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I will begin this post on a personal note.
Growing up in the city of Chicago, I still vividly remember the liturgical changes brought about by the “spirit of VII”. Our school days started with daily Mass, as was the case pre-VII. The change over in the liturgy occurred between my 5th and 6th grades.
The reason that I remember this vividly is that I always wanted to be an altar boy. At our parish, the rule was 6th grade. It probably had to do with age more than the grade level, but this is not relevant to the story. All the boys who wanted to be altar boys once 6th grade rolled around would attend a special class where we would learn the Mass and responses in Latin. The parish had a need for a large contingent since first mass was at 05:30 and each subsequent mass started 30 minutes later. However, there were always more candidates than slots, so the competition was intense. The school mass was the 7:30 Mass, after which our school day began.
The reason why there was a large competition for becoming an altar boy was that if you served one of the earlier Masses, you were excused from attending the school Mass at 07:30. Therefore, all the altar boys who served the earlier Masses would hang out at the local sandwich shop while the rest of the school was at the 07:30 Mass. For a 10 year old, that was the epitome of “Cool”. And this was more important than the tips the altar boys got from serving at weddings and funerals. An indication of how competitive the selection process was, I still recall getting caught reading the prayer cards during class. My 5th grade teacher was the last old time nun that I ever encountered. And I remember that this was probably the only time I did not get a punishment for doing something that I wasn’t supposed to be doing. But I digress….
The reason why I remember this so vividly, was that once 6th grade rolled around, all the altar boys were called in and were given the new order of Mass. Gone was everything from the Latin to the prayers at the foot of the altar. It was a real letdown. A traumatic experience that literally shattered my ideal childhood. The next year, my family moved to the suburbs, and what I experienced there was even more traumatic, in that the church didn’t even resemble a church. It looked more like a space ship than anything. Looking for an explanation of why all this was happening, I blamed it on the hippies. This being Chicago, a couple of years after 1968 and the Democratic convention, they were readily available boogey men. Besides, this new mass at the spaceship church had all those trappings. And the forced field trips to see the movies Godspell and JC Superstar just reinforced my notions that this was in fact the case.
Fast forward to today. In my mail box, I find an email with the attached link which I have embedded above. Before I go any further, I need to qualify what I will write below. I am a large admirer of Father Anthony Cekada. I do not share his views with respect to the papacy, in that I am what the S.V. would call a “Magistarium Sifter”. However, as a well formed Catholic, I can distinguish between objective facts and subjective opinions. Furthermore, I can judge assess material for its objective value regardless of the subjective opinions of the source. Furthermore, I have also come across an excellent post on just this topic at the Mundabor website. (see here) Here is the relevant passage pertaining to just this type of situation:
Still, the fact remains: some of these Sedes are faithful Catholics who, whatever their errors, I believe far more pleasing to God than, say, 97% of Western Bishops. Some of them are, also, very good at explaining Catholic doctrine, and defending the Tridentine Mass. This is no surprise, as in many cases we are talking, whatever Voris & Co. May think, of very orthodox, high quality Catholics. Should we, therefore, link to their material, may the one or other Catholic blogger have asked ask?
I would answer that it depends on the actual situation, and of the weighing that we must make of whether the exposure to the good material is outweighed by the exposure to the bad one.
Therefore, I will leave it up to you dear reader whether the linked material met the “Mundabor threshold” for linking to material produced by S.V.’s
Now that was a long disclaimer.
With respect to the subject at hand, the reason that I am reproducing this material, besides that it is the best explanation of the cause of most of the problems within the Catholic Church today (IMHO), is that it supports a most excellent post on exactly this subject that appeared in on the Rorate Caeli blog a few months ago. (see here) This post dealt with the “creation” of the Eucharistic Prayer II. Here is the relevant passage:
The unbelievable scene is not unknown, it has been mentioned elsewhere before, but now confirmed in the published recollections of one of the two men involved: during the mad rush to have the Novus Ordo Missae (the New Mass of Paul VI) ready as soon as possible, the Consilium, the 1963-1970 organization charged with the upheaval and destruction of the Roman Rite under the guise of “reform” and under the control mostly of Archbishop Annibale Bugnini, had reached a new level of ignominy in composing a new “canon”. The draft was so bad and dangerous that the new Eucharistic Prayer had to be rewritten in a hurry and at the last minute during a late-night meeting by two men in a Roman restaurant.
.For one and a half millennium, the Canon of the Roman Mass had been almost completely unchanged (which is why it was called a Canon, a rule, unchanged and unique). Now, after the Council, and without a single mention in Sacrosanctum Concilium (the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy), the Consilium decided to offer new Anaphoras as if they were ice cream flavors. The new “Eucharistic Prayers” were released in the fateful month of May 1968, while Western youth was on worldwide revolt (therefore, theoretically, for the 1965-1967 maimed version of the ancient Ordo Missae, but in truth preparing the way for the New Mass introduced in 1969). Why the rush? As with everything in the liturgical revolution, Bugnini and his minions knew they had to get everything done as fast as possible before they could be stopped by a dangerous wave of common sense. They won. And the Church got an aggressively-imposed new multiple-choice rite stuck in 1968.
.The story of what would become the most popular of the new “Eucharistic Prayers” (Eucharistic Prayer II) is so insulting to the venerable Roman Rite that it beggars belief, and shows once again why the New Mass is the opposite of everything that is true and tested. It is a shallow committee-work of out-of-touch “experts” so proud and revolutionary that they thought they were entitled to pass judgment on the immemorial heritage of almost 2,000 years of organic development and sincere devotion of saints, priests and faithful, something so bizarre that wiser minds have called it “a banal on-the-spot product.”
.Cardinal Ratzinger was right to call the New Mass thus, as Sandro Magister makes clear below (translation from his Italian-language blog) when speaking of the memoirs of Fr. Louis Bouyer, one of the (later much disappointed) consultants of the Consilium. The memoirs were recently published in France by Éditions du Cerf:
Summa Summarum:
To understand the problems of the Church, one needs to go to the source. The source is not so much Vatican II, since the production of a simple Syllabus of Errors and subsequent “forced adherence” can rectify the problem very easily. The real problem is in the Lex Orandi. And it is this aspect of the “spirit of Vatican II”, that if understood properly and rectified, can “provide the rudder” to the Barque of St. Peter in a relatively short period of time.
And from what I observe occurring in modernist Rome, this is where the real battle between good and evil is being waged.
indignusfamulus said:
Dear SA,
Great Post! We can really relate to your experiences.
We recommend you look into this site- to see if you want to recommend it — Father Gary Dickson of “Catholic Collar and Tie” (he’s the collar) -does a fascinating job (IOHO) relating how the TLM drew him out of his post VII training and understanding of the Church, into the real meaning of his priesthood. He’s also compiled other posts about the specific differences in the Mass Parts themselves etc, that are equally valuable. But this one tells his personal journey.
he says in part:
“I looked to Catholic priesthood from- age 8, having seen The Song of Bernadette and fallen in love with ‘the lady of Lourdes’…my family advised me to be an Anglican/Episcopalian, “because then you can get married as well”, but my response was always “No; I want to be a proper priest”
–it just seemed to me that if Henry VIII had started his own Church it couldn’t be Christ’s Church, and I knew “Catholics have been around forever”.
…”adherence to Rome was important to me, so it was to the local Seminary that I applied. Once there I was told I was “too narrow and needed to be opened up”.
“The seminary had some sound professors but- anything from before 1965 was viewed rather negatively; we were even to be ashamed of our ‘imperialistic’ missionary work. .. the emphasis on replacing ‘clericalism’ with ‘pal-priests’ and replacing Canon Law with ‘pastoral care’ did me the most damage: ordained -under the banner of ‘God loves us just as we are’ gave concupiscence a free hand, allowing me to ditch the clerical collar in favour of my biking gear- even when doing pastoral work. It also disabled me in both seeking and promoting holiness of life.” I celebrated liturgy as reverently as I could.. but I held to the ‘God loves us as we are’ idea which meant.. there was an incongruity about me that destroyed my inner peace … disturbed by my incongruity I requested -a sabbatical for a year. ”
=======
“On my return to ministry I was given the opportunity to celebrate the TLM for a priest friend going on holiday, and I suddenly rediscovered what I was about. That brought me inner peace.”
“I couldn’t discover my integrity in the Novus Ordo because when one is facing the people and taught to engage with the people, one unavoidably becomes a bit of a performer, focusing on the people and the here and now, rather than on God and the eternal. Celebrating the TLM stopped me in my tracks: this was how the ancient saints celebrated -how can I be careless with my conversation then come in and offer the Mass as it has been handed down to us by the great saints? How could I offer the Sacrifice of the Mass and be making little or no sacrifice of myself in daily life? I rediscovered my Traditionalism”
The person-centred attitude in the Church of today is dancing to the tune of concupiscence and bringing souls of pastors and people alike to the brink of destruction. I am deeply concerned by this because the people of God are being led astray, which is not countered by pastors who have been fooled by the false light of the person-centred Gospel. Thus they support homosexual pairings, cohabitation, contraception et al, as though these are alternatives within the Gospel rather than alternatives to the Gospel.
I believe that too many have erred and unconsciously swapped..the understanding of human nature passed on by the saints for the theories of Freud, Jung, Klein et al., which is why they fail to speak up clearly, consistently and publicly for human life and natural marriage in all its facets. Fundamentally, the ‘do not judge’ of the Gospel has been wrongly equated by them with the non-judgementalism of the therapeutic world, yet they are entirely different: the Gospel requires us to judge acts and attitudes for the sake of souls
We must pray for our priests (of both presbyteral and episcopal rank) and for the Synod, that they may rediscover Gospel Truth. All have been shaped by the psychological theories of the 1950’s and 60’s and cannot see their errors simply because these are not errors when viewed through their kind of ‘formation’ –which has also affected the priests who trained under them.
http://catholiccollarandtie.blogspot.com/search?q=motorcycle
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S. Armaticus said:
I know about Fr. Dickson. Mundabor writes about him from time to time. I know the post you are referring to. And I know of other priests who have had the same experience. I think that once a priest becomes familiar with the TLM, there is no turning back. And I think this is key to getting the shop righted.
S.A.
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indignusfamulus said:
Amen! As you’ve often wisely reminded us, this type of “hidden-in-plain-sight” movement is the bona-fide “work of the Holy Sprit”. The ranks are surely swelling, and we’re pretty sure it’s one area in which the “God of surprises” has something wonderful in mind that’s going to top the modernists’ list as a “real shocker” -and not in the too-distant future, either. 🙂 🙂
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S. Armaticus said:
Yes,
Appearances can be deceiving. Check out this link, to the Vox blog. For the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, they had F I V E TLM Masses. I say again F I V E in the Toronto area.
And here’s Detroit and East Michigan: http://pblosser.blogspot.com/2014/12/tridentine-masses-coming-to-metro.html.
And I think that not only is the Holy Spirit involved, but Our Lady is most definitely helping out. 🙂
She (Her feasts) is attracting a lot of proper Masses lately 🙂
S.A.
PS And two PHM’s
Here’s Madison WI of all places: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2014/12/pontifical-mass-in-madison-for-the-immaculate-conception/
And the Oratory London
:http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/12/pontifical-mass-for-solemnity-of.html#.VIhe2Mm8ofw
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indignusfamulus said:
Oh yes. Our Lady is inseparable from the work of the Holy Spirit! As the Church Fathers love to point out to us–she was Thrice-blessed (her triple crown) in this way:
-First, at her Immaculate Conception -in light of her future role and the Graces to be won by her Son’s Saving Sacrifice.
-Second, at the Annunciation, when Gabriel answered her question “how can this be since I know not man?” with The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most High will overshadow you..”
-And Third, in the upper room on Pentecost-participating in the birth of His Church. 🙂
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Luke Lafferre said:
Sir, I think you meant “altar,” not “alter.”
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S. Armaticus said:
Thank you Luke.
That’s what happens when you use a “change all” function in the middle of the night.
Pax Christi,
S.A.
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Radical Catholic said:
An excellent post. I’ve seen the entire series by Fr. Cekada, and his critique, while scathing, is quite well-founded.
I particularly liked your comment at the end regarding the Lex Orandi. I’ve been researching the development of the Divine Office lately, and I’ve slowly come to wonder whether the changes instituted by Pope St. Pius X, while fully within his authority and of good intention, nonetheless added impetus to the upheaval which broke out into the open at Vatican II. Do you have any thoughts on this?
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S. Armaticus said:
Unfortunately, I do not have competence in his area.
If I recall from the Work of Human Hands, a lot of the modernists who found themselves in the liturgical movement in that era, were motivated by protestantism. By the time VII came about, they had degenerated to the point where there were no rules. So they went and done whatever they were going to do regardless.
If we are to lay blame during this period, and one wider than SPPX reign, it was that the pontiff showed mercy to a bunch of subversives/heretics. And this allowed for the rot to fester, and eventually these elements created the N.O. liturgy.
And speaking of rot, I have been looking into the Focolare lately. I was very surprised that these heretics were actually employed at the Vatican after WWII. Given that as an example, one can just imagine what the rot in the liturgical movement must have been, since this was the haven for the heretics since the beginning of the last century.
So sorry that I can not be of more help, and thks for the kind word.
S.A.
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S. Armaticus said:
One more thing. Nice piece you did about the Austrian heretic. A few days earlier, I ran across a post (maybe in Crux) by the new primate of Australia. In the interview, he said that “he didn’t think” Francis will change church teaching on divorced remarried. Coming from OZ, I take that as another voice against change. And since we are all bishop counters now, might be good to find these examples just to keep the narrative balanced.
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Radical Catholic said:
Would that be the positively flaming heretic Archbishop Franz Lackner, or the merely smoldering heretic Bishop Manfred Scheuer? Unfortunately, “Austrian heretic” covers a lot of territory these days, and I’ve reported on both of them very recently. Either way, thank you.
As for the newly appointed Archbishop Anthony Fisher: I’ve had my eye on him since his appointment, hoping very much that he takes a strong stand in 2015. I liked his October statement on the family, and I plan to post on him if the opportunity presents itself.
You’re right that it’s important to keep a balance. I try to offset my negative reporting with pieces on Burke, Müller, Brandmüller, and Schneider. But I could certainly do more in this regard. U.S. prelates I have my eye on are Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Archbishop Alexander Sample. The former has given some powerful homilies in the past and does not shy away from confrontation with the sodomite lobby; the latter has so far proven to be a true friend to the traditional liturgy. I’m hoping these men can help to get the Church Militant in the States back on course, and will gladly report any developments in this direction.
Keep up the good work, by the way. Your deep background and context posts are serving to fill a significant gap in English-language Catholic blogging.
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S. Armaticus said:
I missed the Archbishop Franz Lackner post. I would also draw your attention to my post titled: German Courts More Catholic Than The Pope! There is a passage where the German Bishops’ Conference wanted to change the German Church’s Labor law. They needed a 2/3 majority for the change. cd. Marx could not get it, so he postponed the vote into 1st Quarter of next year. I suspect that there is a revolt by a number of the bishops there also. But my only source is Eponymous Flower here. If you have any better sources, please let me know.
And speaking of the upcoming Synod, I will be putting up a scorecard with Kasperites and Anti Kasperites, with links to the source blog. So any info in this area also will be put to good use.
S.A.
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Radical Catholic said:
You inspired me to do some amateur investigative work. Check my blog for the results. 😉
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