A more permanent home for the Monterey, CA Latin Mass community

[Ygnacia]

“A more normal parish life”

Latin Mass community in Monterey diocese moving to ‘stable home’ on cemetery grounds

Less than a year after relocating to the Shrine of St. Joseph in Santa Cruz, members of a Traditional Latin Mass community in the diocese of Monterey are moving again -- this time to a location they hope will be their permanent home.

Last year, Monterey bishop Richard Garcia asked the Traditional Latin Mass Community, which had been celebrating the Extraordinary Rite at Mission San Juan Bautista since 2008, to move to the Santa Cruz shrine. The first Traditional Latin Mass was celebrated there on July 3, 2011.

“It is Bishop Garcia’s intention that we find a church for ourselves, a church for the Traditional Latin Mass, our own parish,” Father Nicholas Milich said in a message to the Latin Mass Community at the time.

The last TLM at the Shrine of St. Joseph was celebrated on Sunday, June 10. Beginning next Sunday, June 17, the Extraordinary Rite will be celebrated at Queen of Heaven mausoleum, located between Prunedale and Salinas.

“Established in 1964 by Monsignor Thomas Earley, this cemetery was originally opened as the parish cemetery for Sacred Heart Church in Salinas,” says an entry on the cemetery’s website. “The 30-acre site, with approximately 12 developed acres, offers a majestic view of the Salinas Valley. With its beautifully landscaped environment and recent plant renovations, Queen of Heaven is the most attractive cemetery in the county.”

“The reason we are moving is that our Mass site in Santa Cruz was a temporary one,” explained June Ely, secretary of the Monterey Bay Area Latin Mass Community, in an email to California Catholic Daily. “The Oblates of St. Joseph had generously allowed us use of their Shrine in Santa Cruz while we were searching for a more permanent home. Our chaplain and other members of our community had been looking for a home the past year, when we finally found out about the Queen of Heaven Mausoleum between Prunedale and Salinas, right off of Hwy. 101. The Mausoleum church there was only used once a month on Saturday's for a memorial Mass, and very occasionally for funerals.”

“This beautiful location, overlooking the Monterey Bay Area, is about as central as possible for our spread out community,” Ely continued. “When we approached our bishop about using it, he said it was a great idea. The director of Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Mr. Charles Fowler, has been very welcoming to our Traditional Latin Mass community, and is working closely with us to get it ready for our intended move date of June17th. We will be having High Mass at 10:30 every Sunday, and will be able to observe all the Holy Days of Obligation.”

“Our parishioners are very grateful to our bishop and the cemetery directors, and are excited about having a stable home where they can have a more normal parish life,” Ely said.

The mausoleum chapel at Queen of Heaven Cemetery is located at 18200 Damian Way, Salinas. For a map to the new location, Click Here.

A second Traditional Latin Mass in the Monterey diocese is offered at 12:30 p.m. on Sundays at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Pismo Beach.

http://calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=ad8a742e-bf9f-400e-8e41-22218e43cd3b

[Phillipus Iacobus]

News from this area always interests me. My mom was baptized at Sacred Heart in Salinas. What are the thoughts of the community of being given a cemetery chapel for the TLM?

[salus]

Being buried in the diocesan cemetery chapel is not a step up, apparently no priest wants them in their parish and this was the only outlet. The San Diego Latin Mass Community (the first indult in the country in 1984) was put in the cemetery chapel for years before Summorum Pontificum came along and the Auxiliary Bishop of the time Salvatore Cordileone got the FSSP brought in or they still would be there)  The Monterey Group has to look for it's own church in the diocese (some old Protestant Church) and then get Bishop Garcia to put down the down payment and give the group a loan to buy it. If they accept this they will be there forever.

[Phillipus Iacobus]

The insult of the indult.

[salus]

The era of the indult was supposed to be over when Summorum Pontificum came out, how come Bishop Garcia is still treating them as an indult mass, they have a right under canon law now to be in any parish and if that is impossible (which it isn't) then he must provide a priest and parish. Father Milich was lucky he came down to take care of his parents at the right time for this group, if he hadn't there would still be no priest doing it. Is it any wonder the SSPX is wary of the Bishops

[califman831]

I am no fan of bishop garcia since he has done some questionable things recently in our diocese.  For example he allows non-catholics to come teach our children a vacation bible study at our parish, and last year during the youth day mass at mission san antonio he conducted the service with an altar made of plywood and food cans.

[Ygnacia]

Being buried in the diocesan cemetery chapel is not a step up, apparently no priest wants them in their parish and this was the only outlet. The San Diego Latin Mass Community (the first indult in the country in 1984) was put in the cemetery chapel for years before Summorum Pontificum came along and the Auxiliary Bishop of the time Salvatore Cordileone got the FSSP brought in or they still would be there)  The Monterey Group has to look for it's own church in the diocese (some old Protestant Church) and then get Bishop Garcia to put down the down payment and give the group a loan to buy it. If they accept this they will be there forever.

 A com box quote from a lady that is a member of St. Anne's, the San Diego Latin Mass community that you mentioned:

"Wonderful news for you all in the north. We did have our Trad Latin Mass in a cemetary, for about 20+ years. Yes, it was somewhat difficult in that the summer months caused us to sometimes have to endure some in conveniences that come with being in a cemetery.. .We all have to offer some sacrifice to continue to live as Catholics in the True Faith. May this group at this new facility endure those sacrifices necessary in union with the Church for the liberty and exaltation of Holy Mother Church."

We will do as St. Anne's did - pray, and offer up our sacrifices.  Another appropriate com box quote, "They thought that they had silenced Christ by laying Him in an enclosed tomb. Good things arise from tombs. "

[califman831]

http://www.missionlatinmass.org/

[salus]

well the positive news is that you will be close to the bodies of many pre-Vatican 2 loyal Catholics. Enjoy the sacrifices over the next 20 years.

[Master_P]

Ygnacia, is there any hope your community will be able to move back to Mission San Juan Bautista eventually? In any case, at least the Mass is more centrally located near Monterey and Salinas now. Keep fighting the good fight for Tradition in Monterey!