Traditional (Latin) Mass

Mass in the Extraordinary Form (Traditional or Latin Mass)

26 January 

We continue to attract 30 to 36 parishioners and visitors to our monthly Mass using the “Extraordinary Form”.  The date and time of our next Mass will be announced shortly.

For those who have time to stay behind for coffee in the presbytery, Fr Martin is ready to answer questions about our participation in this form of the Mass and to offer a brief introduction to a few rudiments of church Latin; more booklets and leaflets have also been ordered for those who are interested.

A Short Introduction to

“The Mass in the Extraordinary Form”

(Written by Fr Martin Gowman; December 2019)

The traditional Latin Mass will be celebrated in St Benet’s on weekdays once or twice a month, commencing of  Christmas, 2019.

This is a quieter celebration of Mass, with a view to encouraging a deeper reflection upon the Christian message of the Roman liturgy (including a brief presentation of the Gospel in English).

After Mass, parishioners are welcome to stay for coffee in the presbytery.   Fr Martin is ready to answer questions about participation in this form of the Mass and to offer a brief introduction to a few rudiments of church Latin.  Explanatory booklets and leaflets have been ordered for those who are interested.

In his Apostolic Letter promoting the traditional Mass, Pope Benedict related this ‘extraordinary form’, using the traditional Latin, with the ‘ordinary’ form, which was introduced under Pope St Paul VI in the late 1960s, and which is now in common use. 

Some of the benefits of celebrating in the traditional form derive from its quietness: while the priest has a chance to rest his voice, we can all be led to new discoveries in the prayerful dimension of the texts of the Missal.