We were surprised by "feel" of SSPX chapel

  • Thread starter Thread starter D0UBTFIRE
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
It was called Saint Procopius college when I was young.
They renamed it Iliinois Benedictine in the 70’s. It was one of the conditions the state of Illinois imposed on them as they needed to turn to the state for funding.
 
Ah, and there it is. Taking Caesars sestertii means you hop to his tune.
 
It was actually a bit terrifying, as we began the Vigil by standing outside in the dark on the steps whilst the Priest lighted the fire and a lot of people were driving past screaming obscenities (it was a bad neighbourhood, I think).
I lived close by there for 10 years dating back to Vatican II and when I was in college. Let’s say it was a changing neighborhood, just a few blocks from Chicago’s West Side. North Oak Park is pretty ritzy, though. Has a lot of Franklin Wright homes and was home of Ernest Hemingway. No large cathedrals but there are some beautiful old churches there. The SSPX bought that building on Washington and Ridgeland in the late 80’s, I believe. Has gone through a lot of pastors since then.
 
Went to the Tenebrae Service this Holy Thursday…a first for me…I got the fright of my life at the end when the congregation went from silent to foot stamping and book bashing on the pew…talk about a startlement…live and learn, who said church was boring?
 
I lived close by there for 10 years dating back to Vatican II and when I was in college. Let’s say it was a changing neighborhood, just a few blocks from Chicago’s West Side. North Oak Park is pretty ritzy, though. Has a lot of Franklin Wright homes and was home of Ernest Hemingway. No large cathedrals but there are some beautiful old churches there. The SSPX bought that building on Washington and Ridgeland in the late 80’s, I believe. Has gone through a lot of pastors since then.
It seems that people have different reactions to that side of town. When I was there for Easter Vigil, it was about 10:30-11:00pm so it was hard to really get a “feel” of the neighbourhood. However, the building was a lot larger than I anticipated and they had a sizeable congregation as well. My first choice would have been St. John Cantius for Easter Vigil, but, again, as someone (mostly) unacquainted with the Chicago area, it wasn’t somewhere I wanted to be driving around in the early hours of the morning. :o
 
My experience in an SSPX chapel was not one of emptiness. It was entirely a sense of overt anger. The priest, in his homily, called the OF an “abomination” twice. Their whole rational for being seemed to be the TLM vs. the NO (yes, I know there’s more to it). Also, I didn’t find it any more reverent than MOST (not all) OF Masses I’ve attended. Indeed, the choir was still chanting the Sanctus and the priest had sped on and reached the consecration. When the Roman Canon is used in my parish, we get to hear the whole of it.
Wow this is quite an accusation…almost unbelieveable. What church was this at?

BTW…the priest is not constrained by what the choir is saying; he says the canon at his own pace.
 
Indeed, the choir was still chanting the Sanctus and the priest had sped on and reached the consecration. When the Roman Canon is used in my parish, we get to hear the whole of it.
That is the normal procedure in an EF High Mass and can be a little disconcerting to those used to the OF. The priest and servers also read the parts that are sung by the choir, but the choir takes longer, so in the meantime the Eucharistic prayer has moved on to the next part. Generally I try to follow what the priest is doing using the missal, rather than what the choir is singing, so that I can keep up.
 
At least they had a procession! I went to my local NO parish for Palm Sunday, and there wasn’t one. The ushers handed out the palms at the door, and we held them in our pews. Then when it was time for the blessing of the palms, our priest went through the crowd making the Sign of the Cross, and laughing that he had forgotten to get the holy water ready. :confused:
 
MikeDunphy,
You used the perfect words for me to explain how I felt. It felt fake. The people were sincere, but I didn’t feel like I had gone to a mass. (Disclaimer: I know that i left early and that I didn’t get to see the whole thing - which is why I said I would go back and get another taste of it) The mass had “started” (I’m assuming what they did was the introit - with the chanting and all) but instead of mass, the priest went up to the podium and gave a looooong announcement. He talked about how the kids were going to be having a test after mass for first communion, I believe I recall him mentioning something about finances (haiti, new school, etc), he talked about the scandal and we need to keep the pope in our thoughts and prayers, he talked about how the procession was going to take place, he just talked and talked and talked, and I was under the impression that I was there to see a MASS. These type of long announcements are unheard of, even at my loony liberal Novus Ordo mass. This is why I think it felt more protestant. Because there wasn’t anything about it that resembled the liturgy that I’m familiar with - and I’m refering to the TLM. This parish seemed to be a congregation led by this priest and this priest alone, it had a very separatist feel to it, like he was there leader and they were his followers. The reason he seemed so “powerful” to me I guess is because he had the “power” to give such long announcements during the time he ought to have been following the liturgy. Now, i could be making a huge mistake, and such long announcements might be perfectly okay. But I simply had never seen this (except in protestant and Jehovahs witness churches where they don’t follow a liturgy). I felt like I was at a cult worship service and he was the cult leader.
SSPX and other EF Parishes often chant the Passion on Palm Sunday, and it’s very long; therefore the homily and announcements are made at the beginning of the Mass when the Introit is said, and the palms are distributed. If you had gone to Mass at any Parish circa 1950, you would have probably experienced the same thing.
 
At least they had a procession! I went to my local NO parish for Palm Sunday, and there wasn’t one. The ushers handed out the palms at the door, and we held them in our pews. Then when it was time for the blessing of the palms, our priest went through the crowd making the Sign of the Cross, and laughing that he had forgotten to get the holy water ready. :confused:
I think we’re experiencing a time of simple decadence. After all that huffing and puffing about Vat. II, that could be it. In the 1962 rite I’ve heard they dropped the ceremony outside the church, wherethe priest bangs on the door to be let in.

In 2010, you can get what you got in your church.
**
We’re not afraid of God anymore, so let’s cut down on the ritual. Take it a bit easier.** It’s even visible in the N.O. missal vs. the 1962 vs. pre-1962; ‘less is more’. Take stuff out; it’s an improvement [sarcasm].

Crazy!
 
Yeah, I have some family members that literally live across the street in Naperville, so it was the convenient option that Sunday. In the past, I usually try to go to Sts Peter & Paul which, although slightly liberal, at least has a lovely Church to distract from it. 😉
Huh. I don’t know many people (anyone, actually) who considers Sts Peter & Paul liberal. We typically went to the TLM there though, so maybe that’s why. They have an FSSP priest there in residence, so they have the EF for both daily and Sunday mass. Sunday is always a high mass, which is particularly well done.

They also offer all the sacraments/rites in pre-Vat II form.

So… liberal? I just haven’t seen it. 🤷
 
I got that same feeling yesterday, only I made the grave mistake of going to my local parish. And vowed to myself: never again. It was the same feeling one would get when they realized that they’d been had - like plunking down almost $100 for a meal in a restaurarnt only to find out that you could have cooked a better meal yourself and for a fraction of the price.
That’s how I feel about NO. That’s why I promised that I will never set foot in a NO again.
 
Doubtfire, I have no advice to offer as I’ve never attended an SSPX Mass. BUT did you say you will be Baptized this Saturday?? If so, CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH!! :):dancing::extrahappy:
 
1.) As Catholics we are lead by our intellect and not our “feelings” which are easily deceived.

2.) I have no earthly idea what could have possessed an SSPX priest to call THIS an abomination. No clue! He must be crazy! 😉
 
which is why they cannot validly hear confessions unless the penitent is at the point of death.

Having never been to one, I don’t know how SSPX chapels work- if the people who go to them also go to them for confessions (which, again, are invalid- because they could go somewhere else), then chances are many people there have not been receiving valid confessions in a while. Mortal sin removes all sanctifying grace (holiness) from the soul, and only a valid confession or perfect contrition can restore it. I’m sure the absence of that Sacrament has a big effect on things.
I just love stuff like this. Condemning potentially millions of Society faithful to a life of perpetual mortal sin. How “Christian”!

Thankfully m134e5’s opinion isn’t based in reality.

Society confessions are indeed valid through supplied jurisdiction. See John Salza’s article on this question here.
John Salza is a frequent guest and host on Catholic radio, appearing on such shows as Searching the Word, The Drew Mariani Show, Kresta in the Afternoon, Sacred Heart Radio and Catholic Answers Live. John is the creator of “Relevant Answers,” a daily apologetics feature on Relevant Radio which explains and defends the Catholic faith using the Bible (the show runs six times a day, seven days a week). John has been a guest on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) and also has a daily program on EWTN Radio called “Catholic Q&A.”
Also see here and here.

I saw a line at a Society Chapel of penitents starting at one side, toward the front of the church, wrapped around, all across the back, and up the other side to the front of the church for Good Friday confessions. The most I’ve EVER seen in any line for confession in my life.

I looked at my local N.O. Parish church listing for Good Friday confession times. NONE. They did have a “Life-Teen” Way of the Cross though. (I shudder at the thought)

But according to the Novus Ordite Pharisees, every single penitent at that Society Chapel left the confessional with their sins still on their souls while the two or three Novus Ordites who bother with the 30 minute Saturday confession time at their parish are forgiven.

Unbelievable…
 
1.) THIS an abomination.
And all this time I thought the Novus Ordo was a Mass. When did it start becoming a musical? Or was this the start of the 2012 Olympics?

I expected at some point to have ten judges flipping out cards with numbers on them between 1 and 10. But I don’t want to give them any ideas. 🙂
 
I just love stuff like this. Condemning potentially millions of Society faithful to a life of perpetual mortal sin. How “Christian”!

Thankfully m134e5’s opinion isn’t based in reality.

Society confessions are indeed valid through supplied jurisdiction. See John Salza’s article on this question here.

Also see here and here.

I saw a line at a Society Chapel of penitents starting at one side, toward the front of the church, wrapped around, all across the back, and up the other side to the front of the church for Good Friday confessions. The most I’ve EVER seen in any line for confession in my life.

I looked at my local N.O. Parish church listing for Good Friday confession times. NONE. They did have a “Life-Teen” Way of the Cross though. (I shudder at the thought)

But according to the Novus Ordite Pharisees, every single penitent at that Society Chapel left the confessional with their sins still on their souls while the two or three Novus Ordites who bother with the 30 minute Saturday confession time at their parish are forgiven.

Unbelievable…
Good answer. I am wondering about this…

Were the priests who left the SSPX (Society of St. Pius X) at the time of the consecrations of the bishops required to reconfess all of the sins that had been allegedly confessed invalidly when they were in the SSPX? When a penitent approaches an FSSP (Society of St. Peter) priest and acknowledges having confessed previously to a SSPX confessor, does the FSSP priest explain that supplied jurisdiction does not apply to the SSPX and require reconfession of all mortal sins confessed to a SSPX priest before giving absolution?

Rory
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top