I was commiserating with a friend recently about the seeming inaction of the Vatican in light of entrenched opposition to Summorum Pontificum.
He remarked that the Vatican IS taking action. Within the past year, at least one American bishop who had forbidden celebration of the TLM in his diocese received a call from "a Cardinal at the Vatican" instructing him, in no uncertain terms, that he was to permit the celebration of the TLM in his diocese.
He was also told that if he failed to comply, he would be receiving "a phone call from the Holy Father himself."
There are now several TLMs being offered in that bishop's diocese.
It is shameful that such would be necessary to convince bishops to obey the Pope, but that's the age in which we live. On the other hand, it is good for those of us in the trenches to know that the Vatican IS acting to enforce Summorum Pontificum, even if such interventions are not generally made public.
And given that such interventions are not generally being made public, but are occurring nonetheless, it is easier to understand the frustrations of Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos and other Vatican leaders. They may be well aware that such interventions are occurring, but are constrained from pointing them out.
Kudos to that "Cardinal at the Vatican" for correcting a recalcitrant bishop, and to our Holy Father for charging that "Cardinal at the Vatican" with taking action in this regard.
Monday, October 6, 2008
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5 comments:
In our diocese of Portland, Maine there are now 2 TLMs being offered weekly. Unfortunately they are both in the southern half of the state, 3 hours from our home mid-coast. With a diocese covering 35,000 square miles, it is as if SP never happened. We still have the same liberal NO Mass, no confession offered in many parishes, one priest "covering" 4 parishes...
I wish our bishop would get a phone call from a cardinal, "Give the people the TLM or..."
We were traveling in Maine in August and had the pleasure of attending the TLM at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland on August 17th.
But Maine is a huge state; many Americans don't comprehend how large it is, and it is blatantly obvious that 2 TLMs are inadequate to provide for the needs of the faithful.
Such phone calls occur more often than people are aware. I know of at least two dioceses whose bishops got the warning, and this was in the days before Summorum Pontificum. Of those two, one is still hedging but is near retirement anyway, while the other is doing nothing to impede it.
Given the awareness of concerns raised over the internet, one can expect these kinds of phone calls to become more common.
No surprise, except that it was a phone call instead of a letter.
The Vat's going all techno!
"Such phone calls occur more often than people are aware."
That is good to know.
Again, I think it is important that the laity know that these kinds of interventions are occurring. Otherwise it is easy to lose hope, and lose faith in those who are tasked with implementing Summorum Pontificum. If this kind of story were to be made public more often, there may be less letters flooding certain Vatican offices...
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