‘Scandal,’ ‘bomb,’ ‘cruelty’: Tradition-loving Catholics react to Pope’s Latin Mass restrictions

‘Scandal,’ ‘bomb,’ ‘cruelty’: Tradition-loving Catholics react to Pope’s Latin Mass restrictions
‘The old Catholic liturgy threatens the diabolical New World Order to which Francis has signed on,’ said Michael Matt of The Remnant newspaper. ‘The Latin Mass united Catholics from every country in the world for a couple of thousand years like no government ever could. And it was in the process of doing so again.’
Fri Jul 16, 2021 - 3:34 pm EST

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By Dorothy Cummings McLean
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July 16, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — Roman-rite Catholics who love the traditional liturgical practices of the Catholic Church are grieving today.

This morning Pope Francis issued a motu proprio called Traditionis custodes, which sets strict limits on the use of the Traditional Latin Mass, a rite Pope Benedict called “the Extraordinary Form of the Mass” in his own July 2007 motu proprio Summorum pontificum. A critic of the liturgical “reforms” that followed, and contradicted, Vatican II, Benedict XVI gave Catholic priests the green light to celebrate the 1962 “Mass of John XXIII” without asking their bishops’ permission. In a letter that accompanied his official motu proprio, Pope Francis indicated that he believes that Catholics have abused Benedict’s provisions and that those who love the Traditional Mass reject Vatican II.

“Pope Francis appears to be punishing all priests who celebrate the Traditional Mass and all the laity who attend it for the alleged sins of a few: who ‘reject Vatican II’, whatever exactly that means,” Dr. Joseph Shaw, the president of the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales, told LifeSiteNews today via social media.

“The practical effect of this document, however, insofar as it is implemented, will be to marginalise and therefore to radicalise Catholics attached to the older Missal," he continued.

“It is extraordinary that thousands of faithful Catholics who responded to the favourable attitude of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI to the ancient Mass, to celebrate or attend it in complete unity with their bishops and with the Holy Father have suddenly been made outcasts. If bishops are indeed to be expected to govern and guide the use of the 1962 Missal in their dioceses, banning its celebration in parish churches will severely hamper their efforts to do so, and seems completely unworkable.”

In a longer interview with LifeSiteNews, liturgical scholar Dr. Peter Kwasniewski said that Pope Francis’s overturning of Summorum pontificum was “unprecedented.”

“The motu proprio itself is the exact antithesis of Summorum pontificum and the accompanying letter is the exact antithesis of the letter that accompanied Summorum pontificum,” Kwasniewski stated.

“In the whole history of the Church, there has never been so dramatic a rejection of a Pope’s predecessor. Never. This is unprecedented, and I can say that quite confidently.”

Gregory Di Pippo, the editor of the online New Liturgical Movement, told LifeSiteNews that Pope Francis’s accusation that Catholics who love the Latin Mass have rejected Vatican II is untrue.

“It’s a falsehood, and you can quote me saying that,” Di Pippo said.

The Remnant’s Michael Matt accused Pope Francis of being ‘a globalist tool’ who is ‘obsessed with crushing the tiny remnant of believers left in a world of universal apostasy.’ Matt wrote that the pontiff ‘has locked down Summorum Pontificum because like a crucifix to a vampire, the old Catholic liturgy threatens the diabolical New World Order to which Francis has signed on.’

“First of all, the celebration of the traditional liturgy, in the terms defined by Summorum pontificum, brings with it an implicit acceptance of the Second Vatican Council and an implicit acceptance of the validity of the liturgical reform that was enacted after the Council – not in fulfilment of the Council, for it was not the fulfilment of the Council,” he continued.

“However, nobody in the Church today, least of all the papacy, accepts the validity of Vatican II in the sense that a great majority of the reforms enacted in the wake of Vatican II were done in defiance of the letter of Vatican II. [Thus,] the papacy has no standing to say to anybody, ‘You don’t accept Vatican II’.”

Dr. Ilya Kotlyar, a 35-year-old Russian who converted to Catholicism when he was 26, told LifeSiteNews that he found the new document “extremely disappointing.”

“I believe it deprives millions of Catholics not only of the beauty of the traditional liturgy, but also of the proper understanding of both liturgy and the theology,” Kotlyar said over social media.

This ‘distorted ecclesiology’ is ‘deeply concerning,’ said priest-blogger Father Raymond Blake.

“I believe it does not do justice to the numerous devout clergy and laity, who have been trying to combine the authentic liturgical tradition and Catholic theology with being united to the See of Rome and being part of the Universal Body of Christ.”

cont...

 

A historian of law, Kotlyar criticized the new motu proprio in Thomistic terms.

“The document also does not seem to be written particularly well from the legal standpoint, a scandal to the Holy See and two millennia of Canon law,” he said.

“I am pretty confident this document will only...[further] the division inside the Church,” he predicted.

“I am also confident that the final goal of the document – conversion of Catholics from the traditional rite to the new rite – is impossible to achieve, especially by such means. I believe the new document is what St Thomas Aquinas referred to as ‘unjust and unreasonable law,’ which is ‘a violence rather than law’ (Summa Theologiae., Ia IIae, q 96, art 4). I don’t think it binds the conscience of any faithful Catholic.”

A tradition-loving teenager, 19-year-old Sophia Tait, told LifeSitenews via social media, that it feels like an “axe” has been “taken to the roots” of her life.

“I’m frightened and saddened for the Church as a whole, but on a personal level it feels like having an axe taken to the roots of my life- so much of what I’ve been working for, hoping for, or giving time to this past year has been bound up with the traditional Mass,” Tait stated.

“My family discovered the traditional liturgy only recently, and we’ve all been strengthened and supported by it through what’s been a crazy year in so many ways,” she added.

“It’s there that I’ve found both a certain, stable base, and a constant challenge to deeper practice of the faith. Now hearing the Church authorities condemn the Mass we’ve all grown to love, I’m lost and confused. I want to do God’s will, in obedience to His Church, and it’s so hard to see how we’re supposed to do that now.”

One American bishop, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, promised the faithful they would still be able to access the Old Mass in his jurisdiction. “The Mass is a miracle in any form: Christ comes to us in the flesh under the appearance of Bread and Wine,” he told CNA today. “Unity under Christ is what matters. Therefore the Traditional Latin Mass will continue to be available here in the Archdiocese of San Francisco and provided in response to the legitimate needs and desires of the faithful.”

Pope is ‘obsessed with crushing the tiny remnant of believers left in a world of universal apostasy’
Michael Matt, editor of The Remnant newspaper, wrote today that Catholics should not be discouraged.

“God is in charge of everything, and this would not be happening if He did not allow it,” he stated.

“This has all happened before. I know, I remember, I lived through it,” he continued.

“This is a chastisement, yes, but it does not alter what we are called to do: We must know, love, and serve God, and resist those who do not. Francis has no power to change that.”

Matt had sharp words for Pope Francis, accusing the pontiff of being “a globalist tool” who is “obsessed with crushing the tiny remnant of believers left in a world of universal apostasy.”

“He has locked down Summorum Pontificum because like a crucifix to a vampire, the old Catholic liturgy threatens the diabolical New World Order to which Francis has signed on,” he wrote.

“The Latin Mass united Catholics from every country in the world for a couple of thousand years like no government ever could. And it was in the process of doing so again.”

On Twitter, British Catholic journalist, and former editor of the Catholic Herald, Damian Thompson warned tradition-loving Catholics not to trust in soft-hearted bishops. “Traditionalists: don’t entertain the idea that sympathetic bishops can turn a blind eye to Francis’s edict –not with the loathsome Arthur Roche running the CDW [Congregation for Divine Worship],” Thompson wrote.

“He’ll hunt you down.”

‘Distorted ecclesiology,’ ‘deeply concerning’
The Society of St. Pius X indicated that it would develop their response to the new motu proprio very carefully.

“We will have a statement about today’s news from Rome presently,” they tweeted.

“Those who follow us know that our statements are not quick or reactionary. In the meantime, pray for your priests. Pray especially for your bishops.”

Steve Skojec, editor of the OnePeterFive blog, damned Pope Francis with faint praise.

Taylor Marshall: ‘This is the most radical thing that Pope Francis has done in his eight years in Rome.’

“It occurs to me that today’s Motu Proprio and accompanying letter are the first things Francis has ever written that I could read through in their entirety,” Skojec tweeted.

“They weren't 60,000+ words of psychobabble, so I'll give him that. He was direct and to the point.”

British Catholic humorist Eccles tweeted, “What can one do when a highly revered religious leader becomes a mad psychopath in his old age? Asking for a friend.”

The English priest-blogger Father Raymond Blake said the theology of the motu proprio is “deeply concerning.”

“Pope’s new doc reinforces a distorted ecclesiology, which has exalted the Papal Office over the Church, Tradition, Scripture,” Blake tweeted.

“It reduces individual conscience to slavish obedience. It is a deeply concerning theology.”

‘The vulgarity of this document is matched only by its cruelty’
Catholic pundit Dr. Taylor Marshall did not mince words on his podcast today.

“Pope Francis has dropped the Bomb on traditional Catholics, on the Traditional Latin Mass, and this is the most radical thing that Pope Francis has done in his eight years in Rome,” Marshall stated.

American priest-blogger Father John Zuhlsdorf noted that today is World Snake Day, but did not elaborate. In a separate post on his well-known blog, “Father Z” wrote that the motu proprio was an insult.

“Traditionis custodes...effectively insults the entire pontificate of Benedict XVI and the pastoral provisions of John Paul II and all the people they have affected,” he wrote.

Noting that the orders come into immediate force, Fr. Z said that the first fruit of the “cruel” document was “chaos.”

“Now people are writing to me to ask what they are supposed to do on Sunday. Priests are asking if they fulfil the obligation to say the Office with the Breviarium Romanum. The questions multiply even as I write. The first fruit of Traditionis is chaos,” he wrote.

“Hence, I am forced to remark that the vulgarity of this document is matched only by its cruelty,” he concluded.

“Even those who have been inveterate critics of Benedict’s provisions, who may even go so far as to hate not just the traditional forms of worship, but the people who want them, ought to be horrified by the brutality of his document.”

 

SIGN: Show Pope Francis the Latin Mass will survive any suppression
https://lifepetitions.com/petition/sign-show-pope-francis-the-latin-mass-will-survive-any-suppression

 

I'm wondering, are there Bishops and clergy who have come out openly in support of Pope Francis's restrictions on the Latin Mass?

 

Link doesn't work for me. It says blocked.

 

I am aware that Archbishop Cordileone of San Francisco has assured everyone that the TLM will remain.
In Washington DC, Archbishop Wilton Gregory has said that things will remain the same while he studies the Pope’s document. Bishop Burbidge of Arlington
Virginia said the same thing. That makes me very uneasy. Ugh

 

I wonder if the battle cry "NOT ONE MORE PENNY!" that is cropping up everywhere even on billboards has THEM WORRIED. I think we have reached the stage of "I AM MAD AS H*** and I am not going to take it anymore!" They should be worried.

 

You can't get there from here. First you have to go to https://lifepetitions.com ; that takes you to the home page. The petition is on this page; you can click on it there and get to the petition.

 

I personally prefer the English mass, if said in a reverent manner. I am not against the Latin Mass either. The problem, and I believe a big one, is that many who want the Latin mass tend to be all or nothing. By rejecting the English Mass, anywhere they go where there is the Latin, they will be a problem. I would think, one day, we will have the Latin Mass here, but for now, we do not want to attract very angry Trads who condemn everyone who does not agree with them. I know that they are a minority, but it is always the few outspoken who become the representatives of the bigger group.

I remember when the change came about. There was no warning, just one Sunday, as altar boys, we put away the Latin and learned how to serve the new Mass. I told the priest that it was way too quick, why can't we have both? But what does a 12 year know?

For me it is about reverence, being conscious of what is going on, both the English and the Latin can be done in such a manner. No clowns, please! Or bad ballet, called liturgical dancing.

Peace
Mark

 

Absitively....in the end, I think reverence starts with the individual.

I've seen a few videos saying "with the Novus Ordo, Mass is different wherever you go", I don't find that to be true at all.

Going to a Latin Mass seems to see men wearing suits more and women the mantillas, okay, sort of like Pre-Vatican II, like Baltimore Catechism. I think that way has some real positives. Unfortunately, nowadays at an SSPX mass at least in my own experience, I think one will run into outspoken Trad types, even if they are few. Not for all but I can see a nostalgia factor for some.



I watched one of those videos and they said there has been the case of a Priest riding in on a skateboard, I'd suppose something like that could happen with the Novus Ordo, shouldn't but seems possible.

 

Me too, blocked.

 

Thank you.

 

I once went to a Corpus Christi event and Father Groeschel was a speaker and he gave a mild statement on people wearing summertime wear to church, shorts and the like.

I take all that with reservation and I seek to judge no one, I see families where the father is wear shorts and a t-shirt but I guess, it's okay, he's also tending to the baby they have. It's good that they are in Church as far as I'm concerned. It's good as well that they seem to be growing a family of Catholics. He may well be much more devout than me, he seemed so.

Then, saying this a bit tongue in cheek, you might have the occasional bloke there who almost looks like he's wearing the clothes he changed his oil in.

So, at a minimum, I don't think you need to wear a suit, look tidy enough. Again, not for me to judge.

It makes for some bemusing reflections, some humor is okay, I think just cutting up brings to mind something St. Maximilian Kolbe wrote about per "light humor", so definitely, I think a bit of humor in measure is okay. Just listening to Blessed Bishop Sheen, he seemed to spice a lot of his speeches with some humor.

 

I once went to a Corpus Christi event and Father Groeschel was a speaker and he gave a mild statement on people wearing summertime wear to church, shorts and the like.

I take all that with reservation and I seek to judge no one, I see families where the father is wearing shorts and a t-shirt but I guess, it's okay, he's also tending to the baby they have. It's good that they are in Church as far as I'm concerned. He may well be much more devout than myself.

Then, saying this a bit tongue in cheek, you might have the occasional bloke there who almost looks like he's wearing the clothes he changed his oil in (referring to cars).

So, at a minimum, I don't think you need to wear a suit, look tidy enough. Again, not for me to judge.

It makes for some bemusing reflections, some humor is okay, I think just cutting up brings to mind something St. Maximilian Kolbe wrote about per "light humor", so definitely, I think a bit of humor in measure is okay.

But Blessed Bishop Sheen seemed to add some humour to a lot of his speeches.

All in good measure.

 

I agree with a lot of what Mark is saying.

I've only been to two Latin masses since 1970 but I cannot see why this part of our patrimony should not be available for all who wish it. Many, many people I admire have discovered it: Scott Hahn, Taylor Marshall, Fr Heilman... a long list.

People should dress respectably when attending Mass. Of course they should. But why do women have to cover their heads at a TLM? Covering the head was cultural in the recent past but women no longer wear hats, even at weddings (I do!). Why cannot we have the Old Mass but without having to pretend we are in 1954? The old Mass isn't the province of a re-enactment society. We live in 2021 and if the TLM is the 'Mass of ages' then surely we can dress modestly in the style of the times?

 

I love wearing a veil. I'd argue the times SHOULDN'T have changed the way we dress in general, and just because the world changes doesn't mean we should follow right along with whatever it says is now fashionable or decent. As we've seen, the world thinks showing almost everything you've got is perfectly fine, so a line must be drawn somewhere. How far back in customs must we go to find a style of dress that is modest and suitable to our true dignity as temples of the Holy Spirit? It's going to be subjective and debatable at this point, but I think the TLM-going women generally feel how women dressed in pre-Vatican II times was much more dignified and desirable. I don't feel weird in a veil at all; I feel feminine. When I was a child I used to put a towel over my head to imitate the Virgin Mary. It felt secure and feminine and just so...right, somehow. And I love having a very physical way to show my reverence for Christ just like the men do. They remove their hats, and I put on my veil. It's a special reminder for me to be even more aware of Whose presence I'm entering. Concrete gestures that are outward signs of interior dispositions are a treasure to our faith.

That being said, no one HAS to wear a veil at our TLM, and there are always a few women who don't. I'm actually pleased to see it because it's a reminder that we wear our veils willingly, and that it's about the disposition of our hearts--not the outward sign in and of itself. I always assume the women without veils are just as reverent and loving toward Christ in their hearts.

 

A few women never left the tradition of the veil, I see it once in awhile at Novus Ordo Masses.

 

https://www.beautifulchristianlife.com/blog/bible-first-corinthians-11-head-coverings

Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head” (1 Cor. 11:4).

But every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. (1 Cor. 11:5-6)




https://catholicism.org/women-wear-chapel-veils-church.html

 

I have to be honest, Mark; I've met such an angry Trad who visited a TLM that my Pastor celebrated a couple of months ago. When another parishioner expressed a tempered, unfavorable opinion afterwards, the feisty Trad laid into her. I stepped in and negotiated a truce. The lack of charity was regrettable. And I have noted similar expressions in the comment sections of Taylor Marshall's video clips. Similarly one of my sons, Fr. Benjamin, has been approached by Trads outside of Mass insisting that Holy Communion on the tongue is the only way to go and any other way is wrong, adding he should only do it the "right" way. Such confrontational mannerisms do not help, and tarnish the reputation of the TLM.

Now I do believe this type of sorry instances adds fuel to the flames of those who would like the TLM to be thrown in the ash heap.

But for myself, who lives in the Northeast, a part of the country where many young families are seeking out the TLM, the mere fact that they remain on the vine brings me joy. The unfortunate reality of some very angry Trads was sadly weaponized by those around the Pope and I believed fueled his abrupt decision to abrogate the Mass of the Ages.

There are a number of bishops who look favorably on the TLM (mine included), so we are not at the end of this scenario, yet.

Where it goes from here remains to be seen. We must pray for unity in the Body of Christ! Come Holy Spirit!