Liberal Priest celebrates the TLM

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Another moving account - from the priest pictured in my signature. Please pray for his health. Fr is 94 now I believe.

At my parish’s OF Mass today…

The Priest stayed, with his back to the congregation, in front of the Tabernacle on the high alter for a much longer time than he normally does after Holy Communion.

It was a deliberate act of reverence and time seemed to stop even though it was probably only a couple of minutes.

I’ve never seen this before (I have not been to an EF mass)

It was extraordinary- it changed everything and was a remarkable moment. Suddenly we were all facing towards Our Lord, with the Priest leading us in reverence:- rather than the Priest doing things at us. It entirely changed the focus for a moment.

Seeing him up there, in his purple vestments, facing the alter with his back to us, kneeling before the alter, was very powerful.

I wish I were more articulate- I cant convey the effect it had on me, but it was very profound.

Then we were back in the OF as normally celebrated.

The contrast couldnt be greater, even though our Priest is exceptionally holy and reverant in the way he celebrates the OF.

It was just a categorically different experience, a radically different approach and it really brought home to me in microcosim for a moment what a full EF Mass must be like and what we have lost.

Its a tragedy.

Thanks for posting this.

 

[laszlo]

No one is calling the priest a liberal read the article! **He (the priest who the article is about) is a self-described liberal. **Liberal can have many different meanings and you are right as Catholics we can’t seperate ourselves with such terms in the Church.

As a matgter of fact allegedly he describes himself as liberal, he is someone.

I talked about the ‘ism’, not about individuals. The ism always represents a group, who usually distinguish themselves from others by emphasizing the deficiencies in others.

I agree that we Catholics should not separate ourselves with such categories, but unfortunately there are Catholics who do so.

We shall define ourselves by our positive actions and values, and basically this is what the ‘self-described liberal’ priest did searching and describing the value in the traditional Mass. .

 

[At_Trent]

And this example is the proof that the ism-s (in this case the liberalism and traditionalism) are wrong.

We all are the children of God,

John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself.

You are right, but I suppose there have always been ways to describe Catholics. I barely remeber my grandmother, a cradle Catholic, saying “she/he’s very religious”. I guess she meant pious.

 

[At_Trent]

Mahalo At Trent! Avery beautiful story!

Yes it is, you should hear him chant the prayers of the TLM ! Words can’t begin to describe him.

 

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Yes it is, you should hear him chant the prayers of the TLM ! Words can’t begin to describe him.

I would love too! I know, send me a DVD of him doing so!

 

[At_Trent]

I would love too! I know, send me a DVD of him doing so!

Well, that’s not possible. He doesn’t allow his Mass to be recorded I don’t think. There are a few videos on youtube of the TLM at the church, but they all have an FSSP priest in them, who is there when Fr C can’t pray the Mass that day.

But that’s Fr. C, if it’s not in the rubrics, no go lol. Gotta respect that.

 

[m134e5]

The focal point was not the priest but the gathering of the people. And isn’t that a valid image of the church, the people of God?

I think the priest is headed in the right direction, but I hope he comes to understand that the focal point should neither be the priest nor the gathering of the people. The focal point should be on Christ, as the Mass is the greatest act of worship. A mass without a congregation present is just as holy as a Mass celebrated with one present.

 

[At_Trent]

I think the priest is headed in the right direction, but I hope he comes to understand that the focal point should neither be the priest nor the gathering of the people. The focal point should be on Christ, as the Mass is the greatest act of worship. A mass without a congregation present is just as holy as a Mass celebrated with one present.

Absolutely

 

[Catholic_C_1]

A liberal priest celebrates his first TLM

(Very interesting observations by a liberal priest who celebrated his first TLM because parishioners had asked for it. In America Magazine, of all places.)

*"Having decided to offer the Tridentine Mass, I began the arduous project of recovering—and reinforcing—my Latin grammar and vocabulary so that I could celebrate the liturgy in a prayerful, intelligible way. As I studied the Latin texts and intricate rituals I had never noticed as a boy, I discovered that the old rite’s priestly spirituality and theology were exactly the opposite of what I had expected. Whereas I had looked for the “high priest/king of the parish” spirituality, I found instead a spirituality of “unworthy instrument for the sake of the people.”

"The old Missal’s rubrical micromanagement made me feel like a mere machine, devoid of personality; but, I wondered, is that really so bad? I actually felt liberated from a persistent need to perform, to engage, to be forever a friendly celebrant. When I saw a photo of the old Latin Mass in our local newspaper, I suddenly recognized the rite’s ingenious ability to shrink the priest. Shot from the choir loft, I was a mere speck of green, dwarfed by the high altar. The focal point was not the priest but the gathering of the people. And isn’t that a valid image of the church, the people of God?

“The act of praying the Roman Canon slowly and in low voice accented my own smallness and mere instrumentality more than anything else. Plodding through the first 50 or so words of the Canon, I felt intense loneliness. As I moved along, however, I also heard the absolute silence behind me, 450 people of all ages praying, all bound mysteriously to the words I uttered and to the ritual actions I haltingly and clumsily performed. Following the consecration, I fell into a paradoxical experience of intense solitude as I gazed at the Sacrament and an inexplicable feeling of solidarity with the multitude behind me.”*

The eclipse is passing.

Pax, thank you so much for posting this. Every so often I get discouraged, but then there is always a shining light of hope. I shall continue to pray for the Church and our priests. (If you find more inspiring stories or articles please share!)

 

[Jacob21]

Deo Gratias!!!