By Dani Elle Brissette

WOONSOCKET —Parishioners of St. Joseph Church on Mendon Road joined The Rev. Michael Woolley  Sunday evening in order to prepare for the church’s upcoming Traditional Latin Masses to be celebrated on Sundays, April 13, , May 11 and June 8.

The Traditional Latin Mass, also known as Tridentine, is the form of the Roman Rite Mass presented in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published between 1570 and 1962. According to the Coalition in Support of Ecclesia Dei, Pope Benedict XVI has ruled that all priests of the Latin Rite are free to offer the Traditional Latin Mass.
“Latin is a fixed language that is not evolving and that the church can control in its evolution,” Father Woolley explained during his informational talk, which was intended to discuss the differences between the new Mass and the Latin Mass, as well as prepare the congregation for the events.
Father Woolley explained that St. Joseph is celebrating the Masses primarily because they are an alternate form of more intimate worship. The traditional Latin language and unyielding structure offer an environment that is more conducive to worshipping, he said.
“I’m emphasizing this not to decrement of the new Mass but to show the reasons people give for the value of these differences in the older Mass,” said Father Woolley.
To assuage any uncertainties that the congregation had, he outlined the structure of the Traditional Mass in detail, explaining that during these special celebrations of the Tridentine Masses, the newer practices that many Catholics have grown accustomed to would be suspended.
“We value as Catholics what the Apostles did and what the Christians did before us,” Father Woolley said, stressing his belief that holding the Latin Mass would not only offer parishioners a diverse perspective of worship traditions, but also pay homage to historical icons within the Catholic and Christian faiths.
To aid in following the Masses, English-Latin booklet missals and outlines were made available during Father Woolley’s speech and will be available at the Masses. Music will be provided by Rene Rincine and the Schola Sanctae Caeciliae, under the direction of Henri St. Louis. These Traditional Masses will fulfill one's Sunday Mass obligation.