The following photos were sent in of a Solemn Mass celebrated on January 6, 2009 at Holy Trinity Parish in Gainesville, Virginia for the feast of the Epiphany. The NLM is told that several local seminarians from the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, the Institute of Christ the King, and the seminary of St. Charles Borromeo, as well as diocesan priests, who served or sang at the Mass.
The celebrant was Father Gregory Thompson, assistant pastor of All Saints church in Manassas, Va. The deacon was Father Kevin Beres, assistant pastor of Saint Michael's church in Annandale, Va. The subdeacon was Abbe Michael Stein of the Institute of Christ the King. The homilist was Father Jerry Wooten, assistant pastor of the church that hosted the Mass, Holy Trinity in Gainesville, Va.
The schola consisted of three seminarians (two FSSP and one diocesan deacon) as well as three men from Saint Mary's in D.C. The acolytes consisted of two or three FSSP seminarians as well as men and boys from the parish and surrounding area.
The entire photo set is available here, but a few select photos of the event for NLM readers.
Readers who look at the photo set will no doubt take note of, and be rightly encouraged by the fact that the clergy and servers are all young men.
It is worth making note of the fact that those who participated in this event were made up of both those who belong to priestly societies who are dedicated to the usus antiquior and those who are associated with a diocese and will take up (or do take up) positions in diocesan parishes -- and thus celebrate the modern liturgy and possibly the ancient liturgy as well.
It seems to me that we need to foster this sort of collaborative mixture and venture, putting aside any divisions and instead, working together and encouraging one another in the pursuit of a new liturgical movement through the faithful celebration of the usus antiquior and through the re-enchantment of the modern liturgy by means of the reform of the reform.
