From a reader, as a follow up to my post Brick by Brick: How to get a TLM on the schedule at your parish, a reader sent the following:
You kindly posted a blog on September 13th about my parish priest allowing a Low Mass to be said this past Sunday. We only advertised in the two parish bulletins in the county, and 55 people came. We had finger foods and discussion in the basement afterward. More than half came down and we discussed additional EF Masses and asked those interested if they would sign a petition of support. Sixteen people signed. We will continue adding names after additional EF Masses. So the Low Mass was a success, and I believe next month we’re going to have a Missa Cantata with the goal of eventually providing all of our own servers and schola, once they reach minimum proficiency. [Brick by brick!] During this Year of Faith, with a focus on the New Evangelization, we hope that this is a powerful tool, simply offered as a normal part of our parish life, [YES! Excellent.] to bring people to, or back to, the Church. [Yes AGAIN! New Evangelization.] We would appreciate your continued prayers, and the prayers of your many devoted readers, for the continued success of this endeavor.
WDTPRS kudos.
This is how it is done, friends. Mass by Mass, parish by parish, brick by brick.
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They listened to the laity when it came to clowns and polka, the laity speaks again! Start listening! I will continue to pray for the restoration of our Catholic culture!
Wonderful news! Press on! And be prepared to stand strong when challenges come, as they surely will. May God bless your efforts.
It is certainly not the focus of the day, but the coffee/doughnut social after the Mass is a very important part of getting a TLM to be well-attended. I’ve noticed that nearly all of the very successful (i.e. full pews) TLMs I’ve attended around the world have drink/food after the Mass, from Washington, D.C. to Guadalajara, Mexico.
Because families, young adults and everyone else travels to the parish that has the TLM, it needs to be a full package. Confessions before the Mass (with absolution using the 1962 books) should also be in this package. All of this — especially a great High Mass — gives people reason to go above and beyond the call of duty on Sundays. They need a strong case for driving by three, four or five other Catholic churches to attend Saint X for the TLM.
Well done, guest poster. This is the kind of Active Participation the laity should do more of.
[My experience, having traveled a lot, is that many who attend the TLM are eager to socialize after Mass and have other parish activities available.]
Praise be to God. I’m so happy for you and your parish.
We, too, are experiencing a new found hope.
Our parish priest has learned how to say the Mass and is privately saying it to practice. We have not yet spread the joy/news around but I know many in the wings will be happy when a regular Mass can be established.
Prayers and a silent hope is our best position at this time.
We have experienced the same thing in our area. However, be prepared for challenges for they will surely come. Every sort of challenge; priests who “wobbly” just when you think things are going well; Altar boys will give up because its “tough” to learn the latin responses and parish members who just can’t quite “get it”. But persevere!!!!! It does get really good if you can.
” [Brick by brick!] During this Year of Faith, with a focus on the New Evangelization, we hope that this is a powerful tool, simply offered as a normal part of our parish life, [YES! Excellent.] to bring people to, or back to, the Church. [Yes AGAIN! New Evangelization.]”
Really? Copy and paste below about a Latin Mass once again being terminated. All depends on the Bishop.
http://veneremurcernui.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/st-mark-latin-mass-to-be-terminated/
There are always going to be individual cases where things don’t work out. In the situation above that was referenced by long-skirts, it sounds like the deck was stacked against it – it was not a TLM but an Ordinary Form Latin Mass, at 7 PM on a Monday, not exactly a time that was likely to be popular, sounds like there were issues with using EMHC’s, and so on.
However when one looks at the statistics, the availability of the TLM/Extraordinary Form seems to be on a continual increase. One hope is that the regularization of the SSPX (if that is the correct term) would be a significant increase in the number of TLM’s available, perhaps this may proceed now that +Bp. Williamson has apparently been dismissed from the society (if the rumors be true).
The Bp. Williamson-romours are true : http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2012/10/sspx-williamson-removed.html
Good.
I am sorry to quibble, but the image of His Holiness in the act of building what appears to be a brick wall separating himself from the viewer, strikes me as not the image that should have been the first choice for this campaign.
A more fortunate choice might have been His Holiness building a structure with openings in it, like a beautiful bell tower, and the Pontiff should be standing outside and a little apart from the structure.
I could be wrong.