(1888PressRelease)
September 14, 2007 - This Friday, the 14th of September, is the first day to implement "Summorum Pontificum," Benedict XVI's apostolic letter issued "motu proprio."
But nothing will be noticeably different at St John Cantius Church in Chicago (www.cantius.org), since they have been living Pope Benedict's dream for 18 years. They are living what the Pope's 'motu proprio' envisioned.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said in July, "The Pope wishes that the coexistence of the two forms of the rite will lead both, not to oppose each other, but to mutually enrich each other."
In most places, it has been either one rite or the other. What the 'motu proprio' does is allow for the possibility that both forms could be offered in any parish.
Nine years ago, Cardinal Francis George, then in his second year as archbishop of Chicago, worked together with Father Frank Phillips to form a new religious community, the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. The group is based on a unique approach to liturgy and has the community motto of "Restoring the Sacred."
The community, now with 25 priests and brothers, and expecting to have 3 more priests next year, attests that they have not witnessed a division between the different forms of the Roman rite. The experience of the Canons Regular of St John Cantius observe a balance in parish life, which is very fruitful and beneficial. It has actually been very unifying.
The Canons Regular of St. John Cantius have also launched SanctaMissa.org, an online tutorial for priests and altar servers learning to celebrate the Roman Rite according to the 1962 Roman Missal.
Cardinal George has asked the Canons Regular to serve the pastoral needs of the faithful during this transition. And for those who never learned the Traditional Mass, modern technology is providing a new way to learn the old liturgy.
In addition to an online multimedia tutorial, SanctaMissa.org provides the rubrics of the 1962 Roman Missal in English, a ceremonial for altar servers, articles on the spirituality of the Tridentine Latin Mass, and a ceremonial for liturgical music.
The Tutorial for Altar Servers provides a video demonstrating a Low Mass with one server, as well as a printable "cheat sheet" for altar servers learning the Mass.
When in Chicago, visit the Canons Regular of St John Cantius at 825 N Carpenter St, Chicago, IL 60622.
www.cantius.org
www.sanctamissa.org
www.societycantius.org
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