I received good news today (Sunday 14 September, as I write). Not all the news – most – I have received lately has been good. Perhaps things have not gone well in Blackfen or in Bakersfield, but in Dunn, something good is up.
First, I have written occasionally about the need to reach out through the traditional forms of our Catholic Faith to the Latino communities with whom we share our places of worship. We have to bring communities together. A while back I posted a question about Extraordinary Form resources in Spanish HERE. There were good responses. And recently I posted about a beautiful new Latin and Spanish hand missal from Angelus Press HERE.
Today I had news of a fine development in the Diocese of Raleigh, NC. Fr. Paul Parkerson of Sacred Heart Church in Dunn, has done something special.
On Sunday, the anniversary of Summorum Pontificum going into effect, Fr. Parkerson announced that his parish will have TLMs with preaching in Spanish. But, there’s more.
For 10 years, TLM has been offered at Sacred Heart along with two English language Novus Ordo Masses, as well as a Spanish Novus Ordo Mass.
On the last weekend of this month, September, they will have
- Saturday, 5:30 p.m. English, Ordinary Form (no change)
- Sunday, 9:00 a.m., Extraordinary Form with repeated readings and sermon in English
- Sunday, 12:00 p.m., Extraordinary Form with repeated readings and sermon in Spanish
- Religious Education classes between the two TLMs in both languages for 90 minutes.
Fr. Parkerson told me that he pondered this change for a long time. The news of the Spanish hand missal, which he read here, pushed his decision along.
Father wrote me a note with some other comments, some of which I can share. Thus, Fr. Parkerson:
Both before the motu proprio, and after, Sacred Heart Parish has taken on a kind of special apostolate – not just to provide the TLM for those who desire the older Form of the Mass, but also to familiarize, and refamiliarize all the Catholics in the Parish and in the Diocese of Raleigh with the Traditional Mass in all its beauty and mystery. I often say, “We started out this ministry to assist those who simply wanted the Tridentine Mass, but in the process, starting with myself, we fell in love with the Older Mass and Sacraments.” I am a convert, personally, but learning the older Mass has been like a second conversion, transforming my whole understanding of the Faith – and helping many people in the Parish to have a far more profound understanding of the Divine Mysteries which take place at Mass.
At the Parish level here at Sacred Heart, various attempts have been made to bring about greater unity in the – esp. between English speakers and Spanish speakers, most of which have been unsuccessful.
Last Christmas, the Latinos asked me to lead them in the devotion of “Las Posadas” but were insistent that the Americans participate. When the issue of the language difference was brought up, the Latinos themselves were the very ones to ask for the TLM since, according to what they had learned after my years of teaching them this, “Latin is the language of the entire Church and provides us all with the opportunity to worship together.” We had a TLM followed by Posadas, and this was probably, the most successful “multi-cultural” event we have ever had in the Parish. The key, as I knew then, and as I am certain now, was the Latin language and the ancient Form of the Mass which belongs to every Catholic legitimately. It makes everyone equal, if they will open their hearts to its beauty.
In pondering the differences between Catholic immigrants throughout the centuries, it occurred to me, as it has to many others, that there never used to be such disunity amongst Catholics, despite their idiomatic differences. They all shared a common understanding of the Mass of the Ages, despite the fact that the homily may be in a language other than their own mother tongue. (I’ve never heard anyone complain about not understanding the sermon, though.)
After speaking with the Parish Council and several trusted priests, I decided that, for the good of the Parish and for our apostolate to the diocese, it is time to take things to the next level. Therefore, on the 7th anniversary of Summ. Pont., I announced a change in the Mass schedule which will go into effect on the last weekend of September.
My main point in presenting the Parish with this upcoming change is that it must be seen for what it is: GOOD. As our dear Pope Benedict XVI said, “What was good and holy for previous generations remains good and holy for us today.” It is our intention, in this Parish, to live by that simple truth spoken by the Holy Father, and to help all Catholics who come to this Parish to understand the older Mass through the use of Missals and other worship aids. The new Latin/Spanish 1962 hand Missal just made available by Angelus Press is a Godsend.
To pass along history from generation to generation, is a great gift. It is our duty to do whatever we can to shake off the religious, doctrinal, and liturgical amnesia which seems to be paralyzing the Church and to rediscover the gift of the Faith as it is so beautifully contained in the Treasure of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in its Traditional Latin Form.
Fr. Z kudos to Fr. Parkerson and Sacred Heart Parish. Excellent news.
Finally, Fr. Parkerson told me that they are now looking for a good hymnal for Spanish TLMs. Perhaps there is something out there like the old St. Gregory Hymnal? Anyone? Help?
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The new Misal Diario Católico Apostólico Romano 1962 of Angelus Press is a Catholic treasure. People understand spiritual matters much better in their mother tongue. The Latin – English missal was not as interesting to me. I have now two Latin-Spanish copies at home, another we gave to a pious lady from Colombia who sits two pews in front of us struggling to follow the mass on the red Una Voce missalette (wonderful booklet), and three to priests that offer the EF in English. None of them had it, and it will be a great resource. It is a great gift to give your Hispanic coreligionists. And get a Latin-Engish version for yourself at Angelus Press.
Believe me, if you do the readings the night before the Mass you get so much more out of it.
This daily Missal will be a great resource in Latin America if the EF can ever penetrate the congealed Latin-American veins congealed by the bishop conferences and CELAM. Each individual good bishop will make a huge difference. There is one such good bishop in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay but Pope Francisco has already unleashed inquisition delegates on them so this is not an easy fight we must have to preserve the Catholic Faith.
I heard the good news on Saturday that FSSP will be given a parish in Distrito Federal Mexico, a round Church with Fr. Fryar as Pastor (the brother of Fr. Fryar of FSSP.LA). This would be a great step forward. Previously the EF Mass was only available in the almost-personal parish of Guadalajara. The rest of Latin America is a disaster area, but the love for our ancient religion runs in people’s blood. If you look around at a Latin Mass here in the US you will find large numbers of Hispanics. Same willing Catholics will be found throughout in Latin America if we are allowed.
There is a wonderful site called Accion Liturgica from Una Voce Malaga that chronicles all the EF events in Latin America with wonderful photographs. Highly recommended.
In very profound ignorance, I imagine that its vernacular translation(s) tended to eclipse the proper Latin N.O. Mass in the Spanish- (and Portuguese-)speaking world over the last couple generations, much as it has seemed to do in the English- and other Germanic-language-speaking spheres.
Is that so? Or has it varied considerably with place and time (how much have the lands of Central and South America and the Iberian Peninsula differed from each other, and what of the Philippines)?
To vary Oscar Wilde’s saying, are the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking lands ‘divided by common tongues’, not least where vernacular liturgical translations are concerned? Or will the new Latin/Spanish 1962 hand Missal be usable throughout the world, and would a Portuguese equivalent be equally intelligible in Brazil and amongst Brazilian expats and in Portugal?
The EF in our parish is the most “diverse” (I’m beginning to hate that term.) It is the one the Latin American population attends, as well as black and Asian.
Regarding a TLM hymnal, given that the music during the Mass must be in Latin, wouldn’t the existing hymnals work? Or is Fr. Parkerson referring to the non-musical text in the hymnal? In that case, maybe Corpus Christi Watershed could consider a project to translate their Campion Missal and Hymnal into Spanish? The St. Gregory Hymnal is published by Saint Benedict Press (The Neumann Press imprint). Maybe they can publish a Spanish version?
Fr. Z,
This is definitely wonderful news. I live in the Northeast Philadelphia area and have been attending the TLM in my area in English for about 5 years. There are large pockets of latinos in the area but it doesn’t seem as if there is any movement to expose them to the TLM. Sadly enough many know very little about the traditional Mass. So, it won’t be until the pastors promote it in those communities that they will know it even exists.
Thanks again for this article. It gives me hope.
ccwatershed announced work on a Spanish hymnal earlier this year http://www.ccwatershed.org/blog/2014/feb/6/spanish-hymnal/
They are looking for help from fluent Spanish speakers. The pdfs of 3 pre-V II Spanish hymnals are available there at that same link.
There is another new hymnal with English and Spanish, Oramos Cantando / We Pray in Song,
Bilingual Catholic Hymnal from GIA. Review on the CMAA forum here:
http://forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/9067/oramos-cantando-spanishenglish-hymnal-from-gia-first-impressions/p1
Also, the St. Michael hymnal has around 40 Spanish hymns, set to traditional melodies
Speaking of Fr Fryar, FSSP, FSSP.LA will be having an event in Spanish next Monday with a focus on Spanish speaking, though Father admits his Spanish is not as proficient as his brother’s.
Tonight, he’ll be doing the Mass (in the Extraordinary Form,of course) & discussing the Confraternity of St Peter.
Lovely story, thanks Father Z.
Reversing the Tower of Babel is a long road though, church-wide.
Una Voce México prepared a beautifully formatted Latin-Spanish hand missal (without propers) which is available as a PDF file.
Unfortunately, the Una Voce México website is currently off-line, but the link to the PDF file still works: http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14166184/Ordinario%202010.pdf
Also, Fr. Jonathan Romanoski, FSSP, recently offered the first Mass in the Extraordinary Form in over forty years at the chapel of the major seminary of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara, Mexico, which is the largest diocesan seminary in the world. http://fssp.com/press/2014/09/fssp-offers-a-traditional-latin-mass-in-the-worlds-largest-seminary/
One of my pet peeves is the pressure that the Latino community places for priests to provide more Spanish masses. I for one would want the Latin mass which would do away with all masses said in the vernacular. Most first or second generation Latinos want masses in Spanish because that is their heritage. Latin mass is my heritage. Why would we want to try to change the Holy Mass to the Extraordinary form and then start saying the Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form in Spanish? If we’re going to continue to say Mass in Spanish, then maintain the current nightmare we now have. It seems to me that adding an additional hurdle to the Latin standard, will never bring the Extraordinary Form to the Catholic churches.
We in North Carolina are particularly proud.
In addition to Las Posadas during the Novena before the Nativity of Christ, on Good Friday in Dunn Parkerson leads a Cristo Muerto procession. Here is a link: http://kofc9001dunn-nc.blogspot.com/2010/04/good-friday-2010.html
Our Hispanic friends refuse to let Easter play second fiddle to Christmas, as it seems to be in Northern Europe and in the English speaking world. EASTER COMES FIRST! — and the Nativity of Christ, coming second, is equal in importance to Pentecost. In Spain and in Italy Easter is celebrated with high ceremonial solemnity. We in the USA need to start doing the same.
Mojoron, the Mass in the Extraordinary Form can only be said in Latin. No one was saying that it should be said in a vernacular language.
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