Mass in the Extraordinary Form
Celebrating the Extraordinary Form of the Mass (the Traditional Latin Mass) is an important part of preserving our Catholic liturgical Tradition. Celebrated since the time of Pope Gregory the Great (pope from 590-604 AD), it was officially codified by Pope Pius V in 1570. This is the Mass that most of the saints throughout history celebrated and were familiar with.
The current edition of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass is the 1962 Roman Missal, Promulgated by St. John XXIII. While the Ordinary Form of the Mass was introduced after the Second Vatican Council and is now most commonly celebrated, the Extraordinary Form of the Mass was "never abrogated" and may be celebrated by any Roman Catholic Priest in good standing.
The Extraordinary Form of the Mass opens us up to many of the treasures of the Church's liturgical Tradition, such as Gregorian Chant, beautiful prayers and collects of the Mass that were suppressed in the Ordinary Form, and Mass celebrated ad orientem or "facing East."
The Extraordinary Form of the Mass can either be celebrated as a Low Mass (everything at Mass is spoken), a High Mass (everything at Muss is sung), or a Solemn High Mass (sung with a deacon and subdeacon assisting). Here at St. Mary of Redford, we are privileged to regularly be able to offer High and Solemn High Masses.