Visitors ask...What Steps Should We Take to Begin the TLM At Our Parish?
This is a question I received via email that deals with something many have considered. In Maryland alone (and not to mention other states), there are a number of groups that have coalesced in an attempt to begin the TLM. My search logs verify this! As such, I will use this email as a template to answer to the best of my ability. Please note that I am NOT a priest, and do not represent the Archdiocese of Baltimore in any way, so these are personal observations only.
Second, it is important to get a group of people together. It is likely that those interested will come from more than one Parish. However, even if you find 100 people in one "mega-Parish" of 3,500, going to the Pastor may not be of help because 3,400 souls have not expressed an interest!
Third, think of the logistical consequences. The Church must have a central tabernacle; many modern Churches still don't! The current free-standing altar can be modified to be the classical "high altar" of older Churches (there is a remarkable You Tube from France showing the conversion of an altar into a "high altar" in about 20 minutes). However, there are a great many items that must be purchased including TLM priest's vestments, altar cards, candles, Communion patens, etc. The website Sancta Missa, a website of the Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius in Chicago, discusses many of these things if you "walk through it." The link is in my blog header above and named "Sancta Missa Tutorial." I have other links for such things to consider.
Fourth, now, did I forget the priest? It is true that some seminaries do not train priests to say the TLM or use Latin any longer. There are priests, however, who are very interested and they are of all ages. One of the first things to consider is to ask the local priests, and, if they have not been trained in the TLM, but are interested in learning it, to offer to assist them financially in being trained. St. John Cantius and the F.S.S.P. both offer training courses of a few weeks duration. Just recently, the Order of priests from EWTN, the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, attended an intensive course at St. John Cantius and this was covered on EWTN LIVE illustrating the full process (from Low Mass to Solemn High Mass). There are also abundant training DVDs now available.
What about altar boys? I know of a case in which a young priest knows the TLM and celebrates it on his days off, but has trouble finding altar boys. Remember that in the TLM, the servers respond for the people and so are essential not only to the movements that must take place within the Mass (moving the Altar Missal; the Lavabo, Communion) and in the responses that are made on our behalf. So trained servers are a must, and age is not a factor.
So, how to proceed? First, going to the Pastor and insisting on having a Sunday TLM is probably not going to work. I don't know individual circumstances. Some live in areas that have many priests; others may live in areas where the priest shortage is very acute. The Pastor may have problems just celebrating the currently scheduled Masses. In my estimation, the best way to proceed is to find a priest who will say (or learn to say) the TLM (perhaps on his day off), and will allow as many souls as possible to attend. The time is up to that priest. Some Parishes (St. Bernadette's in Silver Spring; St. Bartholomew's in Manchester) have TLMs on certain special occasions. From what I am told, they are well attended. It is best to start slow and then expand with time as interest increases.
It is sad to learn of a Parish that has a regular TLM that must cancel it or hold it in abeyance because the "TLM" priest was transferred. I also know of cases that have invited in Orders that come on holidays and for brief periods, but then must leave. So, the TLM Mass becomes an occasional celebration. That is one solution, but it tends to force the "stable group" to leave and go elsewhere once the TLM Mass is forced to discontinue.
I hope I have given room for thought. Father John Zuhlsdorf (of the blog "What Does the Prayer Really Say?") has answered this question in various forms over the years. He feels, and I agree, that the best solution is for a Parish to have a TLM said by a priest who is comfortable with BOTH forms of Mass. He says Mass in both forms, and that is the best solution overall.
May God be with you! It will take time, but the Mass is increasing in popularity especially among the young!
"Quite recently my wife and a few daily communicant friends of ours from church have become interested in the Tridentine Mass. Unfortunately, it is not offered at our parish. But recognizing that Pope Benedict XVI has permitted local parishes to celebrate the Tridentine Mass without approval of the Bishop, we were considering the possibility of making an effort to see if there was sufficient interest before making any request of our Pastor.First, let's agree that "Tridentine" is not the proper term for this Mass any longer. The Holy Father in "Summorum Pontificum" stated that the Latin Rite has Mass in two forms: an Ordinary Form (the Novus Ordo) and the Extraordinary Form (using the Missal of 1962). Thus, I personally use "EF" as an abbreviation. The simple term "Latin Mass" is no longer appropriate! The most recent Missale Romanum is in Latin, of course, and was translated into the vernacular. As such, a priest can say the Novus Ordo Mass in Latin using the current Missal (watch EWTN to see this done; in Baltimore, such a Mass is said at the Basilica of the Assumption each Sunday!). To obviate this, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf held a poll on his blog, and the term "Traditional Latin Mass" (or "TLM" for short) was selected as the best descriptor. That explains the name of this blog. Other terms such as "Usus Antiquior" or even "Gregorian Rite" have even been used as suggestions. All of these terms refer to the Mass using the Missal of 1962 as modified by Blessed Pope John XXIII. Baronius Press has even come out with a Missal called the "Summorum Pontificum" edition with an Imprimatur by Bishop Bruskewitz.
Assuming that there was the interest to have at least a Sunday, Tridentine Mass, I was wondering how would we go about getting a Catholic Priest to celebrate it? It is my understanding that the traditional mass (and latin) are no longer a part of a priest's studies, so simply being a Catholic Priest willing to celebrate it would be insufficient. Am I wrong in that regard? Our interest is at a very early stage so it would be premature for me to approach our pastor at this time, so I was hoping to gather some preliminary information that we could discuss the matter amongst ourselves.
Perhaps there is a site or a publication that might assist us in this effort. If you are aware of anything like that I would appreciate your sharing it with me."
Second, it is important to get a group of people together. It is likely that those interested will come from more than one Parish. However, even if you find 100 people in one "mega-Parish" of 3,500, going to the Pastor may not be of help because 3,400 souls have not expressed an interest!
Third, think of the logistical consequences. The Church must have a central tabernacle; many modern Churches still don't! The current free-standing altar can be modified to be the classical "high altar" of older Churches (there is a remarkable You Tube from France showing the conversion of an altar into a "high altar" in about 20 minutes). However, there are a great many items that must be purchased including TLM priest's vestments, altar cards, candles, Communion patens, etc. The website Sancta Missa, a website of the Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius in Chicago, discusses many of these things if you "walk through it." The link is in my blog header above and named "Sancta Missa Tutorial." I have other links for such things to consider.
Fourth, now, did I forget the priest? It is true that some seminaries do not train priests to say the TLM or use Latin any longer. There are priests, however, who are very interested and they are of all ages. One of the first things to consider is to ask the local priests, and, if they have not been trained in the TLM, but are interested in learning it, to offer to assist them financially in being trained. St. John Cantius and the F.S.S.P. both offer training courses of a few weeks duration. Just recently, the Order of priests from EWTN, the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, attended an intensive course at St. John Cantius and this was covered on EWTN LIVE illustrating the full process (from Low Mass to Solemn High Mass). There are also abundant training DVDs now available.
What about altar boys? I know of a case in which a young priest knows the TLM and celebrates it on his days off, but has trouble finding altar boys. Remember that in the TLM, the servers respond for the people and so are essential not only to the movements that must take place within the Mass (moving the Altar Missal; the Lavabo, Communion) and in the responses that are made on our behalf. So trained servers are a must, and age is not a factor.
So, how to proceed? First, going to the Pastor and insisting on having a Sunday TLM is probably not going to work. I don't know individual circumstances. Some live in areas that have many priests; others may live in areas where the priest shortage is very acute. The Pastor may have problems just celebrating the currently scheduled Masses. In my estimation, the best way to proceed is to find a priest who will say (or learn to say) the TLM (perhaps on his day off), and will allow as many souls as possible to attend. The time is up to that priest. Some Parishes (St. Bernadette's in Silver Spring; St. Bartholomew's in Manchester) have TLMs on certain special occasions. From what I am told, they are well attended. It is best to start slow and then expand with time as interest increases.
It is sad to learn of a Parish that has a regular TLM that must cancel it or hold it in abeyance because the "TLM" priest was transferred. I also know of cases that have invited in Orders that come on holidays and for brief periods, but then must leave. So, the TLM Mass becomes an occasional celebration. That is one solution, but it tends to force the "stable group" to leave and go elsewhere once the TLM Mass is forced to discontinue.
I hope I have given room for thought. Father John Zuhlsdorf (of the blog "What Does the Prayer Really Say?") has answered this question in various forms over the years. He feels, and I agree, that the best solution is for a Parish to have a TLM said by a priest who is comfortable with BOTH forms of Mass. He says Mass in both forms, and that is the best solution overall.
May God be with you! It will take time, but the Mass is increasing in popularity especially among the young!
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