Una Voce Central Oregon - News and Blog

Words of tradition: Mass at Frenchtown's St. John the Baptist returns to Latin (Newspaper Story)

2008-02-22T15:26:42Z

News from Montana....

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/02/16/news/top/news01.txt

See the video here: videos.missoulian.com/p/video?id=1718092

href="http://videos.missoulian.com/p/video?id=1718092%3Cbr%3E-----%3Cbr%3EWords">Words of tradition: Mass at Frenchtown's St. John the Baptist returns to Latin

By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian
FRENCHTOWN - When St. John the Baptist Catholic Church started tending its Frenchtown flock in 1884, all the records were kept in French or Latin.

The old French has faded, but Latin has returned. And Catholics are coming from 200 miles around to hear the Tridentine Rite celebrated with all its ancient rigor.

The Missale Romanum, as it's formally known, was buried under ecclesiastical paperwork for much of the past four decades. The Second Vatican Council's call for delivering church ceremonies in the locally spoken language did not prohibit using Latin rites. But it did require permission from a regional bishop. Meanwhile, local congregations forsook the spit-and-polish formality of the Latin Mass for more enthusiastic and contemporary services.

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The Roman Missal doesn't simply deliver the Sunday church service in another language. It dictates every word and move the priest makes. It even tells him the position of his fingers when he lifts the communion wafer.

“Ritual is nothing the Catholic Church invented,” the Rev. Kevin Christofferson said. “Human beings have always experienced a gravitational pull toward ritual. Ritual has the power to form and shape the one who performs the ritual. It's the way members of a group are formed in their identity.”

Inside St. John's white, blue and red sanctuary, Christofferson had established a distinctively reverent form of the modern Mass in English. He also felt drawn to the Latin Mass. So when Bishop George Thomas announced in October that the Roman Missal would return to western Montana, he asked Christofferson to lead the effort.

“I didn't study Latin in seminary,” Christofferson said. “I really knew nothing about the traditional Latin Mass. But when I moved here, I found traditionalists lining up outside my office door. So I began studying on my own. I've never closed the door on traditionalists. And everywhere I've gone, Miles City, Butte and here, there've been these traditionalists.”

The first thing most newcomers notice about a Latin Mass is how much time the priest has his back toward the congregation. For some, this has an exclusionary feel. Others find it one of their favorite aspects of the Latin rite.

Parishioner Mark Lebsock said he didn't encounter the Latin Mass until he was in his 30s. At first uncertain what to think about it, he took the advice of a friend who suggested he spend time reflecting on its opportunity for quiet observation.

“It brings a more meditative effect,” Lebsock said. “It's more focused on Christ and vertical prayer and meditation, rather than on your fellow parishioner and more horizontal worship. We appreciate that more personal relationship to Christ than to everybody around you.”

Traditional Latin Mass possesses several features of special appeal. Tradition, obviously, predominates.

“It isn't just in the language,” explained Carolyn Hathaway, who teaches children's religious education classes at St. John's. “The prayers are more extensive than those in the English or vernacular Mass. It's always the same - the words, the actions of the priest, the responses. Whereas in the vernacular, there are choices the priest can use, and a tendency by some priests to add their own.”

For example, the typical English Mass begins with the priest reading a prayer that reflects present or coming religious events (such as the current 40 days of Lent). Every traditional Latin Mass starts with a prayer based on Psalm 43.

“Once you start the service, you can't stop,” Christofferson said of reciting the Mass in Latin. He doesn't return to English until the middle of the service, where he delivers his sermon. To help make his points, he also re-reads the Epistle and Gospel in English as part of his homily; they have already been recited in Latin.

The Latin missal features subtle but distinctly different turns of phrase. Christofferson said in an offering of peace, the English version reads “peace and goodwill to people on Earth.” In the Latin, peace is offered “to men of goodwill.”

The confusion is still getting sorted out. Despite decades of official use, the English-language Mass continues to get editorial revisions to bring it closer to the Latin version. A part of the Creed that used to read “Jesus Christ, one in being with the Father,” has recently been changed to “Jesus Christ, consubstantial with the Father.” Christofferson said even though the two terms are synonymous, church leaders opted to use the term that's closer to the Latin.

The use or disuse of Latin in the Roman Catholic Church has troubled the waters over the years. For some people, discouragement of the traditional Latin Mass led to hard feelings, disillusionment and even the formation of splinter churches, Christofferson said. The Society of St. Pius X, which has a chapel in Missoula, maintains there hasn't been a legitimate Catholic Pope since Pius XII's reign ended in 1958 (just before the Second Vatican Council began).

In a July 8, 2007, letter to bishops explaining the new policy on Latin use, Pope Benedict XVI noted the ongoing struggle to keep the Mass both correct and current. The switch of forms after Vatican II “caused deep pain” to many who loved the more traditional forms, he wrote.

“(I)n many places celebrations were not faithful to the prescriptions of the new Missal,” Benedict wrote, “but actually (were) understood as authorizing or even requiring creativity, which frequently led to deformations of the liturgy which were hard to bear. I am speaking from experience, since I too lived through that period with all its hopes and its confusion.”

In 1988, Pope John Paul II made overtures to Latin Mass adherents in hopes of attracting the Pius X members back. One of his efforts was to create the Fraternity of St. Peter to bridge that schism. Its priests work primarily in Latin.

Chris Hathaway, Carolyn's son, attended a retreat at the Fraternity of St. Peter's seminary and decided to become a priest. He was ordained in its brotherhood in 2001 and now heads a Roman Catholic parish in Texas that has a Latin Mass emphasis.

“After that, he said, ‘This is where I want to be,' ” Carolyn Hathaway said. “It renewed our interest. It's brought us back to our roots.”

Other traditionalists prefer the older version's no-nonsense doctrine and morals. Christofferson said some may have had bad experiences with “awkward religious education texts” that confused the message and rules of the Vatican II changes.

“They fear if we lose our grip with those roots and traditions, they'll lose their sense of identity,” he said. “We're faced with things like globalization, international markets and modern communications. These things can transmit the Gospel, or child predators. Some folks would rather retreat from that.”

Christofferson said he enjoyed mixing with fans of the new and traditional Masses. One thing that experience has made clear to him was the need for generosity of spirit to all involved.

“The Mass is identical,” he said. “To say one is better is unfair, because it demeans the other. It's like if you like filet mignon and your friend likes New York steak, and you berate him for his choice. I have to be comfortable with the ways that faith is expressed.”

Reporter Rob Chaney can be reached at 523-5382 or at rchaney@missoulian.com

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Celebrating Mass in Latin takes much planning

Bishop George Thomas leads the Roman Catholic Diocese of Helena. He is the spiritual leader and administrator for about 70,000 parishioners spread across 52,000 square miles, twice the land area of Ireland. Of the 97 parishes and missions in the diocese, only St. John the Baptist Church in Frenchtown is presently authorized to hold Latin Mass.

In a letter to priests last September, Thomas rolled out a plan to offer the Latin Mass in western Montana. Last week, Thomas spoke with the Missoulian about the effort and its goals.

Q: Where did the impetus for this decision come from?

Thomas: When the motu proprio (Pope Benedict XVI's letter encouraging Latin Mass use) came around, it turned the burners up on this question. It's coming from the Holy See, so we looked for ways to turn it out.

It's something that requires a considerable level of planning. The reason for the difficulty is we don't have enough priests to go around in the diocese just for the celebration of Mass in English. I don't have resident pastors in all the places I'd like to have them. We don't have a lot of priests who can read Latin anymore. It must be someone who understands the meaning of the words, rather than just parroting the words. It also requires a certain level of pastoral care for people who come with this particular need. In addition to Mass, we expect they'll be seeking baptisms, sacraments, marriages and confirmations, in due season.

Q: Are there cities or communities within the diocese that have particularly strong interest in the Latin Mass?

Thomas: There were three different groups from different areas which expressed interest in holding the Latin Mass. A group in the Gallatin Valley area was expressing interest, as well as a group in the Kalispell valley and the greater Missoula area. Since Father Christofferson was willing to take leadership in this, and he's got a strong competence in Latin, we decided we'd let that be the place where a solid base could be founded.

Q: Pope Benedict specifically mentioned using the Latin Mass as a way to reconnect with Catholic breakaway groups like the Society of St. Pius X. Are you involved with any local efforts to reconcile with those groups in Montana? How significant a community are they in western Montana?

Thomas: I see that as part of my responsibility to maintain unity within the fold. Most of the priests who've read the letter see this as a gesture of conciliation and unity. It's a way to open the conduits. Statistically speaking, I don't think it's very significant. But while the numbers may be relatively small, the desire for Latin is quite deep. I've been in fruitful dialogue with them for a couple of years. We just haven't had the manpower to carry it out.

What I've discovered in my dialogue with the people who've come to see me, they're people of extraordinary goodwill. They've been extraordinarily patient as well. I want to keep the dialogue open with them.

Q: Is there a timeline or review period after which you may make further changes to the Latin Mass policy, either expanding, reducing or rotating its use? What are the benchmarks or results you will evaluate in that analysis?

Thomas: The celebration will go on for a year or so and then we'll look back at it and see if we need to make adjustments. There may be a need for resources and other venues. I want the present celebration to go well and have stability before we ask those questions.

I'm basing some expectations on my experience in my former diocese in Seattle. I know from there a certain number will be attracted to the Latin Mass by its novelty. I don't expect people to consistently drive 200 or 300 miles to experience this. In Seattle, the Latin Mass went on in a downtown chapel. It's now in its fifth year, and draws about 150 to 200 people very consistently.

Here, if there's a sense of mutuality and support, this is something we'll continue on for another year. If I have to place this in other venues, we'll have to ask where we can get the manpower and how we deal with the priest shortage. I can't pull rabbits out of hats.

I've not been a great fan of imported priests. I'd rather provide pastoral care with the people I've got. There are three or four venues offering the kinds of skills in mastery of the Latin language and the celebration of that particular form of the Mass. But I don't have a line in front of my door of priests asking to do that.

I grew up in the pre-Vatican II church. I trained as altar boy in the old system, and studied academic Latin. Yet I still don't feel competent to celebrate this Mass without a bunch of legwork.
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Traditional Latin Mass celebrated in Bend Oregon at St. Francis Catholic Church

2008-01-29T10:16:57Z

01-26-2008: Una Voce Central Oregon: Society of St. Gregory the Great sponsored a High Mass in the Extraordinary Form. With the 48 hour notice given, 50 worshipers attended. Thanks to the pastor of St. Francis for permission to use this beautiful church and the priest who celebrated.

For those interested in future traditional Latin Masses in Central Oregon, please contact Jesse Daggett at 541-536-4108 or jdaggett@unavoceco.org

Cardinal Hoyos meets with new Bishop of Savona-Noli diocese

2007-12-13T17:11:12Z

You may remember the diocese that banned the Latin Mass until some questions about the MP were sufficiently "cleared up". According to Catholic World News, Cardinal Hoyos met with the newly appointed bishop. I am curious to know if more information comes out of this... Stay tuned.

You can read the full article here:
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=55332

Cardinal Hoyos: "Only a minority in the Universal Church who are totally opposed to the traditional liturgy and piety."

2007-12-10T13:39:43Z

From Rorate Cealis

Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos was in France on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception for a special Pontifical Mass in Versailles, on the occasion of the Journée de Chrétienté, celebrating 25 years of the Chartres Pilgrimage. Report by Collectif pour la Paix Liturgique à Reims:

    On December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Cardinal Hoyos, president of the Ecclesia Dei commission, received representatives of a dozen associations of Faithful calling for the implementation of the Motu proprio in their respective dioceses.

    It is with great joy that a member of the Collectif pour la Paix Liturgique à Reims was able to present the local situation to the Cardinal and in return hear the recommendations of His Eminence:

    Prayer is always necessary but even more so in our time when progressivism has wreaked havoc in the heart of the Church. He cited the lack of piety and respect for things holy and the difficulty of attempting to make these things meet contemporary taste on account of bad habits that have been acquired. The Cardinal asked to bear in mind that the since the Church is universal, problems and solutions may not be uniform and that time is needed to design and implement reforms.

    Practical intelligence will be crucial: His Eminence has recommended we not be impatient, but rather to act in a spirit of goodwill which will undoubtedly help us. He spoke for several minutes about the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X with an obvious desire for reconciliation while insisting that we all keep in mind that Tradition is for the good of the entire Church and not just a few. Charity demands that it be given to all, even those who do not seem to appreciate it.

    Finally Cardinal Hoyos said that it is only a minority in the Universal Church who are totally opposed to the traditional liturgy and piety. There is much more ignorance than actual ill will to be dealt with. Sociological views play too big a role and lead to misunderstandings; hence the importance of always practicing charity in order to break down prejudices.

(Translated by Mornac.)

Liturgical abuses help to explain Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio

2007-11-27T10:01:27Z

Source: Catholic News Agency
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=11083

My Emphasis
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ROME, Nov 26, 2007 / 12:24 pm (CNA).- The secretary for the Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Archbishop Albert Malcolm Ranjith, said this week the liturgical abuses and lack of respect for the norms of the ordinary rite of the Mass help to explain why Pope Benedict XVI decided to “liberalize” the liturgical celebrations according to the rite of St. Pius V.

Last July, the Holy Father published the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum permitting universal use of the Missal of St. Pius V, which was used by the Church for centuries and was revised by Blessed John XXIII in 1962.

Archbishop Ranjith noted that “throughout the years, the liturgy suffered too many abuses that were ignored by the bishops,” and therefore “Benedict XVI could not remain silent.”

According to the Vatican official, the opposition between “traditionalists and innovators” makes no sense in the Church, where “a continuous line exists.”

Referring to the so-called Tridentine Mass, Archbishop Ranjith said requests for the ancient rite “were increasing over time” in direct proportion to the “lack of fidelity and the loss of the sense of beauty” in the liturgy.
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"Archbishop Ranjith speaks out again"...

2007-11-27T10:01:49Z

Source: Catholic World News
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=54950

My Emphasis
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Archbishop Ranjith speaks out again

Rome, Nov. 26, 2007 (FIDES/CWNews.com) - Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, the secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship, has renewed his defense of Summorum Pontificum-- and his sharp criticism of Church leaders who have resisted the Pope's motu proprio-- in a lengthy interview with the Fides news service.

The Pope's call for broader use of the traditional Latin Mass was not merely an effort to achieve reconciliation with the Society of St. Pius X, "but also a sign for the whole Church with regard to the safeguarding of certain theological-disciplinary principles," the Sri Lankan archbishop told Fides.

"It appears to me," Archbishop Ranjith said, "that the Pope is anxious to correct the tendency, visible in certain circles, to see the Council [Vatican II] as a break with the past and a new beginning." He pointed out that the teachings of Vatican II themselves offer no justification for that attitude.

Vatican II called for reform of the liturgy, the archbishop said, but that reform "must also be faithful to all that went before from the beginning down to our day, nothing excluded."

Explaining that attitude toward Church tradition, Archbishop Ranjith said:

We are neither the inventors nor the masters of truth, we are merely those who have received it and have the duty to safeguard it and hand it on to others… It follows that respect for Tradition is not our freely taken choice in the quest for the truth, Tradition is its basis and must be accepted. Therefore fidelity to tradition is an essential attitude for the Church.

In addition to safeguarding Church traditions, Pope Benedict also saw the motu proprio as a necessary response to widespread liturgical abuses, the archbishop said. He noted that he, too, had "seen seen how arbitrary deformations of the liturgy caused deep pain to individuals totally rooted in the faith of the Church.”

Archbishop Ranjith also repeated his complaint-- expressed in a series of blunt public statements in recent weeks-- that some diocesan bishops have responded to Summorum Pontificum with "regulations which attempt to practically annul or completely change the Pope's intentions." These reactions, he said, are "contrary to the dignity and nobility of the vocation of a bishop of the Church."

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Diocese of Harrisburg: Profound implementation of the Motu Proprio, how exciting.

2007-11-21T11:34:08Z

I pulled this from Father Z's blog, www.wdtprs.com/blog. The emphasis is Father Z's.

Isn't it nice to see the proper response to the MP? Enjoy.

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DIOCESE OF HARRISBURG — office of the Bishop
4800 Union Deposit Road — Box 2153 • Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-2153 (717)657-4804
November 15, 2007

Dear Friends in Christ,

On July 7, 2007, Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, promulgated motu proprio, the Apostolic Letter, Summorum Pontificum. The norms contained in this letter became effective on September 14, 2007. In this letter, our Holy Father defined two forms of the rule of prayer (Lex orandi) of the Catholic Church of Latin Rite: an ordinary form, as contained in the Missale Romanum of Pope Paul VI, and an extraordinary form, as contained in the Missale Romanum promulgated by Blessed John XXIII. The guidelines previously provided by Pope John Paul II for the use of the Missal of Blessed John XXIII are now replaced by the new norms promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI. I am certainly grateful to the Holy Father for the clarity of the norms contained in Summorum Pontificum.

In my first year as Bishop of Harrisburg, I was happy to grant permission for the celebration of Holy Mass every Sunday and Holy Day, according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII, at Saint Lawrence Chapel in Harrisburg. I am very grateful to Father Thomas Rozman and the Cathedral Parish for their openness and hospitality in providing for the use of this beautiful church for the celebration of the Mass according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII these past two and a half years.

In light of the prescriptions of Summorum Pontificum, it is my joy to announce the appointment of a full-time Chaplain for the pastoral care of the community of the faithful that celebrates the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite at Saint Lawrence Chapel. At the presentation of Father George Gabet, superior of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter in the United States, I have appointed Father Frank Parrinello full-time Chaplain of the community, with residence at the Saint Patrick Cathedral rectory. I am deeply grateful to the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter for providing this priestly ministry in Harrisburg.

It is also my joy to announce that the community of the faithful which worships at Saint Lawrence Chapel according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII shall be called the Mater Dei Community, in honor of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Mother of God. The Mater Dei Community will officially come into existence on the First Sunday of Advent of this year, December 2, 2007. Within the diocesan structure, this chaplaincy will fall within the Secretariat for Catholic Life and Evangelization.

With the priestly ministry of a full-time chaplain, the Mater Dei Community will have the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass daily as well as the celebration of all the sacraments and other rites of the Church according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII, according to the prescriptions contained in Summorum Pontificum. The chaplain of the Mater Dei Community will be available for visitation of the sick, both the homebound and the hospitalized. He will also be available for pastoral counseling and other priestly ministries as needed and requested.

The Mater Dei Community will begin programs of sacramental preparation and catechetical instruction and may host other activities and programs under the direction of the chaplain. It is my hope and prayer that the spiritual life of this community will flourish and bear many good fruits for its members and for our diocese.

Catholics who so desire may choose to register as members of the Mater Dei Community, thus assuming rights and obligations which parallel membership in a parish. The Mater Dei Community has the financial responsibility to provide the salary and benefits for the chaplain as well as rent and utilities for the use of the Saint Lawrence Chapel facilities of Saint Patrick Cathedral Parish. The Mater Dei Community will also be assessed for the Bishop’s Annual Lenten Appeal and for students of the Community who attend Catholic schools. Those who attend the liturgy according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII who choose not to register as members of the Mater Dei Community will retain membership in their territorial parishes with the rights and obligations that pertain to that membership.

I wish to extend my fervent best wishes to Father Parrinello and to all who choose to become members of the Mater Dei Community. As this new chaplaincy begins, please know that you are especially remembered in my prayers. I offer for your reflection the following words of Pope Benedict near the end of his beautiful Apostolic Letter, Sacramentum Caritatis: the most holy mystery of the Eucharist "needs to be firmly believed, devoutly celebrated and intensely lived in the Church. Jesus’ gift of Himself in the sacrament which is the memorial of His passion tells us that the success of our lives is found in our participation in the Trinitarian life offered to us truly and definitively in Him. The celebration and worship of the Eucharist enable us to draw near to God’s love and to persevere in that love until we are united with the Lord whom we love."

May the Holy Eucharist, the wondrous sacrament of charity, be the center of the life and mission of the Mater Dei Community. And may the Mother of God intercede for you as I commend your community to her loving care!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades Bishop of Harrisburg

Ranjith speaks to Fides: the message of the motu proprio

2007-11-16T12:39:10Z

I found this on Rorate Caeli, rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/

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Ranjith speaks to Fides: the message of the motu proprio

From an interview granted by Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige, Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship, to Fides, the official news agency of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (in Italian; the English translation will appear in the next few days in the English section of Fides):

Your Excellency, what is in your opinion the deep significance of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum?

I see in this decision not only the solicitude of the Holy Father to open the road for the reentry into the full communion of the Church of the followers of Archbishop Lefebvre, but also a sign for all the Church on some theological-disciplinary principles [which must] be safeguarded for its deep renewal, so much desired by the Council.

It seems to me that there is a strong desire by the Pope to correct those temptations [which are] visible in some circles which see the Council as a moment of rupture with the past and of a new beginning. It is enough to recall his speech to the Roman Curia on December 22, 2005.

Nevertheless, not even the Council itself thought in such terms. Both in its doctrinal and in itsjuridical-pastoral choices, the Council was another moment of development and aggiornamento of the rich theological-spiritual heritage of the Church in its bimillenial history. The Pope intends to clearly affirm, with his motu proprio, that every temptation of disregard for these venerable traditions is out of place. The message is clear: yes to progress, but not at the expense of history or without it. Even liturgical reform must be faithful to all that has happened from the beginning up to now, without exclusions.

On the other hand, we must never forget that for the Catholic Church, Divine Revelation is not something which comes solely from Sacred Scripture, but also from the living Tradition of the Church. This faith is clearly distinct from other manifestations of the Christian faith. Truth for us is what emerges, as it were, from both these poles, that is Sacred Scripture and Tradition.

This position is to me quite richer than others because it respects the liberty of the Lord to guide us to a more adequate understanding of revealed truth, even through what may take place in the future. Naturally, the process of discernment of what may come will be effected through the Magisterium of the Church. But what we must grasp is the importance which is attributed to Tradition. The Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum stated this truth clearly (DV 10).

...

The Motu Proprio, in my opinion, also operates in this sense. This is a possible boost for a necessary course correction. In fact, in certain choices of the liturgical reform effected after the Council, orientations were adopted which have overshadowed some aspects of the liturgy, better reflected in the previous praxis, because, for some, liturgical renewal was understood as something to be made ex novo. But we know well that that was not the intent of Sacrosanctum Concilium, which underlines that "any new forms adopted should in some way grow organically from forms already existing." (SC, 23).

Archbishop Ranjith also speaks of a "crisis of obedience" regarding the Motu Proprio as a great problem in the Church:

"It is felt that in some nations or dioceses rules have been handed by the Bishops which practically nullify or deform the intention of the Pope. This behavior is not appropriate to the dignity and nobility of the vocation of a Shepherd of the Church."

Cardinal Hoyos has an audience with Pope Benedict XVI

2007-11-16T11:38:31Z

THE AUDIENCES

The Holy Father received this morning in Audience: Darío Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei"

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Article:

212.77.1.245/news_services/bulletin/news/21110.php?index=21110&lang=it
...

Update from Central Oregon - When will we have the TLM celebrated?

2007-11-21T11:22:19Z

There are the ongoing efforts of both Una Voce - Central Oregon and various people unassociated with this Chapter to have the Extraordinary Form celebrated within this area. With these requests comes responses both in the positive, and in the negative. The positive responses are from various priests who believe, along with the Holy Father, that the TLM is beneficial not only to those to explicitly desire it, but to those who for whatever reasons do not, and that the TLM has in its nature to preserve and defend orthodoxy within the Church.

Currently, there are two priests (that I know of first hand) who are willing to celebrate the TLM in Central Oregon - most likely in Bend which serves as a sort of central area for most of the faithful here. This is substantial. All that is left is for the faithful to demonstrate their desire for the TLM to the pastor's of their local parish. Unfortunately, it would seem that there is a general lack of awareness of the benefits to be rendered by the Motu Proprio and also a lack of knowledge on how to approach the pastors to request the Traditional Latin Mass.

It is the purpose of this Chapter to make available information that will facilitate this process through education and encouragement, and to bring together faithful who desire the TLM so that a "stable group" may be demonstrated.

It is important, then, that you spread the news of the MP to your friends and family, join this chapter of Una Voce, so that we may with "One Voice" request that the mass be also celebrated according to the 1962 missal.

In the mean time, UVCO will continue to update you all with current news both locally and throughout the world. It is important to be aware of how the Motu Proprio is either being implemented or not, and how the various clergy is responding.

If you have submitted a written request to the local pastor and received a response, please let UVCO know.

To join this chapter, please click here.

jcd

Update on the MP Article 5: The "Stable Group" question. From The Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

2007-11-16T12:59:28Z

I pulled this from Father Z's blog, WDTPRS.com

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I got a fascinating e-mail from frequent commenter and canonist Tim Ferguson.

I urge you bloggers in the UK to make this known.

You must read this (with my emphases and comments:

In the mail today was the latest (September 2007) edition of the Newsletter of the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Among the many gems in this newsletter are articles addressing the invalidity of marriages celebrated by the SSPX (from a couple authors with a couple different perspectives) and commentary by Msgr. Gordon Read on Summorum Pontificum.

I thought your readers would be interested in his commentary on Summorum Pontificum Article 5:

This article deals with public Masses in the context of parishes or other churches open to the public such as hospital or cemetery chapels or shrines. The apparently straightforward wording conceals a number of issues. What is meant by ‘stable group’? the Latin reads ‘coetus fidelium traditioni liturgicae antecedenti adhaerentium continenter exsistit’. ‘Coetus’ means ‘group’ implying at least three people. [YES! YES! That is what WDTPRS has been saying!] The word order implies that ‘continenter’ qualifies ‘exsistit’ rather than ‘adhaerentium’. [YES!] What does it mean? If the author had intended ‘stable’ in the canonical sense he would have used ‘stabilis’. [YES!] The term does not, then, appear to mean a formal group with established membership. On the other hand it would go beyond the wording to require such a group to have existed continuously since 1970. What it specifies is an identifiable group with some kind of continuing existence, as distinct from a one off request from an ad hoc group.

This does not imply that he cannot listen to a request from an ad hoc group, but rather that a continuing group has a right to be listened to - libenter suscipiat. In other words, the parish priest is not simply to rebuff such a request, but to see how their good can be harmonised with the wider good of the ordinary pastoral care of the parish, without the danger of discord. Equally, he is supposed to be responding to a request, rather than simply imposing his own desire unasked on an unwilling community. [This deserves discussion.]

The second and third paragraphs indicate when such Masses may be celebrated. These are permitted not only on weekdays, but also Sundays and holy days. Note that the document says una etiam una tantum. It envisages one Mass on Sundays and holy days, but does not strictly preclude more than one. [YES!] The wording is concessionary rather than limiting in tone. The parish priest may also permit such celebrations to accompany wedding, funerals, pilgrimmages and other occasions.

It is for the parish priest, rather than an assistant priest, to grant permission. There is no suggestion that he is under an obligation to celebrate the Mass himself. He may be unwilling or feel unable to do so. The celebrant must be free from any impediment, e.g. suspension or excommunication arising from adherence to SSPX, or reception of orders without documentation, etc. He must also be idoneus, or "qualified", i.e. have sufficient understanding of the text and rubrics as to be able to celebrate worthily. Common sense will be needed here. [YES!]

In the case of non-parochial churches, it is for the rector to give permission. If there is no rector, as may well be the case for a hospital chapel, then presumably it devolves to the local parish priest. What is less clear is the case of an advertised Mass in a private chapel or oratory, e.g., that of a stately house. If it is advertised, it does not seem to fall under article 2, but neither is it a parish Mass. It would seem to me that at least as a matter of courtesy, the permission of the parish priest should be asked, in case it becomes a source of division, and in case of difficulty, the matter should be referred to the Ordinary.

This is very good indeed. What a marked contrast to the dreadful statements we have read from some bishops in the UK.

I am very interested to know what impact this has.
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Archbishop Ranjith's comments about Priests and Bishops that resist the Summorum Pontificum

2007-11-14T16:46:28Z

Some more valuable statements coming from Archbishop Ranjith. I wonder if the local clergy pays much attention to the news surrounding the Motu Proprio that is flowing in from outside the local dioceses? There seems to be, at least in this area, a general lack of awareness of the importance of this document and the reactions it has generated since its publication.

In any event, here is the latest from Archbishop Ranjith.

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Church in the World
10 November 2007

Rebuke for bishops who resist Old Rite

Robert Mickens

A senior official at the Congregation for Divine Worship CDW) this week said that bishops who were trying to curtail use of the Tridentine Mass were "in rebellion against the Pope" and guilty of pride, "one of the gravest sins".

Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith, who serves as the CDW secretary, levelled his criticism at "theologians, liturgists, priests, bishops and even cardinals" who have written "interpretative documents that inexplicably try to limit the Pope’s motu proprio" – the document that liberalised use of the pre-Second Vatican Council Mass. The CDW official told an Italian online news service that the bishops should especially "return to obedience" since they "have professed fidelity to the pontiff".

Pope Benedict issued his motu proprio last July despite concerns by many bishops that it could deepen divisions in the Church. Since the motu proprio came into force on 14 September, entire national episcopal conferences – including those in the Philippines and Germany – have released explanatory letters that could be seen as placing conditions on the celebration of the Tridentine Rite and therefore limiting the implementation of the papal document. A motion to issue such a letter by a group of Italian bishops was voted down by the conference’s permanent committee. Some bishops around the world – including Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds, chairman of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy, and Bishop Donald Trautman of Erie, chairman of the US bishops’ liturgy office – have individually written explanatory letters directly to priests in their own dioceses, and at least two Italian bishops have publicly stated that they would not permit the pre-conciliar liturgy in their churches.

Those who favour the Tridentine Mass have complained that such restrictions contradict the clear stipulations contained in the Pope’s motu proprio. Archbishop Ranjith, who is close to the Pope and is expected by many to be the next prefect of the CDW, accused bishops who are limiting the Old Rite of being motivated by "prejudices of an ideological type or by pride".

Clergy who have voiced reserves about the motu proprio have been careful not to criticise the Pope directly and have sought subtle ways to justify their opposition to his decree. The most prominent among them has been Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini. The retired Archbishop of Milan made his point in a leading Italian paper last September by saying, that he would not celebrate the Tridentine Mass even if he counted himself among the most qualified to do so.

Others, such as Belgian Cardinal Godfried Danneels, have downplayed the motu proprio by saying there was no interest in the Tridentine Mass in their countries, even though the head of the worldwide pro-Tridentine Mass organisation Una Voce is from Belgium. Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi told priests in Milan that the document did not apply to the northern Italian archdiocese since it uses the Ambrosian Rite rather than the Roman one. In August Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow sent out a letter pointing out that the motu proprio required provision for "stable groups" who "adhered" to the earlier rite, and said he thought it unlikely there were such groups in his diocese (The Tablet, 25 August).

Archbishop Ranjith, a native of Sri Lanka, said the motu proprio was "an act of liberty and justice towards traditionalists". He then criticised celebrations of the New Rite Mass that are frequently "transformed into shows with dancing, singing and applause".

Meanwhile a small number of prominent bishops around the world have spoken in favour of the Tridentine Mass’s wider use. Cardinal George Pell became the first archbishop in four decades to celebrate the Old Rite in Sydney’s cathedral last Saturday morning.