(?) Leo XIII cause for canonization (why not?) and St Michael Prayer

[AlbMagno]

Hello, I was just googling why Leo XIII (a pope I and many others here admire) hasn’t been declared even Servant of God when all his neighborhood popes have, and stumbled upon a… SSPX sedevacantist forum (catholic info, IDK if I can post links).

The thing is, this sedevacantist said that he hasn’t been canonized because of freemasonic influence within the clergy (remember how boldly LXIII talked against freemasons) and the St Michael prayer was removed from Mass by John XXIII for the same reason.

I am not a traditionalist. I love doctrine and I really like Pope Francis, and I know the thought that the Church of Christ was reduced to minimal sedevacantist churchs is madness. But the arguments in that forum make me doubt a bit.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I like Pope Leo XIII also and I asked this question a couple years ago and somebody immediately acted like I was propagating some huge dramatic conspiracy. I was unaware that the sedes have this big theory going on, I suspect the person who flew off at me out of the blue thought I was part of that, which I’m not as I couldn’t care less what a bunch of sedes say and certainly don’t keep up with their foolishness.

Somebody else said Pope Leo hadn’t been canonized because he didn’t work any miracles, which is pretty ridiculous as it seems like when these Popes get a cause going, a miracle eventually shows up.

I think the lack of a cause for Pope Leo XIII is more due to the fact that the idea of canonizing all the holy Popes is a relatively recent one, and that Pope Pius IX’s cause is controversial enough without pushing to canonize another Pope from that era. I also believe Pope Leo XIII is probably in Heaven and thus I go ahead and ask for his intercession now without waiting around for some canonization.

As for the St. Michael Prayer, I don’t think we’ll ever truly get to the bottom of why the Leonine Prayers were suppressed, but I was always told that the St. Michael Prayer fell out of favor because it has devil and hell imagery in it that “scares people”. Given that one of last Sunday’s readings excised a verse on the wrath of God, this seems like a plausibl explanation. Fortunately a lot of churches are back to saying the St. Michael Prayer before or after Mass so it would seem to be a moot point now.

 

[AlbMagno]

That’s a very good theory Tis. I’ve read your thread and when I talked about other people I was thinking of you. Thanks

 

[Genesis315]

Is the argument that Freemasons don’t want him canonized or that he was influenced by Freemasons, who favored Liberalism?

Gregory XVI was a staunch opponent of the liberal conception of the state in pretty much all its aspects. Many in the Church and Cardinalate in particular, instead saw positive aspects to the new developing order and thought the Church could accommodate and even thrive in it. At Gregory’s death, Bl. Pius IX was elected as a compromise between the two positions. He initially granted many Liberal concessions in the Papal States that Gregory had refused. However, after his experience with the Roman Republic of 1848 (where he was driven from Rome and a liberal republic established in his place), he quickly became more like his predecessor. His similar experience with Italian unification only strengthened this. However, the less negative opinion on the emerging modern states remained in the Church.

Leo XIII was elected next and instituted a policy of detente with the modern states led by his secretary of state, Cardinal Rampolla (who, because of this, was accused of being a Freemason). His policy of ralliement, which encouraged Catholics to participate in the 3rd French Republic, was seen as a step too far by many conservative (monarchist) Catholics in the French Church. Upon Leo’s death, Cardinal Rampolla was elected and expected to carry on the same policies. However, his election was vetoed by the Emperor Franz Joseph (the last such instance–that veto was abolished immediately after) and St. Pius X was elected as a compromise. Despite some indications that he might continue favoring the new order (like his lack of aristocratic heritage), he returned to the policies of Pius IX, at least in principle. However, upon his death Benedict XV was elected. He was Cardinal Rampolla’s personal secretary and had been known as “little Rampolla.” He returned to the openness and acceptance of the modern state and developing the Church’s role within it. This continued progressively under Pius XI and Pius XII, especially as the Liberalism of most modern states was moderated and less anti-clerical (and other more dangerous regimes, like Communism, appeared) and culminated in Vatican II’s Gaudium et Spes.

If anything, Leo XIII was more to the liking of Freemasons than Pius IX and Pius X, who were beatified and canonized respectively.

 

[Genesis315]

As for the St. Michael prayer, it was originally instituted by Leo XIII along with other prayers to be offered after Mass for the restoration of the temporal power of the Pope, although after his truce with the King of Italy, it was generalized for the freedom and exaltation of the Church (the longer St. Michael prayer was also modified to remove the harsh language about the king). After the Lateran Treaty of 1929 made the previous intention defunct, rather than let their recitation cease, Pius XI provided a new intention for the freedom of Russian Catholics to profess their faith openly–this intention was fulfilled in 1990.

They were officially suppressed in 1964 as part of the general liturgical reform which sought to eliminate extra-liturgical practices that had been intermixed with the Mass (ironically, loudly praying vernacular prayers instead of allowing time for quiet recollection and thanksgiving after Mass is much more at odds with the spirit of the traditional Latin low Mass and fits much better with the vernacular new Mass). Many dioceses in the US have recently re-instituted the St. Michael prayer for the intention of purifying the Church from sexual abusers.

 

[normdplume]

Can someone please point me to an official English translation of St. Michael’s Prayer? I think it’s a truly inspired prayer and use it in my writing, but the translations that come up on Google vary in their wording, and I don’t want to get hit with a copyright violation for choosing the incorrect one.

EDIT: Found it on Vatican.va. Should have checked there first.

 

[AlbMagno]

Thank you for your informative response Genesis 315. The only part I didn’t like it’s this:

ironically, loudly praying vernacular prayers instead of allowing time for quiet recollection and thanksgiving after Mass is much more at odds with the spirit of the traditional Latin low Mass and fits much better with the vernacular new Mass

I don’t know why you have to criticize the OF Mass in every post but whatever.

 

[Sean]

Isn’t there a conspiracy that cardinal Rampolla pope Leo xiii pick for pope was a freemason. These sedevanctist really have no idea what they are talking about

 

[Camehome4john6]

the St Michael prayer was removed from Mass

I think it’s making a comeback. Aboutt a year ago our relatively normal parish started saying it after daily Mass. A couple months ago we started saying it after every Mass.

 

[TMC]

I think the lack of a cause for Pope Leo XIII is more due to the fact that the idea of canonizing all the holy Popes is a relatively recent one …

I don’t know much about Leo XIII, just chiming in to say I don’t care for this trend of Sainting every Pope. I also think we have been too quick to name people Saints, and its bound to bite the Church in an uncomfortable way eventually, when someone gets named a Saint too quick and things come out about that person. Just one guy’s opinion.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

It’s understandable that Pope Pius X and Pope JPII would be sainted quickly. They were not only popular, but truly outstanding among Popes.

I am honestly not sure what some of the other Popes did to get considered for sainthood. I don’t doubt that they were holy men, but as Popes go, they were pretty ordinary.

 

[Genesis315]

To be fair, it was a criticism of the Leonine prayers too! They’ve always stuck out like a sore thumb that disrupted the natural conclusion of the Mass (which is why they were suppressed–there’s some praise from me for a piece of the reform!).

In the new Mass they do simply fit better, since out-loud vernacular is the norm for the whole thing, and there are places for improvisation, extra-liturgical compositions like hymns replacing psalms or sequences, and other things. I’ve been to Masses in the new form with the St. Michael prayer added (before the final blessing), and it really doesn’t disrupt anything or seem like a foreign element.

It is what it is.

 

[Glennon_P]

I’ve been to Masses in the new form with the St. Michael prayer added (before the final blessing),

Not to go Liturgy Police or anything, but shouldn’t they come after the final blessing?

A couple years ago, our parish (and many in our Diocese) re-introduced the St. Michael Prayer after Mass, as part of Benediction, and after other liturgical events in the church (it is prayed after Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours before the early morning Mass).

As noted upthread, the initial reason(s) for the St. Michael Prayer may no longer be applicable but there certainly are enough intentions for us to call for the archangel’s help in the world today.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Not to go Liturgy Police or anything, but shouldn’t they come after the final blessing?

Saying them before the final blessing puts them during the “announcement time” which is acceptable.

 

[Glennon_P]

Saying them before the final blessing puts them during the “announcement time” which is acceptable.

Fair enough.

 

[Dovekin]

(ironically, loudly praying vernacular prayers instead of allowing time for quiet recollection and thanksgiving after Mass is much more at odds with the spirit of the traditional Latin low Mass and fits much better with the vernacular new Mass)

Is this “spirit of the traditional Latin low Mass” as illusory as the “spirit of Vatican 2”?

I do not remember it from my childhood, when low mass always seemed very busy to me, rushed and with little clear focus. That is just my memory of course, and I was a child, but calm silence is not what I associate with low mass. Maybe people shushing to achieve it, but there always seemed to be people going back and forth for some reason or other.

 

[tafan2]

First of all, I am a big fan of Leo XIII and it seems to me that one can certainly make the case that his cause for canonization should proceed.
Having said that, I must admit to finding it a little disturbing this new trend to canonize all of the recent popes. Popes being canonized until recently was a rare thing. I believe that many popes led very holy lives and did a good job leading the Church. But few were canonized. One reason might be due to the Church’s understanding that Popes needed to be held to perhaps a higher standard. It deos not credit the Church to claim all of her leaders are saints. But I think there was a more significant cause at play. The Church understood that there would always be politics in the Church. Canonizing popes can then lead to it being a tool for political gain. I think we have seen this danger play out right in front of our eyes. John Paul II was canonized (with good cause IMO) and then that had to be followed with popes who were seen as more “liberal” hence the canonizations of John XXIII amnd Paul VI. Now its the conservatives saying that Pius XII has to be canonized. As soon as Benedict XVI has been dead for 5 years, there will be a movement to canonize him.
These are my thoughts on the matter. I think the Church would be well served to go back to its reticence with regards to the canonization of popes. But its a cat that will be hard to put back in the bag.

 

[Dovekin]

It’s understandable that Pope Pius X and Pope JPII would be sainted quickly. They were not only popular, but truly outstanding among Popes.

I am honestly not sure what some of the other Popes did to get considered for sainthood. I don’t doubt that they were holy men, but as Popes go, they were pretty ordinary.

Are you referring to John XXIII and Paul Vi? What was so holy about Pius X that makes him not “pretty odinary”?

In terms of God using them to guide the Church, I would put John XXIII and Paul VI well ahead of the pope named for them.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

What was so holy about Pius X that makes him not “pretty odinary”?

I’m astounded you would ask this question seriously, when he greatly expanded the access of many people to the Holy Eucharist, among other things.

It’s sad when people don’t know their Church history. Unless you asked it in a baiting way, hoping I would pop off with some “traditionalist” answer. I’m not a trad, sorry.

Also, I didn’t name names of Popes because I specifically wish to avoid these debates. There are dozens of Popes throughout history who are sainted, beatified, or venerable. The fact that you would seize on certain ones and try to read things into my post suggests to me you have an agenda.

 

[CTBcin]

It’s sad when people don’t know their Church history. Unless you asked it in a baiting way, hoping I would pop off with some “traditionalist” answer. I’m not a trad, sorry.

I’ve noticed that some people see devotion to St. Pius X as a “traditionalist thing”. Probably his teachings on modernism and the SSPX being named after him. More liberal-leaning people especially don’t seem to like him.

All this is quite ironic, since Pius was known for being a very pastoral pope in his day. Yet today he gets associated with “rigid traditionalism.”