May 23, 2008
Please, Archdiocese, Let Us Pray on Our Knees
The Globe reports that the Archdiocese of Boston is planning to close two churches in the city, Holy Trinity Church in the South End and St. Casimir in Brockton. Just two years ago, the diocese finished shutting down over 60 local parishes, but the archdiocese says these new closures are not part of a larger consolidation movement.
Holy Trinity has long been a haven for German Catholic immigrants, and is one of few churches left still offering mass in Latin. About 50 people attend a German community service (mostly in English) there each week, while 100 attend the Latin Mass. The church also has a monthly mass in German.
St. Casimir, which has a largely Lithuanian-American congregation, offers services with some readings in Lithuanian and celebrates Lithuanian holidays. The church has worked to stay alive, with parishioners posting crosses outside the church to show their support and evoke the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania.
The archdiocese cites low mass attendance and sacrament rates as reasons for shuttering the parishes, and plans to incorporate German services at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. No word on a new location for Lithuanian services.
Despite the archdiocese's protests to the contrary, the local Council of Parishes is convinced that these closures indicate a plan to end services at additional local churches.
This Bostonist grew up Catholic, but has never been to a Latin mass. If you haven't, either, now might be a good time to give it a try. Hurry to Holy Trinity Sundays at 9 a.m. before the church closes on June 30 and the Latin Mass moves to Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Church in Newton.
Image of Holy Trinity Church from its website, http://www.holytrinitygerman.org/
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When did Brockton become part of Boston?
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This poor parish - they've had so much thrown at them of late. Wasn't there something about the tower being rehabbed? Why would that be if they're going to close the church?
If I'm not mistaken, the Latin Mass is already taking place at Mary Immaculate. Fr. Higgins celebrated the Latin Mass at Holy Trinity on a regular basis and was relocated from Holy Name Parish in West Roxbury to Newton to continue the Mass when the first round of closures were threatened last summer. This Mass is an additional one that has been added in the Archdiocese.
Although the Mass is celebrated weekly, usually the third Sunday of the month is the High Mass with the full choir. While the Low Mass does have fewer attendees, this Mass is full of people across all age groups, and quite a few families with lots of kids. As a post-Vatican II Catholic who finds the current Mass rather sterile, the experience of the Latin Mass is amazing.
Latin/English booklets are available at the door; ladies, remember your chapel veils!
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Has anyone examined the possibility that this may be a racist, anti-German move on the part of the Archbishop of Boston?