THE TRADITIONAL (TRIDENTINE) MASS

This is the Mass of the Roman rite which has been celebrated throughout the world from the early Christian centuries

Historical evidence shows that the Roman Missal in use for centuries before the Council of Trent was in all respects identical to the Missal codified by Pope St. Pius V.

It developed in almost imperceptible stages by a process of natural and gradual development. This is the Mass in all its essentials that was passed on by St. Peter who was himself given it by Jesus Christ.

The traditional Latin Mass is commonly referred to as the Tridentine Mass. This adjective is derived from the name "Trent."

It is therefore, the sacred duty of the Holy See to guard it from any contamination of error and to pass it on pure and undefiled to future generations of Catholics.

  On October 2, 1984, every bishop in the world was authorized to permit the celebration of the Tridentine Mass by the Indult "Quattuor abhinc annos." (See below).

In an Apostolic Letter "Ecclesia Dei" (see below)  issued by his Holiness Pope John Paul II, July 2, 1988, in which he expressed his will to guarantee respect for the rightful aspirations of those attached to the Latin liturgical tradition and in order to achieve this aim, he established the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" .

UNA VOCE "WITH ONE VOICE"

The International Una Voce Federation founded December 19, 1964, is a lay movement which has affiliated associations in twenty countries. The principal aim of Una Voce as stated in Article II of its statutes is as follows:

• To ensure that the Traditional Roman Mass as codified in the Missale Romanum edited by Pope John XXIII is maintained both in practice and law as one of the forms of liturgical celebrations which are recognized and honoured in universal liturgical life.

• To obtain freedom of use for all the Roman liturgical books enshrining "previous liturgical and disciplinary forms of the Latin tradition;" (Ecclesia Dei, n, 5)

• To safeguard and promote the use of Latin, Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony in the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church.

• Actively to encourage the establishment of non-territorial parishes and/or chaplaincies in which the liturgical books used in 1962 are employed.

  On July 7th, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI authorized a new Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum", updating that of Pope John Paul II of 1988.

  The issuance of the new Motu Proprio states that, "it is licit to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass in accordance with the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated."