Friend plans on joining the Canons of St. John Cantius

[mymamamary]

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the SACRED and MERICFUL HEART of JESUS!!

I aks that you keep a Fellow Brother in your prayers. He plans on joining the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. I ask that all of you keep Him in your prayers as He continues discerning.

I pray that the SACRED HEART will make Him a Canons Regular Priest and a Saint for Our Holy Church!!

 

[bobballen_18]

Ooooooh! I’m vaguely thinking about joining them…I haven’t put a lot of thought into it, but they’re an “option.”

He, along with all others discerning a vocation, as always, will be in my prayers.

 

[SaintLouisIX]

Friends,

In charity, I must exhort to you that the group you mention is unstable. I mean this in a strict sense, for they have no true Religious legal presence in the Catholic Church; they are a Public Association of the Faithful, according to Canon Law. Such new societies of today depend solely upon the existence of the founder, and I (as do other reliable priests in my company) cannot recommend ANYONE from pursuing these young unstable communities. There are others in this world which are wonderful to join, believe me. Many communities besides the FSSP, ICRSS, and St. John Cantius, celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass regularly and do many wonderful things.

-Louis IX

 

[Bl_Pope_Pius_IX]

Friends,

In charity, I must exhort to you that the group you mention is unstable. I mean this in a strict sense, for they have no true Religious legal presence in the Catholic Church; they are a Public Association of the Faithful, according to Canon Law. Such new societies of today depend solely upon the existence of the founder, and I (as do other reliable priests in my company) cannot recommend ANYONE from pursuing these young unstable communities. There are others in this world which are wonderful to join, believe me. Many communities besides the FSSP, ICRSS, and St. John Cantius, celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass regularly and do many wonderful things.

-Louis IX

Good day,

The Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius of Chicago (and other apostolates), is a public Diocesan Association of the Faithful and have the complete authorization of His Eminence, Francis Cardinal George. I don’t really understand why you claim that “Such new societies of today depend solely upon the existence of the founder”, could you elaborate on that? Firstly, what qualifies as “new”? Secondly, what relevance does the founder have to do with the stability of the society?

Also, I feel I must ask, are you a Catholic Priest, and naturally, are you in good standing? I ask because you say “other reliable priests”.

I feel that your blanket statement concerning the FSSP, ICRSS, and the SJC is unfounded and needs more clarification. All three are in union with our Holy Father. You refer to other communities that “Many communities…celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass regularly and do many wonderful things”, so what communities would you recommend?

 

[SaintLouisIX]

To dispel one thing right off the bat, I am not a priest, but I am indeed in good standing with the Church; I am a parishioner at a Diocesan parish which weekly offers the Traditional Latin Mass.

I am quite familiar with the groups I have mentioned, having met with them all on separate occasions. When I say reliable priests, I mean good and holy diocesan bishops and priests whom I personally know or who have met. The opinion I gave was really theirs, it just merely seemed to make sense to me. SJC is indeed new, founded in only 1999.

By law they are a Public Association of the Faithful (just because they add the word Diocesan to that, it DOES NOT make them Diocesan Right). Being they are only a Public Association of the Faithful, they do not yet have full legal approbation from their Ordinary nor the Holy See. Their next step would be to become Diocesan Right (a true Religious Institute, with fully binding public vows), then perhaps Pontifical Right (that is when they answer more directly to the Holy See, rather than the Ordinary).

I’ve done a lot of research on this, because I myself am interested in joining a good community one day. For the time being, I am a humble college student.

The reason I mentioned FSSP, ICRSS, and SJC together, is because I know (and know of) many people who seem to think these groups are the only valid avenues for living a traditional community life, and having access to the Traditional Latin Mass.

The spirituality of the first two I mentioned is incredibly skewed. The FSSP say their charism is simply the TLM (the Mass is NOT a community’s charism, other things are; Rule of Life, missions, apostolates, method of prayer, saintly devotion, etc). The ICRSS say the same thing, but it is worse, they have the arrogance to call themselves CANONS. The ICRSS priests are not canons. They are a Society of Apostolic Life (of Pontifical Right though), and members of a community like that CANNOT (according to the law) be canons. I have here an article explaining the absurdity of their claims.
frgabrielburke.com/2010/12/some-time-traditionalists-are-their-own.html

As for SJC, they have written out a specific spirituality, but you know what I wrote about their situation, and the opinions of their future I have transmitted here.

As for other good communities, despair not, I can name a few, of long-stnading stability from coast to coast, and even to Europe. One I can think of is St. Michael’s Abbey, of the Norbertine Order. Another is Clear Creek Abbey in the Diocese of Tulsa, OK, of the Benedictine Congregation of Solesmes (they exclusively celebrate the Old Rites). Another is Miles Christi, which celebrates both forms of the Roman Rite (they love Gregorian Chant and Latin). There are also the Canons Regular of St. Augustine in Austria, who just recently made a new foundation here in the United States.

I could well think of many more. I just want young aspiring men to realize that there is an avenue for their vocation in other good places; places which have a genuine, good spirituality, a tradition (by that I mean traditions developed over time by the community’s age), and are in tune with the patrimony of the Latin Church. I hope I have been of some help explaining myself. I’d be happy to answer anything else. Merry Christmas!

 

[Bl_Pope_Pius_IX]

To dispel one thing right off the bat, I am not a priest, but I am indeed in good standing with the Church; I am a parishioner at a Diocesan parish which weekly offers the Traditional Latin Mass.

Hello, again. Thank you for clarifying. I am very happy and pleased to be affirmed that you are, indeed, in good standing with Holy Mother Church. I, too, attend a Diocesan Parish which offers weekly Latin Mass according to the 1962 Missal.

I am quite familiar with the groups I have mentioned, having met with them all on separate occasions. When I say reliable priests, I mean good and holy diocesan bishops and priests whom I personally know or who have met. The opinion I gave was really theirs, it just merely seemed to make sense to me. SJC is indeed new, founded in only 1999.

I have seen a terrible opinion given by some, Diocesan and religious, individuals concerning the Canons Regular of SJC, and other communities which “specialize” in restoring the sacred and furthering the restoration of “the sacred”. This being said, I urge you to, while still respecting the opinions of your holy priests, seek answers given from these communities themselves and draw your own conclusions following a period of discernment.

By law they are a Public Association of the Faithful (just because they add the word Diocesan to that, it DOES NOT make them Diocesan Right). Being they are only a Public Association of the Faithful, they do not yet have full legal approbation from their Ordinary nor the Holy See. Their next step would be to become Diocesan Right (a true Religious Institute, with fully binding public vows), then perhaps Pontifical Right (that is when they answer more directly to the Holy See, rather than the Ordinary).

Indeed, the canons Regular are a public association, however, I don’t understand how this causes them to be “unstable”? Canon 215 recognizes that “The Christian faithful are at liberty freely to found and direct associations for purposes of charity or piety or for the promotion of the Christian vocation in the world and to hold meetings for the common pursuit of these purposes.”. Again I say that Francis Cardinal George has erected the Canons Regular of SJC in Chicago. If His Eminence has allowed it, i think we can too.

The reason I mentioned FSSP, ICRSS, and SJC together, is because I know (and know of) many people who seem to think these groups are the only valid avenues for living a traditional community life, and having access to the Traditional Latin Mass.

I don’t know anyone who shares that idea. Plenty of the men I know in formation for Boston are traditionally minded and some don’t even know about the FSSP.

The spirituality of the first two I mentioned is incredibly skewed. The FSSP say their charism is simply the TLM (the Mass is NOT a community’s charism, other things are; Rule of Life, missions, apostolates, method of prayer, saintly devotion, etc). The ICRSS say the same thing, but it is worse, they have the arrogance to call themselves CANONS. The ICRSS priests are not canons. They are a Society of Apostolic Life (of Pontifical Right though), and members of a community like that CANNOT (according to the law) be canons. I have here an article explaining the absurdity of their claims.

I object, humbly, to your statement regarding what the charism for the FSSP is. The charism for the FSSP is “first, the formation and sanctification of priests in the cadre of the traditional liturgy of the Roman rite, and secondly, the pastoral deployment of the priests in the service of the Church”. I think this mission is worthy of our praise and admiration. The FSSP offers men who are called by God to a Priestly vocation a root of sanctification that is different from that of a Diocesan or other Religious formation.

I likewise take exception to your statement regarding the charism of the ICRSS which is very much geared to missionary work in Africa, France, Japan, and beyond. They have a Lay Society dedicated to the veneration of the Sacred Heart and are (as their name may suggest) very active in their devotion of Christ as King. While they certainly are well known for their acceptance of the Traditional Latin Mass, to say that that is where their work ends, is erroneous.

As for other good communities, despair not, I can name a few, of long-stnading stability from coast to coast, and even to Europe. One I can think of is St. Michael’s Abbey, of the Norbertine Order…There are also the Canons Regular of St. Augustine in Austria, who just recently made a new foundation here in the United States.

I cannot agree more that all of the communities you mentioned are fine and holy communities, worthy of our prayers and sacrifices.

I could well think of many more. I just want young aspiring men to realize that there is an avenue for their vocation in other good places; places which have a genuine, good spirituality, a tradition (by that I mean traditions developed over time by the community’s age), and are in tune with the patrimony of the Latin Church. I hope I have been of some help explaining myself. I’d be happy to answer anything else. Merry Christmas!

I think many men should realize that discernment takes a long time and is built upon prayer and contemplation. Asking God what He wants us to do with the life He has given us. One could certianly be called, by God, to commit to serving the Church in the CHARISM of the FSSP, SJC, ICRSS, etc.

Merry Christmas, to you as well.