Bishop Change: Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri

[wolftracker]

molatinmass.blogspot.com/

checkout the above url for more info on the TLM in southern MO.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If Una Voce is the same group that has been harassing Fr. Dennis at St. Joseph’s, then I can understand why they have been stone-walled. That group should be ashamed of themselves for their tactics. The reason it has taken so long for the TLM to reach us here has more to do with logistics than anything.

I don’t know anything about harassment of the pastor at St. Joseph’s. I’m not a member of that parish and only talked to him once in my life. I know a few parishioners at “St. Joe’s”, and I know he’s a very left-leaning man in a rather conservative-minded parish, and I know he has rubbed some of the more traditional-minded the wrong way. So I would suspect some parish thing rather than Una Voce.

I don’t understand about the “logistics”, and I really am asking what those might be. Since the TLM has been available in NE Ok and NW Ark for years, I don’t understand that.

I was in college when VII happened, and, being young at the time, I got used to the Novus Ordo, if it’s reverently done. But I never understood its prohibition in SFG/CG, and I’ll tell you why. My Dad was born in 1908. My Mom was born in 1918. All their lives, practically, they knew nothing but the TLM. Their First Communions, their Confirmations, their Marriage, the major sacramental events of their lives…all TLM. They were already old when told, in effect, that they would never see it again. Some of thier parish friends went SSPX, and my parents were mightily tempted to join them, but their loyalty to the Pope was stronger. So, although both wanted very much to attend the TLM, at least once before they died, they went to their graves without it.

There are people in my parish who drive all the way to Ok to the FSSP Mass there. My parents were too old to do that. The people who went SSPX are two generations in it now. I don’t understand any of that. For years, I would see this old person or that, people I knew as adults when I was a child, die off, and I would think it would not have been so bad for them to have experienced, one last time, the Mass of every important occasion of their lives. But it didn’t happen.

I don’t know why this is, but my children, all of whom lived elsewhere during college, all gravitated to the TLM in the places where they went. One daughter found a TLM parish and attended for some time before discovering it was SSPX. So she quit going. But there is something about it that attracts young people. I’m not sure why it resonates with them, but it does seem to. Many, many of their friends feel the same way.

The only reason I ever heard from anyone who purported to have heard Bp L give his reason why the TLM was prohibited in the diocese was “The Protestants wouldn’t understand”. Well, perhaps not, but there is a lot they don’t understand, and a lot they don’t want to understand. And so, my parents and other older people couldn’t attend a TLM for that reason? Perhaps I lack insight, but that seems inadequate to me. Once a year maybe? Once every three years? After JPII encouraged it? No. None. Never.

I’m not a “supertrad”. I like the Novus Ordo, though I have had all the Marty Haugen, Dan Schutte and St. Louis Jesuits I can stand. I far prefer even the old Protestant hymns we sing, to those. We can have a mariachi Hispanic Mass with Indian dancing. We can have Marian Days at Carthage with all that Vietnamese symbolism that I don’t begin to understand. And I don’t resent it a bit. I think it’s a good thing. It is meaningful to those people. But the one meaningful thing we could not have was the TLM; notwithstanding that it was as much a part of the early lives of countless people as mariachi music evidently is to Hispanics and that Oriental symbolism is to the Vietnamese.

I just plain don’t get it. I never did, and I don’t expect I ever will.

But it’s a new day now, and it’s going to be at Holy Trinity, for a start anyway. That’s a jaunt for my wife and me, and we’re not getting any younger, but if the Good Lord’s willing and the creek don’t rise, we’ll be there.

 

[catholicknight]

If Una Voce is the same group that has been harassing Fr. Dennis at St. Joseph’s, then I can understand why they have been stone-walled. That group should be ashamed of themselves for their tactics. The reason it has taken so long for the TLM to reach us here has more to do with logistics than anything.

I’m on the inside with Una Voce Springfield. I’ll tell you what I know. Una Voce Springfield IS NOT the group that has been harassing Father Dennis at St. Joseph’s. In fact, Una Voce Springfield has worked to sooth tensions in the diocese, and has become very close to Father Dennis in recent months. In addition, Una Voce Springfield has offered to come to Father Dennis’ aid should he receive any problems with Ecclesia Dei over the controversy that erupted recently.

I am not at liberty to disclose any more details about this. Suffice it to say that Father Dennis is the victim here. He was the target of a nasty game of “gotcha” by some militant traditionalists in the diocese who have no formal affiliation with Una Voce Springfield whatsoever.

The controversy is a moot point now, since Bishop Leibrecht is now actively working to support the Latin Mass Community in his diocese, and a replacement bishop (who is also friendly to the Latin Mass) has been named.

 

[momoose58]

hello there,
i am sorta new here. i am in carthage mo.
i just wanted to say we had bishop john here this weekend. we had 54 young adults confirmed.over 300 people watched.
so this sun my grand daughter served while the bishop did his last mass here. i am very proud of her being able to do that.i am also proud of knowing bishop john and hope to see him in the future.

 

[aurora77]

Our RCIA class is going up to Springfield for the Rite of Election on Feb. 10. We were talking today about how this is the last group to come into the Church under Bishop Leibrecht. Kind of sad. He confirmed me back in 1993. He’s been the only bishop I’ve ever known!

Wolftracker, thanks for the info. I hope there’s great attendance. I’d planned on going up to Holy Trinity for the Mass, but found out I have to be elsewhere at the same time. The site says monthly at HT, I’ll be there in March! I can’t even begin to say how excited I am that this is finally happening in our diocese.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Una Voce Springfield has offered to come to Father Dennis’ aid should he receive any problems with Ecclesia Dei over the controversy that erupted recently.

Not asking details about the controversy, about which I know nothing anyway. But what is Ecclesia Dei?

 

[catholicknight]

Not asking details about the controversy, about which I know nothing anyway. But what is Ecclesia Dei?

Ecclesia Dei is a pontifical commission within the Roman Curia (Vatican). It was formed under Pope John Paul II to oversee the implementation of his motu proprio (statement of his own will) by the same name which he issued in 1988. Ecclesia Dei (meaning “Church of God”) is designed to allow the old Tridentine mass and the modern Novus Ordo mass to exist side-by-side in harmony within parishes and diocese. Initially the pontifical commission had few if any teeth, as Pope John Paul II believed bishops would naturally want to heal the tensions between traditionalists and modernists within the Church. However, that didn’t work out according to plan. So to make a long story short, Pope Benedict XVI recently came out with his own motu proprio entitled Summorum Pontificum (meaning “of the Supreme Pontiffs”) which effectively completes and strengthens John Paul II’s motu proprio Ecclesia Dei.

Summorum Pontificum allows priests and laity to bypass the bishop entirely, (if he will not cooperate), so that the old Tridentine mass may be celebrated with (or without) his permission. This effectively puts a lot more “teeth” into the pontifical commission Ecclesia Dei formed under John Paul II’s pontificate. Now Ecclesia Dei functions as a governing body, with it’s mission to insure that every Catholic in every diocese has access to the old Tridentine mass if he/she wants it. Catholics may now write to Ecclessia Dei and complain if they believe their right to access the Tridentine mass has been unlawfully denied.

 

[Weetabix]

I’m a member of the SGF/CG diocese, and googling the new bishop to find out about him led me here.

I have to say that I’m truly excited to hear that a traditional, orthodox bishop is coming to Springfield. Seems silly to say it, but I feel almost giddy.

I’ll be at the Tridentine Mass. Maybe I’ll see you there, Ridgerunner.

 

[mary_bobo]

mary bobo;3235462:

I think Springfield-Cape Girardeau will be pleased with Fr. Johnston. He is an energetic, extremely bright priest who gets along very well with people. He worked closely with our former Bishop Kurtz. He will be great, I think. May God bless him in his work. He will be missed in Knoxville.

Fr. Van is very much supportive of the TLM. He is an outdoorsman, a hiker, and just an all-around good guy. I think you will be very pleased. He worked hand in hand with now Archbishop Kurtz, as I said before, and I think that speaks volumes about him. Bishop Kurtz is a very saintly man. If you remember, Knoxville was the top-rated diocese in a recent poll which rated many things including new vocations, new Catholics.

I’ll be interested to hear what you think after he has been there awhile. Oh, and the kids at Knox Catholic High love him. Now, if we could just get a new bishop here.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ridgerunner;3236252:

Fr. Van is very much supportive of the TLM. He is an outdoorsman, a hiker, and just an all-around good guy. I think you will be very pleased. He worked hand in hand with now Archbishop Kurtz, as I said before, and I think that speaks volumes about him. Bishop Kurtz is a very saintly man. If you remember, Knoxville was the top-rated diocese in a recent poll which rated many things including new vocations, new Catholics.

I’ll be interested to hear what you think after he has been there awhile. Oh, and the kids at Knox Catholic High love him. Now, if we could just get a new bishop here.

So, Bp Kurtz is retiring then? I’m not sure what you’re saying, if not that. Maybe we could trade a fine young priest with you. I know just who it would be if so, except that I expect Bp Johnston is going to want him around.

 

[davidc2]

Bishop Kurtz became Archbishop of Louisville, Kentucky last summer.