Latin Mass does not sow division
It’s heartbreaking to read the articles by Cindy Wooden misaligning the Traditional Latin Mass (Catholic Virginian, July 26). That the Latin Mass sows division or ignores the New Rite is false; quite the contrary.
When I visit a church celebrating Mass in the Novus Ordo, I find I have a greater devotion to the sacrifice than I had ever had prior to experiencing the Latin Mass. As a 62-year-old woman, I only remember the New Rite growing up.
Right out of high school I volunteered to be a catechist. I continued when I was stationed overseas with my husband and later as a parent. I proudly raised my children in the faith.
By chance I attended mass at Saint Benedict Parish, Chesapeake, and simply fell in love. I wasn’t coerced or told not to return to my former parish. I was not encouraged to renounce Vatican II.
Instead, I found myself eager to embrace the Latin Mass, donning my veil, frequenting the confessional, kneeling often, praying and worshipping more solemnly than I ever had. That was 12 years ago.
I live in a community which is served by Novus Ordo parishes. I do not shun my neighbors or fellow Catholics. My enthusiasm for volunteering, participating in the Mass and increasing my knowledge for the faith is more robust now than it has ever been.
There should be unity among Catholics, but I hope it is not at the expense of limiting the use of the 1962 missal, which is a treasure in and of itself, or the rubrics for the Latin Mass. – Katrice Krebs, Chesapeake
Traditional Latin Mass brings her ‘closer to God’
Upon reading the two articles by Cindy Wooden in the July 26 Catholic Virginian, I would like to express my heartfelt sadness. Both portrayed the Traditional Latin Mass as a useless, outdated rite and those who participate in this rite as aggressive people who create divisions, resist the Church and, ultimately, resist God.
I am a 19-year-old girl who regularly attends a Latin Mass parish. I love the Latin Mass for the prayers in the missal, the reverence of the priests, the devotion of the altar boys, the symbolism of every movement, the poetry of the prayers, the breath of the Holy Spirit in the music and the deep sense of the presence of God.
To me, nothing compares to being in my parish church and adoring God amidst the ancient beauty of this rite.
It was the Latin Mass which brought my family to Catholicism when I was 7 years old. We were not aggressively forced into the rite; rather, we visited a Latin Mass and knew we had found the truth in the Catholic faith. Without the Latin Mass, my family may not be part of the Church. Rather than dividing me, my family or other Catholics, the Latin Mass brought us closer!
The Latin Mass never has been and never will be useless nor outdated. I hope that the few people who have discredited traditional- minded Catholics will be overlooked in light of the majority of souls who, like me, love the Traditional Latin Mass because we find we can be closer to God here than anywhere else. – Elizabeth Stephenson, Suffolk
TLM coverage lacked ‘rest of the story’
My response to the two articles regarding Pope Francis’ “Traditionis Custodes” (Catholic Virginian, July 26) was that they were both missing, what Paul Harvey used to say, “The rest of the story.”
The writers provided an accurate paraphrase of the motu proprio but they did not provide any information about the reaction to it from Virginia Catholics. That reaction could have easily been provided by interviews with lay people and priests who will be affected by it.
In my case, and based on my discussions with other traditional Mass-going Catholics, our reaction is that the rationale for the motu proprio was based on false claims about our sentiments regarding Vatican II and false claims about our sentiments about the new Mass. Also, the articles did not describe anything concerning the historical background.
Finally, the articles did not report on the concerns of many globally accepted, credible theologians that have determined that Pope Francis’ motu proprio is not authoritative when canon law is applied.
Clearly missing from the reporting was the most interesting part of the story which is that our Holy Father, with “Traditionis Custodes,” reversed, then obliterated, Pope Benedcit XVI’s motu proprio, “Summorum Pontificum,” which formalized the intents of St. John Paul II concerning the freedom for all priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass. (TLM) – Jonathan M. Gorog, Virginia Beach
Editor’s note: According to Msgr. R. Francis Muench, judicial vicar of the Diocese of Richmond, “Because canon law is in the hand of the legislator, as is its interpretation, one must regard the motu proprio, too, as binding. Liturgical law is still law.”
For him, TLM is about respect and reverence
Most Catholics perceive the fundamental difference between the Novus Ordo and the Tridentine Mass as the Latin language. But at St Benedict Catholic Church in Chesapeake, where we celebrate the Tridentine Mass, for me, it’s more about respect and reverence shown to the priest, the community, and most importantly, to the Holy Eucharist.
During the Tridentine Mass consecration, the priest faces the crucifix and, “In the person of Christ,” brings down the sacrificial lamb to the altar and offers up his passion, death and resurrection to his father in heaven. At communion, we kneel at the altar and receive the consecrated host on the tongue by the priest (in the person of Christ). We wear our “Sunday best,” never talk out loud, pray a communal rosary before each Mass, and are offered the opportunity to go to confession each day. We leave the church quietly with respect for those still praying in thanksgiving after Mass.
I have read that since 1970, there has been a significant decline in the number of priests and nuns, baptisms, marriages and church attendance. A recent Pew poll said that only about 35% of Catholics believe in the true presence of Christ in the host. Meanwhile, attendance has substantially increased at the Traditional Latin Masses since then, especially among young families.
The Tridentine Mass has been the tradition of the Catholic Church for over 1,500 years. Come to St Benedict Catholic Church in Chesapeake. Meet the wonderful priests from the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter, and experience for yourself the beautiful and solemn High Mass sung in the sacred Gregorian Chant by St Benedict’s choir. – Mark Urben, Norfolk
Grateful for Mass in English
I am very much in favor of having mass in English. One the most positive changes that the Church has made was transitioning from Latin to the vernacular. I grew up with Latin Mass and had three years of Latin in school, but it was almost impossible to follow the Latin parts unless one had a missal with facing Latin and English pages. It is so much better to hear the entire Mass in my native tongue. – Bill O’Connell, Williamsburg
Pro-choice Biles not a ‘witness to faith’
Re: “Simone Biles’ Olympics decisions: Witnessed to faith in advocating mental health (Catholic Virginian, Aug. 9): In this article, Biles was praised as a “great witness” to the Catholic faith for withdrawing from the all-around final due to mental health.
However, the same day the article was published, the athlete posted to her personal Instagram account, stating in regards to abortion that she is “very much pro-choice,” as well as “your body, your choice.”
This is in direct contradiction to Catholic Church teaching. The Catholic Church has always held firm that all “human life is sacred,” and it must be “respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception” (CCC, 2258, 2270).
Women and unborn children deserve better than abortion. While mental health is an important issue, greater prudence and discernment should be encouraged before exalting who could possibly be a “witness to faith” and a Catholic role model for our children. – Jiza G. Zito, Williamsburg
Afghan arrivals need vaccinations
Re: “Bishops’ agency helping resettle Afghan translators” (Catholic Virginian Aug. 9):
It is laudable for the Catholic bishops and its services to assist with the relocation of translators. My concern is if and when these people will be vaccinated for COVID. With the rapid spread of the Delta variant, hopefully a strategic plan is in place for a safe welcome and setting for these brave Afghan people.
This also presents a concern for the welfare of the 57 children and 12 babies mentioned in the article. As a member of a parish that may house some of the children, I would hope that careful thought has been considered for their welfare and that of the surrounding communities.
What steps have been taken to medically protect the Afghan population and the agencies’ representatives? The communities directly affected need to be informed in a timely manner. – Phyllis Holland, Virginia Beach
Traditionalism feeds soul
I am 61 years old, a grandfather, husband, cradle Catholic and a traditionalist. After falling away from the Catholic faith for 13 years, I returned with a thirst and hunger that I simply could not seem to quench.
I attend St Benedict Parish in Chesapeake. There, in an atmosphere of true devotion to Our Lord and Our Lady, we are led by our pastor, Father Neal Nichols, and his associate pastors: Fathers Forte and Krager.
The first time I stepped into St Benedict Church, after 15 years of attending several others around the world (military), I knew I was home. The reverent silence, the tabernacle on the altar, the large families, the altar boys going about their duties with the precision of saints, daily confessions and so much more.
We are fed a diet of doctrine and dogma, admonished to get over ourselves and even to not be prideful traditionalists. I have never learned more about our faith than I have in my few years at St. Benedict.
I acknowledge that traditionalism is not for everyone. But for many of us, it is what feeds our souls.
Then-Msgr. Fulton Sheen once said: “There are not 100 people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.” This quote can be roughly applied to the traditionalist argument.
May we continue to pray for one another, the Holy Father and Holy Mother Church. In so doing, we can truly unite as Catholics. – Joe Morgan, Yorktown
Finds God in beauty of Traditional Latin Mass
In reflecting on The Catholic Virginian’s articles about the Traditional Latin Mass, the anxiety and concerns expressed are not really the lived experience of the majority of fellow Catholics who attend churches where the extraordinary form Latin Mass is celebrated.
For example, St. Benedict Church in Chesapeake has continually enjoyed a good rapport with the diocese since 1992 when, with the blessing of Bishop Walter F. Sullivan, it became an extension of St. Gregory the Great and continued in that status for many years. Bishop Sullivan visited St. Benedict from time to time and, as The Catholic Virginian (Dec. 21, 1992) reported, celebrated the extraordinary form Latin Mass there.
Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo blessed the new church building at St. Benedict in 2011. A longtime tradition, St. Benedict parishioners send spiritual bouquets to our bishop several times a year. Portraits of Pope Francis and Bishop Knestout are in the main entrance.
St. Benedict, Star of the Sea and other parishes partner together for the annual eucharistic procession in October on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk.
Fellow Catholics live their sacramental lives at St. Benedict and similar parishes in full communion with the Church. We are baptized, receive penance, holy Communion, marry and receive the last sacraments. We love the beauty of the Traditional Latin Mass and, like those who love other forms of the Mass such as Byzantine or others, find God in this beauty. – Olivia Tautkus, Hayes
Latin Mass is not ‘nostalgic dalliance’
I am writing in response to the article entitled “Why pope is restricting use of pre-Vatican II Mass” (Catholic Virginian, July 26). First, let me state that the Holy Father’s apostolic letter “Traditionis Custodes” left me feeling sad and gut-punched.
My heart immediately went out to all priests who daily offer the most holy sacrifice of the Mass in the old rite. I cannot imagine how they must feel, and yet at the same time, I am confident that they are entrusting all things to divine providence.
I want to express what St. Benedict Parish means to my family, both the Mass and our love of the FSSP priests who offer it.
Let me address one line from the article. It stated, “Pope Francis is right to see in the representation of the pre-conciliar liturgy at best a form of nostalgic dalliance with the old liturgy and at worst a perverse resistance to the renewal inspired by the Holy Spirit and solemnly confirmed in the teaching of an ecumenical council.”
Our love of the Mass of all times is not a “nostalgic dalliance.” Without even knowing that such a liturgy existed, we knew the first time we attended St. Benedict 16 years ago that we were home. It is indeed the same Holy Spirit that inspired saints and martyrs to attend, live and even die for the Mass of the Ages.
Traditional priests and laity are not a divisional movement, rather, like any faithful Catholic, we are all united in the mission to save souls through the Mass, whether old or new. – The Dumais Family, Virginia Beach
Family benefits from the grace of the TLM
I am writing in response to the two latest articles in The Catholic Virginian portraying the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) in a negative light. My husband, five children and I attend the TLM at St. Benedict Church, Chesapeake. This parish is staffed by three holy priests who care about the welfare of the parishioners’ souls and is attended by a large community of adults and families of all ages.
To say that I love the TLM is an understatement. The beauty and reverence of each Mass cannot be put into words. When I attend Mass at St. Benedict, it takes me away from my day-to-day stresses and toils, so common to a mom of multiple children. I am allowed to take part in the worship of the one, true God and receive his very Body and Blood from the priest while on my knees.
As my children grow older, I see their love for the TLM grow as well. My teenage daughter loves the rosary and spends an increasing amount of time in prayer. She has told me how much she loves this Mass. My son has the great honor of serving Mass on the altar. Over the last three years, he has learned increasingly more about the deep meaning of the Mass and also enjoys learning Latin.
During our years at the TLM, I have seen nothing but grace and Godly fruits abound for our family. I truly wish that those who think it is a bad thing would attend a Mass and see for themselves what a truly glorious, Catholic Mass it is. – Rachel Haag and Family, Chesapeake
Grateful for TLM
I would like to start off by saying that neither St. Benedict Church, Chesapeake, nor the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in any way recognizes itself in the criticisms made during the article about the Traditional Latin Mass. A lot of the parishioners are deeply saddened by the reasons given for limiting the use of the Missal of Pope St. John XXIII, which is at the center of our charism.
With that being said, St Benedict is such a wonderful parish and parish family. Not only do we pray together, a lot of families are close, and when one family is down, we all come together to help the other family as our Lord teaches us. We have family fun days, outings, before COVID hit socials.
Every quarter the women get together to have a baby shower for the expectant mothers. On the first Friday of the month, we have a men’s nocturnal adoration. The evening and morning prayers in the 1962 missal are so wonderful, as are the before work prayers or even some of your daily prayers. The average age in our parish is approximately mid-twenties and up with a lot of young children in the parish.
When you walk into our parish, you can see the reverence the parishioners have and really feel the presence of our Lord. Through catechism and homilies, you learn so much about your faith. I have learned more about my faith in 11 years of attending TLM than I did in my previous 36 years of life. – Richard Gill, Chesapeake
Seeking Optimism and Hope
A recent poll indicated that 55% of the country is pessimistic about the future. Although not surprising given the turmoil of the past 18 months, it is a disturbing revelation realizing this represented an increase of 19 points since the May poll. Some have attributed it partially to renewed concerns regarding the delta variant, while varied other issues have been cited.
For me, the greatest disappointment is the apparent abandonment of the pledge to unify our country. We seem to have become obsessed with accentuating our differences rather than our commonality, causing ever-widening divisions in our communities that are demoralizing to our shared journey. How are we ever going to find our way back to a life of common values and purpose, where every life is considered sacred, where individuals are accountable for their actions and where fairness and charity prevail? It seems an overwhelming task and one that may undergird this country’s growing pessimism.
At Mass, as I watched what I call the march of the faithful (the community receiving communion), I realized that in all that has happened and will happen, God is always there. That presence hasn’t changed, but perhaps our ability to see the Spiritual in one another and our world may have.
The Eucharist challenges us to become what we have consumed – to take the enlightenment that is Jesus and live it out as the people of God. We must not allow that which demoralizes us to define us moving forward. Instead, we must actively choose a life in Christ, knowing that in that, the unity, hope and optimism we seek can be found. – Patti Peters, Roanoke
Grateful to continue TLM
As a parishioner of St. Benedict in Chesapeake, I am deeply thankful to Bishop Knestout for the opportunity to continue Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) in the Diocese of Richmond. TLM has given rise to countless saints and has provided my family with increased spiritual growth. That is why it saddened me to see the two articles printed in the last Catholic Virginian (Aug. 9).
It is troubling that a community which has greatly enriched parishioners’ understanding, spiritual development, charity, temporal fellowship and love of God could be dismissed so easily in the articles. It is harmful that the authors include Archbishop Di Nola’s comments and exclude the comments from others more supportive of the Latin Mass prelates (Cardinal Joseph Zen and Cardinal Robert Sarah).
The article asserts that the intent to draw the SSPX back into full union with Holy Mother Church was the goal for Pope Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio. While this could have been a motivation, it was not listed as such in the actual document. Pope Benedict XVI specifically expressed that “no small numbers of faithful adhered and continue to adhere with great love and affection to the earlier liturgical forms.” To leave out other such motivations seems disingenuous – or worse, fraudulently manipulative. Further, such disinformation is hurtful and could sow distrust among all Catholics as to the information provided by The Catholic Virginian.
In closing, “What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us, too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful” (“Summorum Pontificum”, 7 July 2007). – D.Rowett, Newport News
TLM deepened family’s faith
Fortunately, I cannot identify with any of the criticisms of the TLM made in the articles recently published in The CV. However, I would love to share my family’s personal experience with the TLM.
Our faith has deepened tremendously by being steeped in the endless traditions exercised by and expressed in the TLM. I encourage all who have never participated in the TLM to view one of the many live recorded Masses online. Its intrinsic beauty never ceases to touch one’s soul.
My faith is strengthened by the example of many of the young families who seek out the TLM. Open to life, they reject materialism and embrace the new evangelization, which has the family as its nucleus. I witness this in the children’s profound reverence as they genuflect before the tabernacle, kneel before the Host at Adoration, kiss the feet of Jesus, say prayers, sing hymns and gaze upon the holy statues and paintings with joy and wonder. I reflect on how their innocent, loving displays of affection for their savior must assuage the scourged heart of Jesus as he and his Church face our culture’s daily barrage of ridicule and blasphemy.
I have come to know and understand the various expressions of our faith and realize each and every one of us is edified and filled with the glory of God in a different way. For me and my family, it is found in the Traditional Latin Mass. God calls each of us in his own way. – Geralyn Russo, Chesapeake