Dear Parishioners,

I have great news for our parish: I have recently received a dispensation to say the Traditional Latin Mass in our Parish Church again. So, starting today, every Third Sunday at 3 pm and first Saturday at 9 am, I will continue to say the Traditional Latin Mass in our Church. For the last 3 months, we have been specifically banned from doing so through a strong enforcement of the Motu Proprio of Pope Francis called Traditionis Custodes. This document called for the limiting of the Traditional form of the Mass (the way Mass was celebrated before the Second Vatican Council) because some have undermined Papal authority and the Council itself. Furthermore, the Pope said that it is very important that the Roman right prays the same Mass because it threatens the unity of the Church.

I do not have a worldwide perspective on any of these issues. Nor is it in my competence to judge any Holy Father even if I personally disagree with both the assessment of the problem and the proposed remedy to that problem. I can only say that in my own pastoral experience, these conditions do not exist in our parish and that I have been obedient to the Pope’s request to remove the Traditional Latin Mass from the Parish Church. That being said, I am greatly pleased that the Arthur Cardinal Roche (Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments) is granting us permission to have the Mass in Church. So, it seems like the Holy See would agree that we are not part of the problem either. May God continue to bless Pope Francis and Cardinal Roche in their ministries. I am sure that whatever decision they make is with the most care for the entire Church. Also, I would like to thank our Bishop David O’Connell for his great support for the Traditional Latin Mass.

This permission lasts for 2 years and then we will discuss its renewal. Also, I am supposed to make an account of how I have encouraged people to attend the regular Novus Ordo Masses. (The form of the Mass we celebrate in English at every Sunday and weekday Mass.) Since everyone who attends the Traditional Latin Masses at our parish also attend the regular Sunday Masses, I can say with a clean conscience that people are not confused about the Pope’s authority, nor are they being separated from the normal life of the Church by attending the Traditional Latin Mass.

God bless!

Fr. Carter