Pastor’s Corner — March 9th, 2025
Latin Mass Parts During Lent and Required Mass Parts
At St Pat’s we’ve been singing the Mass parts in Latin during Lent for years. Why do we do this? Because at St Pat’s we want to be faithful to Vatican II. Rather than being some liturgical preference, here is a directive from the council itself:
“In Masses which are celebrated with the people, a suitable place may be allotted to their mother tongue. This is to apply in the first place to the readings and “the common prayer,” but also, as local conditions may warrant, to those parts which pertain to the people, according to the norm laid down in Art. 36 of this Constitution. Nevertheless steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them.” (Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium, 54)
Also, contrary to what some might think, saying (or singing) the Mass parts is not optional. The Mass parts (Kyrie, Gloria, Alleluia, Holy Holy, Memorial Acclamation, the Lamb of God, and the various dialogues, ‘the Lord be with you’ ‘and with your spirit’, etc), are to be prayerfully said or sung by all the faithful. These are an essential part of our worship of God at Mass whether they are said or sung.
The truth is that we’re not meant to be passive in the Sacred Liturgy, especially when it comes to the parts of the Mass itself. Some people familiar with the old rite of the Mass may have gotten the impression that they were to be passive and let the priest do everything, but that was never supposed to be the case. So while we don’t necessarily have to sing all of the hymns and songs at Mass, the Mass parts themselves are in a different category; they are an essential part of our participation in the Sacred Liturgy.
Therefore, during Lent we have cards in the pews that have the Latin (w/English translation underneath the Latin) of the Mass parts so everyone can sing along together for the true worship and praise of our Heavenly Father.
The St Patrick Celebration Is Full
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the St Pat’s Celebration on March 15th is already full. While it’s sad to ever turn people away from celebrating the parish feast, the fact that our largest hall venue at our parish fills up so quickly is a good problem to have. I’ll say more about the Solemnity of St Patrick next week.
Ignite Men’s Conference (Saturday, March 22, 2025)
Fr Joshua and I would like to get as many guys as possible from St Pat’s to go to the Men’s conference. Ladies, maybe you can invite the men in your life (spouse, family, friends) to go? These conferences are usually powerful times of conversion and re-commitment to Christ and living their lives in of service to and love of God. Here is the reminder of some information published about it.
Gather in fellowship with hundreds of other men ages 14 and above to hear from dynamic speakers about How the Lord wants to IGNITE your spirit to live as a faithful Catholic in our post-Christian world.
This conference is not meant to simply ignite your Faith for a day, but to invite men across the diocese to build strong Christian communities in their homes, parishes, and workplaces that burn with zeal for the Lord. Join us to connect with other Catholic men from around the state, hear from nationally renowned speakers, spend time in prayer and adoration, engage with exciting Catholic ministries, and celebrate Mass with Bishop Boyea!
The conference welcomes men ages 14 and up. Whether you’re a high school student beginning your faith journey or a seasoned leader, this event is for you!
Reserve your spot today and invite friends, family members, or anyone seeking a day of inspiration and brotherhood. To register and learn more, please visit our website at www.michigancmc.org
Supporting Thomas Watza (parishioner working with FOCUS)
Some of you may remember Thomas Watza when he was a seminarian for the parish. Now he’s working with Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), which in my opinion, is one of the most fruitful ministries evangelizating college students. Here is a note from him:
Hello, my name is Thomas Watza. I had the grace to grow up for much of my life here as a parishioner at St. Patrick’s and at one point was a seminarian for the Diocese. When I left the seminary, I knew I still desired to serve God with my whole life and He then led me to be a missionary with FOCUS.
The mission work I get to do on the college campus is truly a gift and a blessing because, as exciting as college can be, it can also be a very difficult time. We’ve all heard the stories and seen the alarming statistics around college students and drugs, alcohol, depression, eating disorders, abuse, abortion, and suicide. In this season of life, young adults are wrestling with big questions and making decisions around their identity, their spiritual beliefs, and their calling in life. I believe the Church needs a dynamic Spirit-filled presence on college campuses, perhaps now more than ever.
Sadly, it is not an uncommon experience for many to walk away from God and their faith in college. For the majority of fallen-away Catholics, it is likely their crisis of faith occurred in their college years. Of those who leave the Catholic Church, nearly 80% will do so by the time they turn 23 years old. But the Lord always has a plan to bring us back to Him.
So, what if I told you that there are college students going to Bible studies in their dorms, in their dining halls? Fraternity and sorority members, athletes, future leaders of this country. What if I told you that these college students are going on mission trips, having radical conversions, and committing their lives to Jesus? Not only that, but some of them are even going on to share their faith with their friends, start Bible studies of their own, and mentor other students to do the same. What will those campuses look like because of that? What will the future of our country look like because of that? What I just described to you is what’s happening on more than 200 college campuses throughout the country that are being served by FOCUS missionaries.
I have felt called by God to serve this mission as a full-time missionary, but I cannot go without partnering with caring and generous people like you. As a missionary, I am responsible for fundraising 100% of my mission budget through the love and generosity of people like you. I am confident that, with your loving help and generosity, we will reach the lives of many young people and change the culture for Christ! So if you have any interest in hearing more and possibly supporting this mission through financial and prayerful support please reach out to me at 734-904-2591 or thomas.watza@focus.org
I’m proud of Thomas and of what the Lord is doing through him to reach college students. Supporting him could be a loving act of almsgiving this Lent.
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias