Cardinal George is puzzled

If he's confused, what about the rest of us?

"He says wonderful things, but he doesn't put them together all the time time so you're left at times puzzling over what his intention is. What he says is clear enough, but what does he want us to do? I'd like to sit down with him and say, Holy Father, first of all, thank you for letting me retire. And could I ask you a few questions about your intentions?"

God bless Cardinal George for articulating what the rest of us think. 

Islam's war on Christ's people

One hundred years after the death of the founder of Islam, Mahomet, the paedophile, murderer, thief and warlord, Christians were nearly wiped out in the Middle East and northern Africa, countries that were Christian since the apostolic era. Let no one convince you that Islam is a religion of peace. It is a political system founded by an antichrist and those who tell you different, lie. 

What we see today is the real Islam.

All Muslims must come to Christ for there to be real peace. 

No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace.

Homosexual wording proponent Forte defeated at Bishops' Conference

Could it be that the Italian bishops are sending a message?

The Italian Episcopal Conference has elected the new Vice President for Central Italy yesterday. 'Monsignor Mario Meini, Bishop of Fiesole, who was preferred by 140 votes against 60 Bruno Forte, Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto and Special Secretary of the Synod on the Family.

MARCO TOSATTI

The Italian Episcopal Conference has elected the new Vice President for Central Italy.  And  it was 'Monsignor Mario Meini, Bishop of Fiesole, who  was preferred to Bruno Forte, Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto and Special Secretary of the Synod on the Family.  Read all of it here.

Cardinaliate excommunication looming?

A hat-tip to Brother Alexis Bugnolo at The Franciscan Archive for a little Tweet that caused me to look for the whole quote from the Council of Trent: Session XIII, Canon XI which states:

CANON XI.-lf any one saith, that faith alone is a sufficient preparation for receiving the sacrament of the most holy Eucharist; let him be anathema. And for fear lest so great a sacrament may be received unworthily, and so unto death and condemnation, this holy Synod ordains and declares, that sacramental confession, when a confessor may be had, is of necessity to be made beforehand, by those whose conscience is burthened with mortal sin, how contrite even soever they may think themselves. But if any one shall presume to teach, preach, or obstinately to assert, or even in public disputation to defend the contrary, he shall be thereupon excommunicated.

To those such as Cardinal Kasper, Cardinal Marx, Cardinal Wuerl who speaks of the "pastoral application of the doctrine" and to the others who hijacked the Synod on the Family by focusing on Holy Communion for those divorced and in civil marriages with no decree of nullity and people suffering from same-sex attraction who act out the urges, how do you expect to get around this?

Will our Holy Father, Pope Francis, uphold the Council of Trent and St. John Paul's document Familiaris Consortio, at least for now still up on the Vatican's web page; or will he flirt with danger by succumbing to the false mercy and lies of those Cardinals who have threatened the unity of the Church and scandalised the "little ones?"

Yet, these Cardinals are in "full communion."

The Pope's Unforced Error

A salient and brilliant observation from a priest of the Diocese of Burlington in National Review. 

His demotion of Cardinal Burke, a loyal but eloquent critic, could turn out to be his greatest mistake.

By Benedict Kiely

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke.

Vatican politics is notoriously fickle, and media reports about who is in and who is out usually depend on the particular bias of the reporter. However, for months, reports from both the ecclesiastical left and the right were in agreement about the imminent demotion of the leading American cardinal in the Vatican: the Church’s chief justice, or, to give him his proper the title, the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, the highest judicial authority in the Church, after the pope — Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke. For once, it seems, the tittle-tattle over the evening limoncello was correct. Burke has been “promoted” downward to a position that is normally a sinecure for an elderly cardinal past his sell-by date. As the new cardinal protector of the Sovereign Order of Malta, Burke, a youthful 66, will now oversee the Knights of Malta, one of the oldest existing military orders in the Catholic Church. They are known today mainly for their works of charity.

Does Pope Francis' Consultor desire women priests?

Does the Pontifical Council for Culture support women priests?
The "Erotic Buddhist" whom Pope Francis appointed as Consultor

(Rome) The Pontifical Council for Culture  is preparing an "opening"  towards women priests?  Pablo d'Ors, appointed papal Consultor  of the Council for Culture since July, 1st, is convinced of a realignment. "While orthodox Church representatives are being kicked out from the Vatican,   heretics are being brought in," said Messa in Latino about the Spanish priest, novelist and "Zen Buddhist" and his interview in the daily newspaper La Repubblica .

For the rest of this putrid information you can click to read it and weep here.

To be Catholic is to be a "radical traditionalist"

What Catholics once were, we are.

If we are wrong, then Catholics through the ages have been wrong.

We are what you once were.

We worship as you once worshipped.

If we are wrong now, you were wrong then.

If you were right then, we are right now.

Robert De Plante

Given the quotation above, I think we can say it clearly; if you are not a traditional Catholic then you are a bad Catholic and in fact, a protestant. You flirt with dissent and heresy and you are the cause of schism and the current crisis in the Church. 

To be Catholic is to be traditionalist. To be traditionalist is to be Catholic. It seems that during these times of crisis in the Church to be traditionalist in a Catholic sense is to make one the equivalent of the red-headed stepchild. What of those who use this phrase to describe their fellow Catholics? What does it make them when they use the tactis of Saul Alinsky himself?

Frankly, it makes them, bad Catholics. 

When one is accused of being a "radical traditionalist" what does it mean?

Does it mean that one rejects the Second Vatican Council or the "banal manufactured product" of the new Mass as Benedict XVI referred to it? What if one accepts the reality of the new, but prefers the old? Does it mean that one speaks out against the shenanigans coming from the highest places in Rome? If we are angry about the heresy proposed by Kasper or his racist remarks about Africans, if we are disturbed by some of Pope Francis' ill-chosen words and phrases or interviews, if we are dismayed when media prominent priests blatantly ignore the liturgical law and then distort to explain it away, does that make us radical traditionalists? If we oppose the will of some bishops and cardinals to provide the Most Blessed Sacrament to people in unrepentant mortal sin does that make us radical traditionalists? 

I hope so!

One cannot be Catholic without being traditional. If one is Catholic one must be radical. The word comes from the the Latin radix, meaning root. How can Catholic be anything but radical, particularly living within this secular world and the new "pagan ideology" that has taken over parts of the Church as so aptly phrased by Bishops Schneider.

The reason that we are labelled such is that we are right. Those who put these labels on us are conflicted and schizophrenic because on one hand, they might like a little Latin Mass once or twice per year but on the other hand they have become "pagan Catholics" as our Holy Father so aptly called them a few days ago. If all you can do is look away from the real problems and crisis facing the Church and mock and deride then you are nothing more than a coward and part of the problem; and this goes for you if you are laity or priest or a bishop. You are lukewarm and you will be spat out on the last day.

If I wish to follow the practices of the faith in my life my parents grew up with in the Church I am, in the positive sense of the word, proud to be a radical traditionalist.

If you are not a radical traditionalist, then you are simply, not Catholic. 

The forgotten Saint (already); the forgotten Synod

For your edification and the condemnation of those who manipulated the recent Synod. 

There has been much talk about Pope Francis’s speech concluding the recent Synod on the Family. However, as a priest friend of mine, who was in Rome during the 1980 Synod on the Family, pointed out, there is not much new under the sun. Even back in 1980, the question of Holy Communion for the divorced and remarried was brought up.

It is almost like looking at some strange alternate reality. A Tale of Two Synods. At the Synod in 1980 there was a doctrinal conflict over the very same issues as were contested in 2014. Given the surprising similarities, it is especially interesting to see how Pope St. John Paul II resolved these conflicts in his closing speech. It is almost as if he wrote this speech just for us at the end of the 2014 Synod.

We are now entering the Twilight Zone.

Before you click to read the rest, here, take a look at the picture above. Notice anything?

Father Tom Rosica, CSB: Chalicegate

Well, well, well; what do we have here?

I awoke this morning to a tip from a confidential source. It seems that the earthenware "chalice" allegedly belonging to St. John Paul II is, in fact, a ciboria used for World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. There were 1000 commissioned by WYD2002 manufactured by the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master in Montreal.

It was a little surreal last night when at my usual Saturday Cantor service at a Toronto Church in the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite a cupboard door in the sacristy was open and what did I see but the same earthenware chalice belonging to St. John Paul II. 

How could this be, I thought. How could there be another?

Well, that little BlackBerry message this morning said it all.

So, now for the apocalypse in the truest sense of the word, an unveiling.

Here is the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, Luigi Bonazzi using the alleged "chalice" of St. John Paul II as discussed in the two posts below and the Tweet.

Cheers!

Here is our Sainted Pope celebrating the Holy Sacrifice at World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto.

The Sainted Pope celebrating the Sacrifice supporting his declining body.

Here we have an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, ahem, cough, speckle-fitted nutty, with the WYD2002 logo on her shirt distributing the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ from an earthenware ciboria; one of a thousand, I hear.

Notice anything?

Someone owes an apology to the Apostolic Nuncio.

Tom Rosica CSB caught in the Act -- The Saint made me do it!

DATELINE TWITTER - In a stunning Tweet today, Father Thomas Rosica, CSB, President of the Assumption University, Executive Producer of Salt + Light - Your Catholic Channel of Hope and English spokesman for the Holy See itself claimed that the illicit earthenware chalice which the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada was forced to use in a "special" Mass at the studio was, in fact, that of the newest Pope Saint in the Catholic Church.

As reported by the intrepid insiders at Salt + Light, the Nuncio was "most diplomatic" in recognizing that it would be awkward to end the Mass after he noticed the "reprobated" earthenware chalice presented to him at the Offertory. 

"It's okay" said our inside source, "Father Tom says that just as Pope Francis is not bound by liturgical law and is truly humble for washing the feet of Muslims and women, it's the same with the Pope Saint!" in an explanation of how Rosica rationalized the disobedience to Redemptionis Sacramentum a document issued by St. John Paul II to put an end to liturgical abuses.

It is claimed that the illicit earthenware cup was owned by St. John Paul II and therefore, okay to use, notwithstanding that there is no evidence that this was the case nor that the Saint used the chalice after his promulgation of the law as spelled out in Redemptionis Sacramentum. "Well, there's not exactly a picture of the Saint using it, we have no real proof" responded the source as to evidence that the illicit earthenware cup was ever owed or used by the great Pope and Saint. "But they were all used at WYD2002 so that's the same thing, right?" continued our source.

In a further Tweet, Father Rosica also expressed grave concern that those attending the Latin Mass are being abused and ridiculed by others who are "angry" and "filled with venom and hate toward those who see Latin as a unifying force."

Sources at Salt + Light indicate that Father Tom Rosica is a great fan of Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals. 

"Oh yes, Rule #12 is a particular favourite." said another source. "Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it and polarize it." Asked to explain, the source continued, "Father Tom believes in cutting off the support network to isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions, people hurt faster than institutions." After explaining to the source Father Rosica's dozens of letters of "direct personalised criticism" particularly the "chant and rant" the source responded; "Oh yes, it is important to ridicule the work and personalise the target". 

The Pope's Purge

In a move today long expected and without precedent, Pope Francis has removed the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke appointing him to what is a ceremonial role as Sovereign Patron of the Military Order of the Knights of Malta. 

To Cardinal Burke, we love you and hold you dear in our hearts and prayers. We need you at this time to continue to champion the truth against the "neo-pagan ideology" that has infected the Holy See at its highest offices.

To my friends here in Toronto and others around the world in this venerable Order, congratulations on your new Patron.

I will state it again, when the Grand Lodge of Italy upon the election of this Bishop of Rome rejoices and states, "nothing will be the same" you had better believe it.

The mask is off of this papacy for all to see.

God help us.

Vox.

Tom Rosica CSB and his "Earthen Vessels"

Oh dear.

There are so many issues in the Church and world right now and I really hate to put on my liturgical cop costume, Halloween has passed us by after all. However, it is in the little things that all begins to go awry with the faith and it begins in the liturgy. If one cannot follow the laws and norms here, then it is not far to stretch when it comes to giving in to Holy Communion for the divorced and remarried or unrepentant people in homosexual unions. 

The reason must be simple; they've lost the faith in the Real Presence.

Let us look now at this paragraph from Redemptionis Sacramentum published under the authority of a Saint of Heaven, Saint John Paul II.

3. Sacred Vessels
[117.] Sacred vessels for containing the Body and Blood of the Lord must be made in strict conformity with the norms of tradition and of the liturgical books. The Bishops’ Conferences have the faculty to decide whether it is appropriate, once their decisions have been given the recognitio by the Apostolic See, for sacred vessels to be made of other solid materials as well. It is strictly required, however, that such materials be truly noble in the common estimation within a given region, so that honour will be given to the Lord by their use, and all risk of diminishing the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic species in the eyes of the faithful will be avoided. Reprobated,*therefore, is any practice of using for the celebration of Mass common vessels, or others lacking in quality, or devoid of all artistic merit or which are mere containers, as also other vessels made from glass, earthenware, clay, or other materials that break easily. This norm is to be applied even as regards metals and other materials that easily rust or deteriorate.

We can pardon the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada being a diplomat and all that. 

But not his host!

So, unless that earthenware cup is lined with precious gold or silver, we have a little problem.

Why do these men expect obedience from us when as the good Clericalists and hypocrites that they are, they cannot be obedient themselves.

Matthew Chapter 23: [1] Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, [2] Saying: The scribes and the Pharisees have sitten on the chair of Moses. [3] All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not; for they say, and do not. [4] For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men' s shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them. [5] And all their works they do for to be seen of men. For they make their phylacteries broad, and enlarge their fringes.

We're just so neo-pelagian and Pharisaical all worried about law and all that nasty stuff.

*reprobate (ˈrɛprəʊˌbeɪt)

adj

1. morally unprincipled; depraved

2. (Theology) Christianity destined or condemned to eternal punishment in hell

n

3. an unprincipled, depraved, or damned person

4. a disreputable or roguish person: the old reprobate.

vb (tr)

5. to disapprove of; condemn

6. (Theology) (of God) to destine, consign, or condemn to eternal punishment in hell

[C16: from Late Latin reprobātus held in disfavour, from Latin re- + probāre to approve¹]

reprobacy n ˈreproˌbater n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

Cardinal Burke's full interview with Spanish magazine Vida Nueva

"It seems to many that the Church's ship has lost its compass"

The interview of Cardinal Burke with Spanish Catholic weekly Vida Nueva is now very well-known due to the expression, "a rudderless ship", but taken out of context. Below, you will find the full translation of the interview (we thankRorate's Spanish-language partners at Adelante la Fe - Rorate en Español for providing us the original text)

Interview

Raymond Leo Burke

"It seems to many that the Church's ship has lost its compass."

US Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke is considered one of the representatives of the Curial sector most resistant to change, as he demonstrates by deeming "critical" the current moment, in which for "many" the Church is sailing "as a ship without a rudder." Opposed to the theses of cardinal Walter Kasper on the admission of the remarried divorced to the sacraments - "marriage is indissoluble. If I marry someone, I cannot live with someone else" - he calls homosexuality "suffering" and he considers that there was an intent to conduct the Synod on the Family towards a position of laxity. He even denounced the "manipulation" that was tried with the information that was released from the synodal assembly, at the same time in which he laments the "confusion" and the "pastoral difficulties" caused by the debate on these hot-button issues. Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Vatican Supreme Court, his transferal to the position of cardinal patron of the Order of Malta, an honorific job without any content, is considered certain.

Read all of it here at Rorate Caeli Blog. 

 

Is Patriarch Kiril more Catholic than the Pope?

Two weeks ago, I asked the question of our Holy Father Pope Francis about our poor sister Asia Bibi and the lack of any outward action by the Pope. Signs of Ostpolitik and Cardinal Mindszenty, eh?; from the pope recently "beatified". 

Now, the Patriarch of Moscow intervenes. How is this possible? Sorry, Patriarch, there is no "risk" -- Rome does not seem to care, though I would love to be proven wrong.

Where is our Pope? 

Is he too busy with our rich and wealthy pornography producing German bishops or cavorting with heretics and proclaiming how we can "learn so much from each other?"

11/06/2014 RUSSIA - PAKISTAN

Patriarch of Moscow writes to Pakistani president "pardon Asia Bibi"

by Nina Achmatova

In a letter to Hussain, Kirill warns: "There is the risk of jeopardizing the dialogue and relations between Christians and Muslims not only in Pakistan but all over the world."

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow has sent a letter to the President of Pakistan Himari Hussain asking him to pardon Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy.

The primate of the Russian Orthodox Church writes, "it would be an irreparable loss for her family, her near and dear, cause a great damage to the Muslim-Christian dialogue and could also aggravate tension between Christians and Muslims both in Pakistan and in the entire world".

In the letter, published on the Patriarchate website, Kirill says he is convinced that the political authorities of any modern state " should be aware of their responsibility for the destiny of representatives of religious minorities entrusted to them".

"The Russian Orthodox Church - the letter continues - has shown serious concern over the judgment delivered by the court. Our multimillion flock joins their voice to that of the great number of people throughout the world who advocate for saving the life of this Christian woman".

After years in prison and in solitary confinement "for security reasons", on October 16th the Lahore High Court upheld the death sentence imposed at first instance on Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five children. She is accused of blasphemy for insulting the name of Muhammad, but has always claimed innocence and denounced being persecuted for her faith.

In 2011, Islamic extremists killed the governor of Punjab Salman Taseer (Muslim) and the Federal Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti (Catholic), "guilty" of having defended Bibi. Human rights groups and religious minorities have long upheld that Pakistan's infamous blasphemy law is often used to persecute purposes.

The ultimate questions must be asked - it must all come out!

The same sodomite fascists that are attacking this gentle woman, Baronelle Stutzman, are trying to destroy the Church of Christ, Catholic.

What was to be a Synod on the Family degenerated into a manipulated attempt to approve of sodomy. Given the situation and the revelation that the Pope himself, according to Cardinal Marx, ordered words on homosexualism inserted into the Synod documents is it fair to ask each of our Bishops; are you homosexual?

If it is true, what Marx has said, then what is the responsibility of Pope Francis in this?

Pope Francis, is this true or not?

Do Marx, as well as Kasper, speak for you? What do these wealthy and worldly German Cardinals have on you?

Holy Father, why do you seem to be so silent when they claim to speak your thoughts?

With all respect, Holy Father, your silence in the light of all that has happened is scandalous.

As stated by the Grand Mason of the Grand Lodge of Italy upon the election of Jorge Bergoglio, "nothing will be the same."

Indeed!

How much longer do we keep our heads in the sand?



Friends, we are indeed in a war not of our own making. It is time to stand up and be counted. We are not obliged to submit to a priest, a bishop, an archbishop, a cardinal or even the pope himself, if they teach or lead us against the truth of Christ and His Church.

Not one bit.

Where is the mercy?

This blogger has friends that worship at the Toronto chapel of the Society of St. Pius X. I have a conflicted view of the fact that they do, but I can clearly understand it. One one hand, they attend their in a comfortable way, they do not participate in the life of the greater Archdiocese nor do they fight it out in the trenches; it would be a lot easier with them in the fight directly with those of us engaging the crisis daily. On the other hand, who am I to judge? The scandal and sorrow that they have endured on the part of priests or previous Ordinaries not sympathetic to the cause is legion. (I do not include Cardinal Collins in this as he has generally been supportive of the Toronto Traditional Mass Society's goals and the needs of the faithful. though clearly the FSSP issue is still a hard point), 

It is also repugnant that certain puerile people label them and others as madtrads or radtrads or trads-behaving-badly. It is insulting, degrading, juvenile, schizophrenic and unbecoming of any Catholic who purports to love the Our Lord Jesus Christ, and His Holy Sacrifice at the Mass and His Church. 

It is regrettable that under our dear Pope Benedict XVI, a complete reconciliation could not be realised and I long for the day in God's good time and may I live to see it, that a perfect communion is established.

Full disclosure: I have worshipped at the Toronto chapel in the past and sang in the Schola there whilst between other chant engagements. I have never gone to the Sacrament of Confession there for obvious reasons but the Mass if valid and holy.

What these two bishops, in Italy and Argentina have done, by threatening the lay faithful with excommunication when the Church has already stated that they are not excommunicated is the height of episcopal arrogance and hypocrisy. These are our brother and sisters. These are Catholic faithful living the faith as the parents of these bishops did!

There is much talk of mercy these days. Mercy for sodomites, mercy for those paying the price for murder, mercy for adulterers. Mercy. Mercy. Mercy.

Well? Where is the mercy for these 99?

INTERNATIONAL UNA VOCE FEDERATION

MEDIA RELEASE – IMMEDIATE – 4 November 2014

International Una Voce Federation: threatened SSPX excommunications may be illegal

LONDON 4 November 2014 – The International Una Voce Federation which seeks to promote the traditions, particularly the liturgical traditions, of the Roman Catholic Church, within the official structures of the Church, today questioned the legality of a “notification” dated 14 October 2014 of the Roman See of Albano, Italy, claiming to ex-communicate those who receive the sacraments from, or attend religious services of, the Society of St Pius X (SSPX).

The Federation questions the legality of a notification in similar terms of Bishop Óscar Sarlinga of Zárate-Campana in Argentina, issued on 3 November 2014.

The Federation, which is a lay movement independent of any priestly or religious community, believes that preservation of doctrine, law and justice, as well as good pastoral practice, within the Church, is important.

The Federation believes that these “notifications” tend to imply that anyone who has ever attended services of the SSPX is not welcome in parish churches in these dioceses.

This view is clearly in direct contrast with the emphasis of the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, upon mercy and forgiveness, as well as the “openness of heart” requested by Pope Benedict XVI as a prelude to a healing of divisions “in the heart of the Church”.

The Bishop of Albano is the Rt Rev Marcello Semeraro, media spokesman of the Italian Bishops’ conference and secretary of the Papal inner Council of 9 advisers.

The Federation is asking the Holy See to advise that these notifications are defective and to require them to be modified so as to comply with the law of the Church and the decisions of the Holy See.

BACKGROUND

On 14 October 2014, the Chancery of the Diocese of Albano issued a notification to parish priests claiming that anyone who attends SSPX services, even, apparently, children, thereby “break communion with the Catholic Church” and can only be re-admitted to the Church after “an adequate personal path of reconciliation”. The notification reads:

“The Catholic faithful cannot participate at Mass, neither request and/or receive sacraments from or in the Society. Acting otherwise would mean to break communion with the Catholic Church.

Therefore, any Catholic faithful who requests and receives sacraments in the Society of Saint Pius X, will place himself de facto in the condition of no longer being in communion with the Catholic Church. A readmission to the Catholic Church must be preceded by an adequate personal path of reconciliation, according to the ecclesiastical discipline established by the Bishop.”

Bishop Óscar Sarlinga of Zárate-Campana in Argentina, in a letter to his diocese dated 3 November 2014, states:

“It is not licit for the Catholic faithful to take part in the celebration of Mass in these conditions, neither to request nor to receive sacraments from the priests of the aforementioned "Society of Saint Pius X", including in private places turned into places of worship, without excluding, in case of obstinacy, also the ferendae sententiae penalties that may apply, according to the ecclesial spirit and that of protection of the faithful.

In the case of the rupture of ecclesiastical communion by the above-mentioned founded motives, in order to be later readmitted to the Catholic Church, a personal path of reconciliation (and eventually of removal of the canonical censure) will be required, according to the discipline advised by the Holy See and the [diocese's] own, established by the diocesan bishop.”

CANONICAL BRIEF

The attitude of the Holy See has always been that lay faithful who receive the sacraments from priests of the SSPX are not excommunicated. Examples are as follows.

In 1991 Bishop Joseph Ferrario of Honolulu declared six lay Catholics excommunicated on grounds of schism for having procured the services of an SSPX bishop to administer confirmation. These appealed to the Holy See which, through Cardinal Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, declared the decree invalid because their action, though considered blameworthy, did not constitute schism.

On 5 September 2005, the Holy See, through the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, affirmed that “the faithful who attend the masses of the aforesaid Fraternity are not excommunicate, and the priests who celebrate them are not, either—the latter are, in fact, suspended.” (Protocol n.55/2005, signed by the then Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, Mgr Camille Perl).

On 27 September 2002, quoted and reaffirmed on 18 January 2003, the Holy See, through the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, stated that “In the strict sense you may fulfil your Sunday obligation by attending a mass celebrated by a priest of the Society of St. Pius X.” (Letters signed by Mgr Camille Perl).

“To break communion with the Catholic Church”, i.e. excommunication, can only be incurred where there is both an “external violation of a law or precept” and it is “gravely imputable by reason of malice or culpability” (canon 1321) and only if the proper penalty is excommunication.

Excommunication is not the proper penalty for “participating at mass” or “requesting or receiving the Sacraments” from SSPX priests or in SSPX-administered places of worship. Thus:

It is accordingly not correct that excommunication is thereby incurred.

In any event, those under the age of sixteen cannot incur a penalty (canon 1323.1); this would apply to those under this age who received baptism or confirmation.

Even when basing a canonical argument on the assumption that the SSPX has no canonical status in the Church and that its priests are suspended, following ordination without dimissorial letters, it does not follow that to seek the sacraments at their hands is an illegal act on the part of the lay faithful.

To say otherwise also conflicts with the provision in canon law (canon 1335) for the suspension of any prohibition of the celebration of the Sacraments or sacramental, or the exercise of a power of governance, when one of the faithful requests it for “any just reason”.

Furthermore, the notifications appear to challenge the Decree of the Congregation of Bishops dated 21 January 2009 lifting the excommunications of the SSPX bishops and instead seem to wish to re-impose those excommunications, within each diocese, contrary to this decree of a Congregation of the Holy See.

Moreover, it would be incongruous for the legislator to lift the excommunication of the bishops while imposing or maintaining it on the lay faithful to whom they minister.

CONCLUSION

The Federation is thus obliged to question the notifications since they appear to undermine papal legislation and canon law.

** ends **

The International Una Voce Federation is a lay movement, initially founded in Zurich in 1967.

The International Una Voce Federation aims to foster the cultural heritage of the Latin rite of the Roman Catholic Church upon which so much of European culture, music, art, literature and architecture has been built and nourished. Beginning with the retention of the Jewish Temple worship which, under Christian tutelage, developed into plainchant, sacred music became the basis of all later classical and choral music. Similar developments took place in art, architecture, literature and all the arts, in which the Christian tradition built upon the ancient Classical world and upon the Hebrew traditions that it inherited.

The Federation’s principal aims are to ensure that the traditional Roman rite of the Church is maintained in the Church as one of the forms of liturgical celebration, and to safeguard and promote the use of Latin, Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony and all the sacred, artistic, literary and musical traditions of the Roman Church in all their beauty and integrity.

A General Assembly of the Federation is convened every two years in Rome and elections are held for the Council and Presidency.

The Federation is recognized by the Holy See, its views are received with courtesy and respect by the relevant Roman Congregations, and its representatives are received by them in the same manner.

Its first President, Dr Eric Vermehren de Saventhem, was a German anti-Nazi diplomat who, together with his wife, born Countess von Plettenberg, from a well-known anti-Nazi Catholic family, escaped via the Embassy in Istanbul to Britain. Other Presidents have included the author Michael Davies from Britain.

Over the years the Federation has made various successful interventions. It was instrumental in persuading Pope John Paul II in 1986 to convoke a special Commission of Cardinals which resulted in the issue of the decree Ecclesia Dei Adflicta in 1988 and also played a part in persuading Pope Benedict XVI to issue the motu proprio decree Summorum Pontificum in 2007.

Mr James Bogle