Pope Apologises For Evil Not His Fault, But Not For His Evil Attack on Traditional Latin Mass
This week, the consequences of that papal letter — issued halfway across the world — landed here in Washington with heavy consequences for this small parish in the city’s Chinatown neighborhood. By Sept. 21, the parish was told, they were to cease use of the Latin rituals that had been part of St. Mary’s history almost since its founding in 1845.
Friday’s local decree, written by Cardinal Wilton Gregory, who oversees the archdiocese of Washington, allows only three non-parish churches in the region to perform the Latin Rite. That means hundreds of Catholics who attend that type of Mass at roughly six parishes in the D.C. area — including St. Mary Mother of God — will be forced to overhaul their ritual or abandon their spiritual homes to attend the three locations in the area allowed to perform it.
“It’s been devastating to be honest,” said Erin Menke, 42, whose family has attended St. Mary for almost two decades. Three sons had been altar servers at the parish. To assist the parish priest, they painstakingly learned the intricacies of the Latin Mass, which incorporates traditional elements like incense, Gregorian chant and elaborate gestures and words often missing from the modern form of the Mass.
“There’s a sacred reverence to it that is just beautiful,” Menke said. “These words that are spoken and have been spoken for centuries in the church, they often feel like the closest thing to heaven that we’ve got. To realize we are going to lose that, we’re in shock.”
In his decision last year, Pope Francis explained that he believed the Latin Mass had become a wedge, deepening divisions. Those who favored the Latin Mass, he said, had exploited the rite as a way to “reinforce the divergences, and encourage disagreements that injure the Church.”
Most Catholic churches now celebrate modern Mass in the language most easily understood by local parishioners, a practice spurred by reforms in the 1960s. For that reason, the decree won’t affect the majority of Catholics in the Washington region.
St. Mary Mother of God, however, was among the most vocal churches lobbying the cardinal to allow them to keep Latin Mass in their services. They wrote letters, spoke in synodal listening sessions with archdiocese leaders and begged the cardinal to visit their church to see for himself the importance of the Latin Mass to their community.
Beside the difference of language, in the Latin Mass the priest faces away from the congregation and instead faces the tabernacle at the front of the church where the Eucharist is kept. Many who attend Latin Mass say they value the chance to meditate and contemplate during the long stretches when the priest is speaking quietly in Latin.
“You feel a connection to all the Catholics who came before you and celebrated using those same words,” said Matthew Balan as he sat in the wooden pews. He comes from a family of Catholics going back generations in the Philippines. Balan met his wife at St. Mary attending the Latin Mass, and they got married there as well. But now he’s not sure whether they and their two young boys will remain at the parish or move to one of the other locations still offering Latin Mass. “It’s a confusing time for a lot of us.”
In a heartfelt sermon Sunday, De Rosa acknowledged the pain, anxiety and bewilderment that many were feeling. And he told his flock that he shared those feelings.
© William Wan/The Washington Post – Priest Vincent De Rosa gives his parishioners Communion during one of the last Latin Masses at his church.
“It pulls at the strings of my heart,” he said. “There’s something that feels unkind about this whole thing. … But my goal is to show you that your father here and other fathers in this diocese do feel your pain.”
De Rosa urged this flock to cling to truth, unity and their faith throughout the seismic changes to come for their parish.
Roughly 60 percent of the church’s collection money comes from parishioners who attend its 9 a.m. Latin mass on Sundays, said Sylvester Giustino, who serves on the parish finance council.
“I do worry about our parish and what happens in September,” he said. “I’m planning to stay. St. Mary has become a home to me. But for others who leave, I can understand that too. We’re not just losing the Latin Mass. We are going to be losing a lot of families and people who have been part of this community for years.” Source – Washington Post
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Comments (27)
It appears that we are entering another era reminiscent of the bad old days of the 70s and 80s. Who can forget the awkward wording of JPII’s Indult of October, 1984, when he wrote that the bishops should provide a “wide and generous application” in allowing the Old Mass for the “just aspirations” of those attached to “some older form” of the Liturgy? And what a farce it became, as the applications by most U.S. bishops were anything but “generous”. The stipulations foisted on us by our Military Vicar were so restrictive that I wanted absolutely nothing to do with seeking an Indult Mass, which we relatively few traditionalists at the time derisively (and for the most part correctly) referred to as the “Insult” Mass. When I told Michael Davies of the draconian restrictions, he agreed that it was most disturbing, but insisted that if I and others did not go through with requesting the Indult, we would be proving the bishops right, who, he said, had tried to convince the pope that there were not enough people really interested in preserving the Old Mass.
Now, here we are again, and it is truly heartbreaking. Mrs. Marinaio and I have attended, on a few occasions, the Mass of the Ages at St. Mary Mother of God church, which is in the Chinatown section of Washington, D.C. It is a beautiful church, built, of course, precisely for the Old Mass. We were last present there at the beautiful and inspiring Christmas Midnight Mass of 2019, just before the dissemination of the “questionnaire” that Francis used to justify Traditionis Custodis (and which the holy Wilton Cardinal Gregory used to justify squashing the TLM in his archdiocese). For men who are obsessed with racial justice and inclusivity, it is ironic, is it not, that we trads are not included in his inclusivity, diversity, and equality?
Yesterday’s Gospel warned us of what we are seeing: the hierarchy — the pope and the vast majority of bishops — are ravening wolves in sheep’s clothing. Let us stand together and defend the flock against those rapacious predators.
Marinaio,
Your last paragraph made me think. Personally, I agree with you about standing together and “defending the flock against those rapacious predators” but not a lot of Catholics agree with us. I am still hearing Catholics saying things like it’s not right to criticise priests, never mind bishops and popes! When you say, what about priests who are teaching errors, wanting women’s ordination and gay weddings etc, they reply that it is up to God to deal with them, it’s not up to us lay people to take it upon ourselves to correct priests. So, while I agree with you, it can’t happen until the majority of Catholics wake up and smell the coffee.
Laura,
The people who are telling you that laity have no right to criticise the clergy are plain wrong. Indeed, it is written into Canon Law that we have every such right, but I’ll hold off saying more on this for now, because I’m thinking of dedicating a thread to the topic as soon as I can find ten minutes to spare 😀
Laura — ED it is terrible how many Good Catholics in my opinion believe what you say , especially that a Pope even one who acts the Fool cannot be criticized. The Remnant put the Eds Video on Facebook and I commented that Bergoglio was and is Scandalizing The Papacy. One American Catholic has come on ( She says for the Good of my Soul ) to tell Me that as a Catholic my Soul is in Danger for Criticizing Bergoglio.
Now She may be Half Correct although av been to Confession recently. But one things for sure .
On Judgement Day I would rather be Me than Jorge Bergoglio.
Really their are no words [ forby swear words ] that i can desciribe Bergoglio and His Non Catholic Cohorts. The list is really now endless of Non Catholic Priests .Bishops .Cardinals .And a Pope of whom I in my Catholic Faith have Absolutely NOTHING in common with. Bergoglio is a Vengeful Old Deviant of a Man along with a bunch of Queers who are simply out to destroy Catholicism. It really is coming to the point of Schism ,we cannot stay with this Bunch of Pagan Homosexual Apologists any longer. Remember that it was Bergoglio who said that it wouldnt bother Him if their was Schism. He need not care about money as the Communist Chinese give Him a very good stipend now every year. As for that useless Old Queen Wilton Gregory who is now 74 Bergoglio made Him a Cardinal just 2 Years ago. The question then was WHY make a 72 year old Man a Cardinal . Well one can see now why Bergoglio done so ,it was to bring Him in to do His Evil will and enrol Gregory in The Lavender Mafia.
These Terrible Men who have stopped The Mass of Ages have a reckoning coming up .They are to me Pure Evil. That this article was published in The Washington Post is a testament to their Evil as one certainly couldnt call The Washington Post Catholic Friendly. As for Bergoglios little Canadian Trek the Mans a Legend . Will we see Photos of Him kissing Indian Chiefs Feet.
Would it surprise anyone on Here. One things for certain .We wont see Bergoglio at a Latin Mass but we May ,we just May witness another Pachamama. As for a P.S i wonder if Bergoglio will tell us How much Global Warming that Private Jet of His cost on this trip. For the Man who likes to fool us that He enjoys the Poverty of this life [ by getting driven around in a Ford Fiesta ] He doesnt half Pollute the Planet by lots of Hot Air ?
Below, video and article from The Remnant challenging the claims about Catholic residential schools in Canada – with input from former residents…
https://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/6060-residential-schools-francis-in-canada-and-the-rest-of-the-story
ED your as well taking down the Link to The Remnant. My my but the Truth is soon cut down. I thought it was my Device. So I tried to get the Remnant on Google , couldn’t get it . Tried on Duck Duck go and couldn’t get it .
I then tried to get it on an IPad as I thought Apple may have let it go ,but no keeps saying it’s my Search Engine probably need to put some Oil in it .
As for The Man in the Indian Headdress dressed up as a Pope . Do you think that He’s looking for the rest of The Village People to go to a YMCA or were they shut down in Canada because of Abuses. It really as I said in another comment getting Ridiculous. Almighty God will not be mocked by these Deviants for much longer. Maybe Bergoglio should really conscentrate on the Weather as it’s better than this B.S. He has Scandalized the Papal Office once to often. Or maybe that sentence should be 100 Times to often.
Editor,
The video and the article from The Remnant are both excellent. They totally demolish Francis and his preoccupation with feathers, LOL! They also show the truth about the residential schools. Thank goodness for Michael Matt’s fearless work in exposing this pope and the globalist agenda.
Michael Matt’s video is fantastic. I hope it opens people’s eyes to the rubbish we’re told by the MSM about the residential schools in Canada, such blatant lies.
Apologies are easy, cheap and meaningless when you’re historically-distant and not personally involved. It’s the realm of corrupt politicians trying to virtue signal to cover their deeds. That’s what this Pope has become: a tawdry political globalist actor.
Never mind asking pardon for others alleged sins, if this Pope ever did start making apologies for his own very public sins of omission and commission, I doubt if he’d have enough days left in his life to do it.
Westminsterfly,
Hear, hear. I totally agree.
Here he is, photographed wearing the feather headdress. What an embarrassment he is to the papal office and to the Church in general. If his successor is not a huge improvement, I think there will be a mass exodus from the Church.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/pope-francis-dons-feathered-headdress-061600069.html
Josephine,
From red nose, to fireman’s helmet to Amazon head-dress to Canadian Indigenous head-dress – God help us if he comes to Scotland and insists on wearing a kilt, LOL! Such a clown.
As for destroying the TLM, you’d think he’d be only too pleased to have people in church at any Mass these days, the Church is in such decline. Apart from public sinners, those living in openly sinful lives, nobody should be denied the Mass, including the TLM. It’s interesting to read in the Washington Post article that the parishioners were very generous in giving to the collections, so it seems that even money isn’t enough to overcome his hatred of the TLM. It’s beyond belief.
Lily as you probably know we Had an 8.00 Latin Mass in our Parish cancelled by Bishop Toal before the Ink had dried on Bergoglios
T.C. This Mass which was the only Sunday TLM in Lanarkshire was well attended and was more than well Financially supported.
I know not what the collection is at the N.O. Masses but I certainly do know that at the 8.00 T.L.M their were no coins in The Collection.
That probably 50 attended this Mass it means My Parish is down a couple of £100s at least.
Salvation is free as an Old Priest once said, but the Heating has to be paid for . On the Financial front does anyone know the % that goes to The Bishop.
Lily,
From red nose, to fireman’s helmet to Amazon head-dress to Canadian Indigenous head-dress – God help us if he comes to Scotland and insists on wearing a kilt, LOL! Such a clown.
I totally agree! If he comes here, somebody should recite Rabbie Burns’ poem, the one that contains the line ” ‘O wad some Power the giftie gie us / To see oursels as ithers see us!’
LOL!
In the introduction it says, It seems to me that using the Mass as a weapon is a particular type of evil – in a class of its own.
I totally agree. That is what they are doing now, using the Mass as a weapon. The same bishops and priests who don’t want to forbid public sinners from coming to Communion, want to deny traditional Catholics their Mass. It’s shocking.
I’m hoping there will be priests somewhere who don’t obey this unjust ruling. They can’t all be careerists, surely?
Using Mass for their own political means is quite wrong. The way I see now that the Catholic Church is not religious but more of a political organisation with political views. Its getting more entrenched. If I could hazard a guess, its heading for schism in 50 or 100 years time cos Vatican tends to think in a long term re strategy as its gathering at glacial pace.
Editor: yet again, with respect, you fail to make the essential distinction between The Church (the spotless Bride of Christ) and corrupt churchmen. I’ve removed similar confusion below.
Felt sorry for some priests out there who wanted to challenge their bishops but with a threat that they could be kicked out if they dare to.
Oh by the way, I was going back to old blogs of this website. I found a little gem re Padre Pio and Cormac Murphy O’Connor. I can only say ‘wow’. CMOC in short was in fact a head honcho for Gallen mafia group as his protégé is Bishop Roche of ex Leeds diocese. It seems that Padre Pio saw it coming re future, even 40 years ahead of him. That’s astonishing really.
It is a total disgrace that Pope Francis is destroying access to the TLM but ignoring the scandals at the NO. Here’s one of a multitude of examples from YouTube.
If you think those Masses were bad, wait till you see this one. To think this is OK but not the TLM. It is truly something else.
Dear God, how can that priest even begin to justify that shocking travesty? And all the other abuses that pretend to be Masses? How can Pope Francis tolerate this and instead try to close down holy, respectful liturgies. It’s beyond understanding and it amazes me to see often elderly folk in the congregations apparently going along with it all. And some of them are of an age when they should have been properly taught the faith! I think I’ll join Athanasius in his secret traditional hideaway he mentioned recently…
Taylor Marshall is right, that “Mass” is a total abomination. These jokers (as TM calls those conducting these joke-“Masses”) will face damnation at their judgment if they don’t repent and make public reparation for this scandal of scandals.
Michaela,
I don’t know what words they’ve put to that tune that the woman in white is dancing to, but it’s a Scottish tune.
The “beach Mass” leaves me cold. That’s blasphemous.
I agree that Pope Francis going out of his way to destroy access to the TLM, whilst ignoring scandals that we see here in the two previous posts. It makes me wonder if Bishops and priests consider what some of the Saints have said about the floor of hell being littered with the bones and skulls of Bishops and priests. God help our Pope, Bishops and Priests and we have a duty to pray for them.
Editor – Theresa Rose, I removed that link since Bayside is a sedevacantist site, to the best of my knowledge, and pushes some dodgy material. I hope you don’t mind.
Editor,
I do not mind at all for the link being removed. A pity that I had not picked up that Bayside being a sedevacantist site at the time.
We thank God for the gift of the faith that informs us of the presence of the evil spirit in these sacrilegious masses. Woe betide the so-called celebrants of such abominations as these for their judgment will be severe and eternal. We’re living through some truly wicked times when things unimaginable just 60 years ago are now commonplace. God have mercy!
I found this link on Gloria.tv about Cardinal Cupich turning his victims into perpetrators, that is putting them in the positions of abandoning the Traditional Latin Mass.
https://gloria.tv/post/6GxwJiDrRTt22tAt8LxdHPCpp