Universæ Ecclesiæ & Alaska

Currently, in the Archdiocese of Anchorage, there exists only one Mass that is celebrated in, what some call, the Tridentine Rite also called the "Extraordinary Form" or "TLM". (It is also sometimes referred to as the 'Latin Mass' but this is confusing as the Ordinary Form or Novus Ordo can also be said in Latin.) This Mass is Friday mornings at 9am in Eagle River at St. Andrew's Church. The celebrant is Father Thomas Brundage. To my knowledge the only Sacrament celebrated in the Tridentine Rite is the Mass. To be clear, the Mass is celebrated in the usus antiquior in a second parish within the Archdiocese.  This Mass is in the Dominican Rite and is celebrated Saturday afternoons at Holy Family Cathedral at 4pm. (It used to be a TLM as well, before switching to the Dominican Rite since the Cathedral is overseen by Dominicans.)

This is something very difficult for someone like me, because I originally come from an area that not only had several TLMs in my Archdiocese, but had daily ones, as well as the opportunity to celebrate all the Sacraments according to the usus antiquior. In fact, my first Child celebrated her first Mass and Baptism in the Extraordinary Form. So being here in Alaska, where I no longer get to attend Mass in that form makes me long for a time when it might be available. Even more difficult is seeing various Sacraments like Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation occur with all sorts of Liturgical abuses and modernist silliness.

Universæ Ecclesiæ

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This Friday though, there may be some hope on the horizon. You see, I know in our area there have been two requests for the Tridentine Mass down on the Kenai. Now, according to the Motu Proprio: Summorum Pontificum, this should be more than enough to get a Mass in the usus antiquior here, but apparently not. So the word coming out of the Vatican today gives some definite hope:

Friday 13 May 2011 the Holy See Press Office will make public the Instruction Universæ Ecclesiæ by the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei about the implementation of the Apostolic Letter "Motu Proprio data" Summorum Pontificum of H. H. Benedict XVI. The Instruction will be published in the afternoon edition of the Osservatore Romano, dated 14 May.

The text of the Instruction - in Latin, Italian, French, English, German, Spanish and Portoguese - will be at the disposal of accredited journalists from 10 a.m. on Friday 13 May, being under embargo until noon. Together with the text of the Instruction, an editorial note will be provided.

From what I have read on other big blogs, especially one fairly well known Priest-Blogger, we should expect to celebrate in a certain manner once this instruction comes out. He explains via picture. I pray that this isn't just wishful thinking. Hopefully this instruction will clear up and strengthen the ability for those desiring access to the Extraordinary Form. If the instruction is as many claim it will be, there will be a call and reason for rejoicing come Friday. As for me, I will save the Veuve Clicquot until I attend a TLM here on the Kenai. When that happens, you can be assured there will be much rejoicing by many.

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