CHARLOTTE — Despite wintry weather, many Charlotte faithful traveled in the early morning hours Dec. 9 to attend St. Thomas Aquinas Church’s annual Rorate Mass in the Extraordinary Form. For this special liturgy held traditionally before sunrise, the church is lit with only candlelight.
The name for the Mass comes from the opening words of the Introit (Entrance Antiphon), from Isaiah 45:8: “Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant iustum,” or “Drop down dew, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness.”
As custom, the Mass was offered as a votive Mass of Our Lady right before dawn during Advent to welcome the coming of the Light of the World and to honor Mary’s role in bringing forth the Savior.
The Solemn High Mass was offered by Father Matthew Kauth, rector of St. Joseph College Seminary in Charlotte, and assisted by Father Jason Christian, parochial vicar at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Gastonia and Father Matthew Bean, parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas Church.
St. Michael Church also offered its own Rorate Mass that morning with pastor Father Matthew Buettner.
Additional Rorate Masses are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 16: St. Michael the Archangel in Gastonia at 6 a.m. and St. Ann Church in Charlotte at 6:30 a.m. For more information, go to www.charlottelatinmass.org.
— Photos by John Cosmas | Catholic News Herald
