According to Fr. John Zuhlsdorf over at WDTPRS, "There will be a high Christmas midnight mass (missa cantata) at Immaculate Conception Church, 59 Walnut St., Fitchburg, Massachusetts. A musical prelude will begin at 11:30, with the mass beginning at 12 midnight. It will be celebrated by Fr. Mark Withoos."
Let's hope that this positive development will mark the beginning of renewal for the Catholic Church in and around Fitchburg. And let's remember the words of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, our beloved Pope Benedict XVI, in his book "Salt of the Earth": "I am of the opinion, to be sure, that the old rite should be granted much more generously to all those who desire it. It's impossible to see what could be dangerous or unacceptable about that. A community is calling its very being into question when it suddenly declares that what until now was its holiest and highest possession is strictly forbidden and when it makes the longing for it seem downright indecent."
Relevant passage from Vatican II:
"Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites." (Sacrosanctum Concilium, No. 36, see also No. 54).
And from Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei:
"Respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition...for the use of the Roman Missal according to the 1962 edition."
Let's hope that this positive development will mark the beginning of renewal for the Catholic Church in and around Fitchburg. And let's remember the words of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, our beloved Pope Benedict XVI, in his book "Salt of the Earth": "I am of the opinion, to be sure, that the old rite should be granted much more generously to all those who desire it. It's impossible to see what could be dangerous or unacceptable about that. A community is calling its very being into question when it suddenly declares that what until now was its holiest and highest possession is strictly forbidden and when it makes the longing for it seem downright indecent."
Relevant passage from Vatican II:
"Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites." (Sacrosanctum Concilium, No. 36, see also No. 54).
And from Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei:
"Respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition...for the use of the Roman Missal according to the 1962 edition."
7 comments:
I am so there. This is AWESOME!!!
We've had so much bad news in Fitchburg. One priest stole some 250,000 from his parish. Another was promoting same-sex "marriage." Still others abused children. This is a gift from God. To date, I have been disappointed with the Diocese of Worcester for not showing respect for those of us who have a love of the Latin Mass. If one cannot make it to Still River for Mass at St. Benedict's Abbey or the Mass according to the 1962 Missal at St. Ann House, one has absolutely zero options. This has to change.
I cried when I read this good news. Fitchburg, for those of you who don't know it, has been home to a La Salette Parish for more than a century (in the Cleghorn section). How fitting that local Catholics should learn of this Mass from Paul the "Cleghornboy."
The pastor of Immaculate Conception is just terrific. When Fr. Lewandowski was promoting same-sex marriage at St. Camillus de Lellis parish, Fr. Nguyen was offering an hour of reparation. I hope the Latin Mass finds a permanent home there.
It's about time. Look, the Latim Mass Movement is a youth movement. Just go to Mass at mmaculate Heart of Mary in Still River. What you will find is so many young people with families. Whenever (and wherever) I attend a Latin Mass, I am struck by the number of young people - married and single - who are in attendance. Contrast that with Mass attendance at most parishes where the young people just aren't showing up.
Could it be that the Latin Mass will bring back the youth? What do you think? Numbers don't lie. Contact Una Voce or the Coalition in Support of Ecclesia Dei for more information.
Anonymous, Father Lewandowski was a total embarassment. And a total disgrace. His shameful legacy has done so much damage. Father Ouelette did a lot of damage as well. Hopefully the Worcester Diocese will begin to change for the better. I'm still disappointed with Margaret Russell at the CFP and with Holy Cross for becoming a truly pagan institution. What else do you call a college that promotes homosexuality? The Worcester Diocese has been decimated, rocked by sex abuse allegations - most of which were proven - and crippled by institutionalized apathy, gross negligence, bureaucratic red tape and, at times, sheer stupidity. The People of God deserve better. More importantly, Our Lord Jesus deserves better. The Diocese has failed on both counts.
This article, published by the Sentinel & Enterprise, really says it all. We need renewal. And we need it now.
FITCHBURG (MA)
Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise
By Matt O'Brien
FITCHBURG -- Former Immaculate Conception pastor Donald Ouellette kept contact with state prison inmate William LaMontagne, a convicted child rapist who now says Ouellette gave him a portion of the $250,000 reported stolen from Ouellette's Fitchburg parish.
"I know (Ouellette) had correspondence with LaMontagne, but I don't know how much it was," said James Pingeon, an attorney for Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services who has interviewed LaMontagne in prison. "He was a supporter of LaMontagne in some fashion, I think."
LaMontagne, a 43-year-old former Lunenburg resident in prison since 1989 for raping a 3-year-old girl in Uxbridge, told state police investigators he received some of the misappropriated church funds while he was incarcerated at MCI Concord, according to court documents.
Assistant District Attorney Richard Greco, who is prosecuting Ouellette's 18 counts of larceny, last week filed a motion in Worcester Superior Court requesting the prison financial records of any money deposited to LaMontagne since his incarceration.
Ouellette was scheduled to appear for a hearing this morning.
LaMontagne, recently transferred from a protective custody unit in the Concord prison to a sexual offender treatment center in Bridgewater, is scheduled to be released from custody on Nov. 30, according to Pingeon.
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