... if the Roman Catholic faith will be saved from secularism in France, it will be the achievement of the traditional groups of priests celebrating the Traditional Mass such as FSSPX, FSSP and ICRSS.Wishful thinking? Do the math, adjust the variables, see what alternatives you come up with. The wild card, of course, is a possible geo-political event of historic magnitude. Short of that, things will more or less continue in their current trajectory. It's true, the TLM may be available daily in no more than 75 places nationwide, as a reader observed, and aside from a few bishops like Cordileone and Morlino, the majority remain disinterested or downright unfriendly. But the trajectory in question spells, mutatis mutandis, the exponential collapse of the churches spawned in the 1960s; and if Centurio's calculations are even half-right, they spell a much greater leadership role for traditional priests in the future of France.
[Hat tip to Sir A.S.]
Pertinacious Papist,
ReplyDeleteThe statement about most bishops being mostly, uninterested, is somewhat untrue. Let me state a few examples:
1) +Vigneron, Detroit, USA: Despite being in the archdiocese where known Catholic ``firebrand`` who criticizes bishops, Michael Voris, is situated with his ChurchMilitantTV, this bishop has celebrated the Latin Mass and is favourable to it. http://te-deum.blogspot.ca/2009/01/proof-positive-photos-of-abp-elect.html
2) +Terence Prendergast, Archdiocese of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: This guy is probably our most pro-Traditional bishop in Canada, despite being a Jesuit. He has for a number of years, celebrated the Latin Mass with the FSSP and even gone down to their seminary in Nebraska to do ordinations or minor order graduations. Further, he still allows the FSSP to remain in Ottawa (who have been there since 1994,) and is happy to do so and work with them. He`s also done this outside of Ottawa, as seen here: http://www.theanglocatholic.com/2012/06/archbishop-prendergast-celebrates-the-traditional-latin-mass-at-the-eucharistic-congress/
3) My Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Collins! Where can I begin. My Eminence is quite pro-traditional, despite what other bloggers criticize him for NOT doing when he has publically a number of times spoken out on moral issues. Further, Latin Mass participation you say? Well, for the first time since Vatican II, in my Archdicese of Toronto, a Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated in the Presence of a Prealte, June 8, 2014, whereby His Eminence was seated at a (makeshift, to the best of abilities and limited sanctuary space) throne or episcopal sedilia. Just look up Mass for Monsignor Vincent Foy or even the Msgr's own blog of his writings for pictures. With this wonderful benchmark in our diocese, he will likely allow for more Traditional Latin Masses, either at parishes, or maybe a second invite to the FSSP, in the future.
So while I may sound harsh, the statement "...the majority remain disinterested or downright unfriendly...." is quite untrue, and more and more Latin Masses are happening. It might take another generation for more conservative bishops to take the seats in the world, but the tide is turning and it wouldn't be best to subscribe to such negative sentiments. Otherwise the battle is pretty much half over before it began.
Pax.
Thank God for the French. As Belloc points out, they saved the Faith once before and if the trend indicated by those #s continues, they will make it triumphant in this world again.
ReplyDeleteMr. Barkin,
ReplyDeleteI stand corrected. Thanks for the link, especially, to our own Abp Vigneron, which I missed somewhere along the way!
You will certainly agree, though, that there are many 70s vintage bishops and priests who still tend to dig in their heels at any mention of things "Tridentine," I believe?
I will agree, in turn, that it's better to look on the bright side of life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9D7w_tbtKM