Vermont Catholics to have Latin Masses

Burlington, Vt., Jul 16, 2007 / 08:46 am

The Latin Mass will be made available to those Vermont Catholics who seek it, Bishop Salvatore Matano announced in a July 6th letter to the faithful in his diocese.

The bishop made the announcement, following Pope Benedict XVI’s recent universal approval of the 1962 Latin Mass.

"I will consult with our council of priests ... to determine the most suitable manner for making the 'extraordinary form' of the Sacred Liturgy available to those who request it," wrote Bishop Matano.

Latin Masses will be offered occasionally around the state based on worshippers' requests.

However, Fr. John McDermott, chancellor for the Vermont diocese, said last week that the church needs time to prepare to offer the Latin Mass. Many of the young priests do not know Latin and the older priests would have to brush up on it, he said. Other priests and choirs will have to be trained, reported The Burlington Free Press.

Until the training is complete, the diocese is urging churches to have sections of the Mass sung in Latin where the request is made.

Following the Second Vatican Council, the Latin Mass became the extraordinary form of celebrating the Liturgy and required a bishop’s permission to be used. The ordinary form of the Liturgy became the Roman Missal of Paul VI, which switched the language of celebration to the vernacular, among other changes.