I Miss the Traditional Latin Mass
SHOW NOTES
In my last episode, while I was discussing the Catechism of the Council of Trent and pre-Vatican II resources, I felt a deep wave of nostalgia wash over me. It made me realize something simple but profound: I really miss the Latin mass.
Do I consider myself a “Trad”? I want to be upfront: I don’t consider myself a “Trad” in the strictest definition of the word. To me, taking on that title means making a conscious, prayerful decision to go all-in on the Latin Mass and exclusively attend those liturgies for the benefit of your family. While I certainly own a 1962 missal, the Father Lasance missal, the Racolta and numerous pre-Vatican II books, I never made the choice to eliminate my attendance the Novus Ordo Missa.
My journey back to the Church actually happened at a Novus Ordo parish, St. Matthew’s, where I went through the grieving process with God and the sacraments after my mom passed away in 2016. Today, St. Matthew’s is our local parish home where we have our friends and men’s groups, and we love it there.
My deep love for the Latin Mass really blossomed when COVID hit. Like many of you, we looked for places that were open, which led my wife and I to St. Ann’s here in Charlotte. We had a beautiful season there—we had our marriage convalidated, and my wife finished her confirmation.
What I loved most about St. Ann’s was the incredible unity. I would do videography for the Latin mass, but my wife and I would also attend the Novus Ordo Saturday vigil. Nobody stood outside the Novus Ordo handing out flyers telling people to go to the high mass instead. There was no animosity, no warring, and no beef between the different liturgies. We were truly just one big, happy parish.
The pain of separation and the loss of that unity is exactly why it has been so heartbreaking to witness the impact of Traditionis Custodes. It is genuinely painful to see families I know relegated to outside chapels, like the Chapel of the Little Flower, or forced to drive up to two hours one way just to worship in a way that feeds their souls. I have so much respect for those families who are in the fight and making those sacrifices.
I decided to wade into this volatile topic because I want to gently remind our bishops and Rome that there is another population in the Church that often goes overlooked. There are many of us who are simply faithful Catholics—we love the Magisterium, we respect the Pope, and we happily attend daily Novus Ordo masses. But we also have a deep love for the traditions, the books, and the Saints that came before Vatican II, and we wish the Latin mass was still easily accessible to us.
If the Latin mass returned to St. Ann’s tomorrow, I wouldn’t leave St. Matthew’s, but I would absolutely add the Latin mass back into my weekly repertoire. I just miss it, and I know so many others do, too.
No matter where you fall on this issue or what liturgy you prefer, let’s always remember the most important thing: we are one holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.
God bless you, and I’ll talk to you on the next one.
+JMJ+
Rich