Timeless experience

Rooted in tradition, Catholicism is known for its reverence of the sacred and its historical customs. And through those cultural connections, St. John the Baptist Church has instituted the Traditional Latin Mass as a means to rekindle some of the more traditional aspects of the church.

The Mass began on the first Sunday of Lent, Feb. 10, and continues every Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

In an effort to comply with Pope Benedict XVI’s request to allow more individuals to become familiar with the Latin Mass, St. John the Baptist surveyed parishioners and the Mass was found to be popular.

In the Feb. 10 Mass, roughly 500 people were in attendance, according to Pastor Hildebrand Garceau.

An expert in the Tridentine Mass, another term for the Traditional Latin Mass, the Rev. Arthur Holquin performs the Mass at his church, Mission San Juan Capistrano.

“Adherents to the older form are attracted to what they perceive to be a more transcendent and sacred experience utilizing a sacral language that is no longer spoken today,” Holquin said. “Those who have a particular interest or sensitivity to the lengthy historicity of the Catholic faith are drawn to what they sense as a timeless experience of this form.”

On Sunday, there was a large turnout for the Mass, with some in attendance watching from the hallway just beyond the pews. Admirers of the Latin Mass are glad it is becoming more widespread.

“As often as possible. Everyday would be wonderful,” said Phyllis Scola of Laguna Niguel.

She and her husband drove to Costa Mesa just for the Tridentine Mass. “It would be great if the kids grew up with the tradition.”

The Traditional Latin Mass was recognized as a legitimate set of rules or codes in the 16th century, giving it the Tridentine Mass title, but the Mass had been practiced for many years prior to that. Later the Mass would become restricted in its public use and was rarely seen in churches.

Pope Benedict encouraged and gave permission to use the Mass on a larger scale in September 2007, Holquin said.

Some reserve using the Mass for special occasions, but there is no restriction on the amount of times the Mass may be performed, Holquin said. Instead it is up to the pastor and his patrons to decide the use of the Tridentine Mass.

St. John the Baptist still performs its regular Mass at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m., in addition to its Spanish and Vietnamese ceremonies also performed Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information, visit www.sjboc.org.

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at daniel.tedford@latimes.com.