Mr. James Marples, in his letter published in this paper on Dec. 7, “agree[s] with the Pope’s decision to severely curtail the use of the Latin Mass in English-speaking countries.” Setting aside many other errors of fact, the curtailment was not limited to English speaking countries, but to the global Roman Catholic Church. The Mass which the Pope has curtailed was the Mass celebrated or assisted by every Roman Catholic, saints and sinners, priests and laity, rich and poor, from the time of the Apostles until Mr. Marples’ childhood. Thousands of young families with children, the future of the Catholic Church, are attached to the Latin Mass for precisely this reason.

The curtailment addressed no problem in the Catholic Church, except for that of the feelings of people such as Mr. Marples. There has never been any question of the availability of the “English” Mass at every parish in the diocese of Tyler, in Texas, and in any English-speaking country, excepting those specifically established for the Traditional Mass, and those of other churches in communion with Rome.

There is only the question of whether those who wish to continue to worship as our fathers in the Catholic Faith did will be permitted to do so in peace, or be persecuted.

The closure of parish celebrations of the Latin Mass in Tyler will not result in increased attendance at the New Mass, rather it has resulted in families standing outside in the rain or the heat at St. Joseph the Worker, the one parish where this Mass is permitted to continue, which currently seats 100. Prior to the edict announcing the cessation of other celebrations of the Latin Mass, St Joseph had already counted more than 500 in weekly Sunday attendance. This was known to those responsible for the decision, and yet the letter announcing the closure included the existence of St. Joseph the Worker as part of its justification.

Everyone is welcome at the Latin Mass. We turn no one away at St. Joseph the Worker, despite our church overflowing, and our overflow overflowing. But it strikes me as bad manners to complain that we are unwelcoming because the Mass is not altered to suit Mr. Marples.

St. Joseph the Worker is building a new church so that our current parishioners and all those deprived of the Latin Mass in other parishes have space to assist at Mass. We are grateful for any support as we do our best to accommodate both our current parishioners and the many newcomers who can no longer assist at the Latin Mass in their own parishes. Information on giving is at traditionandbeauty.com .