So, friends, here we are. I don’t pretend that I have the world’s largest audience nor do I really care. When I began the re-worked iteration of my now 15 year-old blog I said a prayer asking God for one favor. I asked Him that He would use me to convert at least one person to the authentic Catholic faith and to help establish devotion to the Latin Mass. He, of course, will know when and if that has happened. In the meantime, I happily share my musings on the state of the Church in the world today and my most informed guesses as to where She will be tomorrow. I truly appreciate all of the kind notes I have been receiving and even more when a reader shares my writing with others. Thank you.
And yesterday, we saw the Arlington (VA) Diocese walk itself to the edge of a cliff, place one foot over the edge, and as if on cue, wait to make the final leap until a major Marian feast some five and a half weeks hence.
Others have spoken at length by now of the gyst of Bishop Burbidge’s directives and I invite you to read and watch what they have to say. Bring yourself up to speed. This is the place to dive more in-depth and analyze it from the perspective of a Catholic, a man, a husband, and a father. I will say, though, that one theory floating around the vastness of the internet is that the letter was actually penned by Arthur Roache, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and then simply forced upon Bishop Burbidge under penalty of removal from office. Truth? I know not. It seems plausible as does anything these days. About the only thing I do know is that, if you believe Traditiones Custodes was written in response to a bishops’ survey or that any bishops actually wrote Dubia in reference to it, there’s a lovely bridge I’d like to sell you over the East River. Gothic arches and all.
What I can further say is that there are two words I will be delving into in tomorrow’s post:
Corporation Sole
That legal entity aside, let’s look at some finer points of Burbidge’s Letter of Doom (BLD).
I spend a good amount of time in the counties of Northern Virginia. I lived there for three years early in my marriage. My daughter was born and baptized there. I still travel there frequently. Arlington is, in many ways, a victim of itself. In the wake of Summorum Pontificum, many of the priests there learned the TLM and began offering it in their parishes. As you see from the BLD, there are currently 21 out of 70 parishes offering TLM Masses. Partially as a result, the FSSP and ICKSP never set up shop here. One group who did establish a presence is the SSPX during the Coof-o-rama. They came and offered masses at the Warren County Fairgrounds north of Front Royal in compliance with the ridiculous Coof Diktats and Bishop B scolded them for it. He even told his people in a letter not to attend anything with the SSPX as they were “schismatic”.
Sorry, Bishop, they aren’t; and you calling them names doesn’t help. But guess what? They’re moving full-steam ahead on a permanent church in FroRo so there’s hope.
Point By Point
In the Directive at point #2 we learn that, as per Traditiones Custodes (TC), a priest will be appointed to oversee all of this garbage. If I am correct in my guess, than I personally know this priest. He is a friend and I will pray for him. To be sure, he is a good man but this is not a path he needs to be on, overseeing the sunsetting of the venerable Mass and I hope he realizes that. Fr., I still love you as a friend.
At point #3, in another example of no one having read anything prior to 1962 we have the patently false notion that because Fwancis says so, a valid Roman priest may not celebrate the TLM without permission. See Quo Primum, friends. “In perpetuity…” I have also been informed (though this needs further sourcing) that new priests may not even learn the TLM. Next, they’ll be telling us we can’t even think about it! How the hell do you stop someone from learning something?
At point #4 we see the list of parishes “allowed” to continue using the TLM. They include 3 parish churches and five other locations within the bounds of parishes. One of these locations is a Montesorri school. You can’t say the Mass in a church building so here are some colored blocks, an ironing board, and some number chains. Have at it! Also in this point comes the now-standard directive that, if I’m reading this right, says there won’t be any TLM’s during Holy Week or the Triduum, even at these eight locations.
My personal favorite is point #5. I’m going to quote it so you can’t mistake the lunacy of what we’re both encountering.
“Per the Responsa ad Dubia and as directed by the Dicastery, the parish may not publish the times of the Mass in the Usus Antiquior in the bulletin or on the parish website or social media sites.”
A midwit, mid-level manager in Rome is now directing what can and cannot be in our bulletins and on our websites? I’m going to find out the times and publish them here. Are you literally kidding me with this Northern Virginia Horseshit?
Point #6 mandates use of the vernacular for the Epistle and Gospel. They’ve already been doing this on their own in Arlington since last summer. It’s crap.
Point #8 says “no new groups” of faithful who are attached to the Latin Mass are to be established”. I may have to move back to Virginia just to establish a lay-run totally unofficial group.
But it is Point #9 that tells you all you need to know. They are absolutely shutting you down and they’re doing it swiftly. Take a look.
“Pastors… must develop a pastoral plan ‘to lead the faithful who are attached to the antecedent liturgy’ towards the celebration of the liturgy according to the liturgical books reformed by decree of the Second Vatican Council…”
Friends in Arlington, can you feel it? Are you superjazzed and oh-so-excited to be lead back into the sole expression of the Roman Rite? It won’t be long now before you conform. Before you know it, you too will be liturgical dancing and stripping down to your boxers to jump in a lake for Mass on a raft.
They are coming for all of us. They want you to think it’s for your own good. They cannot stand up to a madman antipope because they fear ramifications. They fear they’ll be Lefebrve’d. Lord God, help these men find their balls soon.
Also, do you have your underground plan yet?
Our Lady of LaSalette, pray for us!
Harvey Millican's Blog: Musings of a Trad Dad 