Denver: TLM in the Cathedral to express gratitude

A reader alerted my to this wonderful news from Denver:
   

Tridentine [oops] Masses at the cathedral to commemorate anniversaries

By Roxanne King

Two anniversaries related to the Tridentine Mass, the Latin-language liturgy that was used before Vatican II, will be observed with special liturgies at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on Sept. 14 and Nov. 9.

Everyone is invited to the Masses, which are to be said in Latin. [I like that.  We need to use "say" Mass and "read" Mass and "hear" Mass more often.]

Last year, Pope Benedict XVI released the apostolic letter “Summorum Pontificum,” which expanded use of the Tridentine liturgy. The first anniversary of that directive will be Sept. 14, the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. The anniversary will be observed at 3 p.m. that day with a solemn high Mass said by Father James Jackson, a cleric of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.

The second Mass is in thanksgiving to Archbishop (Charles) Chaput, the chancery, and the faithful of the Archdiocese of Denver,” said Father Jackson, expressing gratitude for the archdiocese’s hospitality to the Tridentine Mass community.  [Thank heavens!  The people get it.  TLM communities out there need to express gratitude and support with prayers to priests and bishops!  Instead of being the group about whom the bishop winces when he hears about it, become the group he looks forward to visting or reading about.]

That Mass, set for 2:15 p.m. Nov. 9, will be a solemn high pontifical Mass, which can only be said by a bishop. Denver Auxiliary Bishop James Conley will be the main celebrant of the Mass, assisted by clergy of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.

The priest stressed that the two Tridentine Masses are being celebrated at the cathedral to honor the two anniversaries and to accommodate more people than his parish church can hold, and in no way point to the addition of the Tridentine liturgy to the cathedral’s standard Mass schedule.

“We do not envision any regular celebration of the extraordinary form at the cathedral,” Father Jackson said. “But we would hope that perhaps on the 10th anniversary [nine years from now?] to come back and do it again.”  [Well… that’s not very ambitious.]

Anniversary Tridentine Masses

When: 3 p.m. Sept. 14 and 2:15 p.m. Nov. 9
Where: Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Colfax Avenue and Logan Street
Information: call 303-703-8538 or visit www.olmcfssp.org online

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18 Comments

  1. Flambeaux says:

    Woo-hoo!

  2. BJA says:

    “Well… that’s not very ambitious.”

    Let’s just say that while the Archbishop is wonderful and inspiring in many ways, he and his and Cathedral staff are not the biggest TLM enthusiasts out there. So, 10 years may not be ambitious, but at this point, it’s realistic.

  3. Mitch says:

    That last part of the article makes it sound like a bone tossed to a dog. I hope the people show up en masse and ask for it to become part of their regular Mass schedules. It is their right. I don’t think SP meant for people to be exposed to this Mass twice every 10 years…Although I am happy for the people who have waited a long time to have the chance to once again pray this Mass in public worship. Best of Wishes.

  4. “But we would hope that perhaps on the 10th anniversary [nine years from now?] to come back and do it again.” [Well… that’s not very ambitious.]

    For Modernists, this marks ambitious.

    “…Everyone is invited to the Masses, which are to be said in Latin. [I like that. We need to use “say” Mass and “read” Mass and “hear” Mass more often.]..”

    Doesn’t a priest “pray” the Mass? [He does all these things.]

  5. toomey says:

    We in Denver must thank God for Bishop Conley. He is the reason that these two TLM Masses are being said. Sadly, Chaput is not much of a friend of the TLM. Maybe our prayers can help to soften his heart in this regard.

  6. Ben D. says:

    Check the original article on the Denver Archdiocesan web site. It points out that Fr. Jackson is the chaplain of a full-time Latin Mass Community in Littleton, which was established, and would seem to have been offering the EF daily since, 1996.

    That’s not bad for a bishop who is “not the biggest TLM enthusiast out there”. Sure it could be better, but then things could always be better in this life, couldn’t they?

  7. Augustine says:

    Sadly, the liturgy and music of the Denver basilica-cathedral took a significant step backward during the past year. A new regime brought back a great deal of so-called contemporary music, which led to the unhappy departure of the cathedral’s superb musician. While the archbishop was said to be sympathetic to traditional music, he declined to intervene.

  8. BJA says:

    “That’s not bad for a bishop who is ‘not the biggest TLM enthusiast out there’. Sure it could be better, but then things could always be better in this life, couldn’t they?”

    Very true, Deo gratias.

    No one’s saying that the Archbishop opposes the TLM (and I am certainly not beating up on him). He is a wonderful bishop: God grant him many years.

    But he doesn’t seem particularly enthusiastic about the implementation of the MP in other parishes of his diocese. AFAIK, there is only one other place (apart from the SSPX community) where the TLM is celebrated on a weekly basis.

    The wording of the second to last paragraph of the story betrays the obvious lack of enthusiasm about the MP: these two Masses “IN NO WAY point to the addition of the Tridentine liturgy to the cathedral’s standard Mass schedule”.

    Toomey is quite right about Bishop Conley’s role in arranging these Masses to be celebrated in the cathedral.

  9. Ave Maria says:

    I plan to be at those Masses since I am shortly moving to the Denver Archdiocese. I have already written to Archbishop to thank him for them and will comment favorably afterwards. You encourage and thank those actions you hope will continue! Yes, I know that the new auxiliary is one who will help to keep these special holy events coming at the cathedral and I look forward to the day when Archbishop is celebrant…

  10. Paul Haley says:

    I’m going to stand up for Archbishop Chaput again and implore people not to judge him without talking to him directly or via e-mail at shepherd@archden.org and presenting to him your requests for the TLM to be held more frequently in the archdiocesan cathedral. He will listen to your requests and if done with proper respect and courtesy, may indeed respond favorably. There may be reasons why it cannot be done more frequently and that is something only he can say.

    Again, please treat him with the utmost courtesy and respect for he was the first bishop to take a stand for traditional catholic teaching in the Pelosi affair and I know him to be a person with a pastoral heart and kind to the souls entrusted to his care.

  11. BJA says:

    Excellent idea, Paul!

  12. Fr. Joseph Hearty says:

    Yes, I would agree with Paul. As the Ass’t Chaplain at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel, I can say, first hand, Archbishop Chaput, Msgr. Fryar, Rector of the Cathedral and
    Deacon Parker, Director of the Liturgy Office, have been very kind and gracious to allow us the use of the Cathedral Basilica for these two EF Masses and all the arrangements needed to be done. A kind e-mail or letter to all of them would be appreciated. It will further demonstrate to them that Traditional Catholics and all Catholics who desire the EF Mass are not people whom they would “cringe a little” when speaking about them or speaking to them. Bishop Conley has also been very gracious to accept our invitation to offer the Pontifical Mass in November. That Mass will be offered for Archbishop Chaput & the Clergy & Religious of the Archdiocese. Pray for many graces from these two Masses. God bless you!

  13. RBrown says:

    Check the original article on the Denver Archdiocesan web site. It points out that Fr. Jackson is the chaplain of a full-time Latin Mass Community in Littleton, which was established, and would seem to have been offering the EF daily since, 1996.
    Comment by Ben D

    And he’s probably Bp Conley’s best friend. The two shared a house when they were at the Univ of Kansas. A third living in the house was Paul Coakley, now bishop of Salina.

  14. You all should hear the story of Archbishop Chaput, his new auxiliary and
    liturgical vestments.

  15. Ryan says:

    I am a Cathedral parishoner, and I would encourage others to hesitate in calling Chaput unfriendly toward the TLM. Chaput has made the TLM legal wherever he has been bishop, and that was long before Summorum Pontifficum.

    The fact is that liturgy is not his main area of interest, and he has not made this a centerpiece of his administration, but the local Latin Mass community here has received a lot of praise from him and from the local diocesan newpaper which Chaput, of course, more or less controls.

    The addition of bishop Conley, who DOES have a biug interest in liturgy, will make a difference, but I think it’s rather counter-productive to put Chaput on the TLM enemies list.

    I for one plan on sending Chaput an email to thank him for helping make this possible.

  16. Jodi Lacroix says:

    We have been attending Masses at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Latin Mass Community in Denver since the very beginning of the Community in 1996. Then Archbishop Stafford asked for the Fraternity of St. Peter to send a Priest to Denver to offer the Traditional Mass here. Archbishop Chaput came to Denver shortly thereafter. Archbishop Chaput has been extremely generous with our Community since he arrived in Denver. Without his generous help we would not have the wonderful Church, our two great Priests, and all that we have been blessed with here in Denver. We are very happy that Auxillary Bishop Conley has arrived in Denver and we look forward to meeting him soon.

    We wish to thank Archbishop Chaput and Bishop Conley for their wonderful joint statement concerning US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s theological misstatements about the Catholic Church’s stance on abortion. We are very blessed to have these leaders in Denver. They are good shepherds of our Diocese.

    Father Jackson is spot-on with his observation that our Apostolate is showing growing pains. Our three Sunday Masses are about maxed out. We are now considering plans for expansion. What a joyful problem to have!

    John & Jodi Lacroix

  17. Say and read Mass are ok, but I would argue “offer” Mass is best when the priest is the subject. It stresses the sacrificial nature of the action.

  18. Patronus says:

    “Everyone is invited to the Masses, which are to be said in Latin. [I like that. We need to use “say” Mass and “read” Mass and “hear” Mass more often.]”

    I tend to prefer “pray the Mass.” While I have no problem with using “say,” “read,” or “hear,” they sound a little more mechanical. “Praying the Mass” seems to encompass both the action of the priest and the joining of the congregation to his prayers.

    Thoughts?

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