Philadelphia Chapter

by Dr. Taylor Marshall

By now it’s no secret that I attend the Latin Mass and that I am the Chancellor of a College that offers the Latin Mass seven days a week – Fisher More College. However, I’ve not always been partial to the Latin Mass. For a few years after my conversion to the Catholic Faith, I was cautiously curious about the the “old Mass.” I perceived it as exotic, antiquarian, and even as a dangerous. Although I had some esteem for the “old liturgies,” I was not convinced of the merits of the Latin Mass and the culture which, for better or worse, surrounds it.

My wife and I starting taking our family to the Latin Mass around Feast of the Ascension of 2010. Before we made this move, however, I had some serious misgivings about the Latin Mass, which we also call the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Our concerns were some of the common concerns that others still have and voice regularly. I cannot speak for everyone, but I’d like to go through my own personal misgivings about the Latin Mass and then explain how I overcame them, or, to be blunt, learned to live with them.

What caused our family to make the move?

A Personal Reflection
There were a lot of things that caused us to make the transition. Part of it was my attachment to aesthetically beautiful liturgy from my Anglican days. Most of it had to do with my alarm at the liturgical abuse that we witnessed. For example, the first time that my 4 year old daughter saw female “altar boys” serving at the altar, she tugged on my sleeve and said, “Daddy, look. I wanna be a girl priest, too.” Not encouraging.

I truly believe that liturgical abuse is sinful, contrary to the will of God, and causes people to embrace poor theology. Lex credendi, lex orandi – the law of believe is the law of prayer. Yes, a Holy Mass is either valid or not. Don’t here me saying that the Novus Ordo is invalid. By all means it is. But the Mass is like a diamond engagement ring. It’s not enough that it be a real diamond. It must also have a gold ring and a proper setting if you want it to really shine and be appreciated.

There were a number of dissatisfactions, but the breaking point happened some time in early 2010. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

The “Grover” Moment
It was a Sunday. Novus Ordo parish. I won’t identify the church. Our family went forward to receive Holy Communion. My family always tried to receive Communion from the priest, but sometimes it was impossible and you’d get rerouted to a Extraordinary Eucharistic Lay Minister. This re-routing must have happened this day. The EM to whom we were routed that day was wearing jeans and she had on an over sized blue shirt with a giant image of Grover’s face.

Here I was entering into intimate Communion with the Divine Logos, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Himself…but I was staring into the face of Grover from Sesame Street. Grover never bothered me before, but that day I was deeply bothered by Jim Henson’s icon staring me in the face. Beautiful vestments had been instituted for a purpose. Up until now I did not appreciate how they prevented the faithful from coming into contact with Muppets during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

As I returned to my pew, I thought inwardly: “This is it! I just can’t take it anymore. Things have to change Lord. I’m now desperate. I don’t want my children to grow up with this perception of the one true Faith.” I had seen worse things than this before, but for some reason the Grover moment broke me.

I was now ready to make full hearted foray into the Latin Mass community served by the FSSP (Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter – in union with the Holy Father, of course). Yet, I had a few pre-conceived notions against the Latin Mass and its adherents.

My Pre-Conceived Ideas
First of all, I was turned off by the so-called “traddies” who haunted the pews during the Latin Mass. Here are the common stereotypes of those scary traditionalists that you hear about in conversations:

“Modest clothing” which seems to be interpreted as “denim for the ladies” and “no denim for the men” paired with ubiquitous jumpers for moms and daughters, men with pants hemmed too short, 1950s haircuts, and “brown” as the most holy of all colors. Actually, make that “Carmelite brown.”
Judgmental so that all outside their version of Catholicism are in need of “fraternal correction”
Bishop-bashers, which means that we must police the behavior of bishops and post their faults online
Dour facial expressions: Sad, depressed, and/or angry
Uneducated, yet obsessed with Latin
Amish Catholics or Bunker Catholics, which means that we must bunker down, circle the wagons, and wait patiently for the Three Days of Darkness.
Jansenists in theology, which means that they are really Catholic Calvinists who believe that human nature is totally depraved. St Thomas Aquinas rightfully taught that grace perfects nature. Jansenists hold that grace gets rid of that nasty nature.

I think that sums up the traddy stereotype pretty well. So are they true?

Well, like all stereotypes, the traddy sterotype is greatly exaggerated but based on reality. Let me interject that my wife and I were braced for the worst but were pleasantly surprised. Yes, people did come up afterward and compliment our family. They were kind. They invited us to coffee. The priests were welcoming friendly and genuinely concerned for our souls. This last feature, the outstanding priests, is the key to all of this. We met young Catholic friends immediately – friends to this day. People were nice and friendly.

In true Thomistic fashion, let’s examine each objection in order:

1. “Modest clothing” which seems to be interpreted as “denim for the ladies” and “no denim for the men” paired with ubiquitous jumpers for moms and daughters, men with pants hemmed too short, 1950s haircuts, and “brown” as the most holy of all colors. Actually, make that “Carmelite brown.”

My wife and I have learned that “modest” does not mean homely. It takes time, style, and even money to dress modestly and attractively. Are some people dressed in burlap jumpers? Not burlap, but there are some jumpers here and there. But that’s just a tiny minority. Most men and women (and children) look pretty dignified. And to be quite honest, I’d much prefer to see a whole team of burlap jumper ladies than 19 year old girls with low cut tops, short-shorts, or “jeggings.” If you’re Catholic in the USA, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Which would you rather have?

2. Judgmental so that all outside their version of Catholicism are in need of “fraternal correction”

Judgmentalism is a problem for any Catholic who is serious about his faith. Whenever we try hard to enter the narrow gate, we occasionally pause and pity all the souls taking the other path. Pity often gives way to resentment, especially when they’re having so much fun on the other path. Is there an inordinate amount of judgmentalism or Pharisaism in Latin Mass circles? Yes, it’s certainly there. However, I don’t think that Latin Masses causes judgmentalism. I think it’s because the Latin Mass attracts religious people and the devil tempts the religiously minded with pride. The devil knows he’s not going to tempt Mrs Latin Mass to strut around in a tight sweater and jeggings. No, he has different plans for the religious. Pride is his powerful temptation for the devout.

3. Bishop-bashers, which means that we must police the behavior of bishops and post their faults online.

Honestly, people I know love and pray for their bishop regularly. You hear some bishop bashing here and there; however, I heard it all the time in the Novus Ordo parishes, as well. I really don’t think that Latin Mass adherents are big bishop-bashers.

4. Dour facial expressions: Sad, depressed, and/or angry

Now was everyone at the Latin Mass so friendly and cordial? No, of course not. There were a few ladies of advanced years that gave mean looks to my wife when our little ones interrupted – but that happened even at the Novus Ordo. Most people were happy and accepting. It’s very common to see older women, teenage girls, or even other mothers take the infants of other mothers during Holy Mass to help them out. I haven’t seen it anywhere else. There is true team work among Latin Mass ladies.

As for the men, they’re just guys. Knights of Columbus. Sports. Dads. Just men. I have noticed that Latin Mass men universally own guns and are into hunting. Good features in my book.

5. Uneducated, yet obsessed with Latin

The first part isn’t true. What I have noticed is that the Latin Mass generally attracts two demographics: intellectuals and blue collar men. Perhaps the latter gives rise to the myth of “uneducated.” Intellectuals are attracted because they see the importance of a continuity of tradition and they drama of sanctity in the old rites. But the same is true for your blue collar men. These men are real men and they are unimpressed with 1970s jingles, the overly-familiar “Father Bob,” and other fluffy elements found in contemporary music and liturgy.

Also, it doesn’t seem that people are obsessed with Latin or posit magical properties to it. As someone once said, Latin and silence are the Roman liturgy what the iconostasis is in the Eastern liturgies. The human soul demands a separation between the profane and the sacred. There are other reasons for Latin (I cover a few reasons for Latin in my new book: The Eternal City – Rome & the Origins of Catholicism.)

6. Amish Catholics or Bunker Catholics, which means that we must bunker down, circle the wagons, and wait patiently for the Three Days of Darkness.

When times are bleak, this is a dangerous temptation. We can feel that we must give up the positive call to evangelism because things are so bad. We can convince ourselves that our light must be placed under a bushel so as to not be snuffed out. While there are some who seek to revive an agrarian utopia of yesteryear, most are people studying, working, and living in the local community. Many of them are bringing people into the Catholic Church. Lots of converts.

7. Jansenists in theology, which means that they are really Catholic Calvinists who believe that human nature is totally depraved. St Thomas Aquinas rightfully taught that grace perfects nature. Jansenists hold that grace gets rid of that nasty nature.

This is probably the most ridiculous, but I’ve been hearing it more and more frequently. The old heretics known as the Jansenists were down on devotion to the Saints, down on devotion to Mary, and down on devotion to the Sacred Heart. If anything, the priests and laity attached to the Latin Mass are the greatest enthusiasts for true devotion to the Rosary and the Sacred Heart. Also, Jansenism sought to have austere simplicity in the liturgy. A Solemn High Mass is anything but that!

People also need to know that Jansenism was a liturgical movement, but moving in the other direction of the Latin Mass. The Jansenists wanted vernacular Mass and Breviary, undecorated altars, candle sticks off the altar, whitewashed walls, removal of statues, and a decrease in private devotions.

What I’ve perceived is that if a priest preaches on hell, purgatory, contraception, divorce, or other difficult topics, he will be rumored as Jansenistic. Sermons on hell, especially, generally lead to allegations of Jansenism. My response is that we need to hear it.

To summarize, most of the stereotypes are not fully accurate but do in fact touch on elements, good or bad, in communities attached to the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Mass. To be honest I don’t notice the stereotypes anymore. If I think about it, I can see it. However, they are more like surface features. They aren’t of the essence. So let’s turn to one final objection that does concern doubts over the essence of the Latin Mass: Lay Participation.

But What About the Latin and “Active Participation”?
Now we turn to an objection that is not simply about the people and culture, but about the old liturgy in particular. It is often asked, “How do you actively participate? It’s in Latin. That’s a huge barrier for me.”

The Latin Mass is like beer. You have to drink it in a few times to like it. My challenge would be for you to attend the Latin Mass for four Sundays in a row before making a decision. Give it that long. Here’s why.

You will slowly make a shift in the way that you assist at Holy Mass. Your concept of Active Participation will transform in your heart. There is a lot of quiet “space” in the Latin Mass. The first time or so, you’ll be sitting there doing nothing and thinking, “What’s going on? Why aren’t we doing anything?”

When you’ve reached that point, you’re getting close. It’s like drinking beer for the first time. “This tastes terrible? What’s the hype? I don’t understand.” But then you come to realize that beer is more than just the taste.

You realize something is different. Your soul begins to focus silently on Christ crucified. You find yourself kneeling next to the Blessed Virgin Mary in stunned silence as the priest lifts Jesus Christ over his head. You enter into the silence. It’s difficult to understand. You simply have to experience it.

True Active Participation
This brings us to a new understanding of “Active Participation.” Active participation is not moving your body around the sanctuary. Active participation is not serving as an altar boy, carrying cruets, reading a lesson, or being an EM. If that were the case, then every lay person in the nave would need a special job to fulfill to participate actively. This is not active participation, but it is false clericalism. It is the incorrect belief that a lay person must do something quasi-priestly for it to be meaningful and prayerful.

The Second Vatican Council did not promote active participation as clericalism. No, true active participation as promoted by the Council is modeled by the Blessed Virgin Mary. It means actively following the work of Christ on the cross with a humble and prayerful heart. Ask yourself, who was more “active” at the foot of the cross, the Roman soldiers or the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John, and Saint Mary Magdalene? Active participation is fulfilled by an inward disposition. This conforms to our conviction that God wants the heart more than he wants outward signs of piety.

Conclusion
To sum up, the positives are reverence and active participation. The negatives are laid out in the seven objections. My opinion is that there are certain truths connected to the seven stereotypes. I’m not saying that the stereotypes are entirely false, but they are greatly over-exaggerated.

So my challenge is to try out the Four Week Challenge. Attend the Latin Mass (only in communion with the Holy Father – avoid schismatic groups) for four weeks and give it a go. It’s a different experience. I think you’ll find it wonderful.

Fr. Z refers his readers to an interesting article in The National Catholic Register.

Tidings of Discomfort and Liturgical Abuse

by Dan Burke

This Christmas, I was delighted to have the opportunity to travel across at least three states to celebrate the joy of this season with my family. This was the good news. The bad news? I was pelted to a spiritual pulp by liturgical abuse after abuse. Because the Mass in my home parish is faithful, I have not had to endure this level of concentrated torture for some time — and, frankly, the shock was a bit much to take.

So I share with you here a list of the dastardly deeds of the ignorant, sloppy, slothful, unfaithful and the well intended. Each of these listed below is prohibited by the liturgical norms or other instructions from the Holy See or is an omission contrary to expressed guidance provided by the Church:

• Changing of the prayers by the priest (absolutely forbidden).

• Standing when the rubrics instruct us to kneel (diocese-wide disobedience to the Holy See).

• Tropes repeated at the singing of the “Lamb of God” (recently clarified by the Holy See as inappropriate and forbidden).

• Priests, deacons and laypeople scrambling around the altar before Mass with no indication — other than a few rapid half bird-pecks toward the tabernacle — that they believe that Christ is actually present in the tabernacle.

• The use of an extraordinary minister of Communion when there were less then 10 people in a daily Mass that was presided over by an able deacon and an able priest.

• Priests and people running around the sanctuary to offer the sign of peace.

• No observation of silence before Mass, except at a midnight Mass at a faithful monastery.

• Applause and praise to individuals at Mass during the Mass (directed at my own family, which was even more embarrassing). Here’s a quote from Pope Benedict on this practice (with my emphasis): “Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attraction fades quickly — it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation.” I was chastised by a parishioner for bristling at this and was told that the applause was to God. However, we were the only ones asked to stand and if the applause was directed to God, me and my family should be added to the ranks of the Blessed Trinity. I really do appreciate the sentiment — it was honoring and sincere — but if it is necessary or appropriate, please, please, please do this after Mass or some other time. The Mass is to bring us to worship Christ, not us.)

• Hand-holding during the Our Father — with one extraordinarily silly, though I am sure well-intentioned, contortionist even reaching backward while facing forward in order to connect the two rows of pews. (This is forbidden on the basis that we are not allowed to add or change the Mass.)

• Only one Mass of many offered “primacy of place” to sacred polyphony or chant. This Mass was at a monastery and was beautiful and liturgically faithful and Christ centered end to end. It was the highpoint and salvation of my vacation time.

• A Sunday Mass that did not include a single Advent hymn (not an abuse, but the band leaders should be retired to a local piano lounge).

• A priest who declared that Zachariah (the father of John the Baptist) was struck blind, not dumb. (No, this is not liturgical abuse, but the priest should be ashamed. It was clear that he had much to say but little concern for the central message of Advent and had not prepared for his homily.)

In the end, I have decided to begin using a particular phrase in response to questions about my expressed dismay at this madness: “Because I am not a protestant.” The implication is clear. Here’s how it looks in a real dialogue: “Why don’t you hold hands at the Our Father?” “Because I am not a protestant.”

I became Catholic because I recognized that the Church has properly claimed that it is the Church of Christ. The Church teaches, admonishes and instructs by the authority of Christ and 2,000 years of wisdom and guidance by the Holy Spirit. I obey the Church because I obey Christ. I am not a protestant who is free to make up whatever I feel is best without any concern for Tradition. I am a Catholic. I am unashamedly submitted to Christ and his Church. If you are not, you are not Catholic. Let’s stop pretending.

Courtesy of Mark Matthews, Esquire, LLA Advisory Council

The First Friday and First Saturday TLM schedule at the Rectory Chapel of Saint Albert The Great is as follows:

First Friday, January 4, A.D. 2012, Confession at 6:30 P.M., E.S.T., followed by TLM at 7 P.M., E.S.T. offered by Fr. Dennis J. Carbonaro, Pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Parish.

First Saturday, January 5, A.D. 2012, Confession at 8:45 A.M., E.S.T., followed by TLM at 9:15 P.M., E.S.T. offered by Fr. Dominick Finn, O.S.F.S.

St. Albert The Great Parish is located at 212 Welsh Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006, (T) 215-947-3500. TLM’s to be held in the Rectory Chapel; the Rectory is located behind the Church.

by Jack Kuplack

Of all the things about me, there is only one that makes me in some way a kind of minority. I attend the Traditional Latin Mass. There aren’t a whole ton of us, and over the last ten years or so I have encountered many people who simply couldn’t understand why I’d attend such an old type of Mass. It is vastly different from what the majority of Catholics attend, making it much harder to attend regularly, especially depending on where you live. Here are the reasons why I like it so much:

1. The Music

I always loved the TLM music. Unfortunately, the choir at my church is rather inexperienced and limited so we don’t get to hear many Latin hymns, but they always only use an organ. It provides a kind of old, solemn sense of sincerity that I really like. Music is music, and it is of course more about the message than the instruments used, but I feel like the separation between common instruments used everyday (I personally am a guitarist) and the only one used in church, provides a distinct line between listening to music of the world and listening to God’s music.

2. The Closeness to God

I have been to a few different kinds of Masses, but at the TLM I feel much closer to God than anywhere else. Because there is less interaction between the people and the priest, it is much easier for me to focus my thoughts and energy on being there for God and not just myself. As an experienced Altar Server, I do have many back and forth prayers with the priest, but the TLM is designed to be as little about the general experience of the people as possible. For example, when our priest turns to face the congregation to say “Dominus Vobiscum,” (“The lord be with you”) he actually turns back around before the people can respond. They of course then do respond with “Et cum spiritu tuo,” (“And with your spirit”), but the priest turning early makes it more of a prayer in honor of God than a conversation with the celebrant.

3. The Seriousness

I am a pretty serious person. My friends know that I am very capable of being incredibly goofy, but there are certain things that I enjoy being solemn. One of them is Mass. People say that the TLM is less joyful than the Ordinary Form of the Mass, and to be perfectly honest, it sometimes is. Speaking in a language you don’t know, and singing songs that you sometimes have to research to understand can be difficult to necessarily ”enjoy,” but I like knowing that what I’m doing is a challenge. I like knowing that coming to Mass is a sacrifice that takes time out of my day which can often be mildly boring. But, as I said, for me the sometimes boring seriousness makes it much easier to converse with God and to accomplish extra things for my soul.

4. The Standard

Something neat about the TLM is that no matter where you go in the world you will get the exact same thing. My father, for example, was once visiting Slovakia. He found a Latin Mass to attend, and even though he didn’t understand ANY of the sermon whatsoever, he always knew exactly what was happening and what the priest was saying for the rest of the Mass because it was in the same language as our church here at home. I take comfort in knowing exactly what to expect, and to not feel out of place even if I’m going to mass on the other side of the planet.

This is my case for the Traditional Latin Mass. I hope it was informative, and if you are a Catholic without much experience with it, I encourage you to go! You might learn that you like it.

Christmas Eve, Monday December 24:
8:00 a.m. Daily Mass (No 5:00 p.m. Mass)
10:30 p.m. Christmas Carols
10:50 p.m. Blessing of Manger and Christmas Proclamation
11:00 p.m. Mass through Midnight

Christmas Day, Tuesday, December 25:
8:30 a.m. Low Mass
11:00 a.m. High Mass

New Year’s Eve 2012 & New Year’s Day Schedule, 2013
Monday, December 31, 2012:
8:00 a.m. Regular Daily Mass
5:00 p.m. Anticipated Low Mass
Tuesday, January 1, 2013:
8:30 a.m. Low Mass
11:00 a.m. High Mass

St. Paul’s, 10th & Christian Streets, will have a Traditional Latin Missa Cantata at Noon on both Christmas & New Year’s Days.

From The Economist

Dec 15th 2012 | from the print edition

http://www.economist.com/news/international/21568357-its-trendy-be-traditionalist-catholic-church-traditionalist-avant-garde

From the National Catholic Reporter:

Viewpoint

By Ron Schmit

It was curiosity and a sense of irony that moved me to open the Oct. 1 issue of our diocesan newspaper. On the cover was the headline “Moving Forward in Faith” next to a picture of our former bishop vested as would be a prelate from more than 50 years ago. This was a photo from a liturgy in the “extraordinary form” (pre-Vatican II 1962 Latin Mass), welcoming a group of very traditional Carmelite nuns to the diocese.

Lately, there seems to be an increasing interest in this “extraordinary form” in our diocesan paper and among some of our clergy. In the past my attitude has been “so what.” If people are into antiquarianism, let them. Some people like to spend weekends reenacting the Civil War. They dress in period costume. They stage mock battles of Union and Confederate soldiers. It’s a harmless hobby. I just figured that the people attached to this “extraordinary form” were the liturgical version of societies for anachronistic re-enactment.

However, I have come to change my opinion. Those attached to the extraordinary form are not like Civil War re-enactment societies. At least those people know they are play-acting about a time that can never return. The people attached to the extraordinary form are seriously trying to enact a particular worldview and understanding of church. And it is an understanding that we left behind at the Second Vatican Council. It is a worldview that is incompatible with the council.

Liturgy is not about taste or aesthetics. It is how the church defines itself. Those who rejected Vatican II and its liturgy were the first to understand the connection between liturgy and our self-understanding as church.

Pope Paul VI also understood this. The rejection of the Vatican II liturgy is a rejection of its ecclesiology and theology. In his newly published book True Reform: Liturgy and Ecclesiology in Sacrosanctum Concilium, Massimo Faggioli narrates Paul’s response when his philosopher friend Jean Guitton asked why not concede the 1962 missal to breakaway Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and his followers. Paul responded:

Never. This Mass … becomes the symbol of the condemnation of the council. I will not accept, under any circumstances, the condemnation of the council through a symbol. Should this exception to the liturgy of Vatican II have its way, the entire council would be shaken. And, as a consequence, the apostolic authority of the council would be shaken.

Paul knew that permitting the old form would be not only divisive but would call the whole council into doubt, and that would be a sin against the Holy Spirit. Now we are experiencing the unfortunate fruit of the recent permission to celebrate the extraordinary form.

The definition of who we are as church comes alive in the liturgy. Vatican II described the church as a priestly people called on a mission. This priesthood is rooted in our baptism. Once Pope John Paul II was asked what was the most important day in his life. He replied, “The day I was baptized.”

Baptism is our sharing in Christ’s victory over death. We are incorporated into the paschal mystery of the risen Christ and now share in the life of God. What higher calling can there be than this? Marriage, religious or single life and ordained ministry are but specific ways in which one is called to live out his/her baptismal vocation. This is why St. Augustine would tell his people, “With you I am baptized; for you I am ordained.” The council tells us that baptism calls everyone to holiness.

The council’s vision of a priestly people on mission necessitated a liturgy that could prepare disciples ready to take up their responsibilities. The council looked to the church’s distant past to recover ritual elements that were instrumental in preparing the baptized to take active responsibility for Christ’s priestly, prophetic and royal mission.

In her article “Summorum Pontificum and the Unmaking of the Lay Church” (Worship, July 2012), scholar Georgia Masters Keightley identifies those elements recovered by the council from the ancient church. These express the active exercise of the priestly people of God: the prayer of the faithful, the offertory procession and the kiss of peace. These were visible signs that expressed the church’s priesthood. These signs incarnate for the priesthood of all believers the task to proclaim the Gospel and to make intercession for the world and all people.

Over time, these elements were lost or obscured. By the time we get to the Council of Trent (1545-63), new prayers and rites had replaced the ancient rites. Keightley writes:

These made no room for the laity’s intercessions for the world and its people. Gone was any visible sign of the sacrificial offering of self that takes form in those daily efforts to welcome the stranger, care for the poor, and steward the earth’s resources. Neither was there allowance for that sincere expression of the fellowship and communion the Church claims to celebrate and witness. With their disappearance, an important dimension of the liturgy also receded, i.e., the primitive Church’s appreciation of the Eucharist as a sacrificium laudis (sacrifice of praise).

The liturgy that came out of the Middle Ages and Trent placed a different emphasis on the eucharistic liturgy. Focus was not on preparing all the baptized for mission but on the power of the ordained to transform bread and wine. The idea of the “unbloody reenactment of the sacrifice of the cross” pushed “thanksgiving for creation and consecrating the world” to the margins of eucharistic theology. The power of the clergy to make Christ present in Eucharist eclipsed the Eucharist’s power to transform the baptized — equipped to make Christ a real presence in the world through their everyday lives. Keightley again:

This not only introduced a deep divide between creation and redemption; it gave rise to a lay spirituality focused narrowly on the individual’s future salvation to the neglect of one’s priestly ecclesial duties for the here and now renewal of creation.

The 1570 missal (the basis of the 1962 missal) was, and continues to be, a liturgy in which the baptized — once subjects of the liturgy and co-celebrants of the eucharistic sacrifice — were and are reduced to mere spectators. They are there to watch the priest say “his” Mass. The emphasis is hierarchical and legalistic (who has the power and how are they lawfully exercising that power). Rather than the risen Christ working through the whole people of God (lay and ordained), we have a powerful clergy ministering to a passive people. Instead of church as sacrament, we have church as a juridical hierarchy.

The attempt to resurrect and popularize the 1962 pre-Vatican II Mass has serious ramifications. Will we be a church that looks narrowly inward — where God is found only in piety and private devotion, or will we be a church as Vatican II defined it — a Spirit-filled people on fire with an urgent sense of mission? We are at a crossroads. The extraordinary form is incapable of activating us as the priestly people of God — the vision of Vatican II. Which path will we follow?

Sts. Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross were great reformers of the Catholic Counter Reformation. As those at Vatican II, they tried to reform their community by returning to the sources and restoring religious practice (discalced) that had become obscured over time. They also had to struggle with those who fought the reforms they were initiating. We need their intercession to persevere in the aggiornamento (updating) that Pope John XXIII inaugurated by calling the council together.

The feisty, joyful perseverance of St. Teresa of Avila is reflected in one of my favorite quotes of hers: “From sour-faced saints and silly devotions, good Lord, preserve us!”

Amen.

From Carlo Santa Theresa

I just want to inform the LLA that next Saturday, December 15, St. Peter’s in Merchantville will be celebrating our annual Rorate Mass at 6AM.

Thank you and God bless!

Carlo Santa Teresa
St. Peter’s; Merchantville, NJ

Please go the the following site to read an amazing article about the TLM and a special priest.

http://www.mantecabulletin.com/archives/57857/