The Latin Mass - My Story

Actually, my story is not important, although the short essay below is how I came to discover an extraordinary documentary series on YouTube. So, skip my story and link here to the documentary. Discover what makes the Latin Mass unique, why everything changed after Vatican II, and how Catholics worldwide are striving to restore Tradition.

I resisted Catholicism for the first half of my life, and the Latin version of it for years after I became Catholic.

Yet, long before I became Catholic I had two close professional friends who were Latin Catholics. Ray Long Jr. was a writer/producer on my staff, and after we parted he often freelanced for my production company. Ed Wolfrum was the token white engineer at MoTown Records and a genius in all things audio. As a freelancer, Ed often was the sound engineer and recordist on my film crews. 

Assumption Grotto C.C. - Detroit

But Ray and Ed had another thing in common. They were what I called Latin Catholics. They attended Assumption Grotto Catholic Church in Detroit, where Fr. Eduardo Perrone was pastor. Perrone was unique among Catholic priests, at least in Detroit. Not only was he a weekly celebrant of the Tridentine Latin Mass in the basilica-plan Neo-Gothic limestone and marble church, but he's a world-class composer and conductor, having occasionally directed the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and having composed many sacred, classical, modern, and Mass compositions. Several times a year he will conduct DSO musicians, professional soloists, and the Grotto choir and organ in one of the world famous Mass settings by Mozart, Bach or his own Mass compositions, while at the other end of the church a High Solemn Tridentine Mass is celebrated, complete with bells, incense, 14 altar servers, candles and sacred altar choreography. These were/are heavenly experiences not to be missed.  Ed often made professional recordings of the music which today are available on CDs, of which I have five. 

Ed was my sponsor when I came into the Catholic Church, although it was not at Grotto but at St. James of Novi, miles to the West. Ray was a close friend, and between the two they occasionally corralled me to Latin Masses, especially if the orchestra was present. I loved the mystery and aesthetic of the Latin Mass with the dramatic classical, live orchestra, Gregorian chant and organ. 

I claimed that the Novus Ordo (New Order) Mass (aka the English Catholic Lite Mass) was instrumental in bringing me into the Catholic Church because of its emphasis on Scripture, it's orientation to the people (like Evangelical churches) and that I could understand the liturgy. But there was always an attraction to the mystical Latin worship of God that took me out of my everyday environment and forced me to focus on God and not the personalities of the priest, deacon, cantors, or readers.

Christmas High Mass at Grotto

I came into the Catholic Church in 1998. Now, 26 years later, the mystical, and historic Mass of the ages is attracting me with its mystery, history, and intellectual fervor. Lately, I've been attending, but not understanding, except for the subjective sense of worship that accompanies the reverence shown about the altar and the Gregorian chant and organ that comes from behind in the balcony. So, I purchased a 1962 Daily Missal, and spent a half day understanding how it works. 

Roman Catholic Daily Missal (English/Latin) - 1962

Many people at Latin Masses use these thick interlinear (Latin & English) books throughout the Mass. I'm looking forward the my first Sunday with the Missal in hand and following along with the priests, attendants, choir, and organ. 

Then I discovered something extraordinary, on YouTube of all places.  Cameron O'Hearn's three documentaries (48m, 71m, & 88m) tracing the history of and details of how the Traditional Latin Mass was sidelined (mostly, but not entirely) by Vatican II modernists in favor of the newly created Novus Ordo Mass that jettisoned 2/3rds of the Traditional Latin Mass developed over the centuries from the time of the Apostles. Although I consider the changes sad, if not scandalous, the message at the end of Episode 3, draws hopeful parallels to the story of Jesus sleeping in the back of Peter's boat during a storm. It has convinced me that Satan has infiltrated the Church and continues to attempt to marginalize and dumb it down so fewer and fewer people will embrace the historic truth of Christianity. I encourage all to watch the series and start attending the Latin Mass.