For any who are (or could be) in the area of Knoxville, TN, you should check out this event next Sunday afternoon. I’ll just give you the press release (removing a few superfluous paragraphs explaining what the Traditional Latin Mass is); the website doesn’t seem to be working at the moment that I’m writing this, but it is here.

As an additional attraction, one of your beloved CSGT contributors will be singing with the choir for this Mass.

Knoxville Catholics’ First Solemn Latin Mass in Decades

At 2 pm on Sunday, April 20 at Knoxville’s historic Holy Ghost Catholic Church — currently celebrating its centennial — area Catholics will enjoy the city’s first solemn Latin Mass celebrated in the four decades since the newer vernacular Mass was introduced in the years following the Second Vatican Council.

As a special feature for this festive occasion, a combined multi-parish choir and orchestra directed by Mary Frazier Garner will sing the principal choral parts of the Mass in the famous “Coronation Mass” setting composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This unique event will afford the opportunity of hearing some of the Church’s greatest sacred music presented not solely in concert but as an active part of the liturgy in a “live” church worship service.


This solemn Mass at Holy Ghost Church will be celebrated by Fr. John Arthur Orr, with Fr. David Carter (assoc. pastor at St. Jude’s Church in Chattanooga) and Fr. Patrick Resen (assoc. pastor at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Alcoa) functioning as deacon and subdeacon. Holy Ghost pastor Monsignor Xavier Mankel will attend in choir.

Fr. Orr, spiritual director at Knoxville Catholic High School and pastor of Clinton’s St. Therese Catholic Church, has served the Knoxville Latin Mass community since his 2005 appointment as its chaplain by then Bishop Joseph E. Kurtz. Latin Masses have since been held on Sundays at 1:30 pm at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Farragut and more recently at St. Therese Church in Clinton. This special Mass at Holy Ghost Church was scheduled earlier to celebrate the new St. John Neumann Church in Farragut, where the building dedication has been delayed.

All are welcome to attend who would like both to view the traditional Latin liturgy of the Catholic Church in its fullest form and to hear the music of Mozart that was inspired by and in turn supports this liturgy. The Knoxville Latin Mass community’s web site at www.knoxlatinmass.net can be consulted for further information including a map and directions to Holy Ghost Church.