Today marked 15 years since Pope Benedict XVI issued his landmark motu proprio Summorum Pontificum. That document stated that 1) the ancient mass had not been abrogated and 2) no priest of the Roman Rite needed any special permission to use the old missal.
I remember when this document was released. It was one week before my wedding day. I did not fully grasp its significance at the time.
Today, on this anniversary, I went to Latin Mass as I have almost every day for the past four years.
Thank you, Holy Father!
If you haven’t figured it out yet, I urge you to pray earnestly. Ask the Blessed Mother to help you discern. She will dispense Wisdom and Counsel from her Son. Use your intellect. God gave you a rational mind for just this purpose. Reflect. sit in silence before the Blessed Sacrament and ask Him to enlighten you.
He has but one Vicar on the earth. Who is that man?
Is it the one who lives in the “enclosure of Peter”, giving his own Apostolic Blessing, wearing the trappings of the Petrine office? Is it one who has rejected the Catholic faith and teaches others so to do?
Is it the man who affirmed the right of Roman priests to say the Roman mass or is it the one who name calls and gets nasty and promotes every manner of abuse?
To that point, I came across a picture from the last time I was in Southern California. Take a look and read carefully the original caption from that day – July 7, 2019.
The priest kept referring to Jesus as our “big brother”. He announced they’d be hosting Theology on Tap for those between 18-35. No one there matched that description.
But all is not lost. The felt banners seem to be serving some function. In this case I think they’re lining up Jesus for final approach to LAX.
You know the answer to the question above. Coincidentally, the church in that picture and the mass I attended therein were among the reasons I decided I was done with NO. At the time I was still hoping mutual enrichment would magically happen.
Pray.
Fast.
God save Thy people.
Holy Mother of God, shield us with thy mantle.
St. Michael, call down the legions of angels at thy command to protect us and Pope Benedict XVI, the one and only Vicar of Christ since 2005 whether he likes it or not.
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 