Since the retirement of Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa and his replacement with David Konderla, there has been some controversy. First, there was the departure of exorcist Father Chad Rippenger and then that of the removal of a fledgling group of nuns, the Daughter of Mary, Mother of Israel's Hope.
The article below is a guest post by Laramie Hirch of The Hirsch Files.
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The original modernist design
of Sts. Peter and Paul. Bare bones,
vacuous, empty...modern.
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I'm doing my best to try to
not post much about the local Tulsa Catholic ordeal. I never set out to
be a reporter or any such thing. Yet, if I don't document what has been
happening in this particular diocese, I don't think anyone will. And
recently, something so beautiful--and, perhaps, even sad--has been occurring
over the past month, and I think I would be neglectful to not share it.
But first, a few things.
I want to thank my online colleague, Vox Cantoris, for allowing me to share
this information with you. My blog, The Hirsch Files, is
still currently down for various reasons, and I would otherwise have no way of
sharing this story. (Anyone who wishes to still view my blog and its
archives can obtain an invitation by mailing me at nobious1 at gmail dot com.)
Next, some background.
Since September of last year (2016), I have been covering the incremental
dismantling of the Traditional Catholic network in the Tulsa diocese.
This has been ongoing ever since the pro-Traditionalist Catholic Bishop
Slattery went into retirement under Pope Francis, and was replaced with the
young Bishop Konderla--a former college chaplain for Texas A&M
University. Since then, under this new bishop, Tulsa has witnessed the
ouster of famed exorcist, Fr. Paul
Ripperger, as well as the ouster of an order of nuns called the Daughters of Mary, led by
Mother Miriam, host of Heart to
Heart With Mother Miriam. A wave of subtle and not-so-subtle
changes against Tradition has been sweeping across the diocese. For
example, Vespers and ad orientum have been cancelled at the
downtown Cathedral, much to the delight of the modernist priests in the
diocese.
Another recent piece of sad
news was the sabbatical of Fr. Timothy Davidson from Sts. Peter and Paul, the
location of Tulsa's diocesan Latin Mass. At this parish, Fr. Davidson
oversaw Mass for the Novus Ordo English and Spanish communities, as well as the
Tridentine Latin Mass. Not only was Fr. Davidson loved by the community
he worked for, but the conversion of his heart towards Tradition became known
even to The
Remnant. It has been stated that Fr. Davidson left to take care of
family out of state; however, one wonders if that is common practice for
priests, and if perhaps something else is going on. Fr. Davidson's
absence has left the future of the diocesan TLM hanging on life support.
Which brings us to the recent
phenomenon.
Legacy
Before Fr. Davidson left Sts.
Peter and Paul, he made sure to have a legacy plan in place. Out of love
for the communities that have formed around the parish, including the Latin
community, Fr. Davidson made plans to perpetuate what he tried to build up for
the glory of God.
Now, in order to perpetuate
the TLM, Fr. Davidson made sure to teach another parish priest how to say the
Latin Mass. However, there was a problem. This second priest did
not speak English. Therefore, an English-speaking deacon would
give the homily. This arrangement certainly has felt a bit dicey for that
parish, and understandably, a few families have left the parish for the
seemingly more secure FSSP parish across the Arkansas River.
The Latin community's
continuation is also dubious because the Bishop of Tulsa has placed a priest in
charge of the parish who is not, exactly, friendly to Tradition. His
approach, it has been said, has been rough around the edges, and it appears the
new pastor has a hesitation to accept the new parish, being averse to
Tradition.
Why do I say this about the
new priest, and what has happened?
One of the first things that
occurred with the arrival of the new priest was that ad orientum was
abolished in the English and Spanish Masses. The altar is a modernist
"supper table" once more. Furthermore, the new priest has
insisted that it's okay for the laity to stand to receive communion
irreverently in the hand. And, I could be wrong, but I think the new
priest intentionally does not help the Spanish-speaking priest with the TLM
during communion--though he will dart in and give a homily now and then,
darting out again when he's finished.
Beauty Under Siege
There is still a
Spanish-speaking priest officiating the Universal Mass of the Ages at Sts.
Peter and Paul. The Anglos at the TLM don't understand him much, but
they do understand his intentions--and struggles--to keep
Traditional Catholicism alive. The pressure upon the Spanish-speaking
priest must be great, as he has not only the weight of the official parish
priest to bear, but also the weight of Bishop Konderla's disdain for the TLM
and the Traditionalist community.
Consequently, as a result of
the undoing of the loving work of the former pastor, some families from the
Spanish community have come over to the Latin Mass. These families are
tired of the modernist subversion tactics, and they seem to be going against
the New Order that is being forced upon them by the new parish priest.
They are retreating towards Universalism. They are escaping to the true
Catholicism that once united the entire world. And, I say again, these
families are Spanish-speaking parishioners. They have replenished the
numbers of the Latin community.
For years, I can tell you, Fr.
Davidson sought to do his best to merge the English-speakers and the
Spanish-speakers into one community that would be universal. That is the
reason why the Mass was always in Latin. Because it was a universal
language that people of different cultures and languages could mutually
understand together. Yet, Fr. Davidson just couldn't pull it off during
his tenure. There were hang-ups in the past, for whatever reason.
Perhaps the Hispanic community was hesitant about the idea of the TLM, which
was something they didn't understand. Perhaps they were too comfortable
with Mass being said in the vernacular. Perhaps they took Fr. Davidson
for granted when he was still in the parish.
However, now it is being
demonstrated that a Spanish-speaking priest is trying to carry out the universal
mission of the Catholic Church with the TLM. And the Hispanic community
at Sts. Peter and Paul are beginning to see that this priest--who can speak
their language and understand their culture--is under a sort of attack.
And so they come to his aid with their numbers. Are they acting out of
love for true Catholicism, which they are beginning to understand now under the
duress of struggle? Is this merely a tribal reaction to show support for
the Spanish-speaking priest? I cannot tell which is the case, but this
phenomenon is happening, and there is much potential for friendship
and solidarity between the Hispanic and Anglo community.
This little event at Sts.
Peter and Paul is a microcosm of what the Universal Church is all about.
It is sad that it takes soft persecution, veiled threats, and struggle in order
to come to something like this. But it's one of the most beautiful things
I've ever seen in a church community in my entire life.
Conclusion
At long last, the Anglo and
Hispanic communities at Sts. Peter and Paul are finding a place to have common
ground. They are uniting under the Latin Mass.
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Will Sts. Peter and Paul return to its spartan, blank style? |
I pray that Bishop Konderla,
the new priest at Sts. Peter and Paul, and all modernist priests in the Diocese
of Tulsa consider this wonderful thing that has happened in the diocesan TLM
community. It is said that Bishop Slattery was once a sort of Baby Boomer
bishop whose heart converted. Dear Lord, please let it be the same with
this parish's new priest and bishop.
There is more to the Catholic
Faith than just liberal novelties stemming from the late 1960s. The Faith
can be as deep as the ocean if you allow it to be. There is no end to the
number of profound things that can occur in a Tradition that has been built up
for 2,000 years. Catholicism holds a vast arsenal of incredible truths
and much potential beyond our imaginations--if only our modern pastors would
stop fighting against it.
There is nothing wrong with a
Renaissance.