Please celebrate Christmas Midnight Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral this year in the Traditional Latin form
27 September 2007
WITH JOY AND HOPE, CATHOLICS FROM ACROSS THE U.S. AND BEYOND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST CARDINAL EGAN: 'MAKE THIS YEAR'S CHRISTMAS MIDNIGHT MASS A TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS!"
URGE OTHERS TO ADD THEIR NAMES TO THE GROWING LIST
TO: Catholic news agencies, media outlets, and bloggers
FROM: Patrick McGrath, Stony Point, NY
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: patrick.anteyka@gmail.com
STONY POINT, NY, USA (26 September 2006) – With three months to go before celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior this Christmas, hundreds of Catholics have signed an on-line petition to Edward, Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York. Their simple, respectful request: Please celebrate Christmas Midnight Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral this year in the Traditional Latin form – what's now called the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite.
The petition, which is on-line only
Said petition organizer Patrick McGrath: "What pleases and surprises me is that not only native New Yorkers support the petition, but so do transplanted New Yorkers, visitors to New York, and overseas friends—even if they've never been to New York. They understand the importance of our great Cathedral, particularly in this bicentennial year of our Diocese."
"My hope is that many many others will join us in this prayerful request to our Cardinal-Archbishop," McGrath continued. "Again, here's why such an event will have world-class impact: First, it will be on television in the media capital of the world. That means it will not only shape souls, it will change minds. Second, St. Patrick's is architecturally suited for the Traditional Latin Mass: a Gothic-style edifice with a high altar, a baldachino, and a communion rail--'good to go for the motu proprio,' as I like to say. Third, our eminent Cardinal-Archbishop speaks Latin fluently, and has told his flock that there is "room for all" in our Church's liturgical life, both the ordinary and extraordinary forms of the Holy Mass.."
"Cardinal Egan knows that the Extraordinary Rite holds 'a very special place in the heart' of many New Yorkers -- and others beyond our city who 'feel a strong attachment to the Mass before the Council.' McGrath said. "All of us who signed the petition heartily agree with the Cardinal's thoughts, and prayerfully request that he bring back the Traditional Latin version of one of New York's Great Events—Christmas Midnight Mass at St. Patrick's."
Here is a sample of some of the comments left by our petition signers (home town of the signers for identification only):
Nashua NH: "Your Excellency, I would drive 4 hours from [here} to attend the traditional Mass in the most beautiful Church in NYC. Please grant this petition."
Virginia Beach, VA: "This is a wonderful opportunity to re-introduce the Latin Mass to modern America. I love the reverence and solemnity of the Latin Mass. This is the Mass that I assisted at with my grandfather as a child. It was his Mass and his father's Mass and his father's all the way back to who knows when.."
New Haven, CT: "It's hard to think of a better gesture of support for the Holy Father's latest initiative to rehabilitate an essential part of our liturgical heritage. Thank you, Cardinal Egan, for your openness to this sincere petition!"
Oregonia, OH: "Having visited you city for the first time last year, I can't think of a better place to have our Latin Mass offered than at St. Patrick's. It would be a fine example to the whole of the United States."
Lewis Center, OH: "My grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-granparents all attended Holy Mass at St. Patrick's according to the Tridentine Rite. I pray for its return to America's Cathedral."
Littleton, CO: "As I Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem I enthusiastically and respectfully add my name to this petition."
Las Vegas, NV: "The very first Mass I ever attended was at St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1983. It is such a beautiful church, and to see the Mass of all time celebrated there once again on Christmas Eve would be glorious indeed. Since the beginning of this year I have assisted at the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively and the graces that flow from it so freely and naturally are truly transforming."
New York, NY: "Your Excellency, may infinite graces pour into Your Heart and to the entire church when you publically celebrate this awsome and extra-ordinary ritual: The Sacrifice of the Mass according to the Tridentine Rite on the Night that the Logos becomes Flesh."
Lititz, PA: "For years I lectored at the Thursday noon Mass at St. Patrick's. My wife is from NY. We now attend the Extraordinary Form exclusively. Were it celebrated at Christmas, either for Midnight Mass or Christmas Eve, I and my family would be there."
In his explanatory letter accompanying his decree Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, "... it has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form, felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them. Let us generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows. ... There is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal. In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church's faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place."
WITH JOY AND HOPE, CATHOLICS FROM ACROSS THE U.S. AND BEYOND RESPECTFULLY REQUEST CARDINAL EGAN: 'MAKE THIS YEAR'S CHRISTMAS MIDNIGHT MASS A TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS!"
URGE OTHERS TO ADD THEIR NAMES TO THE GROWING LIST
TO: Catholic news agencies, media outlets, and bloggers
FROM: Patrick McGrath, Stony Point, NY
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: patrick.anteyka@gmail.com
STONY POINT, NY, USA (26 September 2006) – With three months to go before celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior this Christmas, hundreds of Catholics have signed an on-line petition to Edward, Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York. Their simple, respectful request: Please celebrate Christmas Midnight Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral this year in the Traditional Latin form – what's now called the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite.
The petition, which is on-line only
Said petition organizer Patrick McGrath: "What pleases and surprises me is that not only native New Yorkers support the petition, but so do transplanted New Yorkers, visitors to New York, and overseas friends—even if they've never been to New York. They understand the importance of our great Cathedral, particularly in this bicentennial year of our Diocese."
"My hope is that many many others will join us in this prayerful request to our Cardinal-Archbishop," McGrath continued. "Again, here's why such an event will have world-class impact: First, it will be on television in the media capital of the world. That means it will not only shape souls, it will change minds. Second, St. Patrick's is architecturally suited for the Traditional Latin Mass: a Gothic-style edifice with a high altar, a baldachino, and a communion rail--'good to go for the motu proprio,' as I like to say. Third, our eminent Cardinal-Archbishop speaks Latin fluently, and has told his flock that there is "room for all" in our Church's liturgical life, both the ordinary and extraordinary forms of the Holy Mass.."
"Cardinal Egan knows that the Extraordinary Rite holds 'a very special place in the heart' of many New Yorkers -- and others beyond our city who 'feel a strong attachment to the Mass before the Council.' McGrath said. "All of us who signed the petition heartily agree with the Cardinal's thoughts, and prayerfully request that he bring back the Traditional Latin version of one of New York's Great Events—Christmas Midnight Mass at St. Patrick's."
Here is a sample of some of the comments left by our petition signers (home town of the signers for identification only):
Nashua NH: "Your Excellency, I would drive 4 hours from [here} to attend the traditional Mass in the most beautiful Church in NYC. Please grant this petition."
Virginia Beach, VA: "This is a wonderful opportunity to re-introduce the Latin Mass to modern America. I love the reverence and solemnity of the Latin Mass. This is the Mass that I assisted at with my grandfather as a child. It was his Mass and his father's Mass and his father's all the way back to who knows when.."
New Haven, CT: "It's hard to think of a better gesture of support for the Holy Father's latest initiative to rehabilitate an essential part of our liturgical heritage. Thank you, Cardinal Egan, for your openness to this sincere petition!"
Oregonia, OH: "Having visited you city for the first time last year, I can't think of a better place to have our Latin Mass offered than at St. Patrick's. It would be a fine example to the whole of the United States."
Lewis Center, OH: "My grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-granparents all attended Holy Mass at St. Patrick's according to the Tridentine Rite. I pray for its return to America's Cathedral."
Littleton, CO: "As I Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem I enthusiastically and respectfully add my name to this petition."
Las Vegas, NV: "The very first Mass I ever attended was at St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1983. It is such a beautiful church, and to see the Mass of all time celebrated there once again on Christmas Eve would be glorious indeed. Since the beginning of this year I have assisted at the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively and the graces that flow from it so freely and naturally are truly transforming."
New York, NY: "Your Excellency, may infinite graces pour into Your Heart and to the entire church when you publically celebrate this awsome and extra-ordinary ritual: The Sacrifice of the Mass according to the Tridentine Rite on the Night that the Logos becomes Flesh."
Lititz, PA: "For years I lectored at the Thursday noon Mass at St. Patrick's. My wife is from NY. We now attend the Extraordinary Form exclusively. Were it celebrated at Christmas, either for Midnight Mass or Christmas Eve, I and my family would be there."
In his explanatory letter accompanying his decree Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, "... it has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form, felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them. Let us generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows. ... There is no contradiction between the two editions of the Roman Missal. In the history of the liturgy there is growth and progress, but no rupture. What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden or even considered harmful. It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church's faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place."
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