The Rev. Scott Haynes of St. John Cantius, a member of the Archdiocese of Chicago, said the Latin Masses are the most popular services at that parish and have revitalized their community.,”In an effort to connect with Church ancestry, more Catholics are requesting and seeking out the original Latin, or Tridentine, style of Mass for their weekly worship.

The Rev. Scott Haynes of St. John Cantius, a member of the Archdiocese of Chicago, said the Latin Masses are the most popular services at that parish and have revitalized their community.

Haynes called the revitalization "a groundbreaking move to embrace the Latin roots and tradition."

The switch from Latin to the vernacular came in 1965 at the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II.

He said Latin was a "more embracing position towards the liturgy."

Haynes is also the creator of sanctamissa.org, a Web site that offers instructions for celebrating the Mass in Latin.

St. John Cantius, located on Chicago's North Side, has offered the only Latin Mass in the cityfor nearly 20 years. Haynes said that before the introduction of the Latin Mass St. John Cantius was a dying parish with only 35 parishioners.

Haynes contributes the parish growth to 4,500 families to the inclusion of the Latin Mass. He said people come from all of the Chicago parishes and even parts of Wisconsin to celebrate Mass in Latin at St. John Cantius.

Dave Tomasiewicz, director of institutional advancement for St. Stanislaus in Milwaukee, said his parish was also dying before the introduction of the Latin Mass.

St. Stanislaus, 524 W. Historic Mitchell St., is the only parish in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to offer the Latin Mass. The parish has offered the Mass since April of this year.

Tomasiewicz said people come from all over and drive up to three hours roundtrip to come to the eight Latin Masses a month. He also said other parishes are getting requests for the Latin Mass.

"We have a full house. About 500 to 600 people come for the Sunday Latin Mass," he said.

Both Tomasiewicz and Haynes said they have seen younger parishioners showing an increased interest in the Latin Mass.

"The youth are very much interested in celebrating the Mass in Latin," Haynes said.

David Kang, coordinator of university ministries at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, said students see the Latin Mass as a way to be connected to a part of ancient church history.

"I've noticed students really appreciate the Latin," Kang said.

He said that while UWM does not offer Masses in full Latin, university ministry does incorporate Latin chants.

The Rev. John Laurance, chair of the Marquette theology department, said a lot of younger Catholics are turning to the Latin Mass because they are trying to find a way to more deeply identify with the Catholic Church.

Tomasiewicz said the use of the vernacular language has looser regulations.

"For the young folks, that (vernacular) doesn't provide the same experience of transcendence," he said.

Haynes said reverting to Latin is not just an American phenomenon. In his travels to Lithuania, he said the 125 youth he celebrated the Latin Mass with were very interested in Latin.

When he traveled to Joliet, Ill. to celebrate the Latin Mass, Haynes said the average age of the 500-person crowd was 20.

"Many of them are in college," he said, "I was surprised how quickly they caught on to the Latin prayers and responses."

But some parishioners are concerned they will not be able to understand Mass in Latin.

Haynes said his parish offers weekly Latin classes, open to students as young as 5.

Tomasiewicz said parishioners are able to follow along with the Mass in a side-by-side English translation of the Latin text.

"Every great world religion has a sacral language," he said. "Latin is the language of Catholicism, but it is not necessary to speak Latin."

“