FAQ
The Project
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Who are the patrons of Latin Mass Project?
Latin Mass Project is entrusted to the patronage of St. Francis de Sales (Catholic journalists and writers), St. Veronica (photographers and laundry workers), and St. Joseph, Protector of the Universal Church. Please ask for their intercession on my and the Project's behalf.
What other books will Latin Mass Project publish?
While the future of Latin Mass Project is entirely subject to the movement of Divine Providence, I do hope to make encyclopedic volumes dedicated to the Sacraments, pre-1955 Holy Week, and special ceremonies throughout the Liturgical Year. I will be focusing on completing the full version of Ad Altare Dei before moving on to future volumes, and I have not yet decided on the details of the other volumes will contain.
I am also considering making more small books similar to Ad Altare Dei: Pew Edition for parishes to have on hand for baptisms, weddings, and funerals, as well as one for pre-1955 Holy Week. An all-in-one pew resource for Tenebrae is in progress, with a target release in Spring 2026.
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I have made preliminary inquires about French and Spanish translations of the pew guide. Translations present unique challenges. The texts of the Mass in French and Spanish are readily available, but the translation of the Liturgical commentary and introductions must be not only accurate but also faithful to the way I tried to convey them. If you are interested in helping with a translation, please reach out!
Where do you see Latin Mass Project in five years?
Latin Mass Project as it is has existed since July of 2024. The book was put on paper in October of 2024 and the first test print was done in mid November. ​
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Its development was rapid and organic in way unlike anything I have ever experienced - proof that I am not the driving force behind any of this - and things have just fallen into place. I could not begin to guess what might happen in the next five years.
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There are many things I would like to do either as part of Latin Mass Project or as separate ventures: an introductory Latin for English Speakers course, videos, sacred art prints, reprints of liturgical texts and books, etc. I strive to be docile to the movement of Divine Providence and trust that Our Lord will direct me and shape this project in His time and as He sees fit.
Have you reached out to [journalist, author, blogger]?
There are many in the Catholic media world with greater influence, experience, power, and platforms than I have, but Latin Mass Project is first and foremost by an everyday layman and for the everyday layman. I hope that readers feel as if Latin Mass Project, like the Latin Mass itself, belongs to them and is not just another product being sold to them.
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If in the future I feel that actively pursuing such endorsements will benefit the Project in a way that aligns with its goals, I will selectively reach out.
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In the meantime, I am relying on word-of-mouth promotion and a bit of social media promotion. If popular figures in the Catholic sphere find the Project and want to promote it of their own volition, they are welcome to do so! I simply want the Project's growth to be as organic as its development, with only the necessary direct involvement from me. I am also blessed to know many good, holy priests and have shared the Project with them and encouraged them to offer it to their faithful if they feel it would be of use.
What is the target audience for Latin Mass Project?
Everyone.
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It's for the very youngest children who cannot read but love to look at pictures of the Mass and the older children who are fascinated by Latin. It's for the grandmothers who are returning to the Latin Mass after sixty years, the soon-to-be converts, the visitors in town who weren't expecting a Latin Mass, the nervous first-timer who only heard of the Latin Mass a few days before walking through the doors.
I have had many encounters with people who fit all of these descriptions, and this Project is first and foremost for them: the people from all backgrounds with whom I have had wonderful, fruitful discussions in choir lofts, rehearsal rooms, narthexes, classrooms, and living rooms. Whether you're well-acquainted with the Latin Mass, just getting familiar, or even a bit hesitant, nervous, or skeptical, this is for you.
It is not meant to be an academic treatise or solve the problems in the Church. It will show the Latin Mass for what it is and omit comparisons to what it is not. The latter discussion has a time and a place, but it is beyond the scope of Latin Mass Project. I am a layman, "a soul in the pews," trying to use what I've been given to answer I call I received to share the timeless truth, goodness, and beauty of the Church with people of all ages, stages, and states of life.
Affiliation and Approval
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Is Latin Mass Project part of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest?
It is not. While it is necessarily visibly associated with the Institute and I have received permission and approval from all relevant parties within the Institute, Latin Mass Project is not officially affiliated with the Institute in any capacity and I do not plan for it to be. The Institute is the order featured because they steward the Oratory where I was already a parishioner and served as photographer for 18 months before Latin Mass Project began.
Is Latin Mass Project in full communion with Rome?
Yes, as is the Oratory featured and the Institute that serves it.
In the interest of addressing any concerns and assuring all readers that Latin Mass Project is entirely above board and known by the local Ordinaries, I requested and received the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur for the Pew Guide, and the same will be sought for all future publications. I owe my gratitude to the Vicar General and the Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, the diocese in which the Oratory is located, for assisting me with the process.​
Photography
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Did you shoot the Mass specifically for this project? Were any Masses said for the sole purpose of photography? Have you done any “dry Masses?”
The regularly-scheduled public Mass on 31 May 2024, the feast of the Queenship of Our Lady, is the only Mass that was photographed solely for Project purposes. All other photos were taken on other days I photographed the Mass as just the parish photographer, many of which were before I knew that this would become a website or a book.
Every Mass seen in the Pew Guide was on the regular Oratory schedule; I have not have any additional Masses said for the sake of photography. One private Mass from All Souls Day is featured, but there were other faithful present and it would have taken place regardless of whether or not I was there. I intend to include only “real time” photos for the entirety of this project.
First Communions 2023, the first day I photographed the Liturgy
Have you had professional photography training?
I have not, but I have been experimenting with cameras since 2013 and have been using my editing software for nearly as long. I first photographed the Mass in June of 2023 and since then my style has changed and evolved considerably.
How do you edit? How did your style develop?
I edit using Adobe Lightroom.
I grew up with a lot of exposure to classical art. I don't deliberately seek to imitate a particular style as I work, but I see the influence of the Renaissance painters' use of chiaroscuro and tenebrism, what I called Monet’s “watercolor light", and other hallmarks of traditional western art. I drew and painted a lot as a child, which also contributed to the photographic style I’ve developed.
Occasionally I choose a specific editing style to better narrate the liturgical day, but I usually let the photos dictate the editing they need and use that foundation to create a cohesive look through the album. The Latin Mass Project books will feature in-depth discussion of some of these artistic decisions.
