SP March 1, 2008

Catholics Have a Right To Pray for Us
By Jacob Neusner

SP February 28, 2008

Too Cool: A New Priest in 1951 - Part I
Recognize him?

Tridentine Mass in Bicol Update
The TLM in the Phillipines

SP February 27, 2008

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Latin Mass Community of Fort Wayne-South Bend
An official Apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter has been established in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend with the full permission of His Excellency Bishop John Michael D’Arcy.

First usus extraordinarius training in Spain

SP February 26, 2008

Bishops Just Say the Darnedest Things!
—Can someone explain how an educated man, an Archbishop, who has served as a consultant to the USCCB Liturgy Committee could say the following?

An important weekend in Rome for the Usus Antiquior

No "Reform of the Reform" in sight

SP February 25, 2008

The Motu Proprio as a Text for Priests - Experiences of a Parish Priest

Vatican caved on Latin prayer?
"Rebel Catholic traditionalists who champion the old Latin mass have accused Pope Benedict of caving in to "foreign pressures" by dropping negative comments about Jews from a rare prayer in the Church's official language."

SP February 24, 2008

Williamson of SSPX: Pope Benedict is an Anti-Semite
In this respect of the Catholic Faith, Benedict XVI has, objectively, shown himself to be against the Jews purely as Jews. Is there any other possible true definition of the expression “anti-semite?”

SP February 23, 2008

It's Official...Sort Of
SSPX responds to the change in prayer for the Jews.

All seminaries must teach the old Latin Mass ,says Vatican

A Deacon is a Deacon is a Deacon
The role of the permanent diaconate in the TLM

Interview with Msgr. Schmitz, Institute of Christ the King, Chicago

SP February 22, 2008

Interview with Fr. Fessio

Q: Much has been made recently of Pope Benedict's efforts to "reform the reform" so to speak, in regards to such things as he saying mass in the Sistene Chapel Ad Orientem, and the placement of the crucifix on the altar of Peter facing him during mass, as well as his motu proprio liberalizing the use of the missal of Bl. John XXIII. You are a noted friend of Pope Benedict XVI and clearly read his writing and practice his teaching because you yourself say the Novus Ordo Mass Ad Orientem and have Gregorian chant assist your masses- Tell us from your view what you think the Holy Father is doing right now in terms of liturgy:

Why Brentwood Catholics are incensed
UK Bishop stands amid the storm clouds and gives his permission to the rain.

Australia:Traditional Mass Returns to St. Patrick's
The traditional form of the Roman Rite returned to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Wangaratta for the first time in 38 years.

SP February 21, 2008

French Paper, La Croix, on the Institute of the Good Shepherd
"And this, the Society of St. Pius X... must [come to] understand." Now in charge of this parish at the heart of Bordeaux, it seeks to live the Mass according to the Missal of St. Pius V. "We are on the right track," says the priest, suggesting a figure of 600 faithful that, he says, are "people who have found a sacramental practice with us."

Commentary: It's The Humility, Stupid
—Two paths to unity diverge is a wood. My hope lies with the one less traveled.

SP February 20, 2008

Permanent TLM in EWTN-LAND

Will the SSPX use the new Goood Friday Prayer?

SP February 18, 2008

The 'Old Rite' is now that weird historical anomaly from the 1970's
More and more, we are gaining clarity that these years were a great oddity in Catholic history when people decided that it was hugely important to do only things that Catholics had never done and never do things that Catholics had previously done.

A Critique of Fr. Scott's position on the Good Friday Prayer
A discussion of Father Peter Scott's response to the changes to the Good Friday Prayer.

More Crying Babies at Tridentine Mass than English Mass
—Humor: Anti-baby radicals oppose traditional Latin Mass.

SP February 17, 2008

Is the German Episcopal Conference cooking the books?
The association "Pro Missa Tridentina" (PMT) criticized a statement by Karl Cardinal Lehmann (retiring head of the German Bishops Conference, Ed.) in regards to the realization of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum.

Ite, Missa Est
Interest in ‘Extraordinary Form’ of the Mass Growing on Campus

Words of tradition: Mass at Frenchtown's St. John the Baptist returns to Latin
Video Link Here

Hints of Things To Come

Fr. John Zuhlsdorf has obtained a letter from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei in response to a dubia. This response contains some very interesting hints of things to come in the forthcoming clarifying document. Damian Thompson expresses his joy here. See the full text of the letter below:

Dear Dr. ...

We wish to acknowledge your letter of 29 September 2007 and beg your indulgence for not having managed to respond sooner due to the volume of mail which we have received since the promulgation of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum and the many matter which have required our immediate attention.

With regard to your dubia, we respond as follows:

1. Candidates for the priesthood in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church have the right to be instructed in both forms of the Roman Rite.
2. Those responsible for the formation of candidates for the priesthood in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church should provide for the instruction of their candidates in both forms of the Roman Rite.

We expect that these matters will soon be treated in an instruction on the application of the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum.

With prayerful best wishes I remain.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. Msgr. Camille Perl

Secretary

SP February 16, 2008

Missa solemnis
The traditional Latin, or Tridentine, mass -- with its incense, bells, chants and intricately choreographed gestures -- is enjoying a modest revival in the Twin Cities, thanks to the efforts of one determined priest.

SP February 14, 2008

Rumor Has It...
According to Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, two independent source have confirmed that the document clarifying questions regarding the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum is now on Pope Benedict's desk. Further, it will be issued in forma specifica.

The confirmation in forma specifica makes a confirmed act an act of the supreme authority of the Church, who is then legally its author. A lower judge can do nothing against such an act, given the principle that “the First See cannot be judged by anyone else.” (Code of Canon Law of 1983, c. 1404). It is for this reason that the mandatum of the Apostolic See or aperitio oris is indispensable when a lower judge undertakes a new review of a matter or evaluates a document (c. 1405 2). Consequently, a decree from a provincial council approved in forma communi remains a conciliar decree. whereas if it is approved in forma specfica, it becomes one of the Roman pontiff’s higher laws.

SP February 13, 2008

You Report: Traditional Masses around the World - X --Mississippi

Tridentine Mass taking off in the Philippines.

SP February 12, 2008

Rabbi: Not Happy, but prayer for the Jews only a 'Small Bump'
"Rabbi Alvin Berkun, president of the group, said the release of the revised Latin-language Good Friday prayer by the Vatican last week was only a small bump in improving Jewish-Catholic relations, but the Jewish community needed to express concern."

Review by Dr. Alcuin Reid of "The Mass of All Time" by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
"But as the usus antiquior gradually claims its rightful place in the Church of today and of tomorrow we would do well to consider that - humanly and historically speaking at least - it may not be able to do so today were it not for the reaction of the Archbishop and of his disciples then. For the Providence of Almighty God we may be thankful."

Missouri: Catholics celebrate revival of Latin Mass

SP February 11, 2008

Dr. Whitehead: A New Rite?
"Quite apart from the semantics or terminology being employed at the moment, it could well be that the long-term effect of the pope's action in [his Motu Proprio] could well be the legitimization of what could come to be considered a separate "Tridentine rite" in Latin in the Catholic Church."


Archbishop Marini on the liturgy wars By George Weigel
"Oddly, coming from a man of strong convictions, Marini’s tale is bureaucratic rather than substantive"

SP February 9, 2008

The Mind of Ratzinger
2003 letter shows the possible future of the Liturgy.

Classical Liturgy Society Formed at Notre Dame

Traditionalist Group: We will obey with submission
The only official reaction to the change of "Prayer for the Jews" is positive.

SP February 8, 2008

A Papal Masterstroke
Pope's Good Friday Prayer Reinforces Infallible Church Teaching

Italian Rabbinical Assembly: suspension of dialogue

USCCB: Response To The Publication Of Pope Benedict XVI’s Revision Of The 1962 Good Friday Prayer For The Jewish People

SP February 7, 2008

Archbishop to ordain priests using Tridentine Mass in Rome cathedral
A former Vatican official will ordain four traditionalist priests in a Tridentine Mass celebrated in the cathedral of Rome, church officials said.

Georgetown: Campus Ministry Endorses Celebration of Latin Mass
Tridentine Mass Held Biweekly in Copley

SP February 6, 2008

New Prayer for the Jews:

Let us pray, and also for the Jews.

May our God and Lord enlighten their hearts, so that they may acknowledge Jesus Christ, saviour of all men.
Let us pray.
Let us kneel.
Arise.

Almighty and everlasting God, who desirest that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of truth, mercifully grant that, as the fullness of the Gentiles enters into Thy Church, all Israel may be saved. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

SP February 5, 2008

Sociological Elements of OF and EF

Convert England to Catholicism, says papal ally
A “re-enchantment” of the liturgy is also needed, he says, since liturgy forms the imagination and is crucial in “getting others to grasp the inwardness of Catholic Christianity”.

SP February 3, 2008

Jesuit Who Was Ordered To Stop Saying Latin Mass Dies

New FSSP parish is being built, St. Benedict's in Chesapeake, Virginia.
HT to NLM

SP February 1, 2008

Everything Needed to Understand and Appreciate the Traditional Latin Mass. --Fr. George Moorman.

Traditional Diaconal ordination at the Lateran