Tridentine Community News - Liturgical North; New Communion Rail in Mississippi; Second of Two Detroit Episodes of Extraordinary Faith Now Viewable on YouTube and Vimeo; Hani Sarweh’s Mass Setting Also ... Sung at Old St. Mary’s; More Masses at St. Mary of Redford

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"
Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (December 1, 2019):

December 1, 2019 – First Sunday of Advent

Liturgical North

It is well-known that in the Traditional Mass, the priest is said to face “Liturgical East” when he faces the altar in the same direction as the people (hence the “oriéntem” in the term “ad oriéntem”). East represents the rising sun as well as the Son, in Whom we have our hope.


It follows that “Liturgical North” would be facing the 9:00 position, if the 12:00 position is East. Notice that when the altar missal is moved to the Gospel (left) side of the altar, it is angled to the left, versus when it is on the Epistle (right) side of the altar, the missal sits parallel to the front of the altar. Also notice that when the MC or Subdeacon holds the Last Gospel card for the priest, it is held angled to the left. Even more significantly, in a Solemn High Mass, the Deacon chants the Gospel while facing directly towards the 9:00 position.

All three of these rubrics serve the same purpose: They represent the historic need to preach the Gospel to the pagan North Countries of Europe. A gentle reminder from Holy Mother Church that the Gospel should be used to evangelize those not already practicing the True Faith.

New Communion Rail in Mississippi


It’s always good to see un-wreckovation taking place. This week historic Our Lady of the Gulf Church in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, site of October’s Extraordinary Form celebrant and choir training, (re)installed a Communion Rail to support their recent debut of weekly Tridentine Masses. [Photo above by Bill Cork]

Second of Two Detroit Episodes of Extraordinary Faith Now Viewable on YouTube and Vimeo


Episode 14 of Extraordinary Faith – Detroit Part 2 of 2 – is now available for viewing on the Extraordinary Faith channel on YouTube and Vimeo. We tour Old St. Mary’s Church, learn about the structure of the Traditional Mass from Fr. Lee Acervo and hear about vestments from Fr. Mark Borkowski at St. Florian Church, visit the ornate and domed St. Hyacinth Church [pictured], and meet the energetic volunteers who purchased and are restoring St. Albertus Church.

Hani Sarweh’s Mass Setting Also to Be Sung at Old St. Mary’s

In addition to its previously announced debut at the 2:00 PM Mass at St. Alphonsus Church in Windsor next Sunday, December 8, the late Hani Sarweh’s Mass of St. Michael the Archangel in E Minor will also be sung by the St. Benedict Tridentine Community Choir this Friday, December 6 at the 7:00 PM First Friday Mass at Old St. Mary’s Church in Detroit.

More Masses at St. Mary of Redford

Additional Tridentine Masses have been scheduled at St. Mary’s of Redford Church: Next Sunday, December 8, there will be a High Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception at 6:00 PM. On Saturday, December 14, the usual weekly 8:00 AM Low Mass will be replaced by a 7:00 AM Solemn High Roráte Mass. A Roráte Mass is a Votive Mass of Our Lady celebrated by candlelight before dawn during 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 1, 2019. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]