Hold the bus there sparky. I’m a Catholic and I don’t recall giving you the right to speak for what I think. -1 Cred point. Traditionalist is a label. You have just stuck it onto a bunch of people like me because I’m one of your “All Catholics.” I know Catholics who love the Missa Cantata and attend each week, and are working to develop a “personal quasi-parish” kitty large enough to build a church (
divinemercy.ca) – WITH THE FULL PERMISSION OF ARCHBISHOP ROUSSIN, OF COURSE.
Catholics should be Catholic because of the Most Holy Eucharist, not the electrified instruments or quantity of incense burned per Mass. Personally, I started to attend this Mass early this year, having never seen the ancient mass before. I love it, and attend whenever I am feeling I need to be SURE proper reverence will be shown by all the faithful present. Other times, I grit my teeth and try to preach without words as St. Francis urged his brothers to do.
For myself, I have decided that the Lord’s way for me is to encourage by example. Maybe start thinking of that as a ministry. “Ite missa est” - “The Faithful are Sent on the Mission”. Vernacular or not, we use the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church’s Holy Mass. It’s up to me to make sure I understand what it actually means, no matter what language I hear it in or how badly it’s translated or sung.
Here’s what this whole “argument” boils down to: people are looking for a ride that better suits their taste–ancient or modern. I think there’s a big potential on either side to rush out at the end, hearts all aflutter with our liturgical thrill-du-jour, and forget WHO remains waiting for us in the Tabernacle of the suddenly-emptied Church. You may tend to find this happening more in the newer form of the Mass, but to claim a viewpoint on behalf of all Catholics, when we both know “most” Catholics have not a clue what you and I are debating, indicates missing the point. My parish priest told me there was no problem with him saying the Mass in Latin. There’s an indult Mass in our archdiocese, according to all the directives of Rome, lovingly provided for those who so love the ancient mass. The problem with re-imposing the ancient mass, or even a Latin Eucharistic Prayer like EWTN’s Daily Mass would be the parish’s acceptance, and the possibility of needing a third priest in our fairly big parish (2000+ families).
Our (yours and mine) beautiful Catholic Church is a family. Sometimes certain members of families have trouble agreeing on things. Some like to watch anything at all that’s on EWTN, some like to watch idiotic animated sitcoms for hours if allowed. That doesn’t mean you take sides in order to condemn, censure or do an in-your-face victory dance in front of the other. One group is not better than the other. We are not to treat them so, because of how our Holy Mother Church treats us.
OK…
N I C E
P I C T U R E S,
but quote your sources or you are merely flinging anecdotes. Notice I didn’t say rumour-mongering, or gossiping or talking out of turn. There are young Catholics at this Missa Cantata who literally turn their backs on EWTN literature. There are old Catholics at the Novus Ordo mass who kneel on the floor to receive Holy Communion. Are they right or wrong? Martyrs or just acting out?
What is most important? The Most Holy Eucharist, that’s what. Latin or English the Christ is the Christ and deserves all our reverence.
