This month marks a difficult transition for the Traditional Latin Mass communities of Charlotte, North Carolina.
The four TLM communities in the diocese have been instructed, by Bishop Michael Martin, that they may no longer continue to gather for Mass at their regular churches. Instead, the TLM may only be celebrated at one specific location, a small chapel specially renovated for this purpose.
The chapel is far too small to accommodate the number of Charlotte Catholics who currently seek out the TLM. The four current TLM communities are estimated to consist of about 1200 Catholics. The chapel’s maximum capacity is 350.
In his letter to his flock, Bishop Martin explicitly acknowledges that the space is too small to serve all those who hope to attend Mass there.
“Understand that the chapel is not meant to be able to accommodate all who are currently attending the TLM in their respective parishes,” he instructs his people. He urges them not to all show up on the first Sunday that their old Masses will be cancelled. Instead, he writes, “I ask you to consider going for the first time on a Sunday later in October or early November so that the chapel can best accommodate everyone given its occupancy limitations.”
The whole arrangement feels like a flashback to Covid, when some parishes, trying to be obedient to lockdown rules, offered Mass to 10 or fewer people at a time, directing parishioners to sign up for a slot.