The so-called “Tridentine Latin Mass” was the typical form of the Holy Mass as celebrated before and during the Ecumenical Council of Trent (1545-1563). In order to safeguard the orthodox faith, especially the doctrine of Christ’s Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament as well as the fact that the Holy Mass is the re-enactment of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, Pope St. Pius V authorized and mandated the use of the publication of the Missale Romanum in 1570, thus binding the Western Church to the full utilization of this edition with Latin being the language in which the Mass was celebrated.
1963: The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council (1962-1965). Liturgical reconfiguration and simplification was ensued.
3rd October 1984: From Pope John Paul II’s motu proprio Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei “To all those Catholic faithful who feel attached to some previous liturgical and disciplinary forms of the Latin tradition I wish to manifest my will to facilitate their ecclesial communion by means of the necessary measures to guarantee respect for
their rightful aspirations. In this matter I ask for the support of the bishops and of all those engaged in the pastoral ministry in the Church…moreover, respect must everywhere be shown for the feelings of all those who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition, by a wide and generous application of the directives already issued some time ago by the Apostolic See for the use of the Roman Missal according to the typical edition of 1962 (#5 & 6).” Since then, upon approval by the local ordinary of respective dioceses, the Tridentine Latin Mass has been celebrated in various counties like the United States, France, Germany, Canada, and the Philippines.
9th April 2001: Acting on the directives issued in the above mentioned Apostolic Letter, the late John Baptist Cardinal Wu of the Diocese of Hong Kong responded to the petition of the faithful and granted the permission to offer the Tridentine Latin Mass on an annual experimental basis. A priest would be appointed to offer the Holy Mass once every other Saturday, 3:00pm, at the Christ the King Chapel located inside the Cheung Sha Wan Catholic English Secondary School. The first Holy Mass was scheduled for 21st April 2001.
5th May 2001: An after-Mass tea-gathering session was added so as to allow the faithful to share their experience and to grow in fellowship.
August 2001: The applicant (coordinator), Mr. Cyril Law, Jr., departed for studies in the United States and (Br.) Carlos Cheung took over as the new coordinator.
April 2002: The Diocese of Hong Kong granted the extension of the Tridentine Latin Mass for another year on an experimental basis.
April 2003: The Diocese of Hong Kong granted the extension of the Tridentine Latin Mass for another year on an experimental basis.
27th December 2003: Bishop Joseph Zen, SDB of the Diocese of Hong Kong accepted the invitation to offer the Tridentine Latin Mass in celebration of the community’s 3rd anniversary. Bishop Zen also consecrated a new altar on the same occasion.
March 2004: The Diocese of Hong Kong granted the extension of the Tridentine Latin Mass for another year on an experimental basis.
April 2004: (Br.) Carlos Cheung was sent to overseas missions by his religious order. Mr. Augustine Chow took over the responsibility as coordinator with (Br.) Carlos Cheung being the advisor.
August 2005: The Diocese of Hong Kong granted the extension of the Tridentine Latin Mass for another two years on an experimental basis.
August 2005: Br. Carlos Cheung, SDB and Mr. Cyril Law, Jr. returned Hong Kong. Mr. Law resumed duty as coordinator of the Tridentine Latin Mass Community.
May 2006: Cardinal Joseph Zen, SDB granted permission for the Tridentine Latin Mass to be celebrated as an anticipated Sunday Mass.