Hello Everyone,
I have an important announcement to make about an upcoming, extraordinary, public offering of a Latin Mass at another parish. This parish has only held the Latin Mass on one occasion since 1964. This announcement especially concerns those residents of the York Region in the Greater Toronto Area, or the municipalities/cities of: Vaughan, Woodbridge, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Newmarket, Markham, and Brampton.
A close contact of mine who attends Latin Masses in the Archdiocese of Toronto, sent me something of great interest on Facebook. It turns out that the Mary Lake Shrine of the Augustinian Fathers, which happens to be one of the 9 parishes in the Archdiocese of Toronto with Doors of Mercy for Pope Francis' Extraordinary Jubilee, is allowing the Archdiocese's Latin Mass Chaplain, Fr. Steven Szakaczki, to celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite at Mary Lake next month. The advertisement on the Augustinian's site is attached above.
The Augustinian Fathers
The Augustinian fathers, if you have guessed, are devoted to the life and teachings of St. Augustine. Yes, he is that St. Augustine of Hippo, of 5th Century AD, who wrote the Confessions, and has an excellent movie called Restless Heart about his life. It is entirely appropriate that the Augustinians are doing the Year of Mercy, for of those early saints in the Church, St. Augustine was certainly an exemplar of the kind of soul who needed Christ's healing and mercy. After studying rhetoric to become what was then a "lawyer" in Carthage, he lived an amoral life full of hedonism of every kind, before his conversion and ordination.
As for these Augustinians, I can personally vouch for them in a couple of regards. While the Mary Lake parish is of mostly modern design, let that not deter you, reader and/or Catholic Traditionalist, from approaching this shrine and grounds. The first major vouching point is their approach to the Sacrament of Mercy and confession. They are similar to the Redemptorists I am fond of here on S.U.D., as the Augustinians go above the regular Diocesan priests in their offerings of confession. As you see here, they offer ample time for confession daily, up to Saturday (though I WISH they would offer confession before Masses on the Sat vigil and Sunday, like the Redemptorists.)
In addition, they will accept special arrangements if they are notified, or see a special need for that sacrament. Once, with a number of my fellow young adults in the Faith, we came in the evening and a few wanted confession. Thankfully the brother that was around accepted our request, and gave a good number of our party the sacrament. In addition, one of the more older brothers actually is fond of Tradition and appreciates the Latin Mass, and that night we sought confession, he even absolved me in Latin!!!
Mass at the Shrine
How Blessed and fortunate that there will finally be another Latin Mass in York Region of the Greater Toronto Area after so many years! To the best of my knowledge, save the one other occasion at Mary Lake, a Latin Mass has NEVER been celebrated since pre-Vatican II in the parishes of York Region in the Archdiocese of Toronto (unless there's a municipality or city that has, and I've missed it. Please inform me if so.)
It is a blessing that the Augustinian Fathers are allowing Fr. Steven to celebrate the EF liturgy. Fr. Steven has been a great grace and blessing to this diocese in promoting the Latin Mass in this Archdiocese. On numerous occasions, he has given his time to being one of the clergy members for the Masses that I assist at, organized by St. Patrick's Gregorian Choir over the years, and I have also altar served the Latin Mass with him outside of the SPGC Masses, such as here in 2012 for Christmas, and for occasional regular EF offerings at his home parish, St. Lawrence the Martyr in Scarborough.
Let it also be known that this Mass is being done independently of any Latin Mass Society/group currently at work in the Archdiocese, including those I assist. This is truthfully a Latin Mass, being held at an archdiocesan parish with their blessing!
In addition to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form/according to the 1962 Missal, there will be refreshments served after, so please if you do come, be a social and joyous Glad Trad! Stay for the tea and sweets!
I hope you will be in attendance at this Shrine of Mercy, partake in the Indulgence for the Doors of Mercy, and be enamoured with the sacredness and beauty of the Latin Mass, celebrated by Fr. Szakaczki. Hopefully, my close and friend and I will be in attendance, and I might meet some of you.
Pax Tibi Christi, Julian Barkin.
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