whence came there, into the whole world, so bright and sudden a light, if not from the preaching of the Name of Jesus? Was it not by the light of this Name that God called us unto his admirable Light? Wherewith being enlightened, and in this light, seeing the Light, we take these words of Paul as truly addressed to ourselves: Heretofore, you were darkness; but now, light in the Lord [Eph. v. 8].

1st Sunday Latin Mass in Salisbury – January 2nd, 4pm

There will be a 4pm Latin Mass Sunday at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury (45 minutes north of Charlotte). Fr. Noah Carter will be the celebrant and will hear confessions from 3:15 – 3:45pm. There will also be a social after Mass in Brincefield Hall – please bring a snack to share. For more information please visit the Salisbury Latin Mass Community at www.salisburylmc.org

Feast of the Epiphany Festivities – January 5-6

Wednesday January 5 – Vigil of Epiphany

  • Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC – 12 noon Latin Mass
  • St. Ann, Charlotte – 6:00pm Low Mass (followed by blessing of Epiphany Holy Water, a 45-minute blessing)  Note: Please only bring EMPTY water bottles/containers. The priest will bless the parish’s large water containers and laity can fill up their empty containers with the blessed water.

Thursday January 6 – Feast of the Epiphany

  • St. Ann, Charlotte – 6pm High Mass – followed by the annual Kings’ cake (Rosca de reyes) celebration after Mass
  • St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte – 7pm High Mass
  • Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC – 6:30pm Low Mass, followed by blessing of chalk and salt (2 hours south of Charlotte)
  • Prince of Peace, Taylors SC – 6:30pm Blessing of water, chalk, gold, frankincense, and myrrh; 7pm Solemn High  Mass followed by an 8pm Royal Procession of the Epiphany Crib and Benediction (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)

Defending Conscience Rights video and recap

The Carolina Family Coalition held a Defending Conscience Rights Against Vaccine Mandates event shortly before Christmas, and they have now released the video for those unable to attend. The event was organized to help support Catholic workers stand up for their conscience rights against vaccine mandates, which violate Church teaching. Readers even may see a few Latin Mass faces among the speakers.  To view the event visit: https://www.prolifecharlotte.org/defending-conscience-rights/

Latin Mass and Traditional News

  • New Traditional Catholic Biology Book for Students: Biology: A Traditional Catholic Perspective – 2nd Edition (Textbook): We are pleased to share that the Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation (whom the CLMC co-sponsored in 2019) has just released a biology book that is in accord with the traditional teachings of the Church and is not tainted with evolutionary theory. It’s great for homeschoolers. To learn more visit: https://www.kolbecenter.org/product/biology-a-traditional-catholic-perspective-2nd-edition-textbook/
  • Important Declaration of the Superior of the Fraternity of St. Vincent Ferrer: The Fraternity of St. Vincent Ferrer, a traditional Dominican order that exclusively observes the Traditional Latin Mass and breviary (presumably in the Dominican Rite), issued a statement that they will be obeying Sacred Tradition, and not the strange politics going on in Rome: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2021/12/important-declaration-of-superior-of.html
  • Belmont Abbey Basilica Renovation 1964-1965: If you’ve ever set foot into the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians at Belmont Abbey and wondered in a bewildered manner “What happened to the interior?!” – local writer John Paul Sonnen provides some excellent research and documentation in this great article (shared with us by a CLMC reader) about this project which can only be called tragic. Just like the Traditional Latin Mass, only a full restoration of traditional architecture in our diocese and beyond can help restore the culture: https://www.liturgicalartsjournal.com/2021/12/belmont-abbey-basilica-renovation-1964.html
  • Sermon – Do Not Succumb to the Pandemic Madness: We are pleased to share a wonderful sermon give by Fr. Daniel Nolan, FSSP, a Latin Mass priest out west who reminds Catholics of their moral obligation to not participate in someone’s delusional version of reality. Failure to do so will result in tyranny: https://courageousclergy.com/do-not-succumb-to-pandemic-madness?list
  • Traditionalists are Achieving the Main Goal of Vatican II: Last week we shared a thought provoking article by writer Phil Lawler who pointed out that, contrary to conventional thinking, most people who deny the validity of the Novus Ordo Mass aren’t Latin Mass attendees (as critics claim) but the rather large percentage of Novus Ordo attendees who actually deny the validity of the Mass through their disbelief in Our Lord Jesus Christ’s presence in the Eucharist.  This week we share a interesting article from OnePeterFive, in which the author argues that if the official mission* of Vatican II was to evangelize the Catholic faith to the world more effectively, it’s actually traditionalists who are doing it. The article is here: https://onepeterfive.com/traditionalists-are-achieving-the-main-goal-of-vatican-ii/

    (*note: this article sets aside, for the moment, the important and legitimate discussion over the influence Freemasons and Protestants may have had at the Council).

    CLMC note: The best thing any diocese could do to restore the faith and evangelize the world is to restore the Traditional Latin Mass at each parish. All the evidence points in that direction and not the opposite.

Don’t Stop Celebrating: After Christmas Day, Christmas continues (Part II)

As mentioned in last Sunday’s update, the traditional Christmas season only began on December 25 and runs for 40 days until the feast of the Presentation (Candlemas) on February 2nd. This is radically different when compared to the pagan world which ignores Advent and “celebrates” Christmas from at least “Black Friday” until Christmas Eve, then on December 26, it begins fasting from Christmas celebrations and decorations. As this article which appeared in The Remnant during Advent describes, it is an inversion of what the Church teachers. This article was written in Advent but it is still relevant for this festive season. We provide a few excerpts:

“Throughout all of Advent,  Christmas trees, lights, wreaths, and Nativity scenes line the streets and sidewalks. We hear Christmas carols on the radio, in shops, and in stores. In short, we see everything we would expect to see at a Christmas party for almost all of December, and in the week following the 25th, everything disappears.

Advent, rather than being one of the most penitential and sorrowful seasons of the liturgical year, is celebrated as if Christmas has come early, and Christmastide is forgotten completely, tearing us from a premature party and plunging us into the dark, quiet, desolation of winter.

In as much as this is the case, that the modern secular celebration of Christmas in the West has come to be an inversion of the way in which the Church has traditionally celebrated it, and prepared for that celebration, I think that there is cause for great concern, not merely because this represents the loss of a longstanding practice of our religious patrimony, which is tragic in its own right, but because the traditional relationship between Advent and Christmas bears an important symbolic significance, and the inversion of traditional symbolism often has sinister undertones.

…In closing, I would invite and encourage all Christians to restore in their own lives where they can, the traditional practice of Advent and Christmastide. Advent is a beautiful season in its own right, and there are so many wonderful Advent traditions – devotions like St. Martin’s Lent, the Barabara Branch, the St. Andrew Novena, etc., that Catholics can take up while they await the beginning of the Christmas season. Advent doesn’t just have to be a sort of “empty” season of “not-Christmas-yet.” And as for the Christmas season, there’s the feast of the Epiphany, Candlemas, and let’s be honest – who doesn’t want to add a whole extra month onto their Christmas party?

Conforming one’s life to the liturgical calendar is an integral part of the spiritual life, and as Christmas in the West becomes increasingly secular and decreasingly Christian, efforts need to be made to turn the tide. Restoring this liturgical order is a great strategy for restoring Christmas in general, as a constitutive element of Christian culture.”

Christmastide and the Latin Mass News

To keep the Christmas celebration continuing, we share or reshare a few articles about this past week’s liturgies and feast days:

Sunday is the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. The Traditional Latin Mass always honors the Holy Name with an obligatory feast day on a Sunday (most years).  What Mass are you attending Sunday?

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Feast of the Circumcision

Laudetur Iesus Christus on this the seventh day within the Octave of Christmas.  Tomorrow is the solemnity of the feast of the Circumcision, the 8th day when Christ first shed his blood, also known as the Octave Day of Christmas.  We post reflections for tomorrow’s feast day by Dr. Mike Foley, as well as Dom Prosper Gueranger:

Below is a listing of the Masses starting at midnight at some parishes. Please note that due to a last minute change, St. Ann parish will be unable to offer Confessions after the 9am Latin Mass tomorrow.  Secondly, St. Thomas will offer a blessing of religious objects after its 10am High Mass tomorrow

Saturday January 1 – feast of the Circumcision & Plenary Indulgence (see below)

  • Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro, 12 midnight High Mass (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
  • St. John the Baptist, Tryon, NC 12 midnight Latin Mass (2 hours west of Charlotte)
  • St. Ann, Charlotte – 9am Low Mass (NO CONFESSIONS AFTER MASS)
  • St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte – 10am High Mass (followed by monthly blessing of religious objects)
  • Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC, 12 noon Latin Mass (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)
  • Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC – 1:30pm Low Mass (2 hours south of Charlotte)

FYI: The midnight Masses of January 1 are on the late evening of December 31 and begin at midnight January 1.

Plenary Indulgence for December 31 & January 1

There is a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions offered on the last day and first day of the year when one takes part in the recitation of the Te Deum hymn (Friday December 31) and the Veni Creator (Saturday January 1) in a church or oratory. The former is recited in thanksgiving for the blessings the past year, and the latter is to ask for divine assistance for the coming new year. Learn more here: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/12/plenary-indulgence-reminders-te-deum-on.html (prayers are attached)

Feast of Pope St. Sylvester – December 31

Today, Friday December 31, is the second to last day of the Octave and in the liturgical calendar the Church seemingly offers an unusual choice of a saint during this important week – Pope Saint Sylvester who reigned between the years of 314-335 AD, and was one of the first Popes to not die a martyr. Why place him on the calendar within the Christmas Octave? As Dom Prosper Gueranger mentions in his book The Liturgical Year, Pope Sylvester was the “Messenger of Peace”, who transitioned the Church and society into the peaceful era after Christianity was legalized in 313 AD with the Edict of Milan. St. Sylvester symbolizes the coming of the Prince of Peace, who came into the world with His Nativity on Christmas to bring peace between God and man. Gueranger writes:

So far, the only ones we have seen standing round the Crib of our Jesus have been Martyrs: Stephen, overwhelmed with the shower of stones; John, the Martyr in heart, who survived his fiery torture; the Holy Innocents, massacred by the sword; Thomas, murdered in his cathedral; these are the champions of Christ, who keep guard in the palace of Bethlehem. Yet all Christians are not called to be Martyrs. Besides this countless battalion of the King’s favourite soldiers, there are other troops of sainted heroes which form the heavenly army; and amongst these there are the Confessors, who conquered the world without shedding their blood in the combat. Though the place of honour in the service of the King belongs to the Martyrs, yet did the Confessors fight manfully for the glory of his name and the spreading of his Kingdom. The palm is not in their hands, but they are crowned with the crown of justice, and Jesus, who gave it to them, has made it be part of his own glory that they should be near his throne.

The Church would therefore grace this glorious Christmas Octave with the name of one of her children, who should represent at Bethlehem the whole class of her unmartyred Saints. She chose a Confessor—St Sylvester: a Confessor who governed the Church of Rome, and therefore the universal Church; a Pontiff whose reign was long and peaceful; a Servant of Jesus Christ adorned with every virtue, who was sent to edify and guide the world immediately after those fearful combats that had lasted for three hundred years, in which millions of Christians had gained victory by martyrdom, under the leadership of thirty Popes—predecessors of St Sylvester—and they, too, all Martyrs.

So that Sylvester is messenger of the Peace which Christ came to give to the world, of which the Angels sang on Christmas Night. He is the friend of Constantine; he confirms the Council of Nicæa; he organizes the discipline of the Church for the new era on which she is now entering: the era of Peace. His predecessors in the See of Peter imaged Jesus in his sufferings; Sylvester represented Jesus in his triumph. His appearance during this Octave reminds us that the Divine Child who lies wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and is the object of Herod’s persecution, is, notwithstanding all these humiliations, the Prince of Peace, the Father of the world to come.[Isa. ix 6]

https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/december/december-31-st-sylvester-pope-and-confessor/

A blessed Christmas Octave and a peaceful New Year to all.

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Christmastide Update & Indulgences Friday

Laudetur Iesus Christus on this the fifth day within the Octave of Christmas and the feast of St. Thomas Beckett, bishop and martyr. We post below the Latin Mass schedule for the next few days. As a reminder, St. Ann will not have a Latin Mass today at 6pm due to the priests being away.

Thursday December 30

  • St. Thomas Aquinas will offer a special 10am High Mass (the normal 7pm Latin Mass is canceled)

Friday December 31 & Plenary Indulgence (see below)

  • St. Ann parish: CANCELLATION: The 7am Low Mass is cancelled for this day only
  • St. Mark 12:30pm Low Mass will be offered as normal

Saturday January 1 – feast of the Circumcision & Plenary Indulgence (see below)

  • Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro, 12 midnight High Mass (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
  • St. John the Baptist, Tryon, NC 12 midnight Latin Mass (2 hours west of Charlotte)
  • St. Ann, Charlotte – 9am Low Mass (followed by Confessions until 12 noon)
  • St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte – 10am High Mass (followed by monthly blessing of religious objects)
  • Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC – 1:30pm Low Mass (2 hours south of Charlotte)

FYI: The midnight Masses of January 1 are on the late evening of December 31 and begin at midnight January 1.

Wednesday January 5 – Vigil of Epiphany

  • St. Ann, Charlotte – 6:00pm Low Mass (followed by blessing of Epiphany Holy Water, a 45-minute blessing)  Note: Please only bring EMPTY water bottles/containers. The priest will bless the parish’s large water containers and laity can fill up their empty containers with the blessed water from the large fonts.

Thursday January 6 – Feast of the Epiphany

  • St. Ann, Charlotte – 6pm High Mass
  • St. Thomas Aquinas, Charlotte – 7pm High Mass
  • Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC – 6:30pm Low Mass, followed by blessing of chalk and salt (2 hours south of Charlotte), 

Plenary Indulgence for December 31 & January 1:

There is a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions offered on the last day and first day of the year when one takes part in the recitation of the Te Deum hymn (Friday December 31) and the Veni Creator (Saturday January 1) in a church or oratory. The former is recited in thanksgiving for the blessings the past year, and the latter is to ask for divine assistance for the coming new year. Learn more here: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/12/plenary-indulgence-reminders-te-deum-on.html (prayers are linked here)

Defending Conscience Rights video and recap

The Carolina Family Coalition held a Defending Conscience Rights Against Vaccine Mandates event shortly before Christmas, and they have now released the video for those unable to attend. The event was organized to help support Catholic workers stand up for their conscience rights against vaccine mandates, which violate Church teaching. Readers even may see a few Latin Mass faces among the speakers.  To view the event visit: https://www.prolifecharlotte.org/defending-conscience-rights/

Feast of St. Thomas Beckett – December 29  – Patron of the Church’s Liberty

Speaking of rights and liberties, ach year we journey through the sanctoral cycle and occasionally note a certain saint’s feast day with only a passing thought or reflection on how they achieved their sanctity or its meaning to us today (much to our detriment!).  Perhaps this could be said about St. Thomas Becket, the English archbishop of Canterbury. Beckett, whose feast day occurs during the joyful octave of Christmas certainly deserves closer attention, as the Church just commemorated the 851st anniversary of his martyrdom which occurred on December 29, 1170.

19th century Benedictine liturgist, Dom Prosper Gueranger notes about Beckett:

This glorious Martyr did not shed his blood for the faith; he was not dragged before the tribunals of Pagans or Heretics, there to confess the Truths revealed by Christ and taught by the Church. He was slain by Christian hands; it was a Catholic King that condemned him to death; it was by the majority of his own Brethren, and they his countrymen, that he was abandoned and blamed. How, then, could he be a Martyr? How did he gain a Palm like Stephen’s? He was the Martyr for the Liberty of the Church. (Emphasis added.)

Gueranger continues:

To Kings and Rulers and, in general, to all Diplomatists and Politicians, there are few expressions so unwelcome as this of the Liberty of the Church; with them, it means a sort of conspiracy. The world talks of it as being an unfortunate scandal, originating in priestly ambition. Timid temporizing Catholics regret that it can elicit anyone’s zeal, and will endeavor to persuade us that we have no need to fear anything, so long as our Faith is not attacked. Notwithstanding all this, the Church has put upon her altars and associated with St. Stephen, St. John, and the Holy Innocents, this our Archbishop, who was slain in his Cathedral of Canterbury, in the 12th century, because he resisted a King’s infringements on the extrinsic Rights of the Church. She sanctions the noble maxim of St. Anselm, one of St. Thomas’ predecessors in the See of Canterbury: Nothing does God love so much in this world, as the Liberty of his Church; and the Apostolic See declares by the mouth of Pius the 8th, in the 19th century, the very same doctrine she would have taught by St. Gregory the 7th, in the 11th century: The Church, the spotless Spouse of Jesus Christ the immaculate Lamb is, by God’s appointment, Free, and subject to no earthly power (Litterae Apostolicae ad Episcopos Provinciae Rhenance, 1830).(Emphasis added.)

https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/december/december-29-st-thomas-archbishop-of-canterbury-and-martyr/ (the entire entry is worth reading)

What Gueranger is emphasizing is how much Our Lord Jesus Christ, through His Church’s liturgical calendar, values the liberty of His Catholic Church in the public realm. In fact, so much is it valued that in the Church’s wisdom, the patron saint of Church liberty is placed near St. Stephen and St. John, just days after the Nativity. That’s a pretty big emphasis – and something to contemplate as the secular world continues to encroach on the Church’s freedoms, especially under the guise of a delusional “pandemic”. May the Catholics abroad who find their churches temporarily closed this Christmas thanks to the unjust COVID-19 protocols call upon this great saint before these churches remain closed permanently.

St. Thomas Beckett, pray for us!