Christmas Day TLM at Holy Trinity

 The Traditional Latin Mass will be offered at Holy Trinity on Christmas Day.  Please note that the Mass has been scheduled for 10AM and that the usual Sunday parking arrangements will be in place.  Now more than ever your support of the TLM is greatly needed.  Please help spread the word and plan to attend Mass in the Extraordinary Form on Christmas Day at Holy Trinity.  May God bless you and all those you hold dear. 

Update on The Transfer of Relics From Lisieux

Dear Friends of Carmel

As previously reported, the relics of St. Therese as well as those of her parents, Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, will be transferred to the Carmelite Monastery on Saturday November 16 in a solemn cortege that will leave the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul on the Parkway at approximately 2:30 PM.   In addition to the information I have posted below, please be aware that the relics will be available for veneration after the 5 PM Vigil Mass on Saturday until 8 PM in the monastery's  Holy Spirit Chapel and again after Holy Mass on Sunday November 17, from 9 AM until 8 PM that evening.  For more information, visit http://www.thereseoflisieux.org/

Feasts of All Saints and All Souls at Holy Trinity

The extraordinary form of the Mass will be offered at 7pm on November 1, the Feast of All Saints at Holy Trinity Church at 6th and Spruce Streets in Society Hill Philadelphia    The Traditional Latin Mass will also be offered  at Holy Trinity on the Feast of All Souls on Saturday November 2nd at 11am.  For both Masses the usual Sunday parking arrangements will apply so long as the official parking pass, available in the rear of the church, is prominently displayed on your dashboard.  The blog administrator apologizes for the dearth of posts on this blog but persistent computer problems have made posting prohibitive.   For more up to the minute information on what's happening at Holy Trinity please visit the official website, the link to which appears a few posts below.  Thank you and God bless you. 

Transfer of Relics of Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, Parents of St. Therese

Dear Friends of Carmel,

On Saturday November 16, the relics of the parents of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, will be transferred in a solemn procession escorted by the Philadelphia Police Department from the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul to the Carmelite Monastery at 66th Avenue and Old York Road.  The solemn transfer is scheduled to begin at 2:30PM and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered in the Holy Spirit Chapel of the Monastery at 5 PM.

The relics will be available for veneration at the Carmel on Sunday, November 17 from 10AM to 4PM.  Thereafter, they will be available for veneration during those same hours on every first Sunday of the month, commencing December 1.

St. Therese, pray for us!

Blessed Louis and Zelie, pray for us!

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

All Philadelphia-area Catholics wishing to attend Mass in the Extraordinary Form on the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption  are cordially invited to attend Mater Ecclesiae's 13th Annual Assumption Mass, which will be held again this year at 7PM on August 15th at St. Peter's Church in Merchantville, New Jersey.  Mater Ecclesiae normally holds this Mass off-site in order to accommodate as many of the faithful as possible.

The setting of the Ordinary of the Mass is “Mass #1in B-flat” by Johan Nepomuk Hummel. Other works include the motets “Venite Populi” by Mozart, “Ave Virgo Gloriosa” by Frescobaldi, “Assumpta est Maria” by Rathberger, and the “Concerto for two trumpets” along with the “Concerto for two oboes in D minor” by Vivaldi.

St. Peter's is located at 43 West Maple Avenue in Merchantville and off-street parking is available.

Photos of last year's Mass which was also held at St. Peter's can be seen here.

New Website for Holy Trinity TLM Community

It is with pleasure that we announce that the Latin Mass Community of Holy Trinity Church now has its own website.  Here is the link that will take you directly to that site.  Please continue to keep our community and our priests in your prayers.

Holy Trinity Traditional Latin Mass Community: Beginnings

Today marked the second Sunday in our new home at Holy Trinity Church located at 625 Spruce Street in the Society Hill section of Philadelphia.  Many of those who formerly assisted at Mass at St. Paul's have made the transition and there are some new faces in the congregation as well.  Please continue to pray that our community will flourish for the greater glory of Almighty God.  Please pray for Father  Ronald W. Check, our chaplain, and for all the priests who will be be part of the rotation at Holy Trinity.  They are, in addition to Father Check: Father Gerald P. Carey, Father Harold B. McKale and Father Jason V. Kulczynski.

One of the most immediate concerns of the congregation was parking and thanks be to God, that need has been addressed.   Please see the information at the bottom of this page for information on available parking near the church.

Father Check will hear confessions on Sundays  from 11:35 AM until about 5 minutes to Noon.

What follows are some photos from the interior of Holy Trinity.  We have the use of a beautiful and historic church which is perfectly conducive to offering the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.  And we are especially blessed to have Father Check to direct and coordinate our efforts to offer fitting and reverential  worship to Almighty God.

Extraordinary Form of the Mass at the Carmelite Monastery

As part of the summer novena to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, the Extraordinary Form of the Mass will be offered on Sunday evening, July 14 at the Carmelite Monastery of Philadelphia.  The Solemn High Mass will take place at 7:30 PM and will be preceded by Rosary, Litany of Our Lady of Loreto, and sacred music.

Father Ronald Check is the celebrant.  Father Gerald Carey will be Deacon and Rev. Mr. Christopher Moriconi of St. Charles Seminary will serve as subdeacon.

Traditional Latin Mass Moving From St. Paul's in South Philadelphia to Holy Trinity in Society Hill Philadelphia

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Church Project

As some of the followers of this blog already know, the future of the TLM  at St. Paul's was uncertain due to the transfer of the pastor to another parish and the naming of a replacement priest who does not offer the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.  Father Dennis Gill, Director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, informed the TLM community at St. Paul's yesterday that commencing on the first Sunday in July, the Extraordinary Form of the Mass will  be offered at Holy Trinity Church at 6th and Spruce Streets in Society Hill Philadelphia.  Father Ronald Check will be responsible for directing and coordinating the TLM.

The time of the Mass will remain the same - 12 o'clock Noon every Sunday.  Other particular details will be made known as they become available.

Photos of the interior of the church are few and far in between but this link has a slide show that displays various interior and exterior views as well as offering the history of the church building.  Holy Trinity originally served as a national parish for German-speaking immigrants.  One of the photos in the slide show reveals German inscription on the Stations of the Cross.

The blog administrator extends sincere gratitude to the Archbishop of Philadelphia, His Excellency Bishop Charles Chaput, OFM, for his efforts in ensuring the continuation of the TLM in Center City Philadelphia and to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI for the wisdom of his instruction in Summorum Pontificum.  Many thanks to Father Dennis Gill for his generosity in personally delivering the news to the TLM congregation and making himself available after Mass for introductions, questions, etc.

The blog administrator also takes this opportunity to express heart-felt thanks to Father Gerald Carey, who initiated the celebration of the TLM at St. Paul's and to the dedicated core group of altar servers, musicians and others who work tirelessly behind the scenes each week so that beautiful and fitting worship may be offered to God.

Prayers Requested for Our Traditional Latin Mass Community

Due to the recently-announced changes in clerical assignments in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the blog administrator humbly begs your prayers for our TLM community. 

Thank you and God bless you.

Ascension Thursday TLM at St. Paul's South Philadelphia

The Traditional Latin Mass will be offered on Ascension Thursday (May 9th)  at St. Paul's at 7 PM.   St. Paul's is located on Christian Street in South Philadelphia between 9th and 10th Streets.  It is within easy walking distance of Society Hill and other points in Center City Philadelphia.  For more information, please leave your inquiry in the comment box.

First Holy Communion at the Traditional Latin Mass

What follows are some photos from the First Holy Communion today of Miss Ani Torrie, daughter of Henry and Susan Torrie and little sister to Joshua Torrie.  Henry and Joshua are members of the Latin Mass Altar guild at St. Paul's while Susan and Ani faithfully assist in the pews at the TLM every Sunday.  Joshua made his First Holy Communion at the TLM the previous April.

The Sacrament was administered to Ani by Father Gerald P. Carey, pastor of St. Paul's Church in South Philadelphia.

Prayerful congratulations are extended to the entire Torrie Family who can now all approach the Holy Table together to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion.

Easter 2013 In the Extraordinary Form at St. Paul's Philadelphia

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Palm Sunday in the Extraordinary Form 2013

 Once again, St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, the worship site in the parish of St Paul's Philadelphia, served as the ecclesia collecta for Palm Sunday, with the blessing and distribution of Palm taking place there, followed by the procession of the faithful to St. Paul's a few blocks away.  The procession makes its way each year through the neighborhoods which comprise South Philadelphia's 9th Street Market before culminating in the Traditional Latin Mass at St. Paul's including the chanting of the Passion.  This year members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre formally participated in the procession.

Feast of St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

For the first time in many years, a Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) was held at St Madeline's parish in Ridley Park, PA.  The Mass was held to honor St. Joseph on his feast day.  As part of the Year of Faith declared by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Father Louis P. Bellopede, pastor of St. Madeline's, desired that his parishioners assist at a Mass in the Extraordinary Form.  The celebrant priest was Father Gerald P. Carey, pastor of St Paul's Church in South Philadelphia.  Father Matthew Phelan, O de M of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Overbrook, Pa, served as Deacon with Seminarian Christopher Moriconi serving as subdeacon

The setting for the Mass was the Missa de Angelis, sung by St. Madeline's choir.  The church was filled nearly to capacity with the faithful who came to honor St Joseph,  whose feast day held special significance this year since it was chosen as the day for the Inauguration Mass of Pope Francis.

What follows are some photos taken before, during and after the Mass.  You may be able to observe that the statuary of St. Madeline's is shrouded in purple in observation of Passiontide, with the exception of St. Joseph, whose altar is adorned by both candles and food offerings from the faithful.

Mass in the Extraordinary Form to Honor St Joseph

On Tuesday evening March 19th at 7 pm, St Madeline's Church in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania will honor the foster-father of Our Lord, St. Joseph, with the Traditional Latin Mass.   The Missa de Angelis will be the setting for the Mass, which will be offered by Father Gerald P. Carey at the invitation of St. Madeline's pastor, Father Louis Bellopede.  This will mark the first time in many years that Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be offered at St. Madeline's, located at Penn Street and Morton Avenue in Delaware County.

For further information, please leave a comment and specify whether it is for publication or not and the blog administrator will respond as soon as possible.

The Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord: Candlemas 2013 at St Paul's Philadelphia