The Latin Mass
What is the TLM ?
For centuries, prior to 1969, the Traditional Latin Mass has always been celebrated all around the world and for all time it has nourished the souls of all the saints.
The priest renews the holy sacrifice of the Cross upon the altar and for thus he offers the sacrifice to God the Father facing the Cross of the Calvary. The Mass is a sacrifice offered to God to adore/worship Him, to thank Him, to do a reparation for our sins and those of the world and to petition him. Silence, reverence and sacredness are the typical characters of the Traditional Latin Mass
The priest says, chants or sings the entire mass in Latin except for the readings and the sermon.
Why the TLM?
St. Justin, Martyr (100-165AD) a church father, teaches that the canon of the mass was taught by Christ to the apostles after His resurrection. The infallible Council of Trent also said that the canon of the mass was of apostolic origin. Pope St. Pius V in his bull (Quo Primum) canonised the Latin Mass for all ages with this decree that, “And let Masses not be sung or read in any other formula than that of this missal published by Us” July 14, 1570.
Thus, traditional Catholics continue to offer the Traditional Latin Mass (Tridentine Mass) in the continuity of the institution made by Christ, the Apostles and especially St. Peter.
Furthermore, the essence of any true religion is sacrifice and so if there is no sacrifice there can be no worship of God and hence no religion.
In his defence for the Catholic Mass, Pope Benedict XVI in his Summorum Pontificum issued on July 7, 2007, said that no one can abolish the Traditional Latin Mass since it is a great treasure for the Church.
The current Holy father, Pope Francis has encouraged the Society of St. Pius X giving in 2016 the faculty to hear confessions to the priests of our society in his Apostolic Letter Misericordia et Misera and on April 14, 2017, he invited the local bishop to grant juridiction for the celebration of marriages of couples of the SSPX.
Therefore, brethren, standfast: and hold the tradition, which you have learnt, whether by word or by our epistle.
2 Thessalonians 2:15
