Friday, February 27, 2009

Promising first Sunday Mass in PE

The first Traditional Latin Mass in a diocesan parish to be offered on a Sunday in PE, took place on 22 February 2009 (Quinquagesima Sunday in the 1962 Calendar), at St Vincent's Parish, Algoa Park, Port Elizabeth. Mgr John Clarke offered the Mass.

Approximately 30 people were in attendance, and many were delighted by the opportunity of assisting at such a Mass on a Sunday.

Mgr Clarke preached a short sermon on the importance of carrying ones cross in daily life. All present were visibly edified by the simple beauty of the Mass.

Organisers managed to publicise the Mass in two parish newsletters - though in parishes in other parts of the city - and it is hoped that even wider publicity will be affored to future Masses. News of the Friday Masses is slowly filtering down to people - some of whom have expressed surprise, and pleasure at the progress made so far.

There is every hope that future Sunday Masses will take place, and our goal of a regular, Sunday Mass will become a reality.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Spot-a-poster Competition

In association with the cathedral, Una Voce SA has started a poster campaign aimed at informing everyone in the Archdiocese that the TLM is being celebrated at the cathedral. At yesterday's clergy meeting a number of priests took posters to put up in their parishes.

See the poster here

I would love to know where the posters have popped up. So if you see one please let me know. Perhaps it would be fun if you would comment here, but feel free to e-mail, call etc. What is the prize you cry! Well, how about unlimited bragging rights as premier poster spotter in Johannesburg? Your very own poster? ......

If your parish doesn't have a poster why not get one or two from me and ask to put them up in your parish?

Also feel free to ask for posters to put up anywhere that you can i.e. Catholic schools, Universities, Shopping centres, in your business, wherever you can.

Please help us to get the word about the TLM out to every Catholic in the Archdiocese.

Remember that many people left the Church when the Mass changed and so spreading the news about the Mass is a valuable apostolic work. One of the seven spiritual works of mercy i.e. instructing the ignorant. These people will not see a poster in a Catholic venue so be creative and see where you can get these posters displayed.

May God Bless you and The Blessed Virgin and all the Saints pray that you will be rewarded for your efforts.

Monday, February 16, 2009

TLM at Cathedral featured in Archdiocesan News

The Johannesburg Archdiocesan news carried a short report on the TLM at the Cathedral in its February edition.

You can help promote the TLM by getting a few copies (they are free after all) and spreading this information to friends and family.

One regular TL Mass attendee told me that a friend would not believe that the TLM was being said again unless she saw it in print. So here it is!

Una Voce SA is grateful to Judy Stockill of the Archdiocesan News for placing the article.

Space constraints meant that the full article wasn't placed. You can read it below.

TLM at the Cathedral
Ever since Pope Benedict XVI promulgated the Motu Proprio ‘Summorum Pontificum’ South African Catholics have been asking, ‘when will the traditional Latin Mass (TLM) be celebrated; when will the Motu Proprio come into effect? When will we see the TLM officially celebrated?’

That question was answered on the 2nd December 2008 at the Cathedral of Christ the King when Fr Shaun Mary von Lillienfeld (Cathedral administrator) celebrated the ancient Roman liturgy.

This was the first time in over forty years that the TLM had been celebrated at the Cathedral. The Lady Chapel of the Cathedral was filled to overflowing as a large number of the faithful gathered to celebrate this historic event.

Ever since the Motu Proprio made it clear that the TLM had never been abrogated, Fr Shaun has wanted to say the traditional Mass. The challenge of a very busy parish, however, left little time to study the complex rubrics of the traditional rite. However, with the assistance of a small group of faithful dedicated to the older form of the Mass, these challenges were overcome. This provides a good example of how the laity can become involved in preparing for the celebration of the TLM. Parish liturgy committees would find this a worthwhile and rewarding challenge.

The TLM has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the Cathedral faithful who enthusiastically participate in the celebration of the mass and eagerly say the Latin responses. The use of Latin/English missallettes makes it possible for the faithful to prayerfully follow the age-old prayers and rubrics.

A number of men and boys are keen to act as altar servers in the traditional liturgy. Training for this demanding but beautiful task has begun.

In addition to the Cathedral faithful, Catholics are coming to the Cathedral from every part of the archdiocese, and even beyond, to attend the Mass. Visitors regularly come from as far afield as Roodepoort and Boksburg. A few of the faithful come from Pretoria and Fr Shaun reports that he has even had one query from Durban!

This underscores the importance of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg within the country as a whole. To date, the Johannesburg Cathedral is the only Cathedral in South Africa where the TLM has been celebrated under the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum.

News of the TLM at the Cathedral has appeared on a number of leading international Catholic websites and messages of support have been received from Catholics across the world. One Kenyan lady, writing from America, sent this message;
“Praised be Jesus Christ! This is excellent news indeed. I am originally from Kenya and I certainly hope this is the beginning of similar news throughout the continent particularly in my beloved homeland. Our Lady mother of the Church, pray for us”.
Close ties are being forged with international organizations dedicated to supporting the traditional liturgy. In particular, a local chapter of the international federation, Una Voce, has been re-founded in South Africa.

Una Voce is a lay-led association that works for the restoration of traditional Catholic practice through traditional liturgy, music and architecture.

For those interested in attending, the TLM is celebrated three times a week:
On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 17h30 and on Saturdays at 07h30. On the first and fifth Sundays of each month Mass is celebrated at 11h30.

Further information can be obtained at the Cathedral (011-402-6342) or from Una Voce SA (074-730-6935) or via the Una Voce SA webblog www.unavocesa.blogspot.com

Info box:
The TLM is the form of the Mass celebrated in accordance with the 1962 Missal promulgated by Blessed John XXIII.

The Mass is more commonly called the Tridentine Mass because it was codified by Pope St Pius V following the Council of Trent. This form of the Roman rite, however, took shape in the period between the 2nd and 6th centuries.

During that time, the Greek style liturgy that was initially used in Rome was replaced by a distinctively Roman Rite. In the 6th century, Pope St Gregory the Great gave the TLM the basic form that it still retains today.

For this reason Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos, Head of the Pontifical Commission, Ecclesia Dei, has said that it is more appropriate that this form of the Roman Rite be called the Gregorian Rite.

It has often been said that someone familiar with the traditional Latin rite would not find themselves out of place if they were taken back to 6th century Rome.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Sunday Mass scheduled for Port Elizabeth

Mgr John Clark will offer a Traditional Latin Mass at 11am on Sunday, 22 February 2009, at St Vincent's Catholic Church, Dennehout Street, Algoa Park, Port Elizabeth.

This will be the first occasion in Port Elizabeth on which the Traditional Mass is offered in a diocesan parish on a Sunday, since the issue of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. Mgr Clark continues to say the Traditional Mass every Friday at 5:30pm and all are most welcome.

We hope and pray that, if the attendance is good, further Sunday Masses may be scheduled, and (hopefully) a regular Sunday Mass instituted. The excellent response to the New Year's Day Mass at Corpus Christi gives us hope that this is quite possible. Deo volente!

A Two-month Anniversary!! The next step?

On the 2nd of February (Feast of the Purification) we passed the important milestone of two months of TL Masses at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

Co-incidently that milestone was marked by the first celebration of Candlemas in the "usus antiquor" (i.e. the ancient use -according to the 1962 Missale) in forty years. We had a procession around the Cathedral and said the Antiphons for the Purification. The goal for next year - singing.

The Mass on Sunday was also a first as it was our first sung Mass. Many thanks to the choir members who attended and the organist/choir director Michael Burrell.

God willing, from now on all our Sunday Masses will be sung. We will also be adding to the solemnity of the masses by including more servers as soon as they are all trained.

With these developments I think that it is fair to say that we have established the TL Mass at the Cathedral.

Now I need the readers of this blog to help us meet the challenge of expansion.

First and foremost that challenge is one of educating the existing Cathedral faithful about the TLM and traditional Catholicism in general. As support for the TLM grows more Masses can be added to the schedule.

The next challenge is increasing the number of people who come to the TLM from outside the Cathedral parish. There is a faithful group who come every Sunday that we have Mass but that group needs to increase. Once again we need to inform and then educate.

Finally, those who already support the TLM need to get directly involved in making this expansion possible. There are a number of ways you can support the Mass, by direct evangelisation, singing in the choir, serving, etc.

Because of the "Rite of Election" (RCIA candidates from throughout the Diocese attend a function with the Archbishop) taking place at 11:00 on the first Sunday in March the TLM has had to be moved to the Third Sunday. We do however have the compensation of another Sunday Mass in the month on the fifth Sunday (see the side-bar for details).

This means that we have six weeks to make a big effort to promote the Mass. Please keep an eye on this blog and your e-mail as I will be asking for your help.

Also feel free to comment and make suggestions.

God Bless and remember to pray for the Pope and show your support for him by signing this petition http://www.soutienabenoitxvi.org/index.php?lang=uk

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Support Benedict XVI

The Holy Father has been under constant attack since he lifted the excommunications of the SSPX's bishops.

Catholics who are friends of tradition and who wish to show support for the Holy Father are encouraged to join an e-petition that will be presented to the Holy Father.

Please consider signing it http://www.soutienabenoitxvi.org/index.php?lang=uk

The original is in French so ignore the few mistakes.