A sacred and prayerful mass is a Catholic tradition

I would like to thank The Gazette for its balanced treatment of the Archdiocesan Journey in Faith.

Our archbishop says he wants the churches to be full during mass so that it’s more celebratory and vibrant. That sounds more like entertainment. How about mass being sacred and prayerful with a sense of holiness and the presence of God that transcends everyday life? Celebration and vibrancy may have their place but I’ve seen more conversions in silence and listening. The Bible tells us that when Elijah was at Mt. Horeb, he did not encounter God in wind or earthquake or fire but in silence.

After Vatican II, the faithful had a new order of mass imposed which caused many to feel as if their spiritual needs didn’t matter. Many of them left the church. I saw that same sadness and frustration expressed in The Gazette article.

Archbishop Zinkula has been a true and good pastor to those of us who find spiritual sustenance in the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). I would ask him to consider what it is that we find so valuable in the TLM and see how that might be relevant to the Novus Ordo and the way in which the new parish alignment is being implemented. It might be worth noting that the church is full during the TLM.

Chet Sullivan

Marion