Friends in Christ,
Welcome to our weekly Sunday update. This Sunday (March 30, 2025), the fourth in Lent, is known as Laetare Sunday because the Mass begins with the invocation: Laetáre, Jerúsalem: et convéntum fácite, omnes qui dilígitis eam: gaudéte cum laetítia, qui in tristítia fuístis. “Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow” (Isaias 66:10).
The Introit for the Fourth Sunday of Lent calls on us to pause in this season of sorrow and penance, suspending for one day our anticipation of those sad events foretold by Our Lord that lie at the end of his journey to Jerusalem. Today we are to look ahead instead with joy to their ultimate culmination in the heavenly banquet. The reading from the sixth chapter of the Gospel According to Saint John tells how Jesus fed five thousand with five barley loaves and two fishes and had twelve baskets filled with the fragments that remained after all had eaten.
The source of the joy we celebrate this Sunday lies in the knowledge that Jesus gives of Himself all that is needed for our nourishment and more. In the words of Our Lord quoted by Saint John later in the same chapter of his Gospel: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, for the life of the world” (John 6:51-52).
Calendar of Special Observances
Celebrations are those listed in the Roman Missal of 1962.
DAY, DATE – FEAST (CLASS)
Sunday, March 30 – Fourth Sunday of Lent (I)
Monday, March 31 – Feria of Lent (III)
Tuesday, April 1 – Feria of Lent (III)
Wednesday, April 2 – Feria of Lent (III) – Commemoration of St. Francis de Paul, Confessor
Thursday, April 3 – Feria of Lent (III)
Friday, April 4 – Feria of Lent (III) – Commemoration of St. Isidore, Bishop, Confessor & Doctor of the Church
Saturday, April 5 – Feria of Lent (III) – Commemoration of St. Vincent Ferrer, Confessor
Fourth Sunday of Lent
The links provided below can be used to download printable copies of the Proper Prayers for the Fourth Sunday of Lent with English or Spanish translation, followed by commentary by Dr. Michael P. Foley.
Latin Mass Schedule: Sundays
Charlotte Area Latin Masses
11:30 a.m., Saint Thomas Aquinas
12:30 p.m., Saint Ann
Other Diocese of Charlotte Latin Masses
8:30 a.m., Saint John the Baptist (Tryon)
9:00 a.m., Our Lady of the Angels (Marion)
1:00 p.m., Church of the Epiphany (Blowing Rock)
1:30 p.m., Our Lady of Grace (Greensboro)
Diocese of Charleston Latin Masses
12:00 p.m., Prince of Peace (Taylors SC)
1:00 p.m., Our Lady of the Lake (Chapin SC)
Note: Travelers are urged to consult parish websites or offices for up-to-date information regarding possible changes in the regular schedule of Sunday Mass times.
Latin Mass Schedule: Weekdays (March 31 - April 5)
Charlotte Area Latin Masses
Saint Ann – Wednesday, 6:00 p.m.
Saint Thomas Aquinas – Thursday, 7:00 p.m.
Saint Ann – Friday, 7:00 a.m.
Saint Thomas Aquinas – First Saturday, 10:00 a.m. (Blessing of religious objects after Mass)
Other Diocese of Charlotte Latin Masses
Our Lady of the Mountains (Highlands) – Tuesday, 9:30 a.m.
Saint John the Baptist (Tryon) – Friday, 8:30 a.m.
Church of the Epiphany (Blowing Rock) – Friday, 9:30 a.m.
Saint John the Baptist (Tryon) – First Saturday, 8:30 a.m.
Church of the Epiphany (Blowing Rock) – First Saturday, 10:00 a.m.
Diocese of Charleston Latin Masses
Prince of Peace (Taylors SC) – Monday-Friday, 12:00 p.m.
Prince of Peace (Taylors SC) – Saturday 8:00 a.m.
Note: Travelers are advised to contact parish offices to confirm weekday and Saturday Mass times, since local schedules are sometimes subject to change without notice, especially on or around holidays, holy days of obligation and other special feast days.
Announcements
Speak Up For The Latin Mass: Discipleship Parish Survey – Every week we pray for the preservation of the Latin Mass. Now, we are being asked directly to voice our spiritual needs.
As promised, Bishop Martin has sent out surveys to help shape the future of parish life in the Diocese of Charlotte to answer the question "How well are our clergy & ministries meeting your spiritual needs?" This is a critical opportunity to ensure that your spiritual needs—which include access to the Latin Mass—are acknowledged, met, and planned for. We have been blessed to have the Latin Mass in this diocese for years now. If the Latin Mass is important to you and your family, your response is essential.
The survey takes just a few minutes to complete, but the impact could last for years.
Please take a few minutes to complete the survey for your registered parish or mission. The window for participation is limited—please do not wait.
[Saint Ann] [Saint Thomas Aquinas] [Our Lady of Grace] [Saint John the Baptist] [Church of the Epiphany] [Our Lady of the Angels] [Our Lady of the Mountains]
If your parish is not listed you can find it at this link.
Prayers for Seminarian David Carter – Please pray for Mr. David Carter, a Saint Ann parishioner who is a seminarian with the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) and will be ordained to the diaconate this Saturday April 5 in Nebraska. Fr. Reid plans to attend the ordination.
First Sunday Food and Fellowship – First Sunday Food and Fellowship is next Sunday April 6 at St. Thomas Aquinas after the 11:30 a.m. Latin Mass (1:30-3:30 p.m.). All are invited! And if you know anyone who might be interested in sharing the food and fellowship, please invite them to come!
Videos of Father Ripperger’s Parish Mission Talks – Sensus Fidelium has published Fr. Ripperger’s Lenten mission talks at Saint Thomas Aquinas. [Talk 1 Friday Night] [Talk 2 Saturday Night] Also published is Father Ripperger’s concluding homily for the First Sunday of Lent. [Concluding Homily - 1st Sunday of Lent]
FSSP Saint John Bosco Camps – The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) has announced an expansion and new name for their annual Saint John Bosco Camps (SJBC). The new name is Bosco Ministries and they will continue to host outdoor summer camps for boys (for various ages) organized and run by FSSP priests as well as seminarians from Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary. The camps are intended to help participants grow in faith and virtue while experiencing God’s grandeur in His creation. Additionally, they are hosting excursions for young adult men. They also acquired property in South Dakota to permanently host the camps. To learn more or to sign up, please read this announcement.
Young Adult Retreat by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest – The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a religious order which, like the FSSP, offers the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively and operates parishes in several dioceses, is also hosting their own youth and young adult retreats this year. [Youth Retreats] [Young Adults Sursum Corda Annual Retreat]
Fasting and Abstinence Disciplines During Lent – For those looking to practice the traditional Lenten disciplines in place prior to 1962, we share a helpful 2010 document from Mater Ecclesiae Latin Mass Chapel in Berlin, New Jersey, which explains the differences between the traditional Lenten rules for fasting and abstinence and the current rules. [Discipline of 1962 for Fast during Lent]
Consecration of those Governing to the Blessed Virgin Mary – Fr. Chad Ripperger has composed a prayer for our nation and government, Consecration of those Governing to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which may be found at the end of this update or downloaded here.
Holy Face Devotions
Prayers of Reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus are offered each week at the following churches on the indicated days:
St. James (Concord) – Monday, 10-10:30 a.m. (in the cry room)
St. Mark – Tuesday, 5:30 p.m.
St. Thomas Aquinas – Tuesday, 6:00 a.m.
St. Ann – Tuesday, 7:30 a.m. (following 7:00 a.m. Novus Ordo Mass)
St. Michael the Archangel (Gastonia) – Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. (following 8:00 a.m. Novus Ordo Mass)
St. Vincent de Paul – Tuesday, 8:40 a.m.
Holy Spirit (Denver) – Tuesday, 10-11:00 a.m. (following the 9:15 a.m. Novus Ordo Mass)
Saint Elizabeth of the Hill Country (Boone) – Third Tuesday (starting April 15), 5:15 p.m. in the Youth Room **NEW DATE**
St. John the Baptist (Tryon) - First Saturday, 9:30 a.m. (after 8:30 a.m Latin Mass)
League of St. Martin Monthly Meeting in Gastonia - The League of St. Martin is a Holy Face apostolate that meets monthly to pray the Chaplet of the Holy Face of Jesus. For additional information regarding the League contact ericpieper@me.com.
Note: Days and times may be subject to change due to holidays.
“Jesus, Your ineffable image is the star which guides my steps. Ah, You know, Your sweet Face is for me Heaven on earth” (from Canticle to the Holy Face by Saint Thérèse de Lisieux, the 19th century Discalced Carmelite nun who took the name in religion, Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face).
Latin Mass and Liturgical News
There and Back Again by Clear Creek Abbey (March 24, 2025). [There and Back Again]
The Messenger Angel by Dr. Michael P. Foley, New Liturgical Movement (March 24, 2025). [The Messenger Angel]
A Quick Look at Some Liturgical Privileges of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies by Fr. William Rock, FSSP, The Missive (March 14, 2025). [Two Sicilies]
The Raising of Lazarus in the Liturgy of Lent by Greg DiPippo, New Liturgical Movement (March 15, 2024). [The Raising of Lazarus]
Details From Hagia Sophia in Thessaloniki by Shawn Tribe, Liturgical Arts Journal (March 20, 2025). [Details from Hagia Sophia]
The Station Churches of the Ember Days of Lent by Greg DiPippo, New Liturgical Movement (February 21, 2024). [Stational Churches of the Ember Days of Lent]
Saints and Special Observances
Blessed Emperor Charles (Karl) of Austria – This Tuesday April 1 is the 103rd anniversary of the death of Blessed Emperor Charles von Habsburg of Austria, otherwise known as Blessed Karl of Austria. We share excerpts (with some adaptations) of his life from the Emperor Karl League of Prayer website which promotes the cause of his canonization here in the United States:
Karl
of the House of Austria was born on August 17, 1887, at Schloss
Persenbeug in Lower Austria. His parents were Archduke Otto and Princess
Maria Josepha of Saxony, daughter of the last king of Saxony. Emperor
Franz Joseph I was Karl's great uncle. From an early age, Karl fostered a
great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
He used prayer to guide him in making all important decisions.
On
October 21, 1911, he married Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma. During the
ten good years of their happy and exemplary marriage, the pair were
given eight children.
On June 28, 1914, because of the
assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Karl became the heir apparent
of the throne of Austria-Hungary. In the middle of the First World War,
the death of Emperor Franz Joseph on November 21, 1916, made Karl the
Emperor of Austria. On December 20, 1916, he was crowned Apostolic King
of Hungary. Karl became the last Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
in 1916, during the First World War.
His Faith
Blessed Karl loved to pray throughout his life. He received Holy Communion daily, and at the end of mass prayed "Veni Creator." He prayed Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and the rosary daily. He frequently prayed the Litanies of the Sacred Heart, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph; he was a member of Our Lady's Confraternity and wore the scapular. Karl was devoted to adoring the Blessed Sacrament, and could happily spend hours in adoration.
Karl of Austria was obedient to the Holy Father, acknowledging him to be the Vicar of Christ; and he treated bishops and priests with respect. From the testimony of those who knew him well, it is clear that Blessed Karl took his faith seriously and fostered his relationship with God, devoutly following the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Peacemaker
The most sacred obligation of a king—to provide peace—became the primary focus of Karl's efforts during this horrific war. The only world leader to do so, he supported the peace proposals of Pope Benedict XV.
From the very beginning of his reign, Karl worked to create peace for his empire. He had been against the declaration of war, and now he was in a position to put an end to the needless killing and fighting. In his accession speech he proclaimed: "I will do all within my power to banish the horrors and sacrifices of war at the earliest possible date and to win back for my peoples the sorely missed blessings of peace . . ."
During a most difficult time domestically, he offered extensive assistance to his people and gave example to them by passing social legislation in conformity with Catholic social teachings.
His stance prevented civil war from occurring during the post-war transition of government. Yet still he was banished from his homeland.
His Death
At the request of the pope, who feared that communism would overtake Central Europe, Karl attempted to restore his government and return to the throne of Hungary. Two attempts failed because he wanted to avoid civil war at all costs. Karl was then sent into exile on Madeira. He saw his abandonment there as a commission from God, a duty he could not put aside.
In exile on the island of Madeira, he lived with his family in poverty, in a damp house. There, Karl contracted a fatal illness, which he accepted as a sacrifice to make for the peace and unity of his people.
His wife stayed with him throughout most of his finalordeal. He forgave those who betrayed him, and prayed for his subjects. On the evening before he died, he uttered: "I must suffer like this so that my peoples can come together again." But his most frequent pray was: "Thy Will be done!"
He later requested Holy Communion, which a priest, Father Zsambóki, administered to him, and anointed him a final time. The Eucharist was exposed in his room, and he prayed in the Lord's presence. About ten minutes before he died, he prayed: "Thy Holy Will be done. Jesus, Jesus, come! Yes-yes. My Jesus, as You will it-Jesus."
Then he whispered "Jesus" softly, and died. It was shortly after noon on Saturday, April 1, 1922. He was only 34 years old.
Canonization Process
In 1949, Karl was given the title, Servant of God. In 1972, on the fiftieth anniversary of his death, the tomb of Karl was opened and his remains were found remarkably well preserved. In April 2003 he was declared Venerable and in December the first miracle necessary for beatification was approved: a nun in Brazil with a debilitating illness was miraculously cured after praying for Karl’s intercession.
On October 3, 2004, Pope Saint John Paul II beatified Emperor and King Karl (whom the late pontiff, Karol Wojtiya, was named after as his father fondly served in Blessed Karl’s army). Blessed Karl's feast day is October 21, the date of his marriage to Empress Zita. In 2023, a miracle for his canonization began to be investigated.
The cause for Empress Zita’s canonization is also open and Clear Creek Abbey in Oklahoma is promoting her cause in the United States.
Source: Emperor Charles League of Prayer
Closing Commentary
On this Fourth Sunday of Lent, we offer the following excerpts from the commentary by Dom Prospér Guéranger on Laetare Sunday followed by a link to the full text.
The Fourth Sunday of Lent
This Sunday, called, from the first word of the Introit, Lætare Sunday, is one of the most solemn of the year. The Church interrupts her Lenten mournfulness; the chants of the Mass speak of nothing but joy and consolation; the Organ, which has been silent during the preceding three Sundays, now gives forth its melodious voice; the Deacon resumes his Dalmatic, and the Subdeacon his Tunic; and instead of purple, Rose-colored Vestments are allowed to be used. These same rites were practiced in Advent, on the third Sunday, called Gaudete. The Church’s motive for introducing this expression of joy in today’s Liturgy is to encourage her Children to persevere fervently to the end of this holy Season. The real Mid-Lent was last Thursday, as we have already observed; but the Church, fearing lest the joy might lead to some infringement on the spirit of penance, has deferred her own notice of it to this Sunday, when she not only permits, but even bids, her children to rejoice!
The
blessing of the Golden Rose is one of the ceremonies peculiar to the
Fourth Sunday of Lent, which is called, on this account, Rose Sunday.
The thoughts suggested by this flower harmonize with the sentiments
wherewith the Church would now inspire her Children. The joyous time of
Easter is soon to give them a spiritual Spring, of which that of Nature
is but a feeble image. Hence, we cannot be surprised that the
institution of this ceremony is of a very ancient date. We find it
observed under the Pontificate of St. Leo IX (eleventh century); and we
have a Sermon on the Golden Rose, preached by the glorious Pope Innocent
III, on this Sunday, and in the Basilica of the Holy Cross in
Jerusalem. In the Middle Ages, when the Pope resided in the Lateran
Palace, having first blessed the Rose, he went on horseback to the
Church of the Station. He wore the mitre, was accompanied by all the
Cardinals, and held the blessed Flower in his hand. Having reached the
Basilica, he made a discourse on the mysteries symbolized by the beauty,
the color, and the fragrance of the Rose. Mass was then celebrated.
After the Mass, the Pope returned to the Lateran Palace. Surrounded by
the sacred College, he rode across the immense plain which separates the
two Basilicas, with the mystic Flower still in his hand. We may imagine
the joy of the people as they gazed upon the holy symbol. When the
procession had got to the Palace gates, if there were a Prince present,
it was his privilege to hold the stirrup, and assist the Pontiff to
dismount; for which filial courtesy he received the Rose, which had
received so much honor and caused such joy. [Fourth Sunday in Lent]