CHICAGO, IL (August 29, 2008)  - The Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, based in the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, have sent two of their priests to the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius to learn to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.

The Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word were founded in 1987, by Mother Mary Angelica, PCPA, who also founded the Eternal Word Television Network.

Fr. Joseph and Fr. Miguel are stationed at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama, where Mother Angelica and the Poor Clare Nuns are cloistered.

Each day Fr. Joseph and Fr. Miguel have had the opportunity to study and observe the various forms of the Traditional Latin Mass with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. They have attended Low Mass, High Mass, High Mass with Incense, Requiem High Mass with Incense and the Absolution over the Catafalque, as well as. a Solemn High Requiem Mass

Since the Summer of 2007 the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius have trained almost 175 priests to celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Mass through the Sancta Missa Latin Mass Workshops. Future workshops are planned for the Winter and Spring to be held on the campus of Mundelein Seminary at the Cardinal Stritch Retreat House. 

After a week of study, observation, instruction and preparation, Fr. Joseph and Fr. Miguel were able to offer their first Tridentine Latin Masses at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago.

On Friday, November 7, 2008, at the hour of Divine Mercy, Fr. Joseph celebrated his first Tridentine Latin Mass in honor of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.


Fr. Miguel and Br. Juan, a novice in the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius, served Fr. Joseph’s Holy Mass at the side altar dedicated to St. Joseph in the Church of St. John Cantius, Chicago.


On Saturday, November 8, 2008, Fr. Miguel celebrated his first Mass in the Extraordinary Form (1962 Missale Romanum) at the High Altar of St. John Cantius, Chicago.

As his religious vocation and priesthood is dedicated to Our Lady under the title of Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Grace, Fr. Miguel celebrated the Votive Mass for Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace.

Congratulations to the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word for their efforts in learning to offer the Extraordinary Form of the Mass according to the 1962 Missale Romanum under the instruction of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in Chicago.