Traditional Latin Mass celebrated in Diocese of New Ulm

[NOTE: The following article appeared in the November 2009 issue of the Prairie Catholic. This news is encouraging to me because not only has the number of EF Masses being celebrated in our diocese doubled, but so has the number of priests celebrating them.]

On July 7, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter titled Summorum Pontificum to the Universal Church granting explicit permission for the Mass to be celebrated in Latin as it was according to the Missal of 1962 for those of the faithful who request it, as well as the celebration of other sacraments as they were at that time.

The Holy Father asked the bishops of the Church to do what they can to make the celebration of this Mass available. Pope Benedict called it the extraordinary form of the Mass to distinguish it from the Mass that is presently celebrated in English.

Soon after the Holy Father’s letter, Bishop John C. Nienstedt, third bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, (2001-2008) established a monthly Traditional Latin Mass in the
Diocese of New Ulm offered at the Church of St. Michael in Morgan on the 2nd Sunday of every month at 11:30 a.m. For the past two years that Mass has been celebrated.

As of October 2009, a second Mass each month is being celebrated according to the Missal of 1962 on the 4th Sunday of every month, at the Church of St. Michael in
Morgan, also at 11:30 a.m.

At this time, the Mass on the second Sunday of each month is a High Mass by Msgr. Robert Wyffels, and the Mass on the fourth Sunday of each month is celebrated as a Low Mass by Fr. Mark Steffl. For those who wish, attendance at these Masses counts for their Sunday obligation to attend Mass.

A Web site has been established that will be updated regularly with information (schedules and times) on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass in the Diocese of New Ulm. Visit [LINK REMOVED: I have removed the link to this site. After reviewing the site I have problems with some of their content -- Dave]