UPDATE 1635 GMT 11 Sept:
From a reader:
I just read the recent post on the rumor of the power outage at Franciscan University affecting the Low Mass scheduled for this upcoming Saturday. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNTRUE!!!! There was talk about a planned power outage for this upcoming Saturday from the local power company. If this outage was to take place it was not going to effect only the Low Mass but the schedule Novus Ordo mass and any other events taking place in Christ the King Chapel. This outage once again will not be taking place and all events and masses scheduled for Saturday, September 13 will take place as there were planned. I would like to add that rest of the scheduled EF masses will be celebrated as they appear on the University schedule. This schedule can be found on the University’s website (http://www.franciscan.edu/home2/Content/CampusLife/Chapel/main.aspx?cat=73&id=2834&cc=180). The University has taken many steps to fulfill the students needs on campus. Last semester there were two Missa Cantatas celebrated in Christ the King Chapel. This upcoming school year there are twenty-two scheduled Masses in the Extraordinary Form (both low and high). The first EF mass of the year was celebrated this past Sunday and there were slightly over 300 in attendance. I ask that you please pull this post so not to further confuse any students, faculty, staff, or local individuals interested in the masses at Franciscan Univ. Thank you.
—
In Christ,
Ryan A. Kress
Student Head of Liturgy Committee
Franciscan University of Steubenville
I don’t think I’ll put the post, but I urge everyone to read what I have posted carefully.
Fr. Z
___________________
From a reader.
Let’s all keep in mind that we don’t really know what this means:
Father Z,
You should be aware that here at Steubenville we were excited about having a weekly low Mass on Saturday mornings, plus one Sunday High Mass a month. It looks like every Low Mass may be canceled.
For reasons still unclear power will be cut to our Chapel building every Saturday which, without power, will remain locked as a safety hazard. Everything will be canceled, and especially the Low Mass will not be rescheduled to any other time during the week.
Some of us think a fitting response would be to offer at least a Low Mass every Sunday, if not a High Mass.
Two or three of our priests are very excited about praying this Mass with/for us and there is certainly a stable community.
Your prayers and the prayers of your wonderful readers would be greatly appreciated!
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Does this mean that there will be no Mass at all on Saturdays, even a NO Mass? When I was a student there, it was always frustrating when they would have only one daily Mass (aka whenever they had a “Fieldhouse Mass” — it would be the only Mass of the day) because there are so many students there, it’s impossible to accommodate everyone with just one Mass. And now there will be no Saturday Mass at all? Seems rather odd for a Catholic college.
This seems odd. Usually the chapel was open all day when I was going there.
There is nothing to worry about yet. The situation is still developing. The power issues are outside of the Chapel’s control. However, they are quite willing to meet our spiritual needs. I’m confident that this is not the last word on a weekly TLM.
Your prayers are still appreciated. But don’t jump to any conclusions. This wasn’t done on purpose, and the school will continue to work through this small setback with us.
How conveeeeeeeenient.
I am happy to say that my alma mater, Thomas Aquinas College, has had the Ex. Form everyday since Summorum Pontificum went into effect. Power or not I think that there should be enough students at Steubenville that a daily EF mass should be required. I know 2 of my parishioners go there.
A Clarification Father-
This is not something which is actually under the direct control of the University or the Chapel. There seems to be something going on with the Municipal County in which we live– Jefferson County — and power. We don’t exactly know whether this is *actually* going to happen. Liturgy Committee was given a heads up this morning that this could be coming down the pipe so that we could be aware. And at this point, if it does happen, it seems that not just the EF, but the NO and any other chapel exercise would be canceled for Saturday. The chapel would be closed for safety reasons.
**THIS IS NOT A SURE THING YET**
And even if it does happen, we do not have a reasonable expectation of malice from the University to *not* reschedule, infact, in charity, many of us believe that at least some will be rescheduled.
So. Basically, please don’t anyone go crazy with conspiracy theories or loathing of our University. SteubyU has been very kind and most are eager to fill this pastoral need for the more ancient spirituality.
The final word on this:
Seems to be that the County was going to be cutting power for *one day* not *every Saturday* and it was a miscommunication from the County to the University. It would have only affected this part of the city of Steubenville, including the University for one day.
And now as it turns out, *this is not happening* at all, and so there is no cause for concern. Every scheduled Mass is remaining as it was scheduled.
Praised be Jesus Christ!
(Your prayers for our blossoming community are still welcome though!)
Please be aware that this is a completely UNTRUE statement. There was talk about a planned power outage for this upcoming Saturday and this day ONLY. This power outage will NOT take place and the planned Low Mass scheduled for 8am at Christ the King Chapel will be celebrated as planned. All the other planned masses in the Extraordinary Form will also be celebrated as planned. Once again this post is completely false and please do not be alarmed. The University has done alot to meet the students needs for the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. There were two masses last year and now there are twenty-two masses scheduled for this upcoming school year.
Ryan A. Kress
Student Head of Liturgy Committee at Franciscan University of Steubenville
Glad to see all is well.
But until you get a Sunday Mass each and every Sunday, why doesn’t one of the priests offer Mass in a nearby home so that you can fulfill your obligation with the traditional Mass?
May want to consider asking. If the administration knows you’re going off campus, they may change their tune.
This is the disobedience to the Pope that causes scandal.
This is also why I will not send any of my 6 children to FSU, and why I will encourage other parents to have the power turned off on the days that FSU wants our support / children / money.
Jim Dorchak
“But until you get a Sunday Mass each and every Sunday, why doesn’t one of the priests offer Mass in a nearby home so that you can fulfill your obligation with the traditional Mass?”
My understanding is that having a Mass in a home should only happen in truly exceptional circumstances when a genuine church and altar are not available, or as a last resort. I don’t think I’d be in favor of the XF occurring regularly simply in a home setting, unless perhaps it was outfitted with an approved chapel.
Jim Dorchak
This is the disobedience to the Pope that causes scandal.
This is also why I will not send any of my 6 children to FSU, and why I will encourage other parents to have the power turned off on the days that FSU wants our support / children / money.
Jim Dorchak
You’re not reading the comments, are you?
The University has been very accommodating in it’s efforts to provide us with the spiritual exercises which we so earnestly desire. The University has some great odds to overcome, not the least of which is the attitude that two “competing” spirtualities would be divisive. Each is an equally genuine and appropriate expression of our Catholic Faith.
We of a more traditional bent in the various Committees, societies, households and groups are very eager for this semester and grateful for the huge strides which the University has taken. We have some progress yet, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Keep praying for us, but please also pray for patience, charity and understanding.
When I went to FSU, there was a chapel in every dorm. Each chapel could probably accomodate about 25 people, and if I’m not mistaken, were used for “household” Masses.
In the event that there was a need to hold an EF Mass and the CTK chapel wasn’t available, why couldn’t one of the dorm chapels be used? If it’s a question of segregated dorms, there are extended “open hours” on weekends where opposite sex visitation to the dorms is allowed.
I don’t know how big a community there is, but it seems this would be a reasonable solution.
Also, in response to the comment by Mr. Kress indicating that, “The University has done alot to meet the students needs for the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite”, I would suggest two things:
1.) Perhaps it is not intended, but this comes across sounding as though accomodating this legitimate, Vatican-supported community is burdensome in some way. Considering the lengths to which the University goes to meet the needs of the charismatic students on campus, this seems like it should be a non-issue.
2.) Until students attached to the extraordinary form can meet their Sunday and holy day obligations on-campus, it would seem that the accomodation they are being offered is inadequate. University policy, when I was a student, included restrictions on undergraduates that required them to live on campus until they were a senior or had reached the age of 23, whichever came first. Parking was limited and most students did not have cars, making the ability to get to an off-campus Mass prohibitive. When you have a captive student body , it would be helpful if they could be offered something that satisfies their most pressing obligations.
I agree. I love FUS!
Is FUS still Charismatic?
Jim D: This is the disobedience to the Pope that causes scandal.
I don’t think we know enough details about what is going on to make this judgment.
Rogo,
I have heard from my brother, who attended FSU, that it is no longer overly charismatic.
Just small pockets here and there.
According to my brother the faculty and student body is a lot more orthodox and traditional these days.
Deo Gratias!
Power outage or not, who cares? Electric lights have been around a few hundred years, the Church a few thousand. Open the doors, use candles, and proceed with all Masses! Of course, why not?
There are groups who go to the nearest EF church in Pittsburgh for those wanting to take the idea of going to the EF every Sunday. I’m trying to do that not even for protest reasons but simply because… because! Because I’m wanting to become far more familiar with it than one can get from just once a month. 8^) Because it’s awesome, however much the whole divisiveness/debate issue may have turned me off at times (and believe me, it has… but it hasn’t held me back ultimately). Ask around your EF-loving friends here and you should find a ride fairly easily.
One might point out that a cursory perusal of the Latin Mass Schedule and the academic calendar on the University’s website reveals that the 22 Masses listed coincide with the Sundays (or vigils) when the University is in normal session. The missing weeks would seem to correspond to holidays, special university events, and breaks (such as Parent’s Day, Christmas break, spring break, Easter, and the beginning and end of semesters). The chapel schedule says the Mass schedule is subject to change at those times. I presume the schedule for those weeks will be posted as determined. There was precisely one Sunday missing from the Latin Mass list where the reason was not readily apparent.
Also, I would say that there is a difference between satisfying one’s obligation and satisfying one’s preference.
What did we ever do without electricity ?
Lucy,
Live.
We did not know better.
God bless you
My apologies. If my perusal had been a little less cursory, I would have noticed that the Saturday Latin Masses are scheduled for 8:00 AM, which should have been a significant clue that they really don’t have much to do with the Sunday obligation.
Ready… Fire… Aim!
My two bits…
My child attends and notwithstanding the “Praise & Glory” stuff and the Mega-Mass in the field house, she loves this university! Her friends are devout, attending Holy Hour, daily Mass, and yes, the occasional “Festival of Praise”, although she is not “into” the charismatic stuff. In fact, echoing another post, the charismatic bit is “performed” by some–not all–the students and some (including my child) view it with a bit of skepticism, as do I. By bringing her to the TLM, she now has a greater understaning of the Mass and now gets annoyed at our parish when people chit-chat prior to Mass, and loudly visit at the conclusion of Mass. Her attendance at FUS has been a blessing, and despite the pockets of loons there, we’re happy with the school. Considering the alternatives (secular or other “Catholic” institutions), FUS’s focus on Christ and the Catholic Faith is a Catholic parent’s dream come true. Yes, every school has its “warts” but FUS seems to have minimal.
I think that once the EF is more attended, the kids will come around to better understanding that we truly are at the foot of the Cross, and not attending a party, when we celebrate the Mass.
I would like Mr Dorchak to expound on the disobedience he refers to…and reconsider his postion on FUS.
Brick by brick…