This afternoon I packed the girls into the Jeep and took off west to the town of Greensboro following the latest sighting of a Traditional Latin Mass in central North Carolina. Motu Proprio fever has taken off here with a monthly High Mass in Raleigh and several training sessions for priests set up by FSSP, as well as other Tridentine Masses scattered across the state.
Father Robert Ferguson filled in several times at St. Benedict's in Chesapeake, Virginia and the parishioners were very grateful for his enthusiasm and love for the Catholic faith. Currently, I understand, he is teaching at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary and also training groups of diocesan priests who want to learn the Extraordinary Form. This evening's Mass at Our Lady Of Grace was to show priests and faithful alike what a wonder and inspiration the Mass can be and it proved to be so. From the first note sung by the talented choir and the separate men's schola, the music lifted all our hearts to Heaven. The majesty of Mozart's Coronation Mass Gloria, the depth of Haydn's St John of God Mass Credo, the loft of HJ Steward's Sanctus was certainly some of the most beautiful music ever created for the glory of God. This was not just a Gregorian chant dialogue High Mass (which is extraordinarily beautiful); this brought to mind the singing of the angels.
There were some rough spots like when a few dozen folks didn't understand the rubrics and insisted on standing throughout the Gloria and Credo, even after Father sat down, and when many people started leaving during the final hymn. Also, most of the women did not cover their heads in imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in both her maternity and modesty. But the chatter I overheard as we headed back to the car, "Wasn't that the most beautiful thing you have ever experienced?" pushed the little irritants aside. I am so grateful to be coming out of the desert of the past 40 years and personally experiencing the re-birth of the Church.
Thanks must be given to Father Parkerson as well, who assisted in distributing Holy Communion to the full, but not uncomfortably packed crowd, and to the bishop of Charlotte, who I think was in attendance. May our hearts and minds focus on Our Lord and his sacrifice for us. May many souls be brought to Heaven from this Mass and the others like it to follow. Let us all pray for Our Holy Father, good priests like Father Ferguson, and seminarians who want to learn the Mass of the Ages.
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2 comments:
Ooh, Fr. Ferguson is the most amazing priest! I'm proud to say that my little Sebastian was the first baby he ever baptized. I am so glad he is training other priests. Do you have any idea how I can get in touch with him?
He is great on the organ too.
I was there and it was great, start to finish. I go in to that church to pray several times a week, plus mass on most Sundays. Each time I looked at that magnificent altar and dreamed of what it would be like to see it used for real, rather than as a backdrop. Now I know! And now I can't wait to see it again!
I gotta plead guilty to being one of those who had a hard time keeping up with the rubrics. I had my missal, but left my glasses at home, rendering it useless!
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