Third-rate Catholics

We had posted about this event last December.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 9, 2011 

WASHINGTON, DC--The Paulus Institute for the Propagation of the Sacred Liturgy regrets to announce that the Pontifical High Mass in the Extraordinary Form scheduled to be offered at the high altar of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on April 9th is cancelled.

The Paulus Institute had organized the Lenten Mass in honor of the Holy Father on the sixth anniversary of his election to the papacy. It was to have been the second such Mass, the first having been offered at the National Shrine last year before a capacity congregation of over 4,000. Unfortunately, this year's scheduled celebrant, Archbishop Augustine DiNoia of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome, withdrew his acceptance of our invitation as a result of changed circumstances.

Although the Paulus Institute has worked for the past several weeks to proceed with the Mass in the end we were unable to obtain the necessary permission.

"We deeply regret this turn of events,” said Paul King, president of The Paulus Institute. “We are very disappointed, well aware that thousands of Catholics throughout the United States have made plans to attend. Countless others around the world would have watched and prayed with the EWTN broadcast and wanted the DVD.