Sunday, December 09, 2018

Tridentine Community News - The Apostolic Blessing at the Hour of Death; when a Priest is Not Available; Tridentine Masses This Coming Week


"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"

Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (December 9, 2018):
December 9, 2018 – Second Sunday of Advent

The Apostolic Blessing at the Hour of Death

Holy Mother Church grants to her priests significant powers. The ability to forgive sins in persóna Christi in the Sacrament of Confession is one such faculty. The ability to consecrate bread and wine so that they become the Body and Blood of our Lord is another. A third such privilege – not so well known – is invoked only for gravely ill individuals: The Apostolic Blessing for the Dying, also known as the Apostolic Pardon.

The “Last Rites” for a person in danger of death should consist of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction; the Sacrament of Confession (which in the Extraordinary Form may be performed during the Sacrament of Anointing); Viáticum, or Holy Communion; the Apostolic Blessing; and if time allows, the Prayers in Aid of a Departing Soul.

In Confession, the person is forgiven of his sins. In charity, Holy Mother Church allows for one more spiritual gift to be given to the dying soul: the Apostolic Blessing, which remits all temporal punishment due for sin. This blessing permits the soul to go directly to heaven if he dies before committing any further sins.

The text follows:
Ordinary Form

Option 1: Ego facultáte mihi ab Apostólica Sede tribúta, indulgéntiam plenáriam et remissiónem ómnium peccatórum tibi concédo, in nómine Patris, et Fílii, + et Spíritus Sancti. ℟. Amen.

By the authority which the Apostolic See has given me, I grant you a full pardon and the remission of all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. ℟. Amen.

Option 2: Per sancrosáncta humánæ reparatiónis mystéria, remíttat tibi omnípotens Deus omnes præséntis et futúræ vitae pœnas paradísi portas apériat et ad gáudia te sempitérna perdúcat. ℟. Amen.

Through the holy mysteries of our redemption, may almighty God release you from all punishments in this life and in the life to come. May He open to you the gates of paradise and welcome you to everlasting joy. ℟. Amen.

Extraordinary Form (must be prayed in Latin)

Ego, facultáte mihi ab Apostólica Sede tribúta, indulgéntiam plenáriam et remissiónem ómnium peccatórum tibi concédo, et benedíco te. In nómine Patris, et Fílii, + et Spírtus Sancti. ℟. Amen.

By the Faculty which the Apostolic See has given me, I grant you a plenary indulgence and the remission of all your sins, and I bless you. In the Name of the Father and the Son + and the Holy Spirit. ℟. Amen.

We suggest that our readers have the text of this prayer handy, should a loved one be in danger of death. Do not assume that a visiting priest knows this prayer or has the text with him. Ideally, one should have a prayer book with the official words of the prayer to offer the priest. Books containing the Apostolic Blessing are, for the Extraordinary Form, Volume I of the Weller edition of the Rituále Románum (published by Preserving Christian Publications, www.pcbooks.com, (315) 942-66170; and for the Ordinary Form, the Handbook of Prayers (published by Midwest Theological Forum, www.theologicalforum.org, (630) 541-8519).

When a Priest Is Not Available

Lest anyone despair of the difficulty of finding a priest to impart the Apostolic Blessing to a loved one before death, we reprint below some pertinent text from the 2006 Manual of Indulgences. In case of unavailability of a priest, one who is aware of the privilege may gain a Plenary Indulgence on his own at the hour of death. Unlike the norm with other Plenary Indulgences, there are no other conditions. The person does not have to pray for the Holy Father, receive Holy Communion, or receive Confession. We pray that all of our readers commit the knowledge of this priceless gift of the Church to memory.

AT THE POINT OF DEATH
§1. A priest who administers the sacraments to someone in danger of death should not fail to impart the apostolic blessing to which a plenary indulgence is attached.

§2. If a priest is unavailable, Holy Mother Church benevolently grants to the Christian faithful, who are duly disposed, a plenary indulgence to be acquired at the point of death, provided they have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime; in such a case, the Church supplies for the three conditions ordinarily required for a plenary indulgence.

§3. In this latter case, the use of a crucifix or a cross in obtaining the plenary indulgence is commendable.

§4. The faithful can obtain this plenary indulgence at the hour of death, even if they have already acquired a plenary indulgence on the same day.

§5. The catechetical instruction of the faithful should ensure that they are duly made aware and frequently reminded of this salutary benefaction of the Church.
Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
  • Tue. 12/11 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Rosary Chapel at Assumption Church, Windsor (St. Damasus I, Pope & Confessor) – Special location this week only
  • Sat. 12/15 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (Feria of Advent)
[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 St. Alphonsus and Holy Name of Mary Churches (Windsor) bulletin inserts for December 9, 2018. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]
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Sunday, December 02, 2018

Tridentine Masses coming this week to metro Detroit and east Michigan


Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Sunday


Monday


Tuesday


Wednesday


Thursday


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Saturday


Sunday


* NB: The SSPX chapels among those Mass sites listed above are posted here because the Holy Father has announced that "those who during the Holy Year of Mercy approach these priests of the Fraternity of St Pius X to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation shall validly and licitly receive the absolution of their sins," and subsequently extended this privilege beyond the Year of Mercy. These chapels are not listed among the approved parishes and worship sites on archdiocesan websites.

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Tridentine Community News - Traditional Church Music Composition Competitions; St. Paul on the Lake Ad Oriéntem Mass; Flint Mass Moves Back to St. Matthew Church; Special TLM at St. Patrick, Brighton on December 14; Ferias on Weekdays; Elizabeth Salas Talk at OCLMA; Tridentine Masses This Coming Week


"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"

Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (December 2, 2018):
December 2, 2018 – First Sunday of Advent

Traditional Church Music Composition Competitions

Frustrated with the state of church music in many Ordinary Form parishes? You’re not alone. The British Twitter personality Eccles recently held a poll to determine the worst modern hymn. As of press time the winner had not yet been chosen, however this writer was sad to see his candidate, the infuriatingly ambiguous Gift of Finest Wheat, outvoted by other selections.

You might be interested to know that an increasing number of competitions are being held to encourage the composition of new sacred music in accordance with timeless Latin choral standards. Not surprisingly, the Catholic mecca of London, England has been leading the way with at least two such contests:

Westminster Cathedral is presently holding its first Composition Competition, with the winner’s work to be sung at Palm Sunday Mass: http://westminstercathedralchoir.com/news-and-events-detail.php?Composition-Competition-2018-2019-113

Composer Matthew Schellhorn in conjunction with the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales has sponsored the Schellhorn Prize for Sacred Music Composition in certain recent years. For information on a previous competition and its young winner, see: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2015/03/winner-of-schellhorn-prize-for-sacred.html#.XAB-huhKg_k

St. Paul on the Lake Ad Oriéntem Mass


Several of our readers have expressed their wish that the Traditional Latin Mass be offered at the historic church of St. Paul on the Lake in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, or at the beautiful chapel at its neighboring institution, the Grosse Pointe Academy (which had been originally built as the Academy of the Sacred Heart, the east side sister to the Oakland County Latin Mass Association host site in Bloomfield Hills). Several years ago, a funeral in the Extraordinary Form was held at St. Paul on the Lake, a lovely, historically intact setting with High Altar and Communion Rail. More recently, permission had been granted to hold a Juventútem Mass in the Extraordinary Form there, but a last-minute roof problem in the church forced its relocation. St. Paul’s longtime pastor, Msgr. Patrick Halfpenny, had been one of the original celebrants of the Tridentine Mass at St. Josaphat Church.

Out of the blue, this week St. Paul announced that this Tuesday, December 4 at 7:35 PM, they would hold an Ad Oriéntem Mass in the Ordinary Form with Gregorian Chant. It’s not clear who the celebrant will be or who will lead the music, but it’s an encouraging step in the right direction for this east side gem.

Flint Mass Moves Back to St. Matthew Church Today the Flint Tridentine Mass returns to St. Matthew Church, still at 3:00 PM on Sundays, following a construction project that installed a new marble floor in the church.

Special TLM at St. Patrick, Brighton on December 14

On Friday, December 14 at 7:30 PM, Fr. Joe Campbell will celebrate a special Tridentine Low Mass at St. Patrick Church in Brighton. This parish has previously hosted a Traditional Mass or two for Juventútem Michigan.

Ferias on Weekdays

When the Ordo specifies a Feria for a weekday Mass, one of the following is generally permitted: 1) Repetition of the preceding Sunday’s Mass Propers, without Aspérges, Glória, and Credo. The Common Preface is substituted for the Preface of the Holy Trinity. During Advent, the Alleluia is omitted in Ferial Masses; 2) A Votive Mass; 3) The Daily Mass for the Dead; 4) The Mass of any Saint.

Elizabeth Salas Talk at OCLMA

Dr. Elizabeth Salas, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Detroit’s Sacred Heart Major Seminary, will give a presentation on Theological Virtues of St. John of the Cross at a reception following the 9:45 AM Tridentine Mass for the Oakland County Latin Mass Association at the Academy of the Sacred Heart Chapel in Bloomfield Hills on Sunday, December 16. The Salas family are members of the OCLMA community.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
  • Tue. 12/04 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Confessor, & Doctor)
  • Fri. 12/07 7:00 PM: High Mass at Old St. Mary’s (St. Ambrose, Bishop, Confessor, & Doctor) – First Public Tridentine Mass of Fr. Pierre Ingram, CC. Reception after Mass.
  • Sat. 12/08 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto (Immaculate Conception)
  • Sat. 12/08 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (Immaculate Conception)
  • Sat. 12/08 8:45 AM: High Mass at Immaculate Conception, Lapeer (Immaculate Conception)
  • Sat. 12/08: 9:00 AM Low Mass & 11:00 AM Solemn High Mass at St. Joseph (Immaculate Conception)
  • Sat. 12/08 12:00 Noon: High Mass at St. Matthew, Flint (Immaculate Conception)
  • Sat. 12/08 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Jackson (Immaculate Conception)
[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 St. Alphonsus and Holy Name of Mary Churches (Windsor) bulletin inserts for December 2, 2018. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]
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Sunday, November 18, 2018

Tridentine Masses coming this week to metro Detroit and east Michigan


Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

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Thursday


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Saturday


Sunday


* NB: The SSPX chapels among those Mass sites listed above are posted here because the Holy Father has announced that "those who during the Holy Year of Mercy approach these priests of the Fraternity of St Pius X to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation shall validly and licitly receive the absolution of their sins," and subsequently extended this privilege beyond the Year of Mercy. These chapels are not listed among the approved parishes and worship sites on archdiocesan websites.

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Tridentine Community News - Reasons for Thanksgiving and Optimism; Tridentine Masses This Coming Week


"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"

Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (November 18, 2018):
November 18, 2018 – Resumed Sixth Sunday After Epiphany

Reasons for Thanksgiving and Optimism

It seems that most of the Catholic news nowadays comes in one of two categories, either bad news about malfeasance and corruption in the Church hierarchy or “pay no attention to the man behind the curtain” seemingly forced-happy news from establishment Catholic media outlets.

Ignored in both of the above are the quiet signs of improvement in many areas of Catholic life, most connected with the Traditional Latin Mass. Given that this is the week of American Thanksgiving, it’s appropriate to remind ourselves to give thanks for what we do have. For example:

The continuing mainstreaming of the Tridentine Mass, and its increasing prominence in diocesan life. The ever-increasing number of Extraordinary Form Mass sites in metro Detroit and Windsor (and elsewhere) is something unimaginable just eleven years ago. Consider how many options we now enjoy on major weekday Feast Days as one example. In this region, we’re now limited by number of volunteers available to organize and run more Masses rather than by number of willing and interested host churches and clergy.


The ever-increasing number of priests and seminarians interested in learning to serve and celebrate the Extraordinary Form. A perfect example of this was at the All Souls Day Mass on Friday, November 2 at Old St. Mary’s Church in Detroit [photo above]: Brothers from the Franciscans of the Holy Spirit served the Mass, with seminarians from Sacred Heart Major Seminary representing two dioceses sitting in choir. Every one of the Franciscan seminarians repeatedly expressed their gratitude for having been exposed to the Traditional Mass. And stay tuned – there will be more good news along this front in next week’s Tridentine Community News column.

The increasing prevalence of Gregorian Chant and sacred polyphony in parish life. For example, this week this writer heard Gregorian Mass XVIII’s Sanctus and Agnus Dei and the Salve Regína sung at a weekday Mass at an average parish in Las Vegas. That would have been unthinkable in the pre-Summórum Pontíficum era as recently as eleven years ago, when blogs and discussion boards proudly boasted of Ordinary Form choirs taking the daring step of chanting the occasional Communion Antiphon in Latin. Clearly the bar has been raised.

A gradual evolution of where serious Catholicism is found. Prior to Vatican II, many if not most parishes seemed to have been fairly orthodox. Post-Vatican II, only a handful of conservative parishes and ethnic parishes cared enough to maintain traditions. Nowadays there is no mistaking that Tridentine Mass communities lead the charge, but an increasing number of Ordinary Form parishes are shifting to a more traditional presentation of the Faith, at least at certain Masses.

A recapturing of the importance of celebrating the Feasts of the Church Year, and increasing integration of the Church calendar into daily thinking and prayer. Catholic media and many priests’ preaching are helping to rekindle awareness of the sanctoral cycle, Feasts of Our Lady, octaves, and the lives of the Saints.

Rediscovery and rededication to traditional devotions, from the Rosary to Eucharistic Adoration to gaining Indulgences. Even at otherwise “modern” parishes, ground-level support from the faithful is causing a resurgence of popular devotions that often went ignored in the 1980s and 90s. One example is the increasing number of novenas and devotions prayed before or after weekday Masses.

Increasing availability of Confession before and after Mass. If you offer it, they will come, even in Ordinary Form parishes.

The resurgence of traditional art and architecture, both in new church construction and in restorations and un-wreckovations of older churches. The number of church restorations seems to be outpacing wreckovations these days. Communion Rails, High Altars, and serious religious art are making a comeback, and the designers and contractors supporting those efforts are growing in number and busier than ever.

The rise of a whole industry of secondhand and new traditional church goods vendors, as presented in the November 4 edition of this column. The era of 1970s style products is finally starting to pass.

One might ask, with all of this good news, why isn’t the Catholic press more focused on it? Certainly much of the mainstream Catholic press is under control of the bishops, most of whom still seem oblivious to or disinterested in traditional forms of piety and worship. However, web sites, blogs, and social media – and of course this column and Extraordinary Faith - abound with example after example of the resurgent interest in our immemorial traditions, so the encouraging word will spread via other channels.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
  • Tue. 11/20 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (St. Felix of Valois, Confessor)
  • Sat. 11/24 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (St. John of the Cross, Confessor & Doctor)
[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 St. Alphonsus and Holy Name of Mary Churches (Windsor) bulletin inserts for November 18, 2018. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]
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Sunday, November 11, 2018

Tridentine Community News - How a layman can serve as subdeacon in the EF; Tridentine Masses This Coming Week


"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"

Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (November 11, 2018):
November 11, 2018 – Resumed Fifth Sunday After Epiphany

How a Layman Can Serve as Subdeacon in the EF

One of the most frequent questions this writer has heard over the past year has been whether it is permissible for a layman to serve as Subdeacon for a Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form. Some Latin Mass communities have been using laymen in this capacity; the question is whether this is actually permitted. The answer is yes, under specific circumstances.

It is worth mentioning that the laws governing this matter are not all that easy to find. One really has to be a scholar of Tridentine Mass rubrics to find the answer. The entity governing such matters, the Pontifical Commission Ecclésia Dei in Rome, does a poor job of publicizing its rulings. Ideally they would post their various decisions on a web site, but alas that has not yet happened.

The 2009 edition of Fortescue’s Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described states that originally, the only men who could serve as Subdeacon were those who had been ordained to any of the minor orders and those who had received tonsure, the ceremonial cutting of hair at the commitment to religious life.


Pope Paul VI’s 1972 Apostolic Letter Ministéria Quædam abolished the minor orders (porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte) and eliminated the major order of subdeacon, leaving only deacon and priest. (Note the labeling of steps to the priesthood at Chicago’s Mundelein Seminary Chapel: minor orders on the front sanctuary steps, major orders on the back High Altar steps. [photo by Fr. Bryan Jerabek]) The document replaced them with “ministries”, of which Acolyte is one. The PCED’s ruling clarifies the matter and establishes that the Ordinary Form “installation” (as opposed to ordination) to the ministry of Acolyte is the pertinent modern day equivalent to the former minor orders. Note that the minor orders continue to be provided to members of the religious communities which follow the Extraordinary Form ordination track, including the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and the Institute of Christ the King.

In 1993, the PCED issued Protocol 24/92, a ruling stating the following: “In celebrating the Solemn High Mass according to the 1962 Roman Missal it is necessary to follow the rubrics of that missal. In the past the employment of a person who had received the ministry of acolyte acting as subdeacon was tolerated. In that case the acolyte acting as subdeacon did not wear the maniple. Thus usage may continue to be tolerated.”

In response to the PCED’s ruling, a few dioceses began to install laymen as Acolytes. The Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska and the U.S. [Anglican] Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter stand out: both install large numbers of men as Acolytes, the latter specifically to assist at Solemn High Masses.

The challenge nowadays is that many if not most bishops do not understand the PCED’s rulings and have little if any interest in taking what they see as unusual steps to assist Latin Mass communities. Archbishop Allen Vigneron in Detroit and Bishop Earl Boyea in Lansing, Michigan, for example, have not installed any laypeople to the Ministry of Acolyte, despite having been made aware of the PCED’s stance on the matter.

Over the years, a few laymen who serve at metro Detroit and Windsor Tridentine Mass sites have expressed an interest in being installed as Acolytes, in large part because of the difficulty of securing priests and deacons on Sundays. The frequency of Solemn High Masses has in large part been limited by the availability of suitably ordained clergy.


Today we have some good news to report: Over the last few months, one of those laymen, James Murphy, one of our roving altar servers based at Windsor’s St. Benedict Tridentine Community, successfully petitioned Diocese of London, Ontario Bishop Ronald Fabbro to be installed as an Acolyte. His Excellency granted permission for this to take place and delegated the ceremony to his Auxiliary Bishop, Joseph Dabrowski. On Thursday, November 8, 2018 Bishop Dabrowski installed James to the Ministry of Acolyte at the chancery chapel in London.

As a result, James becomes the first layman in metro Detroit and Windsor to be authorized to serve as Subdeacon. As a layman, he will not wear maniple or biretta. Our congratulations to him, especially for patiently and persistently going through the steps Rome has decreed are necessary to undertake this ministry.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
  • Tue. 11/13 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (St. Didacus, Confessor)
  • Sat. 11/17 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (St. Gregory the Wonderworker, Bishop & Confessor)
[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 St. Alphonsus and Holy Name of Mary Churches (Windsor) bulletin inserts for November 11, 2018. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]
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Tridentine Masses coming to metro Detroit and east Michigan this week


Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Sunday


Monday


Tuesday


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Thursday


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Saturday


Sunday


* NB: The SSPX chapels among those Mass sites listed above are posted here because the Holy Father has announced that "those who during the Holy Year of Mercy approach these priests of the Fraternity of St Pius X to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation shall validly and licitly receive the absolution of their sins," and subsequently extended this privilege beyond the Year of Mercy. These chapels are not listed among the approved parishes and worship sites on archdiocesan websites.

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Monday, November 05, 2018

Tridentine Masses coming this week to metro Detroit and east Michigan


Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Sunday


Monday


Tuesday


Wednesday


Thursday


Friday


Saturday


Sunday


* NB: The SSPX chapels among those Mass sites listed above are posted here because the Holy Father has announced that "those who during the Holy Year of Mercy approach these priests of the Fraternity of St Pius X to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation shall validly and licitly receive the absolution of their sins," and subsequently extended this privilege beyond the Year of Mercy. These chapels are not listed among the approved parishes and worship sites on archdiocesan websites.

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Sunday, October 21, 2018

Tridentine Masses coming this week to metro Detroit and east Michigan


Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Sunday


Monday


Tuesday


Wednesday


Thursday


Friday


Saturday


Sunday


* NB: The SSPX chapels among those Mass sites listed above are posted here because the Holy Father has announced that "those who during the Holy Year of Mercy approach these priests of the Fraternity of St Pius X to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation shall validly and licitly receive the absolution of their sins," and subsequently extended this privilege beyond the Year of Mercy. These chapels are not listed among the approved parishes and worship sites on archdiocesan websites.

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Tridentine Community News - Old St. Mary’s to Host the Three Masses of All Souls Day; Catholic Faith Network Signs on to Air Extraordinary Faith; Choir Loft Artistic Embellishment at Our Lady of the Scapular; Tridentine Masses This Coming Week


"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"

Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (October 21, 2018):
October 21, 2018 – Twenty-second Sunday After Pentecost

Old St. Mary’s to Host the Three Masses of All Souls Day

Our annual metro Detroit tradition of offering the Three Masses of All Souls Day will take place on Friday, November 2, this year at Old St. Mary’s Church in Detroit.

Holy Mother Church offers three sets of Mass Propers for the Feast of All Souls, and they will all be celebrated:

At 6:00 PM two simultaneous Low Masses for the Second and Third Masses of All Souls will be offered on the two Side Altars of the church, by Fr. Athanasius Fornwalt, FHS and Fr. Joe Tuskiewicz.


At 7:00 PM, per the rubrics, a Solemn High Mass for the First Mass of All Souls will be offered at the High Altar. The celebrant will be Fr. Athanasius, the deacon will be Deacon Peter Teresa McConnell, FHS, and the subdeacon will be Fr. Tuskiewicz. The choir will sing Messe des Morts by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. Brothers of the Franciscans of the Holy Spirit will serve the Masses.

This will be the first time in over four decades that the left Side Altar will have been used for Holy Mass, and the first time ever that the rebuilt right Side Altar will have had Mass celebrated on it. The right altar was reconstructed from scratch after a fire destroyed the original altar several years ago.


Special thanks to Perspectives Cabinetry of Troy, Michigan, who donated a newly-built catafalque to Old St. Mary’s. A catafalque is the coffin-like structure that stands in for the faithful departed for the ceremony of Absolution, held at the end of a Requiem Mass.

Catholic Faith Network Signs on to Air Extraordinary Faith

A second Catholic television network has picked up Extraordinary Faith: Catholic Faith Network, formerly known as Telecare, of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York. The show has begun to air weekly. Air times (U.S. Eastern) are: Sunday 5:00 AM, Monday 2:00 PM, Wednesday 7:00 AM, and Friday 2:00 PM.

Choir Loft Artistic Embellishment at Our Lady of the Scapular

Much is often shown and said, and justifiably so, about un-wreckovations, restorations, and beautifications of old churches. Most photos focus on the sanctuaries, where High Altars are restored, freestanding altars are removed or made portable, murals are freshened up or newly painted, and Communion Rails are installed. That sort of work has been accomplished over the past year by Fr. Mark Borkowski at Our Lady of the Scapular Church in Wyandotte, Michigan and has been previously featured in this column.

More recently completed there, and rarely mentioned in traditional Catholic media, was a restoration of the back section of the church. Statues were added, gold leaf gilding was applied to pillars and walls, and “portholes” and religious imagery were affixed to the front of the choir loft, resulting in a uniquely inspiring vista.

Such decoration unquestionably bolsters the faith. Artistic beauty is indeed possible when there is vision, funding, and consensus by key stakeholders. We have the technology and resources to help us do such work better than our ancestors did; there is no reason to accept bland churches any more if we truly believe in evangelization.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
  • Tue. 10/23 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (St. Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop & Confessor)
  • Sat. 10/27 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (Saturday of Our Lady)
[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 St. Alphonsus and Holy Name of Mary Churches (Windsor) bulletin inserts for October 21, 2018. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]
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Sunday, October 14, 2018

Tridentine Community News - Relics of the True Cross are Eucharistic; Ozorak Chant Sheets Set to Calligraphy; Academy of the Sacred Heart Chapel Dedication Certificate; Tridentine Masses This Coming Week


"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"

Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (October 14, 2018):
October 14, 2018 – Twenty-first Sunday After Pentecost

Relics of the True Cross Are Eucharistic

A September 14, 2018 tweet by British priest Fr. Raymond Blake [the first tweet/paragraph], along with informed responses from a gentleman from Cleveland [subsequent tweets/paragraphs], provide some insight regarding proper treatment of a relic of the True Cross:

“A relic of the True Cross is a Eucharistic Presence, it is drenched in the Blood of Christ hence must be treated exactly the same as the Blessed Sacrament.

According to pre Vatican II norms on Sacred Relics, most of which have not been abrogated by VII reforms, the Relic of the True Cross deserves hyperdulia. Latria is only permitted for the Blessed Sacrament consecrated in Holy Mass.

That said, one must genuflect on knee before a Relic of the True Cross exposed for veneration. The Relic must have two lighted white candles on either side when exposed. On Good Friday, the Relic may be exposed in Adoration until the Easter Vigil.

When carried for exposition or in procession, the Relic of the True Cross must be held by the clergy with a red humeral veil. If the Relic is carried in a formal outdoor procession, it must be carried under a canopy and given the same honor as a Eucharistic procession.

A Relic of the True Cross may not [be] exposed in the Real Presence of the Eucharist except on Good Friday. Technically, for a Relic of the True Cross to be moved from parish to parish, chapel, shrine, authorization of the local Ordinary is required.”

Ozorak Chant Sheets Set to Calligraphy


On September 9, 2018, the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles had their new abbatial church in Gower, Missouri dedicated according to the Traditional Rite. This elaborate and rarely performed ceremony was accompanied by the First Profession of two nuns and the Investiture of four postulants. Bishops and traditionalist clergy from around the world participated in the event, photos and details of which may be seen at: https://benedictinesofmary.org/sites/benedictinesofmary.org/files/newsletters/2018%20Special%20edition.pdf

The sisters called upon Windsor’s own Michel Ozorak to produce Chant Sheets for the occasion. However, they didn’t just print what he sent them. A sister actually transposed his Chant Sheets into calligraphy, creating quite a work of art.

Academy of the Sacred Heart Chapel Dedication Certificate

While we’re on the subject of dedication of a church, the Academy of the Sacred Heart recently put up for display in their chapel sacristy the certificate of blessing of the chapel and consecration of its altar. Dated May 8, 1963, written in Latin, and signed by Detroit’s then-Archbishop John Dearden, the certificate is a reminder of the solemnity and formality with which such events used to be conducted and recorded.


Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
  • Tue. 10/16 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (St. Hedwig, Widow)
  • Sat. 10/20 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (St. John Cantius, Confessor)
[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 St. Alphonsus and Holy Name of Mary Churches (Windsor) bulletin inserts for October 14, 2018. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]
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Sunday, September 23, 2018

Tridentine Community News - The Principal Liturgical Books of the Church; The Principal Liturgical Books for Individuals; Life in Little Rome in Washington, DC; Flint Tridentine Mass Temporary Relocation; Altar Server Training at Our Lady of the Scapular; Tridentine Masses This Coming Week


"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"

Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (September 23, 2018):
September 23, 2018 – Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost

The Principal Liturgical Books for a Church

A reader asked for a list of the principal liturgical books for the Extraordinary Form. The answer can be provided from two perspectives, that of a church and that of an individual faithful Catholic. Let’s start with the church first: A priest or church needs to be prepared to celebrate the sacraments and offer blessings, thus the following will be needed:

Altar Missals: The single most important book to have on hand is the missal for use at the altar. Since Rome instructs us to follow the 1962 rubrics, the best options are the Roman Catholic Books, Angelus Press/Benizger, and Vatican Press missals, all three of which are available new. In addition to a regular full-size altar missal, a smaller travel-size missal might be useful. Because Requiem Masses have substantially different texts from regular Masses, a Requiem Missal is also useful to have. Travel and Requiem missals are available from Fraternity Publications.

Roman Ritual: Summórum Pontíficum gave priests permission to use the traditional Roman Ritual, which has far more relevant, concise, and powerfully worded blessings than the Ordinary Form Book of Blessings. A church should have two editions: 1) The three volume Rituále Romanum edited by Weller, for a complete set of Latin prayers, and 2) The New Sanctuary Manual by Roman Catholic Books for liturgically-approved English in Baptism, the Nuptial Rite, and certain other rituals. The English supplied in the Weller books is informally translated and not approved for liturgical use, whereas The New Sanctuary Manual is not as complete as the Weller, thus both editions are necessary.

Breviary: Clerics and religious are obligated to pray at least some of the hours of the Divine Office every day. The best choice nowadays is the 1961 Roman Breviary published by Baronius Press, as it includes liturgically-approved English as well as Latin. Other options are the 1963 bilingual Monastic Diurnal and the 1961 Latin Diurnále Románum. The Principal Liturgical Books for Individuals

A similar list can be provided of the principal liturgical books that an individual Catholic layperson would find useful:

Hand Missal: The pros and cons of various hand missals have been discussed in detail in previous columns: A review of the various missals for adults was published in our April 8, 2012 column. A list of missals for children was in our February 5, 2017 column. Both are available on the web site listed at the bottom of this page.

Prayer Books: The most comprehensive collection of traditionally worded prayers is the Blessed Sacrament Prayerbook, reviewed in our November 6, 2011 column. To assist the souls in Purgatory, Catholics should also have the 2006 English Manual of Indulgences, available from the USCCB, and/or the 2004 Latin Enchirídion Indulgentiárum, available from the Vatican publishing house, Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Roman Ritual: If a person is sick or dying, or if a specialized blessing is needed, nowadays the best way of ensuring that a priest will be able to use the Extraordinary Form version of a given formula is to have a copy of the three volume Weller Rituále Románum at your home. Consider how important having access to the texts of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction or the Rite of Holy Communion [for the sick] might be in a time of need. Having a Rituále on hand is arguably cheap insurance to pave the way to heaven.

Life in Little Rome in Washington, DC

Our May 30, 2010 column included a description of the intensely Catholic neighborhood surrounding Wyandotte’s Our Lady of the Scapular Church. Public displays of faith abound, with a “Rosary Walk” of wayside shrines having been built in 2003 near the church, resembling the abundant devotional shrines lining roads in Bavaria.

Aurora Griffin, who came to fame in 2016 via her book, How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard, has since moved on to live in Brookland, the neighborhood of Washington, DC surrounding the Catholic University of America. She, too, has discovered a rich Catholic life in that enclave, which she dubs Little Rome. Several religious communities including the Dominicans have houses in the area, which is dominated by the massive Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Her brief article is an interesting glimpse into the notion of a truly Catholic city: https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2017/12/19/life-in-little-rome-in-the-heart-of-washington-d-c/

Flint Tridentine Mass Temporary Relocation

Starting next Sunday, September 30 and for approximately 6-8 weeks to follow, the Tridentine Mass in Flint, Michigan will be celebrated at St. John Vianney Church, 2415 Bagley St. in Flint. St. Matthew Church, where the Mass is usually held, will be closed during this period while a new tile floor is installed.

Altar Server Training at Our Lady of the Scapular

Next Saturday, September 29 at 9:00 AM at Our Lady of the Scapular Church in Wyandotte, there will a training session for those interested in serving at the altar for the Traditional Mass. The class is open to those from any Latin Mass site.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
  • Tue. 09/25 7:00 PM: Low Requiem Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (Daily Mass for the Dead)
  • Sat. 09/29 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel)
  • Sat. 09/29 5:30 PM: High Mass at Old St. Mary’s (Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost) – Fulfills Sunday obligation. Celebrant: Fr. Cy Whitaker, SJ
[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 St. Alphonsus and Holy Name of Mary Churches (Windsor) bulletin inserts for September 23, 2018. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]
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