Latin Mass at my Church in TX!

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I am a convert (11 years ago.) I have been to the Latin Mass at the cathedral in Austin a few times, but it’s a pretty good drive from where I live in Brenham, TX, and I have been waiting (and praying) for our priest to say that we would have it at our own parish. St. Mary’s is an incredibly beautiful place, and we love our priest. Bishop Aymond has selected St. Mary’s to host the Latin Mass for the Brazos Valley Deanery. I am so excited!!🙂 This will begin the first Sunday in Advent at 9:15 a.m. As long as participation is good, we will continue to have it–in other words, this will be on a trial basis only. I am hoping there are enough Catholics in this area, who are dying to experience the beauty and majesty (and holiness!) of the Latin Mass; and that Brenham will be a reasonable distance from where you live so that you may attend regularly. Please come…

By the way, our diocese has MORE seminarians this year than priests retiring…(37 or 47, I think.) We are so blessed!

I hope I have posted in the correct forum. If not I apologize, and please pray for us, all of you who are Latin Mass devotees.
 
Wow! Latin mass AND the Blue Bell Creamery! I may have to think about relocating to Brenham! LOL
 
I and my husband are so there.

Thank you! I hadn’t heard about this yet!

And Bishop Aymond rocks 😃
 
That’s great!

I used to live in Brenham for several years. I will always have a special place in my heart for St. Mary’s. I’ve been a server there and in the choir. I love the architecture and the amazing Our Lady of Grace statue.

So glad to hear St. Mary’s is getting a Latin Mass. We’ve been fortunate enough to attend since February here in San Antonio. It’s very nice to have it weekly and local as you will soon appreciate!

We’ll be praying for the promulgation of the Latin Mass in Brenham.
 
udoc89 said:
I am a convert (11 years ago.) I have been to the Latin Mass at the cathedral in Austin a few times, but it’s a pretty good drive from where I live in Brenham, TX, and I have been waiting (and praying) for our priest to say that we would have it at our own parish. St. Mary’s is an incredibly beautiful place, and we love our priest. Bishop Aymond has selected St. Mary’s to host the Latin Mass for the Brazos Valley Deanery. I am so excited!!🙂 This will begin the first Sunday in Advent at 9:15 a.m. As long as participation is good, we will continue to have it–in other words, this will be on a trial basis only. I am hoping there are enough Catholics in this area, who are dying to experience the beauty and majesty (and holiness!) of the Latin Mass; and that Brenham will be a reasonable distance from where you live so that you may attend regularly. Please come…

By the way, our diocese has MORE seminarians this year than priests retiring…(37 or 47, I think.) We are so blessed!

I hope I have posted in the correct forum. If not I apologize, and please pray for us, all of you who are Latin Mass devotees.
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I ❤️ Bishop Aymond! He rocks! (From a former Austinite & cathedral parihoner.)
 
Even though I grew up with the Latin Mass, I do not miss it. I’d really like to know why some people find it more spiritually satisfying to pray in a language they do not understand than in a language they do understand.

Thanks.
 
Charlemagne_II said:
Even though I grew up with the Latin Mass, I do not miss it. I’d really like to know why some people find it more spiritually satisfying to pray in a language they do not understand than in a language they do understand.

Thanks.
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I’ve been going to Latin Mass since February, and I know quite a bit of the Latin that is used in the Mass. One does not have to be fluent in Latin. It is also universal, well, should be universal.

I suggest skimming through this ‘primer’ of why Novus Ordo attendees make the switch to the Tridentine Mass. I understand that it might not reflect your views, but only to answer your question as to why people do make the switch.
 
JD

*I suggest skimming through this ‘primer’ of why Novus Ordo attendees make the switch to the Tridentine Mass. *

I read this website and found nothing in it to answer my question about why a Mass celebrated in a language we do not understand … Latin … is more spiritually nurturing than a Mass in the language we do understand … our own. The nearest approach to an answer was the following:

a desire to preserve and restore all of the ancient liturgical rites, and to do so not because these are “preferred,” but because they are objectively superior to the new rites and should once again become normative

As a matter of fact, the truly ancient rite of the Eucharist was in the language of the people. Certainly Christ never instituted the Eucharist in Latin, but in the language he and his disciples spoke. Even when the language of the Eucharistic celebration was changed to Latin, it was because Latin was then the language of the people and the empire before the romance languages evolved into being.

So I am still left with no answer to my question. And it begins to look as though no Latinist will ever try to offer one … or at least offer one that makes the least bit of sense.

Still waiting: how is celebrating a Mass in a language we do not understand “objectively superior” to celebrating the Mass in a language we *do *understand?
 
At the risk of taking this thread off topic…

You may be looking in the wrong place for your answer.

A “Latinist” as you call it, will already have an appreciation for the Latin language and things more historical. It is an easy move from being a Latinist to being a Latin Mass lover.

I don’t know if you are Catholic, but we use prayers that are not in our own language all the time. Alleluia is the most common (prayed every day at Mass except during Lent and Advent), but also Kyrie Eleison and Ave Maria are often heard and prayed in Greek and Latin respectively.

Although some people would take the position that a Mass in Latin is “objectively superior” (your words) most of us just love the smells, bells, history and solomness that goes along with the Latin Mass. It is nice to know that we are joining, not just our hearts but our very words with the same Mass being said around the world.

If it doesn’t uplift you spiritually, don’t go. But don’t cast dispersions on those of us who are more spiritually fulfilled (or at least equally so) by Mass in Latin as in Spanish, German, Polish, English, Vietnamese, Korean, etc.
 
if it doesn’t uplift you spiritually, don’t go. But don’t cast dispersions on those of us who are more spiritually fulfilled (or at least equally so) by Mass in Latin as in Spanish, German, Polish, English, Vietnamese, Korean, etc.

Please cite the so-called aspersions.

I asked a simple question. You also have refused to answer it. I begin to despair of ever finding anyone who likes the Latin Mass being able to explain to me why the Mass in a language that is not understood is more spiritually nourishing than a Mass that is understood, just as Jesus certainly did not institute the Mass in a language unknown to the apostles.

Where are the aspersions in these remarks?
 
I don’t know if you are Catholic, but we use prayers that are not in our own language all the time. Alleluia is the most common (prayed every day at Mass except during Lent and Advent), but also Kyrie Eleison and Ave Maria are often heard and prayed in Greek and Latin respectively.

But generally among the laity they are not understood unless the English translation is handy.
 
Corki

*Although some people would take the position that a Mass in Latin is “objectively superior” (your words) … *

No, these are not my words. I was clearly citing the words of the article cited by someone else in a previous post … where it is claimed that Latin is “objectively superior” … an aspersion against the vernacular!

And just to set the record straight, I have no objection to the Latin Mass for those who need it. It is simply that I fail to understand why they need it when it is clear that most of them do not understand it.
 
Charlemagne_II said:
Corki

*Although some people would take the position that a Mass in Latin is “objectively superior” (your words) … *

No, these are not my words. I was clearly citing the words of the article cited by someone else in a previous post … where it is claimed that Latin is “objectively superior” … an aspersion against the vernacular!

And just to set the record straight, I have no objection to the Latin Mass for those who need it. It is simply that I fail to understand why they need it when it is clear that most of them do not understand it.
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It’s not about “needing”, it is about “wanting” or “preferring”. Why do some people prefer steak while others prefer hamburgar? :confused:

You have fallen for a fallacy that was tossed around for a number of years that the Latin Mass was for us old folk who couldn’t “deal” with the change to the NO Mass. Fortunately, the current Holy Father put that fallacy to rest. 👍

BTW, the Holy Father seems to prefer Mass in Latin, at least sometimes. I am sure it is not due to a “need” but rather a desire.

Second fallacy is that those who attend Latin Mass do not understand it. I have never known anyone (over the age of reason) who has attended either the Latin version of the “NO” Mass or what was previously called the “indult” Mass that did not understand the Mass. Whether a person can translate a Latin prayer word-for-word into English has no bearing at all on his/her understanding of the prayer of of its place in the Sacrifice of the Mass. So, as they say here in TX, that dog won’t hunt. 😉
 
Dear Charlemagne II:

Since I am the original poster, I will try to answer your question. It is up to you whether or not my answer satisfies your desire to be edified. Perhaps it is my imagination, and if so, please forgive me, but I am not convinced that you actually want an answer–but prefer instead to “afflict the comfortable,” if you indeed view those who love the Latin Mass as “comfortable” or complacent. I read your profile…🙂

Let me start off by saying that I am a convert, as I stated in my original post. I was a high-church Anglican, which has a beautiful liturgical tradition–if not in substance, then at least in form. What bothered me about the Anglican Church, however, was that it was essentially a national church. I won’t argue with you about that which you are, doubtless, already aware. The Catholic Church is universal. I lovingly submit to Her authority. I came into the Church in 1997 and have, without reservation, loved every second of the time I have spent in worship there. It is balm to my soul to be a Catholic. I receive the body and blood of Christ at every mass–whether or not it is a Latin mass (which I have attended only once in Austin,) or the so-called “new mass”, which I have attended faithfully for eleven years. Fortunately, I have been blessed with orthodox priests and have never witnessed anything as patently silly as liturgical dance or God referred to as “my mother.” Now, Pope Benedict is generously instructing the bishops to make the Latin mass more available to those of us who feeled called to worship in that manner, and my bishop is heeding the call.

This is a salutary development in my estimation, and I don’t feel inclined to second guess the Pope after spending 43 years as a Protestant. Please allow me to be excited. Yes, I am truly excited about the mass in Latin-- a language in which I am not fluent. I have a missal which translates for me. I don’t care if the priest is facing away from me–he is facing east for a reason, and I have already figured that out.

Ultimately, I am drawn to the Latin mass for the very reasons you apparently are not. I prefer, as Dietrich von Hildebrand puts it, to “better meet Christ by soaring up to Him,” not by “dragging Him down to our workaday world.” Further, to me the Latin mass engenders a sense of the sacred in a way that is not always apparent with the Novus Ordo mass. I want to experience that mystic, reverential, sense on a weekly basis, now that it will be open to me. I don’t want to hold hands with the person next to me or sing popular Christian music, but I am not finding fault with those Catholics who prefer contemporary worship. I am expressing my personal beliefs and preferences.

I am being very careful. I love the Catholic Church. If the Pope had not made the Latin mass available, I would still never wish to be anything but a Catholic.The body and blood of Christ are still the body and blood of Christ–whether I attend a Latin Mass or a Novus Ordo. However, if there are those among us who are drawn to the Latin Mass, why do you question that longing?

My original post was nothing more than an invitation to share excitement over my bishop’s kind provision.
 
Well, only being a convert, i don’t know that my answer qualifies for much, but here goes: Charlemagne ii states: "Even though I grew up with the Latin Mass, I do not miss it. I’d really like to know why some people find it more spiritually satisfying to pray in a language they do not understand than in a language they do understand.

Thanks." Well, to me God, oooooooooops excuse me, the Church has been praying this thing called the Mass for hundreds and hundreds of years in a language I don’t yet know nor understand much of…however, I have learned much about Him from the stuff I find in English and some things I’d rather not know anything about, as in the Yahweh songs we get to sing somedays at Mass. No, I didn’t go to Mass to learn hebrew or heresy. There was a few wonderful moments way back when my conversion reeeeeeallly got kickin’ There I was listening to some Chant of the Gregorian nature. An assignment from a humanities teacher! But getting much from it even though I had no idea what they were saying, they were using God’s words and there was my poor starving heart opening wider and wider till…and with my little Bible in my lap things began to make awesome sense. The catechism was cool, so were bunches of the writings of the Saints. ooooooooooo that’s Tradition with a captial T! God spoke to me! Some days He used Chants recorded on tapes and CDs to do so. LATIN Chants. Gregorian. Why is so much of that tossed asside like old used dish rags? I have no idea. I think it is supposed to teach us something or other.

Peace,

Gail
 
Corki,

So, as they say here in TX, that dog won’t hunt.

In any case, I’m still hunting for a reason why the Mass in a language you don’t understand is a better Mass than the one in the language you do understand.

I’m still hunting for a reason why Jesus most likely instituted the Mass in Aramaic, rather than Latin, the language of the pagans.👍
 
udoc

However, if there are those among us who are drawn to the Latin Mass, why do you question that longing?

I’m questioning it because I don’t understand it. Isn’t that how you usually begin to understand, by asking questions and getting answers?

Yes, I am truly excited about the mass in Latin-- a language in which I am not fluent. I have a missal which translates for me.

Exactly. So you are getting the Mass in English after all?
 
Gail

The catechism was cool, so were bunches of the writings of the Saints. ooooooooooo that’s Tradition with a captial T! God spoke to me! Some days He used Chants recorded on tapes and CDs to do so. LATIN Chants. Gregorian. Why is so much of that tossed asside like old used dish rags? I have no idea. I think it is supposed to teach us something or other.

Ah, so mystical and inspirational? Then why not insist on reading the Bible and the Catechism in Latin?

Good luck there!

And I notice that no one here is answering my remark that Jesus instituted the Mass in the language of the apostles, not in a language that none of them understood. And it’s hardly likely that he turned his back to them while he was breaking and blessing the bread and the wine. 😉
 
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