Fr. Perrone: can lost innocence, virginity, or sacredness be regained?

Fr. Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" (Assumption Grotto News, June 2, 2019):

Proposition #1. Innocence transgressed is irreversible. #2. Virginity undone cannot be regained. #3 Sacredness defiled cannot it be recovered -- or can it? Number 3 is moot (disputed) while numbers 1 & 2 are factual. What most ails the Church in this time is violated sacredness. It is the spiritual equivalent of rape, a terrible invasion of a precinct that must be strenuously guarded against assault. What is today labeled the "abuse crisis" in the Church is a yet-unfolding story, the apex of which, I fear, has not yet been hit. It has taken "victims" not only in the sense of the persons abused but also in the faithful whose consciences have been seared by the disclosure of what had been done behind closed doors. The outcry and outrage over the discovery is just and right but is partially misdirected. This may be evident by responses to the scandal by various diocesan bureaucrats who obsequiously pledge approval and cooperation with civil authorities to bring down those accused; who offer hollow, formulaic apologies to the victims; who are more concerned over the threat of bankruptcy than over God being offended by the sins and crimes committed; who in a desperate move to avert any accusation for their own wrongdoing mandate the 'training' of all diocesan personnel to protect children from abuse but who refrain from identifying abusers as perverted or mentally ill.

The real shame is not the publicity of horrid, secret sins but the venting of lewd passion, the foul degradation of the flesh, the mortal sins committed, the extinction of God's grace, the subversion of conscience, the loss of a sense of guilt, and the vanquished sacredness from priests, from the Mass, the Sacraments and sacred rites. Where did the holiness go? In truth, it had been slowly seeping out of clergy (and not a few lay people) and out of seminaries and parishes for a long time, so subtly that it was scarcely noticed.

Yes, the evils done and publicized are horrible. Why, though, was there no protest "back then" when Catholic doctrine was deliberately suppressed in CCD programs and Catholic schools; when teaching about the commandments and forbidden acts was outlawed; when chastity, in marriage and outside marriage, were taboo topics; when sex-ed programs for youth were introduced that stung their innocent souls and extinguished their spiritual sensitivities? Why was there little indignation over priests' secular clothing, their unbecoming manner of talking and worldly behaviors? Where was the sacredness? At one time it was nearly tangible. Where did it go and with it the fear of the Lord, modesty, and priestly dignity?

When sacredness fled so did its abiding companion, wisdom. "Truths are diminished from the sons of men" (Ps. 11, Vulgate). The departure of holiness from clergy (and laity) meant the loss of wisdom so that we don't even know how to respond to this crisis. We've become foolish, unable to analyze why we have come to this disgrace. This ignorance is itself a punishment for the sins committed.

In recent decades the Church has been run more like a corporation or a business than a divine organism intended for man's salvation. Its policies and rhetoric have resembled civil law and echoed popular opinion more than the Gospel of Christ. Its models and mentors have not been the saints of her illustrious history but CEOs, business men, psychologists, and lawyers. Its greatest concerns have been financial viability and growth; its successes measured in numbers; its worship directed not to God but to the enjoyment of the attendees. The eternal and irrevocable consequences of mortal sins -- to say nothing of the now ubiquitous sins that "cry out to God for vengeance," which include abortion, sodomy, and causing scandal to children, are terra ignota in preaching and religious instruction.

What's been wrong with the Church in our time such that it brought on the said crisis? Pope Benedict indicated that the moral lapses of the clergy brought on a reticence to witness clearly and forecefully to moral truth.

Once trespassed, can sacredness be recovered? Only God knows; but with a return to unambiguous teaching on faith and morals, the foundation will be laid for a restoration of a sacredness that's been sorely missing from the Church for a very long time.

Fr. Perrone

Tridentine Community News - Culinary Institute of America Hosts the Traditional Mass in Its Chapel; JAGH Preservation

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"
Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (June 23, 2019):

June 23, 2019 – External Solemnity of Corpus Christi

Culinary Institute of America Hosts the Traditional Mass in Its Chapel

When contemplating unusual settings for the Traditional Latin Mass, this writer often recalls the (no longer existent) St. Bernardine Chapel in the C-level basement of the Arco Tower in downtown Los Angeles. Hidden down some antiseptic white hallways reminiscent of the movie Andromeda Strain, it was an exercise for a newcomer to try to find this Mass site.


The June 6, 2019 edition of Catholic New York, the Archdiocese of New York’s newspaper, featured a list of Extraordinary Form sites in the diocese, and one location really caught this reader’s eye: Our Lady of the Way Chapel on the grounds of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Students there, as well as the general public, are offered the Traditional Latin Mass every Sunday at 10:00 AM and every Wednesday at 12:00 Noon. The Catholic presence there can be traced to the campus having been originally built as a Jesuit Novitiate.

One would imagine the post-Mass receptions would be out of this world.

JAGH Preservation

There has been a confluence in recent years of several trends:

• An increasing number of historically significant churches being closed by their dioceses.
• An increasing appreciation for traditional art and architecture, fueled in part by the Internet spreading awareness of beautiful restorations.
• A resurgence of interest in Catholic traditions, both in the practice of the Faith and in its material externals.

Communities upset to see their churches close formerly had no clear path to pursue a viable alternative reuse of their beloved buildings. Issues of both canon law and financial realities made it difficult to translate hopes and dreams into achievable plans for restoration.

A market abhors a vacuum, so it’s no surprise that two sorts of enterprises are appearing that are helping frustrated communities take practical action:

First are canon law consultants who specialize in arguing the legal aspects of saving old churches. That’s a topic for another column.


Second are architectural restoration outfits which are willing to undertake more challenging efforts, ones without an existing fundraising or operational plan. Standing out among this nascent group is JAGH Preservation, a non-profit organization which both outright acquires historic churches or partners with existing stakeholders to save their existing edifices. This isn’t a pipe dream; JAGH was involved in a successful restoration of St. Mary Church in Columbus, Ohio [pictured above], and has acquired St. Andrew’s Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana [photo below] for restoration as a Franciscan oratory and convent for the Poor Clare Sisters. For the latter, a full exterior and interior restoration is planned, including a new High Altar and Communion Rail.


For more information visit their web site at: https://jaghpreservation.com/ and their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/helpprotecthistory1/

[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 June 23, 2019. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]

21 Reasons Why People Don't Like Assumption Grotto Church

Fr. Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" [Temporary Link] (Assumption Grotto News, June 30, 2019):

21 Reasons Why People Don't Like Assumption Grotto Church
My parting shot before departure in that best month of the year features this light fare as a relief from the ponderous prose usually encountered here.

"I don't like Assumption Grotto Church because ...

• ... the Mass or the singing is in Latin.
• ... they don't shake hands there.
• ... I can't have Communion in my hands.
• ... it's in Detroit, far away from my home.
• ... they don't clap hands in church.
• ... everybody's quiet in church and unfriendly.
• ... their dress code rules out shorts and T shirts.
• ... the priest has his back to us, facing the altar.
• ... they don't have greeters, altar girls, women ministers of Communion, and lectresses.
• ... the priests don't start their sermons with jokes that make us laugh.
• ... there's no "praise music" there.
• ... I miss the guitar and the piano.
• ... their Masses are way too long.
• ... people kneel for Communion.
• ... they use too much incense and ...
• ... there are too many babies too.
• ... saying the rosary after Mass is "over the top."
• ... there's too much kneeling.
• ... they don't have usherettes.
• ... the sermons are too heavy. The priests need to lighten up a little.
• ... the priests don't thank the choir.
• ... the priests don't thank the choir, ushers, teachers, the janitor, etc. after Mass."

You say you've heard others?

Parish improvements. I have made it known that before I retire I want the parish grounds and facilities to be in tiptop shape, ready for takeover by my successor. (this reminds me that soon we ought to start praying for whomever he will be.) For well over a year now we have been making steady, though not always noticeable, progress improving the parish plant. It's usually the case that the more essential and costly things are not obvious to the onlooker, things such as internal repairs and upgrades. Now that many of these have been attended to you'll begin to notice things that meet the eye. Our parish grounds have been steadily improving, and much needed painting will soon commence. Both rectory and church will show their betterment. I know the parking lot and some of the sidewalks are in bad shape. You must allow us time to get around to these. By the time of our August 15 celebration there ought to be marked improvements. Patience! I always have in mind the good order of our parish structures and grounds. I also want our church to be beutiful to honor the Mother of God. She mustn't be disgraced by "Her" parish church being in poor repair or looking drab.

Another reason for wanting to move rapidly with these enhancements is the visit of His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke to our parish on October 27 to celebrate a Pontifical Mass. This will be one of the most significant events in the recent history of our parish. I must admonish you, however, not to delay making reservations for the Call to Holiness Conference which is bringing the Cardinal to the parish. Many have already signed up for the Conference, and its attendees will be given preferred to obtain tickets for CTH. (This must sound like those radio commercials that urge their listeners to "act now!")

The happy month of July is upon us when your pastor aestivates, though you will not escape his clutches entirely during that time. Father John will graciously step into the breach to supply what's needed in this controversial, sometimes, disturbing, writing space.

Fr. Perrone

Tridentine Community News - 'Extraordinary Faith' Episode 17 - London Part 3 of 4 to Debut on EWTN on Saturday, July 6; 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 (June 30, 2019):

June 30, 2019 – External Solemnity of the Sacred Heart

Extraordinary Faith Episode 17 – London Part 3 of 4 to Debut on EWTN on Saturday, July 6

EWTN has scheduled another batch of new episodes of Extraordinary Faith for airing over the next several weeks. Episode 17 is the third of four filmed in London, England, which this column has many times explained is a sort of Catholic liturgical paradise. Extraordinary Faith Episode 17 debuts on EWTN this Saturday, July 6 at 4:30 AM U.S. Eastern time.

The two previous London episodes showcased two of the prominent boys’ choirs in the city, the Westminster Cathedral Choir School and the Schola Cantorum of the London Oratory School. London has not neglected young ladies, however; indeed, across the Thames River, St. George’s Cathedral in Southwark has a girls’ choir, comprised largely of young ladies from immigrant families, who have learned to sing the classical Latin repertoire. Even more impressive, because the choir director at the time of filming, Norman Harper, must play the organ accompaniment, he delegates the actual conducting of the choir to one of his more accomplished students. St. George’s experience proves that young singers not only can sing difficult material but they actually embrace the challenge.

The Tridentine Mass scene in England is so busy that there are not one but two organizations devoted to organizing and promoting Latin Liturgy. The first and larger of the two is the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, which boasts its own office with full-time staff members in the Covent Garden theatre district of London. LMS Chairman Dr. Joseph Shaw tells us about the history and achievements of the LMS.

England is, of course, headquarters of the Anglican Church. England’s enthusiastic embrace of traditional Catholic liturgy, as well as the truths and beauty of our Faith, have not gone unnoticed by Anglicans. Msgr. Keith Newton, Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, explains the origins and purpose of the Ordinariate in welcoming Anglican convert clergy and faithful to the Catholic Church, including offering its own distinctive Anglican-like liturgy, depicted below at the Ordinariate’s Our Lady of the Assumption & St. Gregory Church.

One of the most accomplished adult choirs in the world is that of St. James Spanish Place Church. Its young music director Iestyn Evans tells us how this parish in the embassy district of London has been able to attract top local professional singers to its Latin-centric music program. St. James is known both for solemn Ordinary Form and Extraordinary Form Masses and regularly serves as the site for EF Confirmations in London.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

• Mon. 07/01 7:00 PM: High Mass at Our Lady of the Scapular (Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ)
• Tue. 07/02 7:00 PM: High Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
• Fri. 07/05 7:00 PM: High Mass at Old St. Mary’s (St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Confessor) – Celebrant: Fr. David Bechill. Devotions to the Sacred Heart before Mass. Reception afterwards.
• Sat. 07/06 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 June 30, 2019. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]

Tridentine Community News - Special High Mass at Ste. Anne de Detroit; Sacred Liturgy Conference Report; 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 (June 9, 2019):

June 9, 2019 – Pentecost Sunday

Special High Mass at Ste. Anne de Detroit on July 20

Every year Detroit’s oldest parish, Ste. Anne, offers a series of special Masses as part of the novena leading up to the Feast of St. Anne. Typically these are ethnic Masses representing the diversity of cultures comprising the Archdiocese of Detroit. In the 1980s, an Ordinary Form Latin Mass was included in the program, but that has long since been discontinued. This year for the first time, a day has been allocated for the Traditional Latin Mass: On Saturday, July 20 at 7:00 PM, Oakland County Latin Mass Association Chaplain Msgr. Ronald Browne will celebrate a High Mass in the Extraordinary Form for the Feast of St. Jerome Emiliani, supported by servers and singers from the OCLMA and St. Benedict. Though there have been three special occasion Tridentine Masses at Ste. Anne over the past several years, this is the first time that one is being publicly promoted by the parish, a welcome development for which we are grateful to pastor Msgr. Charles Kosanke.


Sacred Liturgy Conference Report


This year’s Sacred Liturgy Conference was held May 28-31 at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Attendees numbered about 300, including brothers from Detroit’s Franciscans of the Holy Spirit and the superiors of the Dominican Sisters of Ann Arbor. Highlights included a talk comparing the Extraordinary Form vs. Ordinary Form blessings of Holy Water by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone [photo above], a Pontifical Solemn Mass in the Extraordinary Form celebrated by Archbishop Cordileone at Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral [photo below], and a Solemn High Dominican Rite Mass celebrated by Fr. Gabriel Mosher, OP at St. Aloysius Church, on the campus of Gonzaga University. As always, it was a memorable and inspiring event. The Sacred Liturgy Conference will return to Spokane in June, 2020.


Again this year, Extraordinary Faith was invited to provide celebrant training in the Traditional Mass at the conference. Four sessions were held in the Gonzaga Chapel, pictured below, attended by priests, seminarians, and a surprisingly large number of laypeople. Fr. Kenny St. Hilaire of Spokane graciously volunteered to be the priest being trained at the altar.


Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

• Mon. 06/10 7:00 PM: High Mass at Old St. Patrick, Ann Arbor (Pentecost Monday) – Annual Pentecost Octave High Masses
• Tue. 06/11 7:00 PM: High Mass at Old St. Patrick, Ann Arbor (Pentecost Tuesday)
• Tue. 06/11 7:00 PM: High Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (Pentecost Tuesday)
• Wed. 06/12 8:30 AM: High Mass at Old St. Patrick, Ann Arbor (Ember Wednesday of Pentecost)
• Thu. 06/13 8:30 AM: High Mass at Old St. Patrick, Ann Arbor (Pentecost Thursday)
• Fri. 06/14 8:30 AM: High Mass at Old St. Patrick, Ann Arbor (Ember Friday of Pentecost)
• Sat. 06/15 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (Ember Saturday of Pentecost)
• Sat. 06/15 9:00 AM: High Mass at Old St. Patrick, Ann Arbor (Ember Saturday of Pentecost)
• Sun. 06/16 12:30 PM: High Mass at Old St. Patrick, Ann Arbor (Trinity Sunday)

[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 June 9, 2019. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]

Tridentine Community News - Extraordinary Form Vespers at St. Peter’s Seminary; The Unfortunate Consequence of Concelebration; Lex Orándi: A Book Comparing the Seven Sacraments in the EF vs. OF; The Order for Blessing Water, EF vs. OF; New Traditional Masses in Rome

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"
Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (June 2, 2018):

June 2, 2019 – Sunday After the Ascension

Extraordinary Form Vespers at St. Peter’s Seminary

On Friday, May 24, St. Peter’s Seminary in London, Ontario offered Vespers according to the Extraordinary Form for the first time in almost 50 years. Music was provided by the Canadian Renaissance Music Summer School. It’s always heartening to hear of seminarians being exposed to the liturgical traditions of Holy Mother Church. More information about the event is available at: https://www.crmss.org/course.html?fbclid=IwAR1-xzQgRMV-HVlUMrDyn7WtGjt-hzqRdlqNUGytHaru0PmZqcXx4x4dLVw

The Unfortunate Consequence of Concelebration

The July 26, 2009 edition of this column contained a defense of individual celebration of the Mass. In a nutshell, the post-conciliar development of concelebration deprives the Church of the infinite graces that derive from each individual celebration of Holy Mass. Even when a priest celebrates Mass privately, the Angels attend and adore the Eucharist made present. Whereas prior to Vatican II, churches’ Side Altars would be busy with priests celebrating their daily Masses, nowadays it is all too easy for priests, especially those living in community, to concelebrate Mass rather than to celebrate individual Masses. The world is thereby being deprived of additional graces that those extra Masses would bestow.


The Holy Eucharist—The World’s Salvation: Studies on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, its Celebration, and its Concelebration, by Fr. Joseph de Sainte-Marie, OCD, published in 2015 and with a foreword by Dom Alcuin Reid, is “the definitive study of concelebration”, according to Dr. Peter Kwasniewski. This is the first English translation of a book originally written in 1982. This almost 600 page work is, per Dr. Kwasniewski, “sometimes distressing”, as it provides abundant evidence supporting the assertion above.

Scholarship of this sort is necessary to convey that what may seem aesthetically appealing and convenient on the surface is actually a detriment to mankind’s spiritual welfare.

Lex Orándi:A Book Comparing the Seven Sacraments in the EF vs. OF


Much has been said and written about the differences between the Extraordinary and Ordinary Forms of the Mass. Many authors, including this writer, have produced side-by-side comparisons of the two (see the Tridentine News archive web page, listed at the bottom of this page). A book entitled Lex Orándi, published in 2015 by Daniel Graham, has taken the concept a step further and presents side-by-side comparisons of all seven Sacraments, including commentary. Studies such as this will help the faithful appreciate just how much has been lost in the new, simplified forms of these Sacraments. Such knowledge can only help promote the restoral of the classic forms.

Lex Orándi may be ordered from Amazon.com.

The Order for Blessing Water, EF vs. OF

In a similar vein, Dr. Daniel Van Slyke has published a comparison and analysis of the Extraordinary and Ordinary Forms of blessing Holy Water. The Traditional Form, used among other occasions before Sunday Mass to bless the water used in the Aspérges, exorcises and blesses salt, exorcises and blesses water, has a prayer over the commingling of the two, and a concluding prayer. The far simpler Ordinary Form blessing lacks the succinct and direct language of the classic formula, making the objective of the blessing less clear.

Dr. Van Slyke’s paper may be read at: https://www.academia.edu/7797797/The_Order_for_Blessing_Water_Past_and_Present

New Traditional Masses in Rome


For many years, there have been only three principal sites for Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form in Rome: 1) Certain early morning Side Altar Masses at St. Peter’s Basilica, 2) The FSSP parish of Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini, and 3) The ICRSP church of Gesu e Maria al Corso.

Recently another site has debuted: The Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, also known as the Angelicum, is now offering the Tridentine Mass every Tuesday at 12:30 PM, and the Traditional Dominican Rite every Thursday at 12:30 PM, both at the Church of Ss. Dominic & Sixtus.

[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 June 2, 2018. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]

Tridentine Community News - Solemn Mass After Ordination of Fr. John McKenzie at OCLMA/Academy on June 30; Solemn Mass After Ordination of Fr. Matthew Schuster at Assumption Grotto on June 9; Jesuit Ordination in the Traditional Rite at Toronto Oratory; Assumption Church Copper Shingle Fundraiser

"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"
Tridentine Community News by Alex Begin (May 8, 2019):

May 12, 2019 – Third Sunday After Easter

Solemn Mass After Ordination of Fr. John McKenzie at OCLMA/Academy on June 30


Soon-to-be Fr. John McKenzie is no stranger to the Traditional Mass. He was a monk of Norcia, Italy – a Benedictine monastery devoted to the Extraordinary Form – prior to returning to Detroit to enter Sacred Heart Seminary. He has served as Deacon for a Tridentine Mass at Old St. Mary’s, and will celebrate one of his first Holy Masses in the Extraordinary Form after ordination to the priesthood on Sunday, June 30 at 9:45 AM for the Oakland County Latin Mass Association at the Academy of the Sacred Heart Chapel in Bloomfield Hills.

A reception will follow the Mass at which Fr. McKenzie will bestow “First Blessings.” A priest may give so-called First Blessings to the faithful during the entire first year after ordination. This is not to be confused with the Plenary Indulgence the faithful may gain by prayerfully attending the very first, and only the very first, public Mass of a new priest after ordination.

Solemn Mass After Ordination of Fr. Matthew Schuster at Assumption Grotto on June 9


Originally hailing from Detroit’s Assumption Grotto Parish, soon-to-be Fr. Matthew Schuster will be ordained to the priesthood for the Society of St. John Cantius in Chicago on May 18. He will celebrate one of his first Traditional Latin Masses after ordination back home at Assumption Grotto on Sunday, June 9 at 9:30 AM. Fr. Schuster will give First Blessings after Mass in the school building next to the church.

Incidentally, his brother Thomas Schuster also serves the Church as music director of a Latin-heavy program, with periodic special occasion Tridentine High Masses, at Epiphany Catholic Church in Miami. Readers may recall that Epiphany was the site of Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski’s Pontifical Solemn Mass in 2012.

Jesuit Ordination in the Traditional Rite at Toronto Oratory

An unusual series of events has taken place in Canada:

On February 18, Mr. Teodor-Gheorghe Avram, SJ, received tonsure and minor orders according to the Traditional Rite of Ordination from Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast at St. Clement Parish in Ottawa, an FSSP parish. Archbishop Prendergast is a long-time friend of the Traditional Mass, with a lengthy track record of ordinations and special event Masses.

On April 23, Archbishop Prendergast ordained Mr. Avram to the Subdiaconate using the Traditional Rite, this time at Holy Family Church in Toronto, one of the parishes run by the Toronto Oratorian Fathers. Photos and a full story are at: https://oratory-toronto.org/2019/04/30/an-ordination-at-the-oratory


This may very well be the first time that a member of the Jesuits has received the traditional form of ordination in almost 50 years.

In conjunction with our recent experiences with local Jesuits Frs. Stephen Wolfe and Cy Whitaker, the appointment of TLM supporter Fr. William Blazek as Director of the Apostleship of Prayer, and the Jesuits in Miami and at Boston College who regularly offer the Traditional Mass in those locales, there are reasons for optimism in an organization some might otherwise not consider, the Society of Jesus.

Assumption Church Copper Shingle Fundraiser

Windsor’s Assumption Parish has begun fundraising for the restoration and reopening of the church. The first effort is an opportunity to name the copper shingles which will soon be installed on the roof. Naming rights to each shingle may be obtained for a donation of $250 per shingle. For more information, visit: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/40940

[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 May 8, 2019. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]

Tridentine Masses this coming week in metro Detroit and eastern Michigan

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Sunday

• Sun. 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 45 minutes before and after Masses) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 8:00 and 10:30AM Low Mass (Confessions 1/2 hour before Mass: call beforehand) at St. Ann's Church, Livonia [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 8:00 AM (& Holy Days at 12:00 Noon): Tridentine Mass at St. Edward on the Lake Catholic Church, Lakeport
• Sun. 9:00 AM: Low Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Sun. 9:30 AM: High Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Sun. 9:45 AM: High Mass at OCLMA/Academy of the Sacred Heart, Bloomfield Hills
• Sun.: [occasional Tridentine Masses: contact parish] at Our Lady of the Scapular Parish
• Sun. 11:00 AM: Solemn High Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Sun. 12:00: High Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Jackson
• Sat. 12:30 PM (2nd Sundays): Tridentine Mass at Old St. Patrick's, Ann Arbor
• Sun. 2:00 PM (1st Sundays only):St. Alphonsus Church, Windsor, Canada
• Sun. 2:00 PM (every Sunday except 1st): High Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Canada
• Sun. 3:00 PM (2nd and 4th Sundays): Tridentine Mass (call ahead for Confession times, 989-892-5936) at Infant of Prague, Bay City [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 3:00 PM: High Mass St. Matthew Catholic Church, Flint

Monday

• Mon. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Mon. 8:00 AM: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Mon. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions by appointment) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*

Tuesday

• Tue. 7:00 AM Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Tue. 8:00 AM: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Tue. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions by appointment) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Tue. 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Canada

Wednesday

• Wed. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Wed. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions by appointment) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Wed. 12:00 Noon: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit followed by Perpetual Novena to St. Joseph

Thursday

• Thu. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Thu. 8:00 AM: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Thu. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions Thursdays: 7:00 - 7:30 PM during Benediction) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*

Friday

• Fri. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Fri. 8:00 AM: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Fri. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM during Holy Hour) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Fri. 7:00 PM (First Fridays only): Tridentine Mass (usually Low Mass) at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Fri. 7:00 PM (1st Fridays only): High Mass at Old St. Mary's, Greektown, Detroit
• Fri. 7:00 PM: Tridentine Mass at St. Joseph, Sarnia, Ontario
• Fri. 7:00 PM (after 6:00 PM Holy Hour, 1st Fridays only): High Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit

Saturday

• Sat. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• 8:00 AM (1st Saturdays): Low Mass at St. Edward on the Lake, Lakeport
• Sat. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sat. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 1/2 hour before Mass: call beforehand) at St. Ann's Church, Livonia [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sat. 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi, South Lyon, MI
• Sat. 9:00 AM (1st Saturdays): High Mass at St. Anthony, Temperance
• Sat. 9:00 AM: Low Mass and Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit

Sunday

• Sun. 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 45 minutes before and after Masses) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 8:00 and 10:30AM Low Mass (Confessions 1/2 hour before Mass: call beforehand) at St. Ann's Church, Livonia [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 8:00 AM (& Holy Days at 12:00 Noon): Tridentine Mass at St. Edward on the Lake Catholic Church, Lakeport
• Sun. 9:00 AM: Low Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Sun. 9:30 AM: High Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Sun. 9:45 AM: High Mass at OCLMA/Academy of the Sacred Heart, Bloomfield Hills
• Sun.: [occasional Tridentine Masses: contact parish] at Our Lady of the Scapular Parish
• Sun. 11:00 AM: Solemn High Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Sun. 12:00: High Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Jackson
• Sat. 12:30 PM (2nd Sundays): Tridentine Mass at Old St. Patrick's, Ann Arbor
• Sun. 2:00 PM (1st Sundays only):St. Alphonsus Church, Windsor, Canada
• Sun. 2:00 PM (every Sunday except 1st): High Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Canada
• Sun. 3:00 PM (2nd and 4th Sundays): Tridentine Mass (call ahead for Confession times, 989-892-5936) at Infant of Prague, Bay City [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 3:00 PM: High Mass St. Matthew Catholic Church, Flint
• Sun. 6:00 PM: Tridentine Mass at SS. Cyril & Methodius Slovak Catholic Church, Sterling Heights

* 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.

Fr. Perrone reflects on two priests -- a bitter old turncoat and a joyful new one

Fr. Eduard Perrone, "A Pastor's Descant" [temporary link], Assumption Grotto News, May 26, 2019:

A dismal and blistering article was published last week in a prominent mag -- here unmentioned -- a diatribe against the Church for the often-alleged crime of clericalism, the credited reason for the Church's present troubles. Only well into the piece was it revealed that the writer was an ex-priest, a fact which didn't surprise me since only such a one can publish a splenetic attack on the faith with impunity. I won't bore you with summarizing what he wrote since there's nothing new there except the expression of a particular talent for rant. His writing led me to reflect no on the dread subject matter but on how it could be that a man ordained to the priesthood could get so much wrong about the Church, the priesthood, and theology. He was, early on, a liberal priest who championed leftist causes and challenged orthodoxy. Perhaps he was poorly educated and malformed in the seminary but his writing gave just enough indication that he knew what Catholicism stands for, even if he has rejected it. It was a wonder that he could have turned out so bad as to write what he did and be led, in the end, to leave the practice of the faith. (Actually, that's not all bad since it spares our Lord the offense of sacrilegious Communions.) Was he, I thought, one of those fake priests who infiltrated the Church years ago to make an attempted coup? Or was he among the pitiful duped who followed false guides and fell away from the truth little by little?

These questions motivated me to write here -- again, not about what was in the mag, but about the hard reality of someone rejecting "the faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). This became a personal reflection on how many there may be, over the long course of my priesthood, who listened to my teaching or preaching and instead of taking in what I intended to impart to them interiorly resented my words or even outright rejected them. How many young students, for example, hearing my instruction opposed it, unknown to me? The fault in such case may lay with my poor teaching abilities but it might also be due to a bad disposition, whatever its causes. I realize one can't always know by body language whether one's hearers agree or disagree with what's being said. This reminded me of the parable of the sower sowing his seed and the various types of ground on which it fell: rocks, briers, or good soil. When our Lord spoke to His audiences, some of them received His teaching approvingly, some outwardly protesting it, while others harbored interior resentment. He always identified these various responses to His words, and to those who harbored hostility He exposed their private thoughts. Lacking the gift of mind-reading, I can't guess who or how many people I've taught over the years took in what I said or rejected it. Whatever may be in be in the mind sooner or later comes out into the open, as it did in the sorry example of that ex-priest. It made me realize that I must pray more that the Holy Ghost will adapt, adjust, and even correct my poor words as needed for particular souls to make the truth evident to them. (I have elsewhere averted to the divine phenomenon of what I believe may happen when the Holy Spirit causes to make heard in various minds divine truths in spite of a preacher's poor abilities, or even his errors. This would be, if I'm right to think it, an extension of the grace of Pentecost when He made each person hear what wwas being said, modifying it for their comprehension.

How can it be that some Catholics like myself brought up in the good ol' days turn out to be doubters of the Church's doctrines, deceivers of others, and turncoats? At one time, I must suppose, they were sincere and devout Catholics. Something happened to them (unless the conspiracy theory is correct, and they were deliberate "plants" sent out to destroy the Church.)

I forgot to mention where and when I heard about that article. It was while I was in Chicago for the Ordination and First Mass of our own Father Matthew Schuster. What a contrast to read about one priest's falling away and to witness another's joyful ascent to Christ's holy priesthood! While I would not wish to be presumptive of God's grace, I can't refrain from expressing my great hopes for a richly fruitful priesthood for Fr. Schuster. I'm deeply grateful to have witnessed its beginnings. He will have his first Grotto Mass on Pentecost Sunday, June 9, at the 9:30 Mass, following which he will confer, during an open reception for him in the gym, his individual priestly blessings which carry the plenary indulgence.

Finale: Pray on Memorial Day for the souls of the faithful departed who served in various capacities for our country's defense, especially those who died in conflict. We will offer holy Mass for them on Monday at the 9:15 a.m. Mass, preceded by the flag-raising ceremony at 9:00, and followed by the pryers in the cemetery. A doughnut and coffee breakfast chaser may be had in the gym.

Fr. Perrone.

Tridentine Masses this week in metro Detroit and east Michigan

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Sunday

• Sun. 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 45 minutes before and after Masses) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 8:00 and 10:30AM Low Mass (Confessions 1/2 hour before Mass: call beforehand) at St. Ann's Church, Livonia [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 8:00 AM (& Holy Days at 12:00 Noon): Tridentine Mass at St. Edward on the Lake Catholic Church, Lakeport
• Sun. 9:00 AM: Low Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Sun. 9:30 AM: High Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Sun. 9:45 AM: High Mass at OCLMA/Academy of the Sacred Heart, Bloomfield Hills
• Sun.: [occasional Tridentine Masses: contact parish] at Our Lady of the Scapular Parish
• Sun. 11:00 AM: Solemn High Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Sun. 12:00: High Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Jackson
• Sat. 12:30 PM (2nd Sundays): Tridentine Mass at Old St. Patrick's, Ann Arbor
• Sun. 2:00 PM (1st Sundays only):St. Alphonsus Church, Windsor, Canada
• Sun. 2:00 PM (every Sunday except 1st): High Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Canada
• Sun. 3:00 PM (2nd and 4th Sundays): Tridentine Mass (call ahead for Confession times, 989-892-5936) at Infant of Prague, Bay City [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 3:00 PM: High Mass St. Matthew Catholic Church, Flint

Monday

• Mon. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Mon. 8:00 AM: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Mon. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions by appointment) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*

Tuesday

• Tue. 7:00 AM Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Tue. 8:00 AM: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Tue. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions by appointment) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Tue. 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Canada

Wednesday

• Wed. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Wed. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions by appointment) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Wed. 12:00 Noon: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit followed by Perpetual Novena to St. Joseph

Thursday

• Thu. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Thu. 8:00 AM: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Thu. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions Thursdays: 7:00 - 7:30 PM during Benediction) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*

Friday

• Fri. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Fri. 8:00 AM: Low Mass St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Fri. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM during Holy Hour) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Fri. 7:00 PM (First Fridays only): Tridentine Mass (usually Low Mass) at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Fri. 7:00 PM (1st Fridays only): High Mass at Old St. Mary's, Greektown, Detroit
• Fri. 7:00 PM: Tridentine Mass at St. Joseph, Sarnia, Ontario
• Fri. 7:00 PM (after 6:00 PM Holy Hour, 1st Fridays only): High Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit

Saturday

• Sat. 7:30 AM: Low Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• 8:00 AM (1st Saturdays): Low Mass at St. Edward on the Lake, Lakeport
• Sat. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sat. 8:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 1/2 hour before Mass: call beforehand) at St. Ann's Church, Livonia [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sat. 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi, South Lyon, MI
• Sat. 9:00 AM (1st Saturdays): High Mass at St. Anthony, Temperance
• Sat. 9:00 AM: Low Mass and Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit

Sunday

• Sun. 7:30 AM and 10:00 AM: Low Mass (Confessions 45 minutes before and after Masses) at St. Joseph's Church, Ray Township [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 8:00 and 10:30AM Low Mass (Confessions 1/2 hour before Mass: call beforehand) at St. Ann's Church, Livonia [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 8:00 AM (& Holy Days at 12:00 Noon): Tridentine Mass at St. Edward on the Lake Catholic Church, Lakeport
• Sun. 9:00 AM: Low Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Sun. 9:30 AM: High Mass at Assumption Grotto, Detroit
• Sun. 9:45 AM: High Mass at OCLMA/Academy of the Sacred Heart, Bloomfield Hills
• Sun.: [occasional Tridentine Masses: contact parish] at Our Lady of the Scapular Parish
• Sun. 11:00 AM: Solemn High Mass at St. Joseph Oratory, Detroit
• Sun. 12:00: High Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea, Jackson
• Sat. 12:30 PM (2nd Sundays): Tridentine Mass at Old St. Patrick's, Ann Arbor
• Sun. 2:00 PM (1st Sundays only):St. Alphonsus Church, Windsor, Canada
• Sun. 2:00 PM (every Sunday except 1st): High Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Canada
• Sun. 3:00 PM (2nd and 4th Sundays): Tridentine Mass (call ahead for Confession times, 989-892-5936) at Infant of Prague, Bay City [NB: See note at bottom of this post about SSPX sites.]*
• Sun. 3:00 PM: High Mass St. Matthew Catholic Church, Flint
• Sun. 6:00 PM: Tridentine Mass at SS. Cyril & Methodius Slovak Catholic Church, Sterling Heights

* 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.

Prayer Pilgrimages Latin Mass-Inclusive Bus Tours to Metro Detroit and Canton, Ohio; First Tridentine Mass at St. Michael, Leamington, Ontario on June 28; Fr. Patrick Beneteau Appointed Administrator of St. Anne Parish, Tecumseh, Ontario; Prayer Card for the Apostolic Blessing at the Hour of Death; Latin Prayer Cards; 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 (May 26, 2019):

May 26, 2019 – Fifth Sunday After Easter

Prayer Pilgrimages Latin Mass-Inclusive Bus Tours To Rural Metro Detroit and Canton, Ohio

Two upcoming bus tours may be of interest:

On Friday, May 31, there will be a tour of churches in the rural northern parts of the Archdiocese of Detroit. A 12:00 Noon Tridentine Mass will be offered as part of the tour at St. Edward on the Lake Church in Lakeport.

On Monday, June 24, a bus tour will visit Canton, Ohio, stopping at the residence of the mystic Rhoda Wise, best known for being the mentor to Mother Angelica. A 12:00 Noon Tridentine Mass is planned to be offered at the historic Basilica of St. John the Baptist [pictured] on this Feast Day of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist.


More information is available at www.prayerpilgrimages.com or by calling (248) 250-6005.

First Tridentine Mass at St. Michael, Leamington, Ontario on June 28

For many years there has been a Sunday Tridentine Mass in and around London, Ontario, moving every few years to a different location. One of the priest celebrants for that community has been Fr. Tom Ferrera. In 2018 Fr. Ferrera was named pastor of St. Michael Parish in Leamington, not far from Windsor. Fr. Ferrera has decided to host his first High Mass in the Extraordinary Form at St. Michael on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Friday, June 28 at 7:00 PM. Members of the St. Benedict choir and altar serving team will be assisting, with the objective of having St. Michael develop its own team, able to support additional Masses on their own in the future.

Fr. Patrick Beneteau Appointed Administrator of St. Anne Parish, Tecumseh, Ontario


More good news from the Diocese of London: Diocesan Vocations Director and longtime Tridentine Mass celebrant Fr. Patrick Beneteau has been named Administrator of St. Anne Parish in Tecumseh, Ontario, in eastern suburban Windsor, effective July 1. In the 1990s, St. Anne was the host site for the first Traditional funeral Mass to be held in metro Detroit after Vatican II, organized by Chant Sheet author Michel Ozorak. We are hopeful that the Extraordinary Form will once again return to St. Anne, a busy and popular parish.

Prayer Card for the Apostolic Blessing at the Hour of Death


Those who attend the Oakland County Latin Mass Association at the Academy of the Sacred Heart Chapel were recently able to pick up prayer cards which contain the text of the Apostolic Blessing at the Hour of Death, an immensely important prayer explained in detail in the December 9, 2018 edition of this column. Consider carrying one in your wallet for the benefit of yourself or any other person in danger of death. Both the Extraordinary Form of the prayer in Latin and the Ordinary Form version in English are provided on the card, to suit the preferences of the individual concerned and/or the most conveniently available priest. You may obtain additional copies of the card from this source: https://fullofgraceusa.com/collections/holy-cards/products/new-for-2017-the-apostolic-pardon-for-the-dying-holy-cards

Latin Prayer Cards

While on the subject of prayer cards, a vendor has appeared which carries a variety of Latin language prayer cards that may be of interest. Visit www.praylatin.com

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

• Tue. 05/28 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (St. Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop & Confessor)
• Sat. 06/01 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (St. Angela Merici, Virgin)

[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 May 26, 2019. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]

Tridentine Community News - "Vidi Wars"; Reminder: St. Francis d’Assisi Mass on May 19; Fort Leavenworth Army Chaplain Learns the Traditional Mass; 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 (May 5, 2019):

May 5, 2019 – Second Sunday After Easter

Vidi Wars (With tongue planted firmly in cheek.)

There’s a great divide in Latin Mass land. One which shows no sign of ending. One which separates people of good will, causing them to take sides. We’re talking about the Vidi Aquam, the music that accompanies the sprinkling rite during the Easter season.

Choirs will fight to the death for their right to sing Vidi I, as proof of their command of complicated chant. Yet it’s too difficult for many in the congregation to sing along. And oh boy, is it long. The priest is back up at the altar before it’s even half over. Even more insidious, hymnal editors – who as it turns out tend also to be choir directors themselves – have sought to block the only alternative by not including it in their hymn books. They don’t want you to know there’s another option. Yes, the Latin Mass world has a Big State, a Music Mafia, if you will.

Well, the Trid News is here to pull back the curtain and tell you what the Music Establishment will not: You have an alternative in the mellifluous, catchy Vidi II. Once you hear it, you’ll be humming it all day. Congregations love it, while choir members look down their noses at its simplistic chant. In Detroit, we’ve known about this setting for decades: it was the only Vidi sung at St. Joseph Church’s Sunday Novus Ordo Latin Mass during the long tenure of former music director, the late Thomas Kuras. It was published in their proprietary St. Joseph Hymnal. It also appears in the Solesmes Liber Cantuális [version pictured below], and an organ accompaniment appears in the Collegeville Hymnal.


Following the model of North and South Korea, the two sides of the Vidi War have not signed a peace treaty. Instead, they’ve agreed to a long-term compromise. That’s why you’ll hear our choirs sing Vidi I for the first half of Paschaltide, and Vidi II for the second half. It’s a truce we can all live with.

Reminder: St. Francis d’Assisi Mass on May 19


On Sunday, May 19 at 10:00 AM, there will be a special High Mass in the Extraordinary Form at St. Francis d’Assisi Church, 4500 Wesson St., at Michigan Avenue in Detroit. The celebrant will be Fr. José Haro of the Diocese of Kalamazoo. The music will be led by Wassim Sarweh, and altar servers from the Oakland County Latin Mass Association and the St. Benedict Tridentine Community will assist. St. Francis d’Assisi is one of Detroit’s largest and most ornate historic churches. We hope you will be able to attend and demonstrate our gratefulness to the parish for hosting this special Mass. Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/312538589422446/

Fort Leavenworth Army Chaplain Learns the Traditional Mass

Congratulations to Fr. Jeff Whorton, Catholic Chaplain at the U.S. Army post at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, who celebrated his first Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form after taking training from Extraordinary Faith. A convert from Anglicanism, Fr. Whorton already has been offering the Ordinary Form ad oriéntem. He and his team are hoping to offer Traditional Latin High Masses for the faithful on the base.

Fort Leavenworth follows in the footsteps of the Fort Hood Army post, whose TLM effort will be the subject of an upcoming episode of Extraordinary Faith.


Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

• Tue. 05/07 7:00 PM: Low Mass at Holy Name of Mary, Windsor (St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr)
• Fri. 05/10 7:00 PM: High Mass at Old St. Mary’s (St. Antoninus, Bishop & Confessor) – Reception & talk by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski follows Mass: “Liturgical Obedience, the Imitation of Christ, and the Seductions of Autonomy”
• Sat. 05/11 8:30 AM: Low Mass at Miles Christi (Ss. Philip & James, Apostles)
• Sun. 05/12 2:00 PM: High Mass at St. Alphonsus, Windsor (Third Sunday After Easter) – Reception & talk by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski follows Mass: “Laws of Organic Liturgical Development and Ruptures of Reform”

[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 May 15, 2019. Hat tip to Alex Begin, author of the column.]