Where can one find the Tridentine Mass?

by Michael Shackleton · March 20, 2012

Since the Vatican instruction Summorum pontificium permitting the Tridentine Mass, what is the position of the Southern African bishops? Where can one find parishes that celebrate this extraordinary form of the Mass? John E Cunha

The Southern African bishops permit the Tridentine Mass to be celebrated in any parish. This, as you say, follows Pope Benedict’s 2007 motu proprio, Summorum pontificium.

Its purpose, the pope explained, was to bring back to the Church those who felt alienated by the newer liturgy and to place at the Church’s disposal all the treasures of the Latin liturgy that for centuries had nourished the spiritual life of so many.

The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962.

Parish priests are free to celebrate the Tridentine Mass at any time, even at the parish’s scheduled Mass times on Sundays.

There are restrictions. The Tridentine or extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, approved by Pope John XXIII in 1962, must never be habitually celebrated for the faithful, because it is not the ordinary form of the Mass, approved by Pope Paul VI in 1970, with which we are familiar today in our own spoken languages, and which is the liturgical norm. In fact, there must be a need for the celebration of the extraordinary form, such as a request from a stable group of the faithful or even a special request by a couple who would like it, say, for their nuptial or anniversary Mass.

In addition, the priest who celebrates the extraordinary form has to have at least a basic knowledge of Latin and not only pronounce the Latin text correctly but also know its meaning. Priests who have celebrated the extraordinary form in the past would be best suited for this.

Priests may, at any time, celebrate private Masses using the extraordinary form, and they need no special permission from their bishop or superior to do so.

It is because few priests these days have much fluency or adequate comprehension of the Latin language that it is not easy to find one who is willing and able to celebrate this form of the Mass. Besides, some priests are known to resist it because they see it as a backward step away from the ethos of the reforms of Vatican II.

So, finding a parish church or chapel where the Tridentine Rite is celebrated is difficult. Perhaps the best way is to consult the local parish priest or diocesan chancery and ask there.