I think it's important to understand that Bishop Callahan truly struggled with how to implement the pope's motu proprio. He has a real pastoral heart and concern for all his people. Unfortunately, he has not been able to see any way forward. His brother bishops have been all over the map on their implementation of this motu proprio and, sadly, he did not find the solutions of those who have left the practice in their dioceses "as is" compelling. Thus, he has implemented the motu proprio strictly: the Traditional Latin Mass will be offered at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe - La Crosse, St. Mary's Oratory - Wausau, and Cor Jesu Oratory - Boyd; but not in any parish churches. He has left open the possibility that this permission could be extended to St. Mary's Ridge again some time in the future, but this would be dependent on wiggle room appearing in future directions from Rome either in a revised motu proprio or signals that a relaxation of the directives of Traditionis Custodes will be allowed.
Obviously, I am very saddened by this decision; but in keeping with my promise of obedience made at my ordination to the priesthood, I will carry out Bishop Callahan's directive. This includes the directive to begin offering the ordinary form of the Mass in Latin, ad orientem, and with all the smells, bells, chant, and ceremony that we have come to know and love in the Mass, regardless of form.
With that in mind, I will begin offering the ordinary form of the Mass as directed above at all the usual times formerly associated with the Traditional Latin Mass: Sundays at 12:00 pm, Thursdays at 6:30 pm, First Saturdays at 8:00 am, Ember Saturdays, and Holy Days of Obligation.
This community has been a true joy and privilege to serve. I hope that many of you will allow me to continue serving you under the new regime. I truly believe that we can continue to find joy and beauty in the holy Mass if we will all pitch in and embrace the changes that are being asked of us.
Father, you are so charitable. You are in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteFather, you sound like a good priest. I am no theologian, so somebody explain to me how this lines up with Quo Primum? How can we have clown Mass, riff Mass, balloon Mass, Do whatever you want Mass, Mass where John Lennon's "Imagine" is sung, Syriac Rite, Byzantine Rite, Alexandrian Rite, and Armenian Rite.....but somehow the Mass of the Ages is what? A threat to all the almost empty NO churches every Sunday? I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, many of us are confused as to why the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite is all of a sudden a "threat". Knowing some of the principals and having kept up with the reading, this plays more like the last gasp of the "spirit of Vatican II" crowd fighting for their vision of the Church which has been rejected by many under the age of 70.
DeleteAs for "Quo Primum", that Papal Bull was simply the instrument by which the Missal of Pius V was promulgated for use in the Roman Church. Many like to point to the phrase "This ordinance applies henceforth, now, and forever, throughout all the provinces of the Christian world...." Unfortunately this gives the impression that 1) everything stopped on a dime and this was the only legitimate missal from that point forward; and 2) the Missal would never again be changed because now it was the perfect expression of the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Neither is a correct understanding. Indeed, we recognize within that text itself that rites older than 200 years were allowed to continue in general use, and were - Mozarabic Rite, Sarum Rite, Ambrosian Rite, Dominican Rite, Gallican Rite, etc. The instrument promulgating the "Novus Ordo", the Apostolic Constitution: Missale Romanum, functions in the same manner. Unfortunately, in my estimation, those trying to abolish the Usus Antiquor are making the mistake of being more militant and absolutist in their application of that constitution and Pope Francis' "Traditionis Custodes" than either Pope St. Pius V or Pope Francis intended.
Finally, you reference the abuses to the Novus Ordo as some sort of justification for seeing that form of the Roman Rite as corrupt or unworthy of respect. I'm certain Pope St. John Paul II would disagree, as would the many saints who never knew anything BUT the Novus Ordo. It is perfectly possible to celebrate the Novus Ordo in a worthy, uplifting manner. Unfortunately, examples have been few and far between in the U.S., western Europe, and South America. Not so in Poland, Africa, and Asia where the post-Vatican II "spirit" crowd had no interest in operating.
I might also point out that the reason some of the changes appeared in the Novus Ordo was because of equally, but less observable (to the laity), abuses that had been occurring in the TLM for decades - especially since the end of World War I.
Always remember, abuses in one place / situation do not excuse disobedience in another. We are called to faithful, humble obedience; which is an invitation to make the Mass that is available to us the most faithful, uplifting, and spiritual expression of love for God that we can. Many blesseds and saints of the last 50 years have already done so. May we profit by their example.
Thank you Father. I had not heard that dichotomy between Americas, western Europe vs. Africa, Poland, Asia. As for my family, we have found a TLM oratory after many "woke" parishes (one instructed me to go home and watch Van Jones to make myself antiracist) with no other children at Mass and all manner of shenanigans and vaudeville during the Mass. It is extremely hard to catechize children with all the ambiguity going on in the NO from parish to parish. The TLM is "unambiguous" (in my limited experience) as Bishop Schneider has described it. That appeals to children. I do take your point about the past 50 years of Saints and Blesseds. I, myself, went to 7am silent NO Mass after my paper route with my immigrant father. I haven't found a NO silent Mass like that in a long time, unfortunately. I hope you are correct about Pope Francis. I fear, in 2023, Pope Francis may deliver a coup de grace to traditional communities.
DeleteI will research your reference about post WW1. I had not heard that before. Thank you for that.
St Michael Shield you Fr.
JMJ
Fr. Michael, with all due respect, you are mistaken. The traditional Latin rite is the ordinary rite, and always has been. It may be possible to celebrate the new rite in an uplifting manner but it was designed to be a protestant version of the Mass. It has been pushed on the Catholic church for 60 or so years now. It's a mess. I still look for courage in the Roman Church but I find it lacking. The more this new liturgy is pushed and forced, the more the Church will schism into two pieces. Sad.
DeleteVincent Speshock, it is you who are mistaken. Or, are you a better theologian than Pope Benedict XVI? The rite given by the proper authority of the Roman Pontiff is the "ordinary" rite of the Church. All others are "extraordinary" in that given time. That does not mean that they are "less" or "unusefull" or even a "danger to the faith"; which is why Pope St. John Paul the Great gave permission for the Traditional Latin Mass to be used more widely, and Pope Benedict XVI widened that permission even more. Your description of the Novus Ordo betrays your knowledge of the subject as coming from something other than a careful, scientific study of the same; along, sadly, with an all too common experience of holy Mass being celebrated poorly.
DeleteI trust you will find this educational. "Work of human hands."
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/KN7oftiL4XY
Several months ago would have been a very good time for you and your Bishop to brush up on "false obedience."
ReplyDeleteP Murphy, I am well versed in the proper application and life of "obedience". Shots like yours do not help further any cause. Cardinal Burke schooled me in this personally from the time he accepted me as a seminarian, through to my ordination at his hands, on through my early priesthood, and even to the present time. If you would like to have an actual conversation about obedience I would be happy to engage you. Further shots such as your initial posting however will no longer be tolerated. I look forward to hearing from you.
DeleteIt would only take 10 or so Priests to go and visit the Bishop to discuss this. Obiedence can be such an easy excuse for not taking action. Where is the outcry for the placement of Msgr. Burrill in a parish? Where is the outcry for cancelling Father Altman? No Father, I now understand that a certain amount of Priests do have Faith, it just hasn't moved into love.
ReplyDelete"Do you promise respect and obedience to me and my successors?" Obedience is not an excuse for anything. You are wrong for assuming that a priest's decision to be obedient to his bishop is reflective of an unloving faith. It is, in fact, a great act of love to obey one's bishop and live the vows despite disagreeing with the decision. Give credit to this priest for intentionally living out his vocation - and calling his act anything short of charitable is not helping the cause. In fact, it is very uncharitable to claim that this act is not one of love. In the spiritual life, obedience is paramount. And, for those of us truly in love with the TLM, those that encourage priests to be disobedient need to "sit down and shut up," for God will greatly bless these priests for staying obedient despite the storm. It is our job as lay faithful to pray for them even more, for God does not abandon His faithful. However, we can abandon God by willfully encouraging such disruptive acts to the spiritual life. The answer to this crisis is not protest, but spiritual prudence and fortitude. God will bless the latter, not the former. But, rest assured, God has heard our cries. And through our suffering at this time, the next generation(s) will be blessed. That's the Gospel. That's Church history. That's how God works in times when His children need revival.
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