What happens when a loyal career soldier simply asks for the Traditional Latin Mass?
In this fascinating conversation, Mark Lambert and Katherine Bennett speak with retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel David Sonnier, author of Rites and Wrongs, about his remarkable six-year struggle to obtain permission for the Traditional Latin Mass on American military bases.
A 1981 West Point graduate and devoted Army officer, David never expected that his respectful petitions—made in accordance with Pope St. John Paul II’s Ecclesia Dei—would be met with obstruction, bureaucratic resistance, and determined opposition. His campaign eventually attracted national media attention and even reached the floor of the U.S. Congress.
David shares his personal journey from discovering the beauty of the Traditional Latin Mass to uncovering the extraordinary lengths to which some officials went to prevent it from being celebrated within the military chaplaincy. Along the way, the discussion explores religious liberty, military culture, obedience, Church politics, and the profound spiritual impact that traditional Catholic worship had on his family and many fellow soldiers.
The conversation also reflects on how much has changed since Summorum Pontificum, the continuing challenges facing Catholics today, and why prayer, perseverance and fidelity remain essential in times of conflict.
Whether you’re interested in Church history, military life, or the story behind one man’s courageous stand for the Catholic faith, this is an interview you won’t want to miss.
