Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Epiphany and this year, the last Sunday of the Christmas season. As custom, we share a commentary on this Sunday’s prayers for the Latin Mass: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/01/the-stormy-orations-of-fourth-sunday.html

TODAY Sunday January 29 – Annual End of Christmas Potluck Celebration, 12:30pm St. Ann parish: After today’s 12:30pm Latin Mass, the CLMC will be hosting the annual end-of-Christmas potluck in the plaza with festive food, and a Christmas carol sung by the Cantate Domino Latin Girl’s choir.  Please consider bringing a dish or dessert to share.

Latin Masses This Week

• Wednesday February 1, 6pm – St. Ann parish, feast of St. Ignatius, bishop and martyr
• Thursday February 2, 7pm – St. Thomas Aquinas, feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (See schedule below)
• Friday February 3, 7am (St. Ann) & 12:30pm (St. Mark) – feria and commemoration of St. Blaise (blessing of throats)
• Saturday February 4, ***8:30am*** – St. Thomas Aquinas, first Saturday and feast of St. Andrew Corsini, bishop (*** Special 8:30am Mass, no 10am Mass due to talk, no blessing – see below)

IMPORTANT – First Saturday Latin Schedule Change – Saturday February 4

The first Saturday Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas parish will be at 8:30am on Saturday February 4 (not 10am). The blessing of religious objects is canceled for this Saturday. This change is due to a speaker the parish is hosting later in the morning.

Candlemas – Feast of the Purification, Thursday February 2^nd (40^th day of Christmas)

Candlemas, the 40^th and last day of Christmas, 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.  The next day, the feast of St. Blaise (February 3), the candles blessed the day prior are used for the blessing of throats. Here are the announced events for February 2^nd:

• St. Ann: Blessing of candles before the 7am Novus Ordo Mass (no Latin Mass that day)
• St. Thomas Aquinas: 7pm Latin Mass including a blessing of candles and a candlelight procession. If you haven’t attended a traditional Candlemas before, the Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas will be well worth it. If you have candles to be blessed, please arrive early, and one can place their candles on a table in the church.
• Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC, 6:30pm Latin Mass and procession (2 hours south of Charlotte)
• Note: Candles should be white/unbleached/natural, unscented and at least 51% or more beeswax.

Customs of Candlemas

• To learn more about the traditions customs, and recipes for this feast day (including its influence on Groundhog Day), visit: https://www.fisheaters.com/customstimeafterepiphany3.html
• We also wanted to share a special article that the CLMC’s Chris Lauer wrote a few years ago about the link between candles & sacrifice: https://liturgyguy.com/2017/01/31/on-candles-and-sacrifice/

Blessing of Bread – Sunday February 5: Next Sunday is the feast day of St. Agatha and the CLMC and St. Ann parish will be organizing a blessing of bread after the 12:30pm Latin Mass. There is an ancient tradition to bless bread on her feast day, and Father will bless bread with a traditional Latin blessing after Mass. Everyone is welcome to bring bread to be blessed – we will have a table available for bread blessing in the plaza.

Septuagesima season begins Sunday February 5: As a reminder, with Christmas/Epiphany season closing, the pre-lent season of Septuagesima will begin Sunday February 5.  This marks the 70-day 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 Devotions

• St Mark – Mondays 5-5:45pm (NEW TIME for JANUARY)
• St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
• St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass (uses the booklet/chaplet which takes 15-20 minutes)
• St Michael the Archangel, Gastonia – Tuesdays, 9am, Main Church
• Holy Spirit, Denver – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass
• Don’t see your parish? Why not organize one?

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 had 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://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/506-sanctoral-cycle/january/3060-january-29-st-francis-of-sales-bishop

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://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/506-sanctoral-cycle/january/3059-january-28-the-same-day-the-blessed-charlemagne-emperor

If one hasn’t yet 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/

Latin Mass & Traditional News

• Book Recommendation – Aquinas’s Lenten Meditations: With Lent approaching, the Fraternity of St. Peter’s bookstore (Fraternity Publications) is recommending a newly published book which features 40 days of Lenten reflections by St. Thomas Aquinas: https://fraternitypublications.com/product/aquinass-lenten-meditations/

• On Singing Gregorian Chant Artfully (Part 1): Dr. Peter Kwasniewski gives some helpful guidance for those seeking to learn Gregorian chant, or those choir directors seeking to implementing chant at their parish: https://onepeterfive.com/on-singing-gregorian-chant-artfully-part-1/

• Exemplaric Baptism: One of the feasts celebrated in this Epiphanytide is the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which was celebrated on the octave of Epiphany, January 13. Fr. William Rock, FSSP, a priest of the Fraternity of St. Peter offers a reflection on baptism and a reminder to have gratitude for this most important gift of faith: https://fssp.com/exemplaric-baptism/

• The Irish Fight for the Latin Mass – Part 1: OnePeterFive has an intriguing introductory article on the Irish’s fight for the Latin Mass during the time of King Henry VIII, when he was suppressing the Catholic faith throughout England as well as Ireland. We will try to share Part II when it becomes available. Here is the first part: https://onepeterfive.com/irish-fight-latin-mass-part-1/
  
• This Real Exorcist is Revealing Details on Driving Out Satan: At Friday’s Latin Mass at St. Mark parish, Fr. Putnam preached on exorcism and mentioned exorcist Fr. Carlos Martins’ exorcist work. LifeSiteNews recently published an interview with him that can be found here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/episodes/this-real-exorcist-is-revealing-details-on-driving-out-satan/

St. John Chrysostom’s Advice on Threatening Storms

There is much to be seemingly worried today about the crisis in the Church – and even the fate of the Latin Mass. Yet what do the saints think about such times? We can only share the great and timely exhortation by the golden-mouthed doctor of the Church, St. John Chrysostom, whose feast day was this past Friday (January 27). We share a few excerpts from Dom Gueranger’s entry in his book, The Liturgical Year:  

‘Many are the waves, and threatening are the storms, which surround me; but I fear them not; for I am standing on the Rock. Let the sea roar; it cannot wash away the Rock: Let the billows mount as they will; they cannot sink the barque of our Lord Jesus Christ. And tell me, what would you have me fear? Death? To me, to live is Christ; and to die is gain. Exile? The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.  Confiscation of my goods? We brought nothing into this world; and certainly we can carry nothing out. No—the evils of this world are contemptible, and its goods deserve but to be laughed at. I fear not poverty, I desire not riches; I neither fear to die, nor wish to live, save for your advantage. Your interest alone induces me to speak of these things, and to ask of you, by the love you bear me, to take courage…

‘…The devil no sooner saw that your City was tranquillized, than he plotted how he might disturb the Church. Thou wicked and most impious spirit! thou couldst not throw down the walls of a city; and thinkest thou thou canst make the Church fall? Does the Church consist of walls? The Church consists of the multitude of the faithful. Look at her pillars, and see how solid they are, fastened, not by iron, but by faith. Not only is the great multitude itself more vehement than fire, but even one single Christian would conquer thee. Hast thou forgotten the wounds thou receivedst from the martyrs? Oftentimes the combatant was a tender maiden: delicate as a flower, yet firmer than a rock…

‘…If thou wilt not believe his word, believe facts. How many tyrants have sought to crush the Church? They had their gridirons and fiery furnaces, and wild beasts, and swords—and all failed. Where are those enemies now? Buried and forgotten. And the Church? Brighter than the sun. All they had is now past; but her riches are immortal. If the Christians conquered when they were but few in number, canst thou hope to vanquish them, now that the whole earth is filled with the holy religion? Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass. Wonder not at it; for the Church is dearer unto God than the very heavens. He took flesh not from heaven, but from his Church on earth; and heaven is for the Church, not the Church for heaven.

January 27 – St. John Chrysostom: https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/506-sanctoral-cycle/january/3057-january-27-st-john-chrysostom-bishop-and-doctor-of-the-church

CLMC comment: Buried and forgotten. These golden words should provide great encouragement in the face of such worries and anxieties about the crisis in the Church and her ability to overcome her adversaries.  St. John Chrysostom, pray for us!

What Mass are you attending Sunday?

Laudetur Iesus Christus! This Sunday January 29 after the 12:30pm St. Ann Latin Mass, the CLMC will host its annual end of Christmas celebration.

As one may recall, in the Traditional Rite, the Christmas season extends for 40 days until the feast of the Purification, Thursday February 2^nd. This Sunday will be the final Sunday of the Christmas season, and we will be closing it out with our annual Christmas potluck. Please consider bringing a dessert or dish to share. The event will be held in the plaza.

Most importantly, we are also especially pleased to announce that, as custom, the Cantate Domino Latin Choir (Latin girls’ choir) will again sing a Christmas carol (wassailing song) to close out this festive period. Please make plans to attend.

4th Saturday Latin Mass

Lastly, this Saturday 8am is the 4th Saturday Respect Life Mass at St. Ann parish and afterwards prayers at Planned Parenthood abortion facility (no Holy Hour in the church).

 

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the third Sunday after Epiphany, and as custom we share a reflection on the prayers for Sunday’s Latin Mass: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/01/the-secret-for-third-sunday-after.html#.YezdS_hOmHs

SAVE THE DATE: Next Sunday January 29 – Annual End of Christmas Potluck Celebration, 12:30pm St. Ann parish: Please save the date for next Sunday January 29, the fourth Sunday of Epiphany and the final Sunday of the Christmas season. As we do each year the CLMC will be organizing a potluck after the 12:30pm St. Ann Latin Mass in the plaza with festive food, and a Christmas carol.  Please consider bringing a dish or dessert to share.

Latin Masses This Week

• Wednesday January 25, 6pm – St. Ann, feast of St. Paul’s Conversion (Octave Day of Christian Unity)
• Thursday January 26, 7pm – St. Thomas Aquinas, feast of St. Polycarp
• Friday January 27, 7am (St. Ann) & 12:30pm (St. Mark), St. John Chrysostom
• Saturday January 28, 8am – St. Ann, Respect Life Latin Mass, St. Peter Nolasco (2^nd Commemoration of St. Agnes) (Followed by prayers at the abortion facility afterwards)

Candlemas – Feast of the Purification, Thursday February 2^nd (40^th day of Christmas)

Candlemas, the 40^th and last day of Christmas, 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.  The next day, the feast of St. Blaise (February 3), the candles blessed the day prior are used for the blessing of throats. Here are the announced events for February 2^nd:

• St. Ann: Blessing of candles before the 7am Novus Ordo Mass (no Latin Mass that day)
• St. Thomas Aquinas: 7pm Latin Mass including a blessing of candles and a candlelight procession. If you haven’t attended a traditional Candlemas before, the Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas will be well worth it. If you have candles to be blessed, please arrive early, and one can place their candles on a table in the church.
• Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC, 6:30pm Latin Mass and procession (2 hours south of Charlotte)
• Purchasing candles for February 2^nd: 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/

IMPORTANT – First Saturday Latin Schedule Change – Saturday February 4

The first Saturday Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas parish will be at 8:30am on Saturday February 4 (not 10am). The blessing of religious objects is canceled for this Saturday. This change is due to a speaker the parish is hosting later in the morning.

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

As we celebrate Epiphanytide, the Christmas season continues until February 2^nd – and we encourage our readers to learn how to keep the embers of the Christmas season burning for the next few weeks by reading this excellent 2019 article by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski: https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/dont-stop-celebrating-after-christmas-day-christmas-continues-2

Monday January 23 – Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

The U.S. Bishops have declared tomorrow Monday January 23 a day of prayer and penance for the end abortion (transferred to Monday since January 22 falls on a Sunday this year): https://www.respectlife.org/january-22

Community News

Holy Face Devotions

• St Mark – Mondays 5-5:45pm (NEW TIME for JANUARY)
• St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
• St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass (uses the booklet/chaplet which takes 15-20 minutes)
• St Michael the Archangel, Gastonia – Tuesdays, 9am, Main Church
• Holy Spirit, Denver – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass
• Don’t see your parish? Why not organize one?

Latin Mass & Traditional News

• Forgotten Customs of the Octave of Christian Unity: As noted at the conclusion of this update below, January 18 was the ancient feast of St. Peter’s Chair in Rome and the beginning of the Church Unity Octave, a time where the Church prayers that all separate sects will unite with Rome and become Catholic. The octave concludes on January 25, the feast of the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle. OnePeterFive has an helpful article on the lost customs of this 8-day period of prayer: https://onepeterfive.com/forgotten-customs-octave-christian-unity

• “Ad Orientem”: Why is the Mass Celebrated Facing East?: For Latin Mass newcomers, one of the most stark differences observed at the Latin Mass (besides Latin) is that the priest faces God when offering Mass, which is also known as facing liturgical east (ad orientem). Why does the priest face east or the tabernacle instead of the people? A Fraternity of St. Peter priest has a helpful article explaining this important liturgical orientation: https://fssp.com/ad-orientem-why-is-the-mass-celebrated-facing-east/

• R.I.P. Howard Walsh: The name Howard Walsh may not sound familiar to many Latin Mass attendees today, but the work he did helped restore the Traditional Latin Mass and the traditional faith that accompanies the liturgy. Specifically he founded Keep the Faith, an organization which publishes Latin Mass Magazine, which the CLMC has passed out at our tables over the years at St. Ann, St. Thomas Aquinas, as well as at many prior Eucharistic Congresses. During the more restrictive eras such as the 1980s, Keep the Faith was known for organizing Latin Mass conferences across the U.S. which helped introduce and catechize the next generation of faithful in the Traditional Rite. One can still find some of those talks at their website: https://keepthefaith.org/ Please consider praying for the repose of the soul of Mr. Walsh in one’s Latin Mass intentions this week. We share Michael Matt’s (The Remnant) eulogy and obituary of Mr. Walsh: https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/headline-news-around-the-world/item/6347-pioneer-of-the-latin-mass-movement-howard-walsh-rip

• 230 Years – Louis XVI, Saintly King, true Martyr: a Catholic going to death and His Last Will and Testament: Also noteworthy of mention is that Saturday was the 230^th anniversary of the death of King Louis XVI of France, who died at the hands of the French revolutionaries in 1793. Rorate Caeli blog has shared his last will and testament which demonstrates his pious faith: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2023/01/230-years-louis-xvi-saintly-king-true.html
  
  Catholics often remember King Louis XVI as a poor victim of the heinous and evil French Revolution (one of the most diabolical events/periods in history). However, as this Dominican priest notes below, we Americans should think of him in a deeper light. It was with the King’s aid and financing, that the French army and navy, assisted America in defeating the British at Yorktown in 1781 and helped win the country’s independence. That act of generosity essentially bankrupted France, and led to the chain of events that began the French Revolution and ultimately cost King Louis, and his devout Catholic wife, Marie Antoinette, their heads. As an act of gratitude one perhaps may wish to keep him and his wife in our Latin Mass intentions this weekend: See the Dominican article here: https://www.dominicanajournal.org/wp-content/files/old-journal-archive/vol15/no2/dominicanav15n2kinglouisxvibenefactoramericam.pdf

• Update on the Grand Altarpiece of the Church of the Fraternity of St Vincent Ferrer: Rorate Caeli blog also shares the beautiful progress of the commissioning of a new altarpiece for the Fraternity of St. Vincent Ferrer’s church. For those unfamiliar with this fraternity (not to be confused with the Fraternity of St. Peter/FSSP), they are a traditional French Dominican monastery which offers the traditional Dominican Rite Mass exclusively. This Mass is very similar to the Traditional Latin Mass but is for the exclusive use of Dominican priests. Sadly after Vatican II, the Dominicans discontinued this rite for the Novus Ordo. However, Dominican priests can still offer the traditional Dominican Rite, and in fact, St. Ann hosted a Dominican Rite Mass several years ago. With the Fraternity of St. Vincent Ferrer (FSVF), we share photos of their new altar piece which gives us great hope about the future of the Latin Mass despite the current era of restrictions: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2023/01/update-on-grand-altarpiece-of-church-of.html

• Pontifical Mass in Sulphur, Louisiana: We are pleased to share that a bishop in Louisiana recently visited a Latin Mass parish in his diocese and offered a Pontifical Mass for the feast of St. Thomas Beckett. The parish is staffed by priests of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest which offer the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively and operate parishes in the U.S. and across the world: https://www.institute-christ-king.org/1388-pontifical-mass-in-sulphur

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

This past Wednesday 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, the latter February 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.

• The Two Feasts of St Peter’s Chair by Greg DiPippo: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/01/the-two-feasts-of-st-peters-chair.html#.Yezz4fhOmHt

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 was conquered (Apocalypse 18 & 19). Here is Dom Prosper Gueranger’s OSB reflection (in The Liturgical Year) which includes a wonderful sermon on Rome 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.’”

• January 18 – St. Peter’s Chair at Rome: https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/506-sanctoral-cycle/january/3044-january-18-st-peter-s-chair-at-rome

What Mass are you attending Sunday?

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the second Sunday after Epiphany, which commemorates the third manifestation of Christ during Christmastide, which focuses on 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  (please also see our “Christmas Continues” section below for additional articles)

Epiphany Blessing Thanks: We thank everyone’s patience as St. Ann parish rescheduled the Epiphany blessing of water, chalk and salt. We were also blessed to have two priests, Frs. Jones and Reid and members of the St. Ann schola involved with the blessing that evening. We thank Frs. Reid, Jones, and St. Ann parish for offering this important blessing and please offer a few prayers for them this weekend. The Epiphany water will be in the narthex while quantities last, please bring your empty water bottles (St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Mark parishes also have quantities available as well)

Latin Masses This Week

• Wednesday January 18, 6pm – St. Ann, Feria (no feast day commemorated today)
• Thursday January 19, 7pm – St. Thomas Aquinas, Feria (no feast day) – This will be a Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict XVI
• Friday January 20, 7am (St. Ann) & 12:30pm (St. Mark), Ss. Fabian & Sebastian

Requiem Mass for Pope Benedict XVI – Thursday January 19, 7pm (St. Thomas Aquinas): As noted above, St. Thomas Aquinas parish will be offering this Thursday’s 7pm Latin Mass as a requiem for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict XVI.

Save the Date: Sunday January 29 – Annual End of Christmas Potluck Celebration, 12:30pm St. Ann parish: Please save the date for Sunday January 29, the fourth Sunday of Epiphany and the final Sunday of the Christmas season. As we do each year the CLMC will be organizing a potluck after the 12:30pm St. Ann Latin Mass in the plaza with festive food, and a Christmas carol.  We will share more details in the weeks ahead.

Blessing of Candles – Thursday February 2^nd: The official close of the Christmas season occurs on Candlemas, the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (February 2nd), and as custom St. Ann parish will bless candles. Since there is no Latin Mass at St. Ann on Thursdays, parishioners will need to bring their candles before the 7am Novus Ordo Mass. Additionally, St. Thomas Aquinas will have a Latin Mass this evening. We will share more details as they become available.

Community News

Holy Face Devotions

• St Mark – Mondays 5-5:45pm (NEW TIME for JANUARY)
• St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
• St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass (uses the booklet/chaplet which takes 15-20 minutes)
• St Michael the Archangel, Gastonia – Tuesdays, 9am, Main Church
• Holy Spirit, Denver – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass
• Don’t see your parish? Why not organize one?

Latin Mass & Traditional News

• Fr. Chad Ripperger on the state of evil in 2023: Last week we shared an interview with traditional exorcist and theologian, Fr. Chad Ripperger (who will be visiting St. Thomas Aquinas parish on March 10 & 11) on the state of the Church. This week, we are pleased share his full talk given at a parish in Wisconsin which goes into greater detail on his opinion of what lies ahead: https://stmarypinebluff.com/sermons/fr-chad-ripperger-on-the-state-of-evil-in-2023/

• Serenade to Our Lady of Guadalupe: The Fraternity of St. Peter, a society of Latin Mass priests, operates a traditional seminary in Nebraska under the patroness of Our Lady of Guadalupe (of which two St. Ann parishioners are studying/discerning the priesthood). Each December 12, on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, several seminarians serenade Our Lady with some beautiful chants and traditional Marian hymns: https://fssp.com/serenade-to-our-lady-of-guadalupe/

• Wisconsin bishop eliminates Latin Mass at parish churches: A bishop in Wisconsin has reportedly restricted all Latin Masses in his diocese to non-diocesan chapels, including Cardinal Burke’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, St. Mary’s Oratory (operated by priests of the Institute of Christ the King), and the Cor Jesu Oratory operated by the Institute of St. Joseph. Please continue to pray for the bishops: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/wisconsin-bishop-eliminates-latin-mass-at-parish-churches/

CLMC comment: It appears, for the time being, that Latin Mass restrictions are being focused on diocesan priests and diocesan parishes.

• Gerhard Ludwig Müller: “Pope Francis’ clampdown on the Latin Mass was an imprudence”: Recently Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, for former head of the Congregation of Doctrine and Faith under Pope Benedict has becoming increasingly vocal with his concerns regarding decisions coming from Rome, and has recently called the Latin Mass restrictions, imprudent: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2023/01/gerhard-ludwig-muller-pope-francis.html

• Pope Benedict thought Pope Francis’ restriction of the Latin Mass was a ‘mistake’: Abp. Gänswein reveals: Archbishop Georg Gänswein, Pope Benedict XVI’s long time secretary, has released a book about his time serving Cardinal Ratzinger in the Vatican Curia, and later as Pope. Of interest, he shares Pope Benedict’s opinion that the Latin Mass restrictions were a “mistake”. Learn more here: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2023/01/rorate-exclusive-first-translation-of.html and here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-benedict-thought-pope-francis-restriction-of-the-latin-mass-was-a-mistake-abp-ganswein-reveals/

• Midnight Mass from St. Thomas Aquinas: One of our readers shared an beautiful video by one of the attendees of the Christmas Midnight Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas this past Christmas: https://youtu.be/a7Wp8bjP9uY

• Vatican II and the American Deep State: Once upon a time, when the Catholic Church was more fervent and orthodox, a powerful secular state decided that the Catholic Church threatened its hegemony and so it directed its intelligence agencies and corporate media organizations to wage a propaganda war against the Church to undermine her, and encourage her to abandon her teachings, specifically on Church and state. This traditional doctrine would instead be replaced with secularist ideals such as religious indifferentism, relativism, or freedom of religion, where the Church and her teaching were equal to heretical or pagan religious teachings. This government then found influential Catholic priests and intellectuals to be the mouthpiece for this new “teaching” and to advocate for these ideas at a recently planned Church council.
  
  Sadly, the above sentences were not fables, but according to this OnePeterFive article, this agenda appears to have happened in the mid-20^th century: https://onepeterfive.com/vatican-ii-american-deep-state/

CLMC comment: If this indeed occurred, what else could governments, intelligence agencies, and corporate media have done to influence or harm the Church, especially in the last 50 years? 

The Epiphany Afterglow – Don’t Stop Celebrating: After Christmas Day, Christmas Continues

Epiphanytide now continues into its second week. 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 the 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 2^nd.  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.”

• Basking in the glow of Epiphany: The wedding feast at Cana: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2018/01/basking-in-glow-of-epiphany-wedding.html

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

This past Friday 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 eight days of celebration) and we share a reflection by Dom Prosper Gueranger, the great Benedictine liturgist and author of The Liturgical Year, for the Baptism of Jesus/Octave of Epiphany: https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/447-temporal-cycle/season-of-christmas/epiphanytide/3426-january-13-the-octave-of-the-epiphany

When Does the Christmas Season End?

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): https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2018/01/when-does-christmas-season-end.html#.YeNtVvhOmHs

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 who 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.”

• January 14 – Feast of St. Hilary: https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/506-sanctoral-cycle/january/3037-jan-14-st-hilary-bishop-confessor-and-doctor-of-the-church

In the Traditional Latin Mass, the Christmas season continues in the afterglow of Epiphanytide. What Mass are you attending Sunday?

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Tomorrow Wednesday January 11 is the sixth day within the ancient octave of Epiphany and St. Ann parish will be offering the Epiphany water blessing after the 6pm Latin Mass.

The blessing will take around 40 minutes and will be in the narthex. We also heard the blessing may be accompanied by chanting by the schola. You are welcome to bring empty water bottles and fill them at the containers in the narthex. If one wishes to bring filled water bottles to be blessed, they must be one gallon or larger in size (smaller ones will not be blessed). One is welcome to bring salt and chalk to be blessed as well.

March for Life Charlotte – Latin Mass This Thursday 7pm

The annual March for Life Charlotte will be on Friday, January 13, 2023. Attendees can gather at the parking lot across from the diocese’s pastoral center (1123 South Church Street) beginning at 11am. The march begins at 12 noon, and a rally will occur at the corner of Trade and Tryon Streets. The evening prior, on Thursday January 12, the normal 7pm Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas part will be offered for the unborn, as part of the event. For questions visit: https://www.marchforlifecharlotte.com/

Reflection for the Fourth Day Within the Octave of Epiphany

To close this e-mail we share some excerpts for the fourth day within the octave of Epiphany (yesterday) taken Dom Prosper Gueranger’s book, The Liturgical Year:

The star foretold by Balaam having risen in the East, the three Magi, whose hearts were full of the expectation of the promised Redeemer, are immediately inflamed with the desire of going in search of him. The announcement of the glad coming of the King of the Jews is made to these holy Kings in a mysterious and silent manner; and hereby it differs from that made to the Shepherds of Bethlehem, who were invited to Jesus’s Crib by the voice of an Angel. But the mute language of the star was explained to them by God himself, for he revealed his Son to them; and this made their Vocation superior in dignity to that of the Jewish Shepherds, who, according to the dispensation of the Old Law, could know nothing save by the ministry of Angels…

..The Magi, therefore, would be called Kings if they exercised authority over a considerable number of people; and that they were persons of great importance, we have a strong proof in the consideration and attention showed them by Herod, into whose palace they enter, telling him that they are come to pay their homage to the new-born King of the Jews. The city of Jerusalem is thrown into a state of excitement by their arrival, which would scarce have occurred had not the three strangers, who came for a purpose which few heeded, been attended by a numerous retinue, or had they not attracted attention by their imposing appearance.

These Kings, then, docile to the divine inspiration, suddenly leave their country, their riches, their quiet, in order to follow a star: the power of that God, who had called them, unites them in the same path, as they were already one in faith. The star goes on before them, marking out the route they were to follow: the dangers of such a journey, the fatigues of a pilgrimage which might last for weeks or months, the fear of awakening suspicions in the Roman Empire towards which they were evidently tending—all this was nothing to them; they were told to go, and they went.

Their first stay is at Jerusalem, for the star halts there. They, Gentiles, come into this Holy City, which is soon to have God’s curse upon it, and they come to announce that Jesus Christ is come! With all the simple courage and all the calm conviction of Apostles and Martyrs, they declare their firm resolution of going to him and adoring him. Their earnest inquiries constrain Israel, who was the guardian of the divine prophecies, to confess one of the chief marks of the Messias—his Birth in Bethlehem. The Jewish Priesthood fulfils, though with a sinful ignorance, its sacred ministry, and Herod sits restlessly on his throne, plotting murder. The Magi leave the faithless City, which has turned the presence of the Magi into a mark of its own reprobation. The Star reappears in the heavens, and invites them to resume their journey. Yet a few hours, and they will be at Bethlehem, at the feet of the King of whom they are in search.

https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/447-temporal-cycle/season-of-christmas/epiphanytide/3429-january-9-the-fourth-day-within-the-octave-of-the-epiphany

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the traditional feast of the Holy Family, which occurs on the first Sunday after Epiphany. As custom, we share an informative article and reflection 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.

• The Feast of the Holy Family: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/01/the-feast-of-holy-family.html

St. Ann Epiphany Blessing To Be Rescheduled: The St. Ann Epiphany blessing originally planned for last Thursday will be rescheduled for Wednesday January 11 after the 6pm Mass, the blessing will take 30-40 minutes.

One is welcome to bring empty water bottles and fill them at the containers in the narthex. If one would like to bring filled water bottles to be blessed, they must be one gallon or larger in size (smaller ones won’t be blessed). One is welcome to bring salt and chalk to be blessed as well. St. Thomas Aquinas will be making Epiphany kits available in the narthex, and Epiphany water is also available (bring your bottle). St. Mark also blessed Epiphany water and is available in the narthex.

Requiem Mass for Pope Benedict XVI: We thank those, and especially Fr. Buettner, for offering a last minute Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict last week. We hope a few more of these Requiems could be offered in the future. Please offer a few prayers for Fr. Buettner, and of course continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Benedict XVI.

Latin Masses This Week

• Wednesday January 11, 6pm, St. Ann– Feria (no feast day)
• Thursday January 12, 7pm, St. Thomas Aquinas – Feria (no feast day) – Mass intentions for the unborn
• Friday January 13, 7am (St. Ann parish) & 12:30pm (St. Mark) – feast of the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ

March for Life Charlotte – Latin Mass

The annual March for Life Charlotte will be on Friday, January 13, 2023. Attendees can gather at the parking lot across from the diocese’s pastoral center (1123 South Church Street) beginning at 11am. The march begins at 12 noon, and a rally will occur at the corner of Trade and Tryon Streets. The evening prior, on Thursday January 12, the normal 7pm Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas part will be offered for the unborn, as part of the event. For questions visit: https://www.marchforlifecharlotte.com/

Importance of Epiphany Water

As noted in prior years, the blessing of Epiphany water is available only in the traditional rite (in the Latin Church) and is a more powerful form of holy water as it contains a prayer of exorcism, and the litany of the saints as part of the blessing. This holy water is blessed only during this time of year, so please take advantage of the blessing – especially as we do not know what 2023 holds, spiritually speaking.  Additionally, Fisheaters has a link to the customs surrounding today’s feast day: https://www.fisheaters.com/customschristmas8.html

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

As we enter into Epiphanytide, the Christmas season continues until February 2^nd – and we continue to encourage our readers to learn how to keep the embers of the Christmas season burning for the next few weeks by reading this excellent 2019 article by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski: https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/dont-stop-celebrating-after-christmas-day-christmas-continues-2

Holy Face Devotions

• St Mark – Mondays 5-5:45pm (NEW TIME for JANUARY)
• St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
• St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass (uses the booklet/chaplet which takes 15-20 minutes)
• St Michael the Archangel, Gastonia – Tuesdays, 9am, Main Church (**NEW TIME & LOCATION**)
• Holy Spirit, Denver – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass
• Don’t see your parish? Why not organize one?

Latin Mass & Traditional News

• Las Posada, Piñatas, Ponche, and Prayer – Christmas Traditions in Mexico: The Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), a society of priests that offer the Latin Mass exclusively, runs several missions in central and south America, and they shared some photos of their efforts to restore traditions at their missions in Mexico: https://www.missiontradition.us/fssp-mexico-youth-group-hosts-christmas-party-for-teen-mothers/

• Death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI – FSSP Statement: The FSSP released a statement on Pope Benedict XVI’s passing, and they also shared that after Traditionis Custodes, Benedict wrote a letter of encouragement to the FSSP Superior General. https://fssp.com/death-of-pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi/

• Gänswein: “I believe it broke Pope Benedict’s heart to read [Traditionis custodes]”: This past week, Pope Benedict XVI’s his longtime private secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, stated in an interview that Pope Benedict was heartbroken when he read about the Latin Mass restrictions in Traditionis Custodes. Gänswein mentioned this ahead of his soon to be released book on Pope Benedict. https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2023/01/ganswein-i-believe-it-broke-pope.html

• A Storm Is Coming When Benedict Dies: An article in Crisis Magazine raises the question of what will happen to the Church after Benedict’s passing. https://www.crisismagazine.com/opinion/a-storm-is-coming-when-benedict-dies

• Abandoning the Church Has No Appeal for Traditionalists: Its unclear what the future holds, though there continues to be rumors about more restrictions on the Latin Mass. What is a traditionalist to do? Well Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (who visited the CLMC back in September) has some sane advice – stay in the Church (don’t abandon it): https://onepeterfive.com/abandoning-church/

• Problems in the Church – Fr. Chad Ripperger: Speaking of potential restrictions and persecutions in the Church, traditional exorcist and theologian Fr. Chad Ripperger was interviewed last week by Wisconsin priest Fr. Richard Heilman on what the future holds for the Church and what the laity should be doing: https://youtu.be/knzLO1pWq60

• Church Proposes Urban Village Congregation: While Catholics are rightfully worried about future restrictions, St. Joseph’s Shrine in Detroit, a fully Latin Mass parish, is not letting the crisis in the Church prevent it from evangelizing the community. In fact it has recently released an ambitious plan to restore the urban neighborhood surrounding the parish by proposing to build many affordable homes, apartments, and duplexes, so its parishioners (many of which travel from the suburbs) can actually live near the parish and fully participate in parish life. The parish is staffed by priests of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, another traditional order of priests that offer the Latin Mass exclusively. Please read this wonderful article here: https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2023/01/04/church-proposes-urban-village-congregation

CLMC comment: Although this is only a proposal, this plan should give Catholics, particularly Latin Mass faithful, great hope in what true traditional parish life can and should offer once a Latin Mass chapel is granted someday. In living the Catholic life, it is not enough just to drive from a distant neighborhood and attend the parish once a week – or even daily.  Many parishes – including Latin Mass parishes – are forced into this situation, yet the fullness of parish life is truly reached only when one can live within walking distance of the church and fully partake in both the parish and communal life, including in the parish’s neighborhood.

Sadly, since World War II, the Church, especially in North America, has forgotten the sacred art of building new parishes in residential neighborhoods, and has been constrained to follow the modernist ideology of “suburbia”, which often forces non-residential buildings (such as churches) to be built outside neighborhoods, often on a vacant plot of land, typically on the outskirts of town. Often these places are distant from neighborhoods and forces people – including the poor and elderly – to have access to automobiles to obtain the sacraments – thus denying residents, including non-Catholics, the opportunity to encounter Christ and His Church where they live. This is far from the Church’s 2000 years of tradition, where parishes were generally built within walking distance of the faithful or even in the center of the neighborhood – a tradition continued in the New World by the Spanish which built cities such as San Augustine, Florida and Santa Fe, New Mexico.  

This break from tradition is not the Church’s fault per se, as American urban planners built freeways to destroy urban Catholic neighborhoods, and likewise suburban planners created sterilized zoning and parking ordinances that forced the physical separation of land uses (residential, commercial, etc.) and relegated a new parish church to be built outside of neighborhoods. One can easily see the difference in the Charlotte Diocese by examining parishes built before 1960, which were often within walking distance of residents, such as the Cathedral, St. Ann, St. Peter, Our Lady of Grace (Greensboro), St. John the Baptist (Tryon), as well as discontinued parishes such as the old Sacred Heart in Salisbury (Fulton Street), or Our Lady of Assumption in Charlotte (2101 Shenandoah Drive). We welcome St. Joseph’s Shrine for seizing the opportunity to restore the Church’s traditional approach to parish neighborhood life. For a deeper dive on this topic, readers may consider Dr. Philip Bess’ 2007 book, Till We Have Built Jerusalem: Architecture, Urbanism, and the Sacred. 

Remembering Pope Benedict XVI: Ten Years of the Motu Proprio “Ecclesia Dei”

As we close this update, and continue to pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Benedict XVI, we wanted to share an important, but often overlooked address he gave in 1998, before he became Pope and while serving as head of the Congregation for Doctrine of Faith.  Often times when discussing the Latin Mass and papal acts, we may recall his 2007 Motu Proprio, Summorum Pontificum, but it was the 1988 encyclical, Ecclesia Dei, by Pope St. John Paul II, which first helped to secure the Latin Mass by giving papal authorization to establish priestly orders and societies that offer the Latin Mass exclusively, now often called “Ecclesia Dei” societies (Fraternity of St. Peter, and Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest), which today operate hundreds Latin Mass parishes or chapels across the earth.

Howeer, it was at this ten-year anniversary address, in October 1998, in which Cardinal Ratzinger gave one of his most spirited remarks in defense of the Traditional Latin Mass, and the traditional orders which came from the ten-year old encyclical and related legislation. His comments are a beautiful reminder that the Latin Mass is the future, and his perhaps prophetic words to have hope, even now in the era of Traditionis Custodes (emphasis ours):

The divers communities that were born thanks to [Ecclesia Dei] have given the Church a great number of priestly and religious vocations who, zealously, joyfully and deeply united with the Pope, have given their service to the Gospel in our present era of history. Through them, many of the faithful have been confirmed in the joy of being able to live the liturgy, and confirmed in their love for the Church, or perhaps they have rediscovered both. In many dioceses – and their number is not so small! – they serve the Church in collaboration with the Bishops and in fraternal union with those faithful who do feel at home with the renewed form of the new liturgy. All this cannot but move us to gratitude today!

It is good to recall here what Cardinal Newman observed, that the Church, throughout her history, has never abolished nor forbidden orthodox liturgical forms, which would be quite alien to the Spirit of the Church. An orthodox liturgy, that is to say, one which express the true faith, is never a compilation made according to the pragmatic criteria of different ceremonies, handled in a positivist and arbitrary way, one way today and another way tomorrow. The orthodox forms of a rite are living realities, born out of the dialogue of love between the Church and her Lord.

Such anxieties and fears really must end! If the unity of faith and the oneness  of the mystery appear clearly within the two forms of celebration, that can only be a reason for everybody to rejoice and to thank the good Lord. Inasmuch as we all believe, live and act with these intentions, we shall also be able to persuade the Bishops that the presence of the old liturgy does not disturb or break the unity of their diocese, but is rather a gift destined to build-up the Body of Christ, of which we are all the servants.

So, my dear friends, I would like to encourage you not to lose patience, to maintain your confidence, and to draw from the liturgy the strength needed to bear witness to the Lord in our own day.

• Cardinal Ratzinger’s 1998 Address: https://unavoce.org/resources/card-ratzingers-1998-address-at-anniv/

What Mass are you attending to draw strength from this Sunday?

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Unfortunately, St. Ann parish has canceled tonight’s Epiphany blessing (as well as confessions), and canceled tomorrow’s 7am Latin Mass. The reason is both priests are out of town and unable able to return (one is under the weather). Other priests are unavailable. The parish is looking into rescheduling the blessing.

To repeat the following are canceled:

• St. Ann Confessions tonight
• St. Ann Epiphany Blessing tonight
• St. Ann 7am Latin Mass tomorrow

Alternatively, beginning tomorrow (January 6), St. Thomas Aquinas parish will have Epiphany water containers in the narthex and one can bring their own bottle to be filled with Epiphany water. The parish will also provide blessed Epiphany chalk and salt beginning tomorrow in the narthex.  Tonight, St. Thomas will be offering its normal 7pm Mass (but no blessing).

The only diocesan Latin Mass tomorrow in Charlotte is at St. Mark parish at 12:30pm.

St. Ann parish thanks everyone for their patience and understanding.

To see the rest of our Epiphany update from this morning please visit: https://charlottelatinmass.org/2023/01/05/the-great-feast-of-epiphany/

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Today January 5 is the vigil of the Epiphany, and tomorrow January 6 is the great feast of Epiphany.  As liturgist Dom Prosper Gueranger notes, Epiphany 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.

• https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/447-temporal-cycle/season-of-christmas/epiphanytide/3425-january-6-the-epiphany-of-our-lord

Epiphany Mass & Blessing Schedule

Each Charlotte TLM parish has its own Epiphany blessing protocols for today/this weekend. Please read carefully today:

• St. Ann: BLESSING CANCELLED PER PARISH.
  
  
• St. Thomas Aquinas: 7pm Latin Mass tonight. There will not be a public Epiphany blessing. Rather Father will bless water, chalk, and salt privately, and the parish will distribute Epiphany “kits” with these three items over the weekend in the narthex.

Thursday January 5 – Vigil of the Epiphany

• St. Ann parish has cancelled their blessing due to unforseen circumstances
• 7pm Latin Mass, St. Thomas Aquinas parish, (No Epiphany blessing – Epiphany water, chalk and salt to be handed out at parish from January 6-8 while quantities last, see parish website for details)
• 7pm, (Blessing only – No Mass), Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC – Epiphany Lessons and Carols, followed by blessing of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and Epiphany holy water

Friday January 6 – Feast of the Epiphany

• 12:30pm Latin Mass – St. Mark (St. Ann has cancelled their 7am Latin Mass for Friday January 6)
• 3:30pm, Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC (2 hours south of Charlotte) – blessing of Epiphany water, chalk, and salt after Mass
• 6:00pm, Church of the Epiphany*, 163 Galax Lane, Blowing Rock, NC (operated by St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country in Boone, 2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
• 6:30pm, St. John the Baptist, Tryon, (2 hours west of Charlotte)
• 7pm – Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
• 7pm – Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)

Saturday January 7, 10am – St. Thomas Aquinas, Feria or First Saturday (blessing of religious objects after Mass in the narthex)

Importance of Epiphany Water

As noted in prior years, the blessing of Epiphany water is available only in the traditional rite (in the Latin Church) and is a more powerful form of holy water as it contains a prayer of exorcism, and the litany of the saints as part of the blessing. This holy water, blessed only during this time of year, so please take advantage of the blessing – especially as we do not know what 2023 holds, spiritually speaking.  Additionally, Fisheaters has a link to the customs surrounding today’s feast day: https://www.fisheaters.com/customschristmas8.html

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

Lastly, the Christmas season continues until February 2^nd – and we encourage our readers to learn how to keep the embers of the Christmas season burning for the next few weeks by reading this excellent 2019 article by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski: https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/dont-stop-celebrating-after-christmas-day-christmas-continues-2

Laudetur Iesus Christus and blessed Octave Day of Christmas. Sunday is the Octave of Christmas, and in years where this date falls outside of Sunday, it would be the feast of the Circumcision, the 8th day when Christ first shed his blood. As custom, we share a reflection on the orations for Sunday’s Latin Mass, as well as commentary by Dom Prosper Gueranger:

• The Mostly Marion Orations of the Christmas Octave: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/12/the-mostly-marian-orations-of-christmas.html#.Yc-JillOmHs
• The Circumcision of Our Lord and Octave Day: https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/446-temporal-cycle/season-of-christmas/octave-of-christmas/3419-january-1-the-circumcision-of-our-lord-and-the-octave-day-of-christmas

Please note: There will not be a potluck after the St. Thomas Aquinas Latin Mass today. It will resume in February.

Christmas Thanks: We wanted to express our thanks to our Latin Mass priests for their devotion in all the Christmas liturgies, and a special thanks to Fr. Reid for the blessing of religious objects before Christmas. Please consider offering a decade of one’s Rosary for our Latin Mass priests.

Pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who passed away Saturday morning December 31 – the feast of St. Sylvester I, the Pope of Peace. Locally, if there is one Pope in recent years who has touched the daily lives of many faithful in Charlotte, it was Pope Benedict. His July 2007 motu proprio, Summorum Pontificum, gave the laity and clergy greater access to the Traditional Latin Mass. One might say Benedict XVI “saved” the Latin Mass. His policy began to reach our diocese in late 2007 when a Latin Mass training seminar was arranged for several priests.

Moreover, it was the provisions of Summorum Pontificum, and its 2011 instructions Universae Ecclesiae, that allowed the CLMC to successfully petition for the Sunday Latin Mass at St. Ann in Charlotte in 2012-2013. When St. Ann parish council said “No” to our request and when Bishop Jugis said “No” to our appeal – the CLMC, using the canonical provisions available, petitioned Rome, and just mere hours or days before Pope Benedict’s resignation in February 2013, Rome instructed the Diocese of Charlotte to implement a Sunday Latin Mass, and the rest is history. If you are attending a Latin Mass in the diocese of Charlotte today, it was certainly the result of Pope Benedict and Summorum Pontificum. You can read Fr. Reid’s 2013 announcement here: https://charlottelatinmass.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2013-2-17-saint-ann-bulletin_pastors-letter.pdf

This Sunday, let all Latin Mass faithful pray for Benedict XVI’s happy repose and despite its limitations, give thanks to God for Summorum Pontificum. CLMC would hope that if any public commemorations are conducted in the diocese, that it would recognize this most important contribution of Pope Benedict XVI to the faithful of Charlotte: The greater access of the Traditional Latin Mass, which continues to this day in several parishes throughout the diocese. 

We close this reflection with the CLMC’s Brian Williams, who writing in 2017, aptly summed up Benedict’s legacy: https://liturgyguy.com/2017/09/12/what-benedict-accomplished-with-summorum-pontificum/

First Sunday Latin Mass – Salisbury

There will be a 4pm Latin Mass on Sunday January 1 at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury. Fr. Joseph Wasswa will offer the Mass, and Confessions will be offered prior to Mass. A potluck will occur in Brincefield Hall after Mass – please bring a favorite Christmas dish, hors d’oeuvres or dessert to share. For more information please contact Mark Hartley with the Salisbury Latin Mass Community at: www.salisburylmc.org

Plenary Indulgence for 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 (December 31) and the Veni Creator (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)

Epiphany Week Latin Mass Schedule

Wednesday January 4, 6pm – St. Ann parish, Feria (Commemoration of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton)

Thursday January 5 – Vigil of the Epiphany

• 6:30pm (Blessing only – No Mass), St. Ann parish, Epiphany water, chalk, and salt blessing (no Latin Mass scheduled, only a blessing)
• 7pm Latin Mass, St. Thomas Aquinas parish, (No Epiphany blessing – Epiphany water, chalk and salt to be handed out at parish from January 6-8 while quantities last, see parish website for details)
• 7pm, (Blessing only – No Mass), Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC – Epiphany Lessons and Carols, followed by blessing of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and Epiphany holy water

** Please note the blessing of Epiphany water can take up to 45 minutes as it contains exorcism prayers and litany of the saints

Friday January 6 – Feast of the Epiphany

• Normal schedule unless otherwise announced (7am Latin Mass – St. Ann & 12:30pm Latin Mass – St. Mark)
• 3:30pm, Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC (2 hours south of Charlotte)
• 6:00pm, Church of the Epiphany*, 163 Galax Lane, Blowing Rock, NC (operated by St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country in Boone, 2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
• 6:30pm, St. John the Baptist, Tryon, (2 hours west of Charlotte)
• 7pm – Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
• 7pm – Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)

Saturday January 7, 10am – St. Thomas Aquinas, Feria or First Saturday (Blessing of religious objects after Mass in the narthex)

Holy Face Devotions

• St Mark – Mondays 2-2:45pm
• St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesdays 6am in the main church
• St. Ann – Tuesdays 7:30am in the chapel after the Novus Ordo Mass (uses the booklet/chaplet which takes 15-20 minutes)
• St. Michael the Archangel, Gastonia – Tuesdays, 9am, Main Church (**NEW TIME & LOCATION**)
• Holy Spirit, Denver – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass
• Don’t see your parish? Why not organize one?

March for Life Charlotte – Latin Mass

The annual March for Life Charlotte will be on Friday, January 13, 2023. Attendees can gather at the parking lot across from the diocese’s pastoral center (1123 South Church Street) beginning at 11am. The march begins at 12 noon, and a rally will occur at the corner of Trade and Tryon Streets. The evening prior, on Thursday January 12, the normal 7pm Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas part will be offered for the unborn, as part of the event. For questions visit: https://www.marchforlifecharlotte.com/

Christmas on a Sunday – Dom Prosper Gueranger

As we close out the Christmas Octave, we wanted to share something unique to this year’s Advent and Christmas. Advent this year was one of the longest in recent years as occurred for a full four weeks (symbolizing the 4,000 years between Adam and Christ). Christmas Day 2022 itself fell on a Sunday, which according to the Benedictine liturgist Dom Prosper Gueranger, has a special meaning:

[T]here is the venerable tradition which tells us that the Incarnation of the Son of God having been accomplished on a Friday (March 25), the Birth of Jesus, the Light of the world, must have taken place on December 25, a Sunday. This gives a peculiar sacredness to Christmas Day when it falls on a Sunday, as it was on that day of the week that God began the Creation, and said: Let there be Light! and on the same, also, did our Lord rise from the tomb.

• https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/505-sanctoral-cycle/december/3408-december-24-afternoon-of-the-eve

Latin Mass & Traditional News

• Prayers and Support Needed for a Growing Order of Benedictine Nuns: An inspiring video about the growth of the traditional Benedictine Nuns in Missouri (who attend the Latin Mass exclusively) and their need for help in building a new, second Abbey under the patronage of St. Joseph and will also feature a St. Joseph shrine to fathers: https://vimeo.com/766262621

• Six Thousand Years of Human History Before the Antichrist: The Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation (whom the CLMC co-sponsored their 2019 visit) posted an interesting article before Christmas exploring the traditional Catholic view held by those such as St. Irenaeus that the world would last for six thousand years before the rise of the Antichrist, and how modern genealogy is confirming this possibility as the human race’s genetics continue to deteriorate: https://www.kolbecenter.org/kolbe-report-12-17-22/

• The Beloved Disciple: Last Tuesday was the feast of St. John the Evangelist and Dr. Mike Foley pens another fine article examining the traditions and customs of this feast day: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/12/the-beloved-disciple.html#.Y6_FvBXMKHt

• The Feast of Childermas: Last Wednesday was the feast of the Holy Innocents, who died at the hands of King Herod who sought the Infant Jesus, and Dr. Foley writes another helpful feast day article for the Mass of Children or Childermas (Holy Innocents Mass): https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/12/the-feast-of-childermas.html#.Y60ydBXMKHs

• Why 1962 Must Eventually Perish: The Case of St. John: Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (whom the CLMC hosted last September) writes a brief but compelling thesis that the Missal of 1962 must eventually perish. Why? Because although it is the current missal for the Traditional Latin Mass offered at most parishes, the 1962 missal was already compromised by the progressive revolutionary “reforms” that the Church would later see in its competition after Vatican II. Case in point is that prior to 1962, the feasts immediately following Christmas (St. Stephen, St. John, Holy Innocents) would not be suppressed if they fell on a Sunday – recognizing how important these feasts are to the Christmas season. Sadly these feasts are now suppressed if they fall on a Sunday. Kwasniewski argues that the “gold standard” for a Traditional Latin Mass missal would be to return to the 1920 missal. https://www.newliturgicalmovementorg/2022/12/why-1962-must-eventually-perish-case-of.html#.Y6np3BXMKHs

• Games People Play with the Holy Spirit: Is the Vatican II Council Relevant? What about the Council of Vienne? What was the spirit of Lateran IV? These are but a few of the questions Dr. Kwasniewski answers in his reply to an individual who has been told by his conservative Catholic friends that the solution to the crisis in the Church is to just offer the Novus Ordo properly as intended by the Vatican II documents (Latin, with chant, ad orientum), and thus there is no need for the Traditional Latin Mass. Of course, Dr. Kwasniewski counters with an excellent reply which examines the problematic or failed councils of the past and their legacies: https://onepeterfive.com/games-holy-spirit/

• IT’S THE MASS THAT MATTERS: A Study in Faithful Resistance: Imagine if three priests in the Diocese of Charlotte went to Bishop Jugis years ago and said they were called to only offer the Traditional Latin Mass, and to this day they still offer the Latin Mass exclusively to this very day. Would that not be an interesting and inspiring story? Well it didn’t happen in Charlotte, but it did occur in the diocese of Novara, in northern Italy, in 2008, and these priests have survived and still offer the Latin Mass exclusively in their diocese, even after Traditionis Custodes. As author Hilary White explains:  

Some years ago, I heard an extraordinary story from a friend who lived for a time in the extreme northern end of the country, in a remote and beautiful valley of the Alps, the Val d’Ossola. In brief, three priests one day told their bishop that they would no longer celebrate the Mass in the new rite, and adopted the traditional Mass when Summorum Pontificum was published. And despite immense pressure and months of struggle, they never did again.

The story has thus far had a happy ending; the priests continue celebrating the traditional Mass exclusively, and preaching and teaching the holy and ancient Faith while remaining in good standing in their diocese, even well into the Bergoglian period.

They simply announced that, within their rights as priests, they would celebrate only the Mass of the Ages, and that was that.

You can read the rest of the article here: https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/6312-it-s-the-mass-that-matters-a-study-in-faithful-resistance

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

“Catholics ought to have a totally different conception of Christmas (from what the secular world offers).” – Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, December 24, 2019

In what is becoming an annual CLMC tradition and a rallying cry for the full restoration of the Traditional Latin Mass in Charlotte, we repost Dr. Peter Kwasniewski’s brilliant December 2019 article which reminds Latin Mass attendees of the treasure and precious gold they have in the traditional liturgical calendar, especially the traditional Christmas Season according to the 1962 Missal (and prior). If one hasn’t read this article, we can only encourage everyone to read it again, and again. While the world enters into their “post-Christmas fast”, traditional Catholics begin 40 days of festivals and feasts of the Christmas season, which runs in stages from December 25 – February 2^nd (Candlemas/Feast of the Purification)  We should be clear, this Christmas season can only be fully celebrated in the Traditional Latin Mass calendar, as sadly the Novus Ordo calendar eliminated much the Christmas season – particularly the Epiphany season. Here is an excerpt:

It is very important for us not to surrender to the secular approach that, in a way, celebrates Christmas before Christmas and not afterward. We should really make an effort — in the way our homes are decorated, the way we observe Sundays and holy days, the stories we read and the other activities we do in the house — to keep the spirit of Christmas alive, even if at a “low burn,” throughout this period from December 26 to February 2. Yes, the great feast is that big of a deal! Such observance also becomes a countercultural catechesis in one of the central mysteries of the Christian faith: the Incarnation of the Son of God. This is the pivot point of all human history and of the story of each man, woman, and child.

• Don’t Stop celebrating: After Christmas Day, Christmas continues by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski: https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/dont-stop-celebrating-after-christmas-day-christmas-continues-2

A few newcomers to the Latin Mass might ask – what exactly is the difference in the Christmas season between the Traditional Latin Mass and Novus Ordo Mass? The CLMC’s Brian Williams teamed up with Dr. Kwasniewski a few years ago to briefly explain how the two calendars differ (and why the Traditional calendar is preferred):

• Just How Different are the Old and New Liturgical Calendars at Christmas and New Years?: https://liturgyguy.com/2019/12/30/just-how-different-are-the-old-and-new-liturgical-calendars-at-christmas-and-new-years/

Christmas has just begun and so continues 32 more days of celebrating the Incarnation and all its mysteries.

As we bring this update to a close, we share Pope Benedict XVI’s famous quote from Summorum Pontificum:

“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful.”

What Mass are you attending on Sunday?

Blessed New Year and God Bless,

~ Charlotte Latin Mass Community

Laudetur Iesus Christus and blessed Christmas greetings on the sixth day within the Octave of Christmas. We have a few updates to share as we head into the Christmas Octave weekend:

Sunday January 1 – Octave Day of Christmas

All Masses times should be on a normal Sunday schedule. Our Lady of Grace in Greensboro will also offer a special Midnight Latin Mass on January 1, in addition to its normal 1pm Sunday Latin Mass.

First Sunday Latin Mass – Salisbury

There will be a 4pm Latin Mass on Sunday January 1 at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury. Fr. Joseph Wasswa will offer the Mass, and Confessions will be offered prior to Mass. A potluck will occur in Brincefield Hall after Mass – please bring a favorite Christmas dish, hors d’oeuvres or dessert to share. For more information please contact Mark Hartley with the Salisbury Latin Mass Community visit: www.salisburylmc.org

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)

Epiphany Latin Mass Schedule

Thursday January 5 – Vigil of the Epiphany

• 6:30pm (Blessing only – No Mass), St. Ann parish, Epiphany water, chalk, and salt blessing (no Latin Mass scheduled, only a blessing)
• 7pm Latin Mass, St. Thomas Aquinas parish (No Epiphany blessing – Epiphany water, chalk and salt to be handed out at parish from January 6-8 while quantities last, see parish website for details)
• 7pm, (Blessing only – No Mass), Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC – Epiphany Lessons and Carols, followed by blessing of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and Epiphany holy water

** Please note the blessing of Epiphany water can take up to 45 minutes as it contains exorcism prayers and litany of the saints

Friday January 6 – Feast of the Epiphany

• Normal schedule unless otherwise announced (7am Latin Mass – St. Ann & 12:30pm Latin Mass – St. Mark)
• 3:30pm, Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC (2 hours south of Charlotte)
• 6:00pm, Church of the Epiphany*, 163 Galax Lane, Blowing Rock, NC (operated by St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country in Boone, 2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
• 6:30pm, St. John the Baptist, Tryon, (2 hours west of Charlotte)
• 7pm – Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
• 7pm – Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)

Feast of Pope St. Sylvester (Pope of Peace) – December 31

Tomorrow December 31, is the second to last day of the Christmas 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.[1]

https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/505-sanctoral-cycle/december/3418-december-31-st-sylvester-pope-and-confessor