Their refusal to bring in a priest from outside to celebrate the Tridentine Mass for the 150 who asked for it in a petition also seemed proximate to schism, since it is disobedient to the motu proprio which required that all “stable groups” (of about four or more) be granted access to our Mass.
Bro. JR has explained, on other threads, how orders work. I have not met the abbot, so I cannot characterize him; but I wonder if the characterization that he is “hostile” to the EF is because he is not meeting the perceived needs of those requesting the EF in the way they expect, and that they are fairly to totally unfamiliar with the dynamics and requirements of an order.
The requirements of SP apply first to the parish priest; given this is a college and not a parish, that may be the first issue. And the priest is not required to provide the Mass; he is requested to do the best he can. He is not required by SP to take the training, learn Latin, or provide the Mass; it is voluntary but he is required to do the best he can for the parishoners. In other words, SP is hortatory, not law.
The second issue may be the bishop; to begin with it is entirely possible he has no jurisdiction either in civil or Canon law over the college. He may be extremely limited as to what he can or cannot do depending on how the college is set up, and in most circumstances it is going to be far more limited than the average Catholic understands. A lot has changed since the 1950’s in terms of both civil and Canon law.
Further, the bishop also finds SP hortatory; he is to do the best he can, but he is not required by law to provide the EF. He has to find priests willing to learn and say the EF, and priests are not required to do so. In other words, he cannot command one to do so.
that would leave an appeal to Rome; it is strange that Rome gave no response; what would seem to be suggested is that the appeal be revived.
Rome, too, may have an issue; they may feel that a college community is not the stable group that was intended by SP as students come and students go, while people in a parish tend to stay for much longer times. Or it could be that for some reason it was lost in shuffle. One would think that they would provide some sort of answer, even if that was “Please start over”.
As to your comment that four people make a stable group, I don’t believe that Rome has made any such statement. I have seen this before, but it seems to be nothing more than some writer’s opinion unfounded on any documentation. Having said that, it would seem that 150 students, particularly if that number has stayed fairly steady over several years, might at least get Rome’s intention.
What is not said is that there are no free lunches anywhere. Assuming that a priest could be found to travel to the campus, how are the legitimate costs going to be covered? Has anyone broached that topic? I have not seen too many colleges or universities rolling in excess cash; and having been both an undergraduate and graduate student who had to pay for books, tuition and transportation, I don’t think the students are going to be able to carry much of the cost.
Thanks for the link.