"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"
Tridentine Community News (September 30, 2012):
Windsor’s St. Alphonsus Church to Hold Tridentine Mass on Thursday, October 11
Readers on the U.S. side of the river can become somewhat jaded by the plethora of beautiful historic churches in the Archdiocese of Detroit. It seems we never run out of more to explore. One key reason why these churches survive is because many parishes were too poor during the frenzied post-Vatican II decades to afford architectural re-dos. Windsor, however, has had a different history: Most of metropolitan Windsor’s historic churches underwent major architectural changes, in large part because those parishes had sufficient funds to undertake such projects.
Only three architecturally intact churches survive in Windsor: St. Michael, the 1950s era German church which hosted the Tridentine Mass from 2003-2007; Our Lady of the Assumption, the grand French Gothic church on the campus of the University of Windsor that is the current home for the Extraordinary Form; and St. Alphonsus Church, located immediately to the east of the exit from the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel [pictured below].
We have written about St. Alphonsus before. It was restored, and not reordered, in recent decades by former pastor, the late Fr. Ulysse Lefaive, who went on to serve as Chaplain for the Windsor Tridentine Mass Community for many years. St. Alphonsus is most notable for the dramatic oil paintings on the ceiling and wall behind its high altar, its recently expanded pipe organ, and...its air conditioning.
In what seems like the inevitable finally coming to pass after 40+ years, there will be a special Tridentine High Mass at St. Alphonsus Church on Thursday, October 11 at 7:00 PM for the Feast of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Mass is being held to mark the 50th Anniversary of both Vatican II and the 1962 Missále Románum.
Flint Mass Photos
_______________ generously uploaded a beautiful set of photos from last Friday’s special Tridentine Mass at Flint’s St. Matthew Church [pictured below]. One example is here; the complete set is available on Juventútem Michigan’s Facebook page. The pictures do an excellent job of conveying the immaculately clean and well-maintained condition of the church [as well as the overwhelming youthfulness of the crowd, I might add - ed.].
Approximately 100 people attended this Mass, and we have reason to believe there will be more Holy Masses in the Extraordinary Form in St. Matthew’s future.
Dueling Pontifical Masses on October 14
In yet another sign of the times, on Sunday, October 14, there will be two successive simultaneous Holy Masses in the Extraordinary Form in our region celebrated by bishops: At Noon, Bishop Alexander Sample will celebrate a Pontifical Solemn Mass at Assumption Grotto Church in conjunction with the Call to Holiness conference. Fr. Charles White, one of Detroit’s ambassadors of the Extraordinary Form, is coordinating this Mass. At 2:00 PM, Bishop Eugene LaRocque will celebrate a Pontifical Mass at Windsor’s Assumption Church. Pioneering bishops such as these are making it easier for other bishops to celebrate similar Masses in the future. They deserve our prayers and thanks.
Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
- Mon. 10/01 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Josaphat (St. Remigius, Bishop & Confessor)
- Tue. 10/02 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Assumption-Windsor (Holy Guardian Angels)
- Fri. 10/05 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Josaphat (Sacred Heart of Jesus) [First Friday]
I am so glad that the Mass at Saint Matthew's was so well-attended! I wish I could have gone. My great-uncle is the pastor of that parish! It is a very beautiful church. Every time I go there, I discover something new!
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