MOORESVILLE — A new chapel is being designated for followers of the Traditional Latin Mass, marking the final phase of the Diocese of Charlotte’s implementation of rules issued by Pope Francis in 2021.
Bishop Michael Martin is designating the chapel as the new spiritual home for Latin Mass supporters who have been worshiping at churches in Charlotte, Greensboro and Tryon. This community follows the traditional form of the Mass, using prayers and a liturgical calendar that pre-date the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.
The yet-to-be-named chapel is located at 757 Oakridge Farm Hwy. in Mooresville, adjacent to Curlin Commons, the diocese’s affordable senior apartment community.
The diocese owns the property, which includes a 5,000-square-foot church that seats 345 worshipers and a separate school/gym building.
The diocese’s Construction and Real Estate Office is renovating the church building to serve as the new chapel, with upgrades including a new ceiling, flooring, lighting, refitting the sanctuary for Catholic worship, installing pews with kneelers, adding a second restroom, and repainting the entire space.
The $700,000 renovation is being fully funded by the diocese at no cost to the Latin Mass community.
The new chapel is part of changes announced May 23 by Bishop Martin to complete the diocese’s implementation of Pope Francis’ 2021 instruction that reintroduced limits on the Traditional Latin Mass.
“Traditionis Custodes” (“Guardians of the Tradition”) declared the liturgical books promulgated after the Second Vatican Council to be “the unique expression of the ‘lex orandi’ (law of worship) of the Roman Rite” and directed bishops not to establish new parishes or groups devoted to the old liturgy. The instruction does allow bishops to “designate one or more locations where the faithful adherents of these groups may gather for the eucharistic celebration.”
In 2023, Bishop Peter Jugis called for “a smooth and orderly transition to the new course charted by Traditionis Custodes” to foster unity in the Church. Latin Masses at five parishes with smaller numbers of followers were discontinued, while four others with more participants were granted a temporary extension by the Vatican’s Dicastery for
Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. That extension expires this year.
Bishop Martin’s directive ends Traditional Latin Masses at all parish churches effective July 8 and sets aside the Mooresville chapel for use by the Latin Mass community.
Since renovations will not be finished by July 8, diocesan staff are preparing the school building on the Mooresville property as a temporary worship space until the chapel is ready this fall.
Bishop Martin will also appoint a chaplain to serve the faithful and celebrate two Sunday Masses and Holy Day Masses using the 1962 Roman Missal at the chapel.
In his letter announcing the changes, Bishop Martin wrote, “It is my heartfelt desire and prayer that this implementation of Traditionis Custodes will further ‘promote the concord and unity of the Church’ among the People of God in the Diocese of Charlotte so that, as Jesus prayed to His Father, we ‘may all be one’ (John 17:21).
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle
Learn more
Bishop Michael Martin will host a meeting about the new chapel June 24 at 6 p.m., in the Hall on the Chapel property for anyone who would like to visit the site and learn more about this transition. The chapel is located at 757 Oakridge Farm Hwy. in Mooresville.