Traditional Latin Mass in Maryland

The Catholic Review has now posted a "Special Edition" online on the death of Archbishop William D. Borders, 13th Archbishop of Baltimore. The Special Edition can be found here .

The official statement from the Archdiocese of Baltimore is linked here . An obituary by George P. Matysek, Jr. is linked here . Requiescat in pace!

George P. Matysek, Jr. posted a beautiful story yesterday , the Feast of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. A parishioner at St. Rose of Lima, Kayla Cservek, a graduate of Mt. St. Mary's in Emmitsburg, is considering Religious Life as a Sister of S.O.L.T.: Despite her protests, Cservek did indeed feel what she described as a “tugging” at her heart to enter religious life. She’s now responding to that call and plans to begin a three-month aspirancy March 25 to become a sister with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT) in North Dakota. Cservek will be joined by seven other women from across the country who are discerning the call to religious life as SOLT sisters. The full story is here . For those who are searching their memories regarding S.O.L.T ., it is the Religious Order of Fr. John Corapi. For those interested in exploring this Order, they can begin here , here is information on Religious Life , on the Priesthood , on their Retreat Centers and there is even a

George Matysek, Jr. reports that the Baltimore City Council passed a controversial bill focused on Pro-Life Pregnancy centers operating within Baltimore City . The bill could well prove to be a template for legislation in other locales. Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien had made his views known regarding this unprecedented move: What do these pregnancy resource centers do that could possibly explain such unwarranted scrutiny by our City Council? Among the free help they offer are pregnancy tests, sonograms, maternity and baby clothes, confidential counseling and parenting classes. Assisting these centers in their good work are the people of the Gabriel Network, which supplements the invaluable life-affirming resources provided by pregnancy resource centers by connecting women in need with “angel friends.” These volunteers stay with women in crisis throughout their pregnancies and beyond, helping them find housing, taking them to prenatal appointments, assisting them in obtaining sch

Anyone who knows Msgr. Arthur Bastress--the kind priest who celebrates the TLM each Sunday and who continues to hear Confessions before the 12:10 daily N.O. Mass--knows he is a holy priest. This story was posted today by George P. Matysek, Jr. who reveals that Msgr. has been made an "Oblate of the Most Holy Redeemer ." In recognition of Monsignor Bastress’s work at the parish and his support for the sainthood causes of St. Neumann and Blessed Seelos, the Redemptorists enrolled Monsignor Bastress as an “Oblate of the Most Holy Redeemer” during a Sept. 12 Mass at the parish attended by Auxiliary Bishop Denis J. Madden. “It’s the greatest honor the Redemptorists can bestow,” said Redemptorist Father Patrick Woods, leader of his religious community’s New York-based Province of Baltimore. “It makes him an honorary Redemptorist,” Father Woods said. “It’s kind of like a knighthood.” Father Woods noted that only one or two people a year are nominated for the honor. Only the Redempt

First , the Archdiocese of Baltimore released this Press Release in April which is rather interesting: Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, Archbishop of Baltimore and President of The Cathedral Foundation, announced today that Mr. Christopher Gunty has been hired as Associate Publisher and Editor of The Catholic Review and Chief Executive Officer of the paper’s parent company, The Cathedral Foundation... [...] “In coming to The Catholic Review and The Cathedral Foundation, I hope to use all of the tools available to us today—print, Internet and social media —to spread the Gospel message,” Mr. Gunty said. “I’m excited to be joining the staff of The Catholic Review and its history of excellence in journalism. I am glad to be able to continue my vocation in the Catholic press with Archbishop Edwin O’Brien and the people of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.” Prior to leading The Florida Catholic , Mr. Gunty founded The Catholic Sun , the diocesan newspaper in Phoenix, Arizona, where he served as

The Catholic Review contains two stories which touch on the conscience rights of physicians that are in jeopardy. George P. Matysek, Jr. covers the symposium on conscience rights that took place May 9th at St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson . This was the first symposium of what may become an annual event to be sponsored by Archbishop Edwin O'Brien. Dr. Janet Smith of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit gave the keynote address: In the keynote address, Dr. Janet Smith, Father Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, outlined the church’s teachings on conscience – emphasizing that conscience isn’t an opinion about what’s right and wrong; it is “listening to the voice of God within.” “There is an erroneous view of conscience that says individuals independently are faced with their own truth,” Dr. Smith said. Addressing the church’s teachings on sexuality, Dr. Smith said the sexual act “should express a willingness to have a lifetime

In a story dated today, George P. Matysek, Jr. gives a nice roundup of the Divine Mercy services scheduled for the Sunday after Easter : When St. Faustina Kowalska received revelations from Jesus over the course of her short life, the Polish nun reported that Christ frequently asked that a feast day be dedicated to Divine Mercy and that the feast be celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. Those requests became a reality in 2000 when Pope John Paul II established the feast of Divine Mercy as a way for believers to seek God’s mercy and forgiveness in a special way. Parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Baltimore will celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday April 19 and many will also offer opportunities to receive the sacrament of reconciliation, participate in eucharistic adoration and pray the Divine Mercy novena. I have posted information on how to say the Chaplet and Novena , the beginning of the Novena which was today , and the Archdiocesan Divine Mercy Shrine which is Holy Rosary Parish .

Marylynn G. Hewitt's story carried by CNS and posted in the Catholic Review Online begins this way: Michael Ochab’s 20-year streak of rooting for the Detroit Tigers as part of the opening day crowd is coming to an end. Home opening day this year falls on Good Friday, April 10. “It’s a no-brainer for me,” said the 47-year-old lifetime Hamtramck resident. “He died for us on that cross.” I have to tip my hat to Mr. Ochab. Good Friday is just another day now especially for big time sports and entertainment. Fr. Ed Vilkauskas conveys my sentiments exactly: Five blocks from Comerica, Spiritan Father Ed Vilkauskas, pastor of Old St. Mary Church in Detroit’s Greektown, said having opening day on Good Friday “is kind of appalling. “I think it’s a pretty big affront to Christians,” he said. “It’s one of the most sacred and solemn days of the Christian calendar and to do that is insensitive to our faith. “Not too many years ago, stores actually closed noon to 3 p.m. Even banks were closed,

American Papist >> Abp. O'Brien says Legion "stifles the free will of its members and lacks transparency" The Catholic Review Online >> Archbishop O'Brien raises concerns about Legion of Christ (by Senior Writer, George Matysek, Jr.) WDTPRS >> QUAERITUR: ashes for infants WDTPRS >> Dumb article in The Times about Benedict XVI

Gary Gately reports today that Baltimore buses, various print ads, radio spots and TV ads will have the message that the "light is on for you ." The light referred to is the one over the confessional. To quote His Excellency, Archbishop O'Brien: Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien says too many Catholics have gotten away from regular Confession, and he’s using the Lenten media campaign season to try to get them to return. “We have to make use of the media for important things in our lives if we want to get the message across,” Archbishop O’Brien said, “and this sacrament of reconciliation is an essential of our faith that is too often overlooked by people or not utilized as often as it should be.” The campaign is patterned after a similar effort launched two years ago by the Archdiocese of Washington. Not so long ago, Archbishop O’Brien noted, Catholics went to confession regularly. “These traditions have fallen by the wayside,” he said. “We’ve just not given the stress and th

The Catholic Review is the Archdiocesan newspaper for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Three stories just happened to catch my eye this week and may be of interest to you. Longtime associate publisher of Catholic Review resigns Education meetings begin with sobering statistics Seminarians serve as sports chaplains at Mount St. Mary’s His Excellency, Archbishop O'Brien, has a further update on COURAGE .

Catholic Review Online: Thoughts on Our Church >> Hope from FRESH Start (Hal Smith writes the column for this week for Archbishop O'Brien) LatinMassNetwork >> Assumption Traditional Latin Mass at Holy Family Church in Clemmons, NC Shrine of the Holy Whapping >> Pio Nono Baptist Church

The Catholic newspaper for the Archdiocese of Baltimore is "The Catholic Review" which I cite often. You will also find the link in the "right menu" under "blogroll and favorite websites." Note that the newspaper has an electronic edition which will open in a new browser window. One can then scroll through the entire published version (the latest edition published) page by page. It is quite a neat feature! The online version is of interest to me in that stories appear a bit more quickly and have permanent hyperlinks that can be referenced.

George P. Matysek, Jr. has a story on an upcoming lecture by Matthew D'Adamo on the New Age Movement in this week's Catholic Review . Here is a brief snippet: Mr. D’Adamo, who has since attended Catholic seminars about the New Age movement and has studied the phenomenon extensively, will give a free talk on the dangers of the New Age movement beginning at 7 p.m. on Aug. 3 at the Church of the Annunciation. Mr. D’Adamo said he is concerned that New Age principles are entering the mainstream and leading people away from the Catholic faith. He cited a book promoted by Oprah Winfrey, titled “A New Earth” by Echart Tolle. Mr. D’Adamo said that the popular volume presents an alluring spirituality and philosophy that is at odds with Christianity. To read the entire story, check Mr. Matysek's article . Note too that Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. of EWTN has written on this phenomenon as well. His book is excellent.

George P. Matysek, Jr. has this feature on the imposition of the pallium on Archbishop Edwin O'Brien yesterday . His Excellency was pleased by the large delegation from Baltimore present in Rome.

The Catholic Review Online has established a link to a special section with exclusive updates on the installation of the pallium for Archbishop Edwin O'Brien . The link to this coverage is here , and is being written by George P. Matysek, Jr. Videos are also linked to this special subsectio n .

The Catholic Review is the Archdiocesan Newspaper for the AD of Baltimore. The latest update has four posts of interest: Archbishop forms archbishop's council (George P. Matysek, Jr.) Young people embrace orthodoxy, morality (George P. Matysek, Jr. reporting on the Colleen Carroll Campbell lecture in the Bicentennial Lecture Series) James K. ‘McKay’ McManus dies at age 86 (Paul McMullen; Mr. McKay was a Catholic and a resident of Baltimore) Carmelites honor Fr. Kavanaugh for life's work as translator (Pat Morrison; Fr. Kavanaugh was a member of the Discalced Carmelites)

H.E. Archbishop Edwin O'Brien, Archbishop of Baltimore, has posted his weekly article to his column , " Thoughts on Our Church ." This is just a brief look at what he has to say: Each year at the conclusion of the Maryland General Assembly’s 90-day session, a list of the session’s “best-sellers” – the bills most inquired about by the general public – is published by the Legislative Services Department. This session’s best-sellers include two measures which add a new term to our health and tax laws: “domestic partners.” The term refers to any two people who are not related by marriage or blood, who affirm they are in a “relationship of mutual interdependence,” and who demonstrate their interdependence by jointly renting a car, leasing an apartment, or opening a checking account. Same-sex couples can claim the designation; so can unmarried opposite-sex couples. The public’s interest in the two bills was reflected in news coverage during the General Assembly session. Pu

My faithful correspondent from Carroll County wrote to inform me about the TLM Mass celebrated by Fr. Michael Roach at St. Bartholomew's Parish in Manchester, MD on Pentecost Sunday. Here is part of the email: The Mass (at St. Bartholomew's on Pentecost) was a wonderful success - the Holy Spirit just wouldn't let us down. Our pastor was expecting between 50-100 people and we had at least 250! Everything went smoothly and the congregation was very excited about what they saw and heard. I felt privileged to sing with the schola and, while we weren't perfect, we were better than any of us had expected! The Holy Spirit again! Father is talking about having another Traditional Mass ... I was not able to take any pictures but some of my friends did and I am trying to round those up. I can forward them to you if you'd like (please!). We are very proud of our pastor. He has worked very hard to bring the TLM to us... We have also been encouraging fol