Una Voce - Central Oregon

Una Voce - Central Oregon
SOCIETY OF ST. GREGORY THE GREAT
"Lex Orandi - Lex Credendi"

Sample Letters and Advice for Requesting the
Traditional Latin mass

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Courtesy of Una Voce America

Note: Be sure to keep copies of both your request letter and the replies, if any. Two requests over two months is recommended. If the pastor is unable or unwilling to satisfy the request, make the request to the bishop including the correspondence to and from the pastor. If the bishop, after two requests, is also unable or unwilling to satisfy your requests, refer the matter to the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. Again, please be sure to keep all correspondence as it will be necessary to provide these documents to the Ecclesia Dei Commission. It is very helpful to all that those of you requesting the TLM also be members of Una Voce - Central Oregon.

Be polite, even if your requests were turned down in the past.

Be brief; stick to the request. One paragraph should be plenty; one page is too long. Do not include complaints or other matters.

Request the Mass for both Sundays and weekdays. This does not obligate you attend every day or every week or every month.

Anyone who likes the traditional Mass can write a request. You do not need to mention how often you plan to attend.

o Mention that your request is according to “Summorum Pontificum, articles 5.1, 5.2 & 7.”

If you know of a priest who is willing and able to offer the Mass, mention that. Your pastor may not know of a priest who can do so.

Wait a month for a response. If you have not heard back in a month, write to the pastor again, the same letter. If he does not respond within another month, write to the bishop (see below).
Keep copies of the letter, and the pastor’s response, if any.
It is worthwhile for one person in the parish to have a copy of everyone’s letters. This may be helpful if the matter is taken to the next step.

SAMPLE LETTER TO PASTOR
July 15, 2007
Rev. Gregory Doe
Pastor, St. Christopher Parish
111 1st Street
Illinois City, Illinois 11111

Dear Father Doe,
In keeping with the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI’s recent document Summorum Ponitficum, articles 5.1, 5.2 and 7, I am writing to request that you have the Mass of Blessed John XXIII offered at St. Christopher Parish. I request that this extraordinary form of the Mass be offered on Sundays, feast days, and week days. I know of a priest, Fr. Fred Johnson, who has said he is willing and able to offer this form of the Mass. If you are not able, maybe he could come to our parish to do so.
Thank you for your consideration
Yours in Christ,
Michael James

SAMPLE LETTER TO BISHOP
September 15, 2007
Most Rev. Evan Thomas
Bishop of the Diocese of Illinois City
222 2nd Street
Illinois City, Illinois 22222

Your Excellency,
I am a member of the Blessed John XXIII Society of St. Christopher Parish. In keeping with the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI’s recent document Summorum Ponitficum, articles 5.1, 5.2, 7 and 10, I am writing to request that you have the Mass of Blessed John XXIII offered at St. Christopher Parish, or at a nearby parish. I have written to my pastor, Fr. Doe, twice in the past two months, but have received no reply. [OR I have written to my pastor, Fr. Doe, but he has declined to provide this Mass for us.] I request that this extraordinary form of the Mass be offered on Sundays, feast days, and week days. I would also like to request that you establish a personal parish or appoint a chaplain for the extraordinary form of the Mass. I know of a priest, Fr. Fred Johnson, who has said he is willing and able to offer this form of the Mass.
I realize that I have written to you 3 times in the past several years with this request, but in light of the recent motu proprio, I thought it appropriate to write again.
Thank you for your consideration
Yours in Christ,
Michael James

SAMPLE INDIVIDUAL LETTER TO THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION ECCLESIA DEI

November 15, 2007
Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei,
His Eminence Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos,
President, Piazza del Sant’ Uffizio 11,
00120 Vatican City, Italy

Your Eminence:
I am a member of St. Christopher Parish, in the diocese of Illinois City, in the United States of America. I am also a member of the Blessed John XIII Society of the Diocese of Illinois City.

I respectfully request your assistance in having Mass offered in my parish, or in a nearby parish, following the Missal of Blessed John XXIII. I have written repeated requests to my pastor, Rev. Greg Doe, and to my bishop, Most. Rev. Evan Thomas, but have not received a positive response from them. [OR Our pastor, Rev. Gregory Doe, has kindly provided us with the extraordinary form of the Mass once each Sunday, but we would like to have that form of the Mass offered daily.] [OR Our Bishop, Most Rev. Evan Thomas, has kindly provided the extraordinary form of the Mass once each Sunday in another parish, but we would like to have that form of the Mass offered daily.] Would Your Excellency see fit to provide our group with a chaplain, or to establish for us a personal parish? That would greatly assist us in having not only the extraordinary form of the Mass offered daily, but also weddings, funerals and the other Sacraments regularly provided according to the earlier ritual. There is a priest in our diocese [OR there is a priest in the Central City diocese], Rev. Fred Johnson, who is willing and able to be a chaplain for us.

Wishing you God’s grace and blessings,
Yours in Christ,
Michael James

FOR THE COVER LETTER:
Your Eminence:
I am a member of St. Christopher Parish, in the diocese of Illinois City, in the United States of America. I am also a member of the Blessed John XIII Society of the Diocese of Illinois City.
Enclosed are letters from the members of our group, in which we respectfully request your assistance in having Mass offered following the Missal of Blessed John XXIII. We have written repeated requests to our pastor(s) and to our bishop…
CONTINUE AS IN THE SAMPLE INDIVIDUAL LETTER ABOVE.