Pray for those without Priests

I cannot imagine living in circumstances where I could not physically have recourse to Christ's loving presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Let us pray for those who ardently desire to encounter Christ in the Eucharist and yet for various reasons and circumstances are unable to take part in the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. So often we take this precious encounter with our Lord and Redeemer for granted. Let the testimony of those who are not as privileged as we are draw us to a deeper realization of the importance of Christ's Eucharistic presence in our lives.

"Think of the places where people look eagerly for a priest and where, for many years now, they have felt the lack and continue to desire his presence! It may be that at times they gather in an abandoned church, place on the altar the stole they have preserved, and recite all the prayers of the eucharistic liturgy. Then, at the moment when the transubstantiation should occur, there is a profound silence, broken occasionally by the sound of weeping. So ardently do they long to hear the words which only a priest’s lips can effectively pronounce! So deeply do they yearn for the Lord’s Supper in which they can share only through a priest’s ministry!"
(Holy Thursday 1979)

World Youth Day Mass in Latin?

This past week I've been taking my time reading through Sacramentum Caritatis. I had scanned it when it first came out, however due to my studies, I hadn't had time to read it thoroughly and carefully.

Today I came across the following in paragraph 62.:

"None of the above observations [see paragraph 61.] should cast doubt upon the importance of such large-scale liturgies. I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, such liturgies could be celebrated in Latin. Similarly, the better-known prayers of the Church's tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be song."

Based on this paragraph, I'd recommend any young people planning to go to World Youth Day to sign up for Latin for the fall or spring semester this coming year! It's not too late to learn some basic Latin. Priests accompanying pilgrimage groups may also want to brush up on their Latin as well.