Extraordinary Community News: First Extraordinary Faith celebrant training session held at Sacred Heart Church in Texarkana, TX

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"
Tridentine Community News (July 26, 2014):

Given the broad reach of EWTN, it seemed logical to use the platform to offer celebrant and musician training in the Extraordinary Form of Holy Mass to viewers of Extraordinary Faith. While there are several options for priest training in the Tridentine Mass (the Fraternity of St. Peter, Society of St. John Cantius, Institute of Christ the King, and Latin Mass Society of England and Wales all offer courses, for example), most are week-long seminars, rich in theology and academic background on the Mass. These are wonderful opportunities for those who can afford the time and travel expense, but in our experience here in Windsor and Detroit, it is far more practical to bring the training to the priest, and to do it more quickly. Many of our local celebrants learned the Mass in one or two days of intensive practice, soon after followed by the celebration of their first Mass. There is nothing like putting recently-learned skills into practice, to commit them to memory. It overcomes reluctance and insecurities, while building confidence. Why not extend this successful formula to a broader, virtually worldwide audience?

We are delighted to report that the first training session resulting from Extraordinary Faith took place this past week: Fr. Michael Adams, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Texarkana, Texas, took us up on our offer. In under two days, Fr. Adams and his two chief altar servers learned the Low Mass and Missa Cantata. At the conclusion of the second day, Fr. Adams adeptly celebrated his first Low Mass, with his servers assisting at the altar, pictured below.

Next up on the agenda is musician training: A Gregorian Chant workshop is now being planned at Sacred Heart, possibly to be led by one of our local music directors. The goal is to train their choir so that regular High Masses (as well as Low Masses) may be added to the parish schedule. Many churches including this one are blessed with skilled singers [the parish music director also serves as the director of the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra], but even those talented individuals can benefit from formal exposure to chant notation, the methods of singing chant, the Liber Usuális, and the structure of the Latin Propers of the Mass. Kudos are due to Fr. Adams and his team for embracing this comprehensive project with enthusiasm.

If the Extraordinary Form is going to become more widespread, we need to think like entrepreneurs and make the learning and implementation of it easy and non-threatening. The catch-phrase of famed Olympic gymnastics coach Béla Károlyi is equally relevant for priests and musicians: “You can do it!”

Bus Tour to Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation

Mike Semaan’s Prayer Pilgrimages bus tour operation will be making its annual trip to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio on Thursday, September 4. Assumption Grotto pastor Fr. Eduard Perrone will celebrate a Tridentine High Mass in the historic Upper Basilica of the church.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation dominates the small town of Carey: In addition to the main church with its Upper and Lower Basilicas, the old historic Shrine Church is open for adoration. Down the block is the huge Shrine Park with its baldacchino-surmounted outdoor High Altar. Quite a sight to behold. The complex includes a gift shop and a cafeteria where pilgrims will be served lunch.

For more information about the Shrine, visit www.olcshrine.com. To register for the tour or for further information, visit www.prayerpilgrimages.com or call (248) 250-6005.

Guardian Angel Prayer

One of the most important prayers that Catholics should commit to memory is the Prayer to One’s Guardian Angel. Holy Mother Church has enriched the recitation of this prayer with a Partial Indulgence:

Ángele Dei, qui custos es mei, me tibi commíssum pietáte supérna illúmina, custódi, rege et gubérna. Amen.

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom His love entrusts me here, enlighten and guard, rule and guide me. Amen.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

• Mon. 07/28 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Joseph (Ss. Nazarius & Celsus, Martyrs, St. Victor I, Pope & Martyr, & St. Innocent I, Pope & Confessor)
• Tue. 07/29 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Benedict/Assumption-Windsor (St. Martha, Virgin)
• Fri. 08/01 7:00 PM: Low Mass at St. Joseph (Sacred Heart of Jesus) [First Friday]

[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. Albertus (Detroit), Academy of the Sacred Heart (Bloomfield Hills), and Assumption (Windsor) bulletin inserts for July 26, 2014. Hat tip to A.B., author of the column.]