Archbishop Peter Comensoli was invited by the diocesan Latin Mass Parish which hosts the Cathedral Latin Mass, Newman Parish. Archbishop Comensoli remained in the sanctuary along with the Cathedral's dean, without taking part in the Mass and afterwards he was greeted respectfully and gratefully by hundreds of the faithful.

The clans were well represented as Catholics from a range of rites and traditions gathered. The greater number were regular parishioners from Newman Parish, but others came from Novus Ordo parishes and from the Society of St. Pius X. A practicing Catholic politician is also known to have attended. All were there to show their support for the traditional liturgy and their dismay at its being canceled by Rome. 

The clans were well represented as Catholics from a range of rites and traditions gathered to hear exquisite sacred music from Palestrina and Byrd, as well as organ works played by a Melbourne priest who offers both forms of the liturgy. While the Mass’s Subdeacon was from Newman Parish, the Deacon was a priest ordained to the Institut du Bon Pasteur. A Franciscan priest and a Dominican were also in attendance. A practicing Catholic politician is also known to have attended.

Many from the congregation had come straight from work and school; all were there to show their support for the traditional liturgy and their dismay at its being canceled by Rome. The greater number were regular parishioners from Newman Parish, but others came from Novus Ordo parishes and from the Society of St. Pius X. One member of the Society traveled over an hour to be at the Mass. She said:

“It was a very beautiful and moving Mass. I came to show my support for the Traditional Latin mass, the only Mass I attend on a weekly basis and to take part in this significant and heart-breaking moment in time for the Catholic Church in my home town of Melbourne.”

Evelyn Ogibly, an attendee from a local parish, said:

“I attend my local parish which is Novus Ordo but we have one Latin Mass there per week which I also attend. Some people travel a fair distance to be there. Our regular Masses in the NO are very beautiful largely because we have a Parish Priest whose love of Our Lord and beautiful music and liturgy is obvious. Having said that, no matter how beautiful the NO is, the traditional liturgy is my preference for its reverence that cannot be diminished by the particular tastes of any one priest. That is in addition to its transcendent quality, its beauty and its connection to all the saints of old and scores of Catholic brothers and sisters who preceded me.”

One woman who had not previously attended a Latin Mass said that it was “very spiritual and uplifting. Now I know why you are such devotees.” She added, “It seems incredible that as Australian citizens today in a progressive world that anyone would restrict our right to worship in the way we would like to.”

Fr. Glen Tattersall, reminded the congregation of a Mass which had been celebrated in the Cathedral by then-Bishop George Pell in 1992. That Mass had been the first Tridentine Rite Mass to be offered by a Bishop in any Australian Cathedral since 1970.

As is the case with most traditional liturgies these days, a large number of children and young people were in attendance, along with older Catholics who have maintained their connection to the old rite. One long-time member of Newman Parish, Mrs. Josephine Okon, told this author:

“I was blessed to have been married by the priest who was instrumental in reinstating the Traditional Latin Mass at the Cathedral. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Fr. Tattersall. Two of the singers in the choir tonight also sang at my wedding twenty years ago and my son was privileged to serve at this last Mass.

“It was very special for me in many regards, but also deeply saddening. I had only learned of this Mass after lockdowns and was attending almost every week until Wednesday night. I pray that we might have it back once more.”

In his sermon, the celebrant, Fr. Glen Tattersall, reminded the congregation of a Mass which had been celebrated in the Cathedral by then-Bishop George Pell in 1992. That Mass had been the first Tridentine Rite Mass to be offered by a Bishop in any Australian Cathedral since 1970. At that time, Bishop Pell said that the “precious inheritance” of the traditional Mass “is not ours to improve or to prune.” Quoting Pell, Fr. Tattersall continued:

“It is the source of faith and repentance, the source of everlasting renewal. To the extent that we depart from this central tradition of worship and conversion, that we damage or pollute this core, we are weakened and enfeebled.

“I cannot promise you a second spring. I can only promise you a hard slog. The external pressures on us will remain formidable. I hope and pray that this Mass strengthens you for this long struggle.”

Fr. Tattersall then reminded the congregation of the necessity of praying for our enemies. [The entire sermon can be found here.]

I cannot promise you a second spring. I can only promise you a hard slog. The external pressures on us will remain formidable. I hope and pray that this Mass strengthens you for this long struggle.

In addition to losing the Cathedral Latin Mass, some Melbourne Catholics experienced a taste of the wider secular attacks on tradition. When attempting to share posts advertising the Mass, some reported that they were unable to do so with Facebook inexplicably citing the post as being “against our community standards on spam.”

The cancellation of this highly symbolic Mass comes at the time when credible rumors about a coming “final solution’ crackdown on the Latin Mass are swirling around the Catholic world. It was also revealed this week that the author of the decree requesting an immediate halt to the Cathedral Mass, Archbishop Viola, is said to wear the episcopal ring of Annibale Bugnini. Viola is not alone in this strange custom: Bishop Luca Brandolini, who claimed the release of Summorum Pontificum was a “day of grief” for him, also wore Bugnini’s ring.

Bugnini, a man described by Fr. Louis Bouyer as being without culture or honesty, is of course infamous for being the architect of the New Mass. Bugnini was credibly accused of being a Freemason, and the hierarchy’s failure to fully investigate this matter has been a source of scandal for over fifty years. One can only wonder at the audacity of a prelate who openly shows his admiration for an ecclesiastical Freemason while actively assisting in the destruction of the traditional liturgy.

Images courtesy Newman Parish Facebook page

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