Summorum Pontificum in Portugal

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I’ve read some posts of people complaing that they only have the Extraordinary Form in the sundays, and who are tired of abuses. I too am tired of abuses, and that is why I decided to share with you some information about the situation of the (lack of) implementation of the Summorum Pontificum in Portugal.

While in most countries, on September the 14th, the Motu Proprio was lauded with Masses on the Extraordinary Form, in Portugal, the ortodox-conservative-traditionalist-loyal Catholics were shocked by a letter of the Patriarch of Lisbon, Dom José Policarpo, stating the following:

“O Santo Padre reconhece que a notícia da publicação destas Normas provocou duas reacções: uma entusiasta aceitação e uma férrea oposição. Espero que, entre nós, nenhuma destas atitudes extremas prevaleça.” - The Holy Father recognizes that the news of the publication of these norms has caused two reactions: an enthusiastic acceptation and an hard rejection. I hope that, among us, none of these extreme attitudes will prevail.

On that letter, the Patriarch forbid the priests to allow any EF mass on Sundays until further notice.

More than one year after the publication of the Motu Proprio, there are no celebrations on the Extraordinary Form, and there isn’t even any Latin Mass on the Ordinary Form on the entire country.

The only stronghold of ortodoxy is Opus Dei, which has a good implementation in the country, but is looked with reservations by most Portuguese catholics.

The Jesuits, with their creative liturgy, and many other creative parish priests are the mainstream, together with boring and usually not-reverent old priests.

The Portuguese Episcopate can be qualified (I’ll try to be charitable) as a bit distant from the Vatican teaching.

The laity is ignorant of church teaching on almost any issue, the clergy seems to confused, and the bishops are not the most cooperative with Rome. On this scenario, it is indeed hard to be a loyal Catholic, as one gets frequently looked down, even by priests and other catholics, who will call you a pharisee or an hypocrite.

Without a single latin mass, without a single ad orientem mass, without any mass with communion rails [except in Opus Dei, where there are always rails, and sometimes mass is ad orientem], without benedictine altar arrangements, without decent sacred music, it is indeed hard to be a Catholic in Portugal.

So, please, if you only have a EF Mass per week, please don’t complain too much, and pray for us 😉

Nossa Senhora de Fátima, rogai por Portugal!
 
Mais ainda Nossa Senhora prometeu que o dogma da fe seria conservada. Isso ja basta.

Mais tem algumas ordems com vocações la de bom jeito e tudo.
 
Totally seconded. The situation of the Catholic Faith in Portugal is outrageous. Our Faith isn’t being taken good care of here in Portugal. It is shameful for our country, a traditionally catholic nation, and specially for us, loyal portuguese catholics, to see this dreadfull state of things, in what concerns to the Faith. I honestly hope that the current situation improves with Pope Benedict XVI’s magisterium. I, too, second WH1988’s pledges for prayer, for that is what we need the most. Prayer… And action.

Pax Christi
 
Bom, mais insisto que Nossa Senhora deu sua palavra.

Passe o que passe, Portugal ficara catolico.
 
And just to the east of you, in Spain …

There has been barely a peep about the EF form of the Mass in the Catholic media in the past year since the publication of Summorum Pontificum. The laity are largely unaware of the existence of the document, and no bishop or priest that I am aware of has discussed it.

Okay, I can’t say that I’ve followed the development of the issue in much detail, but when I bring the subject up, most people (including Opus Dei members I know) are unaware of Summorum Pontificum’s existence or what it says. Some of the secular media howled about it and ridiculed the Pope’s attempts to “turn back the clock” and undo the “progress” of the past 40 years, but even this failed to bring the issue onto the radar screens of most Catholics here. Religious indifferentism runs pretty high in this country right now.

Here in Pamplona, I am told that there is an EF form of the Mass offered by an older priest from Madrid who comes up on the train every Sunday to offer it. Unfortunately, it is at 6 p.m. or so, and I have yet to make it. For one thing, I really don’t like going to Mass so late on Sunday afternoon and, frankly, the Ordinary Form Mass that I attend on Sunday is carefully and reverently offered, so I am very content with it. I do intend to check out the EF Mass one of these days soon though …

Spain is also in pretty dire straits vis-a-vis the state of the Church, así que ¡ruega también por la Iglesia en España!
 
We have no doubts, dear Pro Domina, that Portugal is going to remain a Catholic nation - that is, we firmly believe that Our Lady will maintain her promisse. However, we begin to see the reason behind Our Lady’s promisse, nowadays - because, if 40 years ago there was no doubt that Portugal would remain a catholic nation (at the time of “Estado Novo”, with Salazar at the helm of the country), that is not so clear anymore, nowadays.
 
That is what makes it even more interesting.

When Our Lord encarnated Himself, it was at the worst time ever.

Everything was in decadence.

Light seems to shine greater when it is dark.
 
I just had an idea: Why don’t your EF communities organize an yearly pilgrimage to Fátima? It is unnaceptable for the Fatima Sanctuary to remain without the tridentine mass. If the Portuguese bishops continue to boicott it, traditional priests and communities could organize pilgrimages and invite the Portuguese Catholics to join them on Fátima for the Mass.

What do you think? Could this work on your Latin Mass Community?
 
As the patriarch is clearly not willing to cooperate, you should appeal your case to the Ecclesia Dei Commission in Rome. Appealing to the Commission is your right.
 
As the patriarch is clearly not willing to cooperate, you should appeal your case to the Ecclesia Dei Commission in Rome. Appealing to the Commission is your right.
The typical Catholic thinks that letters here and there fixes things.

Everyone plays their role. The Patriarch is just following orders.
 
Pro Domina:
How is he following orders? It sounds like he’s defying them.
 
I just had an idea: Why don’t your EF communities organize an yearly pilgrimage to Fátima? It is unnaceptable for the Fatima Sanctuary to remain without the tridentine mass. If the Portuguese bishops continue to boicott it, traditional priests and communities could organize pilgrimages and invite the Portuguese Catholics to join them on Fátima for the Mass.

What do you think? Could this work on your Latin Mass Community?
I think this is a pretty good idea.
 
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