Our Lady of Sorrows - Phoenix, AZ

     Phoenix is home to several Latin Mass churches, as well as several Eastern Catholic parishes.  I had some time today so I drove down to Our Lady of Sorrows in South Phoenix.  The church is owned by the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) and the newly constructed church was consecrated on September 13, 2015 by Bishop Bernard Fellay.  The SSPX traces its founding back to November 1, 1970 when Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, in response to the repeated request of young men interested in a traditional priestly formation, founded the SSPX.  Eleven young men began their studies in Econe, Switzerland.  These men were trained in the the old Latin rite of the Mass.  There were those in Rome who did not like the fact that the SSPX were not using the Novus Ordo (New Order of Mass) and two apostolic visitors  conducted an inspection of the seminary in 1974.  These visitors were impressed with the academic standards and the piety of the seminarians, but they complained that they did not see the Novus Ordo being celebrated.

    Archbishop Lefebvre was called to Rome and interviewed by three cardinals.  Several weeks later, the SSPX was supressed by the bishop of Fribourg.  Additionally, Archbishop Lefevbre was suspended from ordaining deacons and priests, and later from all sacred functions, including saying Mass.  Despite the suppression of the SSPX, growth was rapid and new seminaries were opened in Germany, America, Argentina and Australia.  Worried about the future of the SSPX, Archbishop Lefevbre consecrated four bishops for the SSPX without approval from Rome.  This led to Rome issuing a declaration of excommunication against Lefevbre and the four new Bishops in 1988.  This decree of excommunication remained in effect until Pope Benedict XVI removed it in 2009. The SSPX still finds itself in a canonical irregularity to this day.

Our Lady of Sorrows, Phoenix, AZ

Chalk marks the Epiphany on the front doors

Pieta in the Narthex

    The church is styled in a cruciform and is approximately 12,000 square feet on the main level, with a 9,000 square foot basement.  As you walk into the sanctuary from the narthex, your eyes are drawn all the way to the beautiful altar that is underneath a canopy called a baldachin.  The church has a large apse where the altar is placed in the center of the apse.  There is a beautiful marble communion rail installed for the faithful to receive Holy Communion.

View of sanctuary after entering from Narthex

Beautiful high altar under the canopy

As we're still in Christmas season until Candlemas, 
the altar viewed from the 3 Kings at the Nativity scene

Close up of the high altar

    The church is rather drab inside, with a ton of white walls begging to be painted.  I can only imagine how amazing this church would look if it were to undergo an interior renovation like the one that took place at St. Bernadette in Scottsdale.  The only thing on the walls were the stations of the cross which were spaced out on either side of the main church.  In the back was the baptism font which was kept behind a locked wrought iron "fence".  My understanding is that is because in the traditional rite, the water of baptism is blessed at the Easter Vigil and it must last for the entire year.  There were confessionals stationed on both sides of the church near the back.

Ambo near the high altar

Nativity scene up until Candlemas

Baptism font in back of church

Looking back towards Narthex and choir loft

Station 6 (Veronica wipes the face of Jesus) and
Station 7 (Jesus falls the second time)

    I have never attended a Mass offered by the SSPX primarily because I am an Eastern Catholic and I have easy access to beautiful and spirit-breathed liturgies in Phoenix Also, we have a Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) parish in Phoenix that I have been to when I wanted to attend a traditional Latin Mass. I have listened to homilies and talks given by priests of the SSPX and found them to be doctrinally sound and on-point.  It is truly a crazy time in the Catholic church when a priest like James Martin, SJ can openly espouse the positions that he does and still be in "full-communion" with the universal church.  Yet, priests of the SSPX who offer a beautiful mass and solid catechesis are determined to be in an "uncertain canonical status".  If I was attached to the spirituality of the traditional Latin Mass, I would have no issues in my heart attending a SSPX parish for my spiritual needs.  Their offering is beautiful, timeless, and part of the spiritual patrimony of the Latin rite.