“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.

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)
There will also be a Tridentine mass celebrated on Feb. 6th at 1 p.m. at St. Agathas, once again, in honor of the same anniversary. We happy few who were there at the beginning will always remember the "warm embrace" extended us by Bishop May at the time.
There is a great multimedia presentation on the St. Louis Review website: Prayers for Life: Respect Life Mass and procession about the St. Louis effort to end abortion. You can pray along with Archbishop Carlson as you watch.It would be so great if you could let you readers know about it!
"Tridentine": I am happy that the Institute taught me that the title “Tridentine Mass” is at least inaccurate: We love the Mass of all ages, the Mass that was celebrated before and after the Council of Trent, the Mass in the classical Roman Rite, now the “Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite”. The Institute allows us to see at St. francis de Sales Oratory that the Extraordinary Form is beyond any narrow and only partial historic perspective; contrary, it allows us to see the heaven open with a glance of eternal beauty. Tridentine sounds like a political battle slogan, the Mass celebrated according to the rubrics of the classical Roman Rite is providing us with the peace of heaven and eternity.
And as long as reminiscent thanks are being offered, we also remember and thank Fr. Rodis who for many years offered the ancient Mass at St. Agatha's. Our first entry into the ancient Liturgy was celebrated by him before the CRNJ and SFdS. We are truly blessed in this city to have such a vibrant Traditional community, thanks in large part to our sympathetic Archbishops throughout the years and our goodly priests.