by Dan Groepper

I was raised Catholic by very faithful parents and was born very near the time that the Novus Ordo was instituted by Pope Paul. I attended Mass in that form until I was 51 years old, but have always been drawn to a more traditional form of worship. For example, I was always drawn to singing Venite Adoremus at Christmas Mass. Traditional hymns, incense, and bells all made me ponder God more deeply and in some way I could have a connection to the way my ancestors worshipped. As I grew older and found myself more interested in the Church and its history, I found articles online discussing the TLM. Since I had only known the Novus Ordo my entire life, I wondered what worship was like for my ancestors (my mother’s family immigrated from Luxembourg in the 1800s).

In 2018, I decided to try and see if there was a TLM in Des Moines. Much to my surprise, I found out that TLM was offered at St. Anthony’s by Msgr. Chiodo. I decided to attend once “just to see what it was like”. 

Perhaps it was not instantaneous, but very soon after, I started making connections to everything that I had read. I was struck by the beauty of the Mass including the music, incense, and silence.

The TLM made me understand why Catholic churches were built the way they were. It made me want to know more about the Faith. The reverence displayed toward the Most Blessed Sacrament deepens my understanding and humbles me.

Through Una Voce Des Moines, I was able to attend sessions on traditional church architecture, as well as hear Fr. Ripperger discuss his work as an exorcist. And very importantly, I sensed an immediate connection to the way my mom’s family had worshipped in Luxembourg, and that connects me to regularly worshipping among faith-filled people who take the Catholic Church seriously. 

In this sense, the TLM is like an oasis of sanity in this world. There is a sense of peace and calmness that is found nowhere else.  An additional effect is that I’ve deepened my knowledge of Latin, and now I’m able to respond at Mass and even sing some of the hymns.

While I am only one individual, I can certainly imagine that if the TLM has had this impact on me, there are certainly many others who have been blessed in a similar fashion.

(Image taken from Wikipedia Commons: File:Jindřich Tomec – Mass at St. Stephen’s Cathedral.jpg)