Traditional Latin Mass to End at Tyler Cathedral, Other East Texas Parishes

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Posted on 11/20/2024 1:15:50 PM PST by nickcarraway

The Traditional Latin Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Tyler and four other parishes will end Nov. 30, according to a letter sent to parishioners dated Nov. 6. The Cathedral has regularly offered a 2 p.m. Sunday Mass in Latin.

The change comes as the Catholic Church revised the rules governing the 1962 Roman Missal, used for the pre-Vatican II Traditional Latin Mass. The 1962 Roman Missal represents the form of the Mass celebrated in the church for centuries, conducted entirely in Latin. Certain rituals and practices that were modified or changed after Vatican II or the Second Vatican Council.

The revisions follow guidance from the Holy See and aim to ensure public worship fosters unity.

In 2021, Pope Francis issued Traditionis Custodes, a 2021 apostolic letter that instructed bishops to review how the Traditional Latin Mass fits into their dioceses.

The letter does not specify the reason for ending the Traditional Latin Mass at the cathedral. Masses celebrated according to the pre-Vatican II liturgical form will also be halted for The Mary Queen of Heaven in Malakoff, Sacred Heart in Texarkana, St. Francis of Assisi in Gilmer and Sacred Heart in Nacogdoches. (Contributed Photo)

Traditionis Custodes strengthened bishops’ authority to regulate Traditional Latin Mass’s use, often limiting celebrations to specific locations outside parish churches unless otherwise approved. Priests must also receive permission from both their bishop and the Vatican to celebrate it.

In a letter to parishioners, Bishop Joe Vásquez, the Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Tyler, said he sought guidance on how to implement Traditionis Custodes locally.

He noted that the use of the 1962 Missal will continue at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Tyler, which is cared for by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. Established in 2003, the parish provides pastoral care for those devoted to the older liturgical forms.

Tyler Diocese member Sheryl Collmer, in an opinion piece for Crisis Magazine, a conservative Catholic publication, called the change an “attack,” on Traditional Latin Mass, that “gobsmacked” the community.

She noted its convenient timing, one year following the removal of the previous bishop Joseph Strickland. She believes Strickland’s removal was handled poorly, leaving many parishioners feeling hurt and unsupported, she said. Parishioners withholding their contributions as a form of protest against the perceived lack of defense for their former bishop, is the “only avenue of recourse.”

Pope Francis removed Strickland from his position as head of the Diocese of Tyler on Nov. 11, 2023. It is rare for the pope to remove a bishop outright. Typically, when governance issues arise, bishops are encouraged to resign. However, in Strickland’s case, the Vatican’s statement clarified he had not offered his resignation, and Francis instead directly “relieved” him of his duties.

The letter did not specify the reason for ending the Traditional Latin Mass at the cathedral. However, according to an article from the Catholic News Agency, Strickland’s decision to not fully implement Traditionis Custodes is believed to have been a factor in his removal.

Masses celebrated according to the pre-Vatican II liturgical form will also be halted for The Mary Queen of Heaven in Malakoff, Sacred Heart in Texarkana, St. Francis of Assisi in Gilmer and Sacred Heart in Nacogdoches.

“While this transition may be difficult for some, my hope is that you will open your hearts and move forward on this path with faith and trust,” Vásquez wrote in the letter addressed to parishioners. “I pray you will experience a deepened unity with the whole Church and a greater awareness of the liturgical richness of the ordinary forms of the Roman liturgy.”

The Tyler Morning Telegraph has reached out to the Tyler Diocese for comment, and this article will be updated accordingly.

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1 posted on 11/20/2024 1:15:50 PM PST by nickcarraway

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