latin mass

Alexandria Church Prepares for First Latin Mass

By ANGELA E. POMETTO
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 4/27/06)

Preparations are underway for the first 1962 Latin Mass (also called the Tridentine Mass) to be celebrated in the diocese. The pamphlets have been ordered, the ladies are shaking out their veils and the priests are brushing up on their Latin.
In late March, Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde announced that St. Lawrence Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish in Front Royal would be allowed to offer a weekly Tridentine Mass.
Father Christopher Mould, pastor of St. Lawrence Parish, plans to have a practice session before the first Mass this Sunday at 12:30 p.m. He has been studying and practicing the old Mass as he prepares.
“I’ve been reviewing my Latin and studying and practicing the rubrics,” he said. There are many different rituals involved in the Tridentine Mass.
“It’s a little more complicated,” Father Mould said.
At the end of Mass, for example, “The Last Gospel” is recited. This refers to the prologue of John’s Gospel (Jn 1:1-14), which begins with, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
While traditionally, women always wore veils to this Mass, it will not be required now.
It has not been decided who will celebrate the first Mass. At St. Lawrence, both Father Mould and Father James Mercer, in residence, will be trained. Father Paul deLadurantaye, director of the Office of Sacred Liturgy, and Father Terry Specht are also able to celebrate the Tridentine Mass and will be used as backups.
According to Father deLadurantaye, there will be more chances for priests to train for the Tridentine Mass throughout the summer in preparation for the Masses beginning at St. John the Baptist Church on Aug. 6.
Not only do priests have to take a refresher course, but altar servers will need to be trained as well. The altar server has an important role in the Tridentine Mass since he is the one who speaks the responses that are normally recited by the congregation in the Novus Ordo Mass.
Since the Tridentine Mass must follow the rubrics laid down in 1962, only men may serve this Mass, said Father deLadurantaye.
According to Father Mould, he is still looking for young men and adults to volunteer as altar servers. The servers will not have to memorize their responses. They will be given a card that lists the Latin responses.
The congregation will also be able to follow along. Father Mould ordered several hundred booklets for the pews that include the order of the Mass in Latin and English.
Faithful who plan to attend the 1962 Latin Mass regularly may want to invest in The 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal. This large book contains the Latin and English translations for all Masses throughout the year. It will be available soon at local Catholic stores like the Paschal Lamb in Fairfax, the Catholic Shop in Chantilly and the Daughters of St. Paul in Alexandria.
“We’re looking forward to doing something new and different,” said Father Mould.