jumping up and down with joy, then a pause...

This morning I was perusing my favorite blogs while the older children were copying handwriting and came across the headline: Portland, Maine: Bp Malone implements Summorum Pontificum

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you God," I hollered as I jumped around the room, kissing each of the children on the head, "A Latin Mass in Maine again."

The kids startled and then started laughing at their mother, who looked like a complete lunatic. But my worry over where we would go to Mass once we moved to our farm has been pressing on my heart for several years. Why couldn't we just find a town that already had a TLM? Well, we considered the idea of traveling around looking for a farm in the midwest, but decided to pray and trust that somehow God would provide. But when I found out from Karen, a devout Catholic mom of 13, that the elderly priest who was saying Mass in Portland was retiring with no plans for a replacement coming from the bishop, my panic surfaced again. What would we do? Sell our farm and move? Going to the local parish is not an option; if you looked up the words "liturgical abuse" in the dictionary you would find a picture of this church.

Now Auburn is not next door, but a 2 hour trip to Mass was not uncommon 80 years ago and we will manage it. I am so thrilled that the Bishop Malone has extended this olive branch to lovers of the TLM and we will do what we can to support Father Parent's efforts.

Dear Friends of the Noon Mass at the Cathedral:

As you may be aware, I have been endeavoring to provide for the implementation of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum on a more stable basis and on a more extended basis in other locations in our diocese in addition to Portland and Newcastle.
I am please to announce that as of July 1, 2008, Father Robert Parent will serve as chaplain to the persons attached to the extraordinary form of the Roman liturgy residing in Southern and Central Maine. Father Parent is a native of Lewiston and a priest of the Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Newton, Massachusetts. He enjoys all the ministerial faculties of the Latin Church. Currently, he is the administrator of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Sabattus and St. Francis Mission in Greene. He will continue to reside at his family home in Auburn.

After July 1, he will be responsible for Sunday Mass in the extraordinary form here at the Cathedral and at the Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul in Lewiston, and in whichever additional locations may be possible either on the weekends or on weekdays. He will be available for the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, including funerals, as needed where the provisions exist for these celebrations. The faithful having recourse to Father Parent will remain parishioners of the parish where they live. The jurisdiction of the chaplain extends to Mass and confessions of such persons. Jurisdiction for the other sacraments and sacramentals would be obtained from the proper pastor of the place where the individual lives.

The chaplaincy will be funded through the donations of the faithful at the Masses celebrated by Father Parent. The chaplaincy will exist as long as there is sufficient funding to meet its expenses. This budget is being prepared and will be communicated to those who will be benefiting from his ministry.

It is my hope that this will allow for greater access to the extraordinary form of the Roman liturgy. I am grateful to Father Parent for accepting this new position. I count on your support and encouragement to him as he begins his ministry among you.

May God bless you with his peace. Please know that you are in my prayers.

Yours sincerely in Christ,
Richard J. Malone
Most Reverend Richard J. Malone
Bishop of Portland

However, the more I meditate on this and read such posts as this one, the more I realize what a crummy deal we traddies are getting. We are expected to shell out for the privilege of driving hours and hours to attend a grudgingly given Mass. A Mass the Pope made a large effort to encourage. There is a huge disparity in income between city and country folk in Maine and the threat is apparent, if we don't put out, we will never get another chance at a TLM. The two Masses will only be 30 miles from each other, neglecting the other 33,900 square miles of Maine.

St. Athanasius and St. Benedict, pray for us.