Expert: Fr. Michael - 8/6/2008

Question
I know that there are churches which offer the Latin Mass exclusively. What I want to know is if a church is N.O. but offers the Latin mass once a week is that mass valid?

Answer
Almost certainly not, as it is almost certainly simulated by a Novus Ordo presbyter who has been installed to "preside over the assemby," not ordained into Holy Order "to offer Mass for the living and the dead."  Moreover, it probably has invalidating or sacrilegious features of the Novus Ordo service, such as:

•   using Novus Ordo presbyters (indicated as Presb. in the listings below) merely "installed to preside over the assembly" with the Novus Ordo Ordinal of 1968 instead of using priests "ordained to offer Mass for the living and the dead" with the traditional Ordinal
•   using modifications introduced after 1962, such those of 1964 or those of 2007-2008 (Summorum pontificum)
•   "oecumenizing" the ancient prayer of Good Friday for the Jews
•   mixing in elements of the invalid Novus Ordo service
•   using the new calendar, the new lectionary, or the new rubrics of 1964 or later
•   using a church building where the Novus Ordo service is also held
•   giving "communion" in the hand
•   mixing New Order cookies and traditional Hosts in the tabernacle
•   using lay "ministers" and "ministresses"
•   using "altar girls"
•   enforcing standing rather than kneeling at the Canon or to receive communion
•   eliminating the traditional Collect prayers and the Leonine prayers after Low Mass
•   transferring or eliminating traditional holydays
•   holding Saturday "anticipated" services instead of Mass on the Lord's Day
•   holding Novus Ordo services in the same building, implying than one service is as good as another
•   virtually abolishing the traditional Eucharistic fast and traditional days of fast and abstinence

For further information see the chapter  "Warnining on Pseudo-Traditional Services" in the Official Traditional Catholic Directory, www.traditio.com/nat.htm.