Some TLM news:
Bishop Dewane Gives First Church in Florida for Exclusive Use of the Latin Mass
His Excellency Bishop Frank Dewane announced today that the Diocese of Venice in Florida has purchased a church for the exclusive use of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. This will be the first church to be dedicated exclusively for the Latin Mass in Florida. The church is situated on close to three acres of property and is located at 1900 Meadowood Street, Sarasota. The property previously belonged to Holy Trinity Anglican Church. Significant renovation will be necessary before doors can be opened, including a new roof, renovating the sanctuary and making the nave of the church larger. However it is hoped that the new church will be opened in the near future.
Juridically, the building will be erected as a chapel, and at a future date it will be raised to the status of a parish.There will be an open house this coming Saturday afternoon (September 27th, 2008). All are welcome, bring friends!
This appeared on the website of the Venice Latin Mass Society www.venicelatinmass.org on Sunday.
This is exciting news, particularly that this will be erected as a chapel with plans to become a parish eventually.
We are so thankful for Bishop Dewane and for his support of the EF in the Diocese of Venice.
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Great news, though personally I think that making an exclusive parish for the EF lessens the chances of the EF having a gravitational pull on the OF. When the two forms are celebrated in the same parish it seems more likely that they would have an effect on eachother.
I agree TJB, but there are some benefits to an exclusively EF parish.
If the pastors of the parishes near the EF parish see their congregations – and especially their collections – shrinking, while the EF parish blossoms, some of those pastors might start to get some good ideas.
Secondly, if the pastor of the EF parish loses the “fortress mentality” that we have seen all too often in more traditional parishes, and actually interacts – warmly – with the other priests of the diocese – even the loopy, liberal ones, it could open some hearts and minds. In too many circumstances I’ve heard priests say that their encounters with traditionally minded folks – priests in particular – leave them with the impression that the Traditional Mass must make people angry, combative and bitter. An EF parish that’s engaged in the life of the diocese – with a rectory that gets a reputation as a good place to go for a nice meal and decent conversation, with a pastor willing to help out with confessions or Masses at neighboring parishes – could be a real leaven in a diocese.
Thirdly, I would imagine that, down the road a bit, an EF parish is going to be a tremendous source of future vocations. Bishops like that – and if, in ten, twenty years 20% of the seminarians for the diocese of Venice are coming from this parish, you can be sure that the bishop will be encouraging the spread of the Traditional Mass, and will have a growing corps of young priests to help him carry out the task.
I too see a potentially positive benefit to the diocese if this parish interacts in the manner that Tim describes. It will definitely be an interesting contrast to the next closest Catholic Church …which has a large congregation, architecturally very modern/minimalist (i.e., lots of glass, no statutes, altar in the middle), and no kneelers. Interesting to see if any members of that parish move on over.
Personally, it is a joy to hear this news. I’ve told my mother that her many years of prayer and sacrifice has brought forth a reward–practically to her front door. My mother has been donating the little she has to FSSP for 20+ years. After fighting and enduring the 70’s “reforms”(altar rail deconstruction, no more confession for the Catholic school kids, etc…), my mother excitedly told my father about FSSP. My father, a faith-filled yet frugal man who would have balked at any additional donations above their meager weekly offering, said without hesitation, “Write the check.”
After my father passed away, my mother couldn’t afford to live by herself anymore and now lives with me in Sarasota. My mother has yearned for the beauty of the TLM for so long; she became excited when a parish in downtown Sarasota began to offer the Tridentine. As convenient as it would seem, however, numerous factors made attending this Mass very difficult for her, not to mention the fact that she doesn’t drive. My mother does her best to embrace her current parish, but I know she has always kept a burning desire in her heart for the TLM. Amazingly, this new chapel is walking distance from my home. While downtown would have seemed close enough, He has now brought it closer…for my mom! (well, ok, I know…but at least it’s fun to think so).
This is a great development. Will the parish be run by the FSSP, ICRSS, or by diocesan priests?
It’s getting closer and closer to me, only one more diocese over…maybe it will diffuse northward a little
Veritas wrote:
“I too see a potentially positive benefit to the diocese if this parish interacts in the manner that Tim describes. It will definitely be an interesting contrast to the next closest Catholic Church …which has a large congregation, architecturally very modern/minimalist (i.e., lots of glass, no statutes, altar in the middle), and no kneelers. Interesting to see if any members of that parish move on over.
Personally, it is a joy to hear this news. I’ve told my mother that her many years of prayer and sacrifice has brought forth a reward—practically to her front door. My mother has been donating the little she has to FSSP for 20+ years. After fighting and enduring the 70’s “reforms”(altar rail deconstruction, no more confession for the Catholic school kids, etc…), my mother excitedly told my father about FSSP. My father, a faith-filled yet frugal man who would have balked at any additional donations above their meager weekly offering, said without hesitation, ‘Write the check.’
After my father passed away, my mother couldn’t afford to live by herself anymore and now lives with me in Sarasota. My mother has yearned for the beauty of the TLM for so long; she became excited when a parish in downtown Sarasota began to offer the Tridentine. As convenient as it would seem, however, numerous factors made attending this Mass very difficult for her, not to mention the fact that she doesn’t drive. My mother does her best to embrace her current parish, but I know she has always kept a burning desire in her heart for the TLM. Amazingly, this new chapel is walking distance from my home. While downtown would have seemed close enough, He has now brought it closer…for my mom! (well, ok, I know… but at least it’s fun to think so).”
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I think this is great. The more personal parishes there are, the more the Faithful are blessed. Everyone likes to think their parishes are full and busy. While this may be true in a lot of cases, I’d like to see what the pull is with a personal parish and how much more vibrant they are. Tim Ferguson mentioned vocations. This is a great point. As I’ve read, where there are Tridentine Masses on a regular basis of course with Tradition-minded priests, the vocations have gone up–for both men and women.
There is the exception here in L.A. The men with Traditional leanings don’t fulfill their vocations here. Why bother? It’s flat and errant here. They go elsewhere where the bishops are solid and faithful to Tradition and Truth. On the diocesan level, Lincoln and Saint Louis are two at the top of the list. Here, with only 3-5 men being ordained per year out of statistically four million Catholics, it shows one something is very wrong here.
I will be attending the Open House today.
Veritas… obviously you are in Sarasota! Which next nearest Catholic church are you referring to? The description sounds like St. Thomas More, but St. Jude would be the nearest I think. All of the churches in SRQ, with the exception of St. Martha’s match your description (Incarnation does have kneelers!)! Maybe I’ll see you at the Open House?
I will be attending the Open House today.
Veritas… obviously you are in Sarasota! Which next nearest Catholic church are you referring to? The description sounds like St. Thomas More, but St. Jude would be the nearest I think. All of the churches in SRQ, with the exception of St. Martha\’s match your description (Incarnation does have kneelers!)! Maybe I\’ll see you at the Open House?
chironomo: I was referring to St. Thomas More, it’s only about a mile/mile and a half from what will be the new chapel. I’ve never been to St. Jude but I believe that’s further away, north of downtown. Unfortunately, I already have prior commitments so I don’t think I’ll be able to make the open house.
A very warm thanks to Bishop Dewane.
My parish had a Tridentine Mass 5 mos ago. The priests from Sleepy Hollow came to assist/train one of our young priests. We had our second a few weeks ago by this same beautiful young EF priest whose going to offer it monthly. Our N.O Mass is celebrated reverently by all our priests but this young priest stands out as he brings in many of the gestures and stances from the EF. I read a few days ago that Pope Benedict has changed all the liturgy staff so one might expect updating/backdating in that regard. All and all things are looking up but we still have a long way to go. In my county there are 80 churches and thusfar we only have 3 (includes mine) who offer the EF.
BTW, a little farther north of some of you, in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, we have the Traditional Mass every Sunday at 9:00am at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in San Antonio, FL (just off I75). We have a great, young diocesan priest who learned the Tradiional Mass on his own, and has offered the Mass for us (originally in Dade City) since the Motu Proprio took effect. Therefore, if you are ever a little farther north of the Tampa Bay area, stop in for the Mass.
Veritas…
You are right… my bad on the location of Holy Trinity… it’s down in Gulf Gate only a mile or so from Thomas More. I was thinking Meadowood was up off of Honore at University. That puts this new church only 2-3 miles from Incarnation as well. SHould be interesting! I will post any details from the Open House that might be of interest.
Does anyone know if Father Fryer (sp?) will be heading up this “parish”?
I vacation near Sarasota and would appreciate a daily mass.
Bishop Dewane is turning out to be a real pleasant surprise.
How did he end up on the Florida terna? Seriously. Given the general low episcopal quality level in the Sunshine state – he’s a breath of fresh air.
No offense to his predecessor, Bishop Nevins – who was a staunch social justice advocate for migrant workers – but Dewane seems intent on restoring *catholicity* to his catholic diocese. And a TLM exclusive parish should not be mutually exclsuive with a growing presence of the Gregorian rite in other parishes as well, nor does it seem likely to be so in his diocese.
This is wonderful news, shared parishes don’t work, they are a nightmare for the Priest!! Deo Gratias for the FSSP, Fr. Fryer is a great Priest and has done a great job in Florida. I’m glad to know that the Fraternity will have 4 more Priest ordained this year bringing the total to 12 this year.
Laudetur Jesus Christus
UPDATE
I attended the Open House today… a wonderful event! Fr. Fryar will be the “resident Priest” at the new parish which will be established as a mission parish of St. Martha’s. There will also be 2 or 3 other FSSP Priests assigned to this mission, as well as visiting seminarians from time to time. The stated plan was that this mission would become a full parish in the not-too-distant future.
There is much renovation to be done and plans are already well under way. The main Altar, side altars, altar rail and some other furnishings are being moved from a suppressed parish in Scranton PA (anybody out there know what this might be?). The nave is being considerably enlarged by knocking out a back wall and eliminating several office areas that were behind. There is no room for a choir loft, so there will be a “choir” in the rear of the nave with the benches facing center for the schola, and a smaller such area in the sanctuary for the Priests to sing daily office. The interesting thing was that Fr. Fryar said there was NOT ENOUGH ROOM to accomodate the existing congregation of about 250, and he was envisioning considerable growth once the parish is established. Later in the conversation, he said that he envisions a “much larger church” on the current property perhaps 10 years down the road.
The one sad note to all of this is that the current EF Mass at St. Martha’s will probably be discontinued, although the plans for other EF Masses throughout the Diocese will continue. There are also plans, according to Fr. Fryar, to televise the Masses from this chapel.
Also in the plans is a “picnic area” outside (this is a large piece of property with a sizeable open field behind it) for parish activities and a bookstore.
Although he couldn’t say exactly what the Mass schedule will be, he was envisioning perhaps an 8:00AM (low), 11:00AM (high) and 5:30PM (?) Sunday and two daily Masses, morning and evening.
Chironomo,
Thank you very much for the update. Judging by the swiftness of the construction and the plans for the Mass schedule and the propperty, it sounds like the open house was a great success. That is wonderful that Fr. Fryar already sees the need for future growth…what a promising sign.
This property is in a very good area and will be easily accessible to anyone coming down 41. I also forgot about how close it is to St. Michael’s on Siesta Key. Unless I’m leaving someone out-there are 4 Catholic churches(all with sizeable congregations-especially in the winter) within about a 6-7 mile radius of this property…yes, it will be interesting!
Blue Falcon:
Does that bring the number of TLMs in St. Pete’s diocese to 3? I live in St. Petersburg (when school is out), very close to St. Jude’s where there is a weekly Sunday Mass. I also hear there is a Sunday Mass at an ungodly hour up north, though I think it was Spring Hill.
I will have to congratulate Fr. Fryar when I see him tonight in Ocala for sung Mass!
Jonathan Knox:
Yes, I believe that does make it three in the St. Pete Diocese. I have been to the TLM at St. Jude’s and know a lot of the people down there. There is also the Mass I attend at St. Anthony’s in San Antonio. We have the TLM at 9:00am sandwiched between the 7:30 and 10:30 Ordinary Form. Our priest didn’t want the TLM to be something shoved aside in the afternoon, so he specifically put the TLM in the morning. We have Holy Day Masses in the TLM and I just had my new baby baptized yesterday in the Old Rite.
The other TLM Mass you are referring to is at 6:30am at St. Theresa’s in Spring Hill. I used to attend that Mass about 10 years ago and was an altar server. One of the altar servers at our mass serves the 6:30 in the morning and then comes and serves the 9:00am at our church.
We are getting more people at our 9:00am Mass and hopefully we will be able to fill up the church like at St. Jude’s. One day, I hope we can have High Mass like you have at the Cathedral, but I doubt we could put a choir together as good as down there.
BTW, a lot of the people from St. Jude’s know our priest as he used to be very involved in pro-life activities with them, such as praying at abortion mills.