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7am St. Ann Latin Mass cancelled tomorrow Friday March 18

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Tomorrow’s 7am Low Mass at St. Ann is canceled as Fr. Jones remains under the weather and Fr. Reid is away (please pray for both of them). For alternatives, St. Mark offers a 12:30pm Low Mass each Friday.

Looking ahead to Saturday March 19, the feast of St. Joseph, we post the updated listing of St. Joseph Latin Masses in the region.

Latin Masses for the Feast of St. Joseph (Saturday March 19)

8am – Prince of Peace parish, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)

9am – St. Margaret Mary parish, Swannanoa, NC (2 hours northwest of Charlotte) – this will be a High Mass

10am – Our Lady of the Lake parish, Chapin, SC (1.75 hours south of Charlotte) (Home of our friends with the Columbia Traditional Latin Mass Supporters)

2pm – St. Elizabeth in the Hill Country parish, Boone, NC (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)

Regretfully, at this time, there are no diocesan Latin Masses scheduled in the Charlotte area on Saturday.  This is most unusual. Please offer a prayer to St. Joseph that a Latin Mass can be scheduled.

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Feast of St. Joseph & Consecration of Russia

Laudetur Iesus Christus! This coming Saturday is the Solemnity of St. Joseph, which honors the foster father of our Blessed Lord.

Latin Masses for the Feast of St. Joseph (Saturday March 19)

Regretfully, there will not be any diocesan Latin Masses in the Charlotte area on Saturday. The nearest Latin Masses will be at these parishes:

On occasion of this first class solemnity, as Fr. Reid noted in the St. Ann bulletin, Lenten penances are relaxed on this day. To learn about the feast day visit these links:  

Novena for the Consecration of Russia (begins today March 16 – 24)

As many have heard, Pope Francis has agreed to consecrate Russia (and Ukraine) to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at 12 noon Eastern on Friday March 25, the feast of the Annunciation.  This came at the request of the Ukrainian bishops who requested it be done as Our Lady of Fatima requested.  Understandably, there may be spiritual obstacles thrown up to prevent the Holy Father in offering the consecration, and properly.  Bishop Athanasius Schneider (whom visited the CLMC and St. Ann in 2017), penned a daily prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, imploring her to assist in obtaining the graces for Pope Francis to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. If we may suggest, readers may consider praying this prayer for 9 days, beginning today Wednesday  March 16, and concluding Thursday March 24, the feast of St. Gabriel, the day prior to the Annunciation.  The prayer is as followed:

Prayer for the Holy Father to Consecrate Russia

O Immaculate Heart of Mary, you are the holy Mother of God and our tender Mother. Look upon the distress in which the Church and the whole of humanity are living because of the spread of materialism and the persecution of the Church. In Fatima, you warned against these errors, as you spoke about the errors of Russia. You are the Mediatrix of all graces. Implore your Divine Son to grant this special grace for the Pope: that he might consecrate Russia to your Immaculate Heart, so that Russia will be converted, a period of peace will be granted to the world, and your Immaculate Heart will triumph, through an authentic renewal of the Church in the splendor of the purity of the Catholic Faith, of the sacredness of Divine worship and of the holiness of the Christian life. O Queen of the Holy Rosary and our sweet Mother, turn your merciful eyes to us and graciously hear this our trusting prayer. Amen.

+ Athanasius Schneider, Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana

One can also find it on Bishop Schneider’s Confraternity of Fatima website (which we encourage all to join in): https://www.livefatima.io/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/PrayerCard_09.pdf

This sermon posted by Sensus Fidelium has many reasons why the consecration needs to happen now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDhvQuHRISU

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Second Sunday of Lent (Daylight Savings Time)

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the Second Sunday of Lent, and as custom we provide Dr. Mike Foley’s commentary on the Collect during Mass: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/02/the-transformative-collect-of-second.html

Daylight Savings Time: Reminder that today Sunday March 13 begins Daylight Savings Time. Please set your clocks ahead 1 hour.

Six Sundays to Restore the Triduum

This Lent, in order to pray and sacrifice to help restore the canceled Latin Triduum, we are encourage all CLMC readers who are not currently attending the Sunday Latin Mass regularly, to consider making the sacrifice and join us each Sunday during Lent and pray for the Triduum’s restoration.  The attached flyer lists all of the diocesan Latin Masses in the Diocese of Charlotte.  Relatedly, the priests at St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas parishes (and others) are also praying a Memorare after the Latin Mass on certain days for the protection of the Latin Mass: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2022/03/01/six-sundays-to-restore-the-latin-triduum/

Juventutem Young Adults Event – Saturday March 26, 6pm

Juventutem, the young adults group centered around the Traditional Latin Mass is organizing traditional Latin Vespers at 6pm and afterwards a talk on iconography at the Cathedral on Saturday March 26 at 6:30pm (Cathedral Youth Room). Vespers will be prayed at 6pm near the Marion Grotto behind the school (on the backside of the parish). Please see announcement below. For questions or more info visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/JuventutemCLT  

At 6pm we will gather at the Marian grotto behind St. Patrick’s School to pray Vespers in Latin. Following prayer, we will walk over to the Youth Room at 6:30pm for a talk on iconography by guest speaker, Rachel Willoughby. Learn about this Sacred Christian art form full of complex layers, symbolism, and meaning! There is also the potential for a future offering of a multi-session icon painting workshop.

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

Each Monday from 2-3pm, St. Mark parish’s Holy Face apostolate offers prayers of reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus.  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.  Attend as your schedule permits.

Note of Thanks: We thank everyone who joined us in praying our annual novena to St. Gregory the Great. We close our e-mail below with more on this great Apostle of the Liturgy.

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Pray for the canonization of Ignatius Cardinal Kung – March 12: During the Cold War, there were two high ranking prelates imprisoned by communists on opposite ends of the earth for practicing their Catholic faith. In the west, it was Servant of God, Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty of Hungary (who later escaped to the U.S. Embassy in Budapest, and then was later exiled to Austria until his death in 1975).  In the east, it was Cardinal Ignatius Kung, the first bishop of Shanghai who stood strong for papal authority, and for it, spent the better part of 30 years in prison (1955-1985). His Eminence was exiled to Connecticut in the 1980s where he offered the Traditional Latin Mass occasionally until his death on March 12, 2000.  On this weekend which marks the 22nd anniversary of his death, please consider offering prayers for his canonization as he could be a powerful intercessor against Chinese Communism. The Cardinal Kung Foundation is also a worthy group to give alms to and allow people to request Masses be offered by underground priests in China: http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/
  • Ember Days in the Post-Vatican II Liturgical Reforms: An Accidental Elimination?: Last week we commemorated the Ember Days, the quarterly set of Masses and penance set aside to thank God for His creation and to ask for graces for the upcoming season. Rorate Caeli has a helpful post explaining how the Ember Days were tragically removed from the Vatican II Mass: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/03/ember-days-in-post-vatican-ii.html
  • The Sacrificial Nature of the Mass in the Usus Antiquior: Our friend, Dr. Peter Kwasniewski pens a great “back to basics” article on why the Traditional Latin Mass is sacrificial in nature (as compared to the Novus Ordo which is often likened to a meal at a table). Dr. Kwasniewski explains why the Traditional Latin Mass best brings out the sacrificial nature of the Mass, which is a representation of the Sacrifice on Calvary: https://onepeterfive.com/the-sacrificial-nature-of-the-mass-in-the-usus-antiquior/
  • Liturgical Arts Journal: Sisters of Mercy Chapel in Belmont, North Carolina: A few months ago, we shared an article by local writer John Paul Sonnen on the tragic “renovation” of Belmont Abbey’s Basilica in the 1960s. While that interior was lost, there is another chapel just down the road from the Abbey which to this date has survived the 1960s. It’s the Sisters of Mercy chapel built in 1899, which is housed in the old Sacred Heart Academy/College campus: https://www.liturgicalartsjournal.com/2022/03/sisters-of-mercy-chapel-in-belmont.html

The Apostle of the Liturgy: St. Gregory the Great – March 12 by Dom Prosper Gueranger

The patron saint of the CLMC is St. Gregory the Great, whose feast day was Saturday March 12. It is fitting to close with some of Gueranger’s reflections from his book, The Liturgical Year:

Among all the Pastors whom our Lord Jesus Christ has placed as his Vice-regents over the universal Church, there is not one whose merits and renown have surpassed those of the holy Pope whose feast we keep today. His name is Gregory, which signifies watchfulness; his surname is the Great, and he was in possession of that title when God sent the Seventh Gregory, the glorious Hildebrand, to govern his Church.

In recounting the glorious of this illustrious Pontiff, it is but natural we should begin with his zeal for the Services of the Church. The Roman Liturgy, which owes to him some of its finest Hymns, may be considered as his work, at least in this sense, that it was he who collected together and classified the prayers and rites drawn up by his predecessors, and reduced to the form in which we now have them. He collected also the ancient chants of the Church and arranged them in accordance with the rules and requirements of the Divine Service. Hence it is that our sacred music is called the Gregorian Chant, which gives such solemnity to the Liturgy and inspires the soul with respect and devotion during the celebration of the great Mysteries of our Faith.

He is, then, the Apostle of the Liturgy, and this alone would have immortalized his name; but we must look for far greater things from such a Pontiff as Gregory. His name was added to the three who had hitherto been honored as the great Doctors of the Latin Church. These three were Ambrose, Augustine, and Jerome; who else could be the fourth but Gregory? The Church found in his Writings such evidence of his having been guided by the Holy Ghost—such a knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures, such a clear appreciation of the Mysteries of Faith, and such unction and authority in his teachings that she gladly welcomed him as a new guide for her children.

The Traditional Latin Mass and the Gregorian Chant that accompanies it was safeguarded and organically developed by many saints who were guided by the Holy Spirit, most notably St. Gregory the Great. It was not hastily manufactured by men on some napkin in a Roman restaurant in the 1960s. What Mass are you attending Sunday?

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Lenten Ember Days Begin Tomorrow March 9

Laudetur Iesus Christus! This Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are the Lenten Ember Days – when the traditional Church sets aside 3 days each season for prayer, fasting and partial abstinence (the later now voluntary) to thank God for his gifts of creation and to use them in moderation. It’s a good time to also pray for sanctity for the upcoming season. A brief description is provided by Dom Prosper Gueranger writing for tomorrow, Ember Wednesday in Lent:

The fast of today is prescribed by a double law: it is Lent, and it is Ember Wednesday. It is the same with the Friday and Saturday of this week. There are two principal objects for the Ember days of this period of the year: the first is to offer up to God the Season of Spring, and by fasting and prayer, to draw down his blessing upon it; the second is to ask him to enrich with his choicest graces the Priests and Sacred Ministers who are to receive their Ordination on Saturday.  

CLMC note: In prior ages, priestly ordinations would occur on Ember Saturday

Ember Week Masses:

  • Wednesday March 9: St. Ann, 6pm (Low) – fasting & partial abstinence (meat at only principal meal)
  • Friday March 11: St. Ann 7am (Low) & St. Mark, 12:30pm (Low) – fasting & complete abstinence (no meat being Friday)
  • Saturday March 12: None scheduled diocesan parishes in/near Charlotte, sadly – fasting & partial abstinence (meat at only principal meal)

    If you’re unfamiliar with the Ember Days in the Latin Mass calendar, please visit Fisheaters.com to learn more: https://www.fisheaters.com/emberdays.html and https://www.fisheaters.com/customslent3.html
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First Sunday of Lent

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the first Sunday of Lent, and as custom, we provide Dr. Mike Foley’s commentary on the prayers at Mass: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/02/fasting-and-orations-of-first-sunday-of.html

Looking ahead here are the Latin Mass updates this weekend:

Six Sundays to Restore the Triduum

This Lent, in order to pray and sacrifice to help restore the canceled Latin Triduum, we are encourage all CLMC readers who are not currently attending the Sunday Latin Mass regularly, to consider making the sacrifice and join us each Sunday during Lent and pray for the Triduum’s restoration.  The attached flyer lists all of the diocesan Latin Masses in the Diocese of Charlotte.  Relatedly, the priests at St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas parishes (and others) will also be praying a Memorare after the Latin Mass on certain days for the protection of the Latin Mass: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2022/03/01/six-sundays-to-restore-the-latin-triduum/

1st Sunday Latin Mass in Salisbury

This Sunday there will be a 4pm Latin Mass at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury (45 minutes north of Charlotte), offered by Fr. Noah Carter. After Mass there will be fellowship and food in Brincefield Hall. To learn more visit the Salisbury Latin Mass Community: http://salisburylmc.org/

Juventutem Young Adults Event – Saturday March 26, 6pm

Juventutem, the young adults group centered around the Traditional Latin Mass is organizing traditional Latin Vespers at 6pm and afterwards a talk on iconography at the Cathedral on Saturday March 26 at 6:30pm (Cathedral Youth Room). Vespers will be prayed at 6pm near the Marion Grotto behind the school (on the backside of the parish). Please see announcement below.

At 6pm we will gather at the Marian grotto behind St. Patrick’s School to pray Vespers in Latin. Following prayer, we will walk over to the Youth Room at 6:30pm for a talk on iconography by guest speaker, Rachel Willoughby. Learn about this Sacred Christian art form full of complex layers, symbolism, and meaning! There is also the potential for a future offering of a multi-session icon painting workshop. 

For questions or more info visit their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/JuventutemCLT

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Catholics Act Locally & Think Locally: In the wake of this corporate “cancel” culture and mandates, this sermon explores the importance of Catholics needing to support each other locally: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wwv-g7–s0
  • Bishops ask Pope Francis to consecrate Ukraine and Russia to Immaculate Heart of Mary: In a miraculous turn of events, the Ukrainian bishops have formally written to Pope Francis asking him to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary as requested by Our Lady of Fatima. As many followers of the Fatima apparitions know, Our Lady had requested in 1929 that the Pope consecrate Russia to her Immaculate Heart and doing so would usher in an era of peace, known as the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart. Since 1929 when this request was made, it has not been done.  Some claim that Pope St. John Paul II did it in March 1984, but he did not mention Russia by name. The fact remains the era of peace promised by Our Lady after the consecration has certainly not occurred – particularly for those living in Ukraine, not to mention other global “hot spots”. Recently both Cardinal Burke, and Bishop Athanasius Schneider have also called for the consecration to be done: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2022/03/02/bishops-ask-pope-francis-to-consecrate-ukraine-and-russia-to-immaculate-heart-of-mary/
  • Confraternity of Our Lady of Fatima: As a reminder, one year ago, a new confraternity formed which is dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima, and praying daily for the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart. The group is endorsed by Bishop Schneider. This is great way to unite one’s self to the Ukrainian bishops’ request for the consecration: https://www.livefatima.io

Lent: All Is Changed

As the holy season of Lent begins, we close with the opening words of Dom Prosper Gueranger’s reflection for Ash Wednesday in The Liturgical Year, give us a reminder of the importance of this season:

Yesterday the world was busy in its pleasures, and the very children of God were taking a joyous farewell to mirth: but this morning, all is changed. The solemn announcement, spoken of by the prophet, has been proclaimed in Sion: the solemn fast of Lent, the season of expiation, the approach of the great anniversaries of our Redemption. Let us, then, rouse ourselves, and prepare for the spiritual combat.

But in this battling of the spirit against the flesh we need good armor. Our holy mother the Church knows how much we need it; and therefore does she summon us to enter into the house of God, that she may arm us for the holy contest. What this armor is we know from St. Paul, who thus describes it: Have your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of justice, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. In all things, taking the shield of faith. Take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The very prince of the apostles, too addresses these solemn words to us: Christ having suffered in the flesh, be ye also armed with the same thought. We are entering today upon a long campaign of warfare spoken of by the apostles: forty days of battle, forty days of penance. We shall not turn cowards, if our souls can but be impressed with the conviction that the battle and the penance must be gone through…

To read more visit Sensus Fidelium: https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/season-of-septuagesima/ash-wednesday/

Lastly, as noted on Thursday, March 3rd marked the 9 year anniversary of the first Sunday Latin Mass at St. Ann parish. We attach an image of that first Mass (and a much younger Fr. Reid!). Please keep him in your Mass intentions this Sunday.

The Traditional Latin Mass, with its pre-Lent season of Septuagesima prepared the faithful for the 40 days of Lenten fasting, prayer and almsgiving now upon us.  What Mass are you attending Sunday?

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Six Sundays to Restore the Latin Triduum

Laudetur Iesus Christus and blessed feast of the Holy Face of Jesus!

Many have already heard the shocking and disappointing news that was announced from the pulpit at St. Thomas Aquinas that the traditional Latin Easter Triduum, which has been celebrated for our community since 2017 has been cancelled this year by Bishop Peter Jugis.  While we all have been saddened by this decision the news was especially heartbreaking for those catechumens who were looking forward to entering the Church at the Latin Easter Vigil Mass.

In response, CLMC has respectfully written to His Excellency, Bishop Jugis, explaining the spiritual harm that cancelling the Triduum brings to our community and imploring him to reconsider.  We have read through the public documents from Rome and are not aware of any document or decree that requires such a cancellation.

A respected priest of the diocese advised our community that while we wait for the Bishop to consider our letter, we need to sacrifice and pray for this intention.  With Lent starting tomorrow, we have six Sundays that remain between now and Holy Week and there is no better sacrifice and prayer than that of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, for Christ alone can glorify God as He deserves. 

We invite you to attend the Traditional Latin Mass on Sundays during Lent and offer your Mass intention for Bishop Jugis to restore the Traditional Easter Triduum.  While attendance at the Sunday Latin Masses recently has been surging, we know that for some families, the time or distance is difficult.   If you’re not attending Sunday Latin Mass regularly, please consider making this added sacrifice during Lent and join us at the Sunday Latin Mass nearest to you.  The below image lists all of the diocesan Latin Masses in the Diocese of Charlotte.

Relatedly, the priests at St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas parishes will also be praying a Memorare after the Latin Mass on certain days for the protection of the Traditional Latin Mass.  

Finally, let us all join our Lenten prayers in unison to pray for our Bishop, who is in a difficult situation, and ask the Holy Spirit to come to our assistance with this intention.

***

Ash Wednesday Latin Masses/Distribution of Ashes

  • St. Ann parish, 7:00am
  • Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC, 10:00am (1.5 hours south of Charlotte)
  • Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro, 12:15pm (1.5 hours north of Charlotte) (new time)
  • Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC, 12 noon (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)
  • St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, Boone, NC, 6:00pm (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
  • St. John the Baptist, Tryon, NC, 6:30pm (2 hours west of Charlotte)

Rules for Fasting & Abstinence: 1962 vs. Current Discipline: https://mcusercontent.com/61eba0fda529907fc1dacf176/files/ee1ae3df-d987-4f22-920f-7d5deaebced0/Rules_for_Fasting.pdf

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Quinquagesima Sunday and First Saturday Mass

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is Quinquagesima Sunday, or roughly 50 days before Easter. It is the Sunday prior to the beginning of Lent. As custom, Dr. Mike Foley provides more background on this mini-liturgical season and the reflection on Sunday’s Collect: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/02/the-shrovish-collect-of-quinquagesima.html

** Special 1st Saturday Latin Mass at 5:30 AM – St. Thomas Aquinas **

Next Saturday March 5 is First Saturday, and the normal 10 am Latin Mass is canceled due to the daylong Catholic Men’s Conference at St. Thomas Aquinas parish. However, in a generous act of kindness toward the Latin Mass faithful, Fr. Codd is offering a special Low Mass at 5:30am so the faithful can make their 1st Saturday Fatima devotions. Indeed it is an early hour, but with Lent arriving, and need, now more than ever, for the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, making a sacrifice to attend this Mass can help bear great fruit and graces.

  • 5:30am Low Mass
  • Saturday March 5
  • St. Thomas Aquinas Parish (1400 Suther Road, Charlotte)
  • (there will not be any blessing of religious objects on this Saturday)

Note: If you are concerned about events overseas, please consider practicing the 1st Saturday Fatima devotions as it is the best way to bring about a permanent peace. The message of Fatima is still very much relevant today and the errors of Russia (e.g. communism) still continue to plague the world.

Ash Wednesday Latin Masses/Distribution of Ashes

  • St. Ann parish, 7:00am
  • Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC, 10:00am (1.5 hours south of Charlotte)
  • Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro, 12:15pm (1.5 hours north of Charlotte) (new time)
  • Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC, 12 noon (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)
  • St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, Boone, NC, 6:00pm (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
  • St. John the Baptist, Tryon, NC, 6:30pm (2 hours west of Charlotte)

Preparations and Guidelines for Lent (Fasting & Abstinence)

  • A Short Instruction On Fasting & Abstinence (including the difference between modern and traditional fasting rules): The Missionaries of St. John the Baptist, an order of Latin Mass priests in Kentucky, published a good guide on fasting and abstinence during Lent:

Click to access Rules_for_Fasting.pdf

REMINDER: Lenten Spiritual Enrollment – 40 Days of Latin Masses, prayers, and penance (3 days left!)

The traditional Carmelite Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Fairfield, PA are again offering a special Lenten spiritual enrollment which you can begin to participate in today. The Hermits will be offering 40 Masses, 40 days of praying the Divine Office (and other daily prayers), and 40 days of fasting and penance all for the intention of your family or other enrolled loved ones.  This is an amazing spiritual gift. Here is the link to the enrollment form: https://www.edcarm.org/lenten-enrollment/

Please make an offering of alms along with this enrollment.  Your generous financial sacrifice will bear all the more fruit for your intentions. Enrollment needs to be completed by this Tuesday March 1.

Annual CLMC Novena to St. Gregory the Great (March 3 – 11)

Thursday March 3rd begins our annual novena to St. Gregory the Great, the patron saint of the CLMC.  The novena, which is attached, consists of praying 1 Rosary daily for 9 days (March 3 – March 11), and at the end of each daily Rosary, offering this attached prayer to St. Gregory for our spiritual needs to be provided for (although progress has been made in prior years, much still remains to be fulfilled).  Please see the link below.  As we prayed in prior years, we again ask you to also consider including the following intentions:

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

Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday which is also the feast of the Holy Face.  The day prior, on Monday, St. Mark parish’s Holy Face apostolate will be offering prayers of reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus 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.  Attend as your schedule permits.

Learn more about the Holy Face devotion: https://sensusfidelium.com/2021/08/11/devotion-to-the-holy-face/

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Pictures of a Traditional Ordination in Brazil: While some are worried about future restrictions on the Latin Mass due to the December 2021 responsa, the Latin Mass itself continues onward, unabated.  Notably, we are pleased to share pictures of a Traditional Latin Mass ordination occurring in Brazil last month. The Pontifical Ordination Mass was offered by Brazilian Military Bishop Dom Fernando Guimarães, CSSR, who ordained one of men of the Institute of the Good Shephard (IBP) to the priesthood. IBP is another order of Latin Mass priests, similar to the Fraternity of St. Peter or Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/02/pictures-of-ibp-ordination-in-brazil.html#.YhsMRpZOmHs
  • Book Recommendation: Christian Social Principles – The Complete Guide to Catholic Social Teaching: If there is one aspect of the faith that has yet to be fully unpackaged in the Church, or even in Latin Mass circles today, it is the Church’s traditional social teachings and doctrine.  Rest assured, this is not “social justice” or any Marxist ideology, but the perennial teachings taught for 2,000 years. Sadly, much of it has been forgotten or abandoned in the last 70 years, but thankfully Sophia Press has just re-published a gem which covers many topics relevant today. This comes recommended thanks to Sensus Fidelium: Here is the description: https://www.sophiainstitute.com/products/item/christian-social-principles

Pope Francis Exempts FSSP from Traditiones Custodes Restrictions

Like rays of sunshine breaking forth from a cloudy day, the Latin Mass world is rejoicing over a decree issued on February 11 by Pope Francis, declaring that the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), the Latin Mass order of priests, is essentially exempt from the new Motu Proprio Traditiones Custodes, and has full rights to use the 1962 Missal anywhere it operates – including Rome. This was unexpected, and thanks should be attributed to Our Lady of Lourdes intercession whose feast day the decree was written, and whom the FSSP (and CLMC) was praying a novena to in this regard.

It is implied though unverified, that this decree would also apply to the other “Ecclesia Dei” institutes.  As background for our new readers, the FSSP, along with the Institute of Christ the King, Institute of Good Shephard, etc. are Latin Mass orders of priests that offer the Latin Mass exclusively, and staff parishes at the invitation of bishops throughout the world. They are called “Ecclesia Dei” institutes as they derive their juridical or legal standing in the Church from Pope St. John Paul II’s 1988 encyclical Ecclesia Dei, which created a structure for these societies to operate.

Here are some articles discussing the matter in more detail:

While the Latin Mass situation remains fluid, this certainly brings some stability and protection to the Latin Mass, where the FSSP priests offer the Mass.  Let us pray that the diocese of Charlotte will likewise see similar stability and protection in the days and months ahead.

As Fr. Chad Ripperger noted last September, the Traditional Latin Mass will never cease until Christ returns. What Mass are you attending on Sunday?

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Important announcement by Fr. Barone’s Latin Institute

Laudetur Iesus Christus! As many of you know, our diocese is home to the Veterum Sapientia Institute (VSI), a Latin language institute co-founded by Fr. Barone, Dr. Nancy Llewellyn (Latin professor at Belmont Abbey/St. Joseph’s seminary), Dr. Eric Hewett, and others.  

This week VSI issued a major announcement – the establishment of a Diploma in Ecclesiastical Latin degree program. This is program forms the backbone of their accreditation and Institute overall. We share their press release at the bottom of the e-mail.

The degree program is among many projects in the works, and they hope to offer other certificate programs for Latin Mass attendees, homeschoolers, etc.

In order to do so, they need both prayers and financial support. Specifically, the support will help them achieve their goals more quickly and efficiently. To learn more or to support their work please visit: www.veterumsapientia.org

~

PRESS RELEASE:

Veterum Sapientia Institute is very pleased to announce the establishment of its new accredited degree program, the Diploma Latinitatis Ecclesiasticae (Diploma in Ecclesiastical Latin.) This program is launched in partnership with the Pontifical Institute for Higher Latinity, a faculty of the Salesian University in Rome, which shares VSI’s commitment to promoting the study of Ecclesiastical Latin. On January 25th of this year, the program received the official approval of the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education. 

According to Dr Eric Hewett, President and Co-founder of the Institute, “This new diploma program opens up a clear and practical path to mastery of the Latin of the Church, and brings St John XXIII’s vision to life in our own day. We are especially thrilled to be able to make this announcement on the 60th anniversary of his Apostolic Constitution Veterum Sapientia, for which the Institute is named.”

The DLE is a three-year program designed especially for clergy and religious, in order to give them the necessary tools to become thoroughly familiar with the “wisdom of the ancients” contained in both the ecclesiastical and secular literature of the Latin language.  VSI President Eric Hewett comments, “This new diploma program opens up a clear & practical path to mastery of the Latin of the Church, and brings John XXIII’s vision to life in our own day.”

The program is divided into two levels called “milestones.” In the first, after learning the fundamentals of Latin from the popular Familia Romana series, students will take three courses in the classical authors, both in poetry and prose, and the basic texts of ecclesiastical Latin such as the Catechism and the Order of Mass. At the completion of this first milestone, the student will receive a certificate of completion from VSI.

The second milestone will focus on various forms of Ecclesiastical Latin, with specialized courses in a wide variety of topics such as the Bible, the Church Fathers, the Catholic philosophical and theological tradition, liturgy and canon law. This part of the program will be completed with a special Summer Intensive Capstone Course, to be taken either in Rome or remotely, wherein students will work directly with the PIAL. At the conclusion, students will submit a thesis to the PIAL in Latin on a topic related to the DLE curriculum.

Following the inspiration of Fr Reginald Foster, with whom many members of VSI studied, our preferred mode of teaching will be to treat Latin as a living language, actively spoken by both teachers and students in class. 

Since we recognize that the duties of many clergy and religious may make it difficult for them to dedicate themselves to the program on a full-time basis, students will have the options to fulfill the course requirements in non-consecutive semesters, or to take on a reduced course load per semester.

The program’s first semester will be offered in autumn of this year; VSI looks forward to fulfilling the mission entrusted to it by the Church, in keeping with Pope St John XXIII’s vision for the preservation and promotion of the study of Latin.

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Sexagesima Sunday

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is Sexagesima Sunday, where we now are within roughly 60 days of Easter, and 11 or so days from the beginning of Lent.  As this is the second Sunday of this pre-Lent season of Septuagesima, we share two articles, one Dr. Mike Foley’s commentary on Sunday’s Collect, and secondly, his essay on the forgotten season of Septuagesima. We note in the first article, he also provides a brief explanation of the station churches in Rome which one may read about in the traditional liturgical books or see in the missal.  We also include Dom Gueranger’s summary of Septuagesima season in case you missed it least week.

Respect Life Latin Mass – next Saturday February 26, 8am (St. Ann)

St. Ann will offer its monthly 4th Saturday Respect Life Mass this Saturday at 8am, followed by prayers at the abortion facility, or for those unable to go, a Holy Hour of reparation will be offered in the church.

Ash Wednesday March 2, Latin Masses/Distribution of Ashes

  • St. Ann parish, 7:00am (no 6pm Latin Mass this day)
  • Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC, 10:00am (1.5 hours south of Charlotte)
  • Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro, 12 noon (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
  • Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC, 12 noon (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)
  • St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, Boone, NC, 6:00pm (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
  • St. John the Baptist, Tryon, NC, 6:30pm (2 hours west of Charlotte)

(More Masses will be added when announced)

Bring in Old Palms

As mentioned in St. Ann’s Friday Five, the parish has a basket in the narthex for old palms where you can drop off your old palms from last year (they will be used for ashes on Ash Wednesday)

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

St. Mark parish in Huntersville has a new apostolate that meets once a week to offer prayers in reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus 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. 

BEGINS TODAY Holy Face Novena – Sunday February 20 – 28

Speaking of the Holy Face devotion, there is a novena to the Holy Face of Jesus that begins today Sunday February 20 and ends on Monday February 28, the day before Shrove Tuesday (which is the day prior to Ash Wednesday), and a day traditionally dedicated to offering reparation to the Holy Face for https://sensusfidelium.com/2022/02/18/novena-to-the-holy-face-of-jesus-february-20-28/  (CLMC note: with the march of communism proceeding through the world and the Church, this can only be a helpful novena to begin today.)

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Saddened by restrictions, NFL star speaks out in defense of Traditional Latin Mass: Kansas City Chiefs kicker, Harrison Butker, who attends the Traditional Latin Mass, is defending the Latin Mass against attacks. He also questions whether Pope Benedict’s “Reform of the Reform” (ROTR) strategy promoted by some conservative priests is really viable anymore. (The ROTR is to try and borrow parts of the Latin Mass, and use it in the Novus Ordo to try and make the latter more reverent. The CLMC, among many, recommends abandoning this “experimental remedy” and just simply offer Traditional Latin Mass, which is far superior and always reverent, no matter the celebrant).
  • You used the word “persecuted.” Is that really how you feel?

I do. I feel like I’m almost not welcome in the Church for wanting to go to the Latin Mass and for wanting to have a traditional confirmation for my children. I feel like I’m a lesser-than Catholic and not part of the Church because I want to attend the traditional rite. But that’s not the reality at all. I want to be obedient to the Church. I want to stay within the Church. It seems like I’m getting persecuted just because I have a love for the traditional rite. And that rite is getting taken away, unfortunately, which is very sad.

  • When Traditionis custodes was issued, what was your reaction?

The first thing I thought was that I could still go to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) and the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest for the traditional sacraments. I hoped the motu proprio wouldn’t affect those two communities. I also had to completely rethink extraordinary form, ordinary form, mutual enrichment — everything that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI taught about that I read and I accepted has been like that’s not the case anymore. So, I’ve had to completely rethink that.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250385/nfl-kicker-harrison-butker-traditional-latin-mass

  • Top COVID-19 Expert: Vatican Violating Code of Bioethics, Must End Vaccine Mandate Now: Traditionalist reporter, Edward Pentin interviewed Dr. Peter McCullough, a protestant cardiologist from Dallas and outspoken critic of the COVID-19 “vaccines” (ed. note – Dr. McCullough has unfortunately been promoting, perhaps unwittingly, abortion-linked monoclonal antibody treatments as an alternatively). Regarding vaccine mandates, the doctor has recently offered his medical expertise on these “vaccines” and warned that Vatican has committed a grievous mistake in promoting these experimental treatments (also linked to abortion, as is commonly known). He also went on to say the Vatican will be guilty of the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people due to its promotion of the vaccine. 
  • The Vatican should drop all mandates, drop all restrictions, and drop all advocacy or concern for the vaccines. The Vatican immediately should start a public interest campaign on vaccine injuries and vaccine deaths. They should formally apologize for taking a position on the vaccines that’s been deleterious and they will have to account for potentially hundreds of thousands of lives lost due to the vaccine worldwide because the Vatican has violated what’s called the Nuremberg Code — the Vatican has violated a critical code of bioethics and they must immediately recognize this. They must immediately apologize for this grievous error that they’ve committed. The Nuremberg Code states that no one under any conditions must apply any pressure, coercion or threat of reprisal for any medical treatment or procedure done, and particularly when the procedure is new, it’s investigational, it’s experimental, and we don’t know the outcomes.

CLMC note: Rome, and the dioceses that blindly follow her “health advice” may soon discover the unhealthy liability of promoting and endorsing an experimental medical treatment linked to abortion, which may have harmed or killed many innocent people – including Catholics. Those worried about a persecution from Rome or losing their bishop, pastor, or even schools or seminaries, may instead want to be more worried about losing their dioceses – including much of its assets – to vaccine injury settlements. This entire tragedy could have been avoided if Church leaders listened to the voices of traditional clergy such as Fr. Ripperger, Bishop Schneider, and Archbishop Viganò – all who offer the Traditional Latin Mass regularly and have a rich understanding of the Church’s traditional 2,000 year doctrine, theology and philosophy.

Carmelites Lenten Offering: 40 days of Latin Masses, Prayers and Fasting For your Intentions

As we approach Lent next week, we wanted to re-share with you a wonderful annual opportunity for almsgiving that will benefit your friends and family. Our friends, the Carmelites Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Fairfield, PA, who offer the traditional liturgy exclusively (Carmelite Rite), are offering 40 days of Traditional Masses and 40 days of prayers and sacrifices for the following intentions:

  • Spiritual renewal in the Church
  • Sanctification of souls
  • Healing of families and individuals
  • Reversion of fallen-away Catholics
  • Conversion of sinners who are far from God

Knowing that many have family members away from the Sacraments and the Church or difficult situations in their lives, the Carmelites wanted to extend to all the opportunity to enroll their families, friends, clergy, or anyone in need of the graces from these many Masses and spiritual sacrifices.  We can also suggest you may also wish to include in your enrollment the protection of the Traditional Latin Mass, specifically the priests that offer it, and the bishops who can safeguard it.

Please consider making an offering of alms along with this enrollment.  Your generous financial sacrifice will bear all the more fruit for your intentions. (The Hermits completely subsist on donations).

To enroll visit: https://www.edcarm.org/lenten-enrollment/ (deadline is Tuesday March 1)

To learn more visit: https://vimeo.com/665845244

Today is Sunday. What Mass are you attending?

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40 days of Latin Masses, Prayers & Fasting

Laudetur Iesus Christus! As we enter into the pre-Lent season of Septuagesima in the 1962 liturgical calendar, we wanted to share with you a wonderful annual opportunity for almsgiving that will benefit your friends and family. Our friends, the Carmelites Hermits of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Fairfield, PA, who offer the traditional liturgy exclusively (Carmelite Rite), are offering 40 days of Traditional Masses and 40 days of prayers and sacrifices for the following intentions:

  • Spiritual renewal in the Church
  • Sanctification of souls
  • Healing of families and individuals
  • Reversion of fallen-away Catholics
  • Conversion of sinners who are far from God
  • Protection for the Traditional Latin Mass

Knowing that many have family members away from the Sacraments and the Church or difficult situations in their lives, the Carmelites wanted to extend to all the opportunity to enroll their families, friends, clergy, or anyone in need of the graces from these many Masses and spiritual sacrifices.  We can also suggest you may also wish to include the in your enrollment the protection of the Traditional Latin Mass, the priests that offer it, and the bishops who can safeguard it.

Please consider making an offering of alms along with this enrollment.  Your generous financial sacrifice will bear all the more fruit for your intentions. (The Hermits completely subsist on donations).

To enroll visit: https://www.edcarm.org/lenten-enrollment/ (deadline is Tuesday March 1)

To learn more visit: https://vimeo.com/665845244