Fact: Beautiful Missa Solemnis for Palm Sunday at St. Ann's

Gentle Readers,

If you were not one of the more than 300 souls at today's Palm Sunday Missa Solemnis today at St. Ann's in Charlotte, then you missed out on a truly wonderful experience.  In what I expect was the first Solemn High Mass for Palm Sunday in more than 40 years in the Diocese of Charlotte, those assisting at the Mass today certainly had to be filled with many graces.

From the blessing and distribution of the Palms to the grand Procession and the chanting of the Passion of St. Matthew... the full beauty of the ancient rite was in full view for all of those present.  Some of the oldest chants from the Treasury of Holy Mother Church are to be found in the Holy Week rites, and the congregation at Mass today was not disappointed.

We are truly blessed in this area to have three priests like Fathers Reid, Barone, and Kauth who allow all of this to be possible, along with the Servers and the Schola.

Hosanna.. filio David!

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.