Availability of the EF

[wisdomseeker]

I meant to mention this earlier, but you really should get your group of people together and if there is still no satisfaction locally, then complain – loudly – to the Ecclesia Dei Commision.

There is no reason that the Ritual of 1962 cannot be used, nor is there a reason not to offer the EF. The usual excuse of “we don’t have priests trained in it” is, as I said in a previous post, a lot of hogwash.

They fare ree to do so, but it is known that it still needs the permission from the Bishop.

unless the society of FSSP or SSPX just came and built a Church here. then i dont know if the bishop still had to aprove. it think it needs his aproval according to the FSSP priest. he cannot just come here and do the LM on his own.

 

[Lormar]

We have a whopping one (count 'em) in our diocese. And it’s a secret. Not once has it ever been advertised in our diocesan paper. But, to be fair, it is announced on our catholic radio station.

However, within a thirty mile radius of that secret parish, we have three sedevacantist chapels and two SPPX. Our bishop says there isn’t much of “a call” for the old Mass here. I wonder why…

 

[Onegin]

I don’t live in the US, so this probably isn’t relevant but my diocese offers a TLM once a month in Clifton. Otherwise, the only other TLM that I am aware of is in Leicester (1 diocesan and 1 SSPX). It is about a 35 mile drive one-way or 30 minutes by train with a 10 minute walk from the station (5 by bike).

 

[malphono]

They fare ree to do so, but it is known that it still needs the permission from the Bishop.

unless the society of FSSP or SSPX just came and built a Church here. then i dont know if the bishop still had to aprove. it think it needs his aproval according to the FSSP priest. he cannot just come here and do the LM on his own.

The FSSP (and any religious Order or congregation) needs episcopal approbation to function publicly in the diocese, yes. But Summorum Pontificum says that any priest in a diocese may offer the EF (and use the “old” Ritual) and he does not need “permission” from the bishop to do so. From the dearth of the EF in your diocese, it would seem that the priests are in lock-step with, or fear of, the bishop, and few (if any) are interested in doing it. That’s a horse of a different color, but I would still suggest gathering the group and, absent satisfaction on the parish or diocesan level, complain to Ecclesia Dei.

 

[malphono]

I don’t live in the US, so this probably isn’t relevant but my diocese offers a TLM once a month in Clifton. Otherwise, the only other TLM that I am aware of is in Leicester (1 diocesan and 1 SSPX). It is about a 35 mile drive one-way or 30 minutes by train with a 10 minute walk from the station (5 by bike).

I’ve no idea where Clifton is, (the one I know is in New Jersey ) but I surmise that Leicester is a different diocese.

Anyway … assuming that Leicester is closer to you than Clifton, and as long as BritRail maintains a reasonable schedule, I’d probably do it that way.

 

[JRKH]

They fare ree to do so, but it is known that it still needs the permission from the Bishop.

unless the society of FSSP or SSPX just came and built a Church here. then i dont know if the bishop still had to aprove. it think it needs his aproval according to the FSSP priest. he cannot just come here and do the LM on his own.

Posted by: malphono
Summorum Pontificum says that any priest in a diocese may offer the EF (and use the “old” Ritual) and he does not need “permission” from the bishop to do so.

Just to add to what malphono said about not needing permission, the Holy Father has also expressed a desire to see the EF offered in every parish. But I shouldn’t get too down on our priests. They, as a rule do their best to try and satisfy their flock. But there are several factors working against the propigation fo the EF.

1. 
   *]The general “feeling” in most parishes is still that there aren’t many people wanting the EF. Too often one will here this, “No one wants it”, when in actual fact, there has not been any effort to find out if that is true or not.
   *]The Work load of our priests can make them reluctant to take on a new task which will require that they not just learn the mass itself, determine if and how it can be done in a church not designed for it, train servers in the new form and other factors.
   *]Another factor is that, even though a priest does not NEED his bishops approval, The bishop is still the chief shepard in a given area, and the faithful, priests and lay faithful alike owe him allegience. This can make priests under the Bishop reluctant to go against his wishes, even if they themselves are in favor of the EF.
   
   All of the above factors can be overcome with time, and the gentle, but insistant. persistance of the faithful.
   Those who wish for the EF to be celebrated need to let their pastors know. AND offer to do everything they can to help the pastor to accomplish this.
   Those who cannot get to EF’s due to distance need to repeatedly write to the bishopric declaring their desire that EF’s be more widely available. Perhaps even write to one the FSSP asking if they can provide more EF’s in your diocese. Such letters will give them courage to approach the Bishop about having more FSSP priests service your area.
   Check with the seminaries in your area and see if the seminarians are being trained in the EF. If they are not, demand to know why. The EF is a licit form and the new priests need to be trained in it. The Holy Father has asked that all seminaries teach the EF as part of their training.
   
   But above all, be charitable, gentle, obedient, and humble in pursuing these things. Do not let this become a divisive thing in either your parish or your diocese. Be firm, but also calm; be insistant but also patient.
   God will provide. In His own good time.
   
   Peace
   James

 

[AMDGtoo]

There is no EF Mass in this area–but I think our diocese (which is quite large) actually has one. I think the closest one is around 50 miles away and I’d have to travel there the night before and get a room at a hotel in order to go to it’s early morning Mass.

Afraid the infrequent EF Masses televised by EWTN will have to do.

 

[Onegin]

I’ve no idea where Clifton is, (the one I know is in New Jersey ) but I surmise that Leicester is a different diocese.

Anyway … assuming that Leicester is closer to you than Clifton, and as long as BritRail maintains a reasonable schedule, I’d probably do it that way.

Sorry, Clifton is sort of a “suburb” of Nottingham. It’s about 15-20 minutes by local bus. Leicestershire is a different diocese but sadly they’ve been doing work on the line recently so that has meant rail replacement buses. The work should be done soon thankfully, and I’ll be back in business. A return trip on NatRail is £8.50 and, with the petrol prices threatening £1.50, it ends up being a close tie for price.