Any Latin Masses in Your Parish?

The Latin Mass that I attented was soul inspiring and uplifting. The biggest problem for me is that, most seminaries as at now do not stress the study of Latin by seminarians. It would interest you to know that most priests do not understandthe Latin language, and cannot read the Latin which will enable them celebrate the Latin Mass. That is one of the factors which is hindering most priests to shy away from it. In our parish (St. Stanislaus Parish, Pleasant Valley, NY), it was only one family that approached us to celebrate it for them. It seems most parishioners will not understand and respond to whatever will be said during such Mass. There should be an orientation or a seminar for priests on how to celebrate the Latin Mass.

In the diocese of Arlington, I have been to several traditional Latin Masses that were previously banned by the bishop. They were fantastic liturgies with great music and trained servers. Most of the people in the pews were born before Vatican II.

Here in Maryland, a group has secured a church in Frederick County (around 80 petitioners), and some priests to say the Mass. I hear that Hagerstown (around 100 petitioners) is having some success as well. We were told here in Carroll County by the pastor of St. John's(over 50 petitioners in St. John's parish) that there will be a Mass beginning during Lent in this area... so, not yet, but soon! The petitions have been collected without an organized effort- so I would think that if we had such an effort in parishes, the numbers would be much higher!

The Traditional Latin Mass is currently being held at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle in St. Petersburg Florida at 12:30pm every Sunday for the last 12 years

I had a horrible experience trying to find a Latin mass in Los Angeles a month or so ago. I checked the archdiocese website first, since it lists every mass in every language in the entire city (Tagalog, Creyol, Spanish, Aramic, etc.). I thought it made sense to check for a mass in a language other than English there. When I couldn't find a list of any new Latin masses being added in Los Angeles, I called the archdiocese office -- and was ridiculed and belittled. The woman on the other end of the phone made no bones about letting me know that I was wasting her time by asking and that I should be in contact with my home parish -- oh, and that there was no interest in Latin mass anyway so I shouldn't really bother. I admit I was a little shocked... I've called the archdiocese office before on other issues and never, not once, had anyone act like that on the phone. So I called my home parish and the same thing happened... When someone from the liturgy committee finally, begrudgingly got in touch, she made sure to let me know that my phone call wasn't appreciated and that I was out of touch for calling and asking her. Again, I got belittled and told I was "out of touch" and "behind the times." I'm 25!!! TWENTY-FIVE!!!!! Then, I was told I wasn't allowed to approach our parish priest to inquire about having a Latin mass. And that there was no interest in our parish about Latin mass anyway. And that I wasn't allowed to ask any other parishoners about their interest before or after any mass, that I wasn't allowed to use the church bulletin to ask about parishoners' interest in a Latin mass, and so on and so forth. That's my experience thus far.

Only one person in my Parish has expressed any interest. It is a non-issue here.

All these comments I find fascinating, and very illuminating. It would seem that there is a great deal of variance from one diocese to the next, even one parish to the next. One question that remains for me is this: In future years, will more of the impetus for the Latin Mass come from the faithful or from the priests? One of my theories (hard to prove) is that with more seminarians interested in the Latin Mass these days, we may see an increase in Latin Masses as these men are ordained and are assigned to parishes. In other words, those who have predicted that there would not be much of a groundswell for the Latin Mass may be forgetting that much of its rejuvenation may rest with the men currently studying in seminaries, and not yet ordained.

Weekly Latin Mass at St. Birgitta's. Just outside Portland, Oregon. Numerous Latin Masses offered for Holy Days. Recently For All Saints and All Souls. St Theresa and St Patricks. I will work to see the "New" Mass grow !!

The parish is full again. Thank you.

After hearing frustrations from fellow catholics who love to attend TLM, and after being turned down by 2 priests, my 8 year old daughter who heard our discussions curiously asked me this question: Mom, are the priests catholic?

I posted this a couple days ago and it hasn't shown up on the site. Are they only accepting some of the quotes? Won't that skew the results? My answer is YES, my parish priest, without being asked, has offered to use the extraordinary form. He is a wonderful priest and a caring, compassionate man.

Will somebody please explain to this lifelong 69-year-old practicing Catholic who still remembers the Latin responses, why -- other than nostalgia -- so many are clamoring for a return to the Latin Mass? How many of those clamorers actually understand the language? Surely no special merit attaches to the Mass in Latin. It wasn't the language of Christ and the Apostles. That would have been Aramaic. Historically, Greek has a better claim on us than Latin. The words "This is My Body" certainly mean more to English-speaking Catholics than "Hoc est enim corpus meum." Is it that all that Latin murmuring is soothing, allowing one to evade the stark reality of the words of the Consecration? I certainly have no objection to Mass in Latin. I've attended Mass in several languages. It's the same sacrifice. But English is my native tongue; why shouldn't it also be the language of my sacramental life? Benedict didn't command Catholics to attend the Latin mass; he simply gave us the option. Perhaps I'm missing something (other than an aesthetic experience). So, without the usual vituperation heaped upon us newfangled Catholics who prefer Mass in the vernacular, what's the deal?

Our priest has agreed to offer the EF without anyone even asking him to. He is awaiting the clarification of Summorum Pontificum and has to be trained in the rubrics of the 1962 Missal, but that shouldn't put too much strain on him, he already knows Latin, and was an altar server for the EF as a boy.

We are working for this, here in Central Oregon. Una Voce Central Oregon has been instrumental in bringing about the prompt implementation of the Motu Proprio by working with various priests that are willing to celebrate the Extraordinary Form. The hindrance currently is the multiplication of masses. Though, according to Canon Law, masses may be "multiplied" if there is a genuine pastoral need, the problem arises when the bishops deny that a group of faithful requesting the EF constitutes a general pastoral necessity. We shall see how things develop.

No such masses in my parish of St. Eugene (or, as far as I know, my diocese, the diocese of Charlotte). I think that Catholics will enter full communion with Unitarians before such a mass occurs at our parish.

American Catholics are lucky that they're getting the old Latin Mass - even if it's scarce. I've been asking around in my country - South Africa - and I have yet to find a single parish. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. I didn't find much discussion of it in the Catholic press either.

Archbishop Ranjith is right on the mark. Sure there are generous and faithful interpretations of Summorum Pontificum, just as there were of Ecclesia Dei. However, as a 30 year-old member of a group asking our Parishes and Diocese in Ireland for well over a decade for the provision of a 1962 Missal Mass, I can testify that Rome is starting to listen to and to speak with the voice of the dispossessed laity. IMHO, tradition-loving Catholics are the last acceptable persecuted minority in the Church.

Well, I'm not from America. I'm from Argentina. And no, not just a single Mass celebrated in the Extraordinary Form. There are Jesuits in Argentina. Maybe they could star celebrating it. :)

I followed the motu proprio story with some interest in the spring of 2007. I had only been to a few "latin" masses (only one of which was done in the old rite). But I have been concerned for some time about the lack of orthodoxy in my parish. After the issuance of the motu proprio, there were several people in my area (including myself) who requested the Traditional Latin Mass ("TLM") at our parish. Many of us are younger (i.e., thirties, etc.) Our pastor denied the request out of hand -- with absolute no interest. The experience convinced me to try an "indult" community forty-five minutes away from my home. I liked it so much that I joined that parish. I now regularly attend the TLM, and, I write this with no melodramatic intention, I now know what it means to be fully Catholic. The old liturgy has made that much of a difference in my life.

I would love to see one in the Diocese of Boise some where actually close to Boise. Currently, we would have to drive across the state three to four hours or go to a different diocese. Conservative voices seem to have very little input (if any) at the diocesan level here.

Although my parish does not offer a Latin Mass, here in the Diocese of Oakland we have been able to attend Latin Masses at St. Margaret Mary Church for years. Bishop Allen Vigneron designated a priest there as the Episcopal deligate for the 1962 Indult Mass, which is celebrated daily in addition to the Novus Ordo Mass in English. On Sundays, the faithful may choose between those two and the Novus Ordo Mass in Latin. I've heard that Archbishop George Niederauer in San Francisco intends to make it difficult for people to have the Latin Mass by laying down several restrictions and requirements.

At my home parish of Sacred Heart, Warner-Robins, GA; Diocese of Savannah, there has been exactly 1 mention of Summorrum Pontificum in the bulletin. That was in August to mention that the Pope had issued it, but our Pastor had no interest in saying it, and would not under any circumstances. His exact quote

I would like to make it clear that I liked My Life with the Saints by Father Martin, particularly on Aloysius Gonzaga and Charles Lawanga. Good stuff!

I don't directly know of any new regular public celebrations of the Mass in the extradordinary form in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis where I live. However, we have 150 parishes and are spread over nearly half the state, so developments can certainly occur without my knowing about it. There are two parishes in the archdiocese that have regularly offered this form of the Mass on a daily basis for several years. Regarding your speculation, Fr. Martin, about future interest in the extraordinary form, there may indeed be a growth in interest that is influenced by those who are currently in priestly formation. However, I would tend to think that, at least in most cases, the seminarians' interest would not result in them, as priests, imposing this form of the Mass on the parishioners. Rather, I tend to think that, as priests, they might speak about the Mass in presentations or preach on it in liturgies in such a way that they would lead some of their parishioners (perhaps especially those with no memory of the Mass before the Council) to seek it out. I don't think that you were necessarily implying the first scenario in your comment. I just think that the influence that future priests might have would be indirect in ordinary cases.

I live in Philadelphia and we've had access to the Latin Mass for years now. Many of the people there are young families with children.

No, there is no extraordinary form of the Holy Mass within hundreds of miles that I am aware of. I did politely ask my pastor and he said he will not be learning that Mass. There was not even and indult Latin Mass in my diocese and there is hostility to anything considered 'pre-conciliar' no matter what the source. We are into something called 'peace and justice' but have seen no results yet. And we think we are pretty great ourselves and so we gather as an assembly to give thanks and sing about ourselves. I am hoping to be able to move away to where the Roman Catholic faith is alive.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis (MO) is doing a great job, as it was before Summorum Pontificum, at making Mass according to the 1962 Missal available to people. There is an oratory served by the Institute of Christ the King and a new non-territorial parish served by the Benedictines. However, in the St. Louis area, I do not know of any parishes which have made the traditional Latin mass part of their liturgical schedules. People are expected to go to one of the two sites where it is offered (one in the city and one in West County).

I prefer the Extraordinary Form to the Ordinary, but I understand why people may prefer the reverse. What I do not understand is why some people somehow find it threatening that there are Catholics who share my preference for the older form of the Mass. If there is so little interest, as some claim, and if that little interest will dry up, as others say, then why not just let it be celebrated whenever and wherever it is requested without restriction? Could it be that there are people who fear that others may come to prefer the old rite if there were greater exposure to it? If that is the case, why is that a problem? Both forms of the Mass are approved by Rome. Why not make it easy for anyone out there to have access to that form which he feels will help him to best grow spiritually and thus draw closer to God?

Some wonder if posing this question here is rather like asking for cattle ranchers to raise their hands at a PETA convention. ? But, yes, a parish near me in St. Joseph, MO, has added the TLM since this document came out.

In the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, there are seven parishes which offer the Latin Mass according to the 1962 Missal. Of those seven, three are celebrated every Sunday. The others are either once a month, or on various weekdays. The initiative has the full support of Bishop Loverde, who has offered to support any priest who wishes to learn the Old Mass by facilitating any training he so desires. Parish scholas are forming, and skilled altar servers are in great demand. There are no impediments to implementing the motu proprio; indeed, it is expected that other parishes will be offering the Old Mass, as soon as their priests are trained to do so, or can schedule the opportunity to celebrate it for those who request it.

The Cathedral of the Diocese of Fargo (ND) has the latin mass every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. through the new year in order to gauge interest and then will determine the fixed schedule.

Our parish, St. Louis Catholic Church in Waco, Texas, has been celebrating a monthly Latin Mass on Sunday at 3 p.m. since the promulgation of the motu proprio with intentions to begin a weekly celebration in early 2008. The average turn-out has been approximately one hundred, which is impressive given the small size of the Catholic population in the area and the minimal advertising put into it thus far. The feedback has been very positive: several of the congregants with no living memory of the Mass prior to Vatican II have found themselves drawn to the beauty and piety of the extraordinary form as a result of their experience at St. Louis. That said, we are extremely fortunate to have a pastor with both the desire and the capacity to celebrate this intricate rite. The story is quite different elsewhere.

I attend the parish church of St. Stephen the Martyr that solely worships in the extraordinary form in Sacramento, Californa: http://sacfssp.com/default.aspx. I have really been impressed by the strong sense of community: the friendliness of the parishioners; the devotion of the clergy and laity; and fostering of family life there.

Here in Kentucky, St. Martin of Tours continues to have the TLM on Sunday as well several days during the week. There is also daily Mass at St. Anthony's on the days of the week that are not covered by St. Martin's. In addition, Our Lady of the Caves in Horse Cave has also added a TLM on Sunday, as well as Christmas. There is talk of more to come in the Louisville diocese and possible in other parts of the state as there are many priest interested and seeking training.

St Patrick's in Nashua NH has one every Sunday evening.

I have watched a few priests of St. Ignatius Loyola (NYC) develop catatonia when I asked about having a TLM there. Anyone familiar with this very beatiful bastion of heterodoxy will not be surprised. Their high altar makes a fine plant stand. If you ever want to experience a brain aneurysm rupturing, listen to one priest there give a 15 min sermon without ever using a masculine pronoun for God. This place is very sad.

In the 3 months since Summorum Pontificum became effective, our Diocese has gone from having one Traditonal Mass per week at one parish (under the old indult) to having 5 per week at three different parishes. There are currently plans to begin another celebration in the central deanery of our diocese which would bring that number to 6 regularly scheduled Masses per week by the end of the year. Not bad for 3 months time... imagine what will be the situation 5 or ten years from now! We all continue to pray that this trend continues!

The Latin Mass was said at the Cathedral in Kansas City, Mo. in September. Much fan-fare. The Bishop was the celebrant. About 500 people showed up. There are 130,000 people in the diocese. Doubtful that TLM will make any lasting impact around here. Once this Bishop gets transferred, all of the interest in this will go with him.

In response to Fr. Martin's question, I would say it is hard to predict. I am quite aware of the hard edges that some "progressive" priests have toward the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite: charges of rigidness, focus of individual piety, and non-pariticipation in the liturgy (another issue, which can be answered later, if of interest). However, it seems to be true that younger priests are more "open" to celebrating the 1962 liturgy of Blessed John XXIII. In surveying the participation around the country, mostly through diocesan websites, periodicals, and blogs (I have way too much time on my hands), I see interest from the laity stronger in some places than others throughout the country. In Sacramento, there is quite a crowd here. Bishop Francis Quinn first provided a generous application to celebrating this form back in 1988 to a somewhat sizable crowd (I was not among them) and Bishop William Wiegand has been generous as well. The number of faithful has grown to where a parish church was formed at the beginning circa the millenium. The church is packed at the Sunday masses at 8:30, 10:30 (high mass), and 1:00, with many crying babies, and lots of kids. By the way, we have three priests, and through the years they have all been in their 30s or younger--talk about vitality! By the way, I liked Fr. Martin's book, for the most part. I am a 39 year old single male, born in 1968. I like the ordinary form as well. God bless the Jesuits and all who participate here.

Nathan Mitchell’s article, which is a detailed commentary on Pope Benedict XVI’s motu proprio, Summorum pontificum, appears in the November issue of Worship. Major point in the pope’s letter that accompanied his motu proprio, that the new missal mandated by Vatican II and officially approved by Pope Paul VI remains the ordinary form of the Roman Catholic Mass, not only juridically but also statistically. In spite of the hopes and expectations of the devotees of the Latin Mass, it will continue to attract only a tiny minority of Catholic worshippers. Benedict XVI insisted that his motive for expanding permission for the use of the Latin Mass was to inspire “an interior reconciliation in the heart of the Church.” Observes that “reconciliation is not the first word that comes to mind when one visits the websites of groups that for years have lobbied for a return to preconciliar liturgy.” I should add only the word, “e-mails.” “A glance at history” reveals that the Roman Catholic Church typically preserves the riches of the past “by creating a new synthesis rather than by resurrecting old forms” In the fourth century Damasus I abandoned archaic liturgical speech (Greek) in favor of Rome’s newer vernacular (Latin). “The clear and persistent pattern in all these reforms is to preserve ‘the riches of the past’ by creating something new. This means that in the Roman tradition, earlier liturgical forms were routinely expected to yield to new syntheses”. In 1965, Paul VI: “We should not think that after a while there can be a return to the former, undisturbed devotion or apathy. No, the new way of doing things will have to be different; it will have to prevent and to shake up the passivity of the people present at Mass. Before, it was enough to assist; now it is necessary to take part. Before, being there was enough; now, attention and activity are required.”

In the Catholic Diocese of Toledo, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, in downtown Toledo, has had the Latin Tridentine Mass for several years. The Latin Tridentine Masses are every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. and the second Sunday of every month at 8:30 a.m. and the last Sunday of every month at 11 a.m. Rosary and confession starts a half hour before the Mass. Beginning in January, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, in Toledo, will begin having the Latin Tridentine Mass every third Sunday of the month at 12 noon, except for March. May God's blessings be on this diocese and on all the diocese that have the Latin Tridentine Mass. May this Mass flourish again!!!

Father Martin, your 12/18 12:24 comment was on the mark. The greatest supporters of this counterrevolution have been younger (20- and 30-something) Catholics who read about the traditional Mass, life before Vatican II and the disciplines such as fasting, abstinence, Ember Days, etc. -- and they (we) worked to restore those beautiful things. The originators were heroes like Michael Davies, Archbishop Lefebrve and the like, but it took energy, youth and numbers to get the movement off the ground. Now, it's everywhere, even on the cover of this week's U.S. News and World Report. If one wants to laugh, though, check out the article inside. The three Catholics quoted -- all of whom are older liberals (A Jesuit, a religious sister and a Georgetown prof) -- either oppose or dismiss the move toward tradition. It's quite amusing to see the aging guard stick their heads in the sand 40 years after their revolution failed. But they are dying. Sorry to be blunt. The future of the Church is with the young traditionalists -- and you sure are right, Father, about the seminaries being full of them. Now that Saint Louis, Philadelphia and other large seminaries are teaching the traditional sacraments, expect many more Latin Masses in the next decade. P.S. Don't forget about the other sacraments. I've been to several traditional baptisms recently, and traditional absolution during confession is starting to become more available.

I have a condo in Sarasota Florida. We have a beautiful Traditional Latin High Mass (missa Cantata) every Sunday at St. Martha's Church in downtown Sarasota. The Chant is beautiful...makes one think they are in Heaven with the angels singing! We have a good mix of under-40 and over 60 folks! I say offer whatever approved liturgies the Church allows if it helps people get closer to God. Isn't he last Canon : Salus animarum suprema lex???? Why would any bishop prohibit the EF of the Mass when this liturgy produced almost all of the saints in our Church?? Bill Leininger

I have asked our pastor at St. Andrew's in Roanoke Virginia but he tossed off the question and indicated that since he could not say the Latin Mass we would not be having it. No thought to learn or to find an interested retired priest who might be available. To say that I am disappointed is a gross understatement.

I attend the extraordinary form Mass nearly every week. However, it is a drive. I asked the Pastor of my local parish if he would consider the Latin Mass and he made it quite clear (not particularly courteously) he would not. I was born in the 1970s and virtually every person I grew up with has left the Catholic Church (they are primarily atheists). However through participation in the indult community I have made many friends my age and younger who are committed, active Catholics. I am quite honestly increasingly frustrated by those who act as though we don't exist or we should be ignored.

I wish! The Diocese of Richmond has basically told us that there are 2 Latin masses--one in Richmond & one in the Tidewater area. Too bad I live one hour from the nearest one, and the diocese extends at least another 2 hours west. The faithful were basically told, "don't bother your priests, they're busy, but you're clearly not to busy to drive up to 3 hours EACH WAY to attend such a Mass". Our pastor put a letter in the bulletin telling us that there would be no Latin Mass at our parish. So, I--and I presume others, judging by the "I love the Latin Mass" bumper stickers I see--are let out in the cold. Considering there is a blog written and frequented by a number people in our diocese who fervently desire a wider availability of the Latin Mass, I'd say the desire is there, but in most placed unrealized (because of discouragement or a desire not to be a burden to our busy priests).

In my neck of the woods (NJ), the number of "approved" Tridentine Masses has jumped from around 4 to about 8 or 9 since Summorum Pontificum. Similarly, in Long Island, NY, the number has jumped from 1 to 2 or 3. On a related note, here's a question I would like to see pondered: what was the "demand" for the Novus Ordo when it was initially introduced? I don't think history recalls the laity demanding it. Indeed, perhaps that is why it was, quite literally, FORCED upon us.

Thank you Father for asking this question! I live in the Archdiocese of Boston and no, no additional TLM have sprung up, yet. The only TLM we have in Boston is an induit Mass, about 40 minutes away from me at noon. I have frequently driven to the St Benedict Center in Still River which is in the diocese of Worcester. It is about an hour away but at a much more convenient time. I am very hopeful, however that we will have some TLMs in Boston through the work of interested laity such as myself and interested priests. Save the Liturgy, save the world!

I contacted three of my ex local parishes who all ran me off, to please allow a Latin Extraordinary Mass now and all three have turned me down. All three parishes which includes our diocesan cathedral as one, allow many other language Masses from Spanish, Philippine, Korean, Vietnamese and French, which seems to me they hate the traditional Latin Mass of all time. I begged all three for the Mass of ages and of the martyrs so as I could return to one of the parishes once again. All had the same response. No traditional priest, parishioners not understanding Latin, too busy already with the many ministries and likely if they would have a Latin Mass, hardly any would come.

One blogger over at "Creative Minority Report" writes that I remain "curiously unimpressed" with the responses we have received on this post. As St. Paul would say, "By no means!" I'm fascinated by the reactions, and also by the number of comments. Also, I did not want to suggest that the sole engine for the Latin Mass in the future would be young seminarians interested in its restoration. Rather, my point was that many of those who have argued that the Latin Mass will not "catch on" among the faithful are ignoring the intense interest among those very people who will be in the best position to champion the Latin Mass in future years. One reason I asked this question, which struck a nerve, was to try to get some sense of what is really going on in the parishes across this country. For I've found that it's difficult to get accurate data on the topic, perhaps because the "motu proprio" is still being implemented, and dioceses and parishes are still taking the pulse of pastors and parishioners. Lately, when I give talks at various parishes and retreat centers around the country, I ask about the phenomenon, and the replies vary dramatically. (From parishes who already, before the "motu proprio" have had the Latin Mass to those who say that there is little interest.) There have also been few reports on the effects of the "motu proprio" in the States, save a piece in The New York Times, and so any stories like the ones we're seeing here I find illuminating. At some point, I would love to see some sort study of the matter, but for now we may have to rely on stories like the ones we're hearing here. At least at this point, if these responses are a fair sampling of what's going on (and, to be fair, we have no way of knowing that) it would seem that the acceptance of the Latin Mass may be more widespread that many commentators have reported.