Look, I’ll just say it since no one else has.
The US bishops who have had quite a bit to say about Governor DeSantis’ airlift of Venezuelans to Martha’s Vineyard really should have some firsthand experience before they speak out.
Perhaps if the brown people had been dropped off in Provincetown…
Our Lady, Star of the Sea, pray for us!
Yesterday I attended Holy Mass in one of the “new locations” offered by the Arlington, VA Diocese for the celebration of the TLM. I have to admit that I was impressed by the redesign of the space. Formerly a school gymnasium (and not on the property of a Catholic parish), this space was, in the span of a few weeks, turned from a utilitarian hall into a somewhat proper looking “church”. It is obvious that some money had been spent installing a new wood floor. Additionally, a sanctuary was constructed with an honest-to-goodness altar rail. At the head of the space was a lovely altar constructed against a custom-made backdrop. The hall itself was arranged with a mix of oaken pews and chairs.
As I suspected, the new gym/church was filled to capacity – I guess somewhere between 150-200 people at each of 2 Sunday Masses. There was a choir in the back of the hall. In many ways this place resembled a Latin Mass community from 15 years ago – from the time when Summorum Pontificum had unleashed the ancient rite and people were eager to build beautiful churches for Our Lord. The only problem is that this community was here because they were forced out of an actual beautiful church. They were sent to this place by the bishop who, just following orders, began an implementation of Traditiones Custodes. That document states that celebrations of the TLM may not take place in parish church buildings because if you love the Mass of the Ages, you must be punished brought to your senses and “return to the Novus Ordo”. A subsequent letter from Rome states that pastors of such parishes may not even advertise the Mass times in bulletins.
OK, all of this is known to the kind of folks who would be reading this blog. So why do I bring it up?
We know that the so-called “Pope of Mercy” is anything but merciful to faithful Catholics wishing to worship in the manner of their faithful ancestors. If you’ve been reading this site, you know that I (along with not a small number of my fellow Catholics) believe that this Bergoglio isn’t even a legitimate pope. I will say it again. We have had anti-popes in the history of the Church – somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 of them. This is not a new nor is it a shocking concept. And we knew for some time that certain bishops, under pressure from Rome to quash the TLM, have drawn up plans to put TC into practice. We even know that the target date to completely shut it down is sometime in 2023-24.
What I did NOT expect was the letter that was handed to me as I left this place. In addition to the parish bulletin (which does not list the Mass times for this “chapel”), I was handed a separate sheet of paper. I’m going to paraphrase the letter here to avoid getting anyone in trouble.
“Last week, people took pictures of the new chapel space. They shared those pictures. Some of those pictures were used by people online discussing the fact that this is not ideal. This might draw more attention to us and make things ‘political’. Please don’t share pictures.”
Are you joking? Seriously, Father? There are several false premises at work here. We could start with the premise that anything found in the evil document Traditiones Custodes is binding on anyone. We could continue with the premise that shunting the people of your parish into a gym ten miles away is a “positive effort”. Finally, as a lawyer friend remarked to me, “[The virtue of] Religion is inherently political because it has serious political implications.”
Again, I feel for these priests. I really do. I am sure they never anticipated being in this position. God send Thine Holy Ghost upon these men, Thy priests, to guide them in all they do.
But do you not realize that taking that added step of requesting people not share pictures sends a very definite message? It comes across as cowering in fear. If there really is nothing wrong with the situation, if this really is a positive effort, why try to shut down the flow of information? “We’re being shut down. Let’s take our punishment and die off quickly and quietly. Don’t even talk about what’s being done. Just. Go. Away.” I expect it to be followed with a “Thank you sir, may I have another!” Is that what Fr. intended in his message? Perhaps not and I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I believe he thinks he is doing what must be done. But it is certainly not a good look and it bodes very poorly for this and other similar Latin Mass communities.
My point in sharing this is to point out, if it wasn’t already obvious, that the screws are tightening. We know what they’re doing and what their goal is and if it wasn’t already apparent, it should be by now. When they tell you we cannot even attract attention to the Mass that was celebrated for 1900 years but the videos of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament being blown to the ground in the wind abound on social media, there is a problem. When they tell you not to take a picture and share it, it is only a short while before they tell you not to write about it and then they’ll say we can’t discuss it among ourselves because “someone might hear…”
For the record, I took a picture of this gym/church yesterday shortly before I was handed that letter. I won’t post it – not because I think it is imprudent but because it is out of focus. No matter though as identical pictures are online already and a quick internet search will lead you to at least one.
And to those who say that Bergoglio is Bergoglio and we can’t do anything to stop him; perhaps you are right. But I’ll be damned if he gets away with it without someone calling him out on it every day he remains on this earth. And that goes for the men who comply with his plans of destruction.
St. Pius V, pray for us!
I attended Mass today for this Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost under a very strange set of circumstances.
I cannot wait, no indeed, I actually need to tell you all about it.
But I’m going to wait until tomorrow to post the story because it’s one of those that requires me to write it and then sit on it a while to make sure I’m not only saying exactly what I want to say but also that I’m not saying anything in anger or rash judgment.
Let’s just say the Argentine destroyer is destroying more than meets the eye. And I will leave it there for now.
St. Rita, pray for us!
Tagged TLM, traditional catholic
Check this out about a Philly drag Queen collapsing and dying on stage.
Obviously, I pray for every soul who has departed from this world.
But for reals? Valencia Prime? You could’ve chosen any name you wanted and that’s what you went with?
Also, thanks for the scandal and faggotry. Now I have to fast too.
Friends, stay confessed.
Our Lady of Akita, pray for us!
Not long ago, my 85 year-old mother posted the following on Facebook:
“Who wants to get Grandma something from McDonalds?”
Apparently she confused Facebook with UberEats. And yet, like the matriarch she is, she got her point across because one of my nieces replied with the following:
“I got you, G-Money…”
My point in sharing this is because Harvey needs some help. If you are reading this and live in Northern Virginia (specifically the Arlington Diocese) and you know the Mass schedules for TLM in this place, would you be so kind as to drop me an email? I’m traveling the next week or two and want to attend the Roman Mass.
Update: I already have the mass schedule at Renaissance, I’m curious as to the others. Thank you!
Much appreciated!
Our Lady, Mother of the Clergy, pray for us!
Today let’s begin nine days of prayer in honor of Padre Pio, who’s feast is nine days hence.
Here is one novena I found
Also, I’m still keeping up with St. Rita. im eventually going to wake up, pray novenas for 16 hours, and go to bed. And that’s OK.
Tagged novena, padre Pio, St. Rita, TLM, traditional catholic
One of my hometown papers (that’s an archaic broadside people used to read to gather information) ran a lovely piece today about the Synodal Survey Soundings of the Sodo-Synodal Synod on Synoding.
First lines usually set the tone and this one was no joke.
“Reach out to the marginalized, ordain women, engage the youth.”
I don’t like to waste time – mine or yours. Let’s cut through the bullshit. I’ll re-write it for you.
“We haven’t been inside a Catholic church, let alone practiced a scintilla of the faith since water was poured on our heads in infancy. Why isn’t the Church, like, more with the times, yo?”
In other words, the synod-goers want a Catholic Church that ISN’T Catholic. That wasn’t so hard, was it?
They want women’s orders, lay-run everything, abortion, contraception, sex, sex, sex, free stuff, more sex only as bizarre as possible this time, and general faggotry busting out all over. Thank you, no. These things are not Catholic. And I won’t apologize for saying it, nor for my tone in saying it. To quote Ann Barnhardt, “I want my Church back, you sonofabitch!”
Let’s see. They want to think of themselves as Catholic but not actually be Catholic. I think we call that the Protestant heresy.
Did someone say antichurch?
It sounded like someone said antichurch?
God in heaven, have mercy on us!
*The original version of this post misquoted Miss B. as “Give me back my Church, you sonofabitch,” instead of the correct version: “I want my Church back, you sonofabitch.” Apologies to Miss B.
Tagged newark, Nighty night baby, synod, TLM, tobin, traditional catholic
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 