By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK
A recent appeal from a high-ranking enlisted member of the military for acceptance of exclusively Traditional priests, such as from the Fraternity of St. Peter, to serve as military chaplains was met with rejection. The subsequent headlines characterized the exchange as “Better No Chaplains Than Traditional Ones.”
This reaction unfairly analyzes the practical effect of such a decision. It would have been better called: “Better Fewer Chaplains Who Can Do the Work at Hand Than a Few More Who Can Only Do Part of It.”
The fact is that the New Mass still has plenty of clientele and they have rank and numbers in the military. Their needs must be satisfied and any priest sent on active duty needs to be able to undertake effective “customer service” for all.
Catholics were told for many years by authority figures in the Church that they don’t need Latin anymore and they believed what they were told. Many of them have no desire at this point to change back. Many simply say in an un-Catholic way that they don’t like and don’t want Latin. The blame for this lies squarely upon the shoulders of those who had the responsibility and authority to teach in the Church and instead misled people.
The misbegotten children of rupture born in the wake of Vatican II believe that they are just as Catholic as anyone else. At this point they are very settled in the belief that being Catholic is easier because everything is in English at church. That their children and grandchildren have taken this to heart and believe that faith is now so convenient and easy that they don’t need to go to Mass on Sunday at all must be faced.
Sometimes, older Catholics who go to Saturday vigil Mass as a matter of convenience are no longer accompanied by their children who have taken convenience a step further and refuse to go to Mass at all. These seniors will share their heartbreak with those who get to know them well.
Leaders in the Church often do not know these stories. They do know full churches when they visit the pastoral front lines for conferral of Confirmation, but they aren’t present the Sunday following when the church is bereft of most of the newly confirmed and their families. For many bureaucrats the bottom line is based on paying the bills and not the headcount in the pews on a weekly basis.
As well, many bureaucrats simply blame the pastor when he brings up pastoral problems. This has had a chilling effect in the Church, as seen in the fact that many pastors go along by never mentioning problems and simply pretend there are no problems at all.
What does all this mean for the lone courageous voice which speaks of the future rather than dwelling upon the dying vestiges of the past? He will not get a good hearing in the halls of the mighty. The movement for liturgical reform and a return to the Mass handed down historically remains a grassroots effort. And this is the sign that it will be successful in the end.
One of the reasons for what appears to be the long-term failure of the Vatican II era Mass is that it was forced down from the top. Educated Catholics had been told that the Mass as taught by Pius V would never change. When it did change, untold scandal resulted. Many walked away from the Church. But now a few are returning under the liturgical freedom granted by Benedict XVI with the promulgation of Summorum Pontificum — the tenth anniversary of which we happily celebrate next month.
Whether or not we need Latin, and there are quite a few good arguments as to why we do, the official program of the Church from the top down is to double down on everything from the post-Vatican II era. This no apologies, take no prisoners approach seems to be paying the bills. Perhaps this is because the Vatican II cohorts who were indoctrinated into a “rupture” interpretation of the documents of the council are the established class with the ability to fund well what they want.
At the same time, the appeal of Tradition is found mostly among younger Catholics coming of age. You have read here before about the young adults who frequent the Traditional Mass at my parish. They are just starting out in life and many have not yet married, do not have children coming into the parish educational system, and make lower incomes. Their presence is at this point little more than that.
While many bishops seem to resist any substitution of the TLM for Mass entirely in English, the appeal of the Traditional Latin Mass grows among young families with numerous children.
Many wealthy Catholics and large beneficent organizations in the Church at least on the surface seem to go along entirely with the new Mass. The bishops, of course, would never consider celebrating anything other especially when together for annual conferences, for example. Concelebration is one of the conveniences brought by the Mass of Vatican II and its ease of use for large groups of bishops or priests has become something expected.
It is true that when one is on a large pilgrimage and there are many priests, and the tour group must move along quickly, that one or more priests needing to celebrate alone in order to opt for the TLM may very easily miss the bus.
In earlier days, the necessary work was done in order to accommodate large groups of priests. That also was before multiple altars were removed from many churches.
The Vatican II era has laid great stress on having one altar with the one community gathered around it. This stress on unity included the priests, without regard to the fact that as a result of the concelebrations, fewer Masses would be said. But the Church needs all the grace it can get in these times of stress and scandal.
While on a recent trip on orders for the Navy, I was surprised to find one more place where the TLM is warmly welcomed when the opportunity presented itself. It was my last military travel before retiring and a return to where I served as chaplain for the Catholic community, from 2003 to 2006.
Naval Station Mayport, Fla., is on the northeast coast of the state adjacent to the city of Jacksonville. It is a place affected by the low numbers of active duty priests and thus is served by a contract civilian priest. Fr. Darius is from Poland and also serves the faithful off the base with a weekly Traditional Latin Mass in the Jacksonville area.
I was humbled and impressed by his priestly heart as he assisted for my Traditional Mass. He then invited me back to offer the TLM for the community Mass the following day. The chapel is well equipped with the necessary books and altar cards. They even provided a biretta. Young officers and families with children happily attend the Traditional Mass.
Perhaps the peaceful coexistence of both versions of the Latin rite is the best model at present. Priests who offer both are the answer.
@MCITLFrAphorism
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