Official Response to MP by Franciscan University

[arieh0310]

Here it is:

Regarding the Traditional Latin Mass and Franciscan University of Steubenville

As a Catholic university with a long history of faithfulness to the magisterium of the Catholic Church, Franciscan University of Steubenville fully supports Pope Benedict XVI’s recent Motu Proprio, Summorum Pontificum, which expands the use of the Traditional Latin Mass.

Franciscan University fully supports the plans for the celebration of the extraordinary form of the Latin rite Mass at St. Peter Church in Steubenville. Franciscan University is located within the boundaries of St. Peter Parish, making it the official parish for the University and the repository for the records of any sacraments celebrated on the campus.

Summorum Pontificum indicates that it is the parish priest who is to accede to the requests of those attached to the previous liturgical tradition. The pastor of St. Peter Parish, Monsignor George Yontz, with the full support of Steubenville Bishop R. Daniel Conlon, has met with St. Peter parishioners, including Franciscan University students, and people from other parishes in the area. He is working with them to prepare for the proper celebration of Mass in the extraordinary form, and the University will remain in communication with him throughout this unfolding process.

The University is pleased that St. Peter’s will be the site for this, as it is easily accessible to our University members, being just one mile from campus. The University will provide transportation for students who need it to and from St. Peter’s Church for the traditional Latin rite Masses. The first traditional Latin rite Mass will be celebrated at St. Peter’s on Sunday, November 25, the Feast of Christ the King. The dates of future Masses will be announced later by the parish office.

As the oldest Catholic church in the Steubenville diocese, St. Peter’s has the high altar, communion railing, and other requirements to celebrate the extraordinary form of the Latin rite, which are not found in many area churches. It will provide a beautiful and fitting setting in which interested students can enter more fully into this ancient liturgy.

Franciscan University will continue to offer its monthly Latin Novus Ordo Mass. In October, the University expanded the Sunday Mass offerings from three to four, with Sunday Mass now offered at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

I am a member of St. Peter here in Steubenville and was present at the meeting with our pastor to request a weekly TLM. We had easily over 100 people attend the meeting. What we got is a monthly TLM to replace the 11am Novus Ordo (priest shortage is always the excuse). Now we will have 150+ extra parishioners once a month because the University won’t accommodate their students.

 

[japhy]

Heh, you just posted this! I got (a few minutes ago) the same message from Tom Sofio, Associate Director of Public Relations (because I had a post on my blog about the matter – hooray for visibility!) so I put it on my blog and decided to come here to see if anyone had broadcast it yet. Good timing…

Fr. Z has comments about it at WDTPRS.

 

[jj2011]

Here it is:

I am a member of St. Peter here in Steubenville and was present at the meeting with our pastor to request a weekly TLM. We had easily over 100 people attend the meeting. What we got is a monthly TLM to replace the 11am Novus Ordo (priest shortage is always the excuse). Now we will have 150+ extra parishioners once a month because the University won’t accommodate their students.

I believe it’s known as showing contempt for the mark.

 

[Leopard]

…I am a member of St. Peter here in Steubenville… Now we will have 150+ extra parishioners once a month because the University won’t accommodate their students.

If the University is within St. Peter Parish’s boundaries and does not constitute its own parish, as reported, then all students residing there are also parishioners of St. Peter with the same right to request this Liturgy from their Pastor as any other parishioners.

 

[chicago]

I find it a tad humorous that the release notes the date as the feast of “Christ the King.” Well, in the OF calandar, yes. One would think that they would have had enough knowledge or sense to notice that the discrepancy makes them look ignorant or insensitive to the EF calandar, however.

 

[arieh0310]

If the University is within St. Peter Parish’s boundaries and does not constitute its own parish, as reported, then all students residing there are also parishioners of St. Peter with the same right to request this Liturgy from their Pastor as any other parishioners.

The argument that the university gives is totally fallacious. Monsignor Yontz (the pastor of St. Peter) has zero say in the liturgy of the FUS chapel, never says mass on campus, and their priests never say mass at St. Peter. It is simply for baptismal/marital record keeping. We requested a weekly TLM and got a monthly because of a priest shortage. The campus has no shortage of priests, if the campus chapel is under the dictates of the good Monsignor then why didn’t he bring some priests to St. Peter or perhaps have the chapel offer the TLM on Sundays?

 

[otjm]

The argument that the university gives is totally fallacious. Monsignor Yontz (the pastor of St. Peter) has zero say in the liturgy of the FUS chapel, never says mass on campus, and their priests never say mass at St. Peter. It is simply for baptismal/marital record keeping. We requested a weekly TLM and got a monthly because of a priest shortage. The campus has no shortage of priests, if the campus chapel is under the dictates of the good Monsignor then why didn’t he bring some priests to St. Peter or perhaps have the chapel offer the TLM on Sundays?

Perhaps because there is nothing in the MP which says that each and every place wherein Mass is said must provide the EF. It does say that people requesting the EF must be accomodated, and the students have been accomodated.

 

[arieh0310]

Perhaps because there is nothing in the MP which says that each and every place wherein Mass is said must provide the EF. It does say that people requesting the EF must be accomodated, and the students have been accomodated.

Good point. Out of 1872 masses per year between the FUS chapel (21 per week) and St Peter (15 per week) we are allotted 12 TLMs per year. They are not being accommodating any way you slice it.

Besides, there are over 2500 students on campus, one would think that that location would qualify for at least one TLM per week in addition to the TLM offered at St. Peter (which is also a very large church).

 

[DustinsDad]

I am a member of St. Peter here in Steubenville and was present at the meeting with our pastor to request a weekly TLM. We had easily over 100 people attend the meeting. What we got is a monthly TLM to replace the 11am Novus Ordo…

It only takes a spark to start a fire. Feed the spark with lots of prayers.

Peace in Christ,

DustinsDad

 

[cothrige]

Good point. Out of 1872 masses per year between the FUS chapel (21 per week) and St Peter (15 per week) we are allotted 12 TLMs per year. They are not being accommodating any way you slice it.

Besides, there are over 2500 students on campus, one would think that that location would qualify for at least one TLM per week in addition to the TLM offered at St. Peter (which is also a very large church).

And, I wonder, how many of those 1872 Masses per year are charismatic? I am certain that the extraordinary form is a legitimate form of the Mass for the Latin rite, and I am also certain that a licit ordinary form is as well. But, what are these “charismatic” Masses really? The Masses they use that name for here in North Florida are certainly not licit. It just troubles me that requests for traditional Masses would be refused to retain an over-abundance of probably illicit celebrations.

Patrick

 

[jj2011]

And, I wonder, how many of those 1872 Masses per year are charismatic? I am certain that the extraordinary form is a legitimate form of the Mass for the Latin rite, and I am also certain that a licit ordinary form is as well. But, what are these “charismatic” Masses really? The Masses they use that name for here in North Florida are certainly not licit. It just troubles me that requests for traditional Masses would be refused to retain an over-abundance of probably illicit celebrations.

Patrick

If they’re using EHMCs without any pretext of necessity, as some reports indicate, that’s another act of disobedience.

Personally I’m glad that more and more of the faithful are waking up and facing down the liturgy fascists.

 

[DustinsDad]

And, I wonder, how many of those 1872 Masses per year are charismatic? I am certain that the extraordinary form is a legitimate form of the Mass for the Latin rite, and I am also certain that a licit ordinary form is as well. But, what are these “charismatic” Masses really?

"Here’s an eye-witness report of what one might see: A Charismatic Weekend at Steubenville"

(he said as he cracked open the lid on a new can of worms…)

Here’s actual video from a Steubenville Palm Sunday mass:
Franciscan University of Steubenville Holy Week Liturgies

DustinsDad

 

[rien]

“Here’s an eye-witness report of what one might see: A Charismatic Weekend at Steubenville”

(he said as he cracked open the lid on a new can of worms…)

Here’s actual video from a Steubenville Palm Sunday mass:
Franciscan University of Steubenville Holy Week Liturgies

DustinsDad

I disagree with FU’s statement and have so written them. I am a regular contributor to their scholarship fund.

But I disagree with your implicit suggestion Christ gave us the trdientine Mass as the form of worship, He did not, That came from councils and evolution.

God did not decree Latin. Lord, Jesus spoke Aramaic. In a way, the MP, though traditionalists deserve it, is turing into another division of Christianity. Like the Reformation. JMHO.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Don’t jump on me for asking the question, OK?

Don’t the TLM people at FSU, if they are not satisfied with the answer FSU gave them, have the right to go to Ecclesia Dei? Shouldn’t they?

 

[arieh0310]

Don’t jump on me for asking the question, OK?

Don’t the TLM people at FSU, if they are not satisfied with the answer FSU gave them, have the right to go to Ecclesia Dei? Shouldn’t they?

Some students and faculty are already looking into contacting Ecclesia Dei.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

“Here’s an eye-witness report of what one might see: A Charismatic Weekend at Steubenville”

(he said as he cracked open the lid on a new can of worms…)

Here’s actual video from a Steubenville Palm Sunday mass:
Franciscan University of Steubenville Holy Week Liturgies

DustinsDad

If the weekend went as the author described in the first link, I would not have stayed, but demanded my money back. Obviously, he or she did not know what to expect. However- It was not billed as anything BUT a Catholic Charismatic weekend, and the fusion elements were bound to be there.

As to the second- I am not really fond of incense bowls, and I hate the “Shakey’s Pizza” style of flashing the words to hymns or songs on the wall or a screen. That does not make all venacular Masses wrong, or all Latin Masses right.

I really think the thing to do, if one is not happy with the Masses at FSU, and I will agree that it appears the FSU statement on the MP is a cop-out at best, is to:

1.) Attend Mass off-campus at St. Peter’s, if a student, or at another parish that offers a reverent OU if not inclined toward the EU. If enough students do that, gee, there will be very few people at FSU to attend Mass of any sort. I assume they have collection baskets at the Masses at FSU. If I am wrong about that, the fact that nobody is there will be reason enough to make the Powers That Be think a bit.
2.) Stop giving money and let FSU know the reason why, if an alum.
3.) The same group needs to take this higher and go to Ecclesia Dei.

 

[Pious_Mat]

With that many masses and, presumably, with as many priests as a Catholic University has on board, there ought to be an EF daily.

What gets me is what has happened to the priests who can offer the EF? A priest has the right to say an EF every day if he wants to, as long it doesn’t interrupt the needs of OF parishioners. Of the four masses offered on Sunday in the same place, why can’t one be the EF? Who really goes to mass at 4 pm on Sunday?

Maybe someone should ask the FSSP to establish an apostolate in Steubenville.

Oh, well. I’ll repeat what I told friend of mine the other day about the MP. We’re only going to see it begin to yield results a generation from now. All I can say is pray for seminarians and young priests. It seems to me that charismatic priests are a dying breed, and liberal dioceses cultivate far fewer vocations than orthodox ones. My hope is that in 20 years, there will be one weekly TLM in every Diocese in the world.

 

[arieh0310]

Maybe someone should ask the FSSP to establish an apostolate in Steubenville.

The FSSP has offered (at least once) to send two full-time priests (we are constantly told we have a priest shortage in this diocese, by the way) to take over one of several shuttered parishes. They were told no.

 

[Hesychios]

Just musing here…

What is going on at Christendom College…or Ave Maria University? Are they making allowances for the Motu Proprio of Benedict XVI?

Perhaps it in not right to compare these three to each other, but Christendom in particular has a conservative reputation as I recall.

Michael

 

[DustinsDad]

I disagree with FU’s statement and have so written them. I am a regular contributor to their scholarship fund.

But I disagree with your implicit suggestion Christ gave us the trdientine Mass as the form of worship, He did not, That came from councils and evolution.

God did not decree Latin. Lord, Jesus spoke Aramaic. …

I think the majority of conservative catholic folks out there think FSU masses - since the college tends to be celebrated as a bastion of orthodoxy - are of the EWTN type, reverent N.O., that sort of thing.

I just thought it might be helpful for folks to get beyond the hype and see for themselves and/or hear from eye witnesses the level of influence the “charismatic movement” might just have at the college…and what it looks like.

Might explain alot given the topic being discussed.

In a way, the MP, though traditionalists deserve it, is turing into another division of Christianity. Like the Reformation. JMHO.

well if that’s the case, I just ant to make sure I end up on the Catholic side.

The stuff desribed by the eyewitness doesn’t seem all that far from this scary stuff: Benny Hinn: Let the Bodies Hit the Floor

Let’s not go there.

Peace in Christ,

DustinsDad