Latest news with #TraditionalLatinMass
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Charlotte Diocese ending Traditional Latin Masses this summer at parish churches
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Catholic churches in Charlotte will no longer hold Traditional Latin Mass starting this summer. In a letter written Friday by Charlotte Diocese Bishop Michael Martin, those services at parish churches will be consolidated at a future chapel in Mooresville. The change takes effect July 8. Charlotte Catholics react to historical pontiff pick Martin cites the 2021 letter the late Pope Francis published, 'Traditionis Custodes,' which restored limits on the celebration of TLM in the Universal Church to 'promote ecclesial communion.' Martin's predecessor Peter Jugis requested an extension for the diocese to prepare for a transition, but that expires this year. 'I am now ready to finish the diocese's implementation of the norms established in 'Traditionis Custodes,' Martin said. The chapel will be located on the diocese's 8-acre property at 757 Oakridge Farm Hwy., currently the home to the Freedom Christian Center, and adjacent to Curlin Commons, its senior apartment community. The name of the facility is yet to be determined. Martin said a priest of the diocese will be appointed as a chaplain, who will be responsible for celebrating two Sunday Masses and Holy Day Masses using the 1962 Roman Missal at the new chapel. Those who participate in the services there will remain active members of the current parishes. St. Ann's Catholic Church on Park Road posted on its website that it is no longer permitted to advertise Latin Masses due to the order. The Carolina Traditional Liturgy Society said area priests will be addressing the changes this weekend, ending their statement with: 'Let us continue to pray for our bishop and priests, entrusting them to Our Lady's care and protection. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!' The Associated Press reported that Pope Benedict XVI had loosened restrictions on celebrations of the Latin Mass, which was used for centuries before the modernizing reforms of the 1960s Second Vatican Council. Francis reversed Benedict's this liturgical legacy, saying the spread of the Latin Mass had created divisions in dioceses. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Epoch Times
19-05-2025
- General
- Epoch Times
The Traditional Latin Mass Movement and the Romance of Orthodoxy
Commentary The Traditional Latin Mass recently has been the subject of a surprising number of articles in mainstream publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. It is estimated that only 2 percent of Catholics attend this ancient form of the Mass, yet it is attracting much attention. Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) communities in America have seen growth of about 10 percent year over year since 2022, according to one priest who surveyed several TLM parishes across the United States. Many other parishes experience a 3 percent decrease yearly. The story of the diocese of Oakland, Calif., on the one hand, and the parish of St. Vitus in Los Angeles are representative of what is happening in the Catholic Church at large right now, and it would behoove the newly elected Pope Leo XIV to pay attention to the traditionalist movement in the Church, a movement driven by young laypeople and young priests. In 2022, Oakland Bishop Michael Barber commissioned a report to investigate solutions to the collapse of the faith in the diocese. This 73-page document details the lack of priests and lack of funds and discusses the possibility of parish closures, mergers, and clusters. Right now, Oakland is working on clustering parishes together under shared priests. This is happening in other cities, too. In Los Angeles, on the other hand, a single priest has grown the Latin Mass to such an extent that several church upgrades have not been enough. The TLM parish of Related Stories 12/27/2023 1/14/2022 However, because it continued to grow, coexistence became difficult. St. Vitus was soon able to purchase its own church, which its parishioners fixed up and beautified. Yet it quickly outgrew this space and, during COVID, 'expanded' with the use of a large outdoor tent. Last year, the parish purchased a larger property north of the city, and yet even here, on an ordinary Tuesday, the Masses are standing-room only. For the Easter Vigil Mass at 8 p.m., one family arrived at 4:30 pm to get seats inside of the church. This is happening at many traditional Latin Mass parishes around the country. In order to understand why the old Latin Mass is experiencing an incredible revival, it is necessary to look beyond the explanations that most of the mainstream media outlets offer. Contrary to these narratives, the TLM movement is not political, social, or aesthetic. It is liturgical. The The liturgical life of many traditional Latin Mass Catholics encompasses much more than church on Sundays. They honor saints with real feasts; seasonal festivities such as Christmas and Easter take place after an extended fast and last for a whole season, not just one day. Children often do not have cellphones until late high school or college. It is not uncommon for their homes to lack a television, or for it to be relegated to the basement for family movie night. These folks sometimes uproot and move or drive very long distances to celebrate the Latin Mass. They seem to live according to a pre-modern rhythm of life. The very 'weirdness' of this older form of Christianity is part of what makes it attractive to young people, who form its base. A 2022 survey that found that over 80 percent of priests ordained after 2020 identify as 'conservative/orthodox,' while none of the priests described themselves as 'very progressive.' This marks a distinct change from the views of older clergy, Pope Francis having been among them, who embraced the 'modernizing' efforts of the Young people are rebelling against a disenchanted world of materialism, nihilism, and depression. They yearn for re-enchantment, for beauty, and for the ancient form of worship that gives meaning and rest to restless souls. Pope Leo XIV would do well to encourage this blossoming youth movement, and to remove the restrictions on it that his predecessor put in place. Wherever a Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated, a community grows around it. Within a couple of years, formerly dying parishes could be utterly revived. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The Journal
10-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
'Woke Marxist Pope': Why MAGA Catholics aren't too happy about the election of Leo XIV
'WOKE MARXIST POPE' is how Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who was reported to have advised US president Donald Trump on national security decisions, reacted to the election of Pope Leo XIV. 'He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis,' she added. 'Catholics don't have anything good to look forward to. Just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican.' THIS IS THE NEW POPE! His name is Robert Prevost. He's the first American Pope. He is anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis. Catholics don't have anything good to look forward to. Just another Marxist puppet in the Vatican. — Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) May 8, 2025 The criticism of Francis began from his very first appearance as pope from the central balcony of St Peter's in 2013 when he decided to ditch the red velvet mozzetta and instead opted for a simple white cassock. The mozzetta is a short, cape-shaped garment, covering the shoulders and reaching to the elbow. For some, Francis opting not to wear it was a scandalous way to mistreat the office. The mozzetta represents the pope's temporal power, something that didn't sit right with Francis. For many, Pope Benedict XVI's love for traditional papal attire made him the figurehead of a traditional and old-school form of Catholicism. Francis chose not to wear it to underscore his rejection of earthly power, but some conservative Catholics feel that a pope should strive to embrace, rather than reject, tradition. The red mozzetta was back for the first appearance of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost. A picture speaks a thousand words… — Fr David Palmer (@FrDavidPalmer) May 8, 2025 'He wore the red mozzetta, I think we are so back,' read one post on X with 12,000 likes. But why are some conservatives so against Francis and how have others reacted to Leo XIV. We've looked at the reaction from conservative Catholics online in the 24 hours after the former cardinal appeared on the balcony, and also took a trip around St Peter's Square to assess the mood of Americans in real life. Traditional Latin Mass Francis restricted the use of the Traditional Latin Mass, which has become a tipping point in the culture wars within the Church. While his predecessors Benedict XVI and Pope John Paul II had been more lenient towards the Latin Mass, Francis came down strongly and only allowed it to be celebrated with special permission from the Vatican. When Francis first issued the restrictions in 2021, he said the good will and leniency shown by his predecessors had been 'exploited' by some for ideological reasons. One Catholic commentator remarked that if Pope Leo XIV ' is a champion of Traditional Latin Mass, this will not be Francis 2.0″ , such is the importance of this issue for some within the Church. The Second Vatican Council in the early to mid '60s sought to modernise the Church and foster greater dialogue with other Christian denominations and religions. It also allowed for Mass to be said in any language, not just Latin, and a wish to return to the Latin Mass is essentially a wish to return to a more conservative Church. In his memoir, Hope , Francis writes of one discussion with a Cardinal in the US, who was approached by two newly ordained priests who wanted to celebrate Mass in Latin. He asked if they understood Latin – they didn't, but said they would study it. 'Before you learn Latin, see how many Vietnamese migrants are in the diocese – and study Vietnamese first of all,' said the Cardinal. The cardinal then noted the number of Spanish speaking parishioners and remarked: 'After Vietnamese and Spanish, come back to me and we'll talk about Latin.' It's done. But it could have been a lot worse. More discussion coming. In the meantime, here's the first reaction: — Michael J. Matt (@Michael_J_Matt) May 8, 2025 Another Catholic commentator remarked that conservative Catholics shouldn't be 'depressed' because Leo XIV is 'seen as something of a bridge builder on the Latin Mass issue' and that the 'war on the Latin Mass will be reduced'. 'Yes, he thanked Francis, but that's protocol and I'm not trying to sugarcoat this, it's somewhere in the middle.' LGBT Catholics But tougher challenges would follow for Francis's papacy – he was labelled a heretic by some cardinals for allowing the blessing of same-sex couples in certain circumstances, and some cardinals said they would not allow for such a blessing. The now-Leo XIV approved of this document. However, the New York Times has reported that back in 2012, the then-Cardinal Prevost expressed dismay at the way media and pop culture expressed 'sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel.' These 'belief and practices', he said, included 'homosexual lifestyle' and 'alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.' Meanwhile, some cardinals, such as New Yorker Timothy Dolan, called for the next pope to have 'more clarity in teaching and refinement of the Church's tradition'. Many view calls for 'clarity' as a call to undo some of the welcoming strides Francis made towards divorced Catholics and the LGBT community. So while some in conservative quarters praised Leo XIV for a return to 'tradition' in wearing the velvet mozzetta, many others were upset. 'Utterly disastrous,' posted one account on X with close to 50,000 followers. The post, which garnered over 2,500 likes, added: 'It's hard to see how the Vatican could have chosen a worse Pope.' Charlie Kirk meanwhile is founder of Turning Point USA, an organisation that advocates for conservative politics within education. He has close to 5 million followers on X and said Leo XIV 'has some not so great tweets about having willingness to have open borders'. Pope Leo XIV: Registered Chicago Republican and pro-life warrior OR Open borders globalist installed to counter Trump? — Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) May 8, 2025 'Some people are saying he is super liberal, but time will tell,' Kirk added. In February, Leo XIV shared a news article on X which read: 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.' Advertisement Journalist Megyn Kelly expressed hope that 'some 20-year-old ran the new pope's X account and he never looked at it'. Is it too much to hope that some 20-year-old ran the new pope's X account and he never looked at it? — Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 8, 2025 Before being hospitalised in February, Francis penned a letter to US Bishops which openly rebuked Trump's stance on migrants. He hit out at the 'major crisis' of Trump's deportation plans and explicitly rejected vice president JD Vance's attempts to use Catholic theology to justify the administration's crackdown on immigration. Vance, a Catholic convert, had appealed to a concept called 'Ordo amoris' to justify his administration's immigration crackdown. In an interview with Fox News, he described it like this: 'You love your family, and then you love your neighbour, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country. 'And then after that, you can focus and prioritise the rest of the world.' Vance claimed that the 'far left' had inverted that. But in his letter, Francis said that the 'true ordo amoris' is that built on 'the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception'. Francis wrote that God is always close to migrants and refugees and described the program of mass deportations in the US as a 'major crisis'. The late pope also said it was impossible not to 'express disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality'. 'Leo XIV will follow Pope Francis' Meanwhile, Leo XIV's brother, John Prevost, told ABC News on the night of the election that the new pope 'will be looking out for the disenfranchised and the poor, and he will follow Pope Francis'. ABC News / YouTube In a nod to how Leo XIV intends to carry on the word of Francis, the new pope remarked that he wants a 'synodal Church'. This was in reference to the historic Synod on Synodality undertaken by Francis , which sought to give laypeople a greater say in the Church and its governance. Leo XIV himself participated in the Synod. But some high-ranking members of the Church rebelled, and even held their own counter-Synod to undermine Francis. The new pope's brother also remarked that 'you won't see a big difference' between Leo XIV and Francis and that 'they believed in the same issues'. 'He might prove me wrong, but I don't think there'll be much of a tradition break from Pope Francis.' Prevost added that his brother won't be afraid to speak out on thorny issues. 'That's not political, that's the Gospels' Father James Martin is an influential US priest and editor at large of the Jesuit magazine American. Speaking to The Journal yesterday in the Square, Fr Martin said it was important that Leo XIV referenced the Synod in his short speech. 'He participated in the Synod fully,' said Fr Martin, 'and he sees it as a way of making the Church more inclusive, more welcoming and more listening.' Our Synod table from last year, including on the far right, the modest, reserved, and highly intelligent man now known as Pope Leo XIV. — James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) May 8, 2025 He also remarked that Leo XIV is viewed as being the 'least American of the Americans' due to his extensive time spent working in Peru. Meanwhile, some conservatives have criticised the new pope for sharing social media posts by Fr Martin, who is seen as a liberal voice in the Church. 'Pope Leo XIV is going to stand up for those on the margins and the poor – that's not political, that's the Gospels. 'I was talking to some of his Augustinian brothers today who said he's very moderate, and you really can't describe him as liberal or conservative, and that probably is something that appealed to the Cardinals. 'But people asking is he left or right, progressive or traditionalist, liberal or conservative? The Church simply doesn't think in those political categories.' When asked about the new pope wearing the mozzetta, unlike Francis, Fr Martin said: 'Who knows? They probably handed it to him as he went out to the balcony and he thought, 'why not?' 'People are probably reading a little too much into it. 'On the other hand, maybe he's trying to reach out to people who like traditional things, and that's a good thing, to try to make them feel welcome in their own Church.' And last night in the Square, it was hard to miss John Sanchez from New York, who was draped in an American flag. Met John Sanchez from New York at St Peter's Square, he was hard to miss with his big American flag. He says Pope Leo XIV will disagree with Trump on some things, and agree on others, but that the new pope is a man who will bring peace. @thejournal_ie — Diarmuid Pepper (@Diarmuid_9) May 9, 2025 He came especially for the conclave and said he 'still can't believe it'. 'God has blessed me to allow me to be here for this historic moment.' When asked about past criticisms of Vance by the new pope, Sanchez said Leo XIV 'agrees on some things with Trump and some other things he will disagree with and that's normal'. And when asked if he wants Francis 2.0, he said the new pope doesn't need to follow anyone. 'He needs to be himself and I think he can work together with the progressive side and the conservative side.' The Journal also spoke to Zelda from Arizona, who does want the next papacy to be Francis 2.0. I also spoke to Zelda from Arizona. She came over especially for the conclave so that she could 'pray for the pope that we all need' and that she's got what she prayed for with Pope Leo XIV. @thejournal_ie — Diarmuid Pepper (@Diarmuid_9) May 9, 2025 She too came especially for the conclave and 'to pray for the pope that we all need'. While she wasn't familiar with the former Cardinal Prevost, she has since read up on him and said 'he is exactly what we prayed for'. When asked about criticisms by conservative Catholics online that Leo XIV is too liberal, she simply replied: 'I loved Pope Francis.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
New York Times
05-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
What Will the New Pope Do About the Latin Mass?
About 140 people came to the Sweetest Heart of Mary church in Detroit for the Traditional Latin Mass at noon the Sunday after Easter. Incense and organ music wafted through the ornate sanctuary, built by Polish Catholics in the late 19th century. It was a beautiful sunny spring afternoon, and the lilacs by the rectory were in bloom. In the pews, however, the mood was uncertain. It had been less than three weeks since the new archbishop of Detroit, Edward Weisenburger, told priests that he planned to drastically reduce the availability of the traditional Mass in the archdiocese starting this summer, following a 2021 edict from Pope Francis that cracked down on the rite worldwide. Backlash verging on panic followed in some quarters, with one critic calling it a 'bloodbath.' Then on April 21, the pope died, throwing the plan back into question — or at least its critics hope so. 'If the next pope really wanted to, he could come in the first day and completely open up access to the Latin Mass,' said Kiera Raymond, 18, a college student in Michigan who organized a 'Latin Mass Mob' to rally supporters to parishes offering the Mass before the restrictions kick in. The Traditional Latin Mass was once simply Mass, celebrated the same way by Catholics around the world for centuries until the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. The differences are subtle but important to those attuned to their meaning. The priest faces the same direction as the worshipers — that is, away from them, toward the altar — for most of the Mass. He places the Communion host directly on the tongue, not in the hand. And yes, most of the service is in Latin, not English or the hundreds of other languages in which the 'new Mass' is now celebrated around the world. More recently, the traditional Mass has become an unlikely lightning rod for broader theological and ideological disputes, especially in the American church, with its strong strain of theological and liturgical conservatism. Its adherents tend to attend Mass more often, and have a vision for the church focused on theological orthodoxy over the openness and modernity of the Francis era. Pope Francis referred to the old Mass as divisive, and some of his other comments stung traditionalists: his reference to large families who have children 'like rabbits,' his comments to priests to stop wearing 'grandma's lace.' The traditional Mass represents only a sliver of Catholic life. But it is growing in popularity in many dioceses across the country, and especially with young people, including young priests. The archdiocese of Detroit now has 28 parishes and chapels offering the traditional Mass, according to Alex Begin, who maintains a newsletter for local supporters. There are about 500 venues that offer it nationally, according to another unofficial list online. That was the context in which Archbishop Weisenburger announced on April 8 in a large private meeting with Detroit priests that he planned to reduce the availability of the traditional Mass to four or five locations starting in July. (One of them, St. Joseph Shrine, already has up to 650 worshipers on a typical Sunday, and is bracing to receive more after the restrictions go into effect.) When a public backlash erupted after the meeting, Archbishop Weisenburger sent a letter to try to clarify. 'This was not a matter I had hoped to delve into so close to the start of my own ministry in our archdiocese,' he wrote, urging priests to not let the issue become a distraction. He also suggested that the traditional Mass itself might have become an issue in the church not because of the liturgy itself but because of the character of the priests who celebrate it. Holly Fournier, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said that parishes had been granted temporary extensions after the pope's 2021 restrictions on the traditional Mass, and those extensions were already set to expire this summer. The archbishop 'believes parishes have been given sufficient time to implement the Holy Father's direction,' she said in an email. In the pews at churches around the archdiocese on the Sunday after Easter, the mood was of wary waiting. 'People are very scared,' said Lauren Leyva, 33, the organist at St. Edward on the Lake, about an hour north of Detroit. She attends the traditional Mass with her family, including two young children. 'We prayed for the pope and his health,' Ms. Leyva said after Mass that Sunday. 'But we are hopeful that something will change.' Priests who celebrate the traditional Mass in Detroit are in a delicate position. Some of them are maneuvering behind the scenes to maintain the traditional Mass in their parishes, or at least in their regions. But few want to be seen as agitators in the tense moment before the restrictions are enforced and before a new pope is selected. 'Now things are up in the air,' said the Rev. Brian Hurley, who celebrates the traditional Mass at his parish in Lapeer, Mich., to a typical congregation of more than 200 people. Many young couples in his parish now request weddings celebrated in the old rite, too. Father Hurley said priests are talking among themselves, and with friendly archdiocese employees, to try to preserve access to the traditional Mass for as many people as possible. At St. Edward on the Lake, the Rev. Lee Acervo advised his congregation at the 8 a.m. traditional Mass not to write to the archbishop, but simply to pray and 'trust in the Lord.' Father Acervo, like several other priests around the diocese who are poised to lose the traditional Mass in July, declined to speak to a reporter. In a letter to his congregation published in the parish bulletin, he made the stakes of the next conclave clear. 'This is a really pivotal time in the church's history,' he wrote. 'We need to pray for a holy pope. A saintly pope. Not a political pope. Rather, a pope who won't compromise the faith in order to get along with the world. A pope who will teach the faith with clarity and not ambiguity.' The point was clear to those who had ears to hear. Francis' critics accused him of sowing confusion, issuing conflicting and even contradictory messages about matters like the church's teaching on marriage. Traditionalists are closely watching the run-up to the conclave in Rome. They have their favorites, including Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary and Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea, the former head of the Vatican's liturgy office and a leading opponent of Francis. 'It's a personal assault to have this Mass taken away from me,' said Anna Graziosi, 79, the parish council president at Assumption Grotto on Detroit's east side. Ms. Graziosi was in the pews at a traditional Mass at 7:30 a.m. last Monday morning with about 20 other people. Ms. Graziosi's family immigrated to Detroit from Italy when she was 5. She grew up with the Latin Mass, before the Second Vatican Council. For her, the novus ordo, or new order, drained not just the sanctity of the rite but also her own attention to it. Following along in the prayer book, as the old Mass required, demanded prayerful focus. The new Mass was designed in part to involve worshipers more, but Ms. Graziosi found her mind — and faith — wandering until she sought out the Latin Mass back at her childhood parish, Assumption Grotto. She is praying for Pope Francis' soul this week, as she prayed for him in life. 'I hope for a merciful judgment,' she said.
