by Michael Matt (Remnant)
“In light of so much bad news, I’m pleased to bring you some good news. An international group of laymen (journalists, professors, writers, activists) has signed an open letter to Catholics of the world, demanding retraction of Francis’ cataclysmic motu proprio, Traditionis Custodes, attempting to abrogate the Traditional Latin Mass.I was very pleased to join this august body as one of the signatories of this letter, which includes the following as its penultimate paragraph: “Before God and before all men, we solemnly affirm that we will not allow anyone to deprive the faithful of this treasure which is first and foremost that of the Church. We will not remain inactive in the face of the spiritual suffocation of vocations that the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes will bring about. We will not deprive our children of the unique means of transmitting the faith that is faithfulness to the traditional liturgy.” Rumors out of the Vatican just now are not good, as they suggest Francis is about to make yet another move against the Traditional Latin Mass. Whether these rumors are true or not, the time to strike back is right now. For the sake of your children as well as the future of our Church, please share this letter with everyone you know. We will not back down. We must not back down, not this time, not again! The line in the sand is drawn, and Francis drew it. If he wants a war, he’ll get one. Traditional Catholic laymen are united in one purpose, and we will not let them take the Mass from us again. Thanks for helping me get the world out. It’s this Mass that matters. In Christo Rege, WE WILL NOT DEPRIVE OUR CHILDREN: International Group of Catholic Lay Leaders Call for Revocation of Traditionis Custodes
“What man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone?” (Mt 7:9) Letter from the Faithful Attached to the Traditional Latin Mass, to Catholics of the Whole World Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We have been deeply saddened to learn of Pope Francis’ decision to revoke the main provisions of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI on July 7, 2007. After decades of division and quarrels, Summorum Pontificum was a source of peace and reconciliation for all Catholics.” Read Full Article on the Remnant Website…
|
||||
| The Remnant Newspaper | P.O. Box 1117 | Forest Lake, MN 55025 | ||||
I was very glad to see this Letter from the Faithful Attached to the Latin Mass, to Catholics of the Whole World signed by influential Catholic journalists from around the world, imploring Pope Francis to restore the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI on July 7, 2007; This action of restoring, thereby restoring the Tridentine Mass as an option for Catholics around the world. I pray and hope that Pope Francis prays and reconsiders, and concludes in restoring the Tridentine Mass as an option for Catholics around the world.
As you notice, I use the word “option.” While so many journalists and Catholics around the world are so upset, grieved, as well as surprised that Pope Francis would reverse Pope Benedict XVI’s action of restoring the Tridentine Mass freely to Catholics around the world as another one of his acts of Christian unity, some journalists and others in a public forum were not promoting Christian unity in the Catholic Church by their declarations of Vatican II being a heresy and that the entire Roman Catholic Church should be using the Tridentine Mass. Instead of embracing the Christian unity afforded them by Pope Benedict XVI, they were propagating discord and division especially during the reign of A LIBERAL POPE IN OFFICE. I think they failed to perceive that the Catholic Church is a Kingdom and not a Democracy.
I have often enjoyed Michael Matt’s commentaries and have found the majority to be spot on, but I have also found him to be wading in treacherous waters when he has made comments that Vatican II was a heresy. He is far from the only one.
There is one priest in the Rochester Diocese (who doesn’t preside at a Traditional Latin Mass) who has declared Vatican II a heresy regularly in his preaching for years. I am surprised he is still a pastor of a church and presiding at Mass. There is a difference between what you might think and share privately among friends, and what you announce publicly in your preaching.
Diane – I like what you do with regard to the Traditional Latin Mass. You state what you attracts you to the Traditional Latin Mass and how you find the liturgy beneficial to you, describe the beauty and reverence in it, how it helps you to worship God, and how it empowers you in your daily life. I think it is a wonderful way of advocating the Traditional Latin Mass/Tridentine Mass and interesting others in attending. I attend a Traditional Latin Mass on occasion, and enjoy the beauty and reverence of that form of worship. I usually attend St. Thomas the Apostle when I do. I also think Fr. Dennis Bonsignore is an excellent homilist. I was raised in the Traditional Latin Mass/Tridentine Mass, now considered the Extraordinary Rite.
There are a lot of liberal bishops (and priests) who like to see the Traditional Latin Mass abolished altogether and they had hoped it would die out after what they thought the target population it was serving, died out. It was obviously seen as a threat to some, when younger people were attending as well as married couples having children, and raising their children in the Traditional Latin Mass.
No one was forcing Catholics to attend the the Traditional Catholic Mass. In the context of all the Novus Ordo Masses and all the parishes of all of the dioceses around the world, the Traditional Catholic Masses were in the minority. I do think the current Traditional Latin Mass should be seen in light of the Vatican II, where the laity are called to live out their baptismal commitment and be involved in the mission of the church by works of charitable outreach and education.
Pope Francis’ actions have led the way for more liberal diocesan bishops to rid the Traditional Latin Mass from their Diocese. And this, despite the priest that had been presiding over the Traditional Latin Mass also presiding over Novus Ordo Masses in the same Diocese, having allegiance to Rome, and acknowledging and accepting the Vatican II council.
I have a young Catholic friend in Florida who had been regularly attending the Traditional Latin Mass in his Diocese. He spoke about how he found the reverence and the beauty appealing and it helped him to worship God. He has stated that since Pope Francis’ reversal of Pope Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, his diocesan bishop got rid of the Traditional Latin Mass in his Diocese despite there being the conditions of allegiance to Rome and acknowledgment and acceptance of Vatican II. My young friend is torn! He said the closest FSSP parish is too far away for him to be able to travel to, and the closest church with a Latin Mass, which is actually close to where he lives, is the SSPX. He now attends the SSPX. He stated he is not a sedevacantist, but he has been forced to leave his church and become a member of the SSPX parish due to the Traditional Latin Mass being abolished in his Diocese. I wonder how many people are now attending SSPX Masses when the Traditional Latin Mass has been abolished in their diocese by liberal bishops who had already wanted to see it gone.