Fact: Missa Solemnis for Palm Sunday & Missa Cantata for Easter

Gentle Readers,

More great news from St. Ann's in Charlotte.  Today Fr. Reid announced that next week's 12.30pm Palm Sunday Mass will be a Missa Solemnis, with 3 clerics chanting the Passion Gospel.

In addition, he said that Easter will be a Missa Cantata.  How lucky we are here in Charlotte!

One piece of disappointing news was that today Mass was not as well attended as the past two weeks.  Hopefully this is not a trend, but an anomaly, and that the attendance will return to its prior numbers, or more, during Easter and beyond.

Please continuing to pray for all those who make all this Missae possible... most especially Fr. Reid, the Altar Servers, and the Musicians.

Fact: Missa Cantata for Feast of St Joseph

Dear Readers, while I was disappointed not to see it listed in the calendar of March issue of the Catholic New Herald, it is listed at the St Ann's Schola Cantorum site that the next full Missa Cantata at St. Ann's will be:

Tuesday, March 19 at 7pm for the Feast of St. Joseph.

Sancte Joseph, Ora pro nobis 

Fact: Habemus Papam

Gentle Readers,

I have been lamenting the abdication of Benedict XVI, but now we have a new Holy Father, and we must put our trust in the Holy Spirit's counsel in guiding Holy Mother Church.

Viva il Papa!  Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Francesco.

Fact: Support for MEF continues to grow at St Ann

Gentle Readers,

After last Sunday's wonderful turnout and show of support, this Sunday's numbers grew to over 240 souls!  In addition, those in the congregation to assist at the Mass were treated to a surprise Missa Cantata.

I believe that the large attendance last week helped to show the true viability of the Mass and the desire by all involved to make it as special as possible.  And while it was a Missa Cantata with just two servers, word leaking out from inside the Park Road Curia that additional servers are being prepared.

Word from the inside also seems to portend two full Missae Cantatae... One on Tuesday, March19th for the Feast of St Joseph and for the Feast of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Let us pray that these inside grapevine items become facts!

Fact: Overwhelming support at first weekly Sunday Mass at St. Ann

Dear Readers... The first weekly, Sunday Mass in the Extraordinary form held at St. Ann's on Park Rd was an overwhelming success as more than 216 souls assist Fr. Reid in offering the Mass.

It was a very nice turnout, and this level of support, if it can be maintained, portends great things in the future.  It is important to add, that this support needs to be carried over into the broader work and support of the parish, else it become a liturgical island unto itself with no deeper ties to he community service and charitable services of the parish.

The Mass offered was a Low Mass, but Father said he hoped to evenly work up to a Missa Cantata.  Here is a link to an article about the Mass that has been initiated.

Please continue to support this Mass with you time, talent, treasure, and prayers... And may we over up also a prayer of thanksgiving for Benedict XVI who made it all possible.

Fact: His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI to abdicate on Feb. 28

Gentle Readers,

What a rollercoaster of emotion…yesterday’s joy at the announcement of a weekly Sunday Mass in the Extraordinary form so long prayed for in the city of Charlotte, NC… only to be dampened with the tears of the announcement of the abdication of the author of that which made yesterday’s announcement possible.  But I suppose even in this, Providence is at work, as the approval was received from Rome prior to the Roman Curia grinding to a halt during the interregnum…. After which, one will have to see which way the Holy Spirit will lead the Church.

Eight years on the Throne of Peter was probably longer than some expected or wanted His Holiness to reign; but for many of us, his reigning long-than-expected has been so good on so many fronts, and we must now pray that his reforms and examples can be followed.  I would not be totally truthful with you, dear Readers, if I told you that I do not think that perhaps a younger, more vigorous Pope in the ‘Benedictine mold’ might be just what is needed for the temporal and spiritual battles to come…  the Church needs a strong and forceful Vicar at the helm of Peter’s  Bark… and I pray that he will continue to link the reform of the liturgy with the return of our Catholic Identity.

Yesterday’s ending prayer remains appropriate for two more weeks….  Let us continue for pray for Benedict our Pope... Oremus pro Pontifice nostro... 

Fact: Charlotte, NC to get weekly Sunday Mass in the Extradinary form!

Gentle Readers....

Laudetur Jesus Christus!!  The prayers that we have been praying since July 7, 2007 have been answered... Roma locuta est... causa finita est.  (Rome has spoken and the cause has been finished!)

Father Reid of St. Ann Catholic Church on Park Rd in Charlotte today announced from the sanctuary after all Sunday Masses that His Excellency, Bishop Jugis, had received word from Rome to do what he could to support the group of faithful that had petitioned via the process of Summorum Pontificum to which His Excellency turned to Fr. Reid and the parish of St. Ann.

How appropriate that St. Ann's and Fr. Reid who have been so generous and so supportive of the Mass in the Extraordinary form should be asked to fulfill this mission.  It was announced today that the Sunday Mass in the Extraordianry form will be offered beginning March 3 at 12.30pm.  (just one month from the beautiful Missa Cantata of Sexagesima).

So, while one set of prayers have been answered, there are a number of new prayers that need to be offered up.  This will not be easy for Fr. Reid and the parish.  For such a small parish to support both forms of the Latin rite means dual calendars, dual sermons, dually trained servers,  and a stretching of the small, but wonders, music ministry of St. Ann's.

We must continue to pray for Fr. Reid to have the strength to support both forms, and we must all do more than pray... we must support this Mass with our attendance,  alms, and talent and treasure. One of the most important of these if there is ever to be anything more than a Low Mass, is to volunteer for a 12.30pm schola.  It is unlike that the St. Ann's Choir will be able to do much more than the high feasts that do not coincide with the Novus ordo feast such as Christ the King.

This is truely a great day to offer up our thanksgiving to the Most Holy Trinity for this font of graces that will so be available to us... and as importantly, we must give thanksgiving for His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI ... Long may he reign!


Orémus pro Pontífice nostro Benedetto...  Dóminus consérvet eum, et vivíficet eum, et beátum fáciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in ánimam inimicórum ejus.