Laudetur Iesus Christus!

This week is Advent Ember Week – The Ember Days are when the Church traditionally devoted three days (Wednesday, Friday & Saturday) each season to prayer and fasting (now optional) to give thanks to God for His creation and for graces in the season ahead.  The Traditional Latin Mass calendar has many feasts and customs devoted to the land, agriculture and creation which are worth exploring sometime. As custom, we post an excellent summary by Fisheaters.com: https://www.fisheaters.com/customsadvent11.html

Liturgy & Fraternity is cancelled: Since this week is Emberweek, the 3^rd Wednesday Liturgy & Fraternity is cancelled.

Emberweek Masses in Charlotte:

• Wednesday: St. Ann parish, 6pm (Low) & St. Thomas Aquinas parish, 7pm (High)
• Friday: St. Ann parish, 7am (Low) & St. Mark 12:30pm (Low)
• Saturday: None scheduled in Charlotte metro

Confessions this week at St. Vincent de Paul parish (Charlotte): Since many of Latin Mass attendees attend Confession frequently, you may be interested to know St. Vincent De Paul parish is having Confessions from 4-7pm every day this week (Dec. 16-20^th). Thursday will be from 4-9pm. Website: https://www.stvincentdepaulchurch.com/

Annual blessing of religious objects this Sunday December 22 after 12:30pm Latin Mass: Just a reminder, this Sunday Fr. Reid will bless religious objects after the 12:30pm Sunday Latin Mass at St. Ann. This includes, statues, rosaries, sacred images, and other religious articles.

Blessing Instructions (IMPORTANT): Items must be placed on the blessing table in the narthex before Mass begins. Items in boxes or wrap, must be uncovered and opened so Father can see the items to be blessed. The blessings will begin immediately after Mass, which means items  should be at the table prior to Mass starting. Please also offer a few extra prayers for Father for his taking the time for this event.

New Christmastide Mass updates: Here are the newest additions to the Christmastide Latin Mass schedule. For the entire Christmastide schedule visit our webpage at: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

• Christmas: St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, Boone, NC: Christmas Midnight Latin Mass, (Solemn High) – St. Elizabeth is 2 hours northwest of Charlotte
• Christmas: Our Lady of Grace parish, Greensboro: 11:00 AM Christmas Day (High) – Our Lady of Grace is 90 minutes north of Charlotte

• Feast of St. John (Blessing of Wine): St. Mark parish, Friday December 27, 12:30pm Latin Mass (Low). Bring your bottles of wine to be blessed immediately after Mass.

• Feast of the Circumcision (January 1): Our Lady of Grace parish, Greensboro: Midnight January 1 (High) – Our Lady of Grace is 90 minutes north of Charlotte
• Feast of the Circumcision (January 1): St. Thomas Aquinas parish, 7pm (High)

• Epiphany Holy Water, chalk & salt blessing (January 5): After 12:30pm Sunday Mass, January 5, St. Ann parish. (Note: Epiphany Water is customarily blessed on the Vigil of Epiphany, January 5). Please bring any water, chalk and salt you will like to have blessed. More details in the weeks ahead. St. Ann will hold a special 6pm Low Mass on Monday January 6.

These are just the new Latin Masses announced in the last week. Please see the entire schedule posted here: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

Lastly, St. Ann is organizing their annual Christmas cleaning in the church this Saturday December 21 from 8:00AM to noon this Saturday.  Refreshments will be provided.

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Happy feast of St. Lucy, the virgin and martyr who, due to her eyes being removed during torture, is the patron saint of eye ailments. Tonight, if you can somehow get above the cloud deck (if you’re flying), is also the beginning of the Geminids meteor shower which occur on her feast day (Lucy meaning Light).  It also marks the 4 year anniversary of the CLMC’s Sunday coffee celebrations, which we kicked off on this date in 2015. You can learn more about this saint here:  https://www.fisheaters.com/customsadvent6a.html

Rorate Mass tomorrow morning: Just a reminder that St. Ann will offer their annual Rorate Mass tomorrow Saturday December 14 at 6:30 AM – a beautiful candlelight Advent Latin Mass at dawn.  Next Saturday December 21 Holy Cross parish in Kernersville (near Winston-Salem) will offer the last Rorate Mass of the season, with a Solemn High Mass.

Christmas Midnight Mass update:  We are pleased to report that a 3^rd parish in the diocese will be offering a Midnight Christmas Traditional Latin Mass – St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country in Boone, which will be a Solemn High Mass. St. Ann parish and St. John the Baptist in Tryon are also offering Midnight Latin Masses. Sacred Heart in Salisbury is offering a 12:30pm Latin Mass (The Mass of Christmas Day).

You can see the latest schedule updates for Advent and Christmas here: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

Weekend reading – Reviving Religious Life in Britain: Lastly, if you have time this weekend, we wholeheartedly recommend an inspiring article by Fr Armand de Malleray, FSSP, a Latin Mass priest in the U.K. who wrote on the need to revive religious life in Britain – specifically according to the Traditional Rite.  While it’s about the United Kingdom, there is no reason why his ideas cannot be applied to the U.S. and specifically our diocese. Please also pray for our diocese – the Carolinas are lacking in religious life – particularly cloistered orders, monasteries – especially ones that are exclusively Latin Mass based.  As John Senior wrote, monastic life is critical to restoring Christian culture.  Fr. de Malleray’s article can be read here:

https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2019/11/reviving-religious-life-in-britain-and.html

Sensus Fidelium also has a sermon based on the article: https://youtu.be/N8hdrD5fSPM

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Thanks to everyone who attended the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday – it was a beautiful way to honor Our Lady on our nation’s patronal feast day.

Here are some schedule updates this week:

Seminary 7am Wednesday Latin Masses are on Christmas hiatus:  The 7am Wednesday Latin Mass offered by the Seminary priests at St. Ann are canceled beginning this week until January 15 due to the Christmas break.

Rorate Mass at St. Ann this Saturday 6:30 AM: Some of you may have attended the Rorate Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas, or at St. John the Baptist in Tryon this past weekend. This week we have another opportunity as St. Ann will host their annual Rorate Mass at 6:30 AM. If you haven’t attended one before – you will want to attend. It’s a candlelight Mass at dawn that symbolizes the coming of the Light of the World, Christ in the Incarnation, while honoring the purity of His Blessed Mother. To learn more please visit:
http://catholicnewsherald.com/90-news/local/3888-rorate-mass-held-in-charlotte

Here are the remaining Rorate Masses:

• Friday December 13: St. Elizabeth in Boone, 6:30 AM (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
• Saturday December 14: St. Ann in Charlotte, 6:30 AM
• Saturday December 21: Holy Cross, Kernersville, NC 6:00 AM (2 hours north of Charlotte)

Annual Blessing of Religious Objects & Gifts – Sunday December 22^nd (after St. Ann 12:30pm Latin Mass): We are pleased to share that Fr. Reid has graciously agreed to bless your religious items and gifts after the 12:30pm Mass on Sunday December 22^nd. As you may recall, in years past we were able to host a blessing right before Christmas, and are picking up this tradition again (God willing). We will provide instructions next week but all items should be in the narthex prior to Mass as Fr. will bless them immediately afterwards.

Full Advent/Christmas schedule: Please visit our website for the full Christmastide schedule: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Just a reminder that this Saturday is the 2^nd meeting for Juventutem Charlotte, the new young adults group centered around the Traditional Latin Mass.  We also have some additional news & updates.

Next Juventutem Young Adult event – this Saturday December 7: Juventutem Charlotte, the new city-wide young adults group (18-35) centered on the Traditional Latin Mass, is hosting a special Advent reflection Saturday, December 7. It begins with 10am Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church (1400 Suther Road, Charlotte), followed by a special Advent reflection given by Father Matthew Bean at 11:30 am in the Parish Center – Classroom B. For questions or to join their e-mail list, please contact Angela Kessler at JuventutemCLT@gmail.com  or find them on Facebook at: facebook.com/JuventutemCLT

Tomorrow December 6 – voluntary day of fasting & prayer for the Church: A group of exorcists are calling for tomorrow December 6 to be a voluntary day of prayer, fasting, and penance for the problems in the Church (to put it mildly).  They are asking for are asking all Catholics to do the following for this intention:

1.) say the Rosary;

2.) take on some form of penance, such as fasting, abstinence and other forms of mortification;

3.) to offer the prayers to the Sacred Heart, as seen below.

“Other recommended acts which we encourage others to do for this intention is make a Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament and attend Mass that day, offering the merits of the Mass for this intention.”  To learn more see this article: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/breedail/four-exorcists-urge-day-of-fasting-prayer-and-reparation-dec.-6

We have attached the prayers or you can download them at our website:
https://charlottelatinmass.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/act-of-consecration-of-the-human-race-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus.pdf

Rorate Mass update: Lastly, we also have learned Holy Cross parish in Kernersville (near Winston-Salem, 2 hours north of Charlotte) will offer a Solemn High Rorate Mass at 6:00 AM on Saturday December 21.  Please see our updated Advent-Christmastide schedule for the latest updates: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

Annual Blessing of Religious Objects & Gifts – Sunday December 22^nd (after St. Ann 12:30pm Latin Mass): More details next week but we are pleased to share that Fr. Reid has graciously agreed to bless your religious items and Christmas gifts after the 12:30pm Mass on Sunday December 22^nd. As you may recall, in years past we were able to host a blessing right before Christmas, and are picking up this tradition again.

And lastly, just a reminder about the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Sunday. It’s only offered at a Traditional Latin Mass: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2019/12/03/advent-christmas-schedule/

Dear Friends of the Charlotte Latin Mass Community,

Laudetur Iesus Christus! As we enter into the penitential season of Advent where we await Our Savior’s coming, we have several updates to share especially the Advent-Christmas schedule. However we also need to make an important announcement about this Sunday’s Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Sunday December 8 – The Feast of the Immaculate Conception:   IMPORTANT NOTE: For those who may be undecided on attending the Traditional Latin Mass, this coming Sunday may be just the invitation for which you were waiting.

This year, December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, falls on the Second Sunday of Advent.  For those attending the Novus Ordo Mass this Sunday, you will miss out on this wonderful Feast to our Blessed Mother.  The Novus Ordo Missal transfers the Feast to the follow day, but without any obligation to attend Mass.

However, the Missal of the Extraordinary Form Mass, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception “out ranks” the Second Sunday of Advent.  As such, if you want to celebrate this high feast to our Blessed Mother on Sunday (on the actual Feast), the only way to do so is to attend the Traditional Latin Mass.

If you have a devotion to Our Lady, you can do no better than to honor Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception (and our nation’s feast day) by attending the Traditional Latin Mass at St. Ann this Sunday 12:30pm (or other locations where offered).  If you haven’t been to a Sunday Latin Mass recently – this would be the Sunday to do it.

To learn more please see this article by Gregory DiPippo: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2019/11/a-reminder-about-date-of-immaculate.html#.XeXNcq97nwc

Next Juventutem Young Adult event – this Saturday December 7: Juventutem Charlotte the new city-wide young adults group (18-35) centered on the Traditional Latin Mass is hosting a special Advent reflection Saturday, December 7. It begins with 10am Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church (1400 Suther Road, Charlotte), followed by a special Advent reflection given by Father Matthew Bean at 11:30 am in the Parish Center – Classroom B. For questions or to join their e-mail list, please contact Angela Kessler at JuventutemCLT(at)gmail.com  or find them on Facebook at: facebook.com/JuventutemCLT

Rorate Masses, Advent Schedule and Christmas schedule: With Advent underway, we are pleased to post the Advent and Christmastide schedule.

This Saturday will offer 2 Rorate Masses in the region, one at St. Thomas in Charlotte, and the other at St. John the Baptist in Tryon. If you haven’t been, a Rorate Mass is a beautiful candlelight Latin Mass at dawn rich with symbolism of Our Lady, and the coming of Christ at His nativity.

Rorate Mass (Candlelight Latin Mass at Dawn):

• St. Thomas parish, Saturday December 7, 6:00 AM (High Mass?)*
  (*St. Thomas will also still offer their 10 AM 1st Saturday Latin Mass on Dec. 7)
• St. John the Baptist parish, Tryon, NC, December 7, 5:30 AM (Solemn High Mass) (Tryon is 2 hours west of Charlotte)
• St. Ann parish, Saturday December 14, 6:30 AM (High Mass)
• Holy Cross parish, Kernersville, NC, December 21, 6:00 AM (High Mass), Kernersville is located 2 hours north of Charlotte between Greensboro/Winston-Salem)

Feast of the Nativity December 25:

• St. Ann parish, Midnight (Solemn High Mass)
• St. John the Baptist parish, Tryon, NC Midnight, (High) (Tryon is 2 hours west of Charlotte)
• Sacred Heart parish, Salisbury, 12:30pm (Low Mass)

Feast of the Circumcision (Octave of the Nativity) Wednesday January 1:

• St. Ann parish, 9am (Low Mass)

Feast of the Epiphany Monday January 6:

• St. Ann parish, 6pm (High Mass)

Please see our Mass Times webpage for the latest Advent/Christmas schedule updates: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

Lastly, if you are looking for a good Advent meditation, Sensus Fidelium has posted St. Alphonsus Liguori’s excellent meditations for each day of Advent:  https://sensusfidelium.us/meditations/st-alphonsus/meditations-for-every-day-of-advent/

This Sunday December 1st, there will be a 1st Sunday Traditional Latin Mass (Low) at 4pm at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury, NC (1 hour north of Charlotte). Please see note by the Salisbury Latin Mass Community:

Salvete in Christo!

The Rev. Robert Ferguson, (F.S.S.P.  S.T.L.) will say a Low Mass, December 1st.

After Mass Social

You are invited to join us for our social shortly after Mass in Brincefield Hall.  Your favorite hors d’oeuvres or left-overs from Thanksgiving will be most welcome for sharing with others.

Fr. Ferguson is the Dean of Men for Theologians and professor of Moral Theology and Pastoral Theology at Our Lady of Guadaloupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska.

Laudetur Iesus Christus!

UPDATE – Special Thanksgiving TLM: St. John the Baptist parish in Tryon, NC (2 hours west of Charlotte) will have a High Mass on Thanksgiving Day November 28 at 8:30am.

CANCELLATIONS: We have a few cancellations due to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend:

St. Michael parish, Gastonia: The Thursday November 28 8:15am Latin Mass is canceled.

St. Ann parish: The Wednesday November 27 and Friday November 29 7am Latin Masses are canceled. (There will still be a 6pm Latin Mass at St. Ann on Wednesday November 27)

St. Thomas Aquinas parish: The Wednesday 7pm Latin Mass is canceled.

Laudetur Iesus Christus! We are pleased to report that for the Feast of St. Cecilia, tomorrow November 22nd, St. Mark parish will offer a special High Mass at 12:30pm (normally it’s a Low Mass). St. Mark parish is located at:

14740 Stumptown Road

Huntersville, NC 28078

Laudetur Iesus Christus! We have several update to share with you this week:

Liturgy & Fraternity canceled today: The 3^rd Wednesday Liturgy & Fraternity men’s gathering after 6pm Latin Mass is canceled for today.

Respect Life Latin Mass this Saturday November 23: St. Ann parish will offer its 4^th Saturday Respect Life Latin Mass at 8:00am Saturday November 23^rd. After Mass Father will lead prayers at the Planned Parenthood facility (700 S. Torrence Drive, Charlotte). Those who are unable to travel to the site, can stay and offer a Holy Hour in the church.

Evolution and the Culture of Death talks now available online: The Evolution & the Culture of Death seminar was huge success – thanks to everyone who attended. The talks are now available online at: https://sensusfidelium.us/evolution-the-culture-of-death-unmasking-the-roots-of-todays-abortion-movement/  The Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation also has some excellent resources and books on their website & store – we encourage you to take a look: http://kolbecenter.org/

SAVE THE DATE: Juventutem Young Adult event – Saturday December 7: Juventutem Charlotte the new city-wide young adults group (18-35) centered on the Traditional Latin Mass is hosting a special Advent reflection Saturday, December 7. It begins with 10am Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church (1400 Suther Road, Charlotte), followed by a special Advent reflection given by Father Matthew Bean at 11:30 am in the Parish Center – Classroom B. For questions or to join their e-mail list, please contact Angela Kessler at JuventutemCLT(at)gmail.com  or find them on Facebook at: facebook.com/JuventutemCLT

Laudetur Iesus Christus! We have two items to share today – the first is a scheduling note:

This Thursday’s Latin Mass at St. Michael parish in Gastonia is rescheduled for Friday November 8 at 8:15 am – for this week only. The normal Thursday November 7 Mass will be Novus Ordo.

Evolution & Culture of Death seminar – November 15 & 16

Secondly, next weekend (November 15 & 16) is the important pro-life seminar at St. Mark parish entitled, Evolution & the Culture of Death: Unmasking the Roots of Today’s Abortion Movement. The seminar will examine how the theory of evolution and Darwinism laid the groundwork for (and still influences) Planned Parenthood, and other advocates of abortion, birth control, sterilization, euthanasia and eugenics.  It will also present the Church’s teaching on creation and show how by learning about creation, we can help restore a culture of life.

The presentation will be of interest to all Catholics, but particularly Latin Mass families as it will present the Church’s traditional teaching on creation and the origins of man, as taught by Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. It will also show how cutting edge science is confirming what both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have taught. Much of the Traditional Latin Mass, its calendar, traditions, and Douay Rheims Bible translations beautifully present the traditional doctrine of creation from the Ember Days, Rogation Days, to the ancient (Pre-55) Easter Vigil.  The Eastern Rite liturgies and traditions also richly present this doctrine. We hope you can attend.

Friday November 15, 6pm Mass (St. Mark School chapel)

Seminar 7-9pm Kerin Center

(*not sure if the 6pm Mass will be Latin or Novus Ordo – stay tuned)

Saturday November 16, 9am Novus Ordo Mass (Church)

Seminar 10-4pm, Kerin Center

Open to ages 12 and above. Different talks each day.

St. Mark parish is located at 14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville, NC

No cost. An RSVP is appreciated but not required (RSVP to Mike FitzGerald at respect.life(at)stmarknc.org.

Snacks will be provided Friday evening; Saturday will feature breakfast items & coffee and a pizza lunch.

The speakers will be Hugh Owen and Pamela Acker with the Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation and is co-sponsored by St. Mark Respect Life Ministry and the Carolina Pro-Life Action Network (C-PLAN).  The CLMC will also be supporting the event.

The Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation is a Catholic apostolate founded in 2000 to educate the public, especially Catholics on creation and the origins of man. Its work has been endorsed among many including, Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Kazakhstan (who visited us at St. Ann in 2017), and exorcist/theologian Fr. Chad Ripperger.

To learn more about the event see attached flyer and visit: www.prolifecharlotte.org/kolbe