Archbishop Robert J. Carlson to Visit St. Francis de Sales Oratory on Laetare Sunday: Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Extraordinary Form in the Saint Louis Archdiocese

The 25-Year Anniversary Celebration of the Traditional Mass in the Archdiocese of St. Louis will take place on March 14, 2010, Laetare Sunday, at St. Francis de Sales Oratory in the presence of His Grace Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of Saint Louis, at 10 am.  The celebrant of this Solemn High Mass will be the Very Reverend Monsignor R. Michael Schmitz, Vicar General and U.S. Provincial Superior of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

Although Summorum Pontificum, the motu proprio of Pope Benedict XVI, made it clear that the Extraordinary Form had never in fact been abrogated, the public celebration of that Form was practically nonexistent from shortly after the promulgation of the new missal until 1984, when Pope John Paul II published the first, fairly limited “indult” for the Traditional Mass in the CDW document Quattuor Abhinc Annos.  Later, the indult was broadened in the more famous motu proprio Ecclesia Dei in 1988.

Here is one early entry from the St. Louis Review advertising this “indult” Mass at St. Agatha Parish in March 1985 (the first such Mass took place the prior month):

“A Tridentine Rite Mass will be celebrated at 10 am tomorrow, Saturday, March 2, at St. Agatha Church, 3239 S. Ninth Str. Authorization of the Mass under certain conditions was approved late last year by Pope John Paul II.


Archbishop John L. May has tentatively approved Tridentine Masses for the first Saturday of each month at St. Agatha. …

The Latin language Tridentine Rite is the form of the Mass used prior to Vatican Council II.”



As it so happens, the pastor of St. Agatha on this date was Monsignor Bernard Granich, who just died on January 19th, and whose obituary is here.  Please pray for his soul.

After two decades at St. Agatha, the Traditional Mass community was transferred to St. Francis de Sales Oratory in 2005, which is an Oratory of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.  Canon Karl Lenhardt, former Rector of the Oratory, was named Epsicopal Delegate for the Implementation of Summorum Pontificum for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis by Archbishop Raymond Burke in 2007.  Archbishop Carlson later appointed Canon Michael Wiener, the current Rector, to this same post, highlighting the continuity of the Archbishop’s committment to integrating the Extraordinary Form into the liturgical life of the Archdiocese.  From humble beginnings 25 years ago, the Latin Mass community perservered, grew and ultimately flourished, so that now the Extraordinary Form is regularly, publicly celebrated at many locations throughout the area.

The presence of Archbishop Carlson at this Mass is also a blessing for all those who love the Extraordinary Form in St. Louis, and is an especially generous gesture considering His Grace has already committed to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation in the traditional rite at the Oratory in May.

His Grace will also preach the sermon.

All are welcome to attend this celebration.  It is a great opportunity to give thanks for the blessings received, celebrate the unity of the Church as expressed in her liturgical forms, and to greet Archbishop Carlson at his first visit to the Oratory.

It is not merely–or even mostly– a remembrance of the past, but also a celebration of the good things Christ is doing right now in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis.

Laetare Jerusalem: et conventum facite omnes qui diligitis eam: gaudete cum laetitia, qui in tristitia fuistis: ut exsultetis, et satiemini ab uberibus consolationis vestrae. …

Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation. …

(From the Introit of Laetare Sunday)

Anniversary of the Regicide of Louis XVI

To commemorate this sad day– a day that has brought so much harm to Europe, and which ensured the end of Christendom, I take the following post and related links directly from the site Tea at Trianon:

Execution of Louis XVI

January 21, Saint Agnes day, is the dies natalis of the Roi-Martyr, when two hundred and fifteen (SLC Note: now 217) years ago, Louis XVI was taken from the Temple prison to be guillotined. The previous night he had said farewell to his family, and their reaction was so hysterical that he decided not to see them again in the morning, for fear of faltering in his own courage. His fifteen year old daughter fainted. He rode to his death in a coach accompanied by the Irish priest, Abbé Edgeworth de Firmont, who had been Madame Elisabeth’s confessor and who had refused the oath to the government. Together they recited the seven penitential psalms, as described in the novel Trianon.

Arriving at the scaffold, the executioner tried to bind Louis’ hands behind his back but he resisted, not wanting to be treated like a criminal who might try to run away. Abbé Edgeworth, fearing the king might be struck, convinced him to submit to the indignity by saying that it was one more way in which he resembled his Master. Louis raised his eyes to the sky as if seeing beyond this world and then with hands bound he ascended the scaffold unassisted. The drummers drowned out his last words to his people.

Some observers later reported that Abbé Edgeworth cried out,”Ascend to heaven, son of St Louis!” although the priest said he did not remember, being overwhelmed. Many ran forward with handkerchiefs to dip in the king’s blood, as the executioner raised the head aloft, making obscene gestures. Some of the handkerchiefs were later preserved as holy relics.

The king’s last words were:

“I die innocent of all the crimes imputed to me. I pardon the authors of my death, and pray God that the blood you are about to shed will never fall upon France.”


The forgiveness of Louis XVI.


His widow.


The Vow of Louis XVI.


Memoirs of Abbé Edgeworth


Attempt to Canonize Louis XVI.

And I’m Also Guessing the Baltimore Catechism Isn’t Being Used in Religion Class

Thanks to a reader for alerting me to this item from the Archdiocesan Catholic Education website. I don’t know if I can describe this train wreck better than the photo (above) and description from the site itself:

St. Ann-Normandy students surprised their pastor Father Bill Kempf with a special mass to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his ordination. The altar and ambo were decorated with beautiful silver cloths, and 6th and 7th grade students opened and closed the Mass with a joyous liturgical dance. Before the Mass ended, student council representatives presented Father Bill with a money tree filled with dollar bills from all the students.

It is a wonderful thing to show gratitude to one’s priest and pastor– good priests sacrifice their whole lives for the sake of their flock. And so I can pass on the slightly weird money-tree thing. But the fact that the school children put on a liturgical dance at Mass is appalling in and of itself, and for other reasons it tends to suggest:

1) Liturgical dance is not allowed, and the rubrics of Mass are being ignored. The Mass is not the private property of any liturgical planner, teacher, or even any well-meaning child. This is a reason to doubt whether other rubrics are flouted at this parish.

2) The quality of religious education at this school is called into question. Clearly, the students are not being given a proper instruction in the Sacrifice of the Mass. I wonder about the level of catechesis. According to its website, the tuition and fees for one child amount to more than $3,500 per year. I would want a Catholic school to teach Catholicism in any event, but I definitely wouldn’t pay money for it to teach a different faith.

3) This isn’t a story that required investigative reporting to crack. The school and the Archdiocesan Education Office published it willingly, indicating they see no problem with allowing, teaching and encouraging liturgical dance to school children.

Historically, Catholic parents scrimped and saved to send their children to Catholic schools to ensure a Catholic formation for their children. There are many reasons for the decline in Catholic school enrollment, but the lack of a solid Catholic formation is one of them. I was very disappointed with this story.

And I’m Also Guessing the Baltimore Catechism Isn’t Being Used in Religion Class

Thanks to a reader for alerting me to this item from the Archdiocesan Catholic Education website. I don’t know if I can describe this train wreck better than the photo (above) and description from the site itself:

St. Ann-Normandy students surprised their pastor Father Bill Kempf with a special mass to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his ordination. The altar and ambo were decorated with beautiful silver cloths, and 6th and 7th grade students opened and closed the Mass with a joyous liturgical dance. Before the Mass ended, student council representatives presented Father Bill with a money tree filled with dollar bills from all the students.

It is a wonderful thing to show gratitude to one’s priest and pastor– good priests sacrifice their whole lives for the sake of their flock. And so I can pass on the slightly weird money-tree thing. But the fact that the school children put on a liturgical dance at Mass is appalling in and of itself, and for other reasons it tends to suggest:

1) Liturgical dance is not allowed, and the rubrics of Mass are being ignored. The Mass is not the private property of any liturgical planner, teacher, or even any well-meaning child. This is a reason to doubt whether other rubrics are flouted at this parish.

2) The quality of religious education at this school is called into question. Clearly, the students are not being given a proper instruction in the Sacrifice of the Mass. I wonder about the level of catechesis. According to its website, the tuition and fees for one child amount to more than $3,500 per year. I would want a Catholic school to teach Catholicism in any event, but I definitely wouldn’t pay money for it to teach a different faith.

3) This isn’t a story that required investigative reporting to crack. The school and the Archdiocesan Education Office published it willingly, indicating they see no problem with allowing, teaching and encouraging liturgical dance to school children.

Historically, Catholic parents scrimped and saved to send their children to Catholic schools to ensure a Catholic formation for their children. There are many reasons for the decline in Catholic school enrollment, but the lack of a solid Catholic formation is one of them. I was very disappointed with this story.