Pope Francis restricts celebration of EF Mass by Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate

[Rich_C]

This papal directive has nothing to do with the laity, it is just a problem for a Franciscan group that needs to align with all the other Franciscans. I do not understand why laity wants to have a say into the life or religious people, not even the local bishops have that right.

Laity are served by religious–this order offered the EF for thousands of laity. Also, laity care about the religious even if it’s not their business, because we have feelings.

If a Franciscan is distressed by that directive then he better work on his spiritual growth, I can understand disappointment, but distress makes me think that the person is more focused on a form of liturgy than on the Franciscan rule.

Loving the liturgy is a kind of virtue, isn’t it? Losing it will be painful, very painful for some. Besides, there may be wider implications here. If the EF is considered “incompatible” with the Franciscan vocation, are Catholics with traditional worldviews also incompatible?

Claiming that the Franciscans will loose vocations because of that is like saying that Franciscans will loose vocation because they want to wear a belt exactly like the Dominicans.

I think you have not made allowance for human nature. Catholics who were looking for a religious vocation that included an ancient liturgy will have less reason to consider the FFI.

 

[R_C]

It is not given for us to know the details, but reading between the lines, if the core group is truthful about the “excessive propensity” to celebrate the TLM, it does create division, since P.E. Benedict has always stated that the OF is to first be offered as the primary celebration, with allowances for the TLM if circumstances permit an additional liturgy.

I do not think that’s quite the way it is. I know that there are about 19 institutes of men and 16 of women in which the traditional sacramental forms are ordinarily celebrated (see here).

Furthermore, Summorum Pontificum never mentions any such thing as “excessive propensity” or that the Forma Ordinaria must be the “primary celebration”, etc.

In Masses celebrated without the people, each Catholic priest of the Latin rite, whether secular or regular, may use the Roman Missal published by Bl. Pope John XXIII in 1962, or the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1970, and may do so on any day with the exception of the Easter Triduum. For such celebrations, with either one Missal or the other,* the priest has no need for permission *from the Apostolic See or from his Ordinary.

Communities of Institutes of consecrated life and of Societies of apostolic life, of either pontifical or diocesan right, wishing to celebrate Mass in accordance with the edition of the Roman Missal promulgated in 1962, for conventual or “community” celebration in their oratories, may do so.

If an individual community or an entire Institute or Society wishes to undertake such celebrations often, habitually or permanently, the decision must be taken by the Superiors Major, in accordance with the law and following their own specific decrees and statues.

In parishes, where there is a stable group of faithful who adhere to the earlier liturgical tradition,* the pastor should willingly accept their requests to celebrate the Mass according to the rite of the Roman Missal published in 1962* …] Celebration in accordance with the Missal of Bl. John XXIII may take place on working days; while on Sundays and feast days one such celebration may also be held.

Furthermore, here we read how in 2010 the Holy See issued a directive to a Polish diocese clarifying some questions on Summorum Pontificum, which mentioned among other things that (a) a Mass in the extraordinary form may replace a regularly scheduled Mass in the ordinary form, and that (b) a parish priest may schedule a public Mass in the extraordinary form on his own accord.

The fact is that we don’t know why the Holy Father gave that order to this specific religious community. But we do know that especially for them holy obedience is above all else. Roma locuta, causa finita.

 

[Lormar]

I don’t think that is the case. Isn’t the Vatican coming down pretty hard on the LCWR?

What action has been taken? Have any major superiors been demoted?

 

[OraLabora]

There is something that I have witnessed time and again the last forty plus years.

Let me preface what I am going to ask by saying that I do not mean to ask my question in a disrespectful manner nor am I looking to start an argument.

Why is it that it seems to be that only things like this happen to religious orders that want to hold onto Tradition? Why is it that an overly liberal superior who is doing harm to the community and/or running the religious order into the ground doesn’t suffer the same fate?

Again - this is a question that I would sincerely like an honest answer to. I am not asking it to cause any trouble.

You’re view doesn’t reflect the experience I’ve had with the Benedictines. There are several Benedictine monasteries that use the EF Mass (and at the same time the pre-VII Benedictine Divine Office) exclusively. Off the top of my head, Clear Creek in the US and Fontgombault in France (both part of the Solesmes Congregation), Barroux also in France, Norcia in Italy.

There are also several very traditional Benedictine houses that use the OF. In the Solesmes Congregation, to which my abbey belongs, Solesmes itself, St Wandrille in France both chant the post-Vatican II Benedictine Divine Office in Latin Gregorian chant as well as the OF Mass in Gregorian Chant either entirely or in part in Latin. Our abbey uses Latin for Lauds and Vespers and the hymns of all hours and the Marian Antiphon at Compline. It uses Gregorian Chant for the propers and ordinary, and chanted French plainchant for the rest. The Divine Office is a post-VII monastic schema, but with psalms on a one week cycle.

ALL of these abbeys are faithful to the Benedictine tradition and to the Holy Father irrespective of the rite used. You can’t call yourself “Benedictine” in the Catholic Church without being faithful to the Holy See and Tradition, capital “T”. They all respect tradition through the great care they exercise with their liturgy, regardless of form.

You enter these abbeys to become a Benedictine above all else. When you do, you obey the abbot. If he says EF, you’d better get used to it. Same with OF.

Of particular concern to the Solesmes congregation is liturgy. Solesmes is mandated by the Vatican to preserve, study, and promote Gregorian chant and to adapt the Roman Gradual to the new form, which they did in 1974 for the Mass and continue to work on for the LOTH. It’s part of their apostolate just as running a college is part of the apostolate of some abbeys.

In the Solesmes congregation, both forms of the liturgy are maintained, and even the OF houses are strongly “traditionalist” and very conservative in outlook.

I suspect that the mistake in this situation was allowing both forms to coexist in the same community. In the Benedictine examples, the different forms coexist but not under the same roof. Anything that threatens the unity of the community would not be allowed to happen.

Probably this is a young community and they’re having to learn a lot about human nature the hard way. In any event, it really isn’t any more our business than it is your business to stick your ear against the wall to hear a neighbour’s squabble. As was pointed out the article is trying to create scandal on an issue far out or the author’s depth and understanding of religious orders.

 

[OraLabora]

So, more clearly, why can’t the EF be part of the charism of a religious group? Why is “charism” suddenly, in this conversation, restricted to things like piety and when you wake up in the morning, but the external and public way we worship God can’t be part of that?

To be clear, I am not saying the EF is part of the “official” charism of the FFI. But just in this point, all I am objecting to is the idea that the EF cannot be part of the charism of any religious group that might wish to come into existence.

It can be part of the charism of a religious group. It is the charism of the FSSP for example. But unless explicitly part of the Rule or constitutions of an order, it is not part of their charism. The Rule of St Benedict, while it prescribes the order of the Divine Office, says nothing about the Mass. So it can’t be part of the “charism”, though it can be part of an individual house’s choice, taken by the abbot and with consensus in the community and appropriate permission.

You become a Benedictine to be a Benedictine. If any other reason is your principle reason you’ll likely (or rather hopefully…some do slip through) be found out in discernment, keeping in mind that you can’t make temporary or solemn profession without the vote of all professed members of the community.

 

[Lormar]

You’re view doesn’t reflect the experience I’ve had with the Benedictines.

What view? I asked a question.

 

[Debora123]

I stand behind Pope Francis. The more I find out, the more I like this new Pope of ours.

Hopefully closing the gaps and uniting us as Catholics. I think it’s great news.

 

[OraLabora]

What view? I asked a question.

You expressed an opinion that this sort of thing only happens to orders trying to hold on to tradition. That was the view I was trying to show was not consistent with my experience of the Benedictines. It may or may not be elsewhere. I have no opinion on that, I don’t have a dog in that fight. But I did want to show that If you are correct in some cases, it most certainly isn’t universally true in all orders.

 

[Pulvis]

From St. Francis, to His followers near his death.

"Act bravely, my Brethren; take courage, and trust in the Lord. The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound; the charity of many will grow cold, and the malice of the wicked will increase.

The devils will have unusual power, the immaculate purity of our Order, and of others, will be so much obscured that there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavour to draw many into error and death.

Then scandals will be multiplied, our Order will be divided, and many others will be entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it.

There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy, that, except those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not specially guided, amid such great confusion, by the immense mercy of God.

Then our Rule and manner of life will be violently opposed by some, and terrible trials will come upon us. Those who are found faithful will receive the crown of life; but woe to those who, trusting solely in their Order, shall fall into tepidity, for they will not be able to support the temptations permitted for the proving of the elect.

Those who preserve their fervour and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and, persecutions as rebels and schismatics; for their persecutors, urged on by the evil spirits, will say they are rendering a great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the face of the earth. but the Lord will be the refuge of the afflicted, and will save all who trust in Him. And in order to be like their Head, [Christ] these, the elect, will act with confidence, and by their death will purchase for themselves eternal life; choosing to obey God rather than man, they will fear nothing, and they will prefer to perish rather than consent to falsehood and perfidy
Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor, but a destroyer."

as given in the Works of the Seraphic Father St. Francis Of Assisi, Washbourne, 1882, pp. 248-250)

 

[Debora123]

From St. Francis, to His followers near his death.

"Act bravely, my Brethren; take courage, and trust in the Lord. The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound; the charity of many will grow cold, and the malice of the wicked will increase.

The devils will have unusual power, the immaculate purity of our Order, and of others, will be so much obscured that there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavour to draw many into error and death.

Then scandals will be multiplied, our Order will be divided, and many others will be entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it.

There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy, that, except those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not specially guided, amid such great confusion, by the immense mercy of God.

Then our Rule and manner of life will be violently opposed by some, and terrible trials will come upon us. Those who are found faithful will receive the crown of life; but woe to those who, trusting solely in their Order, shall fall into tepidity, for they will not be able to support the temptations permitted for the proving of the elect.

Those who preserve their fervour and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and, persecutions as rebels and schismatics; for their persecutors, urged on by the evil spirits, will say they are rendering a great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the face of the earth. but the Lord will be the refuge of the afflicted, and will save all who trust in Him. And in order to be like their Head, [Christ] these, the elect, will act with confidence, and by their death will purchase for themselves eternal life; choosing to obey God rather than man, they will fear nothing, and they will prefer to perish rather than consent to falsehood and perfidy
Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor, but a destroyer."

as given in the Works of the Seraphic Father St. Francis Of Assisi, Washbourne, 1882, pp. 248-250)

What are you trying to imply??

 

[ProVobis]

I stand behind Pope Francis. The more I find out, the more I like this new Pope of ours.

Personally I like his twitters (tweets?) in Latin. He has quite a few followers, I understand.

 

[McCall1981]

From St. Francis, to His followers near his death.

"Act bravely, my Brethren; take courage, and trust in the Lord. The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound; the charity of many will grow cold, and the malice of the wicked will increase.

The devils will have unusual power, the immaculate purity of our Order, and of others, will be so much obscured that there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavour to draw many into error and death.

Then scandals will be multiplied, our Order will be divided, and many others will be entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it.

There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy, that, except those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not specially guided, amid such great confusion, by the immense mercy of God.

Then our Rule and manner of life will be violently opposed by some, and terrible trials will come upon us. Those who are found faithful will receive the crown of life; but woe to those who, trusting solely in their Order, shall fall into tepidity, for they will not be able to support the temptations permitted for the proving of the elect.

Those who preserve their fervour and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and, persecutions as rebels and schismatics; for their persecutors, urged on by the evil spirits, will say they are rendering a great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the face of the earth. but the Lord will be the refuge of the afflicted, and will save all who trust in Him. And in order to be like their Head, [Christ] these, the elect, will act with confidence, and by their death will purchase for themselves eternal life; choosing to obey God rather than man, they will fear nothing, and they will prefer to perish rather than consent to falsehood and perfidy
Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor, but a destroyer."

as given in the Works of the Seraphic Father St. Francis Of Assisi, Washbourne, 1882, pp. 248-250)

Interesting that someone posted this, because I saw it earlier today and was going to start a thread asking if it is legitimate/Church approved. I ask because I had never heard of it before today.

Scary stuff there

 

[chryso]

Ave maria!

It is really a sad news,well as someone pointed out above the Pope knows the problem more than we do and i believe He took the right decision"Roma locuta causa finita"

But,personally speaking if the Ef mass is causing community disunity then i dont see how its restriction will lead to unity because the opposite party will seriously not be at ease with the restriction and as such the conflict continues…

Oh! what a sad news…pls help the institute to pray be,to me one of the beauties of the institute is the EF mass and now its gone.

Oh Mary the Immaculate Virgin…
Oh Mary immaculate…pray for us!
Through Mary our Mother we succeed!

Ave maria!

 

[Sirach2]

R.C.:

---

Sirach2:

It is not given for us to know the details, but reading between the lines, if the core group is truthful about the “excessive propensity” to celebrate the TLM, it does create division, since P.E. Benedict has always stated that the OF is to first be offered as the primary celebration,

****** with allowances for the TLM if circumstances permit an additional liturgy.
I do not think that’s quite the way it is. Furthermore, Summorum Pontificum never mentions any such thing as “excessive propensity” or that the Forma Ordinaria must be the “primary celebration”, etc.

That IS the way it is, R.C. Although I do not have time at this moment to search where I originally found this a few years ago, I did note this document from a diocesan Bishop who affirmed it.

However, the Pope is also quite clear that the Mass of 1962 is not to replace the Mass we celebrate today, which remains the ordinary and usual form of the liturgy. The 1962 Mass is seen as “extraordinary”—that is, an exceptional, form of the Mass. This also means that any person or community that wishes to make use of the provisions in the Apostolic Letter must accept the validity of the Vatican II Mass—since the issue foremost in the Pope’s mind is the communion of the Church.

The Pope’s Apostolic Letter does not give priests blanket permission to celebrate Mass and the sacraments according to the 1962 Missal. First, the priest must know how to celebrate the Mass using that Missal and must be able to speak the Latin appropriately. Otherwise, he is “impeded” from celebrating according to the 1962 rite. Second, the Vatican II Mass must remain the ordinary form of celebrating the liturgy in a parish. Therefore, the 1962 Mass can only be celebrated on weekdays (and never so often that it becomes “ordinary” in the parish) and only once on Sundays and feast days. It follows that if there is only one Sunday Mass, the Vatican II Missal must be used since it is the ordinary form.

R.C:

Furthermore, here we read how in 2010 the Holy See issued a directive to a Polish diocese clarifying some questions on Summorum Pontificum, which mentioned among other things that (a) a Mass in the extraordinary form may replace a regularly scheduled Mass in the ordinary form, and that (b) a parish priest may schedule a public Mass in the extraordinary form on his own accord.

The article mentions that this permission was given for a “particular group” – so it is not a blanket permission in the sense you have stated.

However, the Vatican stresses that the clarification is addressed to a particular group and is “not a set of guidelines

.” Officials are still working on a comprehensive set of guidelines on Summorum Pontificum, which are expected to be published soon.

 

[triumphguy]

From St. Francis, to His followers near his death.

"Act bravely, my Brethren; take courage, and trust in the Lord. The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound; the charity of many will grow cold, and the malice of the wicked will increase.

The devils will have unusual power, the immaculate purity of our Order, and of others, will be so much obscured that there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavour to draw many into error and death.

Then scandals will be multiplied, our Order will be divided, and many others will be entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it.

There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy, that, except those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not specially guided, amid such great confusion, by the immense mercy of God.

Then our Rule and manner of life will be violently opposed by some, and terrible trials will come upon us. Those who are found faithful will receive the crown of life; but woe to those who, trusting solely in their Order, shall fall into tepidity, for they will not be able to support the temptations permitted for the proving of the elect.

Those who preserve their fervour and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and, persecutions as rebels and schismatics; for their persecutors, urged on by the evil spirits, will say they are rendering a great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the face of the earth. but the Lord will be the refuge of the afflicted, and will save all who trust in Him. And in order to be like their Head, [Christ] these, the elect, will act with confidence, and by their death will purchase for themselves eternal life; choosing to obey God rather than man, they will fear nothing, and they will prefer to perish rather than consent to falsehood and perfidy
Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor, but a destroyer."

as given in the Works of the Seraphic Father St. Francis Of Assisi, Washbourne, 1882, pp. 248-250)

That’s not the work of St. Francis.

Francis wrote his “Testament” near his death.

He wasn’t concerned with prophesying the future, but with ensuring that his brothers lived their lives simply and prayerfully.

 

[Rich_C]

That IS the way it is, R.C.

I’m sure you’re right there, but as we’ve been told elsewhere in this thread, Pope Benedict’s documents on the Latin Mass don’t really apply to Franciscans.

Apparently they have the right to do whatever fits their history as long as the pope doesn’t tell them otherwise. The FFI leaders saw fit to expand the TLM widely and had the right to do it, but the papal investigator thought they couldn’t be trusted to manage both forms of the rite, and the pope apparently agreed.

Well, the pope put his signature on it so it’s as good as done.

It’s too bad that practically no Franciscan can say it anymore, as the TLM is almost identical to the Mass at which St. Francis worshipped, and he and his contemporaries among the mendicants helped develop the missal and low Mass for use by traveling preachers.

 

[Aramis]

It’s worth remembering several things:

• Each pontifical right body of consecrated religious is subject to a different subset of canon law
• This article’s citation isn’t a ban on the EF, but a restriction on celebrant’s choice†
• The article’s text for the ruling is resonant with and congruent to the wording of SP.‡
• The superior general can allow individual chapters blanket permissions

† A freedom which they apparently grabbed, when, per SP, they never had that freedom. Unlike diocesan priests.
‡As Brendan already noted.

It is vital to note that most institutes/societies/orders of consecrated religious have the common will as a major part of their process of leadership internally, and a duty to obey the superiors in all things, save those explicitly deemed sinful by the church and those things their institute/society/order has explicitly left to their choices. And that superiors, once they put things to vote, are bound by that vote unless and until they discover that canon law or the authority who organized them has said otherwise.

And unity is a vital part of most orders.

The FFI are divided into three camps:

• those who want OF only
• Those who want both
• Those who want EF only

At least one group is going to be annoyed with any determination for the conventual mass.

The decision puts the use of the EF back to “get permissions for each celebration” - and that might be, “Every 2nd saturday except for Holy Saturday.” It might be, “For any mass except the conventual or when a major superior is present.” It might be, “if assisting at an EF parish established in accordance with SP.”

Until the Superior General and other major superiors decide, it’s just an order to get permission.

 

[Aramis]

It’s not a blanket ban. It’s a new level in the decision making process, and an order to actually obey the rules from SP.

The competent authority may still grant permissions to use the EF.

 

[chryso]

so now that the superior is removed,what will be the governing/guarding system of the Institute?

Can the pope retract the decree? Maybe when the conflict is dissolved?

 

[chryso]

The restriction is only on mass? hope it the LOTH is not inclusive?
Becaue the sisters at Lanherne used about years to switch to the traditional rite and if actually so then it will be very painful to the sisters and also time and effort wasted…
oh still very painful !!!