Torch of The Faith: ''I never would have lapsed if I had known the Traditional Mass was available to me in my teenage years''

News Item: : ''I never would have lapsed if I had known the Traditional Mass was available to me in my teenage years'' - Philip Dillon (Aged 27)
(Category: Torch of The Faith News)
Posted by admin
Wednesday 20 August 2014 - 11:47:57

We've mentioned a few times that we have met and heard about a growing number of young people being converted - and reverted - by encountering orthodox catechesis and the Traditional Latin Mass. Whenever we have drawn attention to these graces, we have pointed out the importance of the Traditional Latin Mass for the New Evangelization.Â

We were therefore delighted to discover that a letter bearing witness to this phenomenon has been printed in Hexham and Newcastle's diocesan newspaper,Â Northern Cross. The letter is so clear - and moving - that we include it here in its entirety:-

I am a twenty-seven year old lay Catholic of the parish of SS. Cuthbert and Joseph in North Sheilds. Both my paternal and maternal grandfathers were Catholic but most of my family is Protestant albeit in name only. I attended St. Joseph's R.C. primary school as a child, and of my own volition I converted to Catholicism because I wanted to make my First Holy Communion with my Catholic cousins. In 1995, I was baptized, made my First Confession, and received Holy Communion. Sadly, I fell away from the practice of the Faith in my teenage years. In 2007, through the grace of God, I went through a conversion experience. I began praying the Rosary, reading the Catechism and watching the Eternal Word Television Network. At around this time, I watched a video on YouTube of the Traditional Latin Mass narrated by Archbishop Fulton Sheen. The solemnity and reverence of the Traditional Rite was deeply moving and I decided to attend Mass for the first time in ten years.Â

The next Sunday, I attended the Extraordinary Form Mass at St. Dominic's in Byker. The Usus Antiquior was completely foreign to me, but I was awestruck by the beauty of the prayers, the solemnity of the worship, and the devotion of the people. The quiet prayerfulness of the Liturgy allowed me to fully participate in the Mass as I placed myself at the foot of the Cross with Our Blessed Mother and the Beloved Disciple. The prayers of the Mass enlightened my understanding and inflamed my love for Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. I became conscious of the infinite Majesty of God and I also became painfully aware of my own sinfulness. When the Mass ended, I resolved to change my life and embrace the Faith I lost in my teenage years.Â

The Traditional Mass is the reason I began living the Sacramental life. I continue to attend this Mass at St. Joseph's in Gateshead. As a child I attended the Mass of Paul VI, but the Missal of 1962 brought me back into the Church. The Old Mass is solely responsible for my adult conversion; in fact, I would never have lapsed if I had known this Mass was available to me in my teenage years. My experience is fairly common. The proliferation of Juventutum groups around the world and the many vocations to Traditional congregations and Priestly Fraternities attests to the fact that a lot of young Catholics are deeply attached to the riches contained in the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope St. John XXIII. The Traditional Latin Liturgy also has a presence at World Youth Day. It is my fervent belief that the Traditional Latin Liturgy is a vitally important part of the New Evangelization, and I am grateful for our bishop's continued support of this liturgy and am certain that it will quietly call many lapsed Catholics home and bring about new conversions!

We have no idea whether Philip Dillon will ever read this article. Nevertheless, we are delighted by his letter and deeply encouraged by it. It rings so true with our own experiences, which we described in two articles, on February 18th and 22nd 2014, entitled Faith... Addiction... Tradition... Parts 1 and 2. Philip's experiences also resound with those of other young adults that we have met and also read about in the last few years.

We will speak more of this in the near future. For now, let us give thanks to God and pray that more people will be given access to the Traditional Latin Mass and that this will bring a rich harvest of souls home to Jesus Christ and His Holy Church. On this 100th Anniversary of Pope St. Pius X's death, let us follow his and St. Paul's lead and ''Restore All Things in Christ!''Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

This news item is from Torch of The Faith
( http://www.torchofthefaith.com/news.php?extend.757 )