Men,
This past Sunday, our priest published a letter to parishioners of Saint Martin of Tours in Louisville, KY. Our parish is one of two parishes in the entire Archdiocese of Louisville that celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass. In his letter, he announced that Archbishop Shelton Fabre has decided to name the parish a Diocesan Shrine, protecting the celebration of the mass in its full beauty, something my family and fellow parishioners have been worried about for the past year. I present to you the letter in full, below. Enjoy the read and I hope you all can make a special trip to the Diocesan Shrine of Saint Martin’s in Louisville, Kentucky.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
7 May 2023
Fifth Sunday Easter
Dear Members of St. Martin’s,
I am writing to announce to you exciting news! I am pleased to announce that Archbishop Fabre has decided to name St. Martin’s a Diocesan Shrine. This honor is a recognition of the special place that St. Martin’s has in the life of our archdiocese. What, exactly, is a shrine you might ask? At shrines the means of salvation are supplied more abundantly to the faithful by the diligent proclamation of the word of God, the suitable promotion of liturgical life especially through the celebration of the Eucharist and of penance, and the cultivation of approved forms of popular piety. (Code of Canon Law) In short, shrines are places especially dedicated to prayer and devotion to the liturgy, of service to the poor, and of veneration of the saints. They are places of pilgrimage. Shrines are places where the faith is flourishing and where the Word of God is preached in its fullness. In contrast to a parish, which is defined by those residing in a particular neighborhood or geographic area, shrines serve an entire archdiocese.
This, I believe, is an apt description of what this special church has been for all of us for many years now. Archbishop Fabre, therefore, is bestowing this honor as a recognition of what St. Martin’s already is. This special honor is—in my view—the culmination of what has come to be referred to as the “Renaissance” of the church of St. Martin’s. Those who have been members here long enough (yes, there are still a few!) will remember the transformation that began under the leadership of Fr. Vernon Robertson, who came to St. Martin’s in the late 1970’s. At that time, the church was in a serious state of decline; a decline that had already begun decades earlier. Fr. Robertson stood at a pivotal moment in the history of the church. It was at this time that the continued existence of the church as a “parish” reached a decisive moment.
With the relocation of the Catholic population to the suburbs, which had already begun en masse in the 1950’s, precious few parishioners were left by the 1970’s. Fr. Robertson, possessing an innovative spirit, began to personally invest in various programs at the church, including the foundation of the Schuman Center (providing social outreach and services to the poor of the neighborhood), restoring the magnificent pipe organ and recruiting an outstanding choir, to opening a restaurant in the rectory (the “Afro-German Tea Room”) which gained local notoriety. Fr. Robertson began daily Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction, the beautiful choir and organ concerts, and a weekly Latin Mass, which further drew Catholics from far-reaching areas of the city and beyond. Those who dined in the “Tea Room” were also evangelized about the mission of the church, and many became faithful members.
Accordingly, the parish began to emerge from a multiple-decades decline to be transformed in what has been referred to as a sort of renaissance. It was at this point, arguably, that the identity of the former parish truly to transform, if not de iure at least de facto, into something closely resembling a diocesan shrine. Under the leadership of Fr. Dennis Cousens, this “Renaissance” of St. Martin’s continued and accelerated with the establishment of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, the foundation of the Golden Arrow Center for Women and Children, and the further flourishing of many areas of the church’s life. The number of those whose faith led them here continued to expand. Along with Fr. Fred Klotter, it has been my special privilege to serve St. Martin’s during this critical period.
What changes will this special honor bring to my experience of St. Martin’s? This is a question that I know many will have. The answer, practically speaking, is none. Nothing will change in the Mass schedule, the sacraments will still be celebrated in their fullness, weddings and baptisms, funerals and confirmations will all continue as before. This special honor is simply a recognition of what this wonderful church has become over the course of the last forty or so years, it means that nothing—practically speaking—will change in our day-to-day operations. It does mean, however, that a special focus will be given upon the place St. Martin’s has in the life of our archdiocese. The notoriety of The Shrine of St. Martin’s will mean a greater awareness on the part of our fellow Catholics to the special opportunities that exist here to grow and deepen their faith. Through participation in the Sacred Liturgy (celebrated here in the fullness of its beauty), by fostering devotion to our Saints Magnus & Bonosa, in fostering deepening devotion to the Blessed Eucharist in our Perpetual Adoration Chapel, and through our continued service to those in need in our community, the integration of faith and service, fidelity to the Church, will all continue to affect a “Renaissance” of faith for our entire Archdiocese. To the achievement of that end, I know that you will share in my excitement for this development.
Sincerely in Christ,
The Very Reverend R. Paul Beach Pastor