Bishop D'Arcy Steps Up

From Bishop D'Arcy of the Diocese of Fort Wayne - South Bend

... Mindful of all those who treasure the Latin rite and indeed of many young people who find themselves better able to worship in it because of what they sense as a strong sense of mystery, the pope has made it possible for the older Latin rite to be celebrated without any special permission.

Indeed since Pope John Paul II allowed this under some conditions and encouraged bishops to be open to it, in a special apostolic letter in 1988, we have been blessed to have in our diocese what is now called the extraordinary form. This is the Mass that I grew up with and prayed at Our Lady of Presentation Church in Brighton, Mass., the Mass I celebrated for the first 10 years of my priesthood. It has been celebrated every Sunday in each end of our diocese since 1989.

In Fort Wayne, several senior priests have made this available. I salute Father Dan Leeuw, Father Adam Schmidt, and there have been others. In the South Bend area, one thinks especially of Father Jim Seculoff, who celebrated this Mass both in St. Mary, Bristol, and also in St. John the Baptist, South Bend. More recently several priests of Holy Cross have filled in, Father Jerome Esper, CSC, and Father Tom Blantz, CSC.

A special new priest
When Pope Benedict XVI issued his motu proprio, I thought immediately of Father George Gabet, FSSP. Father George is a native of St. John Parish, New Haven, and attended Bishop Dwenger High School, where among other things, he played football.
Several years ago, I had the privilege of ordaining Father George according to the old rite, the rite by which I was ordained 51 years ago at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. For many years, my good friend Dominic (Nick) Harris has asked me to bring in a member of Father George’s community, the Fraternity of St. Peter, to give assurance that this Mass could be celebrated well into the future. The significant number that attend the Mass in Fort Wayne are worried that with priests aging, they may not have anyone to celebrate this Mass. Father George is a member of a religious congregation called The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and they are dedicated to the celebration of Mass under this form. ...

Read the Rest Here.

Some More on Fr. George Gabet.