by

Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Laudetur Iesus Christus and a blessed vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ! Sunday is the commemoration of the most important day in the history of the universe – after four thousand years of sin and darkness, the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:14). As the Christmas season is just mere hours away, we share the following updates:

Christmas Latin Mass Schedule – Feast of the Nativity Sunday December 25

Midnight Latin Masses

Christmas Day Latin Masses

  • 11:30am – St. Thomas Aquinas
  • 1pm – Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro
  • 1pm – Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC (2 hours south of Charlotte)
  • All other parishes: Please check the parish bulletin or call ahead to confirm.

**IMPORTANT SCHEDULING NOTE: There will not be a 12:30pm Latin Mass at St. Ann parish on Christmas Day – only Midnight Mass**

Christmas Week Schedule Changes (as announced)

  • Thursday December 29, St. Thomas Aquinas, 10am Latin Mass (the 7pm Latin Mass is canceled for this day only)
  • All other Latin Masses in Charlotte are on normal schedule unless otherwise announced.  Please check the bulletins to confirm.

To see the January 1 and Epiphany schedule as announced, please our Mass times webpage: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

Traditional Christmas Proclamation

St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas parishes traditionally chant the ancient Christmas proclamation at Midnight Mass each Christmas (it occurs a minute or two before Mass begins). This is a beautiful chant that was unfortunately lost after 1960s, only to return in a weaker modernized format in 1994. Graciously, the scholas at St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas sign the traditional Christmas proclamation. Here are links to compare the traditional and the modern:

The 3 Masses of Christmas

As Christmas approaches, in the 1962 Missal there are 3 Latin Masses for Christmas: Midnight, Dawn, and Day. Each represent the three-fold Nativity of Christ and the Masses are all connected to each other, becoming a sort of a triduum (like Easter) or a trilogy.  Priests are also allowed to offer three Masses to commemorate the birth of Our Savior. The first Mass is midnight, which marks Christ coming into the dark world at Bethlehem on December 25, 1 B.C.; Mass at dawn symbolizes the spiritual birth of Christ in our souls and Mass during the day represents eternal love of Christ for coming to us in the Incarnation.   

We provide some great information from Fisheaters.com and a 2016 talk given by Fr. Innocent Smith, OP of New York who based it off of St. Thomas Aquinas’ writings.  The 3 Masses are:

Midnight Mass: “The Angels’” Mass, symbolizing Christ’s eternal birth, which takes place before creation, hidden from Men. Thus Mass is offered in the hidden darkness at Midnight.  According to tradition, Christ was born at Midnight.

Mass at Dawn: “The Shepherds’” Mass, symbolizing the spiritual birth of Christ into our hearts, where He, the Sun, is like “the morning star that rise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19). Thus typically Mass is offered at dawn or early morning when daylight is breaking. The text of Mass focuses on the coming light of Christ that will shine on mankind.

Mass at Day: “The Kings’” Mass, symbolizing the temporal and bodily nativity of Christ, which He processes to us in a visible and bodily form, having put on the flesh. Thus Mass is offered in full daylight as He is now fully visible to men.  The text of Mass (at least the Introit) focuses on Christ’s humanity.  (N.B. Others like liturgist Dom Gueranger have a different order of the 3 Masses than St. Thomas)

The FSSP Latin Mass parish in Atlanta, also shared this 1920 article of the 3 Masses:  https://www.dominicanajournal.org/wp-content/files/old-journal-archive/vol5/no3/dominicanav5n3threemasseschristmasday.pdf

To learn more about the traditional customs surrounding Christmas please visit: https://www.fisheaters.com/customschristmas1.html and https://www.fisheaters.com/customschristmas2.html

The Three Universal “Peaces”

Christ was born on December 25, 1 B.C., during the great Pax Romana (Roman Peace), when the world was at peace and there was no war in the Roman Empire. Fr. William Rock, FSSP, wrote a helpful article explaining what this Roman Peace meant for those living under the Roman Empire during those days:

Yet the Pax Romana was but one of the three periods in human history where there is a universal peace.  Dom Prosper Gueranger noted in The Liturgical Year (on the feast of St. Ambrose, December 7), that St. Bonaventure taught that tradition holds there are three periods of time where the world will be at peace (the 3 silences). The first was after the Noe’s flood subsided when all of humanity was wiped out (except Noe’s family); the 2nd was as noted above, during the birth of Christ (Pax Romana); and the 3rd shall be in the last days after the defeat of the anti-Christ. Gueranger writes:

Let us consider that last visible preparation for the coming of the Messias: a universal peace. The din of war is silenced, and the entire world is intent in expectation. ‘There are three silences to be considered,’ says St. Bonaventure, in one of his sermons for Advent; ‘the first in the days of Noah, after the deluge had destroyed all sinners; the second, in the days of Cæsar Augustus, when all nations were subjected to the empire; the third will be at the death of Antichrist, when the Jews shall be converted.’ O Jesus! Prince of peace, Thou wiliest that the world shall be in peace, when Thou art coming down to dwell in it. Thou didst foretell this by the psalmist, Thy ancestor in the flesh, who, speaking of Thee, said: ‘He shall make wars to cease even to the end of the earth, He shall destroy the bow, and break the weapons; and the shield He shall bum in the fire.’[3] And why is this, O Jesus? It is, that hearts which Thou art to visit must be silent and attentive. It is that before Thou enterest a soul, Thou troublest it in Thy great mercy, as the world was troubled and agitated before the universal peace; then Thou bringest peace into that soul, and Thou takest possession of her. Oh! come quickly, dear Lord, subdue our rebellious senses, bring low the haughtiness of our spirit, crucify our flesh, rouse our hearts from their sleep: and then may Thy entrance into our souls be a feast-day of triumph, as when a conqueror enters a city which he has taken after a long siege. Sweet Jesus, Prince of peace! give us peace; fix Thy kingdom so firmly in our hearts, that Thou mayst reign in us for ever.

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

While the secular world prepares to take down the Christmas trees this week, the Church is only beginning to celebrate the Christmas season, all the way until February 2nd. As an annual custom, we share this excellent article by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski on the importance of celebrating Christmas for the next 40 days: https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/dont-stop-celebrating-after-christmas-day-christmas-continues-2/

Christmas Reflections by Dom Prosper Gueranger

As we close this Christmas update, we note that an entire month could probably be devoted to the beautiful Christmas reflections offered by the great 19th century Benedictine liturgist, Dom Prosper Gueranger. We conclude with his reflection from the Aurora Mass (Mass at dawn), and the Shepherds’ visit to the crib of Christ:

See, then, how, at this very hour, Shepherds are told by the Angels to go to Bethlehem, and how they hasten thither. With great eagerness they enter the Stable, which is scarcely large enough to hold them. Obedient to the warning received from heaven, they are come to see the Saviour, who, they have been told, has been born unto them. They find all things just as the Angels had said. Who could tell the joy of their hearts, and the simplicity of their faith? They are not surprised to find, in the midst of poverty greater even than their own, him whose Birth has made the very Angels exult. They find no difficulty in acknowledging the wonderful mystery; they adore, they love, the Babe that lies there before them. They are at once Christians, and the Christian Church begins in them; the mystery of a God humbled for man finds faith in these humble souls. Herod will plot the death of this Babe; the Synagogue will rage; the Scribes and Doctors will league together against the Lord and his Christ; they will put this Saviour of Israel to death; but the faith of the Shepherds will not be shaken, and will find imitators in the wise and powerful ones of this world, who will come at last, and bow down their reason to the Crib and the Cross.

What is it that has come over these poor Shepherds? Christ has been born in their hearts; he dwells in them by faith and love. They are our Fathers in the Church. They are our Models. Let us imitate them, and invite the Divine Infant to come into our souls, which we will so prepare for him, that he may find nothing to prevent his entering. It is for our sakes also that the Angels speak; it is to us also that they tell the glad tidings; for the Mystery that has been accomplished this Night is too grand to have the pastoral slopes of Bethlehem for its limits. In order to honour the silent coming of the Saviour into the souls of men, the Priest is preparing to go to the altar, and a second time to offer the spotless Lamb to the Father who hath sent him.

As the Shepherds fixed their eyes on the Crib, so let ours be on the Altar, where we are soon to behold the same Jesus, hidden under appearances that are humbler even than the swathing-bands. These rustic swains enter into the Cave, not yet knowing him, whom they are going to see; but their hearts are quite ready for the revelation. Suddenly they see the Infant; and as they gaze upon him in speechless wondering, Jesus looks at them from his Crib, and smiles upon them: they are changed men, full of light, and the Sun of Justice has made Day in their souls. It is to be the same with us: the words of the Prince of the Apostles are to be verified in us: the Light that shineth in a dark place, has been our one desire and attention; now the Day will dawn, and the Day-Star arise in our hearts.[1]

On behalf of the CLMC, we wish our readers a Merry Christmas.

by

Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle Update

Laudetur Iesus Christus and blessed feast of St. Thomas the Apostle! He was one of the greatest missionaries in the Church, who evangelized Mesopotamia and Iran, and most notably India (and beyond). Please see the end of this update to learn more about this apostle and why his feast day falls right before Christmas.

Latin Masses This Week

***Please note, contrary to the St. Ann bulletin, Fr. Reid announced last Sunday there will be a 7am Latin Mass this Friday December 23.***

  • Wednesday December 21, 6pm – St. Ann parish, feast of St. Thomas the Apostle
  • Thursday December 22, 7pm – St. Thomas Aquinas, Greater Feria of Advent (no feast day)
  • Friday December 23, 7am (St. Ann) and 12:30pm (St. Mark), Greater Feria of Advent (no feast day)
  • Saturday December 24 – The fourth Saturday Respect Life Latin Mass is canceled due to Christmas

Learn more about the O’ Antiphons which are chanted from December 17 – 24: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/12/the-o-antiphons-history-theology-and.html

Christmas Latin Mass Schedule – Feast of the Nativity Sunday December 25

Christmas has 3 distinct Masses for the day, and priests are also allowed to offer 3 Masses to commemorate the birth of Our Savior. The first Mass is midnight, which marks Christ coming into the dark world at Bethlehem on December 25, 1 B.C.; Mass at dawn symbolizes the spiritual birth of Christ in our souls and Mass during the day represents eternal love of Christ for coming to us in the Incarnation.   To learn more about the traditional customs surrounding Christmas please visit: https://www.fisheaters.com/customschristmas1.html and https://www.fisheaters.com/customschristmas2.html

Midnight Latin Masses:

Christmas Day Latin Masses

  • 11:30am – St. Thomas Aquinas
  • 1pm – Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro
  • 1pm – Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC (2 hours south of Charlotte)
  • All other parishes: Please check the parish bulletin or call ahead to confirm.

**IMPORTANT SCHEDULING NOTE: There will not be a 12:30pm Latin Mass at St. Ann parish on Christmas Day – only Midnight Mass**

Dec. 23/24 – Fasting and Abstinence Note

Traditionally, Christmas Eve (the feast of Ss. Adam & Eve) was a day of fasting and abstinence, however that has been eliminated by the current code of canon law. However, for those who want to maintain this practice as a pious devotion, we share that in 1959, Pope St. John XXIII allowed the Christmas Eve fast/abstinence to be transferred to December 23. Hence if you’d like to follow this old practice, you are welcome to practice it on December 23 instead of the 24th. To learn more visit: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2011/12/anticipation-of-christmas-fast-to.html

December 21 – Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

Wednesday December 21 is the traditional feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, who often gets overlooked due to the seemingly busy liturgical schedule (Marian feasts, Ember Days, etc.) and preparations for Christmas. Yet this saint is not the least by any means, as tradition holds that St. Thomas evangelized not only India, but Persia including baptizing the 3 Magi; and also much of the globe, and also – including the western hemisphere. Regarding India, according to Catholic historian Dr. Warren Carroll (founder of Christendom College), St. Thomas was among the greatest missionaries of the apostles, and his work evangelizing the south of India (of which the records are now lost) “may be the greatest lost epic in the history of the Church.”  – Dr. Warren Carroll, The Founding of Christendom Vol. I

As custom each December 21, we share with you a great sermon by a traditional priest on this great saint: https://charlottelatinmass.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/20051218-saint-thomas-the-apostle-preaching-the-gospel-to-the-new-world.mp3

Dom Prosper Gueranger also has a reflection and notes that St. Thomas is placed on the calendar right before Christmas to help increase our faith in the Word Made Flesh, which he doubted after the resurrection:

This is the last feast the Church keeps before the great one of the Nativity of her Lord and Spouse. She interrupts the greater ferias in order to pay her tribute of honour to Thomas, the apostle of Christ, whose glorious martyrdom has consecrated this twenty-first day of December, and has procured for the Christian people a powerful patron, who will introduce them to the divine Babe of Bethlehem. To none of the apostles could this day have been so fittingly assigned as to St. Thomas. It was St. Thomas whom we needed; St. Thomas, whose festal patronage would aid us to believe and hope in that God whom we see not, and who comes to us in silence and humility in order to try our faith. St. Thomas was once guilty of doubting, when he ought to have believed, and learnt the necessity of faith only by the sad experience of incredulity: he comes then most appropriately to defend us, by the power of his example and prayers, against the temptations which proud human reason might excite within us.

Let us pray to him with confidence. In that heaven of light and vision, where his repentance and love have placed him, he will intercede for us, and gain for us that docility of mind and heart, which will enable us to see and recognize Him, who is the Expected of nations, and who, though the King of the world, will give no other signs of His majesty, than the swaddling-clothes and tears of a Babe.

https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/505-sanctoral-cycle/december/3032-december-21-saint-thomas-apostle

by

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Advent, and as custom we provide a reflection the Collect from Sunday’s Latin Mass: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2020/12/the-indulgent-collect-of-fourth-sunday.html

St. Ann Annual Blessing of Religious Objects – Sunday December 18

After today’s 12:30pm St. Ann parish Latin Mass on Sunday December 18, Father will bless religious objects in the Traditional Rite. These items can be, statues, holy water, salt, oil, medals, Rosaries. A table will be placed in the cry room – please place items on table prior to the 12:30pm Mass. Immediately after Mass, Father will begin blessing – new objects cannot be placed on the table after that point. Table should be up by 12 noon – 12:15pm.

Advent Mission with FSSP Recap

We thank everyone who made the sacrifice in the dark and rainy weather to attend St. Thomas Aquinas’ parish mission with the two Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) priests, and hope attendees derived benefit from their talks. Please consider thanking Fr. Codd for arranging for this retreat which was a welcome spiritual retreat for all parishioners, but especially for the Latin Mass faithful.

Latin Masses This Week

  • Wednesday December 21, 6pm – St. Ann parish, feast of St. Thomas the Apostle
  • Thursday December 22, 7pm – St. Thomas Aquinas, Greater Feria of Advent (no feast day)
  • Friday December 23, 7am (St. Ann) and 12:30pm (St. Mark), Greater Feria of Advent (no feast day)
  • Saturday December 24 – The fourth Saturday Respect Life Latin Mass is canceled due to Christmas

Christmas Latin Mass Schedule – Feast of the Nativity Sunday December 25

Christmas has 3 distinct Masses for the day, and priests are also allowed to offer 3 Masses to commemorate the birth of Our Savior. The first Mass is midnight, which marks Christ coming into the dark world at Bethlehem on December 25, 1 B.C.; Mass at dawn symbolizes the spiritual birth of Christ in our souls and Mass during the day represents eternal love of Christ for coming to us in the Incarnation.   To learn more about the traditional customs surrounding Christmas please visit: https://www.fisheaters.com/customschristmas1.html and https://www.fisheaters.com/customschristmas2.html

Midnight Latin Masses:

Christmas Day Latin Masses

  • 11:30am – St. Thomas Aquinas
  • 1pm – Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro
  • 1pm – Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC (2 hours south of Charlotte)
  • All other parishes: Please check the parish bulletin or call ahead to confirm.

**IMPORTANT SCHEDULING NOTE: There will not be a 12:30pm Latin Mass at St. Ann parish on Christmas Day – only Midnight Mass**

Christmas Week Schedule Changes (as announced)

  • Thursday December 29, St. Thomas Aquinas, 10am Latin Mass (the 7pm Latin Mass is canceled for this day only)
  • All other Latin Masses are on normal schedule unless otherwise announced.

To see the January 1 and Epiphany schedule as announced, please our Mass times webpage: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

Dec. 23/24 – Fasting and Abstinence Note

Traditionally, Christmas Eve (the feast of Ss. Adam & Eve) was a day of fasting and abstinence, however that has been eliminated by the current code of canon law. However, for those who want to maintain this practice as a pious devotion, we share that in 1959, Pope St. John XXIII allowed the Christmas Eve fast/abstinence to be transferred to December 23. Hence if you’d like to follow this old practice, you are welcome to practice it on December 23 instead of the 24th. To learn more visit: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2011/12/anticipation-of-christmas-fast-to.html

Traditional Christmas Proclamation

St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas parishes traditionally chant the ancient Christmas proclamation at Midnight Mass each Christmas (it occurs a minute or two before Mass begins). This is a beautiful chant that was unfortunately lost after 1960s, only to return in a weaker modernized format in 1994. Graciously, the scholas at St. Ann and St. Thomas Aquinas sign the traditional Christmas proclamation. Here are links to compare the traditional and the modern:

Dom Prosper Gueranger’s Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

We have now entered into the week which immediately precedes the birth of the Messias. That long desired coming might be even tomorrow; and at furthest, that is, when Advent is as long as it can be, the beautiful feast is only seven days from us. So that the Church now counts the hours; she watches day and night, and since December 17 her Offices have assumed an unusual solemnity. At Lauds, she varies the antiphons each day; and at Vespers, in order to express the impatience of her desires for her Jesus, she makes use of the most vehement exclamations to the Messias, in which she each day gives Him a magnificent title, borrowed from the language of the prophets.

Today, she makes a last effort to stir up the devotion of her children. She leads them to the desert; she shows them John the Baptist, upon whose mission she instructed them on the third Sunday. The voice of the austere Precursor resounds through the wilderness, and penetrates even into the cities. It preaches penance, and the obligation men are under of preparing by self-purification for the coming of Christ. Let us retire from the world during these next few days; or if that may not be by reason of our external duties, let us retire into the quiet of our own hearts and confess our iniquities, as did those true Israelites, who came, full of compunction and of faith in the Messias, to the Baptist, there to make perfect their preparation for worthily receiving the Redeemer on the day of His appearing to the world.

Community News

  • Second Fr. Ripperger Talk Added For Friday March 10: Due to the overwhelming interest in hearing exorcist and traditional theologian, Fr. Chad Ripperger, St. Thomas Aquinas parish is now hosting a second, identical talk, by Fr Ripperger on Friday March 10. Please see the parish’s note:

    Due to the Saturday, March 11, 2023 event filling up so quickly, Fr. Codd asked Fr. Ripperger if he would be willing to come on Friday, March 10, 2023, to do an additional identical conference, in order to allow for more parishioners and folks from the diocese to attend.  Fr. Ripperger graciously agreed, and so we will now have him speak both on Friday and Saturday.  Note, these will be the same talk on both days.  Saturday is already full.  If you are signed up already to attend Saturday, please do not register for Friday as well, or we will delete your registration.  Please register as soon as possible in order to help us with planning.  As well, if you are able to help support us bringing Fr. Ripperger in for an additional talk, please use the registration form to do so, or use this link.  Thank you! https://www.osvhub.com/st-thomas-aquinas-rc-church/forms/frripperger-friday
  • 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

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Ember Days for the Beginning of Winter – Article by Michael Charlier: This past week was the winter Embertide, the three days of penance at the start of each liturgical and natural season to thank God for the gifts of creation and to pray for holiness in the upcoming season. Here is a brief overview of the winter Ember days: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/12/ember-days-for-beginning-of-winter.html
  • The Demanding Glory of Advent’s Ember Saturday: Next to the vigils of Easter, Pentecost, and All Hallows Eve, if there is a sublime and somber Latin Mass, it is any one of the Ember Saturday Masses – especially Ember Saturday in Advent (yesterday). The Mass features six readings, mainly from the Old Testament and offers a glorious way to conclude the Ember week and prepare for the Nativity. Dr. Peter Kwasniewski (who visited us last September), pens an excellent article on this special liturgy: https://onepeterfive.com/glory-advents-ember-saturday/  Additionally, we note that Dr. Kwasniewski is also promoting a second article by German writer Michael Charlier, https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/12/the-liturgy-of-ember-saturday-in-advent.html
  • The Golden Mass of Ember Wednesday: Not to be outdone, but Ember Wednesday in Advent is also a special liturgy as Greg DiPippo (who served along with Dr. Kwasniewski on our panel discussion in September) writes in the New Liturgical Movement. We share this article and those above to help draw our readers to the importance of the Ember days and encourage people to take advantage of them as we progress in the liturgical year. https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/12/the-golden-mass-of-ember-wednesday.html#.Y56oPhXMKHt
  • Yes, Our Lord Meant Exactly What He Said About Divorce: As the Church prepares to meditate on the Holy Family in the weeks ahead, we are pleased to share another article from Nathaniel Slattery, one of the leaders of the High Country Latin Mass Community in Boone. Mr. Slattery takes a look at that often ignored traditional teaching of the Church which condemns divorce. In the age of widespread annulment abuses, the article backs up this foundational teaching through the writings of the saints: https://www.catholic365.com/article/24551/yes-our-lord-meant-exactly-what-he-said-about-divorce.html
  • Reform of the Reform: Liturgical Russian Roulette: Occasionally, some sacred liturgy enthusiasts, or more likely, conservative Catholics, become excited about priests who wish to make the Novus Ordo Mass more reverent, by adding Latin, chant, and communion kneelers (among other things). This is called “Reform of the Reform”, to reform the Vatican II Novus Ordo Mass to make it more “traditional”. While chant and communion kneelers, etc. at a Novus Ordo Mass are laudable acts, there is a fundamental flaw in this effort – it is entirely priest dependent, and more often than not, the priest gets transferred at some point, and the new pastor reverts the liturgy back to where it was before. As the author notes, it’s like playing liturgical Russian roulette:

[E]ventually this cassock wearing priest will be replaced by someone more modern. His replacement will go get rid of ad orientem and phase out the Latin. The choir members will get disgruntled and quit. There will be a rift between the new pastor and the parishioners who want to retain the traditional stuff. The pastor will be intransigent; the parishioners, unhappy with him, will leave. With these people gone, the new priest will undo all the traditional stuff the previous priest put in place. The parish will again reach equilibrium as a generic western Novus Ordo parish. The conservative parishioners-in-exile, meanwhile, will relocate to whatever the most traditional option remains among the diocesan parishes. Seeing the influx of new traditional parishioners, that pastor will feel emboldened to introduce more traditional elements into his masses. The whole process will begin again.

But it’s never a net gain. In fact, the total number of reform of the reform parishioners in the diocesan system will go down because each time this upheaval happens, a fraction inevitably say “I’m done with this; I’m just going to an Institute/Fraternity/Society parish” and they remove themselves from the diocesan system entirely. So nobody ever wins. It’s generally just shuffling parishioners, a diocesan shell-game. The snake just eats its own tail.

CLMC note: This is why the stability of the Latin Mass is preferred over the reverent “reformed” Novus Ordo Mass – the Latin Mass is not priest dependent for its reverence. However, the CLMC would go one step further and say, a Latin Mass in a Novus Ordo parish also suffers from being “priest dependent” as we have seen in the diocese over the past 10 years where several Traditional Latin Masses were canceled or curtailed when there was a change in pastors.  Naturally, this is also in part why the CLMC continues to advocate for a dedicated Latin Mass chapel – the current priest-dependent framework always remains unstable.

CLMC note: Has the Charlotte Diocese – and even parishes within it that offer the Latin Mass – been affected by this problem?

The (British) Bells of St. Mary’s: An American Finds Home on an English Street

On the topic of coming back home, we share an excellent piece from another local writer from our community, Rachel Shrader, who attends Latin Mass at St. Ann parish, and writes a sequel to her first article about her summer trip to the British isles where she visits different Latin Mass parishes. In this installment, Ms. Shrader visits the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) parish, St. Mary’s Shrine in Warrington, UK, and reflects on the importance of having not just a home parish, but a parish that is actually one’s home, like Nazareth. This certainly fits well with many Latin Mass families who desire to find that permanent home where both the sacraments and communal life are offered daily. Yet regardless, the issues raised in the article should apply to any parish especially if they have lost parishioners during COVID (as noted in the above article). We also note the timeliness of the article as it comes between the feast of the House of Loretto (December 10) and the feast of the Nativity, at Bethlehem (December 25), both home to the Holy Family.  

We share a few excerpts to close this update (emphasis ours):

St. Mary’s Church was served by the Benedictines of Ampleforth Abbey in Yorkshire for 135 years before they were forced to relinquish care of it in 2012 due to the lack of available priests. The Archdiocese of Liverpool took over its administration for a few years.

Then, in 2015, Archbishop Malcom McMahon made an announcement that must have been music to the ears of those who loved St. Mary’s. He announced that St. Mary’s Church would be entrusted to the care of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, also known by their abbreviation FSSP, a group founded by Pope St. John Paul II in 1988.  The church was designated a “shrine” church, which basically means that it is a center of worship with a community, but not technically a parish.

St. Mary’s in Warrington is, of course, more than just a building, though a celestial building it is. This place strives to be a center of life for the Catholics that it serves, to epitomize the ideal of parish life.

Once upon a time, entire towns and communities centered around the parish church. St. Mary’s is aiming to bring that ideal back: in its own words, it aims to build a “Nazareth in Lancashire,” a place where families can live, grow, and worship together.

Our parish is a microcosm of Holy Mother Church, and it is there that our spiritual fathers—our pastors—instruct and guide us; where we and our brothers and sisters in Christ support and sustain one another. Our parish gives us our daily spiritual sustenance: the Holy Eucharist, offered through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every day. There we are instructed in the Faith, receive the other sacraments, marry, and welcome new members into the Church. But an ideal parish life goes even further.

What if your parish was the place you went to school, met your friends, and recreated? What if it was home base and not merely a weekly or biweekly item on your agenda? What if you wanted to be there—to actually be there, and not just go there? What if—now I’m really going out on a limb—you loved it so much you wanted to do something for it, contribute to it, just like we do with our physical households?

What if it…felt like home?

Next Sunday is Christmas. What liturgical home will you be visiting on Our Lord’s Nativity?

by

Advent Mission Time Change Tonight & Wednesday

Laudetur Iesus Christus and blessed feast of St. Lucy. The Advent Mission at St. Thomas Aquinas parish tonight and tomorrow will start 30 minutes later than previously advertised. The customized talks (men, and youth) begin at 6:30pm (not 6pm), and the general talk begins at 7:30pm (not 7pm).

Tonight’s men’s talk will be in Parish Office Room D. The main mission talk at 7:30pm will be in the church. Confessions begin at 6pm each night.

These changes work well especially for tomorrow as one can attend the Ember Wednesday Latin Mass at 6pm St. Ann and still make it for the general talk at St. Thomas Aquinas. Please see the updated schedule below.

God Bless,

Charlotte Latin Mass Community

www.charlottelatinmass.org

=============

As you may recall, the parish has graciously invited two Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) priests to give a special Advent parish mission from Tuesday December 13 – Thursday December 15. The schedule will feature a mission talk as well as confessions each evening. Additionally as a bonus, each night before the mission, the priests will give a customized talk on separate nights for men, youth, and women. We can’t express enough the blessing of having these priests – who offer the Latin Mass exclusively – to give a mission and a few talks. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this wonderful event.

The mission priests are Fr. Joseph Portzer, FSSP, and Fr. Martin Adams, FSSP.

The schedule is as follows:

*** Confessions each night at 6pm ***

Tuesday December 13

6:30pm – Men’s Talk

7:30pm – Mission (open to all)

Wednesday December 14

6:30pm – Youth Talk (suited for high school age youth – parents discretion)

7:30pm – Mission (open to all)

Thursday December 15

6pm – Women’s Talk

7pm – Latin Mass (open to all)

8pm – Mission (open to all)

For those new to the Latin Mass, the Fraternity of St Peter is a congregation of priests who offer the Latin Mass exclusively and staff chapels and parishes throughout North America and the world. Two members of our community and St. Ann parish are enrolled in the FSSP seminary in Nebraska. In prior years, the CLMC has hosted FSSP priests to give talks.  We are grateful St. Thomas Aquinas parish for offering this timely mission and also a wonderful opportunity to better acquaint us with the charism of the FSSP priests.

In closing, if there is one liturgical season often overlooked, it is often Advent – eclipsed by the secular world of materialism, and yet this week we have a wonderful opportunity to reestablish our spiritual lives in this important season through this Advent mission. We encourage everyone to attend and hope to see you there!

by

Advent Mission with FSSP Priests – Begins Tomorrow December 13-15 (St. Thomas Aquinas)

Laudetur Iesus Christus and blessed feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! Just a reminder that tomorrow Tuesday December 13 begins the important Advent mission at St. Thomas Aquinas parish that you won’t want to miss.

As you may recall, the parish has graciously invited two Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) priests to give a special Advent parish mission from Tuesday December 13 – Thursday December 15. The schedule will feature a mission talk as well as confessions each evening. Additionally as a bonus, each night before the mission, the priests will give a customized talk on separate nights for men, youth, and women. We can’t express enough the blessing of having these priests – who offer the Latin Mass exclusively – to give a mission and a few talks. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this wonderful event.

The mission priests are Fr. Joseph Portzer, FSSP, and Fr. Martin Adams, FSSP.

The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday December 13

6pm – Men’s Talk

7pm – Mission (open to all)

Wednesday December 14

6pm – Youth Talk (suited for high school age youth – parents discretion)

7pm – Mission (open to all)

Thursday December 15

6pm – Women’s Talk

7pm – Latin Mass (open to all)

8pm – Mission (open to all)

For those new to the Latin Mass, the Fraternity of St Peter is a congregation of priests who offer the Latin Mass exclusively and staff chapels and parishes throughout North America and the world. Two members of our community and St. Ann parish are enrolled in the FSSP seminary in Nebraska. In prior years, the CLMC has hosted FSSP priests to give talks.  We are grateful St. Thomas Aquinas parish for offering this timely mission and also a wonderful opportunity to better acquaint us with the charism of the FSSP priests.

In closing, if there is one liturgical season often overlooked, it is often Advent – eclipsed by the secular world of materialism, and yet this week we have a wonderful opportunity to reestablish our spiritual lives in this important season through this Advent mission. We encourage everyone to attend and hope to see you there!

advent-mission-2022
by

Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday the Church celebrates the 3rd Sunday in Advent, otherwise known as Gaudete Sunday, taken from the first words of the Introit (rejoice). The priest wears Rose colored vestments to indicate hope during this penitential time that Christ in His Incarnation is coming. We share a commentary on Sunday’s Collect: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2020/12/the-accommodating-collect-of-third.html

Fisheaters.com – Gaudete Sunday: https://www.fisheaterscom/customsadvent13.html

December 13-15: Advent Mission with Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) Priests (St. Thomas Aquinas parish)

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish has invited priests from the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) to offer an Advent mission this week from Tuesday evenings December 13 – Thursday December 15. The schedule will feature a mission talk as well as confessions each evening. Additionally as a bonus, each night before the mission, the priests will give a customized talk on separate nights for men, youth, and women. We can’t express enough the blessing of having these priests – who offer the Latin Mass exclusively – to give a mission and a few talks. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this wonderful event. The mission priests are Fr Joseph Portzer, FSSP, and Fr. Martin Adams, FSSP. The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday December 13

6pm – Men’s Talk

7pm – Mission (open to all)

Wednesday December 14

6pm – Youth Talk (suited for high school age youth – parents discretion)

7pm – Mission (open to all)

Thursday December 15

6pm – Women’s Talk

7pm – Latin Mass (open to all)

8pm – Mission (open to all)

Advent Embertide this week

This coming Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are the seasonal ember days – when the traditional Church sets aside 3 days each season for prayer, fasting and partial abstinence (*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. Fisheaters has more commentary here: https://www.fisheaters.com/customsadvent11.html  

Ember Week Masses:

  • Wednesday December 14, 6pm – St. Ann, 6pm (Low) – *Fasting/Partial Abstinence (meat at primary meal)
  • Thursday December 15, 7pm – St. Thomas Aquinas, Feria (Not an Ember Day, no fasting nor abstinence)
  • Friday December 16, 7am (St. Ann) & 12:30pm (St. Mark), Commemoration of St. Eusebius – *Fasting/Abstinence (no meat)
  • Saturday December 17: None scheduled diocesan parishes in/near Charlotte, sadly (see Rorate schedule) – *Fasting/Partial Abstinence (meat at primary meal)

Upcoming Rorate Latin Masses

  • Saturday December 17, 6am – Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 17, 6:30am – Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)

St. Ann Annual Blessing of Religious Objects – Sunday December 18

After the 12:30pm St. Ann parish Latin Mass on Sunday December 18, Father will bless religious objects in the Traditional Rite. These items can be, statues, holy water, salt, oil, medals, Rosaries. A table will be placed in the narthex – please place items on table prior to the 12:30pm Mass. Immediately after Mass, Father will begin blessing – new objects cannot be placed on the table after that point. Table should be up by 12 noon – 12:15pm.

Christmas Latin Mass Schedule – Feast of the Nativity Sunday December 25

Midnight Latin Masses:

Christmas Day Latin Masses

  • 11:30am – St. Thomas Aquinas (Note: There will not be a 12:30pm Latin Mass at St. Ann on Christmas Day)
  • 1pm – Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro
  • 1pm – Our Lady of the Lake, Chapin, SC (2 hours south of Charlotte)
  • All other parishes: Please check the parish bulletin or call ahead to confirm.

Community News

  • Second Fr. Ripperger Talk Added For Friday March 10: Due to the overwhelming interest in hearing exorcist and traditional theologian, Fr. Chad Ripperger, St. Thomas Aquinas parish is now hosting a second, identical talk, by Fr Ripperger on Friday March 10. Please see the parish’s note:

    Due to the Saturday, March 11, 2023 event filling up so quickly, Fr. Codd asked Fr. Ripperger if he would be willing to come on Friday, March 10, 2023, to do an additional identical conference, in order to allow for more parishioners and folks from the diocese to attend.  Fr. Ripperger graciously agreed, and so we will now have him speak both on Friday and Saturday.  Note, these will be the same talk on both days.  Saturday is already full.  If you are signed up already to attend Saturday, please do not register for Friday as well, or we will delete your registration.  Please register as soon as possible in order to help us with planning.  As well, if you are able to help support us bringing Fr. Ripperger in for an additional talk, please use the registration form to do so, or use this link.  Thank you! https://www.osvhub.com/st-thomas-aquinas-rc-church/forms/frripperger-friday
  • 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, 6:30-7pm, Holy Family Room
  • Holy Spirit, Denver – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass
  • Don’t see your parish? Why not organize one?

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • “Innumerable miracles”, reduced to none: Saint Nicholas in the Traditional and Modern Roman Missals: St. Nicholas has had many miracles attributed to him during his lifetime, however sadly in recent decades there were changes to the liturgical texts that minimized this important fact. Liturgical writer Matthew Hazell has examined the difference in prayers from the Traditional Rite and the Novus Ordo Missals: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/12/innumerable-miracles-reduced-to-none.html

Gaudete Sunday – Dom Prosper Gueranger

We close this update with a reflection by the great Benedictine liturgist, Servant of God Dom Prosper Gueranger, who reminds us that the coming of the Savior is approaching on this Gaudete Sunday.

Today, again, the Church is full of joy, and the joy is greater than it was. It is true that her Lord has not come; but she feels that He is nearer than before, and therefore she thinks it just to lessen somewhat the austerity of this penitential season by the innocent cheerfulness of her sacred rites. And first, this Sunday has had the name of Gaudete given to it, from the first word of the Introit; it also is honoured with those impressive exceptions which belong to the fourth Sunday of Lent, called Lœtare. The organ is played at the Mass; the vestments are rose-colour; the deacon resumes the dalmatic, and the subdeacon the tunic; and in cathedral churches the bishop assists with the precious mitre. How touching are all these usages, and how admirable this condescension of the Church, wherewith she so beautifully blends together the unalterable strictness of the dogmas of faith and the graceful poetry of the formulæ of her liturgy! Let us enter into her spirit, and be glad on this third Sunday of her Advent, because our Lord is now so near unto us. To-morrow we will resume our attitude of servants mourning for the absence of their Lord and waiting for Him; for every delay, however short, is painful and makes love sad…

…Nothing is more just than that we rejoice in the Lord. Both the prophet and the apostle excite us to desire the Saviour, both of them promise us peace. Therefore, let us not be solicitous: the Lord is nigh; nigh to His Church, and nigh to each of our souls. Who can be near so burning a fire, and yet be cold? Do we not feel that He is coming to us, in spite of all obstacles? He will let nothing be a barrier between Himself and us, neither His own infinite high majesty, nor our exceeding lowliness, nor our many sins. Yet a little while, and He will be with us. Let us go out to meet Him by these prayers and supplications, and thanksgiving which the apostle recommends to us. Let our zeal to unite ourselves with our holy mother the Church become more than ever fervent: now every day her prayers will increase in intense earnestness, and her longings after Him, who is her light and her love, will grow more ardent.

Today is Gaudete Sunday and the coming of the Lord is nigh. What Mass are you attending Sunday?

by

Immaculate Conception & Rorate Mass Schedules

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Tomorrow, Thursday December 8th is one of the most important Marian feast days in the Church, and of course our nation’s patronal feast day, the Immaculate Conception. It is a holy day of obligation and below are the Latin Masses listed.  We also have two updates to share.

Bishop Jugis Letter Update: The CLMC wishes to extend our thanks to Fr. Reid for his pulpit announcement on Sunday in which he has reached out to Bishop Jugis to obtain more clarification in His Excellency’s potentially concerning November 17 letter to the CLMC.  We also appreciate Father’s encouraging advice to keep attending the Latin Mass, and keep praying.  If any clarification made, we’re sure it will be shared to the entire community. We also thank everyone who prayed the St. Ann parish Immaculate Heart novena and included the CLMC and Bishop Jugis among the intentions.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception Thursday December 8 – **Holy Day of Obligation & Patronal Feast of the United States**

Thursday is the feast of the Immaculate Conception, the patronal feast day for the United States since 1846. If the U.S. were a Catholic country (which we pray it will be someday), December 8 would be essentially our primary national holiday (not July 4).  Our national shrine in Washington is named after this title of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and sits at the highest elevation in U.S. capital city. For more on this splendid feast day visit: https://www.fisheaters.com/customsadvent5.html  

Feast of the Immaculate Conception – Thursday December 8

(More Masses to be announced)

Rorate Latin Masses (Latin Mass by Candlelight at Dawn on a Saturday in Advent)

  • Saturday December 10, 6:30am – St. Ann parish
  • Saturday December 10, 6am – Holy Cross parish in Kernersville (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 10, 6:30am – St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, Boone (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 10, 6:30am – Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 10, 6:30am – St. Margaret Mary, Swannanoa (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 17, 6am – Our Lady of Grace, Greensboro (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 17, 6:30am – Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)

REMINDER – December 13-15: Advent Mission with Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) Priests (St. Thomas Aquinas parish)

Next week St. Thomas Aquinas Parish will host priests from the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) to offer an Advent mission from Tuesday evening December 13 – Thursday December 15. The schedule will feature a mission talk as well as confessions each evening. Additionally as a bonus, each night before the mission, the priests will give a customized talk on separate nights for men, youth, and women. We can’t express enough the blessing of having these priests – who offer the Latin Mass exclusively – to give a mission and a few talks. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this wonderful event. The mission priests are Fr Joseph Portzer, FSSP, and Fr. Martin Adams, FSSP. The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday December 13

6pm – Men’s Talk

7pm – Mission (open to all)

Wednesday December 14

6pm – Youth Talk (suited for high school age youth – parents discretion)

7pm – Mission (open to all)

Thursday December 15

6pm – Women’s Talk

7pm – Latin Mass (open to all)

8pm – Mission (open to all)

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, pray for us!

by

Second Sunday of Advent

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Sunday is the 2nd Sunday of Advent (and the ancient feast of St. Barbara), as custom we share a reflection on the Collect for Sunday’s Latin Mass: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2020/12/the-heartfelt-collect-for-second-sunday.html#.YaxSaLpOmHs

First Sunday Announcements:

  • St. Thomas Aquinas: There will not be a 1st Sunday potluck at St. Thomas Aquinas after Latin Mass today due to a scheduling conflict.
  • Sacred Heart Parish Latin Mass Today at 4pm: There will be the regular 1st Sunday Latin Mass at 4pm today, offered by Fr. Noah Carter at Sacred Heart parish in Salisbury. There will be a potluck to follow in Brincefield Hall. For more information please visit: http://salisburylmc.org/

Per the Salisbury Latin Mass Community, there may be a road closure today coming from I-85 toward the parish. They suggest the following below route or follow this map https://goo.gl/maps/A4uUV25f7viKDRjWA)  

•           Drive toward Sacred Heart on Jake Alexander Blvd.

•           Turn right onto Brenner Avenue at the intersection where Wells Fargo bank, Harris Teeter and Aldi grocery stores are located.

•           Drive to Statesville Blvd. and turn left.

•           This will take you back to Jake Alexander Blvd.

•           Turn right at the CVS.

•           This detour should add about 3 minutes to your travel from the Jake Alexander Blvd & Brenner Ave. intersection:

Latin Masses This Week

  • Wednesday December 7, 6pm St. Ann – Feast of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Confessor
  • Thursday December 8 – Feast of the Immaculate Conception (See schedule below)
  • Friday December 9, 7am (St. Ann) & 12:30pm (St. Mark) – Feria Day (no feast day)
  • Saturday December 10 – Feria Day (See Rorate Masses below)

Feast of the Immaculate Conception – **Holy Day of Obligation & Patronal Feast of the United States**

Rorate Latin Masses (Candlelight Latin Masses at dawn on Saturdays)

  • Saturday December 10, 6:30am – St. Ann parish
  • Saturday December 10, 6am – Holy Cross parish in Kernersville (1.5 hours north of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 10, 6:30am – St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country, Boone (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 10, 6:30am – Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 10, 6:30am – St Margaret Mary, Swannanoa (2 hours northwest of Charlotte)
  • Saturday December 17, 6:30am – Prince of Peace, Taylors, SC (2 hours southwest of Charlotte)

Advent-Christmas Schedule: Please see our webpage for the most recent announced Latin Masses during Advent and Christmas: https://charlottelatinmass.org/mass-times/

December 13-15: Advent Mission with Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) Priests (St. Thomas Aquinas parish)

St. Thomas Aquinas Parish has invited priests from the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) to offer an Advent mission from Tuesday evenings December 13 – Thursday December 15. The schedule will feature a mission talk as well as confessions each evening. Additionally as a bonus, each night before the mission, the priests will give a customized talk on separate nights for men, youth, and women. We can’t express enough the blessing of having these priests – who offer the Latin Mass exclusively – to give a mission and a few talks. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this wonderful event. The mission priests are Fr. Joseph Portzer, FSSP, and Fr. Martin Adams, FSSP. The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday December 13

6pm – Men’s Talk

7pm – Mission (open to all)

Wednesday December 14

6pm – Youth Talk (suited for high school age youth – parents discretion)

7pm – Mission (open to all)

Thursday December 15

6pm – Women’s Talk

7pm – Latin Mass (open to all)

8pm – Mission (open to all)

St. Ann Annual Blessing of Religious Objects – Sunday December 18

After the 12:30pm St. Ann parish Latin Mass on Sunday December 18, Father will bless religious objects in the Traditional Rite. More details coming in the week ahead.

Community News

  • Second Fr. Ripperger Talk Added For Friday March 10: Due to the overwhelming interest in hearing exorcist and traditional theologian, Fr. Chad Ripperger, St. Thomas Aquinas parish is now hosting a second, identical talk, by Fr. Ripperger on Friday March 10. Please see the parish’s note:

    Due to the Saturday, March 11, 2023 event filling up so quickly, Fr. Codd asked Fr. Ripperger if he would be willing to come on Friday, March 10, 2023, to do an additional identical conference, in order to allow for more parishioners and folks from the diocese to attend.  Fr. Ripperger graciously agreed, and so we will now have him speak both on Friday and Saturday.  Note, these will be the same talk on both days.  Saturday is already full.  If you are signed up already to attend Saturday, please do not register for Friday as well, or we will delete your registration.  Please register as soon as possible in order to help us with planning.  As well, if you are able to help support us bringing Fr. Ripperger in for an additional talk, please use the registration form to do so, or use this link.  Thank you! https://www.osvhub.com/st-thomas-aquinas-rc-church/forms/frripperger-friday
  • 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, 6:30-7pm, Holy Family Room
  • Holy Spirit, Denver – Tuesdays 10-11am after the Novus Ordo Mass
  • Don’t see your parish? Why not organize one? (e-mail us at info@charlottelatinmass.org)

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • St. Junipero Serra Institute: Spanish immersion course for seminarians and clergy, in a traditional environment: The Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) in Mexico is offering seminarians and clergy a Spanish immersion course this coming summer that will allow them to learn Spanish in a traditional environment (Latin Mass, chanting of the traditional office, etc.). If you know of any seminarians or clergy interested in Spanish, please share this link: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2022/12/st-junipero-serra-institute-spanish.html#more
  • Cardinal Burke’s Advent Reflection: Advent and the Doors of Our Hearts: His Eminence Cardinal Raymond Burke has released (last weekend actually) an Advent reflection which remains timely for the rest of this season, and we note his quoting Dom Prosper Gueranger, the great 19th century Benedictine liturgist, whom is often cited in CLMC updates. https://www.cardinalburke.com/presentations/advent-and-the-door-of-our-hearts

December 4 – Feast of St. Barbara

Today Sunday December 4 is the ancient feast of St. Barbara, virgin and martyr. Sadly her feast day was suppressed in recent years, but this great (and often forgotten saint) is still celebrated in a few ways in the Traditional Latin Mass calendar and she remains one of the 14 Holy Helpers. We post Greg DiPippo’s article about her feast day followed by the great 19th century Benedictine liturgist, Dom Prosper Gueranger’s commentary and reflection on her feast day. DiPippo’s article notes:

Barbara’s father was a wealthy pagan named Dioscorus, who, before going on a long trip, had her enclosed in a tower to hide her extraordinary beauty from the eyes of strangers. Contemplating the splendor and harmony of the world, which she could observe from the tower’s two windows, she began to think about its Cause. In her longing to know the truth about the Creator, she determined to seek the knowledge of Him as the only good in this world, and thus made a vow of virginity…

…Dioscorus, learning upon his return of his daughter’s conversion and refusal to marry, flew into a rage, and attempted to strike her with a sword. In one version of the story, Barbara fled from her father, and as she ran up a hill, was temporarily hidden from him in a cave which miraculously opened on it, whence her patronage of miners. There follow various accounts of the torments to which she was then subjected, her trial before a judge, and her eventual beheading by her own father’s hand. As Dioscorus walked away from the site of the execution, “fire fallen from heaven, by the just vengeance of God, so consumed (him) that there remained of him not even a tiny bit of dust.” From this last detail comes St Barbara’s role as protectress against lightning and thunder, and her patronage of military gunners, etc.

To conclude where the above excerpt ended, we share Gueranger’s note about her patronages:

Such is the account of the life and martyrdom of the courageous virgin of Nicomedia. She is invoked in the Church against lightning, on account of the punishment inflicted by divine justice on her execrable father. This same incident of the saint’s history has suggested several Catholic customs: thus her name is sometimes given to the hold of men-of-war where the ammunition is stowed; she is the patroness of artillery men, miners, etc.; and she is invoked by the faithful against the danger of a sudden death.

St. Barbara, pray for us!

What Mass are you attending Sunday?

by

Bishop Jugis Announces Phase-out of Latin Mass “In Due Time”

Dear friends of the Charlotte Latin Mass Community (CLMC),

Laudetur Iesus Christus!

Our Charlotte Latin Mass Community has received an unfavorable response from Bishop Jugis regarding our Synod request letter of August 22nd and we wanted to share it with our community as it affects everyone.  The letter is attached for your review.

As one can read, the conclusion is clear: the bishop appears to be phasing out all Traditional Masses and sacraments.  The specific time frame was not shared, instead only listing the words, “in due time.”

In the first part of the letter, notwithstanding our CLMC Synod survey indicating 97-percent of respondents preferred a dedicated Latin Mass parish over our current arrangements, Bishop Jugis wrote that the current arrangements of having Latin Masses offered at a Novus Ordo parish, “has proved to … work very well to this day.” 

Then, His Excellency announced that going forward he will be continuing to “implement the new course charted for the Church by Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter Traditionis Custodes.”  An implementation that involves returning “… to a unitary form of celebration [the Novus Ordo Mass] …in due time.” 

The wording is unusual; however, the most simple and plain interpretation is that Bishop Jugis is phasing out all Latin Masses in the diocese on a planned schedule.

In hindsight, considering his use of the word “continue” it appears more likely that the cancellations of the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Holy Easter Triduum earlier this year for our Community may not have been isolated actions, but rather the early phases of this larger plan to suppress our traditional form of worship.  We are as heartbroken by this news as everyone.

It is noteworthy that the motu proprio, Traditionis Custodes, does not require this much rigidity, but rather explicitly permits bishops (Article 3 § 2) to designate dedicated non-parish locations (such as chapels, basilicas, missions, or oratories) to serve the needs of Latin Mass faithful. 

In a further demonstration of mercy, Pope Francis granted an exemption to Ecclesia Dei institutes, such as the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), permitting them to continue offering traditional liturgy and Sacraments without restriction.  With these options, the Church permits a charitable “via media” (middle way) that provides for the spiritual needs of the faithful.  Our Synod response and letter offered these options, and asked for an audience to discuss alternatives, but these offers were thus far declined.

Last year, the diocese informed the faithful that the Synod was a listening process where those on the margins of the Church, such as our Latin Mass community, would be welcomed and encouraged to communicate our spiritual needs in order to maintain communion and fully participate in the life of the Church.  With this Synod we hoped that the Church was moving toward a more open dialogue with disenfranchised groups, such as ours.  We hope this still remains true, but the letter makes it seem less likely.

We must, even with such news, remain hopeful and continue, undeterred, to advocate for our spiritual needs.  There will be a time to consider next steps as more details are released from the diocese.  For now we must drop to our knees and pray.  We have said before that Bishop Jugis is in a difficult position and he needs our prayers more than ever.

This past Wednesday, in preparation for the feast of the Immaculate Conception, St. Ann parish began praying a novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It continues until December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. We continue to encourage everyone to participate and to keep our Community in these intentions, and most especially Bishop Jugis:

O Most Blessed Mother, heart of love, heart of mercy, ever listening, caring, consoling, hear our prayer. As your children, we implore your intercession with Jesus your Son. Receive with understanding and compassion the petitions we place before you today, especially that our parish may be consecrated to your Immaculate Heart.  We are comforted in knowing your heart is ever open to those who ask for your prayer. We trust to your gentle care and intercession, those whom we love and who are sick or lonely or hurting. Help all of us, Holy Mother, to bear our burdens in this life until we may share eternal life and peace with God forever. Amen.

Let us use this Advent season of preparation for the Incarnation to offer up prayers for our spiritual Shepherd and for the preservation of the Latin Mass. 

God Bless,

Chris Lauer & Mike FitzGerald
Charlotte Latin Mass Community
www.charlottelatinmass.org

bishop-jugis-letter-to-clmc-november-2022Download
by

Immaculate Conception Novena – November 30 – December 8

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Today Fr. Reid and St. Ann parish are starting a novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary beginning today November 30 – December 8. The novena will conclude on the feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8) with a consecration of St. Ann to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at the 6pm Latin Mass on December 8.

We want to encourage everyone to participate in this novena beginning today. We also ask to please include our Latin Mass community in your novena intentions.

Here is the message from Fr. Reid sent out today along with the prayers:

I invite all of you to join me in a special novena to Our Lady, beginning today, November 30, and continuing until December 8.  As we’ve done for many years, I am going to consecrate our parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception at the 6 p.m. Mass on December 8.  In preparation for this, I ask you to consider fasting from something you enjoy (as you would during Lent) and praying the following Novena Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary each day from November 30 – December 8:

O Most Blessed Mother, heart of love, heart of mercy, ever listening, caring, consoling, hear our prayer. As your children, we implore your intercession with Jesus your Son. Receive with understanding and compassion the petitions we place before you today, especially that our parish may be consecrated to your Immaculate Heart.  We are comforted in knowing your heart is ever open to those who ask for your prayer. We trust to your gentle care and intercession, those whom we love and who are sick or lonely or hurting. Help all of us, Holy Mother, to bear our burdens in this life until we may share eternal life and peace with God forever. Amen.

We have attached novena as well in case one wishes to print it out.

Lastly, as a reminder this Sunday is 1st Sunday and the Salisbury Latin Mass Community will be having its 1st Sunday Latin Mass December 4 at 4pm. Fr. Noah Carter will offer the Mass (no confessions however). Immediately after Mass there will be a potluck in Brincefield Hall, please bring something to share. For questions visit: www.salisburylmc.org