Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Latin Mass)

The Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (Latin Mass) is offered weekly on Sundays at 3 p.m. at Holy Family church at 1525 S. Washington Ave., Saginaw. This Mass is open to the public.

Photos video and information about the Extraordinary form are included below.

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Video of the Mass

About the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite

The Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite is sometimes referred to as the “Traditional Latin Mass” or the “Tridentine Rite.” However, both terms are misleading. The Holy Mass has been celebrated by the Church since the time of the Apostles. The Last Supper of Jesus is the origin of our tradition. 

There have been legitimate variations of the Roman Rite over the centuries. The Mass was celebrated in Greek until the fourth century, which is why we continue to chant or recite in Greek “Kyrie eleison,” which is “Lord have Mercy” in English. In 1570, after the Council of Trent and the invention of the printing press, Saint Pope Pius V promulgated a new Missal for the Roman Rite. Since this new Missal was promulgated after the Council of Trent, it became known to many as the “Tridentine Rite” of the Mass.

The last revision of the Roman Missal of 1570 was promulgated and published in 1962.

In 1970, Saint Pope Paul VI promulgated the Missal for the Roman Rite. The prayers and rubrics were revised, and that is what we refer to as the Novus Ordo, or the new order of the Roman Missal. There were still some small groups and elderly priests who were permitted to continue to celebrate the Mass in Latin using the Roman Missal from 1962. 

In 2007, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI approved the celebration of the Mass using the Latin Missal from 1962 for any priest who could demonstrate that he was prepared in the Latin language and the rubrics of the Mass from 1962.

The celebration of the Mass has varied in ritual practices since the time of the Apostles. However, the mystery of the Mass is the action of God — through the consecration of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus — and, in that, there has been no variation. 

When Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI permitted the celebration of the Mass according to the Missal of 1962, he simply extended a permission that already existed. In order to make it clear that there is only one Roman Rite, he made use of the appropriate terms “Ordinary Form” of the Roman Rite, indicating that is the ritual most often celebrated in the language of the people and “Extraordinary Form,” which is the celebration in the Latin language, and the ritual that was in place in the Roman Missal of 1962. 

“We are fundamentally united in worship of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist,” Bishop Gruss said. “The Holy Spirit is who unites us with Jesus Christ.”