Before the more widespread post Vatican II celebration of the TLM in the USA and before a push to “reform the reform” or “reform in continuity”, there was (and still is) a clear demarcation between the divided Church of the post Vatican II era and which branch is faithful and of those less faithful if not down right heterodox.
The element that was and is called “progressive” (I prefer the term heterodox) were and are those parts of the Church dying on the vine. The first victims of this heterodoxy were the once great religious orders of women from the pre-Vatican II Church who had done such a wonderful job with Catholic schools, universities, hospitals and outreach to the poor. They were missionary as well, with women religious all around the world, especially in 3rd world countries.
They updated beyond recognition, bought into every novelty and allowed all kinds of silly ways of living their “charism”. Most stopped wearing any kind of habit, but also started living by themselves. Community life was gutted.
In their push to promote women priests, they came to hate the Mass with male priests who were orthodox. They substituted silly “paraliturgies” that became an embarrassment to watch or experience.
All of these orders have declined to the point of no longer being viable. 99% of Catholic children today, even in Catholic schools are clueless about religious life of women. They’ve only seen them portrayed on TV or movies.
Only those updated communities of women who remained faithful to Christ, the Church, wearing a religious habit, even if modified, living in community with specific apostolates and celebrating the modern Mass with dignity and reverence, are prospering. Think of the Nashville Dominicans and a handful of others. They don’t celebrate the TLM; they are fully post-VAtican II in the best sense of the word. They have had a proper update and renewal.
The same is true of parishes and dioceses that are orthodox and faithful to Christ and the Church and the Second Vatican Council properly understood and implemented. These parishes are flourishing, not only in numbers, but also fidelity. Yes, there are mega Catholic parishes with thousands of people, but if you survey them about what they believe, you will find that these parishes are good at forming heterodox Catholics who don’t believe what the Church believes, teaches and proclaims to be revealed by God. They want LGBTQ+++ ideologies in the Church and “its” priesthood, religious life and marriages.
They don’t believe what the Church believes about the Holy Eucharist.
It’s as though it is another denomination within the Latin Rite. And these parishes and dioceses aren’t producing vocations of any kind. The world has formed them as well as the worship as entertainment.
The part of the Church that is flourishing are those parishes that celebrate the modern vernacular Mass facing the congregation but with proper reverence, chants and energy as foreseen by St. Pope PaulVI. They heeded his initial lamentations about how wrong Vatican II was being implemented in the Church, her Mass and religious life and followed the right path, the faithful path.
Religious life that is flourishing today are those who have updated in continuity with their past even if habits are modified and life is more flexible and humane compared to the pre-Vatican II experience.
Let’s set aside the TLM experience of success where there are successes but also infidelity to the Magisterium, SSPX and others more extreme. The faithful Church, even if modernized according to the sober plans of Vatican II, is the faithful Church. FIDELITY, FIDELITY, FIDELITY!
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