Saturday, January 05, 2013

Extraordinary Community News: 2012 Year in Review


"I will go in unto the Altar of God
To God, Who giveth joy to my youth"

Tridentine Community News (December 29, 2012):
2012 Year in Review

At the end of each year, it is worth looking back to review the noteworthy developments on the local Extraordinary Form front of the previous twelve months.

Juventútem: 2012’s top development was the explosive success of Juventútem Michigan, the local chapter of the international organization of young adults interested in the Tridentine Mass. Starting from scratch with only an idea and the successful model of the London, England Juventútem chapter, Paul Schultz, Andrew Fanco, _____________, and James Hitchcock have given their British counterparts some serious competition in just a few months. Masses, special events, pilgrimages, and social events abound. Blanketing the media with a web site, Facebook presence, Facebook event pages, e-mail list, and Catholic radio and newspaper interviews, Juventútem is inescapable. It should be little surprise that over 200 young adults have joined, and that every event so far has been a success.

Bus Tours: Similar to Juventútem, Mike Semaan’s growing Prayer Pilgrimages bus tour operation has brought the Tridentine Mass to a number of historic churches, two for the first time.

Special Masses in Historic Churches: Just a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable to have imagined the Extraordinary Form making special appearances in any of the below churches. In 2012, members of our extended readership were able to bring the Traditional Liturgy to these eleven sites for the first time in over 40 years. Masses organized by Juventútem and Prayer Pilgrimages are so designated.
  1. St. Joseph Shrine, Brooklyn, Michigan (J)
  2. St. Mary Star of the Sea, Jackson [pictured]


  3. National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, Carey, Ohio (PP)
  4. Holy Family, Detroit (J)
  5. St. Francis Xavier, Tilbury, Ontario
  6. St. Peter, East Tilbury, Ontario
  7. Holy Redeemer, Detroit
  8. St. Matthew, Flint (J)
  9. St. Alphonsus, Windsor
  10. Resurrection Parish, Lansing (J)
  11. Mundelein Seminary Resident Chapel, Chicago (PP)
Special Events: Highlights included Msgr. Arthur Calkins’ visit to Assumption Church in July – the first (retired) Vatican official to celebrate the Tridentine Mass in our region in modern times; and Confirmations at Assumption in October, at which Bishop Eugene LaRocque administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 43 candidates according to the Extraordinary Form.

Please pray that 2013 will continue to bring advancement to the Metro Detroit and Windsor Tridentine Mass Communities, and that our efforts will expose an increasing number of people to the beauty of the Church’s Traditional Latin Liturgy.

Holy Year Plenary Indulgences

On September 14, 2012, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI released Urbis et Orbis, a document outlining the Plenary Indulgences available to the faithful for the Year of Faith. Among the several Indulgences offered is the following:
Every time [emphasis ours] they go as pilgrims to a Papal Basilica, a Christian catacomb, a cathedral church, a sacred place designated by the local Ordinary for the Year of Faith...and take part there in some sacred function or at least pause in recollection for a suitable length of time with devout meditation, concluding with the recitation of the Our Father, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary or, depending on the case, to the Holy Apostles or Patrons.”
Of particular interest to our readers, in the Diocese of London, Bishop Fabbro has designated our very own Assumption Church in Windsor as one of the sites to obtain the Indulgence.

Full details on the options to earn Plenary Indulgences for the Year of Faith are available on the web sites of the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Diocese of London.

Epiphany Water Blessing

In accordance with tradition, Epiphany Water and Chalk will be blessed according to the Extraordinary Form at Assumption Church at 1:30 PM next Sunday, January 6. Please bring a small, clean bottle if you would like to take some home with you.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week
  • Mon. 12/31: No Mass at St. Josaphat
  • Tue. 01/01 2:00 PM: High Mass at Assumption-Windsor (Octave Day of the Nativity)
  • Tue. 01/01 2:00 PM: High Mass at Holy Redeemer, Detroit (Octave Day of the Nativity)
  • Tue. 01/01 2:00 PM: High Mass at St. Philip Church, Battle Creek (Octave Day of the Nativity) [Reception for young adults age 18-35 sponsored by Juventútem will follow the Mass – Please see the Facebook event page for more information]
[Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@detroitlatinmass.org. Previous columns are available at http://www.detroitlatinmass.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Josaphat (Detroit) and Assumption (Windsor) bulletin inserts for December 29, 2012. Hat tip to A.B., author of the column.]

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