Brick by brick in Chicago and Birmingham

Posted on 12 November 2008 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I received word that some of the EWTN Franciscans have been at St. John Cantius in Chicago to learn the older form of Holy Mass.

I think this sounds like a good development.

Two images:

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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13 Responses to Brick by brick in Chicago and Birmingham

  1. Steven says:
    12 November 2008 at 9:06 pm

    Yay! Go Mother Angelica!

  2. Sam Orsot says:
    12 November 2008 at 9:29 pm

    I just love to see this. Maybe we are getting closer to EWTN having a daily Mass in the EF. BTW, Fr. Z. please take a look at Rorate Caeli. I just saw their most recent post detailing that our pro-life leaders are getting death threats. Just makes one think that the days of being able to pracitice your faith openly are over. Pray for us Blessed Mother now and at the Hour of our death. AMEN.

  3. tradone says:
    12 November 2008 at 10:01 pm

    St John Cantius is very busy teaching the TLM. They celebrate a beautiful TLM (& NO ad orientum). The most beautiful thing this side of heaven!
    TLM Mass at 12:30PM on Sunday, followed by vespers at 2PM. Check their website for full schedule.
    Thanks for posting!

  4. Allen says:
    12 November 2008 at 11:07 pm

    Fr. Joseph has always struck me as a holy priest and a genuine human being. He appears to be quite competent. He seems to be without guile. I think he’s a good choice for this.

  5. Dan says:
    12 November 2008 at 11:30 pm

    I knew Fr. Joseph back from before he was a Priest. Even then there was something special about him, you couldn’t find a better person.

  6. Brandon says:
    12 November 2008 at 11:59 pm

    Hmm. Franciscans wearing surplices. That’s harder to arrange than you care to imagine…

  7. Matt Q says:
    13 November 2008 at 12:42 am

    This is very good news. I was wondering when–if at all–when they were going to begin learning the Tridentine Mass. All of the Masses they’ve shown on EWTN so far, the Friars have been seen sitting out in the congregation, looking awkward. Anyway, a great step forward. As Sam O said, we hope this means we’ll be seeing Extraordinary Masses on EWTN more frequently.

  8. Akira Yamadori says:
    13 November 2008 at 7:50 am

    This community has never gown very much since it was founded, and has had a huge attrition rate. They never have had more than 5-6 priests at one time, and several have left over the years. Fr Francis Mary Stone leaving this year was a shocker.
    I think they have always been lacking the anchor of Catholic tradition, most perfectly expressed in the Tridentine Latin Mass. A reverent NO is okay, but it’s still supremely lacking compared to the TLM.
    Now, perhaps this community might stabilize, and start to grow.
    Despite their great reputation, they’ve never been able to get much past 18-20 members. Maybe this will begin to change.

  9. Calleva says:
    13 November 2008 at 9:48 am

    Yet again another example of EWTN getting it right. Their influence is huge – having the EF on EWTN will be a massive advance in its revival. At the moment, few Catholics have assisted at a TLM and they don’t ask for what they don’t know. All this could change dramatically once the airwaves are showing it regularly.

  10. bnogle says:
    13 November 2008 at 11:45 am

    I heard a rumour as well that EWTN in conjunction with SJC
    is going to do a TV series on the mass
    bridging old and new.

    if so, can’t wait!

  11. John says:
    13 November 2008 at 11:48 am

    The attrition rate is sad. Perhaps it is because the mission of the order does not offer the variety of parish life, changes in location etc. I hope any issues can be resovled.

    I think that most of the programming is created or planned by lay broadcasting experts. One of Mother Angelica’s many strengths is a willingness to seek outside expert advice when it was needed. Mother Angelica then actually listens to the expert advice.

  12. missalthumper says:
    13 November 2008 at 5:55 pm

    An EWTN/SJC tv series???!?! Bnogle, I hope you’re right! I’m an SJC parishioner & can’t say enough nice things about it. I’d love it if this parish could be shared with everyone.

  13. ssoldie says:
    14 November 2008 at 2:24 pm

    I will be so happy and feel so blessed when we(shut ins) can at last have the ‘Gregorian Rite’(TLM) televised on EWTN on a daily basis,most of us old timers still have our Missals,(I have four)and will be able to pray the Mass with Father. I thank God for Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.