Ever feel like life is an acronym? Anyway, I just received my latest Latin Mass magazine and I am retyping this letter for everyone's benefit. Like I said in my blog, 'you have to be in it to win it'. Enjoy!
To Bishop Bernard Fellay, SSPX
Your Excellency,
Recently I found it necessary to reassure my parishoners at Our Lady of Carmel in Littleton, Colorado, that the "present state of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter" is not as bleak as you and other priests of the Society of St. Pius X paint it. As an incardinated priest in the FSSP I am quite aware of the denouncements and other negative comments made with regard to the FSSP. As a rule I try to disregard them, but when comments, stories and misleading statements confuse and unduly worry those under my charge, I am obliged to take a stand in defense of the Fraternity of St. Peter.
Mr. Alessandro Zangrando, the Rome correspondent of The Latin Mass, conducted an interview with you. This interview, consisting of the questions posed and your replies, appeared in the Summer 2004 edition of The Latin Mass. I found the interview interesting and informative, and would say that most of your views are not much different from those of other adherents to the Tradition of the Church. However, you made some comments with which I beg to differ.
Mr. Zangrando asked the question, "What is your assessment of the current Vatican attitude toward Tradition?" Included within the context of your answer were these particular statements. I quote: "All this leads to conclusion that Tradition remains an exception in the Church, and that the general and universal law that shall remain the norm is that of the new Mass and the post-conciliar reforms. Tradition thus occupies a very precarious status." I agree with you but would add that another reason for this is because the majority of Catholics, having been deprived and having lost touch with Tradition are not at the present time clamoring or breaking down doors in order to return to It. By far the majority of Catholics remain enamored with the new direction the Church has taken because it does not make great demands of self. In this era of "cafeteria Catholics" and the loss of the "sense of sin", the new approach is right up their alley.
You then went on to say, "The present state of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter is one of the best illustrations of the fruits of the Ecclesia Dei Commission given under Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos. They were beheaded by the dismissal of Fr. Bisig, who tried to keep the society's exclusive commitment to the old Mass. The FSSP is now led by a minority ready to engage in almost any liturgical compromise, and is losing more credibility every day. As the FSSP has articulated no clear stance regarding the current crisis in the Church, and seems not to possess the possibility of having one, there is an enormous potential for a split amongst the members themselves."
These points of contention which I have not only with you but with others who tend to believe that the FSSP is falling apart at the seams, I detect a sense of wishful thinking when statements like these are made. The dismissal of our good and conscientious former superior, Fr. Bisig, was not brought about at the behest of the members of the FSSP. That was totally out of our control.
This however, does not warrent throwing up our arms in despair. I for one do not plan on disuniting myself from the Church but rather to continue doing my utmost to provide solace, through the Tridentine Sacraments, to those who love and seek them. Yes, when we encounter the many roadblocks which are placed in the path of the FSSP, it becomes hard to hold the fort, but with the help of God all things are possible. As we well know, He will never abandon us and leave us orphans. I am always encouraged by the words of St. Peter "Lord, to whom shall we go?" Yes, at times this seems catastrophically gloomy and it is a temptation to jump ship as so many traditionals have done, but I am reassured with the words of our Lord, "...Thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Anyone who wants my exit ticket out of the Church is welcome to it. I'll not charge them anything for it. Need I add that far too many, for one reason or another, have elected to abandon the Barque of Peter. I can understand why those who do not love the Church do so, but it is beyond my comprehension why those who say they love the Church choose to rupture that cohesion which must exist within the Mystical Body of Christ. I would like to quote one short paragraph from the New Catholic Encyclopedia, Copyright 1967, Vol. 12, which saysa, "To the Fathers the great malice of schism was the abandonment of the one Body of Christ in defiance of the one Spirit of Christ, with the setting up of a rival altar and a rival Eucharist, focusing another assembly of believers which could be only a counterfeit communion." Salus Extra Ecclesia? Just because some members of the Church presently shy away from this perennial Truth does not mean that it is not so! It would pain me greatly -and I do mean that literally- if on my judgment day I found myself on the wrong side of the fence.
(continued)
To Bishop Bernard Fellay, SSPX
Your Excellency,
Recently I found it necessary to reassure my parishoners at Our Lady of Carmel in Littleton, Colorado, that the "present state of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter" is not as bleak as you and other priests of the Society of St. Pius X paint it. As an incardinated priest in the FSSP I am quite aware of the denouncements and other negative comments made with regard to the FSSP. As a rule I try to disregard them, but when comments, stories and misleading statements confuse and unduly worry those under my charge, I am obliged to take a stand in defense of the Fraternity of St. Peter.
Mr. Alessandro Zangrando, the Rome correspondent of The Latin Mass, conducted an interview with you. This interview, consisting of the questions posed and your replies, appeared in the Summer 2004 edition of The Latin Mass. I found the interview interesting and informative, and would say that most of your views are not much different from those of other adherents to the Tradition of the Church. However, you made some comments with which I beg to differ.
Mr. Zangrando asked the question, "What is your assessment of the current Vatican attitude toward Tradition?" Included within the context of your answer were these particular statements. I quote: "All this leads to conclusion that Tradition remains an exception in the Church, and that the general and universal law that shall remain the norm is that of the new Mass and the post-conciliar reforms. Tradition thus occupies a very precarious status." I agree with you but would add that another reason for this is because the majority of Catholics, having been deprived and having lost touch with Tradition are not at the present time clamoring or breaking down doors in order to return to It. By far the majority of Catholics remain enamored with the new direction the Church has taken because it does not make great demands of self. In this era of "cafeteria Catholics" and the loss of the "sense of sin", the new approach is right up their alley.
You then went on to say, "The present state of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter is one of the best illustrations of the fruits of the Ecclesia Dei Commission given under Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos. They were beheaded by the dismissal of Fr. Bisig, who tried to keep the society's exclusive commitment to the old Mass. The FSSP is now led by a minority ready to engage in almost any liturgical compromise, and is losing more credibility every day. As the FSSP has articulated no clear stance regarding the current crisis in the Church, and seems not to possess the possibility of having one, there is an enormous potential for a split amongst the members themselves."
These points of contention which I have not only with you but with others who tend to believe that the FSSP is falling apart at the seams, I detect a sense of wishful thinking when statements like these are made. The dismissal of our good and conscientious former superior, Fr. Bisig, was not brought about at the behest of the members of the FSSP. That was totally out of our control.
This however, does not warrent throwing up our arms in despair. I for one do not plan on disuniting myself from the Church but rather to continue doing my utmost to provide solace, through the Tridentine Sacraments, to those who love and seek them. Yes, when we encounter the many roadblocks which are placed in the path of the FSSP, it becomes hard to hold the fort, but with the help of God all things are possible. As we well know, He will never abandon us and leave us orphans. I am always encouraged by the words of St. Peter "Lord, to whom shall we go?" Yes, at times this seems catastrophically gloomy and it is a temptation to jump ship as so many traditionals have done, but I am reassured with the words of our Lord, "...Thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Anyone who wants my exit ticket out of the Church is welcome to it. I'll not charge them anything for it. Need I add that far too many, for one reason or another, have elected to abandon the Barque of Peter. I can understand why those who do not love the Church do so, but it is beyond my comprehension why those who say they love the Church choose to rupture that cohesion which must exist within the Mystical Body of Christ. I would like to quote one short paragraph from the New Catholic Encyclopedia, Copyright 1967, Vol. 12, which saysa, "To the Fathers the great malice of schism was the abandonment of the one Body of Christ in defiance of the one Spirit of Christ, with the setting up of a rival altar and a rival Eucharist, focusing another assembly of believers which could be only a counterfeit communion." Salus Extra Ecclesia? Just because some members of the Church presently shy away from this perennial Truth does not mean that it is not so! It would pain me greatly -and I do mean that literally- if on my judgment day I found myself on the wrong side of the fence.
(continued)
and it will hopefully be happening within the next year. It's a matter of patience, waiting for them to be ordained takes time, but it is worth the wait.
Great job
