Northern Illinois' oldest working
Roman Catholic Church!
Allow me to try to interest you in “traditional Catholicism.” When it comes to worshiping God as a people, tradition naturally comes into play. Tradition is that invisible tie to our bygone ancestors – beliefs, actions, words handed down by great and hardy people of whose genes we are products. Tradition conjures feelings of pride and continuity. God is unchangeable, so it doesn’t make sense to keep remaking worship according to the changing seasons of culture. Some improvements, yes. Some room for new things, yes. But the very idea of tradition creates the expectation that what we are doing is the product of many generations of believers who are connected to a God-Man who started it all many years ago.
But there is another sense of “tradition” that is not so noble, in fact we might call corrosive. I mean the kind of tradition that motivates a young couple to get married in church, not because they have any real interest in what a church wedding really means but because tradition demands it. Or like the slave of fashion who continually buys whatever is new because that’s what everyone does. Indeed, the concept of “tradition” can be very similar to the concept of fashion. It seems forgivable to chase the latest fashions in dress, but can we say the same about the true worship of God?
At St James, the Spirit of Tradition is evident in both the Novus Ordo and the Traditional Latin Mass liturgies. The common element in both is the truth of the Paschal Mystery: the passion, death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We protect this sacred truth while maintaining the best of both the old and the new. If you seek such worship, check us out.
If you are curious about the TLM (Traditional Latin Mass) here are ten points to consider.
You need not understand Latin to understand the beauty of the TLM.
You will want to follow the prayers in English with the bi-lingual missal. This by itself forces
you to study, to contemplate in what you are participating.
You’ll see the priest facing the tabernacle instead of the congregation. This means, he is
much less likely to ask you to volunteer for anything, which comforts many people. (It also
represents the priest praying on behalf of and leading the congregation toward God).
There is usually a beautiful cantor or choir, which means you don’t have to sing if you don’t
want to. This comforts many people who have been told by a choir director, “It’s best if
you just pretend you’re singing."
Since many of the songs are traditional, there won’t be many lyrics that seem fashionable
or politically correct. New political opinions, like new religious practices, may be from the
mind of God, but both need to pass the test of time.
You’ll see that the great practice of receiving the Holy Eucharist retains the traditional posture
of kneeling and on the tongue. Please be aware of two things:
Our priests are expertly trained to not touch your tongue.
This practice is rooted in the traditional belief in His Real Presence.
You’ll see some ladies wearing a veil and some who don’t. Don’t be troubled. St James, has
not yet adopted a tradition on this matter. Perhaps you’d like to help shape it one way or the other.
Newcomers often feel awkward because standing, sitting and kneeling differ somewhat
from the Novus Ordo. Easy solution: sit towards the back of church to watch those in front of you.
Be aware that the TLM runs along a different liturgical calendar. The readings and prayers are
found in either your fancy personal TLM prayer missal or the handout we provide.
Be aware that the altarboys are boys. Girls who may feel slighted by this tradition should consider
two of life’s mysteries: Why are prisons predominantly filled with men rather than women?
And why are the consumers of pornography predominantly men? It could have something to do
with the fact that boys and girls are different, and boys need much more training to become
wonderful prospects as husbands.