In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen
My dearly beloved in Our Lord,
Bergoglio’s recent Motu proprio “Traditionis custodes” is giving ample occasion to conservatives and traditionalists to defend the “old Mass”.
In doing so they are playing Bergoglio’s game, which is that of typical modern dialectics. (From conflicting or even contradictory premises a new reality shall emanate: thesis vs antithesis → synthesis.)We find the same plan in Ratzinger’s “Summorum Pontificum” (2007) and the accompanying letter, where he states that the two legitimate forms of the Roman rite should fertilize each other. Ratzinger’s brainchild has always been “the reform of the reform”, which corresponds to another modern idea, that of permanent change, struggle and revolution, postulated to be identical with “progress”.
Conservatives, including SSPX, are like army generals who are busy with an eternal discussion about which part of the enemy army to attack: the infantry or the artillery? Which part of their own army to utilize or to strengthen: tanks, ships, missiles, bows and arrows…? While doing so they do not realize that they are losing the war because they cannot make up their minds as to what is what and as to what to do.
The battle line is not to know or decide whether one rite or the other is better, nicer, more appealing; whether or not to openly attack the other rite or to push on with you own agenda. The battle line is the decision whether or not the rite approved by Montini is a Catholic rite, a rite of the Church, or not; whether it is valid or not.
By all standards of Catholic Sacramental theology, Montini’s rite is not valid, intrinsically. I have explained this and will explain it often still – but not here and now.
Conservatives and traditionalists who have no clear stance on the question of the invalidity of the “new” Mass promulgated by Montini (Paul VI) on April 3rd, 1969, are now being dealt with by Bergoglio in the most cynical manner possible (in an astounding parallel to what is happening in politics and society). He declares that the local ordinaries, the diocesan bishops, are the custodians of Tradition. Take that, “traditionalists”! The cynicism resides in the fact that in ordinary circumstances this is absolutely true: You are a Catholic because, among other criteria, you are in communion with your local ordinary and through him with the Pope. Only: the Church is not living and operating in normal circumstances because she is deprived of her visible head, a true Vicar of Christ, a Pope (formally speaking) and also of her jurisdictional hierarchy altogether (but not of her sacramental hierarchy of bishops, priests etc.).
Based on his true/false premise, Bergoglio decides, contrary to his predecessor Ratzinger (the deus ex machina for many conservatives, a pope-to-the-rescue), that the utmost restrictions must be placed on the celebration of the “old” rite. As some analysts have put it, he is turning the Tridentine Mass into a museum piece.
Those who have no clear cut stance on the question of the Authority in the Church in the present day, have no real means to fight off Bergoglio’s logic. SSPX in particular are writing and screaming; while making it clear to anyone who has eyes to see, that they are in full communion with Bergoglio, minus the official signature and stamp. (Here in Austria they have acquired one of the oldest churches in the heart of Vienna in May. It has been purportedly donated to them by the Italian congregation which used that church. Small presents maintain a friendship, as we say: “Kleine Geschenke erhalten die Freundschaft.”)
Let us let the dead bury their dead, as Our Lord says (cf Mt 8:22; Lk 9:60), and follow him instead of exhausting our little forces in entrenched battles that hold no promise of success!
Our situation is precarious because our numbers are small; the number of priests offering the true and unchanged Mass is even smaller; the number of such priests refusing any compromise with adulterated and viciated celebrations, especially through the “una cum”, the mentioning of Bergoglio/Francis in the Canon of the Mass, is even smaller. The greater number of traditionalist priests fool themselves and the faithful by a laxist pastoral attitude in this regard, and in many other regards.
Again, parallel to the disintegration of society which demands a constant inner effort of vigilance and refocusing on that which is essential, the noxious environment in many traditionalist circles is a constant threat to the integrity of our mind, and of our Faith. As in the body gangrene mostly starts from something small and unimportant, but which has been neglected, so in the spiritual life unnoticeable decline or degradation precedes total demise! “Nemo repente fit pessimus. - No one becomes all-bad suddenly.”
In the congregations which demand my priestly assistance, there are small but clear signs of decline and deterioration:
The priest does not look at the congregation during Holy Mass; this is very strictly forbidden by the rubrics of the Missal. But sounds remain perceptible, and thus I notice that regularly people sit themselves right after having received Holy Communion. There is no reasonable logic or explanation for this since they will be back on their knees as soon as the priest says the Communio and Postcommunio! So why on earth would anyone even contemplate sitting down right after having received Our Lord’s Body in the Holy Eucharist? If you are that tired, you should be in your bed, not in the chapel! Objectively it is an outrage; subjectively a total lack of comprehension of the reality of communion. It is like saying: “Ah, Jesus, you are there? That’s nice. Have a good time! I’m resting… I’m tired. Hope you understand.”
Those who have come from the “new” Mass are easier to excuse; but still, they need to catch up quickly with the realities and exigencies of the Catholic life. They do not realize how important it is to kneel and to objectivate their attitude and behavior. Again and again there are people who stand during parts of a low Mass, and even during the priest’s blessing.
Another alarming fact which I have witnessed in different locations over the past months, is the fact that there is a good number of young men who start attending Mass. But it does not come to their mind that they could and should learn how to serve Mass. Even if you do not regularly serve Mass (because there are altar boys already), as a Catholic teenager or young man you should know at least the basics of serving: giving the responses, ringing the bell, assisting the priest at the Offertory and after Communion. It is not normal that the priest needs to give the responses and serve himself at the altar. He can do it; but it should be the last resort. Not practicing the “dialogue Mass” does not mean that you cannot or should not learn to give the responses, and know how to accurately ring the bell – even the girls and ladies. Sometimes there is no one else at Mass, and then you are called to represent the Church during this particular celebration of Mass.
St Pius X said that in his day and age, the greater number of Catholics must be numbered among the ignorant with regards to the truths of the Faith. What would he say or write now?… Certainly you do not need to know everything, or become an erudite scholar of Mass or its rubrics. But it remains true that one cannot love what he does not know! Making the effort of knowing at least the basics of the inner works of Holy Mass will open wide your horizon of praying at Mass, instead of just enduring it… which is the great danger and menace, at least for the next generation.
Let us ask Our Lady, whose most holy Name we celebrate today. She has snatched us from the peril of muslim invasion on that day (Vienna, 1683)! May she also protect our Faith, and guide us through the perils of the present exhausting battles!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
P. Arnold Trauner (paterarnold@hotmail.com), njemački i engleski
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