North Idaho/Eastern Washington

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My pastor mentioned once that North Idaho/Eastern Washington has one of the highest concentrations of Traditionalist Catholics in the U.S. There is a large SSPX Chapel in Post Falls, as well as a FSSP Chapel in Coeur d’Alene, and both are very well-attended, with parishoners coming from as far away as Montana.

Does anyone have any theories on why this could be? I thought it was rather odd, and I cannot think of anything relating to the area’s history which would draw traditionalist Catholics (other than, apparently, at St. Thomas parish in Coeur d’Alene after Vatican II, one of the Redemptorist priests continued to say the Latin Mass every day until he was transferred out).
 
The only thing I can think of is that eastern WA is definitely politically conservative.:confused:
 
brigid12 said:
The only thing I can think of is that eastern WA is definitely politically conservative.:confused:
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Hmmm - well, the same could be also be said for many other areas of the country as well…

Over in Post Falls, before they built the FSSP chapel in Coeur d’Alene, and before the Motu Proprio, there was an “indult” Latin Mass at the Post Falls parish (likely intended to keep people from going to the SSPX chapel), and I believe that was even under Bishop Tod Brown(!). I think, until the Motu Proprio, that was the only non-SSPX Latin Mass in the entire State, and the FSSP chapel in Coeur d’Alene is still the only place in Idaho where the Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated daily (in Idaho Falls there is a retired diocesan priest who offers it monthly).

In the SSPX periodicals, it seems their Post Falls chapel is mentioned somewhat frequently, and Fr. Rizzo was even there for a time before he left the group. At the FSSP chapel, Fr. Ripperger is their chaplain, so it also seems that the area has been home to some very prominent traditionalists.

I know the Jesuits and the Redemptorists had deep roots in the region and were instrumental in establishing the faith in the area, but, for the life of me, I cannot figure out what is so unique that this would be where we have one of the highest per-capita number of Traditionalist Catholics.

Maybe it’s just one of life’s mysteries…
 
JaMc said:
My Does anyone have any theories on why this could be? I thought it was rather odd, and I cannot think of anything relating to the area’s history which would draw traditionalist Catholics (.
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off hand I would guess that from what I hear and have observed their is a definite liberal trend in the Church in Washington in general (I know nothing about Idaho) so maybe this is a backlash of sorts? the faithful remnant keeping the true faith alive sort of thing
 
puzzleannie said:
off hand I would guess that from what I hear and have observed their is a definite liberal trend in the Church in Washington in general (I know nothing about Idaho) so maybe this is a backlash of sorts? the faithful remnant keeping the true faith alive sort of thing
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That liberal trend is sure in western WA - still in recovery from an archbishop who was asked (by the Vatican) to step aside. I wonder if eastern WA and northern ID didn’t have a history of fairly conservative bishops? I haven’t looked into that region for church history (but do know of the strength of the Jesuits there - which wouldn’t necessarily point toward traditionalism or even conservativism, since that depends on the individuals in the orders). The CMRI are certainly around in western WA though, so the thought of a traditional remnant exists. :confused:
 
I don’t know about the rest of eastern washington, but I on occasion attend mass at a small parish in the Spokane
diocese and it is very liberal.
 
oldrc said:
I don’t know about the rest of eastern washington, but I on occasion attend mass at a small parish in the Spokane
diocese and it is very liberal.
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That’s interesting - leads one to think of the reaction theory even more.
 
Idaho’s current Bishop, I would say, is moderate-conservative - i.e., he’s no Raymond Burke, but neither is he in the league of some of the more (in)famous liberal bishops discussed on these boards from time-to-time. He is, all-in-all, quite orthodox, but hardly a conservative firebrand.

However, his immediate predecessor was quite liberal (he is now the Bishop of Orange, California), and was not very well liked at all in the diocese (in our Parish Hall here in Idaho, we have portraits of the current Bishop, and the Bishop preceding his predecessor, if that gives you any idea…). I suppose, though, given the “indult” TLM available in Post Falls, which is not far from the Washington border, this may have attracted a lot of people from the less “TLM-friendly” Spokane Diocese.
 
The CMRI presence in the area is bolstered by the K-12 school in Spokane. People send their children there from all over the country.
 
I wonder, how would Christ react to His quarreling children?
Is He more concerned with rituals or purity of heart?
He asks us to love one another for the love of Him.
How can division within His church and hatred between people of different faiths be part of His plan?
 
I can see a lot of reasons for that area being a traditionalist stronghold. First, not only do you have a SSPX landmark Church up there but you have the sedevacantist headquarters there, twenty miles away in Spokane - not to mention the FSSP so whatever your flavor there is something there for traditional Catholics. Second, the area is beautiful, and the land is cheap and plentiful. With all the traditionalist activity up there it was a logical move for the FSSP to setup operation there as well to help provide a more ‘legit’ option (depending on how you look at things).

My family and I are considering moving there precisely because of the opportunities this area offers especially the option of daily latin Mass for our homeschooling children. One thing, for anyone considering moving there, stay on the Idaho side of the border since their homeschooling laws are very lenient compared to the communistic homeschooling laws of WA - even though WA has no state tax and ID does…

P.S. I noticed that the SSPX has 2-3 Masses available DAILY while the FSSP only offers one… I take it the SSPX is doing better than the FSSP? This is hard to believe considering the fraternity has Fr. Ripperger there…anyone have any info on that?
 
RUINATION_IPA said:
I can see a lot of reasons for that area being a traditionalist stronghold. First, not only do you have a SSPX landmark Church up there but you have the sedevacantist headquarters there, twenty miles away in Spokane - not to mention the FSSP so whatever your flavor there is something there for traditional Catholics. Second, the area is beautiful, and the land is cheap and plentiful. With all the traditionalist activity up there it was a logical move for the FSSP to setup operation there as well to help provide a more ‘legit’ option (depending on how you look at things).
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I suppose “where there is high demand, there are many suppliers.” I never gave much thought to Idaho’s homeschooling laws, which could also be a factor. From the last post, it looks like we have sort of a “perfect storm” for a traditionalist stronghold up here - interesting.

I know the SSPX has been over in Post Falls for a while, and the Sedevacantist group (which I heard started in Rathdrum, just a few miles out of Coeur d’Alene) has been in the area for quite some time as well. I believe that the “indult” TLM, which is now the FSSP chapel, was brought in by a retired Redemptorist priest in response to the other traditionalist groups (the retired priest is still around, and actually attends the FSSP Mass, but is physically unable to celebrate it anymore).

Now if we could just get a TLM in my area (not too far from where we’ve been discussing, but which I do not like to post on-line)…
 
CMRI has had its presence in the Coeur d’Alene/Spokane area since summer of 1967. They have been located in the old Jesuit seminary at Mount Saint Michael since 1978. When they began their K-12 academy in 1968, families started moving to the area from all over the country. They called upon the services of several retired priests who lived in the Spokane metro area. Jesuits as well as diocesan priests who opted to stay with the Latin Mass rather than the vernacular.
It was a decade or so later that when the SSPX moved into the area. They too have their own academy in Post Falls.
There is a retired Spokane diocesan priest who says the Latin Mass regularly in private chapels.
There is also another independant traditional priest in Spokane who has a little parish close to the downtown area (a former CMRI member).
There is now, since the “July 7 Motu Proprio” a Latin Mass celebrated Sundays at a Spokane diocesan parish in the northwest area of Spokane.
The FSSP is currently located in Post Falls, ID.
And there have been, throughout the last 40 years, any number of independant priests who have traveled through the area at the request of the local traditional faithful.

MLE
 
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