Letter #5: Roswell's Little Rome

In 2007 Pope Benedict XVI published the encyclical Summorum Pontificum stating (among other things) that the Catholic Latin Mass – long out of the popular vocabulary and thought in many quarters to be extinct – was in fact a good and wholesome thing for Catholics.

In August 2007 my letter on the topic to the editor of the Beacon was published.

The letter is online at http://www.beaconcast.com/articles/20070801_4/print

A PDF version of the issue is also online; my letter is on p. 29 of
http://beaconcast.com/downloads/20070808_1

Below is my letter (my title of “Roswell’s Little Rome” wasn’t included).

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It isn’t often that an event of international significance has direct implications for Roswell, but one such event is taking place right now.

Pope Benedict XVI recently published a document titled “Summorum Pontificum” stating that Catholics can in good conscience attend Masses performed according to the traditional Latin rite.

It turns out that Roswell already has a chapel where the Latin Mass is said daily: St. Michael’s Catholic Church at 715 Hardscrabble Road, next to Roswell High School.

The folks at St. Michael’s have been saying for years that, contrary to popular belief, the Latin Mass has always remained a valid and legitimate form of worship for Catholics. After nearly four decades of debate, Pope Benedict has unequivocally confirmed that position.

The Latin Mass is the clear and perfect expression of the authentic Catholic Faith, and it has produced saints for 2,000 years. Francis of Assisi, Patrick of Ireland, Joan of Arc, Thomas Aquinas, Peter Chanel, Catherine of Siena, Mother Ann Seton – all these saints are in heaven now, and the Latin Mass is the Mass that they knew and loved.