With the current pontificate’s recovery of so much of the 1970’s mentality and ideologies, one of them that is recovered is the demonization of those who were considered pre-Vatican II Catholics in the 1970’s. As I have written before, being called “pre-Vatican II” back in the 1970’s was like using the “n” word toward these Catholics.
So call me the Catholic “n” word. I am a pre-Vatican II Catholic as I was born into the pre-Vatican II Church in January of 1954 when I was baptized in Naples, Italy. I made my First Confession and Holy Communion in the pre-Vatican II Church in Augusta, Georgia in 1961 and I was Confirmed there when I was in the 4th grade in 1962.
Yes, you read that correctly! I was completely initiated into the Pre-Vatican II Church through Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.
BUT HERE IS THE POINT OF MY PRE-VATICAN II IDENTITY
The other night I spoke on the phone to a young Catholic in his early 20’s. He drives to Jacksonville, Florida from the Savannah area to attend the SSPX Sunday Mass there because he can’t stand any Novus Ordo Mass.
He asked me what I thought about that and I told him my mind as a pre-Vatican II Catholic.
I said I would never step foot into that Church when there are Catholic Masses within my parish boundaries that I can attend, Masses that are valid, regardless of how well or how poorly these are celebrated. If it is valid, I will attend only those Masses that are under the jurisdiction of the local bishop in union with the pope.
I would only attend an SSPX Mass if there were no choices under the jurisdiction of the local bishop in union with the pope.
Being Catholic means being in full communion with the Supreme Pontiff and the local bishop of the area in where I am geographically.
When I was a child in my pre-Vatican II Church, I told my dad that I had looked into the Episcopal Church down the road from our Catholic parish and where we lived. I told him it looked like our parish church, with the six tall candlesticks on the altar and a crucifix over the altar.
He was livid. He said to me that I should not even have looked inside that church through its glass doors, similar to the doors of my parish church.
And thus you see where I am coming from as a pre-Vatican II Catholic. I would never go to a “valid” but “illicit” Mass that is not under the full communion of the Catholic Church and her pope and bishops.
Enough said!
7 comments:
So, when the choice is between any local diocean mass which borders on sacrilege with arm flapping choir director at grand piano down front backing near empty bleacbered choir also down front, supporting Father Feelgood who consecrates bread and wine in 2secs in order to leave plenty of time to whine just how wonderful everybody is, I am supposed to go there, instead of attending a mass where people are actually trying to worship God, because, well, what matters are the rules and not worwhip?
Yes! Be a man, suck it up and witness to the redemptive power of liturgical suffering. Post Vatican II neo traditionalists are such liturgical snowflakes! But us true pre Vatican II traditionalists not at all!
Sounds more like a pharisee to me, "rules are rules, you know?".
Oh, my, flip flopping to a progressive. We true pre-Vatican II Catholics appreciate rules and regulations and God’s grace to carry the heavy cross of liturgical suffering, redemptive suffering.
Is SSPX in schism or not?
At the precipice, their bishops are not in union with the pope. Their churches in various cities are not under the local bishop appointed by the pope.
Paul, the SSPX are not fully regularized but they are not considered to be in schism. A Catholic can fulfill his Sunday obligation by attending Mass at an SSPX chapel and can receive the sacraments from them, including Confession*.
*Yes, Pope Francis has done something positive during his papacy. No, I am not saying this balances out any of the negative things he has said or done (I am being pre-emptive with this last sentence).
The problem with the "suck it up" mentality is that if a Mass causes spiritual harm to a person, to the point where his faith is threatened, it would be better to find a different Catholic Mass to attend. This would include attending an SSPX chapel. For me, personally, attending an SSPX chapel would be a last resort, as where I live there are plenty of other options. However, I have no desire to judge those who would choose differently.
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