CHARLOTTE — St. Ann Parish and the Charlotte Latin Mass Community celebrated Palm Sunday April 14 with a special Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form.
The Mass was a more ancient expression of the traditional Palm Sunday Latin Mass, which until Sunday, had never been offered by either the Charlotte parish or the diocese since their founding. The Latin Mass featured an entirely separate liturgy for the blessing of palms and an outdoor procession.
The blessing and Mass were both offered by St. Ann’s pastor Father Timothy Reid, with Father Jason Barone, chaplain at Charlotte Catholic High School, serving as deacon and St. Ann Deacon Peter Tonon serving as subdeacon. St. Joseph College seminarian Harry Ohlhaut served as master of ceremonies and was assisted by fellow college seminarian Matthew Dimock.
The blessing of palms in this ancient rite is sometimes referred to as a “dry Mass” as it contains its own set of antiphons, Epistle, Gospel, a sort of “canon,” the chanting of the “Sanctus” and after the sprinkling and incense of the palms, their distribution to the faithful. Similar to the reception of Holy Communion, the faithful then approach the altar rail, kneel and receive palms from the priest while kissing both the palm and the priest’s hand.
After the distribution of palms, Father Reid then led the faithful in an outdoor procession around the church grounds while the schola and choir chanted six antiphons commemorating Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Prior to the priest and faithful re-entering the church, the doors were purposely closed and the subdeacon (Deacon Peter Tonon) knocked on the doors to request entry – symbolizing both Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and prefiguring His eternal entry into heaven with the elect after His ascension.
After the liturgy of palms was completed, Father Reid offered a Solemn High Mass that included the Latin chanting of the Passion of Jesus Christ from the Gospel of St. Matthew. He was assisted in the chanting by Father Barone and Deacon Tonon.
The two and a half-hour liturgy and Mass drew a record crowd of nearly 400 faithful and attracted attendees as far north as Greensboro and as far south as Columbia, S.C.
The blessing and Mass marked the beginning of Holy Week in the Extraordinary Form (Latin) and will continue with a Latin Easter Triduum offered at Charlotte Catholic High School chapel on Holy Thursday (7 p.m. Mass), Good Friday (3 p.m. Liturgy), and Holy Saturday (8:30 p.m. Easter Vigil). The chapel is located at 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road in Charlotte.
For more information about the Latin Mass, please contact Chris Lauer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.charlottelatinmass.org.
— Mike Fitzgerald, correspondent. Photo provided by Markus Kuncoro