Bishop Larry Silva and his vicar general Father Marc Alexander are among a handful of Hawaii clergy learning how to celebrate the Tridentine Mass, the Latin-language liturgy that predates the Second Vatican Council.

According to Sacred Hearts Father Christopher Keahi, the primary teacher of the sessions which are sponsored by the diocesan Office of Worship, the first class was Nov. 29 at St. Stephen Diocesan Center.

Father Keahi told the Hawaii Catholic Herald that the bishop would like at least one person on each island to be able to celebrate the older liturgy. The participants each received a training manual and a Latin-English booklet missal, and watched a video presentation.

Pope Benedict XVI relaxed the restrictions on the use of the Tridentine Mass in July. He said that the Mass celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal should be made available to groups of the faithful that desire it.

The new Roman Missal, introduced in 1970 and celebrated in the vernacular, remains the ordinary way of Catholic worship.

The Latin Mass is now celebrated once a week at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Honolulu by Marianist Father Francis Nakagawa. It has been celebrated continuously in Hawaii on a limited basis for about 15 years since it was permitted by Bishop Joseph A. Ferrario.

Father Keahi, who was ordained in 1965, said that the Tridentine rite was the first Mass he learned. However, after more than 40 years, he said he needed a little refreshing himself.

He said that his class should be competent in the Latin Mass after a few more months of training.