Sung Mass for Candlemas in Port Elizabeth

On 2 February, the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (as the day is known in the traditional, 1962 calendar), or Candlemas, a Sung Mass in the Extraordinary Form was offered by Father Gregory Mitchell, CO, of the Port Elizabeth Oratory, at St Bernadette's Church in 8th Avenue, Walmer.

This was the first occasion that a Sung Mass, as opposed to a Low Mass, was offered in the traditional rite, in a diocesan parish in Port Elizabeth, since the issue in 2007 of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum.

The Mass was offered at the parish's usual 5:30pm Mass time, and was attended by between 30 and 40 people, mainly parishioners of St Bernadette's, but also a few from further afield.

The ceremonial of the Candlemas blessing of candles and procession was followed completely (as completely as possible in the absence of deacon and subdeacon). The small schola consisting of two accomplished adult men, rendered Missa de Angelis, as well as all the Propers very professionally indeed. Members of the congregation also joined in the singing of the Ordinary and the responses.

Grateful thanks must be given to the Oratory Fathers, and in particular Fr Gregory, for this Mass, as well as the faithful server and schola, for a moving experience. We hope and pray that this will be only the first of many such sung, and eventually High, Masses, offered in the Extraordinary Form in Port Elizabeth, and that the people exposed to the traditional Mass for the first time, or the first time in many years, will be encouraged to attend these Masses regularly.

Another step forward for the implementation of Summorum Pontificum!

News concerning Mass in Pta

The following is the text of an e-mail I sent to those on the Una Voce mailing list this afternoon (6th February 2010)

It has come to my attention through our Pretoria Co-ordinator that the Mass being offered on Sunday (7th February) in Pretoria will include the option for the faithful to receive communion in the hand and will also include the use of the new lectionary rather than the readings proper to the 1962 Missal i.e The Traditional Latin Mass.

It is the policy of International Federation Una Voce and Una Voce SA to only offer official support to those masses that respect the full integrity of the Traditional Latin Mass. Our mission is the promotion of the Traditional Latin Mass and therefore we cannot dedicate our resources to support other efforts or initiatives.

It is my personal conviction that if the Traditional Latin Mass is not to be offered in its full integrity it is wiser to offer the New Mass (Mass of Paul VI, Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite) in Latin, facing the Altar, with Gregorian Chant all of which are allowable and salutary practices within the Ordinary Rite.

I personally apologise that you are being informed of this at the last minute. Unfortunately, it was not possible for me to meet Msgr. Hill in person, and also our Pretoria co-ordinator, Mr. Jacques Carbonell, was incapacitated this last month and was only made aware of the abovementioned this afternoon.

I can assure you that in future I willl personally investigate all the circumstances around a particular Mass prior to publicising it under the auspices of Una Voce SA.

Should you have any questions and queries feel free to e-mail me.

Once again my apologies.

Kindly keep Una Voce SA and our (often difficult) mission in your prayers.