Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Mass Report

Tridentine Community News (September 1, 2013):

History was made this past Friday, August 30, as the first Tridentine Mass in over 40 years was offered at Detroit’s Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. Auxiliary Bishop Donald Hanchon celebrated his first Mass in the Extraordinary Form, assisted by Juventútem Michigan Clerical Guide Fr. Lee Acervo. His Excellency remarked afterwards at how pleasantly surprised he was to see so many young people interested in the historic liturgy.

Assisting in choir were several well-known local celebrants of the Extraordinary Form, including Fr. Peter Hrytsyk, who provided parts of the vestment set used for the Mass, Fr. Mark Borkowski, Msgr. Ronald Browne, and Fr. David Bechill. Music was provided by an impressive group of singers gathered for this Mass, under the direction of Joe Balistreri [who took the above photo]. Special thanks to Diane Begin for the many days spent creating the altar frontal [cloth] that lent a traditional appearance to the modern freestanding altar.

Sacred Heart Major Seminary to Offer Training on the Extraordinary Form

On the heels of the Cathedral Mass comes word that Detroit’s Sacred Heart Seminary will host a training symposium on the Extraordinary Form October 10-13, to be provided by priests from the Society of St. John Cantius in Chicago. Third and fourth year Theology seminarians and priests of the Archdiocese of Detroit are invited to participate. We congratulate Sacred Heart Seminary for taking this first, important step in exposing the Classic Liturgy to interested future and current clergy.

For those who cannot spare the time or money for a multi-day symposium, priest and deacon training by members of the Windsor Latin Mass Community is available at no charge to all clergy of the Archdiocese of Detroit, the Diocese of London, and the Diocese of Lansing. Bishop Hanchon, for example, availed himself of this local resource to prepare for this past Friday’s Mass. Interested clergy can e-mail the below address for details.

Reminder: First Saturday Masses Debut This Saturday

We invite our readers to attend St. Hyacinth Church’s new First Saturday Tridentine Low Masses. Five First Saturday Masses have been scheduled, beginning with this Saturday, September 7 at 9:00 AM. Confessions will be available before Mass, and the Rosary will be prayed. The celebrant for the first Mass will be Fr. David Bechill.

Episcopal Vicar Fr. James Roche to Celebrate Mass on September 15

On Sunday, September 15, Episcopal Vicar of Windsor Fr. James Roche will be the guest celebrant of the 2:00 PM Tridentine Mass at Assumption Church. Fr. Roche will make the formal proclamation of establishment of the St. Benedict Tridentine Catholic Community on behalf of Bishop Fabbro. A reception will follow Mass in the social hall under Rosary Chapel. As this column has many times made mention, Fr. Roche has been a great friend to the Latin Mass over the years, assisting quietly behind the scenes on matters major and minor.

The Tridentine Mass: An Egalitarian Liturgy

In our ongoing effort to set the record straight on misconceptions regarding the Tridentine Mass, today we present a quote from Pope Emeritus Benedict / then-Cardinal Ratzinger’s Spirit of the Liturgy:

“The turning of the priest toward the people has turned the community into a self-enclosed circle. In its outward form, it no longer opens out on what lies ahead and above, but is locked into itself. The common turning toward the East was not a ‘celebration toward the wall’; it did not mean that the priest ‘had his back to the people’: the priest himself was not regarded as so important. For just as the congregation in the synagogue looked together toward Jerusalem, so in the Christian Liturgy the congregation looked together ‘toward the Lord’.”

Our Holy Father Emeritus makes an interesting point which suggests a possible promotional angle for the Classic Liturgy: In this age when democratic and egalitarian ideals are trumpeted, one could talk about the Traditional Latin Mass as a form of worship of Almighty God in which the prayers and orientation of priest and congregation are uniquely in unison. All face God at the altar; everyone’s prayer, and not the celebrant per se, is the focus.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

• Mon. 09/02 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Josaphat (St. Stephen of Hungary, King & Confessor)
• Tue. 09/03 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Assumption-Windsor (St. Pius X, Pope & Confessor)
• Wed. 09/04 12:00 Noon: High Mass at Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, Carey, Ohio (Votive Mass of Our Lady of Consolation) – For bus tour registration, call (248) 250-6005
• Fri. 09/06 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Josaphat (Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) – First Friday
• Sat. 09/07 9:00 AM: Low Mass at St. Hyacinth, Detroit (Immaculate Heart of Mary) – First Saturday Mass with Confessions and Devotions

[Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@detroitlatinmass.org. Previous columns are available at http://www.detroitlatinmass.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Josaphat (Detroit) and Assumption (Windsor) bulletin inserts for September 1, 2013. Hat tip to A.B., author of the column.]