Gravitating towards the SSPX

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Augustinus1

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I was recently invited by a friend to a Mass offered by the SSPX at one of their chapels near me - it was the most beautiful, reverent, and “smooth” Mass that I have ever attended. In addition, the Priest was absolutely excellent: his homily was hard hitting and addressed the topic of making Christ the king in our society and how we as men (young men like myself in particular, being that myself and the friends I brought along are in college) need to step it up - mediocrity is not an end goal. He was also extremely friendly after Mass, and even agreed to talk with my one friend who has major reservations about the Society. As a side note, he’s also the youngest Priest I’ve met, probably early 30s or late 20s - made me really feel a draw to the Society. My feeling is that they’re great (irregular status, but so much better than the majority of NOs that are offered by boomer Priests in this area), and I honestly have a good deal of knowledge in the situation as it has recently developed; the way I see it, I can attend this Mass without worry and it fulfills my Sunday obligation. I’d be particularly interested in some (name removed by moderator)ut from others; not anything bashing the SSPX necessarily, but perhaps some revealing notes I may want to look into, before I decide on attending regularly. My friend asked the campus Newman center Priest here about them (even though I told him already what he’d say… This Priest also actively discourages kneeling for communion and encourages the excessive use of EMs, leaves out the creeds during Mass, and does pretty much all the other stuff he shouldn’t during the Mass, which is why I don’t go to Confession with him or go to any Mass he offers anymore) and he obviously said “stay away from them”. I have no sympathy towards these irreverent Masses I’m seeing everywhere and want nothing more than to be immersed in beautiful Liturgy each week (or more often) and receive God’s Grace. I accept Vatican II and recognize the NO Mass as valid and licit when offered according to Church teaching (I do not recognize them all as being equally edifying as the TLM, as I honestly think the Latin Mass incorporates more Catholic theology and is thus objectively more Catholic). Anyway, you can tell by now I really love the traditional Liturgy - id really like (name removed by moderator)ut from those who know what they’re talking about if possible!
 
dbranch said:
I thought Sspx wasn’t in communion with Rome. Am I wrong?
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The short answer is: it’s complicated.

To the OP- have you looked into the FSSP or the ICKSP? They’re both traditional Latin Mass societies with lots of young priests and families, but they’re fully endorsed by the Church.
 
Augustinus1 said:
I was recently invited by a friend to a Mass offered by the SSPX at one of their chapels near me - it was the most beautiful, reverent, and “smooth” Mass that I have ever attended. In addition, the Priest was absolutely excellent: his homily was hard hitting and addressed the topic of making Christ the king in our society and how we as men (young men like myself in particular, being that myself and the friends I brought along are in college) need to step it up - mediocrity is not an end goal. He was also extremely friendly after Mass, and even agreed to talk with my one friend who has major reservations about the Society. As a side note, he’s also the youngest Priest I’ve met, probably early 30s or late 20s - made me really feel a draw to the Society. My feeling is that they’re great (irregular status, but so much better than the majority of NOs that are offered by boomer Priests in this area), and I honestly have a good deal of knowledge in the situation as it has recently developed; the way I see it, I can attend this Mass without worry and it fulfills my Sunday obligation… My friend asked the campus Newman center Priest here about them (even though I told him already what he’d say… This Priest also actively discourages kneeling for communion and encourages the excessive use of EMs, leaves out the creeds during Mass, and does pretty much all the other stuff he shouldn’t during the Mass… and he obviously said “stay away from them”. I have no sympathy towards these irreverent Masses I’m seeing everywhere and want nothing more than to be immersed in beautiful Liturgy each week (or more often) and receive God’s Grace. I accept Vatican II and recognize the NO Mass as valid and licit when offered according to Church teaching (I do not recognize them all as being equally edifying as the TLM, as I honestly think the Latin Mass incorporates more Catholic theology and is thus objectively more Catholic). Anyway, you can tell by now I really love the traditional Liturgy - id really like (name removed by moderator)ut from those who know what they’re talking about if possible!
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I would keep going to the SSPX and quit going to that Newman Center.

As things have “morphed” in the past couple of years, SSPX sacraments are both valid and licit (there is still an issue-that-isn’t-an-issue with matrimony, the SSPX priest is supposed to seek permission from the diocesan bishop, but if permission is denied, the priest can go ahead and proceed), and you will get Catholic teaching in all its fullness from the SSPX. There are still some ragged edges about accepting certain aspects of Vatican II, but to make a long story short, “they’re working on it”. SSPX priests are now invited to diocesan churches from time to time to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass. Who ever thought they’d live to see the day that would happen?

For all practical purposes, they are in full communion, there are just some legalities and issues that need to be hammered out.

Maybe see if some of those Newman Center people would like to go with you?
 
CTBcin said:
To the OP- have you looked into the FSSP or the ICKSP? They’re both traditional Latin Mass societies with lots of young priests and families, but they’re fully endorsed by the Church.
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If I had the choice of either going to the FSSP or the ICKSP, or going to the SSPX, I 'd pick the FSSP/ICKSP, because they have “all their I’s dotted and all their T’s crossed”, but if the SSPX were the only TLM I had reasonably available to me, I’d go there without reserve. I have neither — both diocesan and SSPX Masses are equally unavailable to me, due to distance (2 hours away), and when I go, I choose the diocesan TLM.
 
Perhaps the homily was nice and there was the impression of being reverent, but (in my opinion), it’s far better and far less controversial to attend Mass at a parish whose communion with Rome isn’t so complicated.
 
Augustinus1 said:
I’m seeing everywhere and want nothing more than to be immersed in beautiful Liturgy each week (or more often) and receive God’s Grace
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The problem is attending mass was if it was some kind of beautiful opera, but after it’s done one leaves the as the same rotten, unforgiving, self-righteous disobedient person, albeit more religious. I love the TLM, yet the ordinary mass is just as real. One only need listen to SSPX conversations and it is entrenched in religiosity and calumny of the ordinary mass.

Remember, the devil ALWAYS appears as an angel of light and truth.
 
I have been going to the TLM that is offered by the Diocese here, and am currently learning to serve at the Altar. I’ll be honest, it is nowhere near the level of the SSPX and neither of the Priests who offer the Mass there are all that orthodox in their approach or strike me as candidates for a spiritual adviser (which I’m currently looking for - an orthodox and holy Priest that can provide direction in the confessional and as I make decisions with regard to what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life)…
I am considering alternating; going to the Diocesan TLM one week and the SSPX the next, though I’d really like to attend the SSPX more often.
 
Fauken said:
As opposed to what, being more “spiritual”? What you’re meaning to stay is legalistic, not religious. Religiosity isn’t the problem here.
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If religion does not lead to a spiritual transformation of heart then it becomes hypocrisy; thus all of Jesus’ warnings and severe exhortations were reserved for the religious, who were meticulously religious, spent all their time in the temple talking about God, giving alms to the poor and criticizing and condemning others and put their beautiful man-made traditions ahead of anything else. Yet Christ called them out a white-washed sepulchers and race of vipers.

Archbishop Sheen gives a good talk about this, describing those who piously attend church and form a cocción around themselves as if Christ was crucified inside a cathedral. As he explAined, at the mass we receive life, truth, sanctifying grace and love for service in the world, to be shared with those who lack it. Religiosity alone is pure emotionalism and always leads to hypocrisy.
 
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I think it’s fair to say that some Masses are offered objectively better than others. Consider Cain and Abel - not all sacrifices are equally pleasing to God. That being said, I really am looking for answers to my overall concern, and your comment addressed only one part.
To be immersed in beautiful Liturgy (and to participate in it) is actually very spiritually healthy… As opposed to an irreverent Mass that leaves out certain things it shouldn’t - I’d consider that spiritually draining.
 
I"ve been there too and had same experience. Was amazing. Plus when I missed one Sunday because I was sick I had people calling me and when I told them I was out sick for a while, they were texting me photos of our Lady Statue and candles they lit for me and said they said Rosary for me. Never had experience before.
 
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Before making your decision concerning attending the SSPX, I’d like to recommend you search to see if there is an Oratory of St. Philip Neri near you.
 
CTBcin said:
have you looked into the FSSP or the ICKSP? They’re both traditional Latin Mass societies with lots of young priests and families, but they’re fully endorsed by the Church.
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True, but not strong enough. They are, as organizations, inside, not just “endorsed” but directly part of the Church itself. They each have a bishop-ordinary. They can operate Catholic parishes, chapels, retreat houses, seminaries. That’s a lot!

The members of SSPX can’t do those things.

Also the priests do not have a bishop-ordinary.
 
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CRV said:
Before making your decision concerning attending the SSPX, I’d like to recommend you search to see if there is an Oratory of St. Philip Neri near you.
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Does the Oratory of St Philip Neri ever offer the TLM? The one near me is pretty liberal and is the last place I’d ever expect to find the TLM. I once wrote them asking to do a self-directed day retreat (I was having spiritual and temporal challenges at the time and needed a day away from the world, along with some counseling) and they never even did me the courtesy of a reply.
commenter said:
have you looked into the FSSP or the ICKSP? They’re both traditional Latin Mass societies with lots of young priests and families, but they’re fully endorsed by the Church.
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Aren’t the SSPX subject to their Superior General? Not a bishop (at least not at this time), but still a religious superior.
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HomeschoolDad said:
Does the Oratory of St Philip Neri ever offer the TLM?
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AFAIK, yes they do.
HomeschoolDad said:
The one near me is pretty liberal and is the last place I’d ever expect to find the TLM.
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Perhaps checking their website or enewsletter might indicate when it is a TLM (low, High, Solemn etc)?
HomeschoolDad said:
I once wrote them asking to do a self-directed day retreat (I was having spiritual and temporal challenges at the time and needed a day away from the world, along with some counseling) and they never even did me the courtesy of a reply.
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Could be a lot of reasons. Busy, forgot, email got buried under the other 2,000 odd emails waiting to be read, paper letter may have been misplaced, illness then forgotten - iow, many reasons all because we are also dealing with humans. Perhaps you could have called them as a follow up?
 
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CRV said:
I once wrote them asking to do a self-directed day retreat (I was having spiritual and temporal challenges at the time and needed a day away from the world, along with some counseling) and they never even did me the courtesy of a reply.
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Possibly, but I just got the feeling that they didn’t want to deal with my issues. They were complicated divorce issues that were not the easiest things in the world to address. I ended up helping myself, with the assistance of divine grace, so it all turned out OK (or at least as “OK” as divorce issues can turn out).
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