Lexington Latin Mass Community

Click here to see photos from the Confirmation and the Mass that followed

On Sunday, May 17, 2009, the Most Rev. Ronald W. Gainer, Bishop of Lexington, conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form upon 24 candidates at Saint Peter Church in Lexington, Kentucky. Following the Rite of Confirmation, Bishop Gainer offered a sung High Mass for the diocese’s Latin Mass Community. This was His Excellency’s first time ever celebrating Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Also present were Fr. Valentine Young, OFM, who acted as master of ceremonies, and two diocesan seminarians, Deacon Richard Watson and Mr. Gary Simpson.

In his homily, Bishop Gainer spoke to the newly confirmed about the love for Christ and closeness to His sufferings which is demanded of Catholics. He recounted the story of Clovis, King of the Franks, who insisted to St. Remigius, Archbishop of Reims, that he was ready to be baptized. It is said that Clovis, after listening to the Passion of Our Lord on Palm Sunday, told the Archbishop: “If I had been there, my armies would have prevented this.” St. Remigius told Clovis he was not yet ready for Baptism. The following year, after again hearing the Passion, Clovis said: “If I had been there, I would have stood at the foot of the Cross with His Blessed Mother.” The Archbishop told Clovis he was still not ready to be baptized. After Mass the next Palm Sunday, Clovis said: “If I had been there, I would have climbed up on the Cross to be with Him.” “Now,” said St. Remigius, “you are ready.” Bishop Gainer mentioned the slight blow to the cheek given to the confirm and, which symbolizes the sufferings Catholics must be willing to undergo for the sake of Christ.

The Lexington Latin Mass Community is an apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. Its chaplain is Fr. Valentine Young, OFM. In the near future, it is anticipated that Bishop Gainer will establish the community as a formal chaplaincy. The community is exceptionally grateful to His Excellency for conferring the Sacrament of Confirmation and for learning the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, as well as for his support of this apostolate through past years, and looks forward to the abundant blessings which God will provide to the community and the Diocese of Lexington in the future.