Fact: Another Solemn High Mass coming up at St. Ann's in Charlotte

Gentle Readers... that powerful font of Graces that is St. Ann's in Charlotte, keeps on gushing! 

I was planning to post a Grapevine item today that according to sources within the Park St. Curia that another Solemn High Mass was in the works , but no sooner had I woken up this morning, I had an email from St. Ann's announcing the "fact" that there will be a Solemn High Mass on Thursday, June 5 at 7pm, the Feast of St. Boniface, in honor of Fr. Reid's 10th Anniverary of his Ordination.

Fr. Reid has a been a God-send to those of us who love the full beauty and teaching of Holy Mother Church... and has taken on may sacrafices to maintain his little parsh as a dual-form parish.  That is a lot of work for one little priest of our Lord.  I hope that many folks will come to the Mass to honor Fr. Reid.

In the meantime, we still have the big orchestral Solemn High Mass for Ascesion coming up on Thursday, May 29th at 7pm.

Folks, think about this, in the couse of just on month, from May 6 to June 5, St. Ann's will have offered three Solemn High Masses  (St. Dominic Savio, Ascension, and St. Boniface)!!!

Remember the years when we were happy if just one Solemn High Mass was offered in a year!  How ever far we have come... thank you Pope Benedict!  thank you revered Fathers/Deacons that offer the Masses and thank you to the Altarboys & Schola that so reverently and beautiful serve and assist in the Masses.

None of this expansion comes, however, without a cost... so I ask you to please considered what you can help to support these effrots with your time, talent, and/or treasure... and most of all your prayers for all of this to continue with the needed support.

Fact: Next Solemn High Mass at St. Ann's looks to be a "big" one!

Gentle Readers,

The St. Ann's Schola blog is reporting today that the next Solemn High Mass for St. Ann's will be for the Solemnity of the Ascension on Ascension Thursday (May 29) at 7pm.

It also says that, not only will this this be a Solemn High Mass, but it will be an "orchestral" Solemn High Mass assisted in conjunction with the Carolina Catholic Chorale who will present the Mass parts ordianary as Missa Beatissimae Virginis Mariae of Johann Michael Haydn.

Given the tremendous acoustics of St. Ann's, this Mass should be quiet awe-inspiring.

I hope that many of you can make it!

Also, as a side note, the Servers' Mass of St. Dominic Savio was really wonderful... while a bit light in parishioner attendance, I thought the procession of boys would never stop... over 48 Altarboys in full cassock and surplice assist in the Mass offered for their intensions.  Next year I hope more parishioners will realize that these young men are our future, and come out to show their support.

Solemn High Mass for Altarboys at St. Ann's

After a very difficult and sad week where parishioners of St. Ann's in Charlotte said goodbye to one of their special young man, Michael Kitson, a seminarian and alumnus of the "mighty army of St. Ann's Altarboys"... I am pleased to report a much more upbeat news....

San Domenico Savio... ora pro nobis

There will be a Solemn High Mass offered at St. Ann's on Tuesday, May 6, at 7.00pm  for the Feast of St. Dominic Savio to be offered for St. Ann's Altarboys, and other Altarboys around greater Charlotte familiar with the Mass in the Extraodianry, and their families. 

It is all too appropriate that we recognize in thanksgiving these young men and their families who demonstrate tremendous commitment and dedication in serving at God's Altar and Holy Mother Church.

A reception will follow the Mass sponsored by the Charlotte Latin Mass Community.

Fact: Upcoming Masses in the Extraordianry Form at St. Ann's in Chalrlotte

Great news... some of the expected Masses for March look like they will be reality!

Low Mass for Ash Wednesday
Wednesday, March 5 at 7am

Missa Cantata for Solemnity of St. Joseph
Wednesday, March 19  at 7pm

Missa Cantata Solemnity of the Annunciation BVM
Tuesday, March 25 at 7pm


.... and the graces continue to flow at St. Ann's... please continue to pray for Fr. Reid, Altar Severs, and Schola!

Fact: Terrific 2014 Coming at St. Ann's in Charlotte

Gentle Readers,

I hope that you are all having a wonderful Christmastide!

In thinking about the blessings of 2013 for my year-end thanksgiving, it has been a truly amazing year for us here in the Diocese of Charlotte... it is truly a wonderful story.  Let us recount briefly some of our blessings:

1.  For the second year in a row, a newly ordained priest (Fr. Christian) of the Diocese offered his First Mass of Thanksgiving in the Extraordinary Form.

2.  In the priest assignment rotations, last year's newly ordained (Fr. Barone) landed a bit closer to Charlotte allowing for better "coverage" and for more Solemn High Masses being offered.

3. One of our newly ordained Diocesan transitional Deacons (Rev. Mr. Noah Carter) served his first Mass as Deacon in the Extraordinary Form in Rome, as well as serving many other.  We are hopeful that his priestly ordination here this summer will follow a First Mass of Thanksgiving in the Extraordinary Form

4.  Several Class I Solemnities and Holy days of obligation offered at St. Ann's and many other local parishes, including the annual Feast of St. Anne with His Excellency, Bishop Jugis again in choir; as well as, the first Orchestra Missa Cantata offered at Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury with the newly formed Carolina Catholic Chorale!

5.  And the "Big Story" of the Year... Charlotte gets a regular, weekly, Sunday Missa Cantata in the Extraordinary Form at St. Ann's at 12.30pm.  Thank you Fr. Reid, St. Ann's Altarboys, and St. Ann's Schola cantorum!!  This for me has been the biggest blessing and a font of graces that continually gives.


So what do we have to look forward in 2014?... I cannot wait!  But even without any specific "grapevine" items coming out of the Park Road curia of St. Ann's... just already scheduled Missae cantatae Sunday's alone this year would provide us with:

Feb. 2 - Purification of Blessed Virgin Mary (Candlemas &; Procession)
Apr. 13- Palm Sunday (Blessing of the Palms &; Procession)
Apr. 20- Solemnity of the Resurrection (Easter)
June 8 - Solemnity of Pentecost
June 15- Solemnity of Most Holy Trinity
June 29- Solemnity of Sts. Peter & Paul, Apostles
Sept. 14- Exultation of the Most Holy Cross
Oct. 26- Solemnity of Christ the King
Nov. 2 - Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
Nov. 9 - Dedication of Lateran Basilica

Those are just the Sunday Masses already scheduled!

If we anticipate other Missae cantatae  based on history (nowhere published yet), we could likely expect to see offered:

Mar. 19 -  Solemnity of St. Joseph (Wednesday)
Mar. 25 -  Solemnity of the Annunciation (Tuesday)
May 29 -  Solemnity of the Ascension (Thursday)
June 19 - Solemnity of Corpus Christi (Thursday).. opening of Forty Hours perhaps?
July 26 - Feast of St. Anne (Saturday)
Aug. 15- Feast of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary (Friday)
Dec. 8 - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Monday)
Dec. 20- Rorate Mass of Our Lady in Advent (Saturday)
Dec. 24- Vigil of the Nativity (Wednesday)

That's a total of 10 major Sunday feasts and 9 non-Sunday feasts, 19 in total!... who would have thought we would have come this far... I am so excited by all of this! 

And that is just want is already know or likely based on history, if we think about what another priest in the Diocese of Charlotte later this year (soon-to-be Fr. Carter) available to also offer Masses, I have to believe that just about every Holyday of Obligation will be covered somewhere in the Diocese... and, I am wondering about a potential Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form!?  Who knows what else this year may bring!

For those of you enjoying the fruits of this work, please get involved if you can to help this all continue to grow... how can you do that?  Help is needed in many areas... time, talent, and treasure!

1.  Attend the Masses and bring guests!
2.  Join the Charlotte Latin Mass Community (CLMC) mailing list
3.  Contribute financially ( if you are able) to support the music ministry, vestments, CLMC, etc.
4.  Join the schola/choir... the more willing to sing, the more Missae cantatae that can be supported for non-Sunday Holydays
5.  Offer the gift of your sons of service at the Altar... ages 11 and up
6.  Most importantly, pray for the continued support of the Mass in the Extraordinary form both at the local level and in Rome.